Olá família! December 29, 2014

Hello family!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! (in a couple of days).

No time. Sent pictures.

Christmas was amazing. Spent with friends, and then with my family via Skype. That was happy. Everyone kept saying how pretty you all were. And that it was hilarious that I kept saying Portuguese words to you. Hah (: Crazy to think that I'll be able to talk to you again in 2 weeks!

Gave a talk in church yesterday. That was scary and great! It was about prayer (: Everyone is so loving and supportive here. Its great.

We're teaching Bianca, she's 9. I told her a couple of days ago that I'm going home soon, and I guess after we left she just cried and cried and cried. She told her mom, "America is so far away.. Will I ever see Sister Dunn again?.." Oh!.. She is so dang cute, darnit. Her mom consoled her by telling her that we have Facebook, phones, and emails. So at church she kept hugging me and reminding me to give my info to her mom so that we can talk (: It was cute. She gets baptized this Saturday. I'm excited for her. Shes super smart, she teaches us the lessons more than we teach her (:

It is SO hot here! Like swimming in my sweat hot. Mixed with sun block. And dirt. Its great (: The life of a missionary is an adventure!

I have one more email to send you, and then I'll be traveling home. For 30 hours.. hah. I'll be doing lots of reading.

Know that I love you so very much. You're always in my prayers.


Love,
Sister Dunn.

Chup chup! (pronounced: shoopee shoopee) They're little popscicles of deliciousness. Well, strawberry is delicious. They're difficult to open, and sily to eat. Theyre like frozen gogurts! 

Last Monday it was raining buckets! And for some reason (probably cause it was wet), my shoe wouldnt stay velcroed (bahaha.. velcro). It was driving me nuts, so I finally just took it off. But it was irritating to have one foot like 2 inches higher than the other so I eventually took them both off. Walking without shoes in the puddles of Brasil (: Sister Lemes decided to join me and she took her shoes off too. Haha! It was an adventure of fun puddles, soft sand, and super pointy rocks. Hah!

Feliz Natal! Hahah. This picture doesnt even look like me.

The District. Elders wanted to sit in the front to cross their legs, so us sisters were booted to the back with the District Leader (Elder Torrescano, he's from Washington) and a Zone Leader (Elder Bastos, he's from São Paulo).

The house of Claudia (: She's president of the Moças (YW) and is super sweet. Love her. 

Christmas Eve dessert! It was super delicious! 

Karine, the bishops wife, heard that Sister Lemes and I didnt have any presents, so she got us these giant boxes filled with treats! It was super nice of her. And Tiago, he got Star Wars legos from Papai Noel (:

Christmas Eve dinner! It was amazing! Brayan and Irmão Peninha.

Nicole (: Shes funny.

And Irmão Peninha. I love him so very much. He's incredible. He's been telling everyone that I'm going to come back and visit and that I'l stay with him and his family. They have 9 kids, and lots of grandkids.

Christmas Eve movie night in our room! Hooray! Love movies about Joseph Smith! 

Christmas lunch with Irmã Ili. the RS President.  

Crab. Lots and lots of crab. There were like 5 people just chowing down on them... Theyre whole! You can still see their eyes! I tried a bit just to say I did. It wasnt good.. But it wasnt bad.. It was just weird holding his hairy leg and sucking the meat of the bone... ya, yuck. No.

Just a little alley way (:

BRASIL! (: Super cool.

Awkward candid shots are great.

Sister Lemes was sad that she wasnt in the family Skype picture. So she made this. HAH!! 

She is saying, Hi family, I love "yous". Haha!

LOVE YOU! (:

Surprise! December 22, 2014

SURPRISE! I cut my hair! Straight across bangs! AH! (: 

I was talking to Amanda, and she said she has always wanted them, and I told her that I had always wanted them, so we took ourselves to a salon and got them! So did Sister Lemes! So now we're all triplets (: Its great! 

Hooray for bangs! 

This was a hot dog that I got to eat. It was giant! Reminded me of a hotdog that Grandpa would eat (:

Nossa! É muito grande! Hahah! It was good. It had lots on it. 2 hotdogs, the bun, mayonese, ketchup, peas, corn, tomatoes, and the stuff on top are these delicious potato things that are like crunchy noodles only potatoes! YUM! 

Went on exchanges this week! STL came to our area, and I went to her area: THE BEACH! It was SO much fun! We stopped for a bit so I could get my feet in the sand and take some pictures. It was incredible! Wow. Super beautiful! There was hardly anyone out, it was about 7 in the evening, it was perfect. Now I can say I've been to the beach in Brasil! (:

Brasilian beach (: 

We had a baptism this week! Nikole (: And her boyfriend, Rafael baptized her. It was great! She received the Holy Ghost and it was incredible, you could see a difference in her. She glowed. She looked different, brighter, happier. It was neat. Her parents even came to the baptism, theyre not members. It's amazing to see people change and grow and come to the fold of Christ. I love her. 

Um found this GIANT bug in our house! We were screaming lots! And he was super fast. And then he started crawling on the wall! AH! Then Sister Lemes informs me that he can FLY! I just about died.. But we got him. Freaked me out. Sheesh.

Just friendship. Thats all (:

Bahah! So I'm bringing Amanda home with me to America. She's in the suticase ready to go!

Also, Felipe. Haha! 

