Still in Gloria!!!!!

Well, Mom.   I'm so happy to hear you guys are doing great.  We are doing just great here in this area.  We are loving life. I'm glad to hear the family still knows who I am and they're thinking about me.  That's good. But I don't have very much time to think about you guys.   Sorry, ha, but we are having a great time here in Gloria ward I'm loving it.

We are going to have a baptism this next Saturday of a young woman.  Her name is Thayna.  She is way awesome.  She went to church for the first time last week and then yesterday she went to church again.  It's so awesome to see the change in people.  We visited her for the first time not this last Saturday, but the Saturday before.  But we invited her to church and she went but then she told us she doesn't like to wear dresses.  So we were like that's totally fine, its just important you go to church.  So she went then we visited her this week she said that she had bought a dress and that she knew that the Book of Mormon is true and she wanted to be baptized!!!!!  Well,  we marked a date for this Saturday. I say that this work that I'm doing is hard, but it's so worth it.  Because I know that God loves each and everyone of his children.  I know Christ lives and this church is true!

We are working hard here it is ridiculously hot here in Vila Velha this time of year. We are going to know about transfers this next week.  It should be good.  Me and Elder Tavares are working really hard. I'm excited for Christmas to see you guys I love you guys so much. I'm excited to see Brevin,  Lecia and  L.E. Hey ask everyone to prepare questions for me. But I'm doing great here.   Love you guys!

Elder Pellegrini

Conference Weekend

Dear Family,

How are you doing?

Well Mom, this week was good.  We are having a great time here in Gloria.  Conference was great! There are a lot of young women here who are really excited about the age change to the missionary thing. We were really uplifted by conference this weekend.  I loved it. I was thinking a lot about how we always used to watch it.

We are not having very much success here in the area right now.  But we are trying our hardest. The members love us. We are so lucky.  We have a member in the ward that every time she sees us she says "I will cry when you guys leave".  So this week after lunch one day I cleaned all the dishes I told her not to tell my Mom because my Mom will ask why I never cleaned them at home!  \

We are working hard. We are fasting and praying really hard for the work to go forth here in the ward that we are in. This week we had a division with the zone leaders. They are Elder Pombeiro and Elder Litchfeild.  Me and Elder Litchfeild are from the same group so that was cool.

It has been getting really hot here in the day.  I was really blessed last year because I was in Guarapari during the winter and Guarapari is like right next to the ocean. But now I'm not and there isn't an ocean breeze here. But mom the member that loves me and says she will cry when I leave says you need to learn Portuguese at least a little so you can speak with her when you get here and I will teach her English a little bit.

But this is about everything this week  I  love you guys  Keep on the hard work at home!

Elder Pellegrini

In the beginning.....and now!

For those of you who are wondering about the weight loss rumors and Elder Pellegrini, I think pictures speak louder than words.  Here's a photo taken the night before Matt left (July 18, 2011) and one taken last week.  I think he's been working hard! What do you think?

Bishop North, Matt and Curtis

Elder Pellegrini and Elder Tavares

August 27, 2012

Hello family,

I’m very sorry that my emails have sucked these past few weeks, but I have been running like a mad man trying to get everything done. People say that missionaries have 1 hour to email their family. It’s a lie!  Missionaries have one hour to email their family, their mission president, the secretaries, and everyone else in the mission and it just runs out so fast this is the fastest hour that I have during the week, is the 1 hour to send email.

Well this week was good.  We had ALOT of rain and that kind of sucked but it’s alright.  It rained so much on Sunday that we didn’t have anyone come to church-- investigator wise at least. But I love this area.  It is so good.  The lunch that people give us here is amazing. Yesterday we ate prime rib, it was so good! I remembered the last dinner I had before I came on the mission.

We taught a lot of people this week. It was way cool.  We found some new people and all that. We went to a huge Catholic church last P day. It was awesome.  It’s called Convento da Penha. It’s on a huge mountain in Vila Velha. It’s way cool up there.  I fed monkeys on the top of it and it has a lot of like churchy things.  So I’m pretty positive Dad will like it because he liked all that stuff in Italy haha.

Well this week I’ve learned that it is a lot easier to have a comp who knows how to do everything. But it is cool to teach your comp how to do things too. I’m really enjoying this area. It’s really good.  The members are awesome and all that stuff.  It’s just hard to memorize the streets because it’s a huge city.  But that’s about it. I love you guys and have a great week!

