São Paulo, Brazil
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Elder Houghtaling's Email
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
I'm here! Estou aqui!
I'm glad you like the pictures I sent. I'm glad you like my new haircut. It was free. The CTM (MTC) barber took a number 4 blade guard to all of my head.
I'm seriously thinking about coming home. I feel like I'm on a tight leash, and honestly almost every day feels the same. Bad.
It's just everything, I can't get more than seven hours of sleep and my district got together yesterday, and Elder Wright said, "You aren't speaking much Portuguese, so it doesn't seem like you are learning it. What are you going to do in the field when you have a Brazilian companion?"
On the outside, I am not happy; it's every day I feel more and more dented. I get dragged everywhere by my companion, because he doesn't believe in taking a break. The same routine every day, get up, run late, unable to prepare for lessons because you're pushed so hard. And not able to get to bed on time because there is so much stuff to do. But the other Americans in our district know this language better than I do already, the ones without Brazilian parents!
I want to serve in São Paulo. I want to learn the language. But I can't because every time I begin to feel happy and try to pronounce things right my companion has to shoot me down because I sound like a Hispanic. "I'm surprised you weren't called to a Spanish speaking mission. Because that is how you sound." And, the instructors teach us Portuguese in fluent Portuguese and then ask us if we understand.
Someone in my district said, "You are in your fifth week, you should be able to respond in complete sentences by now."
There is no one to talk to about this. The next person I can talk to is Elder Hart. He is like the psychologist of our branch. I can't talk to the counselor. There is literally no time.
Gift of tongues is what everyone says. I believe in it, and I'm working towards it. But, how come I am not receiving it?
Except this is starting to feel worse than the nice hour flight here. You know its bad when a flight back home looks more promising than making it out of the MTC.
Thank you. I will try to stay strong.
There are two pizza parties for my birthday, early? Thank you!
Time is running short, so I guess I have to go.
I love you!
I'm glad you like the pictures I sent. I'm glad you like my new haircut. It was free. The CTM (MTC) barber took a number 4 blade guard to all of my head.
I'm seriously thinking about coming home. I feel like I'm on a tight leash, and honestly almost every day feels the same. Bad.
It's just everything, I can't get more than seven hours of sleep and my district got together yesterday, and Elder Wright said, "You aren't speaking much Portuguese, so it doesn't seem like you are learning it. What are you going to do in the field when you have a Brazilian companion?"
On the outside, I am not happy; it's every day I feel more and more dented. I get dragged everywhere by my companion, because he doesn't believe in taking a break. The same routine every day, get up, run late, unable to prepare for lessons because you're pushed so hard. And not able to get to bed on time because there is so much stuff to do. But the other Americans in our district know this language better than I do already, the ones without Brazilian parents!
I want to serve in São Paulo. I want to learn the language. But I can't because every time I begin to feel happy and try to pronounce things right my companion has to shoot me down because I sound like a Hispanic. "I'm surprised you weren't called to a Spanish speaking mission. Because that is how you sound." And, the instructors teach us Portuguese in fluent Portuguese and then ask us if we understand.
Someone in my district said, "You are in your fifth week, you should be able to respond in complete sentences by now."
There is no one to talk to about this. The next person I can talk to is Elder Hart. He is like the psychologist of our branch. I can't talk to the counselor. There is literally no time.
Gift of tongues is what everyone says. I believe in it, and I'm working towards it. But, how come I am not receiving it?
Except this is starting to feel worse than the nice hour flight here. You know its bad when a flight back home looks more promising than making it out of the MTC.
Thank you. I will try to stay strong.
There are two pizza parties for my birthday, early? Thank you!
Time is running short, so I guess I have to go.
I love you!
Tylor would love to hear from you: tylor.houghtaling@myldsmail.net
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