Hello world! I'm in a very happy mood right now, so warning there might be a lot of all caps and exclamation points today!
Everyone should look up a beautiful thing called "couscous." It's basically mashed corn, or something, that Bahians cook and eat with butter/salt/sugar/eggs. Kind of like Southerners in the USA eat grits, but cuscuz is amazing! Also, I LOVE feijão (beans) here so much. I will learn how to cook them and will cook for my children. Farofa is probably my favorite thing here in Bahia. Look that up, too.
My companions are basically perfect, my friends. I couldn't ask for a better bunch. Every day I want to be more like them.
A story to represent the things we do every day here in Bahia as missionaries:
As we were walking along a little cobblestone street one night, we passed an open house with a few rough-looking men inside. I would have continued walking, but when Tiago (our awesome ward missionary) recognized one of them, Sis. Tiburcio headed right for him. We entered the tiny house, shook hands all around, and taught a lesson to these men. One of them used to be a professional boxer, and is now one of the biggest people you've ever seen. If we baptize him we'll have to go to the beach. Anyway, during the lesson another man came to the door and grumped to the huge man, "Bira, cigarro!" and Bira, without looking his direction, barked "Estou ocuPADO!" (I'm BUSY!!) We continued talking with the men, and the cigar man kept coming back and wanting a cigar, and so ended up hearing most of the lesson. The irony was great--he wanted a cigar, but the sister missionaries were keeping him from it. Also during this lesson, a lizard landed on my companion's head while she was teaching--very entertaining.
I'll keep you updated on Bira and the cigar man, because the story continues. :-)
Maybe I said this last week, but I'm learning much more to be grateful for the prophet Moroni, son of Mormon. He was alone in a horror-ravaged, bloody, lonely world, writing for people who had killed his brethren. No wonder he wrote about faith, hope and charity, for without these virtues he himself would not have continued. I hope to be more like Moroni every day, continuing in faith even when I can't see the fruits of my labors, even when I'm alone and no one's watching, even when things are harder than I ever imagined they would be.
The mission is absolutely wonderful. I'm so glad I'm here. I love you all, thank you for your support and letters.
Com amor,
Sis. Petty
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