LAB: I found him!

"...therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had ^bsearched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God." - Alma 17:2

Two Most Handsome Guys in Sao Paulo

  

Surprise! I tracked down Bjorn here in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Our group arrived Sunday morning and I took an Uber from the hotel to Bjorn's ward. I was so happy for the chance to meet up with him on his mission and return the favor. Although we did not play any videogames together this time, it was great to say hi to my Pasta Roni loving cousin. Can't wait till you get home in 6 months! 🙌 💪

Happy Bjorn

Bjorn with a tie from his mom and a few boxes of Pasta Roni that I smuggled him. Olive Oil & Italian Herb to be exact 🍝

Templo Sao Paulo

I visited the Sao Paulo Temple grounds to take a look around. Unfortunetly, everything was closed, but I managed to snag a photo of a Bird of Paradise flower (@RayGray @BevLouthan). I talked to a few members that were attending church next door and learned a little about Brazilian culture and business. English is the most common second language even though Brazil is bordered by several Spanish speaking countries. It's rare to find someone who speaks all three languages well.

A Capela Nossa Senhora Aparecida

We saw the beginning of mass at a Catholic Church. I think it was called A Capela Nossa Senhora Aparecida. I had never been inside a Catholic church so it was nice to finally attend the church that so many of my friends attend. The artwork on the ceiling was beautiful and quite magnificent. I could understand a Catholic finding other Christian chapels to be a little dull, especially compared to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints which have next to no (if any) symbols of Christ of in the chapel.

Monumento às Bandeiras

A famous monument called O Monumento às Bandeiras, the Flag Bearers Monument, represents four ethnic groups that form Brazil rich ethnic history: Europeans, Portuguese, Indigenous, and African peoples. The monument has fallen in the same light as Confederate Monuments in the United States. Many Brazilians find the monument to be inappropriate to portray Brazil's Indigenous and African history. 

Parque Ibirapuera

Next to the Flag Bearers Monument was a large manmade lake with an exercise track built around it. The area had originally been a swamp land until city planners planted hundreds of Eucalyptus trees to absorb the extra water. The area was then turned into an urban park and lake.

Carnes Mercado Central

This market has a lot of (unrefrigerated) meat and produce for sale. It is built inside of a large European style building.

Somos Educação

We had our first business visit to Brazil's largest education curriculum provider for private schools. We met with the CEO Mario Ghio who summarized SOMOS's products, financials, and history. SOMOS started out as a publishing house in the 60's and has aquired several brands as it transitions to a digital subscription company. They only provide resources to Brazil's private schools in order to avoid the corruption risks of working in the public sector (despite the public sector having many more students than private schools).

Beco do Batman

The following pictures are from "Batman Alley," which is a series of alleyways that comprise a street are focused neighborhood. There are tons of galleries displaying street art along with African and other ethnic styles. It was fascinating to be immersed in so many artistic styles in just a few blocks.  

Escadaria em Beco do Batman

Becoartes

Justin and I eating some fried chicken. It's really difficult to order when you don't know the language. I thought my Portuguese was better than that...

Mais Arte em Beco do Batman

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