Bom Ano Novo! Happy New Year!

I won’t write a lot... I’m going to Quarai...another smallish town with 4 branches. We’ll see how it goes...I’m excited.

My new companion will be Elder Rocha. One of Elder Abreau’s friends from back at home. We have the same amount of time in the mission. He’ll go home with me.
(Elder Abreau was Jed’s first companion in Sao Pedro)

It was really good to talk to you all...really good! I’ll send some pictures today.

Cleaning up after the flood
Christmas dinner!

Love you all...go google earth Quarai. It’s close to URUGUAY!!! I GET TO GO TO URUGUAY!

Talk to you all later!

Jed

LET’S WORK

Our call to Jed on Christmas was WONDERFUL! He told us that he would be transferred today so we were expecting it. He spent Christmas with the Branch President’s Family in Sao Pedro. He also spent his birthday last Sunday with them. The Branch Pres. Wife made him a birthday cake. They had a terrible rainstorm that flooded their apartment as you can see his companion cleaning up the floor. Jed said some of his books got wet but luckily they have dried out already. He sounded happy. He is getting a little tired of rice and beans. He loved Christmas Dinner. It was great that we were all here and could put him on speaker phone to talk. We miss him but know he is where he should be and where he wants to be.

p.s. I HATE THE HEAT!

Hey family! Yesterday we had Mission Conference so that’s why I’m writing today

I’m dead tired...sunburned...in some pretty inconvenient places (not what you think) the feet, the back of the legs and the back of my neck. It makes being a missionary really hard.

I hate the heat. It kills me every day. It’s not Christmas...snow is needed to have Christmas.

How was your Mission Christmas gathering? IT WAS AWESOME. Tiring but fun... the stockings were good too...full of candy...had socks in it too...weird.

But like I said I’m dead. Transfers are coming up this next week. We’ll see.
So talk to you all Thursday.

Oh about my birthday. It was good. It didn’t feel like a birthday but whatever. I guess that’s growing up. We had a Christmas fireside in Santa Maria...it was good.

I love you all...Elder Jed Breinholt

Sunday the 21st was Jed's Birthday. We made a cake, had the Elders in our Ward over and celebrated! My Christmas baby just turned 20! It has been interesting week so far for me and a little emotional having his Birthday and Christmas all in one week and him gone. I'm still awaiting the details of our Christmas call. On Mothers day he called me to give me the information of when and where to call him so who knows I may hear from him today!!

38 degrees Celsius (100 F)

It totally was really hot this week...REALLY REALLY HOT!

But it was a good week. Really it was.

Transfers are coming up on the 30th. I’ve kinda been thinking about those. Don’t think I’ll stay in Sao Pedro by the stuff President Myrrha told me. I really don’t know...we’ll see. I know I need to forget them and get to work.

Today we are going to see the big rock...or Pedra Grande. It’s a rock with Indian paintings on it about 20km outside of Sao Pedro. We’re going with our Branch President. I’m super excited! I’ll send you pictures next week...it’ll be awesome!

Anyway...you guys as a family are doing great! I get e-mail every single week...this is good...don’t worry about it. When people send me letters it’s hard for me to write back to them. I do it it’s just hard...I don’t know why.

Got my backpack Tuesday.

So it really is true...without Christmas there would be no Easter. Christmas is important...really important...if we stay with the focus and not with the papai noel!(that’s Santa Claus in Portuguese)

So it turns out I think I’ll be talking to you guys at Presidente Ngelos house...(branch president) I’ll get the details and you’ll know.

Wow this year has shot by...here in two months I’ll have one year in the mission...Crazy...here in one week I’ll be 20...WHY DOES TIME SHOOT BY SO FAST!?

But the work is coming good...thank you all for your prayers and love.

I love you all

FELIZ NATAL!

Elder Jed Breinholt

We are just the opposite here in Wyoming. Right now it is -21. We are breaking all kinds of records. At least the wind has died down we had a -45 wind chill Saturday night. Bundle up stay inside and make hot chocolate! The kids even have a 2 hour delay for school this morning because of the cold.

