Até o pó (continued)

Ben Vindo ao Brazil!

I guess I should start with my last few days in California. They were pretty much amazing. I don´t think that I could have planned it anybetter. I we had General Confrence with all the singles in the Branch and then we also had Fundamentals training for all the new elders and leaders with all the sisters. Everyone arived early and made sure that the cars were cleaned and that we were in our seats at least 5 min. before the apointed time. Training was amazing (in a language that I understood) and I got a lot out of it. I was basically able to see everyone before I left. I was feeling a little bit of a loss. I had some amazing companions and was loving my area---just as I have said before. I had come to know almost everyone there over the last few months. Life in California was such a great place to learn and grow and come to know some amazing people. I really wasn´t wanting to leave. I will remember my last few moments as my mission President, President Jackson and his wife as well as my companions dropped me off at airport security. It was amazing to realize that at the end of my mission I will have had three Presidents and of all of them I will have spent the most time with the them.

I got on the plane and started my trip. In São paulo I got to see one of the elders that was in my district at the MTC all those many months ago. Elder Francis and I were the oldest Visa Waiters of them all. The plane was full of them. We swapted stories for a moment and then went to our seprate planes. When it was all over the 5 other Elders that were going to my mission and I were waiting in the airport wating to meet our own President. They were an hour late because São Paulo gave them the wronge info. I took that as the offical start of my time in Brazil. They Finally came and Sister Queirios came up and gave me a hug. She´s awsome. She asked all the Elders how long they had been waiting for their visas and then got me me When I told her she just looked at me and her whole coutainence just dropped as you could see how sorry she felt for me... her eyes started to well up in tears and then she just said "why didn't they just let you stay?" Up until that moment of my trip I had been fine but I was tired and hungry and therefor emotional. it tipped me over. I just started to cry. I knew that it was stupid of me to be doing so but she started it. I got a hold of myself after a while but just opted to not talk the rest of the day. --It was safer that way. --From then on I just went where they wanted me to go. First to the Police station to get prints and then to the mission office. I wrote home faking as much of a good disposition as I could ...(I was still amazingly tired and we really had't eaten yet. I knew that was the major problem) But then we went in to meet all the new brazilian missionaries. We had Chocolate pizza até o pó and then walked to the hotel where I just died in my bed.

The next day I was considerably happier. (Warning: no food and no sleep... don't talk to me) It was crazy to have had an actual welcome into the mission just like every other missionary. I hadn't had one of those yet. Then we had a transfer meeting compleate with farewell speaches from the missionaries who where going home. I used that as my own farewell to California. It was very theriputic. I was able to close that chapter and feel ready for my next mission.

My new companion's name is Sister Przybyla. We hit it off right away. Aside from being amazing herself, she grew up in the California San Jose Mission. It's awesome. We are opening up a new area in a city called Balneário Camborió (look it up. it's pretty amazing) We are also living with 2 other brazilian sisters. The ward is so out going and happy. The Ward Mission leader is very cool. My companaion and I will be teaching a lot of English classes out here and thankfully I remember just enough Portuguese to get by.

Everyone makes fun of me because I needed to buy new shoes today. We've been walking até o pó and they laugh beacuse I had to worry about things like a car for the last 9 months. Really they are just incredibly jealous. haha.

 I feel like everyday I am trying to wrap my head around the fact that I am actually here... and not about to leave "anyday." It's the wierdest feeling I've ever had... but it's one I can get used to.

Love you all!
-Sister [H]obson



Sister Robson
Brazil Florianopolis Mission
R. Feliciano Nunes Pires, 42
Centro
88015-220 Florianópolis - SC

Até o pó  :to the dust. ~Slang for "to the very extream"

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