Merry Christmas from the other side of the world!

Oh my goodness the time is going by so very fast! What is going on? What can I say for this last week? Nothing comes to mind my Wow! It's a good thing that I write in my Journal every day because if not I would forget everything. Right now I am doing good. My birthday was quiet and uneventful. As per usual, ;) so that was that. We had a stake Christmas party thing so that was fun. An Elder from Columbia made me a smoothie from his homeland for my birthday so that was fun. What else, I have a video of fireworks, not ours so don't worry, but our neighbors. Here you can have whatever you want, yes everything is legal here, but I am at least ok with the fireworks. If you have luck, it will be sent to you. It's super hot, so that's not new. I love Elder Draper. Yes it is sad the state of the world, politics plays a huge roll down here. And the people only know what is important to them, the more I talk to the poeple about what is going on, the more I am disgusted with the state of the world. Uruguay I love, but boy oh boy is it in a state of iniquity. I can't spell that word so use your imagination.

Merry Christmas to all, here from the other side of the world. I have revieved the packages and the letters, so thank you a million for them. I will wait till Christmas to read them, so I will have Draper take pictures of me opening them, and I will send them to you next with my new comp. Wow the time is just flying. I love you all so very much. Enjoy every moment of "A Christmas Story: and eggnog, a pumpkin pie, and lasagne and every other delicouseness that is on this God Given Green Earth that does not exist down here. ;) God Bless all and don't forget me down here. If you say you read this, but you sit at home saying to yourselves, oh we need to write him, but I'll do that tomorrow, that is Satan, he is working on all of you to not write me, so be better than Satan!!!! Write

 WRITE ME!!! WITH PICTURES.

I love you,

Basos and brasos

xxooxxooxxooxxo to everyone!

Elder Brewer

Vaya Con Dios

It's called the Rosedal. This man loved his Wife so much or something, that he made this plaza for her. I think they are dead now, but look it up, its a cool story.

HOT, HOT, HOT

Oh what can I say for these past few days. HOT HOT HOT- oh my good goodness. I have never been so hot before. It's so cool to be here. Last week we got to see Presidente Gonzaloz from the Seventy. We got to meet him, talk with him, 5 zones came down, so I got to see all my friends from Rivera. So I was very happy. We have been working a lot with the menos activos to just get them to go to chuch for Christmas but no one wants to do anything down here. They would rather just stay home. So its been very frustrating these past few weeks. This Friday, my Birthday Cough Cough, we are doing an activity as a stake, we are doing a food from around the world. So we are making food from our home country. We are just going to make brownies, with peanut butter on top, it will be excellent. It's just so hard to get ingredients, but it will be fun. 

I believe it speaks for its self 

It's just a PARROT!! it's whatevs. ;)

Our little Christmas Tree

 

He's Watching Over Me

Last Friday we were in our weekly actividad that we do in the church. This night, for some reason, was particularly antsy. Something did not feel right in the air but we went anyways. The church is not in our area. We have to cross the ruta 1 to get there. We walked there just fine. During the actividad we were watching a movie "The Mountain of the Lord". We had two investigators there and a member. Then during the movie, we heard a sound that still gives me chills, that whisle that comes before bombs, like in the movies, it was the same sound. We all heard it. We turn our heads to the front of the church, and at that moment the bombito went off, lit up the window and shook the building. We all jumped pretty bad. Then we heard another one, then another one. One right after the next, getting closer and closer, lighting up the tinted windows outside the church. But nothing ever happened to the building. At the end of the movie, the investigator began to cry and said that she felt the spirit so strong, and now this weekend she is getting baptized. Not even the bombs of the haters can stop the work that is being done, because it's God's work. It's a cool story, no? We left the church later that night, we locked the doors, and locked the outside gate, and walked away, nothing touched us, we crossed the worst neighborhood we have at night, being two white boys and we were not touched. So that was cool as well. We went to church that Sunday, and we still had a church standing, it sure is being protected, and so are we.

 Montevideo says hi. ;)

I feel like its a lot like the street to the capital building, so we walked like 20 blocks to get to it. 

 Me at the Congress Building, the Palace of Laws Uruguay Montevideo

light and darkness

Christmas in Montevideo Uruguay 

There's no Thanksgiving in Uruguay?

It's been a while, I am sorry for that, but here is a few basic updates. First, wow!! Yes, our wards split and that has been really good. And something even more awesome that happened that I had no idea at the time, I was asked to play the piano for the conference, so that was fun, yes? Yes- it was. There are only certain songs that I can play, only if I know them or whatever right. So I was asked without warning, I turned to the page, and every song that they had chosen for the sacrament meeting, I knew. I played the songs almost perfectly all of them, the rest hymn we stood and all that jazz, so that was awesome. The man presiding is our area Seventy, Marcelo Chappe. So that was really cool. I am so glad I got that opportunity to play for him. I thought he was part of the stake presidency, but no. ;) So that was that.

