It is so hot!  Oh my goodness, it does not even feel like Christmas.  It is about 90 degrees each day.  I am not in Fortaleza!  I was put in a rural part of the mission, which I wanted, and it is called Canindé.  It is so, so poor.  But what has really been the struggle, which I am still baffled about is that Elder Garcia, my trainee from New York is still my companion.  We get along great, but do you know what that means?  Neither of us speaks Portuguese!!!  And, Canindé is a new area, which has never had missionaries. There is only one member here!  I am so lost!!!  I get home at night and just want to cry.  We street contact in the sun all day...we walk about 12 to 14 miles each day.  It is funny, everyone here thinks we are evangelicals...they have never heard of the church.  In terms of the work...super, super hard.  The people here are very open but they do not understand us.  I cannot tell you how many times this past week that it has taken Elder Garcia and me something like twenty minutes to carry on a conversation, which the equivalent in English would take two minutes.  Not only can they not understand us, we cannot understand them.  Canindé is notorious for being the most "slangy fast" Portuguese in Brazil.

About my apartment…  Well, the first three days we did not have electricity or running water.  Now we have both but the water that comes out of the shower is lake water and is pitch yellow.  So gross...you can smell the rotting flesh which has been brewing in it as it comes out the spout.  It is quite the experience.  I am so, so grateful for America.  I am happy I am here, though.  I know the language will come.  People just laugh at us when we speak because we are so bad!   Everyone here thinks I am German.  They ask me to speak German to them...

The church is brand new here.  They literally have never seen us before.  Everyone here is of the Catholic culture and we have to go to the slums of the city to have people listen to us.  But, we teach a lot because everyone is very hospitable.  They all wonder why people in white shirts and ties are here because they have never seen us before (rather they ask why we are wearing pants in the heat!)  It is so hot here and so poor that most people do not even wear clothes besides short shorts and torn up shirts.

There are famished dogs and cats everywhere.  There is this one pack of dogs which roams the city.  The dogs are super afraid of humans here.  And, there are frogs everywhere...so many "sapos."  The other day, while walking, I counted hundreds of frogs flattened by the millions of motorcycles which are here.  So, if I have a message to share with you this week, it would be this: be grateful for what you have!

I really do love it here.  I have never been as stressed, though.  The language is so, so, so, so...HARD!    Mom, I am sorry, but I know longer take spiders out of the house anymore.  I wake up each morning and part of the morning routine is to grab my shoes and kill the spiders that are the size of my hands.  These things are huge!  So big!  They could probably take on a small pitbull and win.

2 Nephi 28:30 has become one of my favorite scriptures...line upon line...precept upon precept…

Feliz Natal.

Elder Larkin

Elder Larkin and Elder Helvey from the MTC 

The town of Caninde where Elder Larkin is serving.

It is so dry in Canindé.  In this picture it was raining.  It has not rained here in three years.  Pretty awesome that the day the church came into the city for the first time with missionaries was when it rained for three consecutive days for the first time in years.

Elder Larkin received his visa for Brazil and left the New York, NY mission on Monday December 16! He was very excited to start his mission in Brazil but will miss all of the missionaries, friends and wonderful people he met in New York!

Elder Larkin's new address is:
Elder David M. Larkin
Missao Brasil Fortaleza
Av. Santos Dumont 1789
Sala 1612
Aldeota
Fortaleza-CE 60150-160
Brasil

Here are some pictures Elder Larkin sent to us from his time in New York.

We will keep you updated on Elder Larkin's adventures in Brazil. Happy Holidays!

Pumpkin carving with Elder Henriques, Elder Johnson and Elder Picoli.

 My experience in New Rochelle has been a challenge.  My Portuguese is coming a little bit, but it is tough.  People here speak English, and if they do speak Portuguese, they still want to practice their English.  It is super tough.  I've decided to just start memorizing my Portuguese Preach My Gospel because until I can be immersed in the language, there is no way I can carry on a full conversation (I can carry one on in Gospel terms, though, which is good!)

            My ward is both Spanish and Portuguese.  Only five Portuguese members.  They are really awesome!  They feed us so much Brazilian food!  I am so fat!  Elder Heraldo took us to Catalana, a Brazilian buffet, for lunch and stuffed us.  There are these things called Cozinhas that are to die for!  You'll have to try them sometime! 

             We have been working with a family in the ward that has many problems, mostly caused by alcohol abuse.  This experience has brought me to my knees multiple times this past week to repent and strive to be better in serving those around me.  In the words of Hermano Rodriguez in the ward, which he told me last night at dinner, "If you want to be happy in life, be a Mormon."  He is from Guatemala and is one of the nicest, most humble individuals I have ever met.  Agency is given to all--we must choose how we utilize it.  I've come to realize that my agency has consequences that are both foreseeable and unforeseeable.  It has definitely made me more cautious this past week in all that I do and say.  