**Update** School is CLOSED because it is so cold. Anyone up for a visit? See you soon Elisabeth and Bobby!

Very good week everybody!

Pikes Place Fish Market

This week was Zone Conference...it was really good!

We talked about Pikes Place Fish Market and how they do something different and how they’re world famous because of it and what we can do with the Book of Mormon to make people want to read it more. It was a really good conference.

Christmas is coming! Here’s some calling instructions...only 40 minutes this time(ask the missionaries to show you the missionary handbook)…so that’s why. You’ll call me, I don’t know where yet. We need to find a member that will let us use their phone. I’ll e-mail you in the future about this.

This week I made a line graph of my numbers for the week. I highly recommend it to missionaries. It shows you a lot of stuff that you can do better. Do just your key indicators and total lessons including less-actives.

I’m doing great. I Can Totally Focus Now without problem.

The package was great...one question though...Why Catapult guns?
(He’ll know when he and his companion open up the Christmas stockings I sent and there are little Ninjas and Pirates that they can catapult 15-20 feet! Just some good missionary fun! The guns were too hard to wrap.)

That would be great about the testimonies.
(Elder Oliveria is going to translate our testimony into Portuguese and I'm going to print them ready to be glued into Books of Mormon or is it Book of Mormons! ha ha)

This part is for Elder Oliveira....Tudo Bom? Cara...Como est a trabalho l? indo bem? Cara tenho um Monte de Referencias eu posso dar...mas acho que j dei...fala com minha irm quando ela chega em casa...Abi...sobre indo para falar com algums de meus amigos...SERIA BOM DE MAIS! S Vai! cara se tem alguma coisa eu posso fazer ajudar vocs...Ideas, Qual quer coisa...s fala com minha me...Tchau meu irmo no senhor.
(Elder Oliveria is serving in our ward right now he is from Boston but was born in Brazil and moved to the US when he was 11 or 12.)

I know its short but we still gotta do lots of stuff today. But I will talk to you all later...and send pictures...too!

Elder Jed Breinholt

It's too hot!

Hey Family!

How are you all? This week has been extremely stressful for me. But it has been good. It’s extremely hot and humid here now! It kinda makes me mad! But its good. I’ll answer the questions and then continue a little bit.

How's Training going? It’s good. I have the most responsibility of my mission but it’s good. Work hard...lose myself and my companion...in the work.

New Companion adjusting well? Yeah...really tired a lot...that’s normal for the first few weeks.

Anyway...Christmas is coming...got my package for Christmas/Birthday...SWEET! Don’t worry I won’t open it...

How’s the missionary work going in Gillette?

I have an idea for the fam...every one carry a few pass-along-cards of Joy to the World with them and give them to people saying Merry Christmas! Just explain that the card has this 1-800 number that they can call and get a free dvd with Christmas music in it.

I can’t wait to talk to you all.

I need to find something to eat...I’m starving!

That’s all for today...

LOVE YOU ALL
ELDER JED BREINHOLT

P.S. MY LIFE PERSPECTIVES ARE CHANGING!

Well HOWDY DOODY!!!

My new companions name is: Elder Ferreira from Panabucu in the north of the country. Today is his first p-day...poor Elder he is really lost! But he is a good guy. Training is probably the most fun and the hardest thing I’ve done on my mission to date! These Elders from the CTM are so filled with fire...excitement to work...so I have harnessed that power to work a lot! It’s awesome!

Abi wrote me today and told me that Jeff is going to Virginia...YAY!...what awesome news!

Eating pancakes with Elder Santana

About the pancakes…I made them from a recipe I had. I did a little modifying because we had a lot of bananas so we made banana pancakes they turned out good!

About American companionships…it is rare...but does happen. Usually happens with older more experienced missionaries because it is important to learn the language with someone that can translate for you!

And now the bad news...my package hasn’t arrived yet...were hoping today. But when it’s here Elder Wageman will shoot an e-mail to you. It’ll come...just wait!

YAY CALLING FAMILY! I’m going to warn you right now that I may slip into Portuguese while talking. It’s hard for me to talk English right...YAY FLUENCY!

