2 January 2013 - Brazil MTC

Welcome back to another update from our beloved hero: Elder Frogley. Today we get some insight into how the Brazil MTC prepares missionaries to serve--namely, practice baptisms :) We actually got two e-mails from Elder Frogley on the same day because he got some extra time. Elder Frogley also mentions Dad's knees--they're doing much better at this point, and he has challenged Elder Frogley to a game of basketball upon his return. I'll gladly be the one sitting on the side keeping score.

Here's the first e-mail:

Thanks dad! I emailed a lot because it was the holidays but now its back to normal. Every Tuesday Ill email around 1 30. Portuguese is soooooo hard!!!!! It drives me crazy! But its coming. Im working hard not to have regrets but there are sooo many rules here. I just got back from the temple and that was awesome. It was really hot in my suit though and I couldnt stop sweating. Baptism was sweet. Its happening on saturday and we have to hurry and squeze in the word of Wisdom. My teachers are cool though. I should have some pictures for you soon. Ill just mail them through mission ties. I think I still can even if you didnt sighn up. Regular mail is rediculous. I still havent gotten your second letter. It drives me crazy. I leave in a week and a half!! Im so excited and kinda nervous! Only one p day left! Its felt like ive been a missionary my whole life! not much else has happened! Ill keep you posted though! Thats great a bout your knees, dont try to much! Im looking forword to that basketballl game in two years!

Love you

Elder Frogley

 And here's the second:

I got a few more minutes to tell you how the holidays were! Christmas was cool! I got a tie from the mission pres and we watched a movie and played volleyball! We also had two devosionals! It was a pretty crazy Christmas! New Year eve was wild! Theyre Crazy in Brazil! They set off fire works for everything!! Soccer games, all holidays (even Chrismas in the middle of the night) birthdays! Anything! Oh and they use double negatives in portuguese and they dont say anything. Like the word anything. It was hard to get use to but i can read really well now and am understanding most. I have a good gospel vocab but everything else is zero. I bought a cool jersey! If yall want Brazilian stuff let me know! Funny story! Missionaries are stuepid! We live in a 7 story complex (they number their floors european style) and were an the fourth floor. Some missionaries (one might have been me) were lobbing apples out the window that had gone bad, over into the street (its so dirty didnt really make a difference) and we almost hit a guy! Exploded all around him! I didnt through it though. The Brazilians are crazy. They played matress jousting! Ill let you guess...

Eu sei que este ingreja e verdenderio. Eu sei que este misao ira bencao meo viva. Eu amo voce, e orar por voce todos dias!

You can try google translate but its really bad.

Love you! Paz! La vida Loca!

For those who want to know, I did Google-Translate that, and here's the translation of what I think he meant to say:

I know that this church is true. I know that this mission will bless my life. I love you (all) and pray for you (all) every day.