Christmas week

December 30, 2013

I think this week is really crazy for all the missionaries in the world, and it wasn't any different for us.  Monday was a sweet day.  We went and bought presents for Jair and his kids because they weren't getting anything for Christmas.  So we bought Jair a tie that he wore to church this sunday.  We bought Jamilla, his oldest daughter some nail polish, she wore that to church as well.  We got his 8 year old son jamilson a toy car, and his littlest daughter a stuffed bear.  It was sweet because when we visited them Sunday they were all playing with their toys and it was sweet!  Monday we also had the Chrismas party for the ward.   Being the good missionaries we are, elder Gooch and I probably should have bought our white elephant gift recievers ties, because we are missionaries and that's what missionaries are suppose to do.  But we thought that would be boring.  So we bought them Sunglasses!  They were chinese, super fake, and super sweet!  Our people were a 60 years old man and 45 year old man in our ward.  They looked a little goofy in the sunglasses, but it was a fun gift!  There was also a crazy amount of food there, which was sweet!  Mostly just little african cookie things.  They are straight carbs, destroyed my stomach, but it was christmas so we ate a ton anyway.  The guy that drew my name gave me a couple cabo verde bracelets, which with probably be sent home in my next package.  It was a way fun night. 

Tuesday was of course Christmas Eve, and it was kinda tough for us to stay focused.  So we delivered the presents to Jair, and baked a cake for some of our other investigators.  After that we had the sleepover of the century at the Zone Leaders house.  It was sweet! We had our whole district there, and we had 7 cakes up there.  We received two cakes from members in the ward, and a couple missionaries made cakes.  So we ate cake, played Heros De Biblia, bible versions of uno.   We did that until we fell asleep.
We work up Christmas morning, and opened the presents of course.  It was  sweet!  My dad sent me some sweet DI ties that I will actually wear just about everyday out here.  Most people didn't get their Christmas packages because the mail is super backed up.  So if you sent something here, I probably wont get it for a while, sorry... 

Christmas day we borrowed a laptop from a member to Skype our families, but it never really ended working out.  We just spent a lot of money, and Skype never actually worked.  So I spent the entire christmas day waiting for other people to finish skyping their families so I could skype mine! But my dad called me, and we talked for a little.  Then finally I got to skype them, and we had enough time, and it was all good.  

They day after christmas was probably one of the most depressing days of my mission tho.  Elder Gooch and I didnt talk much the whole day, and we got our hair cuts and such.  And after we got them cut I told Elder Gooch, "Look I tried to hide it, but I think we should just be honest with ourselves, Today really sucks"  He thought that was really funny, and insanely true.  So we sat down, got a coke and talked for a little.  Then we went and taught the gospel, and everything was all good.  We also went to the only buffet in Praia to try to cheer us up that day but it didnt really work out...  But was good though.   It was just so nice to talk to the family, but that the day after was a little tough.  

Friday and Saturday were pretty normal days.  One of my favorite things about saturday was when we were walking back from District meeting.  And when people get married, everyone just honks their horns on their cars.  And the funniest thing was when I saw bride and groom.  They were sitting in the back of a samari, just like the Corry's.  Can you imagine sitting in the back of a samari right after you got married? It was one of the funniest things Ive ever seen in my life.  She was all dressed up in white, in a Samari.  

Anyway, Sunday was sweet.  Got quite a few investigators to church, Should have a baptism next week.  

But I love you guys, and I hope everything is going well! 

Elder Jarvis