Elder Pellegrini 

Trying to repent!

Not Matt, me (his Mom).  I am repenting from not posting letters.  So here is his last week's letter:

Dear Family,

Well I'm doing good here in Brazil.  It is very cold,  Not during the day, but during the night it gets kind of cold. We are doing great in Linhares. We baptized this week and it was awesome. They were elects. They got married and baptized on the same day and we had a cake for them and everything, it was awesome! They loved it. She cried.  Her name is Miriam and his is Arqulino.  He is 23 years old and she is 54. So just a little bit of age difference right? But that's alright. 

 

We walked alot this week.  Talked with alot of people.  We did a contact with a person from the church called, "God is love".  It's very different.  They always yell, "o amen jesus yes yes".  It was quite funny. And we taught a lady who doesn't have faith. She just believes in the bible and told us that we need to rethink our church because she knows our church is false. I'm losing alot of weight and it rained here so much this week it was ridiculous.  I never thought it would stop, but it did. 

 

 

This picture I attached is me practicing for life mom. But I have to go I don't have much time. I love you guys.  I will send a bigger email next week sorry and love you guys. Bye!

 

Elder Pellegrini

Mar 19, 2012

Dear Mom,

It has been a tough week. But don't worry i know you know that missionaries have rough times. I read a talk this week from the last mission president here in the Brasil Vitoria mission. He said that he prayed everyday for the missionaries to have difficult days weeks and transfers because when you have rough times you learn the most. I can truly say that this is true. I've had a rough 2 weeks or so and let me tell you when it is rough on the mission it is rough! It's hard to get out of bed at 6:30, I was going to bed at 9:45 every night because i was so tired. But every time you have a hard time God wants you to learn something. I don't really know what he wants me to learn yet but I am praying to find out. Maybe it is that he always has a plan for you.

This week was really special I will admit. It started out iffy. We had a zone conference Wednesday where President wanted to interview me because he thought I was depressed. But I told him I wasn't, because I'm not. I just am having a rough time with the Area. But then I think on Thursday or Friday we were walking down the street to work with the members not active list and I said to Elder Santana that we had already visited this house and the person moved away. He kept walking and we walked to the front of the house and he said you're right, this is the house where the person moved away. But when we turned around to walk back down the street, there was a lady walking towards us. She said, "you guys are the Mormons right?". And we just kind of looked at each other and she said, "Sorry, sorry. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints". Then me and my companion were really confused and we said ya and she said, "Hey! My Mom wants to talk to you!" and we just thought in our head o great another person who just wants to talk about how our church is wrong and their church is right.

But we walked over to her house and she let us in and we sat down and she started to tell us a story about how she had watched the movie "The Other Side of Heaven" today and then after the movie she went to take a nap and we had walked down the street and her daughter yelled "Mom, Mom! The Mormons are walking down the street right now!" And she told her daughter to go call us over here. But she told us her story. She was baptized in our church 5 years ago and the Sunday she had to be confirmed she had a relative who was really sick in the hospital and so she couldn't go to church. When she went back the next Sunday the group that was there had closed. Groups here in Brasil close really easily. But anyways we started to teach them and they are just the best people ever! So happy about that! So we are teaching a family is what im saying. And we have another person who we're teaching who is a reference from a member and she is way good too and we got another reference yesterday of a member who's niece wants to be baptized. But ya other than that I'm doing good.

Yes Elder McBarron got transferred and Elder Kopetski is training again so that is good. The new missionary's name is Elder Christensen from Idaho he is cool. Yes I went to a chocolate factory. It was way cool. I ate 35 pieces. It was good but I felt sick after. It was pretty cool to see the chocolate factory. It's name is the Garoto. It's the only one in the world so that's pretty cool.

The mission president is good. Yes it is a lot better now that i can communicate with him and talk with him one on one without Elder Hansen. He is pretty cool. I always finish my letters to him with a President I love ya and a hug. We have had a good week we have a good week planned out for this week now and everything is going good. I will send you that other stuff in an other email I love you guys.

