Things are picking up here... What? Training in Teresina?!

Oi Pessoal!

Things here are in fact picking up. My companion and I know our part of the city better. We´re teaching people. It´s only been maybe two weeks in the field for Elder Braga, and I will be leaving him here with the other new missionary (he´s been here for one transfer, so he´s pretty capable) to go to Teresina for training for four days. Actually, they are both very capable. I just worry because they´re both kind of new, espeacially my companion.

On Saturday, we had a church activity for the younger people in the branch, and went to this awesome lake that had awesome sand dunes. It was amazingly beautiful. Also, guess what! I´m beautiful! Or at least the people here seem to think so. Anyway, so we walk around saying things like "Bom Dia!, Boa Tarde!, Boa Noite!, and Tudo bem?" (good morning, good afternoon, good evening/night, and how are you?) Everyday, I get a fun reaction from different people. The other day I said "Boa Tarde" to this really old lady who was watching her grandchild in the front of her house, and she said "O! Bonitão!" which translates to "Oh my! What a hunk!" (bonito meaning beautiful, and when you put an "ão" at the end of a word it makes it more intense or emphasized). Then another night we walked past this group of women, and said "Boa Noite!" and one of them said "Agora, esta boa!" or "Now, it´s good!". Things like this happen rather often. It´s really funny. Don´t worry, I won´t let it get to my head.

So, my bus is leaving in a half hour. I need to get going. But, I want you to know that the gospel is true and that it was restored to the earth by God through His prophet Joseph Smith. I love you all.

-Elder Samuel H. Chiba

21 and I have a son!

Oi Pessoal!

I don´t literally have a son. It´s missionary slang for when you train a new missionary. But the funny thing is is that my "son" is half Japanese like me. I didn´t know at first because when I first heard his name, I didn´t think he was Japanese. His name is Elder Braga. His mother is a Japanese Brazilian and his father is Brazilian. We get along really well. He´s way cool.

I´ve been transfered to the beautiful city of Camocim in Ceará in Brasil. It´s a coastal town. It´s actually pretty small, but really amazing. It´s nice to see the ocean again. The streets here are done better than those in my previous area. I don´t trip as frequently. Also, there aren´t really any animals in the streets either or scary buses. Maybe the occasional horse that stays waiting on the side of the road everyday. There is this awesome little ice cream shop that is close to our house. It´s way awesome because for some ice cream it´s only 50 centaveis (25 cents) for in a cup or 1 real (50 cents) if you want a cone. It has some fun flavors like limão, jaca, goiaba, açai, maracujá, and other flavors. I haven´t tried them all yet, but I will. The city is pretty small. It´s maybe the size of Santa Cruz. I think a little bit smaller, it has everything you need just on a smaller scale. Banks and the post office are small, but serve their purpose. I think you can walk the circumference of the city in a couple of hours.

We live in a house with another pair of missionaries. Elder Iglezia and Elder Melo. I´m the only North American, but it´s totally cool. They are all really cool. Elder Iglezia and my companion are both practically fluent in English, so we try to speak English at the house and Português on the street. The church is only a 2-3 minute walk away from our house. We don´t have a (capela) chapel yet, but we meet at a house that was reformatted to accomodate the church needs (or a casa-pela, casa means house combined with the word capela for chapel, casa-pela).

On Saturday, we had a scavenger hunt (picture style) with the members. It was a lot of fun. We had to take pictures and videos of specifc things and of our group doing things like jumping jacks or in the air pictures or the group on a boat. It was fun. During the activity, this guy rode by on his bicycle with a fish (that was about as big as me) strapped to the back of his bike. I took a picture, but I forgot my camera at the house today. I´ll try to post the picture next week.

The church here is pretty new, maybe 5 years(?), but it´s amazing. Yesterday we started a church choir, which I am directing, and on Thursday we will be starting an English class. I don´t really know how to describe my feelings, except that I´m amazed at the members of the church here and I´m really happy. I don´t think I´ve been this happy for a long time (except for during the baptisms of Marcos and Amanda). I´m anxious to get into the flow of working here. It´s a little confusing right now because we´re in a transition. Before Elder Braga and I got here there was only one set of missionaries and now there are two. So we´re working on adjusting, but it´s going to be awesome.

