Here are some excerpts from the latest email from Brandon. Still no pictures... But he is including more and more portuguese! I might need a translator soon!
Hi family,Today is terça-feira and it is my dia de prepararção. There are a couple stores by our house that have a bunch of computers and they sell the internet between 1 to 2 dollars an hour that we use to email nossas famílias. ... Thursday Elder Quentin L. Cook is coming to Gioania but I don´t get to go because we are too far away. Everyone about an hour from goiania gets to go and the zone leaders and ap´s. So elder DeBoer and Elder Christensen left a few minutes ago to go there.Me and elder wardrop have the house to ourselves for a couple of days. ... I also found out that elder deboer(his first name is eric) and elder wardrop know marci from our ward!Anyway, its been raining everyday this week so far and it POURS. Another bad thing is that our baptism that was for sunday fell through but maybe we can convince him for next week. But thankfully we have Rafael. Last time we taught him was last monday and the week kind of got messed up when presidente came for interviews and another meeting the next day and elder wardrop had baptism interviews the next. Where we hold all that stuff is about an hour from here. So we got to his house on saturday and taught him the second lesson and after he said that he bought a shirt and tie and he set them out in his room all week waiting for us to come back so he could show us. And on sunday he was waiting at the door for us to come to pick him up and he loved church. He is an elect. We also found a bunch of new people last week so we´ll see how they turn out. ... Anyway, everything is going good here and hopefully sunday we get some batismos. ...Well, eu vou falar com vocês proximo semana. Até mais. Elder Lewis
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
American Mothers...
My fun exciting day finally came yesterday... remember a while back I announced I won a contest..... well, yesterday was the American Mother's Association Honors Gala. I have never been to a GALA before and I have to say it was quite fun. I think Mike is glad the GALA is over cuz he's never heard the word GALA used so much before.... I drug him along to go GALA shopping cuz of course I had to buy a GALA outfit and GALA shoes and I told him he was going to have to eat GALA food etc etc. At the GALA... (j/k... I won't say THAT word anymore!)they announced the winners in the literary and arts competition and they presented the Mother's of the year for 2009. I got to read my poem and get my certificate, but what was even a greater experience for me was to hear the speakers and the winners and their testimonies on the importance of motherhood and moral values and family and God. I had know idea what a GREAT organization it is and how much work and time they invest not only in their families, but civicly and politically. I urge everyone to go to the link in my link section below and read about them. I'm off my soapbox now so here are a few pics from the day.... BUT I can't conclude til I give thanks where thanks is due... to Heavenly Father for my talents and to Mike and my family for encouragement! Scroll to the end of the pics if ya want to read the poem... 
It was held at the Wright house and the weather and the garden was just perfect
It was held at the Wright house and the weather and the garden was just perfect
Getting presented my certificate
Reading my poem... in front of lots of people!
Of course everything was decorated quite lovely ... and girly... but I didn't hear Mike or the other men complain! (you know how Mike LOVES brownies... there were yummy brownies on the table all packaged up cute with doilies and ribbon, I brought this to Mikes attention, but I don't think he was real impressed til I told him it was OK to eat them... Mike was happy about that!)
Some of the crowd. There were even people there that I knew. What a small world!
Me!
Yummy buffet lunch
Everything was beautiful!
Even though it's a pretty piece of paper, to me it signifies more... that I have finally ... and permanently... after many years... taken the basket off my talents and blown the dust off... and a second chance at wonderful opportunities and a wonderful life. Life is so good! Well here it is:
Mommy, Mom, Mother
A newborn’s first cry pierces the sterile room and burrows deep in the heart of its mother.
Mom cries too.
Eyes meet.
Lips touch.
Love at first sight.
“Hi! I’m your mommy!”
The steps of the toddler tinker about and fill the meager home with lighthearted clatter.
Little feet stop.
Too quiet.
Investigation.
“What are you doing?”
“Stop! Momma’s coming!”
Another sweet babe is placed in mom’s waiting arms and sleeps in precious contentment.
Mother beams.
Introductions.
Eyes meet.
Siblings touch
“Oh no! Softly please!”
Brothers and sisters, one, two, three, now four and mom is captivated by their adorable charm.
