Estou em Brasil! December 1, 2014

As vezes eu lembro que eu estou em Brasil! AH! Que legal! (:

Alright. My brain has to switch from Portuguese to English. Hooray!

Weeks are going by quickly here. Which is scary because I dont have very many weeks left. I am absolutely loving it here! Its so much fun.

So Sister V. Silva left for Curitiba Saturday, and she flies home today! She almost missed her bus on Saturday. Our ride was late, and we rushed to the bus station terminal place and her bus was literally pulling out! We had to run and stop it. But she made it! And our cell phone also made it... Ha! Sister V. Silva accidently took it with her. So we've been living without a cell phone.. Dificuldades! But we'll hopefully be getting it back today!

Everything here is already Christmas. Its been Christmas for like a week or two already! CRAZY! Lights, trees, decorations. Everything. Its fun and exciting! I'm excited for Christmas! (: We got really cool little pass along cards to hand out to people about Natal (Christmas). Talking about how Jesus Christ is the best present we can receive. Then it has a website to visit. But its in Portuguese.. Im pretty sure for English the website is christmas.mormon.org. Theres a video that's super good! I love videos put out by the church. They're the best. So go, watch and share! And onDecember 7th, it'll be out on YouTube! I think the church is doing the same thing they did with Easter, with buying out all the adds on YouTube for this video. COOL!

What happened this week... Giant pizza ward party for Sister V. Silva leaving. It was delicious and fun. I've only been here a couple weeks and I already have so many friends and family here. I love them (: It's scary that I'll be the next one to leave.. Dont like thinking about that!

I smashed a spider... with my hand. Yepp. Afterwards I realized that was pretty weird and that I wont be doing that again.

You know how when you roast a marshmallow on a fire, and its nice and golden brown, but the other side is still super white? Well thats me. Hahah! Im turning a golden color, but not all golden brown. Like my legs. White. Its ridiculous. I'm like 3 different shades of white. Didnt think that was possible? Now we know it is. Especially when surrounded by Brasilians. Haha!

The days are normal. We wake up, exercise, get ready, study, study, study, go to lunch, walk, talk, walk, find, walk, teach, walk, get hungry, and tired, and walk some more, and then walk home and pass out (: But actually theres a lot more teaching in there. hahah. Its great. I love it. I love being a missionary (:

The language is coming along. I can almost understand what people are saying. If theyre really old, or talk super fast, or have a funny accent, I cant understand them.. but for the most part, its good. Im getting better and communicating back. Practice makes perfect.

Sister Lemes and I are having so much fun. We smile and laugh and its just great.

Miracles happen. Every day. We were super tired, and Sister Lemes has to use a bathroom, so we stopped by a members home, and while there the member rememebered that she had a referral for us. Well it was on the other side of our area from where we were, and it was 8. But we decided to go ahead and contact them. We walked for about 30 to 45 minutes to get there, and it looked like she wasnt home. Well she was. And we were able to get in. Teach the Restoration. And she loved it! It was perfect. And happy. And she was just soaking it up. It was incredible! Her boyfriend is a return missionary, and theyre getting married in a couple of weeks. Its great! Miracles.

I have lots of pictures. So Im going to send those. The computers are slow so it takes awhile to send the pictures.

I love you all so very much! Thank you for all your support and love while Im out here serving (:


LOVE YOU!
Sister Clara Kay Dunn.

This is the house of a family I love (: When we stop by, Sister Lemes always steps up like this to call for Amanda. So I decided to join in. I like that you can see Felipe through the gate. Hahah!

And this is what they see (: Haha! The Sisters are here!

 The bishops wife gave us facials last p-day! Woohoo! All with Mary Kay products! Fancy! It was fun. The mask hardened and we couldnt smile or move our faces. hahah!

Love this! We all need to smile because Jesus loves us (:

Our Zone! (:

And all the sisters in the Zone! 

Companions. So much fun.

Train tracks (: Just like good ol' Indiana! 

So this was my Thanksgiving day! My little picture I colored!