The days have been getting nice and toasty, so if you're in your homes freezing, just remember that there are people on the other side of the world that are boiling their brains out. ;) 

Tomorrow should be my last dr. visit, so keep that in your prayers. I would like that very much so ;) I am getting used to my glasses, I like them well enough, until it rains, then it's just a pain in the butt. Oh well. ;)

I can't believe that everyone is growing up so fast. I can't wait till I get to hold you all. 

TWO LEXIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait. JASMINE!!! I LOVE YOU FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD!!!

So long as grandma's house gets built before I get back, lets not have one of these eternal projects that we are known for. 

I pray that thanksgiving went well, and yep, it's not celebrated here, and these people have a holiday for everything, but not Thanksgiving ;( It was good enough, I did not even remember that it was here till it had passed, so I survived, but Christmas is a bit of a different story. So we`ll see what that brings. I'll see if I can't get you all caught up on the whole picture thing. ;) 

I love you all, and I am so very grateful to be serving here, to be a helping hand to my Savior. I am grateful to have you all apart of my family, to have your support through all of this, to know that you love me, and want the very best for me. I am so very grateful for this opportunity that I have to learn so much more about what the Lord would have me learn while I am out here serving. 

God Be with you all till we meet again, 

Vaya Con Dios, 

Elder Brewer

Tourist, Jesus Loves You‏

Me at the Uruguay Montevideo Temple‏

A military Base,‏ If you see in the corner, a guard is coming to tell me stop talking pictures ;)

sometimes I get sleepy‏

Lessons Learned

Oh, wow that is a medically fielded year. I pray that it gets better for you all. Cynthia looks so big!!
I can't wait to see all the new family that is waiting for me to get there.

This is Changes week and me and Elder Draper are staying together for another change. I am ok with that I guess. It just means that most likely I won't be leaving this area until Febuary and that is a long stretch. Oh well it will be ok. This change we get to call home!!! So I am counting the days for that. Las Torres is still Las Torres- we got the news yesterday that they are going to combine our ward with Cerro 1 who we share a building with. The two wards hate each other, on Sunday in ward counsel it was made quite clear where everyone stood on the subject. We have 4 missionaries in our ward, and 1 set in cerro 1 so now there will be 6 and our area is huge!! But it's all good- more places to know and become familiar with. Last week we went to Cuidad Viaja, and on the way back I was kind of leading the people, cause I knew (or thought I knew where to go) the busses to take and the streets that would lead us back to central to take a bus back to our area. The whole day was awesome. We had California Burrito and Buger King. Boy howdie is it expensive and now I understand the blessing that we have of free refills. 

I am trying to keep myself safe- it's hard when everyone around you tries to tare down your confidence, or sense of self security. You have to constantly be judging people, who is sketchy or who is ok. The saddest thing I have ever seen is the issue with the trash cans. Trashcans are like public markets. It's a free for all. I have seen everyone is the trashcans, from old old old people, to babies just learning to walk. There is always something in the trash that they can use to better their life a little. A senior couple told us that if we are throuwing away food, put it in a bag and hang it on the edge of the trash can so that they don't have to dig for it. The sad part is when you do that, not 2 minutes go by and the bag is gone. The things this mission teaches us, wow. We went to the fortalcia today. It's the famous light house here in Uruguay. It's nothing too grand, it was closed today so we could not go in, but we took pictures. 

I pray that all is well with everyone, in cualquier lugar. sé que estoy orando para ustedes, espero que ustedes son orando para mi. puedo sentir la amar que tu tenes para mi, y por esto, muchísimo gracias! Estoy muy agradecidos para tener la compañero que tengo ahora. El es un hermano para mi. gracies por todo.

Vaya Con Dios. y Quédense

Elder Brewer 

 Me and Draper in Ciudad Viaja

They are guards like in London, that can't move or say anything. This is at the Grave of Artigas. He is like George Washington here.

Halloween and Playing the Piano

Oh what a time its been here in Deo. I am learning to love my area, to love the people. I live barro las torras which  sounds awesome until you find out what kind of torras.  They are electrical torras so yeah, but it's fun I am getting used to it. I know the city buses now, so that's awesome. Because of all the dr's that I have been to, i know a lot of down town. We were supposed to go today to cuidad viajia again but we have zone conference tomorrow so we were practicing in the church for our musical number. I have to play "There is a Green Hill Far Away" and "Abide With Me Tis Even Tide". I have to play as they sing the first song, then I have to play the second song as a solo. Because I can't read music they want me to play it however I want to, a remix of sorts. It sounded really good today. I have been playing for the wards I have been in since I have been here. I have got much better at the hymns so grandma should be happy about that. ;)

Halloween was pretty scary here, our area is already pretty bad, now give the whole country a reason to go crazy, drugs,  devil worship, and whatnot make it a bit scary to go on the streets. Besides stupid people thinking they are cool with the Smart A comments nothing too bad happened. I count my many blessings.;) 

Yes I can now say as well that I have tried more parts of the animal that should not be eaten. the stomach, intestines, brain, and now the blood. Blood sausages are totally gross!!!!! Well, no it tasted fine, really kind of good, I just could not down the fact that it was blood so yeah, but I did try. So far there is nothing that i have rejected since being here, so that's a miracle! ;) 

I am doing really well, letters have been lacking, so have pictures from everyone. Don't you people be forgetting about me. ;) 

I miss you all, I hope you miss me, if you do show it ;) 

I love you, and thank you for all that you are doing, I feel your prayers and they are really needed, so thank you for them.

