Olá

Greetings from Portugal!!!

That's Régua and part of Godim out there The river Douro down below

 

The roads have been super flooded this last week! We’re having festivals here this last weekend and the coming as well. Lots of folks with nowhere to go and yet everyone’s in a hurry when we say hi! haha :) It's funny how you say you're in a hurry in Portuguese because it literally means "I have pressure." Or like “I'm pressed. I'm in a hurry.” And EVERYone has "pressa" when the missionaries stop and talk to them haha :) But it's ok, we're here to find the people who want to talk to us, even if it takes a little convincing :)

The other day We were knocking doors REEEEEEEALLY far away from our house, like probably and hour on foot from the center of our area (Regua) we rang a bell at the gate (that's what most people have here, I gate faaaar away from the house with a intercom so that don't have to look you in the face. It's the Portuguese way. They’re funny people.) Anyway we rang the bell and we hear Rapaz (young man) say "woo! os Jeovás!" "woo! The Jevhova's Witnesses!" haha :) It's a common mistake. I yelled over the gate "Somos os Mórmons!" (we're the Mormons!) to which I heard "Mesmo coisa!"(same thing!) haha :)

Elder Garcia is a great companion; he's been progressing very fast in the language and his ability to speak! Not that I've been a huge help. Sometimes I get mad at myself for not letting him talk more. That's what's gonna help him grow. But I'm getting there. Just gotta get over my egotism and cala-me :)

I've been speaking only Portuguese to Elder Garcia. That's been taking me back. Woo. Haven't had to do that in a while. But it's good for us both. It's helping him learn. Our members absolutely love him, which is great. With what used to be more negativity from them about Régua, they're being more optimistic :) That's great :)

I've been working a lot more this week at developing my Christlike love. It's certainly hard sometimes. Especially when they are those few who drive ya nuts. It's frustrating sometimes when you talk to someone in the street, and they seem interested, but when you go to their house, a spouse or family member tells you they don't want anything. But it can also be funny. One time we knocked on a lady’s door that had told us to come back. Her neighbor was just like, "nobody lives there!" And we laughed and said, "well so n´so told us to come back today. The lady then tried to tell us that “well she obviously doesn't want anything.” We kind of joked with her saying, "well she did set up a time to come back so..." The Portuguese are a funny people :)

We had to do shopping this week on a budget because Elder Garcia still doesn't have his money, but we're not gonna starve, just we won't be pigs haha. It's ok ‘cuz he eats very little anyway.

We hiked a mountain! Because there were a few houses up there that we wanted to knock! It was actually only about a 15 minute walk, but like straight up! I'll send pictures of the veiw. Elder Garcia's shoes, which had been dying already since he got to Regua, finally lost their bottoms. It was kinda funny. Luckily he has a second pair, and we can take the others to a shoe store and they'll resole it!

Have a great week!

Abraço,

Elder Buchanan

My tie on the tie wall in the home of Família Pinto