Brazillll!!! And almost died by a train! Oops.. Aug 20-26-2024

So super scary but now super funny to look back on, i kid you not I almost got hit by a train.... thank goodness I am a missionary for the Lord and have angels watching over me. 

So I'll share the story. 

We were about to get on to our train to go to the airport in salt lake and we had to cross over to the other side and my bags can't roll over the tracks nicely so i had to carry them over one by one. Well on my last bag the lights start going off and elder Reynolds is standing behind me yelling TEBBS YOU GOTTA GO ... THE TRAIN IS COMING and so he runs past me and I go to pick up my heavy bag and as i quickly walk i trip and fall onto the tracks and my bags fall and I'm on the tracks and I look up and literally see the train coming around the corner. I literally couldn't move, i was so shocked that this was a real event that was actually happening in real time. Like whoa I'm about to get hit by a train...... and also it was just so funny to me and I was also so embarrassed that i tripped that i couldn't stop laughing.. so here i am panicking and laughing while the train is coming full speed ahead. Well thankfully elder Reynolds and elder Stewart acted quickly and literally saved my life and my luggage... heroes were made that day. The train passed by probably 30-40 seconds after we made it safely on the platform. 

There service and brave act will never forgotten. 

Wish i could say this didn't happen and that I'm being dramatic but actually I'm traumatized it was so close lol. Anywho, such a fun way to start this incredible experience  

Another long email this week but one of my better ones so i advise you all to read it!!

again not sorry because you all asked to be here! 

OK BRAZILL TIMEEEEEEEEE 

The flight its self was not bad at all in my opinion. It went by pretty fast. Despite the fact I got the worst 9 hours of sleep of my life. 

Its such a seral feeling getting pick up by a Brazilian man in a van and literally putting all your trust in him to take us to the mission home while he drives you all over Brazil like a crazy man ( stop signs and traffic laws don't exist here ) and cant speak any English. 

But sure enough he got the job done and i got to meet my new mission presidents! They are nice.

Very straight to business and no nonsense, they don't really joke or do sarcasm well. they are trying to rebuild the mission culture you could say because Juiz de Fora is struggling lots of work to be done here. And i mean LOTS. Along with the fact the Last few transfers they had a lot of "Fubecagem" which is slang that the missionaries use around here meaning trouble makers/ don't follow the standers. Apparently lots of people got sent home, this is all according to my new companion. SISTER ROCHA !! she's amazing, again god blessed me with an amazing companion! She's perfect, she's from Las Vegas, Nevada in the area my cousin Abby ( Sister Rogers) is serving her mission in right now. Her family is from Brazil but she grew up in the US so she speaks perfect Portuguese and perfect English! So I've been learning a lot but also not drowning. 

Worst part of this whole experience so far has been saying goodbye to sister hoover.... what a hard goodbye that was. I love her so much and she has helped me in more ways than one. she currently 8 hours away from me in Rio and lets just say i may or may not cry randomly bc i miss her! However ik she's doing amazing. If you are reading this I love you, your the scum between my toes.. always and forever ehehe ! 

CIDADE DE LAVRAS 

My first area is Lavras, its been such a culture shock i don't know how to feel about it yet. Love it obviously though!! I loveeee Brazil, the people is incredible they have my whole heart ! The town of Lavras itself is just so interesting you go from city, to farm, to literally the GETTO. Like kid you not we are working in the HOOD! 

8Very poor areas. And somewhat nice areas Just very interesting. 

Frist lesson in the mission we taught a homeless lady with 5 kids named Juliana she's strong in the spirit but mid way threw the lesson her toddler starts crying and she takes off her shirt and just starts breast feeding her..... and we are still sitting there. Sister Rocha was unfazed and i was like trying too find a towel or something for her to cover up but we were out in the bush.. so I'm assuming it was just normal. Just took me way off guard to see this lady topless while trying my hardest to testify of god and Jesus... didn't know where to look. 

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WEEK!! 

- Everyone here calls me sister tebbies. i love it.

-found out my mission actually goes into RIO!!! so I'm so hyped about that! Ill get the opportunity to hopefully serve there for a transfer : ) 

- sister Rocha has been pushing me a lot but whenever I speak the people are understanding me and are feeling my spirit!!! EU SOU ELA ( i am her) 

- talked to these drunk Iranians in the plaza and they were talking to us about Trump and how much they love him and American's ( video in google photos) 

- got kicked out of a catholic church 

- everyone loves Americans here so i get called fofo ( cute) a lot and also they call me the girl with green eyes " Garota de olhos verdes " 

-food is so good (super heavy though, and the members don't let me leave until I've eaten 3 plates worth of food.... wish me luck please )  

- got called an angry buff Russian woman ( bc im tall and have big eyebrows ) by these 5 Brazilian hippies.. they were convinced i was from Russia it was kind of funny. 

- i watch a drug deal happen literally right in front of me, and then we proceed to talk to him bc he was asking questions about Jesus but while we were talking he continued to make his joints and distributed out his weed 

- ate almoco ( lunch) at a members house and the guy loves American music and we talked about J Cole, Kendrick, and drake and explained to him the drama with that bc he didn't understand.. thankfully me and sister Rocha have amazing taste in music and were able to teach him more then just the gospel!!! 

WERID BRAZIL NORMS IN MY OPINION 

- they take hamburgers literally here and they have ham with it along with shredded chicken. 

- you either have to throw away your toilet paper in a trash can or use a hose. Bc the plumping here sucks. 

- beans and rice with every meal. Doesn't matter what the meal is. ( not complaining i love it, especially here taste so good) 

- they put this sand texture stuff on all there food. At first i didn't like it but now i LOVE it. 

- showers are plugged in by electrical outlets... you literally will shower and get a little shock at first. Wild. 

ILL shut up and end this long email! 

Anywho! I love and miss you all, this week has been one of the craziest and most surreal, humbling, hardest experience of my life! But in a psychotic way i absolutely love it!! I love Brazil! God is in the workings of everything