Elder Pellegrini

March 12, 2012

Dear Family,
Well I’m just tired. That is how I will start my email. This week has been good. My 3rd transfer in Guarapari. It is pretty good here, but just a little bit hard. It’s like at Christmas time when you get all pumped up because you have been asking your parents for this present all year long and you think for sure you’re going to get it. And there is a box under the tree that is the same shape as the thing you want, but then on Christmas morning you open it up and it’s not the present at all, its actually pants. That’s how transfers are when you have been in a place for 2 transfers and you think for sure you will be transferred and you get the call that you’re staying in your area for another transfer. That’s what it is like haha.

Well this week was a little rough we didn’t teach as much as we wish we could have, but that’s alright. We will start it up again this week. We have not worked with our baptism. She lives in the other duplas (companionship) area now. But she missed church yesterday. She called and said she was going to Vitoria for something like medical work. I don’t know how to say it in English.

Well I’m glad that life is going good for you guys in Cedar. Tell Jeff (Middleton) to be careful and to heal up. How did it happen? (He’s referring to Jeff Middleton’s arm accident). Well what are you guys doing for spring break anything fun? Yes he had a district leader meeting so i worked with 2 other people this week; Elder Morgan and some Brazilian elder. (I asked him if he has had a chance to work with anyone but Elder Santana, his companion). I don’t know his name. But i love you guys have a great week and be safe.

Love you,
Elder Pellegrini

March 4, 2012

Dear Family,
Well, I wasn’t transferred. That’s how I will start off the email! One more in Guarapari. I am having a great time here, it is very hot and the work is very hard, but other than that it has been great here! Our branch continues to grow each week and we have a lot of people coming to church. Not investigators, just members. We don’t have any investigators, which is difficult, but we need to start somewhere right? It was funny we had a zone conference this week and during carnival there was a lot of just craziness here. And we said you know what, it’s carnival so we need to go back to the house, there isn’t any work to do today. But a zone leader said that if a teaching group moves find another teaching group. But we are going to find a lot of people to baptize this transfer.

I am doing fine. My weight has evened out a little bit. I stopped losing weight, so that’s good. I will tell you what though, a mission is the most tiring thing ever. I am just always tired. I’ve really gotten better though, I don’t fall asleep during lessons now. Knock on wood ha. I’m glad Brevin and Le are getting really big. That’s neat. They’re going to be huge when I get home. I’m glad Lecia is taking guitar lessons. I always wanted to play the guitar, but mom just told me no (from Mom – this is not true).

Well I’m doing fine spiritually and emotionally. But it’s difficult. The lady we baptized told the other dupla (companionship) that she never stopped smoking or drinking coffee so idk what is happening with her it’s very difficult. I just want her to be firm in the church you know. I want her to feel these blessings that we have.

So I’m so glad that everything at home is good. Everything here is great. Just working hard. I’m going on 8 months this month. That’s crazy! I remember 6 months and now 8 in Guarapari and I might even talk to you in the same place on Mother’s Day. I am so happy that I’m here on a mission. It is the greatest choice ever. I recommend it for everyone. I love the scripture Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven”. I love it because in this chapter Jesus is talking to his disciples and he talks about a lot of things, but here he says to let our light shine not to hide it and every member has a light in side of them and if they let it shine I know God will bless them. I love My mission. I love my family. I love my mom. I’m so glad I decided to come. I know now that I’m here for the right reason.

Have a great week

Love,

Elder Pellegrini

Feb. 6, 2012

Dear Mom,

Well, this week has been very weird, fun, and sad. First the lady we are teaching is going to be baptized on Saturday. She hasn’t smoked for one full week yesterday. So that’s good. I’m so happy for her. But other than that, it has been good. I’m feeling really more confident with the language. I just need a bigger vocab. Well I have officially lost 70 pounds on my mission. I weigh 240 now and I look like I brought my dad’s clothes on my mission. It is kind of funny and ridiculous at the same time haha. I have a firm testimony now that missionaries need money only for travel and bathroom stuff. Going without money for 2 weeks is showing me how much I don’t need to spend money.

Well we had a good meeting with our Branch mission leader last night we are going to get him to call some counselors and ward missionaries so we can really have a lot of missionary work going on inside the branch that isn’t just us. Its good we are having an integration night this week too. Which is really good because we are doing a new program. I don’t know if it’s just in Brazil or there too, or if it’s just our mission or maybe just this stake, I don’t know, but it’s called 5 5 5 where you receive 5 names from the elders quorum, 5 from the high priests, and 5 names from the relief society of inactive families. Not part active, but completely inactive, and we are going to work with these families and we are going to try to get them to come back to church. This is why integration night is important, it’s a place they can go where they’re surrounded by people from the church having fun in the church and it’s not church. And a thing called 1 minute missionary where we the missionaries prepare like a little package of stuff like a dvd of the church and a Book of Mormon or stuff like that and give it to a family to share with a family before the next Sunday. Then they get up and bear their testimony about the experience. I think it will be good. I think that it will get us a lot of more people to teach and to baptize.

