Week 22
It was good to see you guys over Skype on Christmas. One thing I forgot...PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN PIE! I NEED TO KNOW HOW LONG TO COOK IT. IF I DON'T KNOW THAT, I CAN'T MAKE IT, SO PLEASE TELL ME SO I CAN MAKE IT NEXT WEEK. (With his Christmas care package, I sent the makings for Nathan's favorite dessert-pumpkin pie. He's clearly anxious to make it...)

My week was good. We did the normal things-walk, talk, have nerf fights-the usual things. Today, we had a little shorrask (bbq) with the zone leaders and I was finally able to use normal clothes for the first time in 6 months and I learned that my jeans are tight and a bit short, so that is promising!!! (Elder Jardine told us he weighed 68 kilos, which is around 150 lbs-10 lbs. heavier than when he went out in August. The part about "a bit short" concerns me...he was already 6'8" when he went out. If he grows much taller, we won't be able to find pants for him...)

It was good to Skype and talk with you guys on Christmas and I was really happy to get to see you guys.

Email me how your week goes and I will write you in the New Year!!!!!!

Love you guys and hope you have a great week!!!!

Tchou!!!!!!

Love,

Elder Jardine

Santa's elf, playing Nerf wars...

Mormon thug life...

Week 21
This week was interesting. The only day that I really worked was on Tuesday and this is why: Wednesday- in bed with a fever, Thursday- district leadership training in Campinas,

Friday and Saturday- stayed in house with Elder Fisher because he couldn't walk on his ankle for three days.

So, not much to report, but it was a good week. I got a new smaller Portuguese Bible so I started marking that up really quickly so I can use it in lessons/for other messages, so that was very exciting. 

I love my companion. He is amazing and is an extremely good companion. I love him especially since he is the "filho" (child) of elder Tavares, my former zone leader.

As for Skype, I will have 40 minutes on Sunday between 4-6 my time and this next Saturday is P-day so I will email you to talk more about that.

So, I have received one Christmas package when I visited Campinas and had to pay about R$200 and I apologize that I opened it IMMEDIATELY when I got home once I saw "pumpkin pie" and just know that immediately after i opened it, a Nerf war ensued where I learned that the Nerf guns HURT!! It is amazing and Elder Sosa wants me to ask you for another mega (he loves that thing). 

As for your other packages, I think that I will receive them when I am in Campinas again this Wednesday for Zone Conference so I will tell you if I receive them. Please thank the ward on behalf of me and I look forward to receiving their package.

Keep telling me how your weeks go and I will see you on Christmas.

Love

Elder Jardine

(We were able to speak with Elder Jardine today for 45 minutes. He looks great. He's gained about 10 pounds [now busting the scales at 150] and is happy. He was sweating up a storm, since it's summer in Brazil and it was 94 degrees today, but smiling, which we love to see. He also told us he got all his Christmas packages-we sent 2 and our wonderful ward here in Highland sent one.)

Food for the Ward Activity

Entertainment for the Ward Activity

Week 20

Hey, so this week was interesting. As you all know, I have a new companion, Elder Almeida from Quiaba, which is apparently the hottest part of Brazil. He is great, very excited. He has 1 year and 1 month in the mission and he works hard. Also, we now have a brand new American in our house-Elder Fisher of the great and wonderos land of Lindon, Utah. He is great. I promised his trainer, Elder Sosa, that I wouldn't speak English with him unless he needed to, although at times, I slip and speak a little English. But it is great to help and see where I was just a few months ago and where I am now. 

We also had a huge activity at the church. We had lots of food, some crazy fruit artistry and even a few bouncy houses and water attractions. It was great. I will send pictures. As far as teaching goes, we have two people that we are going to try to focus on-Leandro, who is a youth of 16 and has a friend in the church (although we are going to cut him if he doesn't attend church this week). The other person is Issac who started to talk with us one day when we were sitting down and let's just say we were quite shocked about how much he knows especially when he asked if the Spirit World was close to Kolob. But, we talked with him more the next day before church and he has basically frequented our church and he says that this is his favorite church. He just needs to feel firm before he will be baptized. 

As for strange things, the strangest thing I have eaten was in the Missionary Training Center and it was cow tongue, which I didnt know was in with the fashion. The weirdest thing I have drunk is suco do acerola, which basically tastes like they juiced a pumpkin . Needless to say, I am not the biggest fan. Our apartment is one of the nicest in the mission and we have a washer and a few drying racks for our clothes. they don't use clothes dryers here, but it's all good. I am loving the Brazilian people; they are all really nice and a very pleasant people.

But, I am well and it is always good to hear how you guys are doing. Keep having awesome weeks and keep telling me everything. Can't wait to Skype you guys on Christmas. Keep getting better, mom, and keep working on the house, dad.

I love you all so much and I can't wait to talk to you guys.

Sincerely,

Elder Jardine

Elder Jardine teaching some cutie kids

Elder Jardine with his zone

"This dog reminded me of Tucker, so I took his picture."

Elder Jardine and his companion teaching Leandro

Week 19

Well, this week was good and before I forget, I will answer all of your questions. First off, the other two elders in my house are Elder Sosa of Mexico, who is a great guy and loves to try to speak what words he knows in English; the other elder is Elder Morrise and we don't exactly get along... (but he is being transferred, so it's all good). But, he is an ok guy. 
Christmas is pretty much the same here minus the fact that it is hot and rains occasionally. As for our recent converts- Erika is extremely happy and firm as a rock. She is probably my favorite person to visit with. As for Danilo, he has slipped back into smoking and not coming to church, so we will visit him this week to help him out. 

As far as meals go, I make my breakfast; members feed us lunch every day minus p-day, and for diner unless a member invites us, we normally just take an hour break and eat açí of cookies with Coke. My Portuguese is better, but I am not fluent yet, and I have yet to receive your packages.

My week was good. We worked hard and are trying our best. We have a new investigator named Leandro, who is 16 and a friend of a member and things look promising. This week was a pretty normal one; work, walk, talk, teach, eat, sleep-so not really anything super exciting happened.

Keep telling me how things are going and I always enjoy seeing your pictures. Hope you guys have a fantastic week.

I love you all so much and can't wait to see you in 20 days on Christmas.

Bom sourte and tchou!!!!

Com Amor,

Elder Jardine