Week 7 - Next week: Going to Rio de Janeiro!!!!!

Hey mom, that second package sounds amazing. I can´t wait to get it. I still havent gotten it yet but there was a holiday here on thursday and apparently they took friday off too and the mail doesn´t come on saturdays. So yeah and I didn´t get anything yesterday. Which was a major bummer because I was expecting to get at least something but nada. Anyways I leave for Rio on the 12th will be there on the same day. Not sure if I´ll get to email that day or not but as soon as I am able to I will. Don´t worry. Um portuguese is getting better slowly. I guess. It will definitely get better in the field. It just takes time. So, I´m not too worried about it just going to keep working on it. Weather here has been pretty normal I guess. Rained yesterday and the day before but today it´s clear skies and I think it´s like 70 outside. At least. Should be a good P-day. But, I hope Grandma is doing alright. Tell her I love her. Grandpa too. Glad you all got home from Cali safely. 18 hours? crazy. Did Maddy get her License? Thats cool if she finally did. Good for her. That woud be crazy if Carrie was the first to have twins in the Family. Would be Funny too. Anyways, Things are going good. Had some trouble within the district this last week but we´ve got it all ironed out and movin right along. These next two weeks will be interesting. But hopefully I can learn alot more in that short amount of time. Well I love you all, I miss ya too. Tell everyone I love em and wish I could give them all hugs. Love Elder Bender




Fun Fact: When explorers arrived in Guanabara Bay on New Year's Day 1502, they mistook the bay for the mouth of a mighty river. Hence they called the place Rio de Janeiro - literally, 'River of January'.

WEEK 6 - And Week 2 as District Leader!!

Wow sounds like you guys are having a great time. Haha I laughed so hard when I heard from Hannah about having to talk Sarah into getting on some rides. That's hilarious. I thought about that time I went on the plane with her. So funny. Anyways no I didn´t get to call dad. I am bummed because I didn´t get to call on mothers day either. So I think I´ll get to call next on christmas or something. I have no idea. Still havent gotten the second package. Being District leader is ok, a lot more work, but it´s good. Growing alot. Did endowments for man born in Portugal in 1910 memorized his name and birth place and everything wrote it down in my journal for when we go to Portugal someday. But anyways, Cali then to grandma´s? Crazy this is the summer of trips isn´t it. I see how it is. Soon as I leave you all go on vacations. Awesome. JK. But things are good I leave for Rio in 2 weeks exactly. My first companion went today to Rio. I miss him. He´s awesome. But hopefully we´ll be companions again in the field sometime in the future. Carrie is Pregnant!? Thats awesome! I´m excited for her. Thats so cool. I´m missing it but it´s way cool. Hahaha that child is going to be way spoiled. But way cool at the same time. Anyways What about Hannah? wasn´t she supposed to find out sometime around now? I hope she is because that would be cool too. Then her and Carrie could be prego buddies. Haha. Anyways, Well, Hope you all are doing well and enjoying the summer. Things are going well here and I´m progressing. Alot of people I have met here have been telling me lots of missionary stories and stuff. It´s awesome, makes me excited to get out there. Well g2g Love you all! Talk to you next week. Love Elder Bender


Sorry, I didn't have a chance to find a fun fact this week...next week for sure!! :-)

Week 5: P-Days are now on Tuesdays!!

New Email:
Hey so I got one of the packages, the one with Oreos and goldfish and the
fruit and wetwipes. I saw on the packing slip that there were supposed to be
pens and shirts in it too but they were not there. and it didn´t look like
anyone got into the box so maybe they are in the other box that is yet to
arrive. Anyways, things are good, Language is progressing. I´m trying to
practice more than I have been which is what i should have been doing all
along. I saw the price on the one box, that was crazy, but I guess since
it´s international it´s spendy. Thank you so very much for sending me those
things. Especially the extra stuff, you really didn´t have to. Although the
Oreos are like currencey here. I can get anything for oreos. It´s funny. But
they are really good. I´ve been eating them and only sharing with elders I´m
good friends with. Anyways, My new district is cooler than I expected. they
are fun, I got called to be District Leader on sunday, so thats cool. I
gotta be even better now. Better example in everything. It´s crazy, Had some
issues with one elder in particular in my district just not listening to me
but things will be ironed out soon. The Lord will help me know what to do.
But we are all bonding, I think they were feeling a little like I was at
first but after a few days we are becoming good friends and seeing the good
in each other and finding more and more in common with each other. So that's
good. Tell Hannah for me that I will be prayin for her and Steve, don´t have
enough time to write them too this week. I´ve been writing alot. But
anyways, um I haven't been taking the Vitamin C like I should. I have been
eating Bananas so maybe i´ll stop doing that, even though they are way
delicious. The pineapple here is way better than in America. It´s so good.
um I don´t have vitamins so no I haven't been taking those. Oh my P-day got
switched to Tuesday after I got moved to my new District so expect emails
from me on Tuesdays from now on. Also, Tell Desiree thank you for the
goldfish I feel like it was her that mentioned to put them in the package.
I´m glad Sean got my letter. I need P Jorg´s address so I can send mail to
him and Sean. But thank you for doing that for me. I love you all and I pray
for you everyday. Tah tah for now. Love, Elder Bender

