Out and About With Friends in São Paulo

well, maybe not completely but - very different backgrounds :)

This post has a photo collection of past and present friends.

- American and Brazilian -

Rebeca Kawai's first time in the temple :)

with her parents - Randy and Craig were on the grounds to take photos

I was inside and had officiated for her session.

another day at the beach - Santos with Kawais

another cake shop gathering

At the zoo with the Zaugg's

our favorite animal there~

just looked like another one of SP "homeless"

LOTS of turtles

-Head to head combat-
they try to back each other to the wall
to tip them over, rendering them - helpless :(

"gang" fight

This is  Dana and Robyn O'Crowley
Self-Reliance missionaries from Vernal, UT

They were in Sao Paulo on assignment for a week and we took them to Embu.
During our short time together we found out they had been to Ethiopia
a few times. They know most of the same people that we do
that are connected with that humanitarian effort.
So fun to meet (while in Brazil?!) and have someone
 to share common experiences (and our first names?)!

They had some amazing life stories to tell~
They travel the world teaching Self-Reliance principles to church leaders.

Some of Craig's office staff with us at our favorite Mexican buffet

"Si Senor"
Silvio, Walter, Raquel and Randy

Another gathering with Craig's office.

 Greg Clark in the middle right, wanted to honor
Elder Hallzinho for his persistent family search efforts.

 So they provided lunch and this awesome silver plaque!

With Zaugg's again at Embu das Artes -
We later bought one of these hanging chairs to take home,

along with a matching hammock.

A church museum at Embu.
No photos are allowed inside -
so we took this picture from the street.

- view of Embu from above -
many street vendors + permanent side shops

and several good restaurants

Embu this time with Paul and Diane Wheeler
They are Information Technology missionaries
from Logan, UT

So many cute shops and things, make it
easier to take photos than it is to decide
on something to buy!

Eve and Adam :)

Susan and Robert Hale

Self-Reliance missionaries
from Midvale, UT

Lin and Sharon DePaula

Family Search missionaries

from Highland, UT

FHE with DePaula's

Randy and Louellen Romrell

from East Millcreek, UT

Member/leader support missionaries in Mato Grosso, Brazil

They come to São Paulo for medical treatment for his eyes.
(stick a needle in my eye!?!?!?)

Stay for a few days, every 6 weeks or so.

We always try to make them feel welcome by including them.
Recently they were here for over two weeks!
Extra medical tests/results.
They hadn't planned on that -
 missionaries learn to adapt.

He's doing well and they expect to continue to faithfully serve~

Us, Romrells and Wheelers at a favorite Chinese place in
the neighborhood of Liberdade :)

We are at an auditorium at Ibirapuera Park
on a night-time city tour.
One of our English students, Nilza, is a professional tour guide.
She generously provides missionaries free tours.
She is not a member of our church.
Just a student (advanced) - who is grateful for our service.

Great photo of Carolyn and Mark Zaugg
Area auditor missionaries
from North Salt Lake, UT


Another P-day outing with them:

Bienal Exhibit

I am not "anti-modern art"
but this excursion was a stretch beyond me...
Wishing I had one of my brother's family art experts with me~

Unique museum and exhibits at
Ibirapuera Park

Above is a tree that can only grow in African soil
so it is displayed here with it's home dirt.


This is some wall map/world religions history thing.

not good photos but gives an idea of what it looked like

We didn't understand but liked the reference to "us"  :)

We could have "asked" but were thinking we wouldn't
understand the explanation either.

Us and Oversons at the home of Bro. and Sis. Steveskas for Brazilian cuisine :)
This was over a year ago.
They (Steveskas) are now serving as mission president in Belem, Brazil

We became acquainted with them at the CTM and Sis. Steveskas took us to
 see the neighborhood Morumbi stadium for our first look.
Randy loved this mural.

-little kitchen visitor -

I couldn't bear to allow him to stay, even though
they are friendly,  home-insect eaters.
We were told later that every São Paulo apartment should have one ~
What if he came in our room at night!!!?



Charming neighborhood wall paintings~

Apartment courtyard flora

Sunday stroll

Christina and Greg Clark at a dinner just before they left

to work in the Dominican Republic.

The office goodbye lunch for Greg.



This is Greg's replacement.

Janice & Doug McAllister
from Provo, UT

They previously worked in Salt Lake one year
and four years prior, in the Philippines.

He is Craig's new and current supervisor in the area legal office.
We hope to spend a lot more time with them~

This is the Kraft family.
Lily with her grandparents.

We met them back in January when McDougalls were here visiting us.
They live in Vertentes across the courtyard.

Lily came back from Utah during her college break.
So her mom, Cris invited us to attend their
 Family Night at Grandpa's house.
This huge wall hanging is their family "tree".
Very impressive!


This is Cris, Lily and sister Stella who was now home from
 her "foreign exchange" in Louisiana.
Fun reunion!

Cris and her father

Cris with her cool boyfriend, Alan.

He does the lesson for their FHE-

in Portuguese, of course.

We visited a little bit afterwards - very little English~

Times like this are sometimes still difficult/awkward for me.

Most of this group speak English but not tonight.

We were at Grandpa's house, after all.

Plenty of sea animals -

but surprisingly many land animals also :)

from different regions of the world

Me and Timon in Africa 

Hukuna Matata :)

friends from Australia

- O Velhão -

A fun, interesting place, just outside city limits.

The name means "big old" and has some antique shops,

restored buildings, workshops, and an excellent buffet restaurant.

A little stormy that day, but after lunch, we walked the grounds.

bought some oriental slippers

Then drove home~