Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Bete made us Brazilian pancacas for dinner tonight!

We arrived at the Institute building a little after 6:00 pm in preparation for our 6:30-6:45 start to class. Bete, a motherly like participant of our CASP course, made us Brazilian pancacas (fluffy, thick tortilla type shells rolled with meat and cheese and out of the shells) with a small dessert and a 2-liter of Guaraná. That was so nice of her! So we scared down the pan full of pancacas as fast as we could, did the dishes, and then went upstairs to begin the course.

We had a few new participants tonight, and one that didn’t show up from yesterday. Everything went great – once again, I think this group learned the Power Statements faster than any other group.

We finished tonight’s course by 10:30 and proceeded by walking the Cossio’s to the nearest taxi so they could get to the bus terminal faster and now miss their last bus home. Dave and I, along w/ two other participants, Paulo and Caroline, walked to the terminal together.

The streets were congested with high school age kids just getting out of class. In Brazil they go to class for half the day, either in the morning or in the evening. The rest of the day is free for them to work, do homework, or get into trouble.

Home by 11:20, I finished the night with a good read of the Book of Mormon, and then got online to talk w/ some family and friends. Well, when I say some, I mean… enough to keep me busy until 4 am! Okay, so maybe tonight was a little extreme and I should have gone to bed, but that’s okay, I just won’t do it again. They were productive conversations – arranging my flight plan home, and my living arrangements for when I get back to school.

Though I finished the day staying up late online, it began being a lot more productive. Dave and I went by Anchieta’s house and followed up from the lesson he heard yesterday from the Sisters. Together we read the Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith pamphlet and tried to clear up any doubts he had. Anchieta is an amazing guy and has really noticed a change in his life since he has begun going to church and hearing the lessons. He liked us so much that he even recorded our discussion on his 10 X 12 inch boom box and said that the tape was a present for us so we could remember him for when we went back home. It’s hard to put into words just how neat this man is, and how gratifying it is to be his friend and help him understand the importance of Jesus Christ in his life.