This is one of our amazing Brazilian rainstorms. We were in a chapel doing interviews when this one started. I was glad to realize that most of our missionaries were still home doing their morning studies. When the time came for them to go out to work the storm had cleared out.

As we travel around the state we see rice paddies everywhere. Our assistant told us that the state of Rio Grande do Sul is one of the only regions in Brazil where they grow rice.

On Thanksgiving we had a Zone Leader Council meeting. I thought we should have some type of celebration, so I made a bunch of pies - pumpkin, banana cream, peach, strawberry, and apple. The pumpkin and banana cream were the favorites. Pictured are Elders Duncan, Watts and Pourre.
Elder Meneses, the smile says it all!

President just treated these missionaries to lunch. We had pastels, which are like a fried pocket sandwich with lots of different fillings. Think of a hot-pocket but 3 times the size. I like this photo because in the background mirror you can see Curt paying and me taking the photo. The missionaries are E. Carvalho, E. Bangerter, E. Hickman, E. Fredrickson, E. Xavier and E. Maruji.

Our financial secretary Elder Watts was running around so fast preparing for transfer day that he ran into the door and cut his head - but Sis. Swenson's brownies make everything feel better.

Our staff photo before transfer day. We three of our missionaries went back to the "campo." Here are E. Duncan (new financial secretary) E. Rush (former assistant) E. Grabner (executive secretary) E. Maruji (assistant) E. Santana (secretary for housing) Sis. & Pres. E. Watts (former financial secretary) E. Xavier (new assistant) E. Andson.

Here is another look at that amazing tree shown above, it is right in front of the church building by our office. These are in bloom all around the city right now. I need to learn the name of this gorgeous tree.

Some of our beautiful sisters on transfer day at the bus station. Aren't they terrific?

President saying good bye to these missionaries who headed home on November 26th. I bet the American families had quite a Thanksgiving celebration. Pictured are E. Jones, E. Rocha, President, E. Milton, E. Ritter (kneeling), E. Braga, E. Elias, S. Pereira. E. Nasella.

This a photo of all of our missionaries together at a very special mission conference with Elder Richard G. Scott. We might not ever have them all together at one time again. It was a very special day for us, October 31, 2009. We love these missionaries!

We flew to Campinas for the annual mission president and wife training for all mission presidents from Brazil. The instructors for the training from Sunday to Wednesday evening were Elder Richard G. Scott, Elder Jay E. Jensen and our Area Presidency, Elders Soares, Ellis and Godoy. It was terrific and we were greatly fed (word and food!). It was fun to reunite with all the mission presidents and wives that started with us in July, all of whom are from Brazil except us and a couple from Portugal.
It was great to spend time with 2 good friends from my 1st mission in Brazil, Chris and Rebecca Jackson from the São Paulo Interlagos Mission and Marianna and Steve Richardson from the São Paulo South Mission. Chris and I were companions in Porto Alegre as zone leaders and Steve and I were in the same district in the LTM in Provo for 5 months waiting for our visas!

I'm standing next to the prettiest flower in the gardens!!!

We stayed at The Palms Resort in Campinas and it was very comfy and nice. This is as close to the water as we got as we didn't have the time to go swimming (or the right kind of "suits"!)

While I'm working hard interviewing all the missionaries at the different chapels during the week, Val is also working hard training and teaching the missionaries important principles (when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em! :-) In her defence, this was on a P-day :-)

Elders Andson and Sena took me on my first Ferry ride in Brasil it cost 4.10 reis (about $2.05.) We had to cross a river to go pick up Renata and Jerreson to take them to get married.

Me, Renata, Jerreson and a lady from their branch who was a witness at their wedding. Today was Renatas birthday, Oct. 8. She is expecting triplets in November, and she wanted to get married and baptized before the babies were born. Doesn't she look happy?

On Sunday Oct 11, 2009 Renata, and Adriene were baptized. (Jerreson will be baptized next week) I love to see Elder Andson's smile (on right.) That is true joy! Elder Andson had to be careful to make sure Renata's belly was all the way immersed. She and Jerreson are going to be awesome members of their branch. Andriene is also a terrific young man. Curt already talked to him about going on a mission in a year from now.

Elder Soares and Elder Piassalonga with their special family

Families, families, families.

Our missionaries are baptizing families.

Hooray!

Elder Silva and Elder Diniz with another wonderful family at their baptism.

After the conference we had dinner with President Luis Eugenio Asconavieta and his family, and President and Sister Fransisco Asconavieta, (Curt's second counselor, and brother to the Stake President) and President and Sister Brassanini the Temple President and Matron.