Well so we go to the lady who is getting baptized this week to interview her. She is 69 years old. But she is just an elect person. The branch loves her, she loves church. So that’s good. We are loving it here right now. I’m loving my comp. We are working hard together. We are trying to make the branch a ward. Well that’s about it for this week. Love you guys. Till next week I will have pictures of our house and baptism for you.

Elder Pellegrini

New Companion - Elder Santana

Dear Mom,

So I wasn’t robbed just FYI. My companion’s name is Elder Santana and I’m not senior thank goodness or trainer but Elder Furrows and Elder Tanner are that’s cool. Ha I’ve learned to tell the truth Mom. Ha no I’ve lost 70 pounds on my mission now haha no I’ll be fine (Matt lost his wallet last week). But yes I love him (Elder Santana) he is sick (evidently in a good way)!

We got a bus back from Vitoria and I paid for the bus and put my wallet back and then when we got home I was like lets order a pizza so we did and then when I went to grab my wallet to pay I was like where is my wallet and so Elder Guyn had to pay. It was funny, but sad, so we called the member who gave us a ride. I think when I put my wallet back in my pocket I thought I did, but it was really just on the seat. We went back, but the guy said no there was no wallet found.

Ok well this week has been very good and difficult and interesting and sucky all at the same time but that is alright. My new Comps name is Elder Santana He is from Sao Paulo the state not the city. He is 21 and has been on a mission for a year today actually so that’s cool. The work is going good we found 10 new investigators this week so that is good and the branch is good they are really helping a lot more now with one more dupla and Elder Santana being new haha it will be good. They are feeding me alright the other day for lunch all i had was rice and beans it was interesting. Yes the weather is still hot I think once the weather cools down a little bit I will start gaining weight back haha.
Elder Andrew is now a zone leader in Vitoria but ya he likes it I think. Yes I am hearing from my friend’s haha. Well my new comp is awesome he is in the army which is kind of cool he loves cars he loves maple syrup he loves American football and he would rather play basketball than soccer its proof God really does know who should be companions haha. He is teaching me a lot. He has a girlfriend. It’s funny you can tell that she is like that girl with my space pictures haha. O and idk what’s up but apparently my companion is beautiful and every girl in the ward wants him. So now everyone has references. I was like we just need more beautiful people haha. Well that’s about it we have an investigator who is like the cat lady with like 40 cats it’s funny.
Well I love you! Till next week,

Elder Pellegrini

January 23, 2012

Dear Mom,
I’m very sorry. I forgot my camera, but next week I will send a ton of photos with me and my new companion. Elder Andrew was transferred, but I wasn’t. So I’m getting a new companion tomorrow. That should be fun.

Well I’m going to answer your first question right now idk growing up in Utah is a really sheltered place like idk here where I am its normal for a 14 year old girl to be pregnant and for people to just live together and not be married. So I really understand now why the gospel is so important in peoples lives, I really didn’t understand before my mission but I’m glad that I’m able to see it and understand now.

And what else has changed about me is I’m wearing my ring on a necklace now because I’m so skinny haha. This week i officially gave my first blessing in Portuguese. It was so crazy. I was nervous! I gave it to a lady who we are teaching that is elect. She smokes and drinks coffee though, so that sucks. But we are helping her stop. She just needs a testimony of Joseph Smith. She came to church twice so that’s cool. I take her cigarettes from her house. It’s funny. She is so cool! She is 69 years old. We have been working hard here in Gurarapari but we just need new investigators.

President is like burning people now. He emailed us today. People are just on a mission to see the world he told us. He is sending people home this week. He is very mad I guess. Good thing I’m working. We are just teaching that lady and she is good and Portuguese is coming alot better. I just sometimes get frustrated and it’s hard to speak, but that’s all. It is getting so hot to by the way. I never want to stop. I want to get in to people’s houses where it’s not so hot! But we are loving life out here. I burnt a tie here this week and that was fun (out six months) and this week will be good!