I don’t have a ton of time today because I still have to write Pres.

But my message to Grandma is as follows:

Hey Grandma...just a quick note to say Happy Thanksgiving!
These days I have been remembering holidays at your house with beets, relish trays, and put-back-ins. It was always great...Holidays at Grandmas! I remember when I was young all of you people that ate beets seemed so weird to me, here in Brazil they eat a lot of beets. But not pickled. They eat them like grated carrots. I like beets now. Funny how our tastes change isn’t it? Anyway I am just wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving and telling you that I miss you a lot and that I love my mission!

Love you all! E-mail next week with pictures!

Elder Jed Breinholt

P.S.
This is the e-mail I just got from Elder Wageman in the office:

Sister Breinholt,
Ok, so today we went to the post office with Elder Breinholt (right after I wrote you) and his package arrived both of them! The one for him that had his shoes in it and the one for Christmas.
Congrats. He was way excited. and he wanted me to tell you that he loved you. and I love you too!

I am so glad!! I just sent his Birthday/Christmas package on Friday. The Christmas package mentioned above is one I sent full of candy for the mission to combine with other candy from the families in the states to use for a christmas stockings for all the missionaries in the mission.

I am so sorry everyone...

Last week was crazy! There seriously was no time to do anything. We were in Santa Maria and weren’t close to an internet place.

Today was transfers. I will be getting a new companion here in Sao Pedro. I can’t tell you his name because Pres. Myhrra doesn’t even know who it will be yet. Tomorrow the new missionaries will arrive and Wednesday morning I will know...in short...I will be training a new missionary.

I have paused lately to reflect on how fast the mission is going by! 8 months! I was looking at my pictures of me and Elder Cordeiro...and it’s hard to believe that I will be in his position training a new missionary. At least he will be a Brazilian that will know Portuguese. Elder Abreu will be going to Sao Gabriel...the other area...not the one where I was! But he’ll know a lot of people I knew. So that’s pretty cool.

I have some pictures to send... One is of me and Elder Santana...eating pancakes. The other is of our zone soccer team...we won by-the-way. The back of my shirt says Breinholtch...tch is like dude here in the south of Brazil!

The work is good I guess. My teaching pool has gone to zero really fast. But with this excited greenie we will fill it back up...to BAPTIZE!!!

I didn’t get my shoes yet...hopefully tomorrow...I really need them!

I know it’s not a very long e-mail but Elder Abreu needs to say goodbye to some people.

I love you all and will have lots to write about next week

Funny Stuff!

Ribbit! "Excuse me may I go to the bathroom...Thank You!"

Hello family...

Ok so it turns out I dropped the ball on the absentee ballot and now I can't VOTE. I had to be registered by the 6th of October. I feel really bad...bad Llama! What a crappy citizen I am!
Ok...I have stories to tell...
First...that one that you want to hear about

Some background information first...
1. The bus for São Pedro is not a city bus. It is an Inter-Municipal. That means Greyhound type 2. It’s not every 15 min, it’s every hour to an hour and a half (depending on the time of the day) 3. It does stop in locations around Santa Maria before taking the voyage! But we usually get it in the bus station (safer that way...after this story you’ll know why)
4. I don’t know where things are in Santa Maria...remember that I’m in São Pedro...

Ok so we were playing paintball in Santa Maria...really fun... and we finished... so we went to a bus stop. Knowing that our bus would drive by and we would give him the hitchhikers thumb...(weird how that’s the signal to stop a bus here, is it in the united states? I don’t know I don’t ride busses) So a bus came by...we stopped it...and asked if he was going to São Pedro...he told us to wait until 6:30 (to give you an idea, we had been waiting at the stop since 5:00...he came by at 6:00 so it was good news) We waited...and the bus started coming...and we were ready...stuck out my thumb and the bus...DROVE BY!!!!!! So we started running after it...the guy didn’t even look in the mirror.

So then I was like "well what now!?" I knew the direction of the bus station so we decided to start walking (remember that we had gotten done playing paint ball...we looked like clowns)
Anyway it took us an hour to get to the bus station...and even then...there wasn’t a bus until 8:00...which means we got home at 9:00 What A CRAZY DAY!

