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.

Dad looks skinny...

Some of you have asked me about Tracy looking skinny to Jed so I thought I'd post a "before" and "during" picture of Tracy's mission to loose weight. He is doing AMAZING! I am so proud of him. By next spring we should have a pretty good "after" picture.

This is what Jed remembers from February 2008

This is Tracy 40+ pounds lighter in Hawaii September 2008

I wish I were 40+ pounds lighter!!!

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.

Hello Parents on a Cruise!

This is from last week 9/15/08 while we were in Hawaii (It was amazing)

Hello parents on a cruise...
I´m doing great. Today I was going to buy clothing of the gaucho!
I hope I can send this e-mail. I couldn't send to Abi. Weird. Read some of my earlier e-mails and list in your next e-mail all that I said that i need...because I can't remember. I don't really have anything big to report about my week this week. Yesterday we went to the outside 20 km outside of São Pedro to the farm of a member (I know the grammar is wrong...but it's right in portuguese) But there was only one problem the batteries in my camera died so I didn't get any pictures to send...but I will...we will go back there soon. It's really beautiful...serene...I want to live in the wilderness...maybe when I'm rich I will buy some land here in São Pedro...yeah...that would be good.
But anyway here is a fun agricultural fact...in this region the main "cash crop" is litereally the "cash crop"...tabacco. João(the member) told us that he and only a few other of his neighbors don´t grow tabbacy that was interesting. Milked a cow Elder abreu had a really hard time getting started. It was good to be on the farm I don´t know why I feel like that but it was good.
Nothing extremely new besides the buying of gaucho clothes. Onthe 20th there will be a holiday...something to do with the state or gauchos or something...and everybody dresses up in gaucho clothes. There is a parade...pretty sweet. So I have to buy bombichas...pants... and also Im buying some sapatinhos...or shoes...I haven't brought myself to buy boots yet maybe next year. I don't want to lug around boots...but the shoes I can do. All in all it will cost me 65 real (BRL) about 30 bucks because the dollar is really high again! Let's hope it keeps climbing!
So hows the elections doing? I see some things on the tv..that John McCain and Barack Obama are the candidates but that's all I know. Brazillians are for Barack Obama...weird huh???
It's political season in Brazil as well...this year is city officials. So everywhere there are people with flags, passing out little flyers with the picture of the candidate and his number for the electronic voting machine. Cars with speakers on top blasting campaign music. Right now there is a rally in the park...under the water tower...yes there is a water tower in the middle of the central park... I´ll take a picture of it and send it to you...
Well I really don't have anything else to say. I hope you all get this... thats all...
love you guys!!!

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