Vaya con Dios

Élder Brewer

 I love Facundo!

 The "Star" the Sun for Nelson Mandela

Alfajores Grandes!!

Elder Draper and I, Having an Asado

New Glasses

My new glasses and I ;) 

me, and Facundo (the Turtle)

me and the great Atlantic Ocean in Montevideo

Uruguayian living

 my bed net. ;)

yes that is a spider, and yes he was in our house!!!!!!!! Arachnophobia

My New Area

Right now I am in Cerro; it is so very different then Rivera- picture the Ghetto part of down town Phoenix. Then picture little old me, right in the middle, all day with nothing.. ;) Well I got all the host of heaven protecting me, so i guess that is something. ;) I can see the skyline from my area, and that is awesome. I can see the ocean, and I am about a 20 minute taxi ride outside down town Deo, which is good. It's getting warm, just like it's getting cold back home; that is weird. It's all good, I love the heat a million times over the cold, so I will be just fine for now. My new comp - elder Draper, is the greatest missionary that is in the field. I love him very much. He has helped me so much with my Spanish, I have come so far with him, and it's only been a week so I can't wait to see what will happen at the end of this change. Which it's by they way, my 6 month birthday, so I am totally excited about that. So if you all feel so inclined to write me  a special letter i would be very grateful for that.:) Everyone who is reading this, even if you just happened upon this blog on google, write me a letter!!!! I AM DIEING OUT HERE!!!!! With lots of love that is. ;) Change will need to be my new best friend, it has been hard and we don't get along all the time, but I am doing my best, I pray for my enamies, and it seems to help me at least. Maybe change will be good to me, maybe we can become the best of friends ;) ......yeah, or maybe not. ;)

I am still doing the whole doctor thing. Now that I am in Montevideo, I can do a lot more. With the doctors that is, my headaches still have not gone away and some nights are worse then others. But my love for this people goes all the way to the top, menos the doctors. 8/8/13 is when this whole thing started, and I am still dealing with it. I don't mean to point fingers, but HELLO PEOPLE; you can't tell me that is a tad ridiculous!!!!! Oh well, onwards and upwards. I will see if I can't send a pic or two real quick, if not, chow chow for this week, 

Basos 

basos 

Vaya Con Dios, 

Que pasen Bien 

Èlder Brewer

La Iglesia De Jesucristo De Los Santos De Los Últimos Días

Uruguay

A Classic pose ;) me and Elder Clark 

 A Classic pose ;) me and Elder Clark

Transfered!

I pray all is well with the big old happy family. I am hanging in there, these past few weeks have been such a roller coaster, from interviews to conference, to changes, to saying goodbyes. Onwards and upwards, vamos arriba!!!! I said goodbye to the city I grew to love this last Friday, it was the hardest thing I have had to do. I grew to love them, and to say goodbye took all I had. I know that the relationships that I created with ellos, will be with me for my life and for the vida que is coming. I got my change to Montevideo, Zona Cerro and the area Los Torres. I don't know what that all means, Cerro is the most dangerous zone in the mission, and it makes perfect sense to send this big brolly white boy to the city. ;) Oh well it is going to be fine. ;) I have fe- I leave tonight at midnight, and begin a new adventure tomorrow. ;) Tomorrow we'll discover what our God in heaven has in store! Besides that I am doing pretty good, I can feel your prayers, and I thank you eternally for them. I need them, and am thankful for them, I can't send pictures today but next week I will. See, I am going from a country bumpkin to a high rolling city boy. Wish me luck! ;)

Vaya Con Dios!

Elder Brewer

Searching for the lost

I am doing well, and awesome! Here is a bit of the work that we have been doing out in the vineyard of the Lord. Due to recent changes we have changed our focus from investigators to Menos Activos (less active). We need to double the attendance in the sacrament meeting. With our numbers out in Tranqueras being 15 in the sacrament meeting we need only to get it to 30, but that is a task a mile high. We have done our best looking for Priesthood holders, but all that we have are surly diamonds in the rough, and I mean rough but there is one, and he is who I am really working for. He is a menos activo, he has the Melchizedek Priesthood, he works in Brazil as a crane operator. With a lot of time away he quickly fell away, bringing with him a mistress and a child. After meeting with us a few times he has done all that he can do to come back. He has done all that he needs to be fellowshiped once more. He is now a strong member. He still has not received the Melchizedek, but he is on the way. There are those that have gone far, there are those who have just let go. We need to find all of them. Sometimes going out to find them is difficult, some are hiding under rocks, and won't come out to save there lives. Some have tasted of wonderful fruit and have been ashamed and want no part of anything but we work with them all. I feel like a firefighter, I don't want anyone in the great and spacious building when it falls. I want them all on firm ground by the tree where everyone else will be. My Spanish is now perfect, much much better. I was thinking about this, if I could go back to the CCM with the Spanish I have now, I feel like I could really learn something from the teachers, (sorry I am Uruguayan ) ( a person from Uruguay?) very distracted, and always going off topic. ;) I still  point a lot, and describe things in whatever way I can. At the baptism we had, I could not describe the Holy Ghost really well, so I just said something along the lines of when you do what you are told, when you follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost is very happy with you and he does a little dance.  Then I preceded to do a little dance so that everyone could see. 1, yes it was fun and cute, but that the Holy Ghost really is happy when we follow his whisperings 2. it showed that it is important to be happy. Even when the holy ghost comforts us when we are sad. we can all do a little dance to be a bit happier- since then, the members come up to me and say, "have you been listening to the holy ghost?" and start dancing. It's really cute and I always say SI!! and do my little dance. ;) It's super cute.