2nd story...

The other day we were in front of one of our investigators houses and I saw a frog...me being the boy I am picked it up. We were talking to our investigator...when all of the sudden I looked down and the frog was peeing on my pants needless to say I threw the frog some distance and went to go wash my hands. But that’s not all! I came out of the house and was thinking "the frog is done peeing...let’s pick it up again" THE FROG WAS NOT DONE PEEING!!!! I guess that’s what I get for thinking. GROSS!!! So that’s how I got peed on by a frog...

I hoped you like those humorous antidotes!
LETS WORK
Love you all...
Elder Jed Breinholt...

No card reader...sorry no pictures.

A short e-mail - but a good e-mail!

So my e-mail will be a little shorter this week because I had to write to Pres. Myrrha... but anyway...

This week was really good. We had a baptism. Letica a 10 year old daughter of a member. That was good. What else...

Elias and Loricelia couldn´t meet with us this week but we´re going to call them soon. It really was a good lesson with them. We have an investigator by the name of Tiago. The lesson with him was awesome... really! We´re going back tonight to see him. He's already got an answer that the Book of Mormon is true. YAY!

I bought a big dictionary...look at the picture...its awesome!

I did talk to Sister Quist...and yes she does remember me...and we talked about some Layton stuff. Talked to Elder Lee today. He´s really good. He´s in my district. I´ll send pictures next week...will take them Thursday! He made 3 cds of photos today too!!! So expect some pictures Sister Lee! Oh and Sister Lee...thanks for sending those hymn number guides! They will really help!

Anyway kinda short I know but I gotta catch a bus!
tchau
Elder Breinholt
more pictures next week

My Family

St. Peter

Read on...

Wow let´s talk about everybody telling me to write longer e-mails. Anyway so I got my package. Thank you Mom! Everything was what I wanted. The flag and the map especially. Elder Abreu says thanks. OK lets talk about callings in the mission. I´m a senior companion but that doesn´t mean I´m training. My companion is also a senior. He has more time in the mission than me but I am a senior companion as well.

I´m sorry that I haven't been explaining my weeks better. I´ll start right now with this week:

Monday-was P-day also transfer meeting. We met and the read the names and where everyone was going companions and such then we ate lunch with President, Sister and the rest of the staff at Sal y Pimenta...salt and pepper. It was good food. FUN FACT: nice restaurants are Buffets here!

Tuesday-Friday: Worked a ton. We tried to find lots of new investigators. Our teaching pool is kinda small...really small actually. It didn't go extremely well but we got a reference from another missionary in Santa Maria so we contacted them. It was a really good lesson...Elias and Loricelia, then we visited less-actives.

Saturday-Had English class, went really well...did some more teaching
Sunday-CHURCH, was an extremely hot day...had to have been 80 degrees with 70% humidity...too hot!!!!!

Today- Writing this e-mail in which I will talk about conference, things I need in my package, etc.

First off conference was great. We watched it in English because we had no investigators. We only watched the sessions on Sunday. Anyway I really liked Elder Ballards talk...MISSIONARY WORK ROCKS!!!! There were other good ones too...but i cant remember them all.

Tracy spent some time last night on Google Earth and looking at Jed's area.

DAD YOU FOUND SÃO PEDRO!!!! Yes it is the same city...tiny huh...and yep the roads do turn into dirt...dusty dusty dirt. It's funny the roads are mostly cobblestone and pavement is a blessing. Yes I do know about the dinosaur thing...crazy huh.

The statue on top of the catholic church is SAINT PETER!!! He´s holding the keys to the kingdom in his hands, no cross, just Peter! It's funny...because Portuguese was derived from Latin and Latin and Greek are similar you can see that Peter means Rock...because the Portuguese word for Peter is PEDRO and the Portuguese word for stone is PEDRA...interesting huh?