Quiet children playing.
Noise grows.
Screaming now.
Mom’s patience runs out
“You’re all grounded!”
Countless toys, diapers and little clothes put a strain on the bulging walls of the modest abode.
Time to move.
Box it up.
Drive away.
Brand new home.
Mom loves the space!
From sunup to sundown, Mother is the concierge of her own milk stained castle and relishes each moment.
Toys slowly leave.
High heels.
Football cleats.
Telephone phone rings.
“Hey mom! I need a ride!
Mother is unaware of the television broadcast and glares at the clock fast approaching midnight.
Blinks get heavy.
Door opens.
Daughter screams.
“I’m engaged!”
Mom’s in shock!
Crying again breaks the silence of the hospital room and Mom’s heart swells with familiar emotions.
It’s hard to believe.
“I’m a mother
of a mother!”
Generations progress.
Life is grand!
So much love, work, tears and joy intertwine with the sands of time and spill across decades of earthly fulfillment.
Mom’s ready to rest.
Family gathers.
Eyes meet.
Lips touch.
Love eternal.
“Til we meet again, Mother.”
A newborn’s first cry pierces the sterile room and burrows deep in the heart of its mother.
Mom cries too.
Eyes meet.
Lips touch.
Love at first sight.
“Hi! I’m your mommy!”
The steps of the toddler tinker about and fill the meager home with lighthearted clatter.
Little feet stop.
Too quiet.
Investigation.
“What are you doing?”
“Stop! Momma’s coming!”
Another sweet babe is placed in mom’s waiting arms and sleeps in precious contentment.
Mother beams.
Introductions.
Eyes meet.
Siblings touch
“Oh no! Softly please!”
Brothers and sisters, one, two, three, now four and mom is captivated by their adorable charm.
Quiet children playing.
Noise grows.
Screaming now.
Mom’s patience runs out
“You’re all grounded!”
Countless toys, diapers and little clothes put a strain on the bulging walls of the modest abode.
Time to move.
Box it up.
Drive away.
Brand new home.
Mom loves the space!
From sunup to sundown, Mother is the concierge of her own milk stained castle and relishes each moment.
Toys slowly leave.
High heels.
Football cleats.
Telephone phone rings.
“Hey mom! I need a ride!
Mother is unaware of the television broadcast and glares at the clock fast approaching midnight.
Blinks get heavy.
Door opens.
Daughter screams.
“I’m engaged!”
Mom’s in shock!
Crying again breaks the silence of the hospital room and Mom’s heart swells with familiar emotions.
It’s hard to believe.
“I’m a mother
of a mother!”
Generations progress.
Life is grand!
So much love, work, tears and joy intertwine with the sands of time and spill across decades of earthly fulfillment.
Mom’s ready to rest.
Family gathers.
Eyes meet.
Lips touch.
Love eternal.
“Til we meet again, Mother.”
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Basketball...
Here are highlights of today's game... we didn't win... everyone did great! Our team is in white. Trent is #23.
Trent
Our team
Cute cheerleaders
Trent
Chandler
Blake and Hayden
Great team effort!
Aaaaaahhhhhh!!!!.... I'm trapped!
Well.... remember I mentioned that there might be a few home projects in the future?!? They've started... and I am now trapped in my house. The painters are here and I'm trapped inside by plastic and tape!!!
I managed to get the patio door opened a little to snap this picture... I hope they finish soon... I feel the oxygen level inside dropping by the minute! AAAaaaahhhhh!!Friday, January 23, 2009
As sisters in Zion....
Today I had a most amazing lunch with the most amazing women... I have been SO lucky .... wait... BLESSED is a better word... to count these beautiful ladies as my dearest friends/sisters. We had a little reunion (thank you SO much Chris.. for opening your beautiful home and providing the scrumptious lunch!)... lots of us have known each other well over 20 years... We were in the same ward when we were VERY young and raised kids together, had babies, (then grandbabies) served in callings, presidencies and committees together, went on school field trips, concerts, sports events. So many carpools, so many kids doing fun stuff! We did lunches, shopping, crafts, scrapbooking... and the list goes on!There were ALWAYS some of us in the grocery store on Saturday night! We served each other through happy good times, sad times and trials. .... errand of angels definitely describes these ladies!
