Member Visits

In the office this week we have been trying to organize things for our replacement couple who should arrive in August. Meanwhile, we had two excursions this week. Thursday was a holiday (Corpus Cristo) so we wanted to visit Val whom we taught in Salt Lake and Saturday we visited Cintia in her new home.

We started Thursday morning with an American breakfast at the Zauggs. It included bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, and pancakes (Diane made some gluten-free pancakes for Sister Thomson and me - delicious).

Yummy breakfast

Missionaries like to eat

From there we went to the São Paulo Transportation Museum. It was a bus ride and two metro rides to get there. It was also an area of town we have never visited. There were 15 Americans going in a gang (a Mormonada). It had some old bondes (streetcars) like we used to ride in Porto Alegre.

The Mormonada on a bonde

Let's go for a ride

It also had a lot of other memorabilia from the olden days in Brazil.

What does this bell do?

 After the museum it was lunchtime so we went to a nearby Shopping to find something to eat. I can tell we have been in São Paulo too long because it was Diane who led everyone else to the shopping even though it was new territory for her.

It's almost June - corn season

Following the leader - Diane

Fun toys at the Shopping

Our afternoon plans were different from the other couples so we headed out on our own. We crossed the mighty (stinky that is) Tiete River and the Margenal (a highway of 11 lanes on one side of the river and 13 lanes on the other side). 

Rio Tiete and the Margenal

 We went to the closest metro station. There was a festival today for Corpus Criste, which had thousands of people attend. Most of them were in the metro station.

Tiepe metro station

 Two more metro rides and a train ride took us to São Miguel Paulista where Val lives. While we were serving in the Salt Lake South mission we were able to help the missionaries teach Val. she was baptized in Salt Lake then returned to São Paulo. We have been trying to find the opportunity to visit her since we arrived in Brazil. We finally did it. All we had was an address, but we found her house - and she was home.

Val's house

We were also able to talk to her husband about the church.

Val and her husband

 She wanted to show us the chapel where she attends church so we were able to take a walk through the neighborhood. This is the farthest east we have been in São Paulo, which is strange since we are officially in the São Paulo East mission.

Jardim Romano Chapel (São Miguel Paulista stake)

Street art in the Vila Mara neighborhood

 When we ended our visit we took a train, two metro rides, and a bus ride to return to our apartment. We went past some of the areas in the São Paulo East zone, such as Brás, Mooca, and Tatuapé.

Waiting for the metro at the Brás station

On Saturday we went with Emerson and his family to see Cintia's new house in Indaiatuba, which is close to Campinas. She rides a bus to and from work every day, about a 1.5 hour ride each way. We stopped in Jundiaí on the way so Emerson could deliver a package to a friend for his daughter who is serving a mission in Campinas. 

A package for a missionary

Cintia and her family live in a nice condominium. There are many nice homes there, away from the busy life in São Paulo.

Cintia's house

Swimming pool in the back yard

There is not a lot of yard room so they put their grass on the roof. 

A game of golf anyone?

They fixed a churrasco for lunch. A grill is a must for every house.

Meat is on the barby

Cintia and her husband

 Cintia also has two daughters and a dog.

Cintia's family

 We then went for a walk around the condominium and the playground.

Rest time for Emerson's family

I was able to be a child again and play with the kids.

This totter doesn't teeter so well

Pirates raid the castle

 It was a beautiful area - tempting to move away from the city.

A flower among the flowers

 Laura bright a ball along so we played futebal in the street as we returned to the house.

Soccer with no goal

 We really enjoyed our very relaxed visit. We need more of this.

Cintiq's house party

 On the way back we stopped at a highway convenience stop. This one was decorated as an American 50s malt shop.

Taxi anyone?

The São Paulo 5th ward had an activity to honor the sisters. The men prepared a meal and served it to the sisters in the ward. We were late getting back from Indaiatuba so we were 1/2-hour late for the activity, just in time for it to start.

Para Elas (for Hers)

Sister Shumway and Sister Wheeler

Diane has a special friend who comes up and gives her a big hug while she jabbers away. Diane doesn't understand anything she says, but they are friends.

Friends

So things are winding down, but still keeping busy.