Boa tarde familia e amigos.
I hope you have all had a lovely week!
I have news! Today is transfers!!
I am being transferred to.....
....
....
....
nowhere.
I’m staying here. Ha ha ha but the really crazy part is that Irma Quebbeman is staying too! This means I am still with my companion in the same area for a third transfer. This like NEVER happens in this mission. Ludicrous.
Another fun fact for you guys, I’m already forgetting how to speak correct English. That’s fine. It’s not my major or anything. It’s not my career path or anything. Who needs English?
Anyway, yeah we are staying together here in Mem Martins so my address is the same for at least six more weeks. What’s really funny is that the past few weeks we have definitely not been working as well as we used to. I think we became too comfortable with each other and we became better friends than companions so that put our success in a rut. We were talking about how we really feel like our companionship is like an unhealthy relationship. Ha ha ha and that we needed to be transferred away from each other. That’s when I had an epiphany in the train station. We were talking about how we just need to make it through the next four days and then it’ll be a new start with a new companion. Then, I realized, that’s exactly why we are staying together. The Lord isn’t going to just let us jump ship. He’s going to make us figure out how to overcome this and work through it to have success despite this happening. Just like a marriage.
So yeah, basically our "marriage", or companionship is in trouble but we remember that we promised the Lord we would stick it out so we are going to make some changes and be better. First step is rearranging our apartment so it feels different. Second step is cleaning the WHOLE house. Third step is being exactly obedient. They are not lying when they say things are so much easier when you obey all of the rules that seem like they are so hard to abide by. But really, when we are being obedient the Lord can bless us and help us feel good about it all.
Even though we are staying here, they are splitting the area again! Hallelujah! We were having to cover both areas and it was so stressful and we couldn’t really help people very well because so much time was spent in between our appointments. We had to travel so far to get to the appointments. The secretaries said there would be elders back in the house that I was in my first transfer and one will be a greenie! I’m excited to not be the youngest.
Most of the week was spent stressed about investigators dropping us and what to with our companionship. I do have a miracle to tell you about! We had just had district meeting about being in the right place at the right time and really listening to the spirit direct you. So we were at the church waiting for an investigator, and he was late. So, while we waited I felt like we should call people and invite them to an activity the next day. I started with an investigator named Humberto who has already been taught and was almost baptized but didn’t quite feel ready. We had made contact with him a few days before and he was really excited to talk to us and start reading the Book of Mormon again. So, I called him and he sounded so sad and when I asked how he was doing he said, "not very well." He said he was pretty close to our church and that he was with his sister. I asked if he wanted to stop by and talk because we were there and he says, "I’m actually at the florist buying flowers, my oldest sister died yesterday"
broke my heart. So I said, "don’t go anywhere, we are coming over." We ran over and talked to them a little while and gave him the pamphlet on Plan of Salvation and asked if there was anything else we could do. He said that our kindness and us coming over meant so much to him and that he was sorry but he wouldn’t be able to talk until next week but that talking to us was exactly what he needed! Amazing! We went back to the church to get the stuff we had left and were talking to a member for a minute when the first investigator showed up an hour and a half late! So really the day was great because we were right where we should have been. Always follow the spirit!
Fica bem, I love you guys.
I can’t wait to hear from you next week!
Irma Dean
Monday, July 30, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
Trying American Food
The only thing I can remember anymore is what happens on P. Day. This is mostly because the same thing happens every other day, and none of our investigators are progressing. We are having a really hard time finding new people. I’m sorry that my mission probably sounds so boring, but what can you do? I’m sorry!
So after emails last P. Day, a member called us and asked if we wanted to visit some cool stuff in Sintra with him and his mother. So we said, "Absolutely!" They took us around to all these really awesome places. First we went to the site where President Monson dedicated the country of Portugal for missionary service back in 1975. It’s actually really small and nondescript and it’s just a plaque thing on a rock in the forest. But, it had a really beautiful view of the ocean and it was just really peaceful and pretty. After that, we went to see some really beautiful places and cliffs near the ocean. We drove to the western most part of Europe! It’s called Cabo de Roca, look it up. It had a really cool lighthouse and I stood by the end part and tried to reach out and touch the east coast. I didn’t quite make it. Afterwards we went to see some really beautiful beaches and just stereotypical European spots with like a cliff of white houses with orange tile roofs right next to the beach. It was way cool.
