Monday July 25, 2011

Yeah I don't know if I have 12 pairs of pants. I'll check though and let you know next week. So a few things I need to ask for slash tell. Can someone please get the recipe for Big Town Hero white bread from Uncle Pat for me I really want to make some good bread for cheap. Sliced bread here is way too expensive for what they give us to live on. Also tell Dad to look into natural gas cars. And or conversion kits for them. Tons of people here have them and apparently they are really efficient. Don't know much about them but they are cool. So this week was good. We had a Baptism! So that was cool. I got to Baptize her too. So twas my first. Was really cool because she's a total elect. She loves everything about the church and has awesome faith. She's going to be a great member. Her grandson will probably be a stumbling block. That kids is crazy. 5 years old and crazy. Shoot. Anyways, small world, the other American elder in the house has a friend on a mission in Oregon, Haha I read his newsletter from this kid and he was talking about Brownsville and stuff and the Strawberry Festival. It was really funny. Also he talked about Sister Probert and a cool experience that happened on her day of the 40 day fast with one of their investigators. So that was really cool. Um going to Busios today! I'm excited. Everyone tells me it's really cool. Kind of a tourist city or somethin. so that should be fun. Um I really love having another American in the house. It's really nice. Haha we talk about all the American food we miss. Chocolate covered doughnuts are number one on the list, or chocolate covered doughnut holes. What I wouldn't give for a giant box of those right now. Shoot. Or a real hot dog, the ones here are way weird. They're good, but not nearly as good. Oh and condiments. I would almost shoot someone for a bottle of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing. They have no idea what ranch is out here. They don't even have Ranch Doritos. They have Doritos, but not ranch. Yesterday after church we had a legit lunch. We went to this member's house. Apparently he's the richest guy in the ward, his house/apartment was really nice, he had nice china and glasses and nice silverware to eat with. The food was really good, dessert was good too. Peaches and Ice Cream. The good kind not the lame other kinds. Oh did I mention the majority of Ice Cream here is really sad. The flavors are so, ...........bland. It brings tears to my eyes. Oh and for some Reason I can't find fresh orange juice to save my life I have no idea why. Thought for sure it'd be way easy to find. Um I'm looking forward to next week. I'm prayin that the Lord will put someone awesome that really needs and wants the gospel in our path. Met a lot of really cool people out here, wish I could speak with them better, and understand them better. But it's coming along. Oh being out here has really helped me to appreciate how good we really have it in the states. I miss appliances like dishwashers and dryers. Dishwashers because my companion doesn't do dishes and a dryer because it's so humid here that clothes take forever to dry. Kinda bummed to hear a lot of stuff isn't so good at home. I'll be sure to pray for you all.
Tell Conner Hein to start prepping now. Tell him to take language stuff stat. And the more he speaks now the easier he will have it in the mish. Once the language isn't a stumbling block anymore you can really focus on the work and helping people. That's what the mission is all about. And that's the most rewarding part. So the more he is able to do that without the language being a problem, the better his mission will be. Anyways, that's all for now. I will send you a photo in a minute. Love you all. Elder Bender

By the way...the photo wouldn't go through...but I have a couple more from last week that I saved for this week! :-)

Rio Fun Fact:  Cultural Rio fact: The impressive Theatro Municipal, built in 1905 and located at the heart of Centro, was directly modelled on the Paris Opera House in a bid to replicate the sophistication of the French capital.

The Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro

Paris Opera House

Monday July 18, 2011

Mom asked how he got to Rio, Spencer's reply:

