Portuguese, Hurray for Google, and English Class

I read this book in March of 2014, as a highly recommended, funny, short novel.

I had read one of his earlier Ladies' Detective stories.

I found this book not as hilarious as described, but it was clever.  

The strange main character had written a book titled "Portuguese Irregular Verbs.  

He believed it was a captivating volume that should be included in everyone's library!

I thought it was weird that there really could be a whole volume on the topic~

I had no idea.
The verbs?  They are the worst.
Can't I just use "Tarzan talk"?  "me Tarzan, you Jane"  

When I started studying Portuguese later that year, I received a rude awakening.

Learning a second language is probably the most difficult thing I have ever tried to do.

I honestly thought that if I worked really hard at it that I would be "fluent" by now.


These are photos (front & back) of the popular "yellow verb card".
(this one is a little faded and very "used")
I see these folded vertically and placed in virtually every Elder's shirt pocket.
Including the senior missionaries.

The sisters don't have as convenient a way to carry it,
but it's probably in their bag.
The intent is to memorize - the whole thing :/
Because of all the broken language regular rules~





But I can honestly say, I have done my best.
We know that is the definition of a successful missionary.
I have met my goal to serve effectively in a Brazilian/Portuguese LDS temple.
So it is sufficient.

It's just been hard to not get discouraged when others pass me up in street Portuguese.
Or even church Portuguese.  It's embarrassing to display
my brain block and conversation "fails".

I am aware of my progress.  I really do know a lot and I get by.
It's just not what I hoped.
Maybe, if I had another year?
But - no  ~

My intent is to continue to study the language.  I'm not exactly clear why, but I do enjoy
the study exercise of my brain.  It is exactly like some extreme brain workout.
It feels good when I remember things and recognize whole sentences, written and spoken.
I'm hoping that it might prevent dementia or Alzheimers?

So I have some books and some online stuff I can do, that is actually like a fun video game.
I have invested too much to just "forget about it".
I really don't want to loose what I have.

Another thought is that I'm planning/hoping to work in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple
when we return home.  Our neck of the woods has a few Brazilians, but there
are maybe 3 Portuguese speaking wards in the valley.

Currently, there is a Portuguese session scheduled once a month at the
 Jordan River Temple.  That temple is scheduled to close for about 18 months
for extensive renovating, soon after the first of the year.
So I'm thinking.... perhaps those patrons will want a
Portuguese session and/or some ordinance help at Oquirrh Mountain??
I could do that!

However, I'm also looking forward to serving at the temple and attending
preparation meetings - in English!

I will never again take the English language for granted!!

~
Yay for

(Google could use a few Portuguese lessons!  He can afford it, right?)

One Friday morning temple shift, while Ferguson's were still here, 

we had our preparation meeting as usual.

Our supervisor knew that Sister Ferguson and I 

were struggling with all the Portuguese instructions.

She had something very important to tell all the sister/workers 

and wanted to include and accommodate us.  

So in advance, she typed up what she wanted to say in Portuguese,

 then "google translated" and printed.

Before she began her speech, she handed both of us a copy of this:

"Among many things we have to hit in question are the hours is the morning snack, the time spent, we can take the snack quickly, need not swallow everything running, but keep in mind that temple work is in progress is that our presence is required.  What can be done: class A (which will not officiate, and not part of the session from 9 hrs) makes the snack and then rises, so that you start the ninth session, the class that has not yet gone, can go grab a snack quickly, so if she wants to do.  Also suggest that the sisters have problem with diabetes or hypoglycemia that bring something from home,

  (I'll let bullets in my closet if need) that can descend rapidly in the closet

 (always referring to the supervisor, in case I, for you can 

monitor the number of officiants available to many who do not fall in the same time). 

For example, the sister who is exiting the initiatory 

rather than go small room, take a little jump in the closet and eat something.

Lunchtime, do not quit on their own, but warn the supervisor, if I do not go out to all at the same time, leaving the charge of the embezzled Temple officiating.  Have lunch with the idea that they are still being made ordinances, remember that the only time the shift ends at 13:45.  Of course, there will be exceptions and cases need to leave early, (always call ahead) and other unforeseen problems, but it is necessary to understand that our work is valuable in the eyes of the Lord and much needed!!  Would like to take to thank each of you who are here today and say that they are in the right place and that the Lord loves them dearly and is seeing and recognizes the effort of each one."

So Sis. Ferguson and I were reading along and trying hard not to chuckle 

at the Sister's sincere efforts to communicate with us.  

I had to save this "memo" because it reminds me of the love that 

all the workers have for each other and how they want to help each other (and us!)

~

English Conversation Class

These are all the folks that come to our Thursday night class.

They don't all come every time - we usually get a mix of 10-14.

Nilza, Vinicius, Julia, Leão, Marina - me

Rodolfo Araújo & Vanderley da Silva

Angela Machado & Yan

Nilza Rabaneda

She is a "favorite".   Nilza is a professional São Paulo tour guide and has taken us

several times, around to see different parts of the city. 

Her English is excellent, but she likes to come for practice.

She also lives in our same apartment complex.

She is not a member of the church, but very nice.

About half of our class are members.

The class recently wrote as an assignment a "life story".

Hers turned into a 75-page biography which she asked me to edit.

Brazilians are extra "wordy" and put in some strange expressions

 that don't really translate well.

So I'm helping her with that and making other corrections to her document.

I don't mind because it actually is a rather interesting story.

Wellington Almeida & Cristina Santos

Dogmar Gospar

 Cintia Andrade & Edna Berbosa

 Laudine Batiste & Yan

 Venicius

soccer player guy (can't remember his name right now)

We have had some funny moments in class.

One evening, after showing them a photo of our dog Lady, 

they wanted to know,

"Is your dog a 'mutt' or does she have a 'degree'?"

And this picture, was identified as

a "grass-jumper"  8)

We have enjoyed this part of our mission.

Getting acquainted with the class members has been a treat.

They are more ambitious and motivated than some other people we have met.

They all have such interesting lives and stories to tell.

Just another example of "things we will miss"~