Today our zone leaders wanted to visit a place called Palacia de Pena in Sintra and since it’s in our area and we had never been we went! It’s the palace that we can see from wherever we are in our area, it’s on this big huge hill, it was GORGEOUS. We also made macaroni and cheese out of the box for Elder Ca so he could try American food because we were so grateful that he made African food for us. It was cute, he was really excited. Then we could kind of see the thought process on his face of like; "Wait, this is what Americans eat?" We waited until he ate all of it to explain that macaroni and cheese is like a joke because it’s not good food but it’s still definitely American food.
Transfers are next week!!! I can't even believe it. This transfer went by so much faster than the last one and if they keep going at this rate then I guess I really will get to the end and feel like it was only a week. I’m kind of ready for transfers this time. Irma Quebbeman and I love each other to death but we kind of feel like we’ve gotten too comfortable together. Now we’re starting to want to goof off more than work sometimes. So yeah, that’s not good. Also, I hate to admit it, but even though we really are trying so hard, our productivity in numbers has been going downhill . So, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of us got transferred. We are at peace with whatever happens whereas last time I was panicking at the thought of being separated from her. e
Everything is going pretty well here, I got the wedding announcement from Mercedes and Tyler. Thank you guys so much! I’m so excited for you and I'll write soon! I’m still getting used to the culture and the language actually feels a little harder now. But, I’ve been speaking way too much English with other missionaries so I think that’s why. Well, I love you all a ton! I’m praying for you guys and I hope you’re all doing well!
Tchau, Irma Dean
So after emails last P. Day, a member called us and asked if we wanted to visit some cool stuff in Sintra with him and his mother. So we said, "Absolutely!" They took us around to all these really awesome places. First we went to the site where President Monson dedicated the country of Portugal for missionary service back in 1975. It’s actually really small and nondescript and it’s just a plaque thing on a rock in the forest. But, it had a really beautiful view of the ocean and it was just really peaceful and pretty. After that, we went to see some really beautiful places and cliffs near the ocean. We drove to the western most part of Europe! It’s called Cabo de Roca, look it up. It had a really cool lighthouse and I stood by the end part and tried to reach out and touch the east coast. I didn’t quite make it. Afterwards we went to see some really beautiful beaches and just stereotypical European spots with like a cliff of white houses with orange tile roofs right next to the beach. It was way cool.
Today our zone leaders wanted to visit a place called Palacia de Pena in Sintra and since it’s in our area and we had never been we went! It’s the palace that we can see from wherever we are in our area, it’s on this big huge hill, it was GORGEOUS. We also made macaroni and cheese out of the box for Elder Ca so he could try American food because we were so grateful that he made African food for us. It was cute, he was really excited. Then we could kind of see the thought process on his face of like; "Wait, this is what Americans eat?" We waited until he ate all of it to explain that macaroni and cheese is like a joke because it’s not good food but it’s still definitely American food.
Transfers are next week!!! I can't even believe it. This transfer went by so much faster than the last one and if they keep going at this rate then I guess I really will get to the end and feel like it was only a week. I’m kind of ready for transfers this time. Irma Quebbeman and I love each other to death but we kind of feel like we’ve gotten too comfortable together. Now we’re starting to want to goof off more than work sometimes. So yeah, that’s not good. Also, I hate to admit it, but even though we really are trying so hard, our productivity in numbers has been going downhill . So, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of us got transferred. We are at peace with whatever happens whereas last time I was panicking at the thought of being separated from her. e
Everything is going pretty well here, I got the wedding announcement from Mercedes and Tyler. Thank you guys so much! I’m so excited for you and I'll write soon! I’m still getting used to the culture and the language actually feels a little harder now. But, I’ve been speaking way too much English with other missionaries so I think that’s why. Well, I love you all a ton! I’m praying for you guys and I hope you’re all doing well!
