August 19, 2008

Dear Family:

So yesterday we had a Reunião das Sisteres in which all the sisters in the mission (22 in total) got together in the Mission Home and had a meeting and ate lunch and all sorts of fun things. Usually whenever new missionaries arrive they go straight to the Mission Home--which is actually the home of the mission president and his family--but when I arrive the Presidente Teixeira was in Salt Lake to get called as a general authority, so it was the first time I got to see the Mission Home. It has carpet! and you have to take off your shoes to walk on it! So I got to walk on carpet in stocking-ed feet. It was absolutely luxurious. I didn't know that I was missing carpet until yesterday, but I am. I'm totally going to have carpet in my house when I grow up. At least a little bit so that I can just dig my toes into it. It's so soft and cushy. Maravilha. The meeting was really good, too. I got to be Sister Richardson's official translater. Because there are only 4 American sisters in our mission and 1 has 8 months, 2 have 6 1/2 months and 1 has 2 1/2 months. So I'm the best sister at the language for now. But the sister that only has 2 weeks in the field is amazing! She's gonna pass me up real fast.

I got my package yesterday! It took all the strength in the arms and backs of many sisters to get my package home. One sister said "If this is a measure of the weight of their love, then that's saying something." I've already broken into the Sour Patch Kids and poured over the pictures (Kevin's looking really GQ in his senior pictures) and looked at the music (I liked that I now have the Reverie that dad always plays on the clarinet) and got really happy. I haven't opened up the wrapped stuff yet... Surprises yet to come!! I don't think I'll make it till my birthday, but I didn't want to have all my joy in only one day, I'm gonna spread it out a little bit more.

Anyway... time's up. Love you all. Welcome to Brazil, Kevin! Thanks for all the presents.

Whitney