Guarabira!

Well after 8 months in Tibiri I got transferred to Guarabira! I was super shocked on Monday when I found out I would be transferred. President H didn´t feel good about me staying there in Tibiri with my woman stalker wandering the streets. Speaking of which Sister G and I had a few run ins with my stalker this week. The scariest happened Monday night when we were walking in the street at night and kept hearing someone hissing at us. This is pretty normal so we just ignored it thinking it was a retarded drunk guy, but then Sister G turned around and saw ANA about 10 feet behind us! I got super nervous because she was SUPER CREEPY. I instantly yelled~~`` Ana, não fala comigo!`` (Ana, don´t talk to me) and then we took off running because she kept getting closer. We ditched our coconut that we were drinking the water from and booked it out of there. Needless to say I´m glad I left Tibiri. I won't have to ever see her again!

At the same time though leaving Tibiri was super sad. I really really loved the people there and pretty much spent a lot of yesterday giving hugs and crying. There are some really special people in that city that I will miss. Since Sister H is going home tomorrow her ward had a big going away party and invited us as well. I feel like a part of that ward as well because we live in the other ward´s boundaries and all our neighbors are members. It turned out to be a joint-goodbye party after everyone found out I was going as well. We all ended up eating dinner together and one of the members made a HUGE cake that was pretty darn delicious. Afterwards the young men and women said they wanted to say goodbye to us Brazilian style. They sat all four of us down and attacked us with green paint on our faces. Then they threw bags of flour on us! It was so much fun. I couldnt stop laughing. I looked at Sister G and just cracked up so much because she looked so ridiculous but then I realized I looked super ridiculous as well. They wanted to crack an egg on our heads, but luckily they had pity on us! It was a wonderful night though and Sister H and I definitely felt the love. The next day two irmãs did my hair and nails. I just couldn't stand the thought of heading to a new area without my nails being done. I´ve become very nail conscious here in Brazil, but don't worry I don´t go to the salon, I´ve learned how to do my own! Anyway yesterday was just a ton of food and goodbyes. The members gave me many presents and were just super hard to say goodbye to.

THe hardest goodbye of this past week was Sister H. She´s going home to Utah tomorrow and she is just the coolest person ever. I had the privilege of living with her for 7 months on the mission and she and I just had so much fun together. We also passed through a couple of horrible things together and that made us super close. Today was technically her last full day in Brazil and luckily I got to spend it with her. We went to the mission office for her final interview and then went out to eat. We found a sushi place and I just about died! It looked super expensive and I was a little nervous that it would be way out of our missionary budget, but it was sooo cheap and AMAZING. It was a couple blocks from the beach and therefore was loaded down with fresh fish! Sister H and I did the sushi rodizio buffett and we just about died of happiness when we saw it. It was the most beautiful sushi I have ever seen and they had a ridiculous amount of selection. We piled up on sushi and just kept saying how amazingly wonderful it was to eat something besides beans and rice. I honestly felt like I was in heaven. Anyway we chatted it up during lunch and afterwards went to the zoo in João Pessoa which has to be the lowest budget zoo I´ve ever seen. When we first ended they just had like a pen for an ostrich. We took a picture of it and kept walking and walking and walking trying to find other pens. We walked a good 30 minutes before we found the crocodile pen and we actually thought they were fake because they didn't even move. After taking a few pictures of them one of them moved his mouth. It is amazing how still they can be though---ridiculous! Speaking of aligators I saw one when I was coming to Guarabira on the bus. It was sunning itself on the side of the river. I decided that I would avoid all rivers for the rest of my mission. After the zoo, Sister H and I went to the bus station. Saying goodbye to her was way hard, but I didnt cry! I really hope to see her in 4 months. She is just one of my favorite people! One day I hope you guys will meet her!

Guarabira seems to be pretty cool. It is a branch and we meet in a house, but they are building a beautiful chapel and will dedicate it in January I think! I´m hoping I´ll be here for the dedication and open house! I love a big party! Guarabira also is known as the area in the mission that has the most hills....and I have to agree...it has a ridiculous amount of steep hills. We are here with two other elders (one who is supposed to be one of the funniest elders on the mission), so that should be fun. We´ll be eating lunch with them everyday and helping each other out with the missionary work. I´m super happy about the transfer. I´m companions with Sister Vênia from Brasilia. This is here second transfer and she seems pretty cool. She is a super hard worker as well! Mom, I´m glad you included some things for my companion in the Christmas package because she won't even be receiving one. It looks like you guys are having a lot of cold weather up there. Down here it is the opposite of course. HOTTER THAN EVER! It is ok though, I prefer the heat to the cold. We are keeping cold down here with our agua de coco and açai! I can't believe I´ll be home in four months....super weird! Keep on doing your best and leave the rest up to the Lord! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!! Until Monday