Well, the week went by pretty well, I mean other than the freaking rain. It was miserable. Old shoes+water= wet socks from the moment you leave the house until you get back. Yeah. It's kinda terrible.
But other than that, we've been working hard. I'm trying to do my best. I've received news that just about all the other Elders from my group are "dead" already. haha It's hard but I'm still going strong, and now I'm on the last week! WOOO!
Um, this Sunday we got a reference who went to church, two brothers, one of them is living together with his to-be-wife. We taught them last night, and the brother who isn't living together we invited to be baptized this Sunday. He accepted. So, I should baptize, and I'm trying. That's my goal here. But, I don't know if I'm going to leave here on Saturday, or on Sunday, so I might not actually be around for the ordinance. =(
The other reference, Marcos, he's been working this week so we haven't made any progress with him. He couldn't go to church this week either which is really sad, but he'll get baptized after I leave.
We also had a scare with Dariana this week, the girl that we've been teaching. Like I said, she's really intelligent, and she already knows that it's true, but her activities in the Catholic church and her mom are holding her back. We ate lunch this week with the branch pres who knows her mom. He said that she called and didn't want us going by and teaching her anymore. Well, for 2 hours until we could go and talk to the mom, that was all I could think about. This was one of those people that I know God put in our way. I just couldn't accept that her mom would stop her progress. We were able to talk to her mom, and we resolved things. I don't think that she'll be baptized while I'm here either, but I know that she will be sometime.
This week we're going to work hard with this family preparing them (Antonio the brother that isn't "married") for baptism this Sunday,
Something cool that I learned in my study today, while reading the eternal marriage manual (trunky I know, but there's some good stuff) Elder Boyd K. Packer talked a bit about why it's important to wake up early. In the early morning of the day is when we are most likely to receive personal revelation because your mind isn't burdened with what happened during the day, your body is rested. He says it's the best time to ponder and reflect on many things. I thought it was cool. D&C 88:124 . . . cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.
I really like that scripture
Anyway, that's about it. Next week I'll be home. I want some Mexican food. And In n Out. Or 5 Guys, and I'm going to need some breakfast at Denny's that week as well. =D
As far as the young men go, I'll be able to help out when I get home. And they ALL should go on missions. Even if they don't have a really strong testimony because they'll gain it in the MTC. It's way spiritual. School and work can wait. We were talking about it this week and that's kinda why going with 18 was such a good idea from the prophet. That year from 18-19 is when a LOT happens in the life of a young man, and school, work and other good opportunities open up for them tempting them to not go on a mission, along with other temptations. But like the scriptures say, Seek ye first the kingdom of god, and ALL these things shall be added unto you. I believe what Christ said is true, and that's good enough for me.
Thanks for supporting me. Love you all, see you soon. =)
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Monday, September 9, 2013
Nova Venecia - Week Four
Well, we had some trouble that we had to resolve this week with the other elders here, so now it's just me and my companion for the whole city. wweeeeeeeehhh.
Other than the few momentary setbacks that we had dealing with that, the week was pretty good. We did some great work here. We starting teaching a few member referrals, who are pretty awesome. One of them, is named Marcos, and the missionaries taught him a little while ago but never went back. We talked with him this week with his member friend and he told us that he has been reading the Book of Mormon by himself, and that he prayed and feels that it's true. He said that since he's been reading the Book of Mormon his life has changed, everything is just better, and he's making changes in his life. He wasn't able to go to church this week because he had to leave for work, but he promised that this week he will be there. We are going to invite him and his daughter who recently started living with him to be baptized when we visit them tomorrow.
We had another good referral from members this week as well. We showed up to visit the members and their neighbor was there, he had never been taught by the missionaries but had visited church once. We taught him a really cool lesson, and we marked to come back. It was very good.
Saturday was the branch activity, (Saturday was independence day here so there was literally nothing to do in the city) which was really cool, we left in the morning, and while we were there we played ball, had some barbecue, and the members (not the missionaries) swam in the river which was really nice. I wanted to but....oh well.
Me and my companion and another member cut down some coconuts to drink/eat. Really good.
We played more ball, and then after a while we came back home. it was a good way to spend the day. There were a few investigators there so we made the best of it.
Sunday was pretty crazy. We had 29 non-members at church. The branch president is really working. He teaches a class at the police academy, and he invited his students to come to church. There were so many of them that we couldn't even get all their addresses! It was pretty good though,
But yeah, that was basically our week.
We are working hard, I don't really want to leave the area without a baptism here, so that's what we're working for. It's going to come pretty close...
Love you all, in a few days I'll be with you again!
