I am sitting on a tiny swivel chair with my
man-purse in my lap, staring at a computer screen between two tiny cubicle
walls. On the other side of the left wall, my companion is doing the
same thing. The room that I´m in is rectangular & the walls are
painted red and white. The computer I´m using is one of seven, lined up
against one of these walls. There´s a mirror behind each monitor. On the
far end of the room there´s a big cubicle housing the woman who runs
the lan house.
A
lan house is just a place with a bunch of computers which you pay to
use. There are two in Xanxerê. The one I´m using right now is the worse
of the two (the other one has better computers and is cheaper) but this one opens in the morning and it´s much closer to our
apartment. 
 |
| A lan house in Brazil |
I´m pretty jealous of Catriel getting to go to a zoo! There´s nothing much interesting to see or do here.
[I told him a story about the primary class I teach at church.] I had to teach a primary class while I lived in Chapecó. The kids just laughed at my accent and asked what was wrong with me.
 |
| (Dan Gordon SuperKatt comic) |
The new carpet looks great in the pictures you sent, Dad. I remember how devastated I was when you re-carpeted in Hemet. [He was six years old at the time.] A change of carpet is not as
life-shattering for me now!
Yeah, sorry about the state I left my room in. I´m sure the closet will be a terror to deal with. One thing the mission has given
me is an inability to tolerate a messy desk; my organizational skills
have improved dramatically. So my room won't decay like that again
when I come back. I´ve also gained the ability to wake up in the morning and not be lethargic. I´ve discovered that my mold allergy was mainly to blame for that.
You won´t be true empty nesters until Catriel and I both get married; we´ll be home between college semesters! 
I remember Lynn & Dave and their "Chouse." Glad to hear they´re doing well.
Apparently
the mission president doesn´t bring packages with him when he does
interviews, so I´ll probably get it at this next zone conference.
Don´t
have much by way of stories. We had another big rainstorm yesterday. We´ve
got two investigators who have set a baptismal date but neither of them
showed up to church yesterday. Still trying to help less active
families. (Lots of people have problems with alcohol here.)
There´s stuff to do
here and we´re seeing some progress, finally. I´ve been in Xanxerê for
four whole months now and I´ll stay here till at least the beginning of
March; doesn´t seem real!
Love you Mom! I miss you a lot! Thanks for writing me each week! Love hearing from you! 
Talk to you next week!
Um braço e um beijo! 
(A hug and a kiss!)
Elder Duffin