Tchau, Irma Dean
Monday, July 16, 2012
July 16
This week was boring. I don’t have any exciting stories to tell you. Ha ha. I’m sorry!! Honestly, almost all of our appointments have fallen this week and we didn’t meet like anyone new. None of our investigators are progressing. It’s been a really slow week. The only exciting thing pretty much was that we had a zone meeting but it was on the same day my companion had to go to Lisbon and renew her visa.
So, I had to go on an exchange for like half a day with another Irma in our zone whose comp was also going to Lisbon. Yeah, the Irma I was with is from Cabo Verde and doesn’t speak English at all. After about ten minutes it got really difficult. Small talk is so hard in Portuguese!
As we were going back to switch again, we used a train in this one area that passed like all these cool tourist sites in an area called Oeiras. I saw the Cristo Rei statue off in the distance, it was pretty sweet. I’m sorry I don’t have anything exciting to say :(
I had to spend almost a full day in the house because of my back but I got a blessing so I’m feeling a little better. It’s just been a crazy slow week. Transfers are really soon and I have no idea if I want to switch areas or not but I don’t know if I’ll stay with Irma Quebbeman which will be sad. The mission is starting to go by faster already, I feel like every transfer is going to be faster and faster. But, no worries, I’m learning a ton. Things are still crazy as ever with nothing going right and everything being weird and hilarious. So, it’s really good. I’m really glad to be out here. I love and miss you guys!!!
So, I had to go on an exchange for like half a day with another Irma in our zone whose comp was also going to Lisbon. Yeah, the Irma I was with is from Cabo Verde and doesn’t speak English at all. After about ten minutes it got really difficult. Small talk is so hard in Portuguese!
As we were going back to switch again, we used a train in this one area that passed like all these cool tourist sites in an area called Oeiras. I saw the Cristo Rei statue off in the distance, it was pretty sweet. I’m sorry I don’t have anything exciting to say :(
I had to spend almost a full day in the house because of my back but I got a blessing so I’m feeling a little better. It’s just been a crazy slow week. Transfers are really soon and I have no idea if I want to switch areas or not but I don’t know if I’ll stay with Irma Quebbeman which will be sad. The mission is starting to go by faster already, I feel like every transfer is going to be faster and faster. But, no worries, I’m learning a ton. Things are still crazy as ever with nothing going right and everything being weird and hilarious. So, it’s really good. I’m really glad to be out here. I love and miss you guys!!!
Monday, July 9, 2012
Maria & Luiz
Dude, I don’t know what to write about. The mission is crazy so we always have these experiences that seem like they’re going to be such epic stories to tell and then they have crap endings.
Like Luiz and Maria. A mother and son. Maria is 68 and Luiz is 40something. Yeah, I’m not going to lie to you guys, they look somewhat homeless. We see them at this one train station like all the time. I’ll be honest, I was kind of freaked out by them and clearly don’t have enough charity because one day my companion was like "I can’t take it anymore! we have to talk to them!" So I finally agreed but then they had taken a different way to get out of the station so we couldn’t find them. Then we ended up literally having to chase them down. So we talk to Luiz and turns out, he knows who Mormons are and has already met with a few sets of missionaries way back when in 2001. He has a Book of Mormon. He’s also obsessed with the United States, and I’m saying this as a complete matter of fact, and not judging in any way. I think he has aspergers. He knows everything about everything. He has like these strange tick kind of habits. He’s obsessed with the way books smell. But he’s so smart that it’s not normal.
So we set up a time to meet with them the next Thursday. Then on Sunday, we pray about it and feel like they are our revelados, aka they are the investigators who can be ready for baptism next week. Yeah that always entails a TON of work. So we are like crap, we aren’t meeting them until Thursday. So we improvise and have lessons over the phone with them every night and have him and Maria read chapters in the Book of Mormon about baptism and pray about it. Thursday comes and we go over to their house, read the part about baptism in 3Nephi 11 and ask them to be baptized the same way on Sunday. They both IMMEDIATELY said "eu aceito." I accept. Irma Q and I just looked at each other like, "Alright, this crazy train is happening." So we come back Friday night and teach them all of the commandments and requirements for baptism. They accept to live by them. It's nuts how much desire they have to follow Christ. I can’t even comprehend it.
