Feelin' Just a Little" Wiped Out"

It has been quite a month.  February is always a short month, but this one has been packed.  That's why I'm feelin just a little wiped out.

About a month ago I saw this poor toilet paper mascot guy at work in the grocery store.  Above and beyond the humiliation of being in a toilet paper costume, the fact that he was probably sweating buckets inside that costume struck me. I decided to say something to him because really, how often do you get to talk to someone dressed up as a package of  T. P.?  It was my first opportunity and I decided to seize it.  I could just make out a face inside the little mesh circle in the middle of the 4 rolls, so I approached it.  I couldn't think of anything to say besides "Quente?" which means, "Hot?"   He said, "Muito" which means, "Very."  I also asked him how long he would be working so I could come back and take a picture, which I never did.

Luckily for me, when Rebecca came to visit, she, being a much better blogger than I, had her camera with her when we happened to run in to my BTPFF  again at the supermarket. He was willing to pose for the picture and I really couldn't pass up the photo op.

Anyway, back to the busy month and why I feel so wiped out....The first weekend of the month we took a quick trip out to the Juazeiro district.  This is inside the chapel in Crato.  I'm not sure I am supposed to take pictures inside a chapel, but, it is kind of unique and I thought you would like to see it and besides that, I've done a whole lot worse things than this before.

Don't you love the windows?  Actually there is no glass in them.  The metalwork just keeps people from falling out because it is a second-story window.  It lets a breeze in too, which is nice.  It's not the greatest for keeping unwanted sounds out though. (Must work on my powers of concentration.)

Just after we got back from Juazeiro we got 4 North American elders who had been stuck in the MTC in Provo waiting for their visas.  They were just a few weeks behind schedule.  We had a nice dinner with them and sent them to work.

On Wednesday, Elder and Sister Ellis arrived for the mission tour.  He is one of the counselors in the Area Presidency.  They stayed with us for 3 nights.  It was fun to visit with them and get to know them a little.  They spoke at 2 big Zone Conferences.   

Since Zone Conference was close to Valentine's Day I made sugar cookies for the missionaries. 

Early Thursday morning Rebecca arrived.  She was here a couple of days and then took off for Belem and a trip down the Amazon.  (That is the Amazon behind her.)  Our friends, Pres. and Sister Campos, were excellent hosts for her and she had a great time.  With a week of total immersion in Portuguese and her Spanish background, I think she now understands Portuguese better than I .  Maybe that isn't saying much though.  Before she left, we had her fix some delicious chicken enchiladas for us and the Ellises.  She brought the ingredients (and some other great stuff) with her.  Mexican food is a little hard to come by in Brazil and they were so excited about it and very impressed with her culinary skills.  Sister Ellis asked her what else she could cook.  After a long pause she said, "Nothing."  Too bad that is mostly true.  

Somehow, I missed the picture of the missionaries that were heading home.  We had a nice supper with the eight of them and the next day this mammoth group of missionaries arrived.  Twenty-three at one time is the most we have ever received.  We need them though and they seem like a great group.  Now if I can just learn their names.

Just to keep in the theme of this post, I decided to include these pictures.  Becca and  I always make at least one excursion to Centro when she comes.  It is so crazy and the streets are so narrow that I really don't like to go by myself, but it is fun with someone else along.  This time we got stuck behind a couple of guys pulling a cart stacked high with toilet paper.  We could see their load was shifting as the cart was moving along, and we were holding our breath for them, but......

with the bumps and holes in the streets, it was just a matter of time.  They scrambled and packed it back on the cart pretty quickly.  We just waited patiently, but then you can see, we really didn't have any other choice.

Anyway, the whole month went by so quickly, I can hardly believe it.  We head out tomorrow for training meetings in Sao Paulo.  After that, it looks like a few relatively peaceful weeks.  I don't know if I actually dare say that out loud.  I better go find some wood to knock on.