A day of rest

Bob and I have been staying at the mission president's home since Tuesday. We got good news that a
nice apartment for us is going to work out. It is new construction, and we will need to furnish it with everything--maybe even light fixtures! There is a washer and dryer that belongs to the mission that they are giving us. Hooray! They have many extra beds, and we will probably scoot two twin beds together to make a king. We will set up our own phone and computer
as soon as we get internet. There will be a lot to do to set up a
whole new apartment! I'm so excited--I will have a washing machine
and a dryer! The mission home is across town from where we will be
living and working. We are still living out of our suitcases, and are
a little in limbo until we get our own place and assignment. We just
go from day to day, not knowing what will be next.

On Thursday we went with President and Sister Whisenant to Caixas,
about a 2 1/2 hour drive north from Porto Alegre for a Zone Conference. The
president had a lot of missionaries to interview so we stayed
overnight at a hotel. We ate lunch Thursday with all the missionaries
(about 20) at a nice buffet restaurant. It cost about $5. (R$9) They
had many things you would recognize, and many things in combinations I would never
imagine--chicken and apples in a gravy, grapes in chocolate pudding,
eggplant and green peppers and pickled onion salad, radish and
strawberry and onion salad, super fine raw shredded beets, etc. They
had deep fried cauliflower, but not quite as good as Lon's Cookin'
Shack in Provo. It was all pretty good except for a tasteless cold cooked
squash. You could also go to a grill there at the restaurant and get
beef, chicken, sausage cut and put on your plate. Dad got lots of
fruit of course--papaya, mango, pineapple with cinnamon, strawberries,
kiwi. He also got some purple tapioca pudding that looked like canned
blueberries. We found out later that the missionaries aren't supposed
to have that--they make it with wine. Oh, well.

We sailed through customs. A young woman took us from the end of a long winding line
over to a federal policeman, and we went right through. The force was
with us. Our nametages might have helped. We have to register with the local
police next Tuesday, and get a Brazilian ID, and then we will leave
our passports in a safe at the mission home. President Whisenant said
a U.S. passport sells for $5000 on the streets here.

Saturday Bob and I walked around the mission home area, went to a
mall, bought a few things, and walked all around the Moinhas da Venta
(Windmill) Park. It was a beautiful warm day. Dozens of tortarugas
(turtles) were sunning themselves around the pond. A lively soccer
game was in progress. Families were strolling, joggers were jogging.
We saw a hummingbird with a red beak, patos (ducks) with red and black
heads, and lots of dogs on and off leashes. Saturday will be our
P-day. The other missionaries have Tuesday, but we will be in the
mission office for a while, and the office takes Saturday.

Sunday morning at 8:30, we went to church in our ala (ward)--Ala Quattro. (4) Everyone was very
nice. Many people compliment Bob on his language. I stayed close to
him and panicked a little when he went to the bathroom. I smile and
nod and look questioningly at Bob when I don't understand what someone
is saying. I didn't understand very much, especially not the talks. There is a piano in
the chapel, but if they sing a song somewhere else, it is acapella.
They announce the hymn number, say 1,2,3 and start singing on
different notes. I wish I had a pitch pipe! I wish my voice were
stronger. I'm feeling bettter today, but I still have a cough and I'm
still a little hoarse. I do try to talk in Portuguese, at least to say
that I am just learning.

I love you all. Take care. You are in my thoughts and silent prayers.
My vocal prayers in Portuguese are pretty simple, but Heavenly Father
knows you are in my heart! More later! Love, Vonnie