On Sept 6th we spoke at a Stake Conference in Pelotas (3 hours south of Porto Alegre.) It was so fun to see the three buses they hired to bring the members in from the outlying branches. The Chapel and Cutural Hall were filled to the brim with people even standing out in the hall.

Elder Simões and Zanella left us on Sept 1st to go back out and work full time in the field. Elder Zanella was a little nervous because he was called to serve in a little Branch as their branch President. He will do great!

A very special baptism we attended in Nonoai. Elder Carvalho and Prinz baptised 4 members of one family, and a mother of a second family. From left Elder Carvalho, Luan, Bruna (the mother of 4 younger children) Bruno, André and Lorena. Lorena is a mother/grandmother who is raising two of her grandchildren with her own family. One of her grandsons turned 8 the following week and was baptized on September 2. Their ward is amazing the way that they fellowship and support their converts and new members. We could all learn a lesson from them.

Our wonderful office Elders with a birthday surprise (Felize Aniversario) for Presidente, August 24th. From left counter-clockwise Elders: Zanella, Simões, Grabner, Rush, Santana, and Watts.

This is the city of Rio Grande. Curt spent 5 months here on his first mission. It is right next to the ocean, and has many beautiful older churches. Curt had a wonderful reunion with about 6 people he knew 37 years ago.

Milton, Curt and Daniel. Milton was in the branch presidency when Curt was serving his first mission. Daniel is the son of Maria who was Curt's Brasilian mother. She used to come to the missionaries home almost every day to cook and clean and do their wash. Daniel is Stake President of the Rio Grande Stake where we attended and Curt spoke in 3 meetings.

The mother here is Gladys, the daughter of Maria, Curt's dona.

This is Carmen, the other daughter of Maria. She, Gladys and Daniel are sisters and brother. Curt used to call Carmen and Gladys pishoo. Because they were so short. Carmen invited us over for a yummy almoço after Stake Conference.

What are these mysterious mounds? We see them when we drive around the mission. It must have something to do with the lowlying swampy ground. If you know the answer, Let us know.

Elders Simoes, Santana and Grabner serenading us at the piano. Elder Simoes has been Presidents executive secretary, and is getting ready to leave the office and go back out to the field. Elder Santana is our housing secretary among other things. He tried to keep the apartments supplied and in good repair, a never ending job. Elder Grabner is the new executive secretary, and is also an awesome piano player.

Our wonderful financial secretary Elder Watts came to the Mission home to install a wireless antenna for our Internet. Now we can both use our computers at the same time, hooray! He is pretty much the answer man about computers, and lots of other stuff.

Curt & his assistants with Pres. Sergio, and Selson

after Pres Sergio ordained Selson to the Melchizedek preisthood

So that he could go with his family to the Temple

to be sealed for eternity.

Curt got to interview this wonderful family, the Carvalhos

to give them Temple recommends to be sealed in the

Porto Alegre Temple on August 15.

The Charqueadas Chapel

Curt with Elder Braga, and Elder Yancey

One of the portable baptismal fonts that the Branches use.

Look on the top of the pole to see 4 mud bird nests. Curt and I decided these were made by "Mud -Spitting Warblers" You see these everywhere you go.

The "Mud-Spitting Warbler" nest outside of our bathroom window.

Our beautiful family - how many grandchildren will we have when we return from our mission???

THE FIRST FEW WEEKS!

Being set apart by Elder D. Todd Christofferson and Elder Cláudio M. Costa on

Thursday June 18, 2009

At the MTC everyone has to say, "We're going here!!!"

All of the Brazilian and Portugal Mission Presidents at the MTC
along with Elder Costa and Sister Julie Beck. We we would be the only gringo's!

This is my dear friend Carmen, who was one of the "psiuu's" that I knew on my first mission. I called her (and her sister Gladys) "psiuu's" because they were soooo short. Their mother, Irmã Lima was my Brazilian mother and took care of us while I lived in Rio Grande. We fellow-shipped the family and today Carmen is married to the ward mission leader, Gladys to one of the bishop's, and Daniel their brother is the Stake President. We will be speaking in the Rio Grande Stake Conference in Aug. Carmen found out we would be doing interviews at one of the chapel's this day and surprised us with a visit.

Office staff Elder's Rush and Zanella (assistants), Gubler (going home) Simões (exec. sec) and 

F. Santana (housing sec). Elder Watts (financial sec) wasn't in the picture. Great staff!!!

Our awesome Zone Leaders for the 9 zones in the mission. They're amazing!

We got to go to the temple with the departing missionaries on July 22nd. It was an unbelievable spiritual experience as we sat in the Celestial Room. It was like having a big, huge Celestial hug for quite some time. It was a wonderful realization of a lot of dreams and hopes after 35 years to see a temple right here in the middle of our mission!!!