I'm so glad (I brought my camera) to have this picture... but as I look at it I remember some that couldn't make it today... and some that have passed on... ...... a little meloncholy feeling now,.... but ever so happy to know that know matter where life takes me and no matter how old I am... I will always have a special bond with my friends... my sisters in Zion!
I'm so glad (I brought my camera) to have this picture... but as I look at it I remember some that couldn't make it today... and some that have passed on... ...... a little meloncholy feeling now,.... but ever so happy to know that know matter where life takes me and no matter how old I am... I will always have a special bond with my friends... my sisters in Zion!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
From Brazil...
Here's the latest from Brazil:
Ola familiaThats crazy the cards made it this far ... Here its been raining kind of alot these past few days but we didn´t go out too much on wed., thurs., and friday because my comp was always dizzy and couldn´t be standing for a long time. But he is better now. Anyway, the food here is really good, we get fed lunch everyday by the members. Lunch ALWAYS has rice and beans, then usually somekind of chicken but sometimes beef, and usually noodles kind of like spaghetti, and they always have slices of tomatoes. They also make really good juices. Then we usually get dessert which is always good. Never eaten anything wierd yet. For breakfast i make a smoothie and for dinner we see how hungry we are and go buy a pastel if needed. Pastel is like a fried sophapia with meat and cheese in the middle, and they are cheap. The ward is good, we have a building, probably 50-60 people go and most of them are really nice to us. I´m very fortunate, the elders just bought a newer house just before i came but we don´t have all the furniture yet, actual beds, but its still cool we have matresses and there is one bathroom and a place for our bags and clothes and a place for our desk and a kitchen with a fridge and sink and a blender and a thing to wash our clothes. Everything is going good we have a baptism for this sunday, his name is neilson, this one is a double whammy for us, we got him to be baptized and his friend was a less active member but not anymore. He is really excited and so are we. We are also working on a family that was reffered to us and they seem really interested and hopefully we baptize them in a couple weeks. Actually we found quite a few good investigators this week that have a good possibility to be baptized. so ya, we are working hard and doing good. Thats about it for this week any questions just ask. Até mais, Elder Lewis
Ola familiaThats crazy the cards made it this far ... Here its been raining kind of alot these past few days but we didn´t go out too much on wed., thurs., and friday because my comp was always dizzy and couldn´t be standing for a long time. But he is better now. Anyway, the food here is really good, we get fed lunch everyday by the members. Lunch ALWAYS has rice and beans, then usually somekind of chicken but sometimes beef, and usually noodles kind of like spaghetti, and they always have slices of tomatoes. They also make really good juices. Then we usually get dessert which is always good. Never eaten anything wierd yet. For breakfast i make a smoothie and for dinner we see how hungry we are and go buy a pastel if needed. Pastel is like a fried sophapia with meat and cheese in the middle, and they are cheap. The ward is good, we have a building, probably 50-60 people go and most of them are really nice to us. I´m very fortunate, the elders just bought a newer house just before i came but we don´t have all the furniture yet, actual beds, but its still cool we have matresses and there is one bathroom and a place for our bags and clothes and a place for our desk and a kitchen with a fridge and sink and a blender and a thing to wash our clothes. Everything is going good we have a baptism for this sunday, his name is neilson, this one is a double whammy for us, we got him to be baptized and his friend was a less active member but not anymore. He is really excited and so are we. We are also working on a family that was reffered to us and they seem really interested and hopefully we baptize them in a couple weeks. Actually we found quite a few good investigators this week that have a good possibility to be baptized. so ya, we are working hard and doing good. Thats about it for this week any questions just ask. Até mais, Elder Lewis
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Who's singing...
Who's singing that great love song on my blog?!? Why it's one of my favorite couples... Kermit and Miss Piggy!
This weekend...
This weekend started off with a fun visit from Corrine and Mike's niece Heather.
