This trip has been a lot of work, but a lot of fun. Sorry, still no pictures (can't read my SD card). Yesterday we met with our existing partner, interviewed a marketing candidate, and met with two potential PR agencies. I skipped dinner and just crashed. All the meetings except one were 90% in Portuguese and it is mentally exhausting to translate in my head for that long.
Today we met with three potential partners. All in Portuguese. I've gotten plenty of comments from people on my Portuguese, but I've also had times when its been really bad. One funny one (all happened in Portuguese)...This guy asked, "how did you learn Portuguese?" I said, "I lived here thirty years ago." He said, "how long did you live here?" I said, "oitenta mezes." He looks at me funny, then says, "oito mezes?" I reply, "Nao, oitenta mezes." He switches to English and says, "Eighty months?" Instead of saying "eighteen months," I had said "eighty months." I made many more mistakes, but I think most people I met with liked the fact that I tried so hard. Its rare for Brazilians to meet Americans that speak Portuguese. When I told one person that I learned as a Mormon missionary, she said "we had a great experience with a Mormon!" Turns out that one of their clients had been a Utah company that I know quite well.
Now I'm in the Delta lounge in Sao Paulo waiting on my flight. I'm excited to come home. My guess is that I'll come back sometime early next year.
One more story...most of the time we are in the middle of Sao Paulo, a city of 15 million people (Manhattan has less than 2 million), but for one meeting we were in a suburb. We had to walk a couple blocks. For whatever reason, I felt like a missionary again walking the streets. It was a "take me back" feeling.
That's it. Two posts in a short trip. Hope everyone is doing well.
Love,
Dad
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Viva Brasil!
I'm here! Viva Brasil! After my last visit eighteen years ago, it is wonderful to be back. The flight (15 hours in total) was great. I think I got about five hours sleep on the Atlanta to Sao Paulo leg. That, plus the fact that the time zone difference is only three hours, means I've adjusted pretty easily.
Today was a series of meetings. Much of it in Portuguese. I could keep up with most of it. Thirty years is a long time, so I've lost a lot, but I won't beat myself up too bad because I can still get by. Asking questions, ordering at restaurants, light conversation, etc. is fine. Some of the business stuff gets challenging. We (Raul, Plinio, and I) are headed to dinner in an hour. More meetings the next two days.
The bad news is that I can't get my computer to read my camera's SD card. So sorry, no pics.
So here is something that is a bit serious, but heartfelt. Enjoy.
Thirty-one years and one month ago I first set foot in Brasil – called by a prophet of God to preach the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I was new, fresh, and green. My speech was flawed. There were so many things I didn’t know. Yet enthusiasm, desire, and faith seemed to overcome all my fears and inabilities.
Brasil was untamed and burgeoning. My mission area was the second largest geographic mission in the church. Thousands of miles separated small remote branches. Most Brasilians knew nothing of the Mormons. Curiosity was often their biggest motivator.
I witnessed as an apostle rededicated Brasil for the preaching of the gospel. I saw my own growth. Miraculously, in their initial steps toward eternal life, I saw dozens of people enter the waters of baptism – people, whose descendants now number in the hundreds. For me, Brasil was then, and is now, sacred ground. As I return, I’m filled with gratitude for the significance that the gospel has had in my life, appreciative of the companions who I served with, mindful of the people who I was able to share this eternal message with, and privileged for the opportunity to return.
Today was a series of meetings. Much of it in Portuguese. I could keep up with most of it. Thirty years is a long time, so I've lost a lot, but I won't beat myself up too bad because I can still get by. Asking questions, ordering at restaurants, light conversation, etc. is fine. Some of the business stuff gets challenging. We (Raul, Plinio, and I) are headed to dinner in an hour. More meetings the next two days.
The bad news is that I can't get my computer to read my camera's SD card. So sorry, no pics.
So here is something that is a bit serious, but heartfelt. Enjoy.
Thirty-one years and one month ago I first set foot in Brasil – called by a prophet of God to preach the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I was new, fresh, and green. My speech was flawed. There were so many things I didn’t know. Yet enthusiasm, desire, and faith seemed to overcome all my fears and inabilities.
Brasil was untamed and burgeoning. My mission area was the second largest geographic mission in the church. Thousands of miles separated small remote branches. Most Brasilians knew nothing of the Mormons. Curiosity was often their biggest motivator.
I witnessed as an apostle rededicated Brasil for the preaching of the gospel. I saw my own growth. Miraculously, in their initial steps toward eternal life, I saw dozens of people enter the waters of baptism – people, whose descendants now number in the hundreds. For me, Brasil was then, and is now, sacred ground. As I return, I’m filled with gratitude for the significance that the gospel has had in my life, appreciative of the companions who I served with, mindful of the people who I was able to share this eternal message with, and privileged for the opportunity to return.
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