Love you guys bye,

Elder Pellegrini

January 16, 2012

Dear Mom,

Well this week has been good. We have found some good people to teach and we are just working hard. It's the last week of the transfers so it will probably be a long week. But I'm loving it. The language is coming along good. It was rough this week. I spoke a lot of English with the new American. He is sick. But we are just working hard. We will see if I get transferred.

Um well spiritual experiences idk any but I will tell you like I told Tessa. That this work is really hard, it is just so tiring, but at the end of the day it’s so rewarding! I just love knowing I’m where I’m supposed to be. But i don’t have my camera with me this week , so I will send the pictures next week. It sounds like you guys are really busy with everything and I’ts cold. Well I’m starting to eat more that’s a good thing. I eat in the mornings now. Idk what else to really say I’m sorry my email is just terrible. Well next week I’ll know if I’m transferred or not on p day. So I’ll let you know.

Love you guys and have a good week!

Elder Pellegrini

January 9, 2012

Hello from Brazil!

It sounds like it has been a rough week for you guys. It has been not so bad for me. I am just in Guarapari. We are doing pretty well. I am just teaching. The language is coming along really well. I can’t believe in 2 weeks I’ll have 6 months. That’s just crazy.

So what happened this week? I met a guy who spoke English. That was cool. He lived in England for a long part of his life he had an English accent. I taught him and I just have found out the importance of asking questions. Because we were speaking English and I first asked him if he had ever talked to missionaries before. He said when he was really young and I asked if we could come over later and he said well my mom practices voodoo so probably not. And I was like that’s fine. So we just started to talk because we were walking the same way and I was just asking him questions I would ask anyone. He told me about how his brother died here in Espirito Santo over a soccer game. So I talked to him about how I know that his brother is being taught in the Spirit World right now and that I know that he can live with him again someday.
Then we started talking about how there is so many churches and how we believe our church is the only true church on the earth and a lot of people have a hard time with this subject. It is difficult for people to believe that idk why. But anyways I gave him a Book of Mormon and a second lesson pamphlet so we will pass by his house soon.

But I mean I am loving it here. It’s an experience. I love the people of Brazil. I’m loving the food more. We walk a ton o the new dupla (companionship) will be here tomorrow! Exciting! This transfer is almost over. Well love you guys till next week stay safe and remember to pray !

Elder Pellegrini

January 2, 2012

Mom,
Well it’s been a good week you would not believe how long it took us to find a lan house that had 2 open computers today. Well the week went well we didn’t get new missionaries in the house maybe at the transfer. But we had zone conference this week with 4 zones and that was fun. I had an interview with President just me and him it was really good. President challenged the missionaries to have at least 20 baptisms before next January. He said I know that if you try your hardest you will be able to and if you don’t baptize 20 you didn’t give your hardest. And sister Aarujo talked on faith and how through faith we can work miracles for the Lord in the mission field.

I got a letter from Dad and Aunt Marilyn that was good. I got the general conference on cd that was good too. O this week I found Settlers of Catan in Portuguese. It was funny. I took a picture. Oh well, the new year was fun there wasn’t anything to do and so we visited members houses. On Christmas we had a good lunch went to are apartment planned and went to a member’s house, then called you . We have found a few people mostly kids though it drives me crazy because I feel like I shouldn’t baptize children because they’re just going to go inactive and I don’t want to be the missionary who just baptizes a bunch of kids. I’m missing American food so much lately yesterday when we were walking I was daydreaming about American cheese haha and Taco Bell and Albertos haha and MT Dew. Oh we have 9 sisters in our mission they have the richest wards so they eat the best. Well that all there is really to say. Love you guys, bye!

Elder Pellegrini

Dec 26, 2011

Mom,

This is our president’s email today. I wanted to send it to you because it was so good.

