Joseph and I left Thursday, April 2. Flew to Atlanta, flew overnight to Sao Paulo, Brazil; waited 6 hours (in the airport), then flew to Porto Alegre. Feelings for this: long, boring, exhausting, tired.......
We arrived at the POA (Porto Alegre) airport to see Bob and Vonnie, and Paulo and Mariangela (the family Joseph baptised 10 years ago) Lucas, Julia, Glaucia, and Mission President Wisenent (I don't know if that's spelled right!) What a welcome!
POA was the only place we rented a car........good thing.........the driving was INSANE!!
We stayed with the Mission President and his wife for that week which was awesome!
We were there for conference which was good timing to try and see people who he would want to see, without searching all over POA. For the first session, Vonnie translated for me, as much as she could, which was good enough for me. We stayed with Paulo and Marianglea during the second session and drove around to see places Joseph remembered. Because of the time difference, the first session was at 1 pm. the second session was at 4 pm. and Priesthood started at 9 pm. crazy huh!!
An apartment where Joseph lived.
Paulo and Mariangela.
On Sunday we went to a different city, where Joseph served and Joseph was looking in the chapel before it started to see if he recognized anybody, and guess what?!? Somebody recognized him!!! It was a family of a mother and her two sons. All were still active, both sons married and are sealed in the temple. This was an unexpected surprise, which made the trip that much sweeter!
Another family he saw there.
Porto Alegre Temple.......Next on the trip was to another of Joseph's areas. He had baptized the mother, and didn't think anything would come of it. Later we find out that both daughters and her son were baptized! Both daughters are now married and sealed in the temple. The son has fallen away. We were able to visit all of them!!!!
That my friends is a pine cone....Also on that trip we went to a waterfall. To get to the bottom of this waterfall you have to go down more than 700 stairs. Joseph and I did it......our legs were shaking on the way down and burning on the way up!!! But what a site!! Bob and Vonnie chose not to do this one.....good thing, they wouldn't have made it, we barely did.
Us, after the stairs....In the city Gramado, where the waterfall was at, was like a mini Park City. It was like nothing else in Brazil. They go all out for Easter too.
We next went to Torres, the city were Bob and Vonnie spent the last year of their mission. It is a beach town where in the summer months (which is winter to us) their population more than doubles. While we were there Bob interviewed a family to be baptised. The story of this family is awesome. Since they have no baptismal font, they use the ocean! The father of the family wanted to be baptised at sunrise, he says that's when the day is born, and that's when the angels are out! It was beautiful!
What an amazing week. It was so fulfilling to see what the gospel has brought to these families.
What an amazing week. It was so fulfilling to see what the gospel has brought to these families.We sadly left POA and headed to Sao Paulo for the weekend.
Us, and Paulo and Mariangela!
While in Sao Paulo, we stayed at the apartment building next to the temple, which is for those who come from far distances to stay at for little price, while they go to the temple. Joseph and I were able to do an endowment session, sealings, and initiatories. All of these were of course in Portuguese, except I did have head phones for the endowment session , and part of the initiatories were done in English for me, making them last twice as long. I didn't mind because they loved the chance to practice their English, but Joseph was worried, because he didn't know if I was okay (not knowing the language and all ;) )
One of Bob's mission companions is now in the Area Presidency in Brazil, and he took us to the best Churrhasco (like Rodizio's and Tucano's) we had the whole trip! We were able to spend Easter Sunday at the Brazil MTC. And better yet, it was an English speaking branch!!
The MTC President happened to also be Joseph's mission President, President and Sister Woodward,how cool was that!
We left Monday morning for the Falls of Iguacu. We got there to our hotel which was nice, and then took a bus ride, to get acquainted with the town. We then ate at a little place right next to our hotel. I got the chicken lasagna, which was sooooo yummy!!
Tuesday we went to the Falls, it was beautiful. We went at the end of the summer, so the water was low. Still impressive though. We got to see the Argentine side of the Falls, from the Brazil side. But we couldn't see the main falls, the Devil's Throat from the Brazil side. So we decided to go to Argentina for a day to see the other side of the Falls. Again, even though the water was low.....WOW.
On Thursday morning bright and early, we left for Sao Paulo again, and from there took a bus to Rio.
Scenery from the bus.We stayed at a place called the Rio Guest House. Marta (the hostess) has a penthouse that she turned into a bed and breakfast. It is right on the Copacabana Beach, and really close to Impenema Beach too!!
Marta and I.
View from hotel of Copacabana Beach.
Sunset on the Impenema Beach.
Events of Rio were the Christ Redeemer statue, a tour of the city, the beach, church, a soccer game!!!!, and the beach! The weather was perfect the whole time we were in Brazil.
Sugar Loaf Mountain.
Soccer Game in Maracana Stadium....84,000 people were there! Our team won!We left Monday night to come home......
What an awesome experience it was to go there, and for Joseph to be able to share his mission with me. It already seems like a dream.
What an awesome experience it was to go there, and for Joseph to be able to share his mission with me. It already seems like a dream.