Ok well anyways, went by bus to an airport and then flew to rio went by a small bus to the presidents house which was ridiculously nice. He's pretty cool. Um later that night met my new companion. He's Brasillian, and he doesn't speak english. Luckily there is another elder there in the apartment that is from Utah. Elder Richins. He makes things easier. Things have been pretty slow, it's freaking hot, I don't know how I'm going to live in the summer. Haha, anyways how many pairs of pants did I leave home with because I think I only have 6 at the moment. So if I had more I have no idea what happened to the others. Our apartment is really nice, according to Elder Richins. Better than all the rest in the mission. Freak! But I understand why after going to many people's houses. They are all really small and made of bricks and stuff it's really depressing. But, things are good. Lovin everyday even though we walk a ton and my feet and legs aren't used to it. I wish they had made us walk everyday for at least an hour in the CTM. So it wouldn't have been quite so bad. But anyways, I never got your package, but hopefully it will come before the other group that is in the CTM now leaves because if it does they'll bring it to Rio for me, otherwise it stays and gets distributed to whoever wants it. Which would suck a lot. I really need a few garment tops. Like 4 or so. and maybe a bottom. But anyways, um Elder Richins told me that there is a lot of weird cultural things that happen all the time. Kind of like yesterday at church a woman just whipped out her boob and began breast feeding, Freak! I was NOT prepared for that! Apparently there's a lot of drunks and crazies everywhere in the street and stuff. I dunno. But yeah everything is cool. Tell everyone I'm sorry I had to make it short and not email everyone, my camera was making the computer slow and I couldn't type for a while. But hopefully I'll get to send some pictures. Love you all and hope you're doing well. Love Elder Bender.

Well he DID get to send some pictures:

Fun Fact this week: Brazilian football fact:  The Maracaná Stadium holds the record for the largest attendance of any football (ok, soccer if you insist...) match in history. A record-smashing 200,000 fans turned out for the decisive match of the 1950 World Cup, only to see Brazil defeated by South American rivals Uruguay.

July 5, 2011

Ah! i wish I could have been there for Fourth of July! yesterday was alright. kind of Cold here yesterday. I wore a sweatshirt all day. But they decorated the cafeteria and had hot dogs and hamburgers and ice cream. Was cool. ice cream was bad. and hot dogs here are really weird. And the hamburgers weren´t like they are in America. But twas good. Oh I wanted to tell you about Prosilyting! So we went to Avenita Paulista. it was crazy. It´s like crazier than the busiest street in New york. So many people. My companion and I were freaking out. We had no idea what to do. We walked around for like 40 minutes before talking to anyone. But it was really strange for me because ever since I got here I haven´t been scared to talk to people. But that day I was freaking out. I guess I was just intimidated. I dunno But anyways this is the cool part. I had been fasting that day for prosilyting to go well and to be able to be more in tune with the spirit and stuff. Anyways so after walking around for 40 minutes and feeling down about not talking to anyone, I said a prayer in my head saying ``Lord I need help, I can´t do this without your help.´´ and then a thought came to my mind really clearly. ``have the faith to act, talk to someone, do your part and the Lord will help you.´´ It came from nowhere and was really distinct to me. So after walking for another couple of minutes I finally went up to this woman sitting outside a store doing nothing. talked to her and got her to accept a book of mormon and committed her to read it and call the missionaries after reading to talk to them more about it. Was really cool. After that, I had so much fun, I started talking to lots of people. Sadly I only gave out one other book of mormon but it was still really cool. Spoke alot of portuguese, tried to walk and talk with people. Got rejected alot, it was awesome. It was a really good day. Had alot of fun doing it. it seems to me that I am happiest when I go to the temple, prosilyte, or I teach people I don´t know and are not members. Which hasn´t happened much yet but I really am alot happier when I am. But I feel that Rio will be cool. I´ll be happy most of the time if teaching makes as happy as it does. I think it´s more about the spirit though, as to the reason why i am so happy afterwards. But anyways, We didn´t have any fireworks here their independance day isnt until like september. And i have been informed that on new years day Rio has a big fireworks show. so that will be cool. Sounds like you all are having fun up in Idaho. but anyways not sure when I´ll write next since I´ll be going to and will be in Rio next Tuesday. So yeah. hopefully I can get you all some pictures by then if not I don´t know what I´ll do about it. I spent the last of my money today so I´ll probably wait until I get to Rio to get any from the bank. Unless I don´t need it. In whichcase I probably won´t. but anyways, tah tah for now, I´ll write you next week! hopefully!  Love Elder Bender

FUN FACT:  Rio Weird fact: The city's rich elite like to dress their pampered pets in shoes, hats, and even full outfits. Poodles are the most popular dogs in Rio high society, and some have a different outfit for every day of the week.

I couldn't find any of the "poodles" in everyday dress, but there were a couple pictures of dogs dressed up for carnivals! LOVE THE SHOES!!!!!  I almost need a dog just to put the shoes on it! LOL!