Pinky and the Brain

I am starting the last week of the 12- week new missionary training program. The second half as been harder than the first half because we had to jump in and do it in Portuguese!  And this past week has been the worst. Week five is always a hard week because you are coming up on the end of the transfer and you're starting to get annoyed with your companion if you haven't already. This past transfer has been especially difficult for me. I think that it was definitely a breaking point in my mission. I´m not having so much of a hard time with the language, but more with my companion. He's never been through the 12 weeks program (the 12 weeks of hell) with an American before. He expects me to do everything without talking to me about it, and he does not even begin to understand the language barrier. The other elders in our house said that I've progressed faster than any other American elder that they know, so Elder G shouldn't be as frustrated with me as he is. The one thing that he says is "com você" (with you) meaning that whatever I choose is what we're going to do. And then, when I say that we should do something that he doesn't like, he just completely shuts it down because he's right and I'm wrong and bla bla bla.  I'm lucky that I've had a little bit of experience with this, because I always just end up going with whatever he says. I figure that he knows more than what I do since he´s been in the mission longer and is my district leader. Elder C. gave me a cartoon that he says reminds him of me and Elder G....guess who is Pinky and who is the Brain? Well the only difference is that I´m smarter then Pinky and wonder why I have to be stuck with the Brain. But it is true that I try to just figure out ways to make the Brain happier so that things will go better as he plots to take-over  convert the world.  Maybe if I were dumber, then I would be happy like Pinky.

A pet bird in one of the houses we taught in.

However, I am truly blessed to have Elder C here to help me. He has already helped me more than any other person on my mission. Com Certeza. 
One of the things that he said to me really helped me and still helps me. Imagine that all of your problems are a bird. You can´t stop that bird from landing on your head, but you can decide whether or not you will let him make a nest there. You can decide if your problems truly are problems, or only a way for you to get stronger. It´s all about you mindset. I know that if we keep pressing forward with a positive attitude, we will see a change in our lives. We will have more happiness, more stability, and a better outlook on life. Of this I can testify, because it´s already helped me get through this past week. I hope that this will help anyone out there who is having difficulties or trials in their life right now, because it has already helped me. That is basically my purpose as a missionary, to help others know of the greatness of what I already have because I truly want them to have it too. I hope that everyone will have a great week and find ways to overcome all of the trials that life dishes out!

Elder C, Elder Colvin, Elder Z, Elder G

Graças a Deus for Elder C. Seriously, he has done more for me during my mission as far as supporting me than any other person. We´re already super close friends. I don´t know how I would have survived without him. I would love to visit him again in Rio after I finish my mission! It sounds like his family is helping Taylor out a TON in the ward that she´s serving in. Like, more than I ever would've imagined a ward would help missionaries!

You'd be proud of me today mother, I woke up on time and cleaned our apartment (minus doing the dishes, cleaning the other elder's bedrooms, and bathroom). All of the other elders were just laying in bed. 

Elder Z injured his foot really badly this week. It wasn't a blister, he literally tore the bottom of his foot! ouch! I think that he was walking/running really fast and he landed wrong or something. He's already doing a lot better, and I think that he's going to be fine.  

~Elder Colvin