Normally we get fed once in a day. Well I got my own little Brasilian Thanksgiving and we got fed 4 times! I was so full, it hurt. It was super delicious (:

Another meal! Super delicious. It was a farmers market near our house. Every Quinta-feira! 

We're all going to get fat because we eat so much. Haha! 

Delicious chocolate filled pastel! Sister Lemes' and I's favorite! Yummy! 

2 of our 4 meals with families (: So much fun and so much delicious! 

2 of our 4 meals with families (: So much fun and so much delicious! 

And another one of our meals (: So much yummy!

Noite Familiar! Last week, Family Home Evening (:

This is a less active and her family. Ran into her on our walk to lunch (: 

Companions who have fun!

Selfie. So full from the day before, but ready to out and work! (Hey! I'm wearing makeup! That doesnt happen much anymore. Haha! Makeup, and sunblock and sweat isnt my favorite thing in the world on my face. Hah!)

Favorite picture (:

Almoço com Claudia and her mom (:

Brasil (:

We walk this street a lot. Love it here!

Bishop took us and 3 other youth to the ward pizza party. So we were squished in the back of his car! Haha. It was great! Rafe was able to take a picture of us all in the back seat. Good times (:

This was the front yard of a lady we met, Ivone. We are going by this week to do some service for her (:

I'm telling ya, these pastels with chocolate are our favorites. Haha! 

Young Womens Night of Excelence was last night (: So much fun! 

Amanda (:

I love her.

Phew! Thats all (:

LOVE YOU!

Semana duas! November 24, 2014

Woohoo! I made it another week! It went by super quickly. I love this work. And it's incredible to do it in a different language. I keep thinking how neat it is that I get to serve 2 missions in 2 different languages. It's great.

So what happened this week... We walked. Lots. My feet are getting used to it, so that's good! They don't hurt as bad at the end of the day. Hooray! Missionaries in the US are spoiled with cars (;

We had a baptism this week! It was amazing. Her husband is a member and now she's a member! It's happy to see a family come together. The gospel is incredible. It works miracles. Jessica was so happy. Her face as she came up out of the water was priceless (:

What else.. It feels so normal here. I love it (:

So church at 1 is hard, cause it's like you're whole day! Well we have church at 3. Yepp. 3 to 6. Wow. But it's good, cause we can eat lunch before and then go to church (:

Oh! Yesterday. Bahaha. So here in Brasil you have to watch where you're walking because the streets aren't exactly smooth. And sometimes not even streets. Hah! Well we also have these giant speed bumps interspersed the town. They're big. Well yesterday as we were walking down a street I was looking down at my Book of Mormon, or as we like to call it here in Brasil, "O Livro de Mórmon," and lo and behold the ground suddenly rises to a higher elevation than my foot was ready for. So I start to stumble forward and thinking I could save myself, I try to catch myself with my other step (hoping I could "walk it off"), well the ground continued to elevate and I wasn't as prepared or coordinated as I had hoped and I just continue to stumble. Finally I just give up trying to save myself and I just biff it. All while in my skirt, and on a road that's not exactly smooth or cushiony. Some missionaries get in car accidents, or bike accidents. Well this missionary has neither of those, so I like to get in walking accidents... with myself and the road.. Bahah! Well I biffed it and my companions help me up and this all happened in front of a house with the family outside to witness it. So they offered to let me cleanse my wounds and while I dabbed stingining burning rubbing alcohol on my hand and knee, Sister Lemes and Sister V. Silva are talking to the family about how we're missionaries. They said we could come back and share our message (: Hooray! Heavenly Father has a plan, He placed that speed bump right there, and He knew I'd be looking at my Book of Mormon (or Livro de Mórmon) and He planned for that family to be out so we could find them. HAhah! Hooray! (: It was just great. And now I get to put my Disney Princess bandaids to good use! Haha. Good times.

I think that was about the excitement of the week. Ha! Oh! There's this delicious place that makes pastels, and they are soo good. They're these crunchy pastry things and you can get carne or CHOCOLATE! inside them. We've got 3 times this week. Things here are cheap, so it's nice cause I can get a meal for like $3. Sweet!

