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