And now for Moms part:I have a few things to ask for...for Christmas or the like:
MY JANSPORT BACKPACK the big one not the school one...I've gone through 2 pairs of shoes and a backpack. I guess that’s what I get for buying a backpack for 20 bucks. Seriously it's all ripped and stuff...
A HYMN BOOK IN ENGLISH...pocket size preferably...
A COLLAPSABLE TRIPOD...like the one that I had that broke(you can pick one up at wal-mart or office depot I think)...seriously there are times I wish I had it...
Shoe Glue... if I need to fix my shoes...
About Fruit Snacks...next time you go to Costco...pick up the Kellogg’s fruit snacks...they´re my favorite :)
That’s great about Aunt Peggy... parabens!!!! (Congratulations!)
SNOW? WYOMING WEATHER I GUESS...I MISS SNOW

Everyone needs to read Jesus the Christ...it's a book of great importance...it will help you understand the life of Jesus Christ a lot more! A whole lot more!

I hope this was a long enough e-mail for you all. It's hard to write a lot when my companion needs help with a computer. Anyway so I gotta go but I will send pictures (of me mom) next week.
btw...I cut my own hair last week (YIKES!)

tchau tchau um embraço
Elder Breinholt

Some pictures from Sao Pedro

Mate...doesn't look so good to me

Sorry about last week everyone...but we didn't get home from Santa Maria until 9...funny story about that...I´ll write it in my journal and you can ask me what happened when i get home...uhhh! No now would be good!

Paintballing was fun...i think that when i go home i´ll play it in missionary clothes... i´ll answer some questions and then continue...

Questions from his Dad
Jed, how are you feeling about the missionary work, your companion, and the Brazilian people? good...missionary work is great.. Is this area more of a struggle than your last area? about the same. Are the people different (more receptive or less so)? different is what i would call them...small town... Do you speak every week in your branch sacrament meeting? Or teach lessons each week (maybe Gospel Essentials)? Do you basically have to do it all on Sunday? no, no and no.
On my mission, we had to write to the mission president every week. Do you have to do this too? yes...but its e-mail now!!!
What kinds of things do you do on typical P-day? use internet...eat...clean...we haven´t gone to santa maria alot this transfer
I only have one question...
When we were in Hawaii Tommy said his mission president would not let them drink Mate because it has so much caffeine in it. I told him your Mission President was Brazilian and he said that would be why you are allowed to drink it. Just enlighten me on it. Is there a difference between Mate and Coffee? YES THERE IS!!!! i will send you a picture...and theres not a ton of caffiene in it...and it´s delicious!!!!
so this week was good...went to the farm again...send you a few pictures of that...its funny...i´ve been using the panoramic feature on my camera alot more here in são pedro... i´ll send you one...
today was transfers...nothing is changing in são pedro...
i started writing letters to people....again...ive been a slaker
but anyway...i dont have alot to say
talk to you all next week
love you all
elder jed breinholt
ps...package is great...

As you can see I didn't do a lot of editing on this e-mail have fun reading it.

Dear Mom and Dad Please Send Money....

Hey will you put more money in my account...please...
Today I will write more in Santa Maria...because I will be playing paint ball!
So thats my day...write more later.

Yea he didn't write more later...

Hello Family!

This week has been really good. I don´t have alot of time but I did buy the clothes I wanted, and I did watch the parade. I will send you pictures next week.
Thanks for the election news. The stuff for the package is fine.

dc martins size 11.5 por favor. You sent me memory foam insoles. It's what I asked for but not what I really need...gel please...oh and i want an american flag...please.
I will definitely write more next week...
The pictures are great...dad is really skinny...thats great that you got to talk to the Elder Mankel!
Anyway love you all,

ELDER JED BREINHOLT

PS ELDER LEE IS DOING GREAT!!! HIS COMPANION IS A REALLY GOOD ELDER
Check out the comment on the blog for 9/8 it will explain who Elder Lee is.

This is a synopsis of the holiday they celebrated on Saturday. That was essentially their p-day so they didn't have much time today. Just enought time to e-mail and back to work.