I've got lots of pictures. So I'll send those!

ALSO! I am SO HAPPY for Lucy and Skyler! HOORAY! (: I just love you two so much! So excited. Woohoo!

Also. I colored my hair. Sister Lemes did it. Don't know why I waited so long. I don't like my natural hair color. Haha. So that was fun (:

Alright. That's that.

I love you all so very much. Miss you lots! Hope things are going well!

Love,
Sister Clara Kay Dunn.


P.S. Don't know if you're aware or not. But I come home in 7 weeks... People are already joking about how I'm going to die soon... NO! It went so fast. Not okay.. Ah!


As my companions like to say (in English!), I love you, the church is true, the book is blue.

Tchau!

We went to the center of the city last p-day to do some shopping! I didn't like anything, or it was really expensive.. but it was a fun!

Mom! I do laundry like you! (: Crunchy air dried clothes aren't my favorite... Hah! 

This is our house! It's nice and cozy (: I like it.

And this is the gate that surrounds our house! It's nice and safe. I like it.

Ready to go do some proselitismo! 

I made it! (: Oh how I love Brasil.

Goofs.

We eat a lot. A lot of sweets. It's great and delicious! 

Walking. Contacting. There are mountains in Brasil! Hahah. I have missed mountains so much! 

Selfies (: 

Lanche.

  Brasileiro burger. It had: ham, patty, lettuce, tomato, maionese, cheese, corn and peas. Yup. Corn and peas. Hah! And I ate it! Out of my taste bud comfort zone. It was alright. Hah! 

 

The river. It's super beautiful. I love it! We were going to go to the beach, but President said it's no longer allowed.. So this is as close as I'll get. 

Before! Hahah. I am so sunburnt! I forgot to put on sunblock one day on my sternum.. DUMB! I have a terrible tan line now.. Dangit. But for Clara, I'm pretty tan! I'm not sure I like it.. Cause now I'm multiple colors and not just one solid white. Hahah! (;

The mixture!

The baptism of Jessica! (:

Verdade.

Jessica, Sister Lemes and I (: Hahah. 

 

Good thing these signs are around so that next time I can know that there is a speed bumb! Im sad with my booboo, but happy with my princess bandaid! Branca de Neve! Or, Snow White!

Hahah. This is the Relief Society President's 'galo.' And guess what his name is? 
Jefferson.When I told them that is the name of my dad, they were cracking up. So we tease that it's you dad (: Just makes me miss you! 

Right now! emailing! Woohoo! (:

Love you all so very much!

Paranaguá! November 17, 2-014

Okay. Let me just start with: I LOVE Brasil.

Seriously. It´s been amazing. Paranaguá is the city I´m serving in, the ward I´m in is Jardim América. I just couldn´t leave America, could I? (; Haha. We´re on the coast, we live close to a river that goes in the ocean. It´s really warm here. But don´t worry, I wear sunblock! Haha. My companions tease me about being so white. They say, "I saw a pillar of light." Haha! Silly girls (:

So I'm in a trio. Hey! Found the real apostraphe button! I've been using the accent mark. HAh! Anywho. I'm in a trio. Sister V. Silva and Sister Lemes. Sister V. Silva is done with her mission in about 2 weeks, and she's from João Pessoa. Sister Lemes goes home in May and is from São Paulo. They´re super fun.

The language is coming along. Everyone says they're impressed with how much I know and can understand. But it doesn't seem like a lot to me. But that's because I don't understand everything! Haha. Which is normal! I can probably understand a third to a half of what people say. It's hard cause they talk quickly and slur their words. But I'm getting it. Each day it gets better! President said it takes about 6 weeks to understand people.. So great! I'll have 3 weeks after to be able to speak it fluently (: Haha.