Journey of Life

Life's journey is not a freeway devoid of obstacles, traps and snares. In fact, it is a pathway marked by forks and returns. We constantly make decisions. To do this wisely, we need courage: the courage to say "no", the courage to say "yes." Decisions determine our future. We are constantly urged to be brave. It was ever thus, and always will be. The courage of a military leader was recorded by a young infantry officer who wore the gray uniform of the Confederacy during the Civil War. He describes the influence of General J. E. B. Stuart in these words: "At a critical point of the battle, he pointed out to the enemy and shouted: 'Forward, men. Forward! Come after me! 'With courage and determination they [followed] as a raging torrent, and the goal was achieved and maintained. "Before that, in a distant land, another leader made the same request: "Follow me." 2 He was not an army general. In fact, he was the Prince of Peace, the Son of God. Those who followed the time and those who follow today's win a victory far more important, that has eternal consequences. The need for courage is constant. The holy scriptures portray the evidence of this fact. Joseph, the son of Jacob, the same who was sold into Egypt, showed the resolve of courage when faced Potiphar's wife, who tried to seduce him, saying: "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God ? And he hearkened not to him (...) left out. " In our day, a father applied this example of courage to the lives of their children by saying, "If they see we are not where they should be, get out of there!" How can we not to feel inspired by the life of the 2,000 stripling warriors of Helaman that taught and demonstrated the need for courage to follow the teachings of parents, the courage to be chaste and pure? Maybe all these stories culminate with the example of Moroni, who had the courage to persevere to the end in righteousness. All we are strengthened by the words of Moses: "Be courageous, and cheer up your hearts, do not fear (...) because the Lord thy God is with you what will, will not leave you nor forsake you." He did not leave. Do not fail them. Do not let them down. Nor the sweet assurance forsake that can guide us all in our time, in our day in our lives. Of course we will face fear, ridicule and opposition. Have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God's approval. Courage becomes a living and attractive because it is considered not only as a willingness to die with honor, but a determination to live decently. A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what he thinks is right because others will disapprove or laugh at him. Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face the fear with dignity are also courageous. Big hug for everyone.

Ok so it was awesome talking with you guys this week. Loved it! Can’t wait till May. But there are some things I forgot to tell you. First I have officially eaten Piranha head, the fish. I don’t think I spelled it right. (He didn’t, I fixed it!) Second, last week we were walking through mud and the next thing I know my leg is knee deep in mud. I was like nooooooo. Ya but I loved seeing you guys and I miss you but that’s alright and it’s alright that Tanner wasn’t home. I will pray for the Cleveland’s. We are just having a great time here and we are going to clean are house today a lot because new missionaries are coming this week. O I’ve gained like 4 kilos what the freak this means I’m going to have to start working out!

Elder Pellegrini

Dec. 19, 2011

Dear Mom and family,

Well it has been a long week here. Having a companion that doesn't speak your native tongue is hard. I can communicate a lot more than I thought I would be able to. But I still can't just be myself in Portuguese yet. So it's hard. But it's fine. We made some goals yesterday to help us. He wants to learn English and I have no choice but to learn Portuguese. So we are going to work together.

Um this week has been good, we basically have the biggest area ever. It's 3 cities and we walk everywhere. It's insane. I've been to Vitoria and back 3 times this week. It's good because I get to sleep on the bus. So one of our goals is to read the Book of Mormon in the language we're learning together 15 minutes before bed. Last night at 10 o'clock my companion got in the shower and I was like, "Oh, I'll just take a quick nap and wake up for scripture study. Well I closed my eyes and then next thing you know its 6:30 a.m. I am tired all the time, but it's OK, it's good.

Oh so this week we had a really interesting lunch we go to this guys house and first of all it's ghetto as all get out and 'yelling his name and yelling. He isn't home because the lock on the door is on the outside of his house, so we sit there and wait and wait and he finally gets there and he is like sorry I've been gone for a few hours. We were like its fine so we go in and the food is just sitting out and we were like oh that's great. There are flies all over his house and its disgusting. Then he starts to make this salad thing and its just getting ridiculous. He is cleaning silver wear with dirty rags off the ground and all that and then he is is like here let me clean the cups and my companion just yells NO!!! it's fine. BUt he cleans the plates, he drops the rag in dirty water and pulls it out and is like no problem no problem. It was really just disgusting. I didn't eat very much, but then that night we had the branch party and it was really fun. I met all the members and they're all really nice.

It's funny, we're the only missionaries within like 45 minutes and now that I'm not somewhere where everyone knows all the missionaries everyone compliments my Portuguese. Now that everyone doesn't know Elder Tanner haha. I'm loving it down here. It's not very hot where I am and the ocean is sick. We're going to baptize a kid on Christmas. He used to watch porn and he is 9 years old. It's just crazy. When I was 9 years old I didn't even know what that was.