Luiz is weird, yes. But, Maria is wonderful and Luiz is harmless and looking for how to have a better life. Saturday night the zone leaders, our besties, come over to do their baptismal interview. Everything is like peachy keen. Luiz has a past, but had committed to live the commandments and was already living it all except he smokes the occasional cigarette but said he would give it up. Sunday morning we confirm with bishop that he will be meeting the both of them before church to give his ok on the baptism and see that they are ready because it had been ten years since they’ve been to church and it was only a few times. (Side note: I know that this sounds ludicrous and like, "Why in the world are you trying to baptize people so quickly?" Go back and read my email about what a revelado is and what the expectations of this mission are and you will probably have just as much of an understanding as I do. Not a lot.)
So, we get to church Sunday and everyone is so nice to them. It was great. They knew we had to confirm with bishop about the baptism so we weren’t really stressing. Then bishop pulls us aside and says no, that he prayed about it and felt like they needed more preparation. We were stressed out mostly because the assistants were going to pass faca (chastisement) down the leadership train. I felt bad because the zone leaders like us and don’t even tell us to repent when we know they’re supposed to. In this kind of situation, it means we should have prepared them better and then this wouldn’t be happening or something. Basically, bishop said that they shouldnt' be baptized so we told them it would be next week. I was a little bummed, but I kind of wanted the baptism for the wrong reasons anyway so I needed to be more humble. The reason bishop said no is because he said he just really felt like they weren’t ready for some reason. Then later on in church, the first counselor came up to him and said that he saw Luiz smoking a cigarette in front of the church right before sacrament meeting. He had told us he was going to the bathroom. Awesome. Thank goodness for bishop because he hadn’t even known that when he said no.
The only people who want to talk to us most of the time are crazies. We have a lot of ups and downs like that one. The zone leaders still call us all the time. Elder Ca even cooked us African food. It was so strange but way good. We don’t really have any investigators that are going anywhere. Ju wasn’t baptized because she got really sick and was in the hospital. Stupid Satan. But she is out now and starting to feel better. I'll let you know when that happens.
Anyway, I freaking love you guys, and I’m praying for you all the time! The church is true and a mission kind of sucks but in a very hilarious-because-how-else-can-you-take-it kind of way when we have experiences like this past week. But yeah. Love you guys.
Like Luiz and Maria. A mother and son. Maria is 68 and Luiz is 40something. Yeah, I’m not going to lie to you guys, they look somewhat homeless. We see them at this one train station like all the time. I’ll be honest, I was kind of freaked out by them and clearly don’t have enough charity because one day my companion was like "I can’t take it anymore! we have to talk to them!" So I finally agreed but then they had taken a different way to get out of the station so we couldn’t find them. Then we ended up literally having to chase them down. So we talk to Luiz and turns out, he knows who Mormons are and has already met with a few sets of missionaries way back when in 2001. He has a Book of Mormon. He’s also obsessed with the United States, and I’m saying this as a complete matter of fact, and not judging in any way. I think he has aspergers. He knows everything about everything. He has like these strange tick kind of habits. He’s obsessed with the way books smell. But he’s so smart that it’s not normal.
So we set up a time to meet with them the next Thursday. Then on Sunday, we pray about it and feel like they are our revelados, aka they are the investigators who can be ready for baptism next week. Yeah that always entails a TON of work. So we are like crap, we aren’t meeting them until Thursday. So we improvise and have lessons over the phone with them every night and have him and Maria read chapters in the Book of Mormon about baptism and pray about it. Thursday comes and we go over to their house, read the part about baptism in 3Nephi 11 and ask them to be baptized the same way on Sunday. They both IMMEDIATELY said "eu aceito." I accept. Irma Q and I just looked at each other like, "Alright, this crazy train is happening." So we come back Friday night and teach them all of the commandments and requirements for baptism. They accept to live by them. It's nuts how much desire they have to follow Christ. I can’t even comprehend it.
Luiz is weird, yes. But, Maria is wonderful and Luiz is harmless and looking for how to have a better life. Saturday night the zone leaders, our besties, come over to do their baptismal interview. Everything is like peachy keen. Luiz has a past, but had committed to live the commandments and was already living it all except he smokes the occasional cigarette but said he would give it up. Sunday morning we confirm with bishop that he will be meeting the both of them before church to give his ok on the baptism and see that they are ready because it had been ten years since they’ve been to church and it was only a few times. (Side note: I know that this sounds ludicrous and like, "Why in the world are you trying to baptize people so quickly?" Go back and read my email about what a revelado is and what the expectations of this mission are and you will probably have just as much of an understanding as I do. Not a lot.)