My companions know some random English words. It cracks me up. We have so much fun. And we work so hard! We walk every where. And I am pooped! So tired all the time! The main meal here is lunch, so members will feed us lunch, and then becasue we're out walking and working and don't have a dinner appointment, we just pray that someone will offer us food. So there have been nights where we come home super hungry. Haha! If it gets too bad we'll stop into a supermarket and get a little something.

Things I've eaten: chicken flavored chips, this nasty milk stuff that tasted sour that has little worm things in it that is supposedly good for your health, and bull heart. All which were yucky! But I'm trying everything at least once! Haha.

Lots of stray dogs. We clap outside people's gate, instead of knocking on doors. What else... The food is good. I really like it. Rice and beans and meat. It's yummy. Lots of Guaraná, the soda. It's delcious. Brasil is incredible. I'm having so much fun and learning lots! The work here is so different than in America. It's been great! Everything just feels normal. Like I've lived here for awhile (minus the fact that I can't speak. Hah). But it just feels right.

It was crazy, it was my second day in the field and I get a call from the mission office about scheduling my flight home! AH! Already?! Crazy.

To get here, from the CTM, I took a van, a plane, a van, a car, a taxi, a bus, and another car (: It was a day of travel! Haha.

I love my mission. I love my Heavenly Father. I love Jesus Christ. The church is true. It is the same church Christ established when He was here on the earth. I am lucky to be able to serve 2 missions. In my native language and in Portuguese. That I get the opportunity to serve the people here in Brasil, to bear my testimony and teach that they too have have peace and happiness in their life, that the truth has been restored (: What a privilege.

Alright, gotta go! Until next week!

I love you all so very much! (:

Love,
Sister Clara Kay Dunn.

P.S. Clara in Portuguese means "clear" or "egg whites" (: hahahah! 

Alright, not sure what has sent and what has not, but I have lots of pictures to send, so I´m going to do that first! (:

Flight to Brasil! It was long!

São Paulo! (:

Got to go to the temple while at the MTC! This is the Campinas temple! Super beautiful! I did the whole session in Portuguese! It was super amazing! I loved it (:

My District (:

At the MTC!The Curitiba South crew! 

Amigos!

President of the MTC and his wife! (:

My companions! Sister V. Silva and Sister Lemes. I absolutely love them. Hilarious. I am having so much fun! This was after District Meeting.

We live real close to a river that leads to the ocean (: It´s really pretty

I really love my companions. They´re hilarious! I´m learning a lot from them! 

Picked a flower and this stray dog had been following us for about 10 minutes and he started to eat my flower! Cachorros...

But here I am with that flower! It was rainy that day. Lots of rain. And lots of walking. It´s great!

We had a baptism this last Saturday! (And we have one this Saturday too!)
This is Felipe. He has 17 years and his girlfriend is a member. It was a great service. My companions and I sang for his baptism. Which was difficult since I´m still recovering from being sick and didn´t have much of a voice... But it was great (:

Sister Lemes. I really have the best companions (: I love them. Sister V. Silve is going home in 15 days! And then I go home soon after her. So Sister Lemes is just killing us all! Bahah. But we have fun!

I am so tired all the time. I´m even tired when I´m sleeping! Not sure how that´s possible, but it is. We sat down on this couch in a members home and we all jsut thought it was SO comfy, we just wanted to take a little nap. Hahah! 

Seriously. I´m so tired I can´t even keep my eyes open. It´s pretty sad. HAH!

So that´s it for pictures!
Love you all so much!
Brasil is incredible. I love it here.

Curitiba Sul! November 11, 2014

I MADE IT! (:

Took a van to the airport, got on the plane (that's a good thing because somehow 2 elders did not make it on with us), met President and Sister Fernandes, took another van to their home for lunch, and then I am here, in the Mission Office! (: It's surreal. I'm actually in Curitiba South! Serving in the mission I've been called too! The CTM was a blast! I loved it! And now I'm in the field, and I am so excited to get back to the work! (: I already know who my companions are (I'm in a trio, for at least a couple weeks before the next transfer), and I'm serving by the beach! I can't remember the name of the area, but I'll let you know when I have my p-day, which I'm guessing will be on Monday. Thank goodness I did laundry yesterday! (:

I forgot to tell you, I went to the temple on my p-day in the CTM, it was awesome! It was all in Portuguese, and it was beautiful! And also, a Brasileira told me during lunch one day that I don't speak with an American accent! That was like the greatest thing to hear! HOORAY!

