'Twas the week before Christmas, when all through Manaus, All the missionaries were working, teaching in every house; Their clothes were neatly pressed and hung with great care, In hopes of a baptism that soon would be there; The missionaries were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of teaching lessons and people danced in their heads; And Elder Ammon on one bed, and I on the other, Had just settled down for a regular night... what rhymes with other? When out on the street there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen rain, Gave the whole scene such a strange sight below, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a firey flame, and crazy, drunk men in the act of "jeer", With a little old driver, so shifty and quick, I knew in a moment it must be... a terrorist act. More rapid than eagles they came and attacked, And they whistled, and shouted, and smacked; "Now, Gasoline! now, Fire! now, throw in the bomb, and let´s get farther! On, it goes! on with the flame! on, let´s get away without any blame! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!" As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So up to the house-top, the flames they flew, With the little building they blew up too.. And then, in a twinkling, I heard down the road, The screaming of sirens of the police as they rode. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, I said it wasn´t my business, and continued to sleep on the ground.
Ok, so info on this strange story. First off, I am not a witness to anything, but the other night one of the little street vendor hamburger joints just down the road from us got blown up in the middle of the night. I didn´t know until the next day. I slept through the explosion. Second fact, I have a bed, so I am not sleeping on the ground. But, basically, some guys came driving up in the middle of the night, soaked it with gasoline, then threw a small bomb in it and it was nothing but a bunch of gravel and blackened bricks a little later. Cool Beans.
This week was pretty good for us. We are getting the wedding for Neto and Sandra going sometime next week we hope. Doing the wedding papers is stressful. I don´t remember if I told how we met them. Neto and Sandra live in a house filled with people that Elder Gannon and I were teaching last year. We passed by a few weeks ago and I was like, hey! I remember this place. Why did we stop teaching here? So we went back and basically we began to teach about 10 people of the same family. Most of them are marked for baptism during this month starting this Saturday and part of January. Cool stuff.
We had a Multi-Stake Conference this Sunday. It was for the entire Northern Region of Brazil. Elder Anderson and Pres. Uchtdorf did a transmission. There was the YM pres and Elder Stanley G. Ellis, also. Elder Ellis and Elder Anderson speak Portuguese! They spoke mainly about the blessings that will come with having a temple close by (Manaus and Forteleza). We didn´t manage to have time to see the 1st Presidency Christmas Devotional...
On Dec. 22 we will have the Mission Christmas Conference. All the missionaries are to do group talent shows in districts or zones. Our zone is going to do the Christmas Birth of Christ Play. My district is the shephards. yay! ShEeP!
But yes, all is well in Zion. Sorry for the lack of creativity on the poem. I sort of lost it after a bit and my mind went blank.
Have an awesome week! Love you all!
-Elder Tenney
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