So, we get to church Sunday and everyone is so nice to them. It was great. They knew we had to confirm with bishop about the baptism so we weren’t really stressing. Then bishop pulls us aside and says no, that he prayed about it and felt like they needed more preparation. We were stressed out mostly because the assistants were going to pass faca (chastisement) down the leadership train. I felt bad because the zone leaders like us and don’t even tell us to repent when we know they’re supposed to. In this kind of situation, it means we should have prepared them better and then this wouldn’t be happening or something. Basically, bishop said that they shouldnt' be baptized so we told them it would be next week. I was a little bummed, but I kind of wanted the baptism for the wrong reasons anyway so I needed to be more humble. The reason bishop said no is because he said he just really felt like they weren’t ready for some reason. Then later on in church, the first counselor came up to him and said that he saw Luiz smoking a cigarette in front of the church right before sacrament meeting. He had told us he was going to the bathroom. Awesome. Thank goodness for bishop because he hadn’t even known that when he said no.
The only people who want to talk to us most of the time are crazies. We have a lot of ups and downs like that one. The zone leaders still call us all the time. Elder Ca even cooked us African food. It was so strange but way good. We don’t really have any investigators that are going anywhere. Ju wasn’t baptized because she got really sick and was in the hospital. Stupid Satan. But she is out now and starting to feel better. I'll let you know when that happens.
Anyway, I freaking love you guys, and I’m praying for you all the time! The church is true and a mission kind of sucks but in a very hilarious-because-how-else-can-you-take-it kind of way when we have experiences like this past week. But yeah. Love you guys.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Besties with the Zone Leaders
Aloooooooha.
I haven’t said that in a long time. It felt good.
Oh familia, I just love you guys. Thank you all soooo much for the emails and pictures! I love them! I love you!
Here’s my new address, use this bad boy. Seriously. But only for letters.
Irma Erin Dean
Rua de Azenha Nº32 2ºDt
Mem Martins 2725-231
Portugal Entao.
This week was pretty much really uneventful as far as day-to-day. But, something pretty big and sad did happen. So I wrote last week or the week before about how I’m in a triple with my trainer and Irma Thomas. Well, Irma Thomas has been having really bad stomach issues since the MTC and it started getting worse and worse and so she had to go to the hospital a few times last transfer. The week before we got put together she had a colonoscopy and everything and they found out she has active ulcerative colitis. That’s not good. Basically, ulcers lining her intestines or something? And she was constantly in soooo much pain and wasn’t really being honest about how bad it had gotten. But, one day it got drastically worse so we called the mission doctor and he said she needed to go to the hospital for her post-procedure consult to find out exactly what they wanted to do. When they said she would need more tests, the mission doctor called President Torgan and said his medical advice was that she return home to Canada to get good medical care and then return.
So President Torgan called Wednesday night to thank her for her service and told her she was leaving the next morning at 5:30am. It was crazy trying to get her all packed but she was s relieved so we are really glad for her to be able to get better.
So now it’s back to just Irma Quebbeman and me! For both areas! But, as far as the subject of this email... Ha ha so normally you have a lot of contact with your district leader and he has contact with the zone leaders. That’s definitely how it was last transfer. Last transfer we were terrified of the zone leaders. One is from Cabo Verde and his name is Elder Ca and he’s scary! He is so intense and would only call us to give us faca (basically chastise us) and tell us if we weren’t baptizing it meant we didn’t have faith in the Lord's ability to work miracles. So we literally screamed when the caller ID said "zone leaders". Then, somehow at the end of the transfer, he started being very obliging when we asked him to find out where everyone we knew was going for the new transfer. Next thing you know, we have a zone meeting and he talks about how he doesn’t want anyone to be afraid of him. And, because their area is about an hour closer than our district leaders, if we need blessings or a baptismal interview, they are usually the ones to come. Elder Ca now has a new companion, Elder Nielson who is VERY chill. Like seriously. So yeah, somehow or another, with us being Irma’s who have breakdowns and needing blessings, and Irma Thomas being really sick, and with all the stress of our baptism last week, we talked to them at least once a day and they have had to give us like pep talks and all kinds of stuff. We’ve joked around with them a lot and now we are the best of friends.