September 20 is an important holiday for the people of Rio Grande do Sul. It marks the start of the revolution between the Gaúchos and the imperial government of Brazil. Ten years of warfare that left a lot of hurt and bitterness. The war was fought for independence and self-determination. Both of these are strong characteristics of the Gaúcho.

From the Son that is ours...

Sao Pedro, R.S.

35km north of Santa Maria

City Hall in Sao Gabriel

To the family that is mine...
This week has been really good. I have only 1 picture to send of São Pedro so far. I'd liken the hills in and around Santa Maria to the Black Hills in South Dakota with a few higher peaks. This is a continuation of those. It's really quite beautiful here what with all the flora. I will also send you a picture of the Prefitura(city hall) of São Gabriel and I will answer some questions. I wrote alot to Abi...had to get the randoms out...but i will try to write alot

What is required to be sanctified? We read in the end of Acts that Paul sanctified himself and was inside the temple when the ruling Jewish class came to get him to take him before the Romans. But really it's a putting off of all worldly things. Temples are sanctified because in them are preformed ordinances of heaven. So I think that for sanctification there needs to be a righteous desire to put off the things of the world for something better...eternal life. I have a question for you: WHY IS THE BOOK JESUS THE CHRIST SO GOOD??? Seriously I think it's the best book I've ever read.

1. How are your clothes? Shoes & Shirts? fine...if you do want to send me some shoes...send me some eccos...or dc martins....thick soles are very good for the mission.

2. I'm sending you a package at the end of September anything specific you want in it? fruit snacks...and 2 maps of the United States....chocolate orange..and maple extract...other candy from the USA.

3. How's the companion? good.

I'll write to certain people...

Hi Grandma...
This is just a short note to tell you how much I love you. And to thank you for being the Grandma next door of my childhood. The Grandma with fruit trees that we could climb eat...the Grandma that loved to garden and taught us to love plants too. Thank you for the games...twink(it definately helped me with adding)...battle ship...racko...all the games you loved to play with us. Thank you for your testimony and your love for this gospel...your example...thank you!

For Grandpa:
Grandpa...just a quick note to tell you how I am. I am doing great! Mom has been sending you my e-mails so you can read about my experiences, but I would just like to say thank you for all that you have done for me through out my life. Being the Grandpa that showed us the value of hard work. For always being there for us. For showing us your love for the gospel and service in the church. Thank you for everything and I love you!

Aunt Peggy:
Hi Aunt Peggy. You definately have been reading my blog, I know! Mom told me about your health trouble. That's bad luck...but I have faith that everything will go fine. Thank you for all that you and your family has done for mine. Setting an example of missionary service and activity in the church. Really for everything...for your really good chicken salad...REALLY GOOD CHICKEN SALAD! The great family parties we have at your house! Everything is better with Aunt Peggy´s Costco bargains!!!! Really thank you for your testimony. I love you and your family.

Anyway...turns out that when I come home I will eat conjica(look it up...delicious!!!)and pão de queijo! cheese bread...delicious as well...i think i will go get some now!!!
I love you all and think of you every day...
Elder Jed Breinholt
btw...elder eck told me to tell you guys to write him in his letter that I just read at Mcdonalds...(was delicious btw! I am not ashamed to say that Mcdonalds was delicious...)and i will talk to you all next week!!!

pão de queijo! cheese bread

“conjica”, a pudding made with hominy and sugar, topped with cinnamon

esta setembro, feliz primavera! (It's September Happy Spring)

It really is spring...my allergies are killing me!!!!!! but whatever.

São Pedro is pretty good. There are hills at least! It's a city literally right next to Santa Maria...by right next I mean 1 hour away. For District Meeting we go to Santa Maria. Oh and Friday I will be in the newspaper here. I will send you a copy!! I´m starting an english class here.

Elder Abreau is my new companion...uh-huh...he´s really smart...but he has some trouble communicating with people. We´ll work on that. The branch is really small, just 2-3 familes. We´ll work on that too!

I don´t have a lot to say really

I will send pictures next week...because i don´t have space to send them this week!

tchau de seu missionario no brasil....e eu vou falar com vocês proxima semana...

(Good bye from your Missionary in Brazil )