Remember how I got sick in the Provo MTC? Well I got sick at this one too.. it was horrid. Thankfully I'm getting over it. But I've lost my voice... it's sad.. I sound terrible. I can hardly talk and my voice cracks, so I'm praying it'll come back quickly so I can speak more and learn more!

Well, I think that's about it! Just wanted to let you know that I made it here safely (: I'm excited to be here and get to work! Brasil is incredible! I know that I am supposed to be here.




Love you all so very much!
Sister Clara Kay Dunn.



P.S. Because I'm not going to be here very long, only 9 weeks, so please don't send any mail. Because I will not get it! And that would be sad..


I seriously love you all so very much! (:


Tchau!

BRASIL! November 5, 2014

I made it. I'm here. And it has been INCREDIBLE! (: I absolutely love Brasil, and I've only been here a week! Seriously. I am so supposed to be here.

So I am the oldest. 15 months. Everyone likes to point out that I have less than 3 months left and I'm in the CTM, and that I'm already on my death bed, that I'm going to die soon, that I don't have a love of time to learn the language and all that. It makes me sad.. But I am beyond grateful that I am here. I mean, I'm in Brasil! It's incredible! (:

The CTM is great! It's so much fun! I laugh a lot, and learn a lot and feel the Spirit. It's incredible. I love this CTM, so much more than Provo. It's incredible. It's because I knew what to expect and I know the language already, so it's different. But I'm having fun and making friends (:

Alright, not a lot of time. One thing that we've been able to do, is we go out, to the heart of Sao Paulo and we street contact! We have 2 Book of Mormons to give out and let me tell you! They are so excited to get one! I gave one to a girl on the bus on our way there and she was so excited she gave me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek (: It was great!

What a miracle. I am able to have a normal conversation with Brasileiros! The Gift of Tongues is real!

Alright, I've gotta go. Irmao is telling me my time is up! (:

I'm doing good, I love it here, I'm happy and learning lots.


Can't wait to be with my family again. But also, I can wait cause I love it here.

LOVE YOU!
Sister Clara Kay Dunn.


Not time for pictures. Next time!

I MADE IT! October 29, 2014

To start, this keyboard is different. So if there are weird letters or symbols its cause Im in a hurry and dont have time to figure it out. I cant find the apostraphe... darnit.

Guess who is in Brasil ... I can't figure out the questions mark.. but I did find the apostraphe! Woohoo! (: ? FOUND IT! Hahah.

Just wanted you to know that I made it safe and sound in Brasil! The flight was long, and I didn't sleep much, but that's okay, casue I'm here!! (: It's incredible down here. I walked out the airport and felt like I was in Disneyland! It's fantastic!

Not a lot to update since I just to talked to you. Which was a lot of fun! I talked to everyone. Calling Sydney was hilarious! She didn't expect it and she when I said it was me she started to SCREAM! Haha. It was great! But it was so nice to talk to all of you! That was happy (:

So I made it here, with all my luggage and all my limbs (: Haha. I'm nervous about being at the MTC.. It wasn't my favorite time last time I was there, but we'll see how it goes this time around!

Not usre yet, but p-day may be on Wednesday or Friday. Not sure. I jsut go where they tell me to.

Well alright. I think that's it!

Love you all!
Sister Clara Kay Dunn.

P.S. Here I am sitting in a computer lab when Elder Fagersten walks by! He and I were in the same Provo MTC district! And we've been emailing, and he got his visa a little before I did, and we were hoping we'd be in the Brasil MTC together again. And guess what?! WE ARE! And he said we're even in the same MTC district. How hilarious is that?! Hahah! This'll be fun (:

Just thought I'd tell you.

Seriously. I love you all. Thank you for the prayers!