We got the whole family, Amanda, Felipe, Guilherme, and Mãe and Sister Lemes to get into this suitcase and take a picture like I was taking them with me. It was HILARIOUS! Oh my goodness. I love them so much. Its going to be reallyy hard to leave..

Didnt take many photos this week. My bad. I'll do better this week (:


Love you lots!

Te amo! December 15, 2014

So I don't have very much time. Sorry.

Know that I love it here in Brasil. I am so happy. We're working really hard and seeing progress with those we're working with. So grateful for Heavenly Father and His help.

Walking lots. Eating lots. Smiling lots. It's great (:

We have a baptism this week. Nicole. Her boyfriend is a member of the church. We're excited.

And we're working with a family, Joice and Alberto. They are elect. Super ready. She's not a member, and he was excommunicated. So its neat to see them progress. Joice is just soaking everything up!

I know that this is the restored church of Jesus Christ. It is so true. And when we follow the teaching of Christ and His commandments, we can find happiness in this life even through our trials and hard times. I'm grateful for the example of my parents. I love you both so very much.

Well. Another week passed and gone. Theyre going quick! Time flies when youre having fun!

Lucy, mom sent me some of your engagement photos. Super beautiful.
And Cooper and Kylie, Parker is super duper adorable, I cant even stand it!

Love you all so very much. You're always in my prayers.

Love,
Sister Dunn.

Companions.

Look at what a member made for us... Yes. Full on crab. Whole body and everything! It has hair! Yuck.. They were snapping his legs and eating his flesh like it was nothing! Couldn't do it.. I already know I don't like it and I couldn't bear snapping off one of its legs. Hah!

Looking off into the distance of the river next to our home. Haha (:

Look at who found a dounut in Brasil! YES! (: Their called "sonhos" here, which means "dreams." How fitting (: This is Lucas, the son of the Relief Society President.

It's coming to an end! Cant believe it. Sister Lemes made this for me (:

I am a chocoholic. And these giant chocolate bars are super delicious! I ate this thing in like 2 minutes. Sister Lemes was shocked. Haha.

All dolled up to go out into the heat and sweat it all off. Hah!

Peixe.

And this is Maria. She's the daughter of a less active. She was super shy but wanted to take a picture. haha (:

Sister Peterson and I were in the same district at the MTC in Provo!

Sister Beeson and I served in Ohio together (:

Car full of missionaries headed to the Christmas Conference! An hour and a half drive to Curitiba! It was fun!

2 sisters and 12 elders in 1 van.

Merry Christmas! (:

Pictures! December 8, 2014

Dad wanted pictures of the house. So here you go! (:

We just walked in the front door. And we see here, our study desk! And Sister Lemes unprepared for a picture. Hahah.

Then we look to our left and see this! Working towards the rooms! 

Room to the left. Our bedroom (: This is my dresser. We have two, so this one is mine. Lots of space.

And our bunkbeds! I'm on the top, Sister Lemes is on the bottom.

The other room has all our spare stuffs. And our table of missionary materials! Pamphlets and pass along cards!

And then we go back through the front room, to the other side, the kitchen! Food! Sister Lemes and I love food. Its great (:

So in the other picture, we had our baby gas stove. And here we see that we have a fridge and a microwave. Perfect! 

And just passed the kitchen is our bathroom! Sink and mirror.

Toilet and shower. Most showers dont have doors, and its just there. But we lucked out and have doors (: Our toilet also flushes the opposite direction it does in America (;

Our fancy showerhead that is electric. Dangerous! But great cause we never run out of hot water. 

Out the doors from the kitchen, our "back yard." We have a washer! 

And a wall (: Hahah! Brasil. 

Our welcome mat outside our front door.

And our umbrellas. Ready for both rain and sun (:

Hope you liked the tour. Casa de Síster Lemes e Síster Dunn! 

Dad also wanted the streets we walk on (: We live off this street. Its one of the main streets here in town. 

Another street. Kids playing, trees. Its great.

It is SO hot here! Like so hot. Like we took 3 showers in 1 day becasue we were so sweaty. Morning, middle, and night time. So we took a break and sat in front of our fan (: Let our sunscreen soak in. 

Sweat rags gone odd. Sister Lemes is a goof. 

Sitting in a swing in the park (: My feet hurt from all the walking, so its nice to take a break and sit down.

Ice cream on a hot day! I got the extra large! (;

It is SO hot here. Like really really a lot. So we wear lots of sun block, and we take our umbrellas with us. Well this umbrella was having problems and kept caving in on me. haha! It was really funny. 

We eventually had to toss the little guy. But it made for good laughs (:

So hot. Sister Lemes made these for us (: Haha! "CALOR."

The house to the right is a part member family that we're working with. I love Brasil. Its neat. 

Elephants are my favorite! And Sister Lemes just snaps pictures, so I have pictures with odd faces. Like this one. Haha! 

Never quite sure how to pose for pictures of just me and a painting of an elephant. ha! 

The bus terminal.

Waiting for the ônibus after Zone Meeting. 

This is a "pastel." It was strange... Like styrofoam. But it was strange. But the meat and cheese was good! HAha (:

Classic missionary photo. Brasil. 

Companions (: We have lots of fun! We're goofs.

We bought matching shirts and we wore them yesterday. It was hilarious!

Hahah (: Having fun. 

Alright family. I'm out of time. Sorry. I am having so much fun! I am loving it here. Great experiences and memories. Its great. Love my mission! 

Love,
Sister Dunn.