AND on Saturday we went to the Maricopa County Home Show (no pictures) ... WAY fun.... We started off by eating LOTS of food... Navajo taco, roasted corn, fresh squeezed lemonade, nutty bar and we HAD to bring home some kettle corn! But besides the yummy food, we went to a seminar and looked at TONS of booths. We learned a new term... "photo infused" ... in in other words... it's fake stuff made to look like REAL stuff, like granite, travertine etc... pretty sneaky, but kinda cool lookin. The good news is we didn't get sucked in to buying any mops or wonder cloths... but it looks like there may be a few home projects in the future!Catching up ... AGAIN...
We've had a lot going on the past few weeks... Cleaning up after the holidays.... yep... THAT'S always fun... we had a tamale day, Dalin was blessed... and lots of basketball (see post below).
We had to eat SOMETHING while the tamales were being made! so the McDonald's fairy came!
Looks yummy!
Tamale makers
Dalin on his blessing day!
Isn't this a cool picture! Now these are MANLY men!
The cute family!
We had to eat SOMETHING while the tamales were being made! so the McDonald's fairy came!
Looks yummy!
Tamale makers
Dalin on his blessing day!
Isn't this a cool picture! Now these are MANLY men!
The cute family!Friday, January 16, 2009
Brazil news
I'm still trying to catch up on life and here is the latest news from Brazil. The long awaited letter is here! Brandon is a REAL missionary now and in his first area! As you read or skim through notice two of his roomates are from this area. Amazing! Some excerpts:
Hi family,I made it to goiânia and i met presidente Tobias! We then dropped our stuff off at a hotel down the street from the mission office. Then we had a meeting with sis. Tobias and then Presidente. Then we went back to the hotel and slept and then had dinner at Presidentes house. He has a really nice house, it is an entire floor of a building, and the food was really good. Then we talked for a while and with the missionaries that were going home the next day. Then back to the hotel. The next day, back to the office and talked with Pres. Tobias for a while so he can get to know us a little better, and then a while later we got our areas.I´m not in goiania, but in the next state over in a city called Uberlãndia. It´s a good size city but we are in the outskirts, our area ends where the houses end and then there is nothing but open. Some people still use horses to get around. It´s cool, and my companion is Elder Jason Wardrop. He went to highland his fresh., somph., and junior year. .. So ya, i´m here and it´s fun. The members give us lunch everyday and everytime it has been pretty good. I help out with the lessons but its coming. We also don´t have any brasilians at our house, just 4 americans... Also, another elder in my house is also from mesa, i forget his first name but DeBoer is his last and he went to Desert Ridge.The other one is Elder Christianson and he is from Idaho. The people here are really nice, we can get in to almost anyone´s house if they are home. But the problem is to get them to do stuff. No baptismos this week, but hopefully soon, we are teaching some people that seem like they will keep commitments. This area is pretty cool and sometimes we see wild parrots fly by and some other cool birds. There are also a million dogs here wonder around and bark at everything. Our house is actually not that bad, just before i got here the elders bought a new house and it is not bad. Its hot and humid here but not too horrible. So thats about it, qualquer perguntas? (any questions?) Oh ya, the bus ride here was 7hrs and it had no airconditioning, when we were going fast it was fine but when we were stoped it was really stuffy. ... Talk to you later.Elder Lewis
Hi family,I made it to goiânia and i met presidente Tobias! We then dropped our stuff off at a hotel down the street from the mission office. Then we had a meeting with sis. Tobias and then Presidente. Then we went back to the hotel and slept and then had dinner at Presidentes house. He has a really nice house, it is an entire floor of a building, and the food was really good. Then we talked for a while and with the missionaries that were going home the next day. Then back to the hotel. The next day, back to the office and talked with Pres. Tobias for a while so he can get to know us a little better, and then a while later we got our areas.I´m not in goiania, but in the next state over in a city called Uberlãndia. It´s a good size city but we are in the outskirts, our area ends where the houses end and then there is nothing but open. Some people still use horses to get around. It´s cool, and my companion is Elder Jason Wardrop. He went to highland his fresh., somph., and junior year. .. So ya, i´m here and it´s fun. The members give us lunch everyday and everytime it has been pretty good. I help out with the lessons but its coming. We also don´t have any brasilians at our house, just 4 americans... Also, another elder in my house is also from mesa, i forget his first name but DeBoer is his last and he went to Desert Ridge.The other one is Elder Christianson and he is from Idaho. The people here are really nice, we can get in to almost anyone´s house if they are home. But the problem is to get them to do stuff. No baptismos this week, but hopefully soon, we are teaching some people that seem like they will keep commitments. This area is pretty cool and sometimes we see wild parrots fly by and some other cool birds. There are also a million dogs here wonder around and bark at everything. Our house is actually not that bad, just before i got here the elders bought a new house and it is not bad. Its hot and humid here but not too horrible. So thats about it, qualquer perguntas? (any questions?) Oh ya, the bus ride here was 7hrs and it had no airconditioning, when we were going fast it was fine but when we were stoped it was really stuffy. ... Talk to you later.Elder Lewis
Thursday, January 15, 2009
More Basketball
Catch up time... In the past two weeks, we've had three more basketball games... Won two, lost one... not too bad! Here are some highlights from the games:
Watch out Trent!