More Pictures

 Two places at once, the markers of Brazil and Uruguay.

 some views are worth it ;)

Me at the Temple Uruguay Montevideo.

S'mores

I love hearing all the new news. I loved the pictures, well I would have if they would have came through. The first one did but the other two did not. So if you would not mind sending those again I would be grateful. I am so excited to hear he is here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BRECKEN BREWER BLAKE!!!!!!!! I approve, you can tell him he has my approval, even more so if he looks like me. ;) I sent you a picture of me at a family home evening where we were making, yep you guessed it, S'MORES!!!!! Mom sent me the stuff, and man were they good! We are a few weeks late from Labor Day, but it was better than nothing. No one has ever had one, they see it on the movies, but never ate them before. So we are changing lives down here, one s'more at a time. ;) I don't have much time today, but just for an update, I am in Brazil again today. ( yep we are cool Vonda) The branch is struggling, but we are pulling the weeds. I will be sure to add more next week.

Love you tons, give Brecken a big kiss for me.

Elder Brewer

P.S I am going to Montevideo this Thursday for a dr. I will be fine, so don't worry about me. ;)

Tanqueras' First Baptism

So, a little update. ;) I have my new comp, I love him. He is Brazilian and is helping me a ton in both my Spanish and my Portuguese. He speaks English, but I don't talk to him. This past week has been totally hard trying to adjust, showing him where everyone is at, and being senior comp and all that. I am in Rivera right now. We went to Brazil early today, and played a game a futball, which is really just a game to kill the Gringos. We go to Masoller still, I love that. We are meeting totally awesome people and I don't want to leave. My Spanish is coming along, and I have found myself laughing so much more. I understand jokes, and now I am feeling a part of things. I am doing well with the whole new calling.  It is hard, now I feel even more responsible for the people in the rama now. We have been moved from just the president of the Elders Quorum, to counselor in the Branch Presidency, to the president as well. He is having a meeting with the stake president this Wednesday and then he will let us now exactly what we will be over. I am looking forward to it.

I hear that you are all getting big and fat, with babies that is, I am so excited. I  can't wait to see pictures. I still don't know what Kelsie is having , and that is super fun for me. I can't wait till November. I have talked about him/her to all of Tranqueras, so I better get pictures to show. ;)

That's  about all I can think of for now. Thank you for all that you do, and the prayers in my behalf. I hate to be selfish, but I needed them. Don't worry, you are getting your fair share of prayers from my end as well. ;)

Vaya Con Dios,

Elder Brewer

The first picture is the ghetto. We had to leave the church, but it took 6 hours to fill the font and the hot water heater would not stay on by it's self so we used the propane tank, and two primary chairs to keep the button pushed in.;)

Me and Camila and Elder Lamb and Gricelda 

Me posing as usual on the roof in Rivera Uruguay ;)
 

The Refiner's Fire

I am so excited to meet/see my new primo. That is a hard thing about being so far away but there is nothing greater than helping others have an eternal family, and enjoy the blessing we have already. ;) I love hearing all the things that are going on in your lives. Thank you so much for always emailing me. I am not super great at replying all the time but I just want you to know that I truly appreciate all that you do.

As for updates:  I have passed through a refiner's fire of sorts. A little miracle happened. I was talking with the president and he asked me what I wanted to do. He asked if I wanted to leave, I said no. I want to stay. The next day we got a call for changes. I was told I was staying here in Tranqueras, and that I would be the new Elders Quorum president. Had I left I would have missed out on this great blessing in my life. No I am still not perfect. There are certain things that I can't look at without getting a splitting migraine: tvs, headlights, computer screens for an extended period of time. I am on some medication now to try and calm it all down. I am waiting to know the dates for these tests. Two in Rivera, and one big one in Deo (Montevideo).  I am getting a new comp. I can't spell his name yet, so that will be in next weeks email but he is a Brazilian, which I am totally happy for. He will help me with my Spanish and Portuguese. I want to learn as much Portuguese as I can before I leave Rivera. I have come along way in my studying. I can read it almost perfectly but speaking and listening, and writing ain't happening. So we will see what more I can learn. My Spanish is coming along great. I know I speak better than I let myself believe. I am writing better in Spanish and my pronouncing of the words when I read out loud is getting better. It was hard. Very, very hard. I thought that it would be easy to learn the language when you are forced to. But it does not make it easier. It's so very hard but it is faster and for that I can endure a few months of hardship for the awesome end result of being fluent. ;) And for that I am happy. ;) We are still going to Masoller the town on the border of Brazil. We are teaching some people who live on the other side of the line so that is just totally awesome!;) The baptism was a miracle and was the greatest weekend on my mission thus far. I will send the picture. You have to see it to believe it but our church is really no more than a house. The font is ......indescribable. .....the whole thing is, it's a lot like home. Very ghetto. Very half put together, but if it works, that's all that matters . So for that I don't complain. ;)

I love you all so very much. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers in my behalf. I will try to get better so that I am not a bother. ;)

Vaya Con Dios.