Elder Ca will call and try to speak English with us and it is HILARIOUS and just a little precious. He legitimately made me want to pee myself last transfer, that’s how scared of him I was. He’s really intense and very commanding. Yeah, now they go out of their way to make sure were ok. They defend us to the assistants, and tell us stuff before they even tell our district leader--that poor kid. I guess we got suckered into making cookies for them for zone conference tomorrow? I’m not sure what happened. But I’m ok with it. Basically, I’m having a good time finally. Monica received the Holy Ghost! No one else is really progressing except a woman named Ju who is being baptized next weekend so pray for her! I’ll write about her next week!
I love you guys!!!
I haven’t said that in a long time. It felt good.
Oh familia, I just love you guys. Thank you all soooo much for the emails and pictures! I love them! I love you!
Here’s my new address, use this bad boy. Seriously. But only for letters.
Irma Erin Dean
Rua de Azenha Nº32 2ºDt
Mem Martins 2725-231
Portugal Entao.
This week was pretty much really uneventful as far as day-to-day. But, something pretty big and sad did happen. So I wrote last week or the week before about how I’m in a triple with my trainer and Irma Thomas. Well, Irma Thomas has been having really bad stomach issues since the MTC and it started getting worse and worse and so she had to go to the hospital a few times last transfer. The week before we got put together she had a colonoscopy and everything and they found out she has active ulcerative colitis. That’s not good. Basically, ulcers lining her intestines or something? And she was constantly in soooo much pain and wasn’t really being honest about how bad it had gotten. But, one day it got drastically worse so we called the mission doctor and he said she needed to go to the hospital for her post-procedure consult to find out exactly what they wanted to do. When they said she would need more tests, the mission doctor called President Torgan and said his medical advice was that she return home to Canada to get good medical care and then return.
So President Torgan called Wednesday night to thank her for her service and told her she was leaving the next morning at 5:30am. It was crazy trying to get her all packed but she was s relieved so we are really glad for her to be able to get better.
So now it’s back to just Irma Quebbeman and me! For both areas! But, as far as the subject of this email... Ha ha so normally you have a lot of contact with your district leader and he has contact with the zone leaders. That’s definitely how it was last transfer. Last transfer we were terrified of the zone leaders. One is from Cabo Verde and his name is Elder Ca and he’s scary! He is so intense and would only call us to give us faca (basically chastise us) and tell us if we weren’t baptizing it meant we didn’t have faith in the Lord's ability to work miracles. So we literally screamed when the caller ID said "zone leaders". Then, somehow at the end of the transfer, he started being very obliging when we asked him to find out where everyone we knew was going for the new transfer. Next thing you know, we have a zone meeting and he talks about how he doesn’t want anyone to be afraid of him. And, because their area is about an hour closer than our district leaders, if we need blessings or a baptismal interview, they are usually the ones to come. Elder Ca now has a new companion, Elder Nielson who is VERY chill. Like seriously. So yeah, somehow or another, with us being Irma’s who have breakdowns and needing blessings, and Irma Thomas being really sick, and with all the stress of our baptism last week, we talked to them at least once a day and they have had to give us like pep talks and all kinds of stuff. We’ve joked around with them a lot and now we are the best of friends.
Elder Ca will call and try to speak English with us and it is HILARIOUS and just a little precious. He legitimately made me want to pee myself last transfer, that’s how scared of him I was. He’s really intense and very commanding. Yeah, now they go out of their way to make sure were ok. They defend us to the assistants, and tell us stuff before they even tell our district leader--that poor kid. I guess we got suckered into making cookies for them for zone conference tomorrow? I’m not sure what happened. But I’m ok with it. Basically, I’m having a good time finally. Monica received the Holy Ghost! No one else is really progressing except a woman named Ju who is being baptized next weekend so pray for her! I’ll write about her next week!
I love you guys!!!
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