I will call at 6:30 my time and I will use my Skype account. I will have an hour to an hour and half. President actually said, "When I called my son on his mission we talked for way longer than an hour. As long as your not focused on your family, you can talk for however long."

Things are going along great with my new comp. He has only been a member for about two years and he is cool. He is crazy though. He told me he is kinda crazy because he drank a lot before he was a member. People are a lot more accepting here like in Campos. It was good to teach 5 lessons a day this week. One day we taught 10 lessons. So ya, it's a lot easier to teach. I don't know who we're teaching to be honest with you. My companion knows.

Church is a lot less hectic here than it was in Campos. You don't have kids running around screaming their lungs out here. I like it alot more. Oh, this week at the Christmas party I sang Silent Night in English and the next day during gospel principles class it was my turn to read and the teacher turns to my companion and says does he know how to read. I was like yes I know how to read haha. He was like sorry you just sang in English yesterday I didn't know ha. No we don't live with anyone, just us. Oh my companion knows magic its pretty cool.

Well, talk to you guys on Sunday. Love you guys!

Elder Pellegrini

Dec 5th -- This one's out of order. Sorry!

Dear Family and friends,

I'm so glad that Dad is alright. At the same time I'm very sorry to hear about Jordan. Please tell his parents I will pray for them. I know he is in a better place now though.

We have had a good week here in Campos. We have been working hard and it's the last week before the transfers. I think that I'm going to be transferred, but you never know. Transfers are on Tuesday, but next week we have a mission party in Vitoria, so we will all go up there we will probably hear about transfers on Saturday. If you get transferred you pack and bring all your stuff to the Rodiviaria ```Bus station´´ and then they call out all the zones and the zone leaders and then they call out the missionary's names and announce what zone they're in. Then they go to their zone leaders and they say what area you're going to and who your companion is. Just from a paper President gives them.

I'm doing good though. We had stake conference this week. On the Saturday afternoon priesthood leadership session and we went. When elder hansen and I got there the member of the 70 walks around the corner and shook our hand. We were the first people to see him and he shakes our hands and asks us where we were from. I said Utah. He was surprised he thought i was Brazilian. Because of my last name, not my Portuguese haha. But it was good fun and President came down and he is afraid I'm losing too much weight. He told me if I lose too much I will have to go home. I'm down to a neck size 16. Crazy, right! I'm just losing a ton of weight.

We had dinner at a member's house last night. He is in the stake presidency. We had way good lunch and I made the brownies I got so good. So basically Elder Tanner is fluent in Portuguese already. I am guessing he is going to train a new American next transfer. Just my guess though. But how are you guys doing? I'm happy Lecia cried about my gift for her. I'm excited to talk to you guys at Christmas. I think that I will call at 5 o'clock my time. If I don't get transferred.

I got my package and it is doing good on the ground not being touched. (Amusing since the brownie mix he mentions making was in the box). Well love you guys! I hope you have a good week. Please let Sharon know I love her and I'm praying for her.

LOVE ELDER PELLEGRINI

Dec. 13th

Dear Mom,

Well I'm not in Campos anymore. I am in Guarapari. It is a beach city. It is in the zone of Vilha Vela and it is sick. Well I'm not with Elder Hansen anymore, I'm with Elder Andrew don't let his name fool you, he is Brazilian and doesn't speak English.

Transfers were yesterday, along with the mission party. It was fun. An Elder had his parents there and they were just chilling. It was pretty fun Elder Tanner got transferred to the farthest part of the mission. I'm now only like an hour at least from Vitoria. It's pretty good here. We have a good house better than my last. I'm very sad to say I had to open my Christmas presents early. Because I couldn't carry them wrapped in my bags. I'm sorry. Not my fault. But thank you so much for everything. I loved it all and I will cherish it. But anyway we left a babtism in Campos for the next elders and we were in a lesson when Elder Dance called Elder Hansen. He was like, "hey what's up?" Then you just hear Elder Hansen say, "No, no, no way man!" I was like, "What happened?". He was like, "the entire zone got transferred!" Which it really did. Eleven out of 14 missionarys got transferred.