Elder Brewer

Eye Trouble

Here is just a little update on a little adventure I had this past week. First, just know that I am ok, and all is well. Ok,so on Wednesday we were preaching the góspel the same as any other day. We got to the house of a menos active, we call him tio Billy. Anyways, we pass through the gate when a pain so so bad hits my eyes. It's like a burning pain that just kills. I sit down in his house as they try to get wáter in my eyes but it's not working. Then the pain begains to spread from my left to my right eye. It becomes unbearable. We call our misión dr. and she said that I need to get to the hospital right away. We are on the other side of town, it's 7:30 and I am blind. So we call a taxi. About 20 mins later he shows up and takes me to the hospital in Tranqueras. They try to calm me down but it is just not happening. They use some numbing thing. Elder lamb says I passed out at this point. I believe him. The dr. at the hospital says that I need to go to Rivera to see the dr. there. The last bus leaves from Tranquerase to Rivera at 8:00 and we were not going to make it. The dr. said if the pain comes back I can't get the medicine again, that it's better if I go to Rivera to see the dr. that night., but there is no way to get there. So we have no choice but to stay the night. I recieve about 50% of my vision again when we walked home. The medicine they gave me made me tired and so I just went straight to bed. We woke up at 5.30 to catch the first bus to Rivera. We had the Hermanas who had the hospital in their área meet us at the bus terminal. We walked to the hospital, waited for about an hour to be seen and we were seen by a Dr. assistant. He looked at me, gave me Tylenol and sent me away. The hermanas that were with us got mad at this and demanded that I see a real dr. He said he could not allow it for whatever reason which I was somewhat ok with. Not to say I don't distrust the hospitals down here, I just don't trust them. ;) Picture a WWII  MASH unit., that's about what it was. ;) He said I either had an alergic reaction to something, or a virus called quadras- I dont know. At night I still can't see through shadows and I have a headache that won't leave- We called the dr. for the misión again, and she said that I need to go back and see him in Rivera this Tuesday. So we will see how this goes.

I am fine, remember that, it's just an interesting time right now. ;)

Love you all,

Elder Brewer

Proselyting in Brazil

I am in Brazil again! We were given permission to go to different cities to preach. Because our area is the biggest in Rivera and because it's just me and my comp we get to spend time going to different cities that have not had missionaries before. One city that we came to was called Masoller. It has a border with Brazil so we contacted a house that was on the other side of the border line so now it's official: I have preached to 3 nations now! ;) 

My spansih is coming really well. There are times that I just cry it's so hard but I stay with it. I have come farther then I can see. My portugese is coming along well as well. I can read almost perfectly but I can't speak or hear it. But I can read it- so I am content with that. 

The people that live here are very very uneducated. No one goes to school. The high school that they have here is a joke. So it's hard to get people to read the scriptures. No one has teeth, so its super hard to understand them but I can understand people with no teeth better than I can understand people with only one tooth. So sometimes I think, "dude, just get rid of your one tooth, you are not useing it anyways."

I have my first real baptism for the 17th. His name is Filipe. He is 16 and I am so so excited. He has a friend named Diego that is taking the lessons. He really wants to go to the temple, but does not want to be baptized so we are working with him. Now that Filipe is getting baptized we will see if he will get baptized with him. We also have a 80 year-old (really she is 45 but people look so so old here ) that is for the same day if she will just go to church. The 17th is a stake baptism day so if we get them to be for sure to be baptized we will go to the stake center in Rivera to do the baptisms with about 20 other people who are getting baptized in the stake. I am so very excited. It's the first baptism that Tranqueras has had in about 6 months so I am glad things are starting to change. ;)

Montevideo

Me in Montevideo. I am not an Uruguayan,. I came down to the city to sign my residence papers, so that was super fun. Me and Nelson and Clark took an adventure to the coast. It was freezing like no other.

Tranqueras

OK, here is an update on me, in the small corner of the world called Tranqueras. I am doing well enough. I have been working on my Spanish, so that is coming along nicely. I spoke in church this past week, it was my 3rd in 6 weeks. So by this you can see the pool of people they have to choose from of who to call on to speak.  But I spoke of the story of the prodigal son. Because missionary work is so hard as it is, let alone with a branch that just does not care about church anymore, we have focused most of our efforts on the less active. This past week we had 40 people which is huge! The garage that we have church in was bustling with people so it was awesome. ;) The more we strengthen the members both active and less, we can then use them as a base for missionary work, bringing members to lessons and that kind of deal. Last week we took the youth to the cerro. The hike took about 6 hours, but it was totally awesome. Yes it is just a hill, but it was huge. Mirador means telescope or lookout. It was a look out tower that was at the top. What took so long was that it was about 5k outside of town and the kids walk slow. But it was awesome. I spent the whole time telling stories in very bad Spanish, but the excitement was there and I believe they understood me more than I think they did. I can't understand very well when kids talk, but I can understand when adults talk. Adults have a hard time understanding me, but kids understand me perfectly. It's weird, but its cool because I get to tell stories.

