Barbie

My companion is from Rio de Janeiro and doesn´t speak English, which is good else I would be tempted to speak English more. The couple times I have spoken English, it is really hard to slip back into Portuguese. which is improving and I could even understand people better this week!  Unfortunately Sister Barra left our trio and she was the one that knew the area. So spent alot of this week walking and trying to find people that we had lessons with.  But we know the area a lot better now. This week will be great.

The food here is great, but different. For every meal we have beans, rice, and noodles. Spaghetti noodles. Weird combination right? But it is really good. 

The ward is good but it is hard to get recent converts to continue to come to church. There are a lot of members who have been members their whole lives and served missions and are a strength for the new converts. 

I laugh that it is so cold in Maine! Yesterday, it got "cold" here. It actually just poured rain and there was a river in all the streets. It was pretty intense. We looked pretty funny in our skirts and rain coats and water up to mid calf. Perfect missionary weather. 

This week was kind of unusual because we had Zone conference and because I went to the police station. Zone conference is held every 3 or 4 months and it lasted all day and I didn´t understand most of what was said but we were well fed and I met people that spoke English! which is kind of a rarity. It was funny because I have never seen sisters so dressed up. Zone conference is like prom for the sisters. Just minus the dancing part. On Thursday I went to the police station to be registered as an American that is certified to be here in Maceio and got to see Sister Smith! aka my first companion in the MTC. It was so good to talk to her and actually be able to tell stories about people we both know and be able to understand each other. It was fun but it was nice to go back to my companion and speak in Portuguese again. 

Last week we were stopped in the street by a woman and she asked us to come back later and teach her. We were amazed and so excited. Yes! she wants to be taught! baptism! But when we got to her house later in the week, it turned out to be the weirdest lesson ever. Apparently, she already knew lots of stuff and just wanted to ask all these weird and unnecessary questions but we tried to answer them the best we could. The part that was really odd was that she kept touching my skirt, saying it was beautiful, and calling me Barbie. I might be the first white person she has ever seen. 

I loved to hear how everything is going and hope you are all doing well. I love you so much!

Love 

Sister Martin