We all got a tie from President for Christmas and Elder Furrows gave me a huge thing of peanut butter because his trainer was going home and his parents came to get him and they brought peanut butter and he couldn't carry it all. So that was cool,

I'm so tired. We didn't leave Campos till 3 am on Monday and I didn't sleep at all. So last night was the first night I got a good night sleep in like 3 days. I'm in an all Brazilian district. I went up to President after. I was like, "President what is this? I'm in an all Brazilian district. There must be a mistake." He was like, "No, there is no mistake here!" ahhh alright President.

In our zone of Vilha Vela we have a choclate factory where you go and pay 10 dollars you go on a tour of the factory and you eat as much choclate as you want. Elder Hansen says it's amazing. I'm loving it here though. It's flat city and the way Elder Andrew explained it was he looked in all different directions saying the word beach in Portuguese which is praia. It was very funny. My entire group has Brazilian companions now except for Elder Furrows.

I'm going to set up a time and a place to Skype you guys this week. I'll let you know and I don't think I'll be able to get on and try it. We will just have to pray that it works. I'll try to get on and try it though. Are you sure the time change is that small? I think it's larger. idk though. I just want to make sure it's going to be all set up right. Look up the time change.

Idk what im doing for Christmas. Working probably and hopefully eating well. We had such good food yesterday oh man! Turkey was so good, it reminded me of home. The teaching is going good. I hope it goes better now i'm with a Brazilian learn some more Portuguese and progress.

I am very happy. I woke up this morning just scared about how I can't communicate with my companion. But we do fine. It takes a little while, but we get there. But I am very happy. You will see on Christmas. The weight is great. I'm 250. That means I've lost 60 pounds. Which is neat. My neck is small and I need a new belt. This one is too big just fyi.

love you guys. I'm loving it here. Have a great week. Find out that time change and stuff. Love you, Mom!

Elder Pellegrini


- Show quoted text -

November 28th

Dear Mom,

Well this week has been good. We have just been working hard. We challenged two to baptism and they accepted, so thats good! One is a smoker and he didn't smoke at all yesterday. He is pretty cool. We are getting close to transfers and are excited to see what happens.

How is dad? What happened? This is why you don't allow the oldest of the group to ride in back. I hope he is doing alright. I am praying for him. Please let him know I'm praying for him.

Well this week has just flown by. I can't really remember anything that happened. We found a member drinking in an investigator's bar this week. That sucked so now his mom thinks that's what members do. They just drink and smoke even though it's against the Word of Wisdom.

Well Thanksgiving was good. We had a zone conference on that day and so we ate a little better than what we usually do. So I'm happy for that. But it was still rice and beans. Nothing like turkey. I hope this week has some more interesting stories for you guys. So have a good week.

Love,

Elder Pellegrini

I'm catching up!

I'm sorry for the huge gap in posts. Tony was injured the day after Thanksgiving and we have been recuperating ever since. Now I'm trying to catch up! So here's Nov. 21st's letter:

Mom,

FIRST!!!!! Paul this is the ugliest thing ive ever seen in my entire life what is this. (In response to a photo of Paul with an attempted mustache). SECOND more important than first is -- Happy Birthday Lecia this week I hope it is good.

Well this week has been good. It is very cold here i use a blanket at night still. But it does get very hot in the day. I just sweat so much like my entire shirt is just wet all the time. It's pretty disgusting. But ya, we have been doing good we are going to start focusing on references from members. Preach My Gospel really says that is the way to true membership in the church. So that's good.

We had a good week. We went on a division with the zone leaders so that's cool. Oh, interesting fact, Elder Jones aka Rustin went on a division with the ap in his mission. Joel Einfelt from Cedar (they are serving in Japan). Rustin told me I'm famous all over the world. Which is funny I think because it's true! You can tell I'm studying humility in Preach My Gospel. I'm probably the most humble missionary ever haha.

Well we moved our house around because the old room was so hot. So we moved our bed into the study room and put the study room in the other one and now its freezing in the study room in the mornings! I've lost alot of weight. My belt is starting to be too big. So I might buy a new one. Oh my ring is starting to not fit on my finger anymore. I'm just trying to get a good image of how skinny I am now. It's crazy to think that it's already Thanksgiving. It's going by so quick I love it out here though. Oh I saw a huge truck it wrecked into a house.

Well I had a great week here. Is there anything in my box that is for before Christmas? Because I think I will get my box tomorrow mom. That is a long time to wait. hahaha But I will do it ´´try´´. (He's talking about not opening his Christmas box until Christmas). I love you guys have a good week.

Elder Pellegrini