It's getting colder and colder. Humidity bites at you like no other. It's really just when the sun is gone. In the morning you can hardly get out of bed and at night, that's all you want to do. Sunday night we had a legit Uruguayan BBQ.  Because I was new I got to eat the food from the fire first. I would explain better with pictures, but my card for my camera was stolen. I took it out of my camera which is good, but the pouch that I had my card in is gone. It is only my card but I still have everything else. Luckily I had already put all my pictures on a flash drive before hand, so really I only lost a weeks worth. Still not very happy about it, but such is life I guess.

Today we got another group of people together to play soccer so we stayed in town again. People won't come to church but they will come out to play soccer, so we will entertain them today. The president's wife is super less active, but when I met her at the church just before she was about to leave, I told her that I was giving a talk and would like her to stay and listen. She was not happy but she stayed. President came up to me and said thank you, I don't know what for. I was just practicing my Spanish. ;) I said I wanted a big family here, and that in order to have a big family we needed to fill all the chairs with people. So in the past three weeks, we have had increasing and increasing numbers. One family that is coming back is a part member family and the girl is wanting to get baptized now that the family is coimg back. Them and a boy we are teaching is getting baptized next week, so I am super excited about that. He is my favorite right now because he has 7 brothers and sisters but no dad, and he is the only worker. He dropped out of school 3 years ago and he is only 16. The mom loves us because we are doing all of this for him, but really he is such a strength to me.

That's about it for now, more letters are coming so keep your eyes peeled for them. I pray all is well with everyone. and just know that I pray and think of you all always. I love your letters and the pictures help incredibly.

Love you all,

Elder Brewer

me on the Mirador del cerro de Sausal

Pictures Only

Me in Brazil

Posing by a barn

More Brazil

First Week in Uruguay

Well I have tons of pictures but this computer is retarded so, sorry. I am happy to hear it's getting warmer; here, its getting colder :) But I like it. I am in a logging town, literaly just down the Street is a log mill, one of those old ones. No use of new equipment or anything like that, very classic. I like it, hundreds of acres of trees are planted in straight rows, and every 5 years or so, they go and cut them all down for lumber. So they have thousands of acres of trees at diffrent stages, so it is really cool to see, both up close and from a distance. There is a STHIL shop here, so grandpa and dad would like that. Tons of CAT equipment as well. I truely am at home here. My comp is Elder Lamb from Canada. He is really young, he is only 7 months in the mission. Him and one other are the youngest trainers. It makes it hard for them and for us. He dose not know what he is doing, nor do i, so yeah ;) Living arrangements are somewhat sad, very humble. I have pictures but you will have to wait till next week when I go to Rivera.  Now the new experiences. I am about an hour from the stake center. The stake center is in Rivera. So every Tuesday we have to go there for district meetings. But for P-days we go down there on Monday, stay the night and go to the meeting the next day then come back home. So in Rivera, you can go into Brazil. We go shopping there, and eating, and it is awesome. I have pictures but alas they won't work. So just picture me in Brazil. So on this mission I got to go to tres countries!!!aaawesome! no? But we stayed in town this week. There are lessons that we miss on Monday nights, so we stayed for them.

 

I can't wait to see all my new cousins y sabrinos! This is just so awesome, so long as a new brother in law is not in the picture right now, I will be ok with new cousins only ;)

 

Thank you for the letters they do truly help.- I emailed grama and grandpa, I wonder if they got it.

 

Love you tons! and I can't wait to see everyone in 22 months!

 

Elder Brewer

Letter from the Mission

Dear Brewer Family,

We would like to inform you of the arrival of your son to the Uruguay Montevideo West Mission. He arrived here safe and sound this morning and met President and Sister Heaton. He will receive some training in the mission home to help him get to know the mission and feel comfortable in Uruguay. The missionaries will have lunch with the Heaton Family and, afterwards, he will meet his trainer and leave for his new area. It is such an exciting time for him, and we wanted to share it with you. We have included a picture of your son with President and Sister Heaton. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to get in contact with us. 

We thank you for all you have done as parents to help your son reach this point in his life.

