First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEXI!!! I should have included that in the email I replied to her but at least it's here! Sorry, I wasn't able to send a card. Yes, I know I'm lame :-).
So you ask what's different about everyday life here in Brasil? I can at least tell you about Botucatu. First of all, lunch is the main meal of the day. Dinner is a light meal or sometimes just a snack. The kids either study in the morning, the afternoon or at night (I think it is selected randomly, maybe you choose, I don't know). A lot of the teenagers work too. Hanging out at home is a lot more common among the teenagers here than in the US, as opposed to going out with friends. Probably because there really aren't a lot of entertainment businesses like we have in the US. I think I might have seen a movie theater once, I haven't seen bowling but I heard they have one here. When teenagers go out, its usually to play fútebol [soccer], visit the shopping center, or sit around and do drugs.
What else?? When you go to buy a snack from a street vendor, they let you take the food and even try it before you pay. I'm pretty sure the vendor expects you to pay upon giving the food to you, but its interesting how the order is the opposite of that in the US. Same thing if you sit down at a bar or some place to buy a soda or a snack, you don't pay until after you finish the food.
Yesterday I listened to a few of the sacrament meeting talks you've sent through email. I liked them all, but I have to give a standing ovation to Addison Reeves. Isso aí! Queimou até o pó!! [That's it! He burned it up!] He's going to be an awesome missionary.
Unfortunately, we've stopped passing by M (that lady who I told you about). She told us a couple times that her husband will not let her be baptized or go to church or anything. She wouldn't let us meet in her house or talk with her husband. We told her God will help work out the situation. But she still insisted that it wouldn't work out. I personally think she hasn't talked to her husband because she's just scared of what he will think. But, there's really nothing else we can do, other than wait on the Lord's time. We met with her in the street Saturday, I told her to continue to pray for her husband and that we would continue to pray too. I'm hoping the next Elders will meet with her and find her in a better condition.
Lastly, Elder Hill and I make cake for the baptism on Saturday! ... and for your birthday, Lexi!
Eu amo vocês!
Elder Bradford