My friends, I can´t express how happy I am right now to be here, to be sharing the message of the restored gospel with people. It truly is a message of happiness. If you want to know why I am so happy, just talk with some missionaries. Seriously, you will understand. I know that my Redeemer lives and loves me. I know He loves you, and because He loves you, I love you.

-Elder Samuel H. Chiba

Transfers are on my birthday!?!?!

Oi Povo!

The letter "L" is a fun letter. At the beginning of a word or in between vowels "L" is pronounced normally. But in any other location is pronounced like "oo". For example - Brasil (Brah-zee-oo) Isn´t that great?!

Today was way awesome!!! And it´s only going to get awesomer!!!! (yes I know that is poor English) Today we went on an awesome adventure with some of our friends in the Cidade Jardim branch (Pilo [formerly Elder Santiago whom I met on the airplane to Brasil], his sister Vilmia, Tiago [Vilmia´s boyfriend], and Priscilla [their cousin]. We went to the governor of Piauí´s house, the oldest theatre in Piauí, this awesome place that used to be a prison (when Brasil was in a more dictatorship type government 50 years ago?) and is now a whole bunch of shops with art things specific to Piauí, and also to the point where the two rivers meet. Teresina has two rivers and they are different colors, and when they meet they mix. It´s pretty cool to see the currents collide.

Anyway, this morning we received a phone call with our new assignments. I will be going to Camocim in Ceará. (Elder Wickstrum and I will be serving in the same state in Brasil) Also, more exciting news. I´m going to be training a new missionary.... I´m kind of nervous because my Portugués still needs work and my new companion will be a Brasileiro. So, it´s going to be an adventure. I LOVE ADVENTURE!!! Hahaha! Life is great folks. This afternoon, we are also holding a baptismal service. Today is just wonderful. I´m so grateful to be here in this beautiful country. Today I got to see a more beautiful part of it.

It´s amazing how the more things of nature I see, the more I appreciate the Great Creator. I know that we are children of God. I know that Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three separate beings and one in purpose. I know that God calls prophets to lead and teach the people. And I know that we have a prophet today called of God, and his name is Thomas S. Monson. Through the prophet, I have been called to serve in this wonderful part of this great world. I love you all.

-Elder Samuel H. Chiba

Sem Esperança Na Copa Do Mundo, wait... 4th of July?!

(written Monday July 5th)

The magic letter of the day is "C." When "C" is followed by an "A, O, or U" it has a solid "k" sound. When "C" is followed by an "I or E" or if it has the cedila accent "Ç" it has an "S" sound.

Well folks, first the U.S. lost, then Japan lost, then Brasil lost. All three of the teams I was rooting for lost. Also, just so you know, there is practically a holiday every 2 or 3 weeks. But, the 4th of July is not a holiday!!!!! =( I know, it´s a sad thing. Why doesn´t the whole world celebrate the independence of the United States of America?! I´m just kidding, or sarcastic right now.

I did have a moment yesterday where I said to myself, "happy 4th of July." But I felt some kind of emptyness without the red white and blue and patrioticness. I suppose I am literally Uncle Sam, so I guess wherever I go America goes with me... The interesting thing is people tell me that I don´t act American, and that I act more Japanese. They are like, "You know that Japanese elder? Oh, wait, he´s American." So, I´ve kind of had an identity crisis my whole life, and I still do kind of. But then I remember that race or nationality doesn´t matter because I am a child of God. I am the son of a loving Father in Heaven who is always watching out for me, loves me, and blesses me so much everyday. In reality, everyone is a child of God. So, if you ever feel sad or lonely, or out of place, you don´t need to. But if or when you do, just say a prayer and talk with your Heavenly Father.

There is a song I learned when I was a child that gives me comfort. The first verse is a child´s humble prayer.

It goes like this:

Heavenly Father, are you really there?

And do you hear and answer every child´s prayer?

Some say that heaven is far away,

but I feel it close around me when I pray.

Heavenly Father I remember now,

something that Jesus told Disciples long ago,

'Suffer the children to come to me.'

Father in prayer, I´m coming out to thee.

The second verse is the response to the prayer:

Pray, He is there. Speak, He is listening.

You are his child. His love now surrounds you.

He hears your prayers. He loves the children.

Of such is the Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven.

So, my beloved brothers and sisters, friends and family. You don´t need to be alone, just pray because your Father in Heaven is always listening. I know He loves me, and I know He loves each and every one of you. I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world, and that He lives.

I love you all.

-Elder Samuel H. Chiba