Elder Noel Lopez

Executive Secretary

Uruguay Montevideo West Mission

CCM departure

I am leaving Tuesday morning for Uruguay around 4 or 7 I am not sure yet. The word on the street is that I will be able to call home. Whenever a missionary is traveling (distance) they get to call, so since we are flying we get to call.  Since we have been proselyting the time has gone by so fast, but I am definitely ready to leave. I have a solid ground in Spanish, and I know that the more I just talk in it the better and faster I will grow.  Every group of Latinos that come in I try to talk with. The first group, there was no talking; the second, more but nothing solid. This last group is awesome. I stayed up two nights ago just talking to a Peruvian about his life and I understood it all! That was awesome! So I know that I will get it, I just have to get there. Yesterday we got to go see Elder Q. L Cook, it was the first and maybe last time these Latinos would see an Apostle, and  the spirit in the meeting was just awesome. We got to meet him and shake his hand, it was just awesome. In Buenos Aires there are tons of riots going on, and so yesterday they got so bad that most of the highways were shut down. No one was allowed to go anywhere, so we left 4 hours early and took the crowed back streets in this HUGE!! bus to go see him at the South mission home. So because of that not all the missionaries got to go see him, but we were lucky enough to. It's a lot colder than you would imagine, but I am getting by. I only have 4 more days then the real work begins. While I have been here I have realized something, that I was called to the Buenos Aires CCM mission for a reason. There were people here that only I could teach, like my companion. I was the only one that he could have had to teach him. He still has a long way to go, but I believe that if he keeps doing all that he needs to that he will be blessed with the opportunity to fulfill all of what God needs him to do. I love and miss all of you so very much and pray for you always. 

Elder Brewer

Last Email from the CCM

I don't have time to talk too much today, but this is my last email from Buenes Aries. My time here was awesome, it was exactly what I needed. I grew to love everyone here so very much that leaving on Tuesday will be really hard.

Yesterday we saw Elder Cook. We got to meet him and shake his hand; it was so great to be there with an apostle.

I go out proselyting one last time here so on Saturday pray a little harder for me, I will need it.

My Spanish is coming along great. My English is beginning to crumble so badly so Bridgette had better edit these emails accordingly.

I leave for Uruguay Tuesday morning around 4 so midnight for you people. We are flying so keep me in your prayers for that. It's one thing to fly on an American plane, it's another thing to fly on a 3rd world charter plane, but I have faith in all things.

We just got out of the temple. It may be awhile before I get to go again, so I made today extra special. I understood 98% of everything that was said, which for me is huge. I saw the difference from my first Spanish session, and I know that when I do what I am told and work to preach the gospel in Spanish, my tongue will be loosed and I will have whatsoever things I stand in need of.

Again I love everyone. I pray for you and I know that you pray for me, I can feel them in my life daily.

Love always,

Elder Brewer

This is when I first got off the plane. No one was there to pick us up from the airport. Then I found these 3 who only spoke Spanish from Mexico. It was a hard first day, but for the rest of the time that they were here they were my best friends ;)

my new district

 me and my favorite comp Elder Nelson, and our comps

Argentina Temple

Ok, so here is a quick update. The weather is so so so so so so so cold!!!!!! I miss Arizona!! Whenever we get to use the computer I check and see what the weather is like back home, and you can definitely tell that its summer there and winter here. ;) It is always cloudy and rainy, we had really nice warm days when we first got here, so that made it nice. We are going to the temple later today, the temple is my favorite part. It is all in Spanish, but I learn even when I can't understand anything.

I have realized now and so much more then ever that the church is true no matter where you go, from Buenos Aries to New Zealand back home to Arizona, the church, this gospel, and Christ are the same yesterday, today and forever.

Proselyting was a blast, I loved it so much. We are getting a new area this Saturday so have me in your prayers for that. I have never been scared while I have been here, yes I have been in icky situations, but never scared. I know that this is just the beginning, and that I will have so many more awesome experiences to come.

It is getting down to the wire I have about 12 days left, the time has flown by. I don't know about you, but it has for me.  I am so blessed to be here. Not just on a mission, but here at the ccm. It is an extension of the temple and that is awesome. We are learning, living, and training here and in the temple. Like hello people that is pretty dang awesome! I am learning the language faster than I could have ever thought. I am loving the people deeper then I ever thought. I know that I will be home before I know it, so I will live it as best I can!

I love and pray about all of you. Read these letters at Grandpa's birthday camp. Let him and everyone else know that I love him and them so very much. Families are forever and this Gospel is true. I love pictures, so a group one of you camping will be much appreciated. ;)

You can fix the spelling as needed, I am in that awkward Spanish/English phase.

I love and pray for you always.

Elder Brewer

More CCM

Ok, I am doing well, they cut down on the horse meats so that's good I guess  ;) I got a letter from Bridgette from when it was stamped till I got it was two weeks so just keep that in mind. My day to day life is very routine: Up at 6:30, breakfast at 7, class at 8. We just moved districts. My companero is no longer district leader so I have full power now. New Latinos are coming in today so we are switching rooms, so yeah. I have pictures so I will try to send them. We will see how that goes. My class district has 12 people in it. This group of people you stay with for your stay so we learn the language together, we prosalite together, so it was sad when we broke up the district of Nife that I was in. Now I am in Mormon. On Saturday we have prosaliting  so I am scared about that. It will just be me and Watkins- I thought that we would get a missionary who is out there but no its just going to be us. They drop us off and tell us to meet them somewhere that night, and good luck. So that will be interesting.

I read and pray so often, my life now it seems is one big prayer. My companion has not firm understanding in the gospel, so our lessions we teach are slow because I have to teach him how to teach, or what to teach. So that as been frustrating on me.