Cute fans
Trent
Flying Andrew!
Go Tau!
Go Trent!
more cute fans
The Monterey crowd!
Andrew
Tau
Chandler
Trent's fan club
Tau
Trent
Watch out Trent!
Cute fans
Trent
Flying Andrew!
Go Tau!
Go Trent!
more cute fans
The Monterey crowd!
Andrew
Tau
Chandler
Trent's fan club
Tau
TrentSunday, January 4, 2009
The Latest from Brazil
Here's excerpts from the latest news from Brazil:
Oi familia, Christmas was like i said in my last letter. We did some activities and i just chilled with my district. And for new years we aren´t doing anything special but tonight we get to watch Os dez mandamentos ( the ten commandments). Jan 6 is the day i´m leaving to Goiânia! We got our passports and flight times today, i leave at 8:20 in the morning and get there just before ten. There are four other elders and one sister going to goiania with me. So we are just reviewing now and its coming fast. ... its still hot here and i´m getting a pretty good tan. I got a picture with my companion from provo and he developed it and i look mexican and he is as white as you can get. So yep, nothing much happened this week. ...It´s great to here from everyone and you don´t have to condense your emails because i don´t have a time limit here like in provo. Have fun this week and i´ll be in goiânia next time you here from me.Tchau.Elder Lewis
Oi familia, Christmas was like i said in my last letter. We did some activities and i just chilled with my district. And for new years we aren´t doing anything special but tonight we get to watch Os dez mandamentos ( the ten commandments). Jan 6 is the day i´m leaving to Goiânia! We got our passports and flight times today, i leave at 8:20 in the morning and get there just before ten. There are four other elders and one sister going to goiania with me. So we are just reviewing now and its coming fast. ... its still hot here and i´m getting a pretty good tan. I got a picture with my companion from provo and he developed it and i look mexican and he is as white as you can get. So yep, nothing much happened this week. ...It´s great to here from everyone and you don´t have to condense your emails because i don´t have a time limit here like in provo. Have fun this week and i´ll be in goiânia next time you here from me.Tchau.Elder Lewis
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year everyone! We spent a quiet new year's eve curled up on the couch watching movies. We actually made it to midnite! I hope everyone has a great New Year! YAY 2009!
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About Me
- mamajo
- Hi there everyone! I've noticed that a lot of people have a little life story on their blogs. So, always wanting to keep up with the latest BLOG trends, I've decided to put on a little blurb about my life for anyone that's interested. BUT, so no one is bored or has heard it all, I've put MY LIFE in ORIGINAL story form... Once upon a time there was a brown eyed girl, born of goodly parents, who set out on a journey. She traveled for a very VERY long time, through desert, mountains and forests and along the way she brought with her 6 wonderful treasures. But, alas, there were dark times, battles and dragons along the way, but she kept on going, with her treasures giving her strength and direction. Then in the desert, she met a blue eyed handsome prince, who had also been on a long long journey, and he had 2 treasures. So as you might have already guessed the ending.... the brown eyed girl and the blue eyed prince along with their treasures and a bunch more treasures, lived very happily ever after! Life is GOOD! It's party time now!