This week's Fun Fact:
Pico de Neblina is the highest mountain in Brazil, and it is over 3,000 meters tall, (about 9,300 feet). It is located in the Brazilian state of Roraima, and the peak itself is only several miles from the border of Venezuela, and parts of the foot of the mountain are actually in Venezuela.

Week 4 In Rio

So, some of you have had trouble...NOT seeing Spencer's letters up. I have been updating the blog every week, but went into settings to see about changing the view of the blog when it comes up. For some reason it was only showing the letter from the first week and off to the right, there was a list of all of the other letters...so all the new posts were getting listed on the right, you would have had to click on the title of the post to pull it up....sorry about that everyone! I have changed the settings so there shouldn't even BE an archive now. ALL the postings will always be showing on the page now! (Technology....why can't it just work the right way the first time??  :-/)
So, catch up on the news!  - Carrie
Here below are Spencer's week 4 emails:

Email to Hannah and Steve:
OY!
So found out today that my district is getting split up. Well I knew but i didn´t know what was going to happen exactly, anyways my two companions have gone to brasilian districts because they speak and know the language really well. But I´m getting put with these elders from provo today that just got here. They are a week behind me. But I have to stay an extra week in the MTC because all the Mission presidents in brazil except for like 2 are changing the week I´m supposed to go to Rio. So thats why I got put with them instead of being on my own. Totally lame. I was really looking forward to some good class time really focusing on the language. I get distracted really easily so more people just makes it worse. So that sucks but nothing I can do about it. I´m stuck so I´ll have to deal with it but it´s way relaxed here. Anyways, That´s what is happening right now. Oh and my original companions are leaving like a week or two earlier than me because they switched. Crazy. Tah tah for now yo, oh and my friend rene was wondering why you havent updated the blog. Don´t know if you did or not. Love you and Steve both. Love Elder Bender

Email to Desiree:
Ok meat would be bad to send but Honey Mustard, and BBQ sauce and peanut butter and raspberry jam would be so awesome, you have no idea. They don´t really use condiments here, at least from what I´ve seen. And the condiments they do have are terrible. Nothing like in America. It sucks hardcore yo. yeah I havent gotten the package from mom yet but I hope it comes soon. I really hope I don´t have to pay import tax on it that would be lame. Oh tell mom if she sends me anything again, take everything out of it´s packaging don´t let anything look new in it´s original packaging, Something in it that I´m gonna like huh? hmm we shall see. Anyways thank you for being an awesome sister and writing to me. nobody else from the fam did this week. Way lame. Tell mom that I found out today that my district is getting split up. Well I knew but i didn´t know what was going to happen exactly, anyways my two companions have gone to brasilian districts because they speak and know the language really well. But I´m getting put with these elders from provo today that just got here. They are a week behind me. But I have to stay an extra week in the MTC because all the Mission presidents in brazil except for like 2 are changing the week I´m supposed to go to Rio. So thats why I got put with them instead of being on my own. Totally lame. I was really looking forward to some good class time really focusing on the language. I get distracted really easily so more people just makes it worse. So that sucks but nothing I can do about it. I´m stuck so I´ll have to deal with it. But anyways gotta go outside and buy stuff and mail stuff.........ya know. anyways, Love you Sistah!         Elder Bender


From Carrie: I'm trying to make the blog interesting and I LOVE pictures, so maybe we can have a fun fact a few times a month or once a week or something....who knows...anyhow, here's the first one.....

*Fun Fact: I was able to find Brazil's favorite dish: Feijoada, which is black beans cooked with pork and "many other elements" ---hmmmm....interesting, but here's a picture!