Elder Nelson though is my best friend here. We are chainging into the same room, so that's nice. We are going running together during actividad, which is everyday, so that's awesome. I am not afraid of being mugged or robbed. I am afraid they will take my backpack. We are going in to downtown Buenos Aires south, which from what my teacher said is like Harlem of New York.

I hear the train all the time, so I like that. The temple is closed till next week, so on Thursdays staring next week we will get to go, so that will be awesome.

 

My past room mates came from Chile, they came from such humble circumstances that I was amazed at their faith. They left on Tuesday to go out, they only spend 2 weeks here. So in the hallway of the doorms we sang called to serve. We filled the CCM. it was just awesome. Everything is in Spanish of course. The hymns they sing are just beautiful. I love the way Latins sing. We try but we fail.

 

I play in sacrament meetings when they need me to. I get to take as many showers as I can, which usually come to 3. One in the morning, one during actividad and one at night. I am getting as many showers in as I can till I am stuck with using a bucket

 

The CCM is like a hotel, but way poorer then what we are used to back in the states.

All the rooms are one floor and each side has a bathroom with showers, all stalled and what not. It's nice enough and clean, so I don't complain. An Elder from my district, Elder Brown, loves LOVES the bade. I don't know how you spell it, the European toilet thing. I guess they are a big thing down here. I like them well enough, it's definitely something you get used to, not something you can just jump right on and enjoy.

 

Vaya Con Dios is a saying I came up with while I was here. It means Go forth with God. I like it and use it in all that I do.

 

I love you so very much! All of you Dad, Dana, Kelsie, Jonny, and of course Kayson. I can get pictures so send them as well  ;)

 

Your son with love,

Elder Brewer

Argentina MTC, aka CCM

Ok I don't have time to read anything so they let us print it out so I will read it when I print it. So I am here in Argentina, I love it here. The plane was a bit more stressfull then I wanted it to be. The keyboard is diffrent hear so if I misspell I'm sorry. I am settled in very nicely. Me and an Elder Brown from Utah are in the same district and we both struggle with Spanish so me and him are best friends. My compamion is Elder Watkins. He is from Nevada, and he is the district leader. I am the senior companero, so there is a bit of a power struggle between us. The CCM is what they call the MTC so I will as well. It is really, really small. It's really like a private school. There are only 80 of us here; 45 whites or Americans and 35 Latins. This is the first time in histroy that there as been this much of an outnumbering. My spanish is really bad, but I am working on it. I can say a prayer and now and I am learning how to translate what I want to say in a lesson into Spanish. The first day I got my companion, we were given a investigator, and had to teach them. I think I scared my companion I was crying because I was so frustrated at the fact that I can't speak what I want to. I dont like the no freedom bit; I have this companion next to me 24/7 and I am trying to get used to it. BIt he is awesome so I guess I can't complain too much. Everything is in Spanish here. I have yet to get rid of my headache that I have had since I arrived. We got to go to the temple so that was awesome. It is so beautiful. The temple is right outside my window, not 100ft away, so that is really awesome. During actividad, I run with Elder Nelson, Marys friend I was talking about. So we get to run around the temple and play volleyball and no one say anthing about it. It's like we are in an army and this is our HQ, wierd analogy but you get it.

Well I will talk about the food. It's better then alot of things, but way worse than everything else. The day I arrived it was hot I am tired and they had me a HOTTT bowl of soup. It took all I could to just say thank you. WE can HAVE SODA!! So I am happy on that end; we have had horse, cow stomach, and like horse intestine or something. I thought it was an egg, but no, no it was not an egg. I have two Latin companions who are from Chile, Elder Escubar and Elder Scotti, they are awesome. They help me with my spanish, and are very humble people, they leave in 4 days so we well get new Latins every 2 weeks. The Americans only come in every 6 weeks, so the group we have now is this American group. I like 90% of them so that is all good.

 

I miss everyone so so much, one hermana had a really hard time yesterday and me and my companero gave her a blessing, so that was awesome. I am glad that I am not that bad, I miss you all, but not to the point of not functioning. Being here I have learned that so many things don't matter; so many things are just unimportant. Only when I focus souly on what I need to do will I ever get things done.

 

I am about out of my time. Next weekend I get to go to  Buenos Aires to prosolote on Saturday, so pray for me, that day I might not get shot.

 

I love you so very much! please know that! I miss the trees, the mountains, the pond and yes the animals. I miss you and pray for you, please pray for me!

 

Till next Thursday,

 

Vaya con Dios!

 

Elder Brewer

Argentina!

I have safely arrived in Argentina.  I will email again next Thursday.

In the beginning

My life has been somewhat of a roller coaster, I have traveled the country, I have taken excursions to foreign countries. I have been in the presence of the leaders of this great Church. I have been called to serve in a country that I had previously never heard of. In the short time I had to prepare, I have realized that my knowledge of the gospel is seriously lacking. I know that I will be spiritually refined and physically strengthened. I know that I will fill the mantle of the responsibility that will be laid on me. I know that I will become the man that I know that the Lord knows that I can become.