            One of the most exciting things this week was that the whole mission was cleared to use Facebook and online proselyting!  Even me, as a visa-waiter!  So, as of today we can start video chatting, facebooking, etc. with anyone in the world who wants to learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This even includes friends and family that are less-active or not members--with the eventual goal of connecting them with the local missionaries in their area. After a meeting with Elder L. Tom Perry,   President Morgan told us that the internet is the greatest and last tool to be used to spread the gospel before the coming of the Savior.  Pretty powerful to think about it.  It made me ponder the invention of the internet a lot: there is so much filth on the internet...but there must be opposition in all things.  If this truly is the greatest tool for spreading the gospel in the last days--to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people (including China!)--then it only makes sense that opposition to an ever growing missionary work would increase.  It is such a miracle that all people throughout the world will be able to gain access to the gospel, no matter where they live.  It should be exciting--once I go to Brazil I won't be able to use it until 2015 but it will be some good practice the next few weeks, months, or years that I may be in New York. 

Cumpra o fe', com amor,

Elder Larkin

Hermana Calle's house

Making a cake for Hermana Calle's birthday. Elder Larkin's sister has taught him well :)

9/28/13

Transfer week!  Elder Poulsen and I thought for sure that we were staying together.  Unfortunately, we are not.  I’m pretty bummed because I’m going to miss the Bronx so much!  I’m going Portuguese!  I’m going upstate to the Brazilian communities.  But, we go to a Spanish ward:  I’m going to be so confused!

10/2/13

I am in New Rochelle, Westchester County!   I am in the Portuguese program now.  Esta louco!  I don’t remember Portuguese at all!  It is awesome, though, my three companions are Portuguese-speaking.  We live in a high-rise (25^thfloor)-it is like a five star hotel compared to the Bronx.  We are only speaking Portuguese-which is a struggle but I am learning so much.  We drive a car…my new area is the whole zone, as we go to where there are Portuguese speakers.

I get to use Facebook now to teach the gospel.  I am allowed to speak, chat and skype with anyone that is investigating or wanting to learn more about the gospel.  So sorry that doesn’t include members of the church, but it is still pretty neat.  The eventual goal is to connect friends and associates with the missionaries in their local areas.  So, don’t get weirded out when you see that I’m on Facebook…it will be a short-lived opportunity because once I get to Brazil, I will no longer be able to use it.  The New York NY North Mission is one of the few that has this privilege.  It should be exciting.

Elder Larkin's new area.

Elder Larkin and Elder Poulsen

Elder Larkin and Elder Leung

Elder Larkin and Elder Taylor

Some pictures of Elder Larkin's area...

 

Oi Minha Familia,

(9/20/13)  Today I taught my first real Portuguese lesson.  It was to a Brazilian man, about 70.  He doesn’t want to deal with religion but wanted to help us learn português.  It wasn’t a real lesson because he just vented about the world and how much he loves to smoke.  I learned a lot of new vocabulary…you name it, he said it.  He talked non-stop for 50 minutes! Ai!  When we tried to share a scripture, he just kicked us out saying he’ll talk about anything secular but not religious.  That was my preview of Brazil…I’m in for a treat. J  After that, we went to a Dominican barbeque.  So delicious!  I love Dominican food!

(9/23/13)  Today we had our yearly mission conference with Elder Carlson of the Seventy.  It was very enlightening and uplifting.  However, the highlight of the day was teaching a fourteen year old boy.  He is awesome!  Such an inspiration!  He met the missionaries as an 8-year-old but hasn’t seen them since.  He saw us, stopped us, and we taught the Restoration.  He brought out his Book of Mormon, which he had highlighted and explored the past couple of years.  Meeting him has really inspired me to try to show my gratitude more fully to my Father in Heaven for the Restoration of His truth.  I’ve never met a more sincere and genuine teenager and we are excited to see him grow and come closer to Christ.

(9/24/13)  I had some interesting experiences while doing the APF today (Area Proselyting Focus.)  The funniest was talking with a lady of about 65.  She was interested in every aspect of missionary life.  She asked what area of the city we lived in.  We explained that we live in Hunts Point.  You should have seen her face.  She responded, “Oh, Honey, you live in Hunts Point?  Give me that book!  Anyone who comes to New York to share a message and lives in Hunts Point must know it’s true!  I’m going to read this book!”  And then she went on to tell us to “stay safe,” a phrase I heard about 15 times today from strangers…I even had someone offer me a can of pepper spray.  Don’t worry, Mom!!!  Everyone in the South Bronx loves us; even if they don’t want to listen, they say “hello.”  I wouldn’t trade this area for any other part of the mission.  I love it!  We found 5 new investigators tonight and taught five lessons.  This is truly the Lord’s work and I am so glad to be a part of it.

Com amor de todo minha coração,

Elder Mac