Other than the few momentary setbacks that we had dealing with that, the week was pretty good. We did some great work here. We starting teaching a few member referrals, who are pretty awesome. One of them, is named Marcos, and the missionaries taught him a little while ago but never went back. We talked with him this week with his member friend and he told us that he has been reading the Book of Mormon by himself, and that he prayed and feels that it's true. He said that since he's been reading the Book of Mormon his life has changed, everything is just better, and he's making changes in his life. He wasn't able to go to church this week because he had to leave for work, but he promised that this week he will be there. We are going to invite him and his daughter who recently started living with him to be baptized when we visit them tomorrow.
We had another good referral from members this week as well. We showed up to visit the members and their neighbor was there, he had never been taught by the missionaries but had visited church once. We taught him a really cool lesson, and we marked to come back. It was very good.
Saturday was the branch activity, (Saturday was independence day here so there was literally nothing to do in the city) which was really cool, we left in the morning, and while we were there we played ball, had some barbecue, and the members (not the missionaries) swam in the river which was really nice. I wanted to but....oh well.
This is the river that cuts through the city.
Yeah. I walked on the water.
Me and my companion and another member cut down some coconuts to drink/eat. Really good.
My comp fell out of that coconut tree twice, and i fell out of it once.
All for a little coconut milk!
We played more ball, and then after a while we came back home. it was a good way to spend the day. There were a few investigators there so we made the best of it.
Sunday was pretty crazy. We had 29 non-members at church. The branch president is really working. He teaches a class at the police academy, and he invited his students to come to church. There were so many of them that we couldn't even get all their addresses! It was pretty good though,
But yeah, that was basically our week.
We are working hard, I don't really want to leave the area without a baptism here, so that's what we're working for. It's going to come pretty close...
Love you all, in a few days I'll be with you again!
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Nova Venecia - Week Three
This week it was hot. Instead of having crazy weather, it
was just hot. Like it is there. But the sun just burns! Literally!
We waited for lunch. In the sun.
We traveled to Nanuque this week for zone conference. it was in the middle of the week, so we had to leave on Thursday to get there. It was a 3-ish hour bus ride. And then we had 8 elders staying in the same house. 6 was our district. so, we had to share 3 mattresses. Woo!
Zone conference was pretty good. I liked it. It was a lot of the same stuff. It might be because I'm almost going home. Cool part: I reunited with one of my best friends! Elder Blackwelder! Yay! it was pretty great. We had time to hang out and catch up. Really awesome.
Other news this week.
This week was the first, and last time that I visited another church here. We visited a church really popular here called the Maranata church. It was lame. haha They sang for like half an hour, and the "preaching" was half a verse of the bible that didn't have any doctrinal substance to it.
Um, yesterday was my last fast and testimony meeting on the mission. So I bore my testimony.
Last night we also had a really good fireside about members and missionary work. It was really good, all 4 of the missionaries talked, and mine was really awesome. =) I talked about simple things that we can each do to be a member missionary.
We are finding some really good people to teach here, I'm really excited to finish out strong these last three weeks. And that about it.
Love you all.
This week was the first, and last time that I visited another church here. We visited a church really popular here called the Maranata church. It was lame. haha They sang for like half an hour, and the "preaching" was half a verse of the bible that didn't have any doctrinal substance to it.
Um, yesterday was my last fast and testimony meeting on the mission. So I bore my testimony.
Last night we also had a really good fireside about members and missionary work. It was really good, all 4 of the missionaries talked, and mine was really awesome. =) I talked about simple things that we can each do to be a member missionary.
We are finding some really good people to teach here, I'm really excited to finish out strong these last three weeks. And that about it.
Love you all.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Nova Venecia - Week Two
Doing a service project--helping clean the school were we use internet for free.
Coolest pic of the week.
Nova Venecia after the rain.
Well, this week was kind of a slow week in terms of work, we had a few disappointments with some of our investigators, who lost interest, or didn't go to church, and stuff like that. We haven't had that great of a week in terms of work, and the weather here has been crazy. It rains in the morning, and then gets hot, and then rains, and then sun, it's kinda crazy here.
But yeah, we were kinda sad. The family that went to church last week, lost a bit of interest, and had some problems, and didn't go to church this week. Neither did the other families that we were teaching. We only had one person in church this week, who is an old investigator, but we're going to go back and start teaching her again this week.
The branch here could use a little energy boost here. This branch has been here for like 13 years, and only has around 50 members in church each Sunday. We don't have a chapel here either. So, we been visiting a few members to help them get excited to do some missionary work, and help reactivate some members as well. Last Sunday we had a meeting and the leadership really liked an idea that I gave, so they're working with that now. I hope they have success. The district here is depending on this branch to form a stake here.
I really want to end my mission on a high note as you said, but some days are just really hard. I talked with my companion and this week we are going to work really hard these last few weeks. I really don't want to leave this area without baptizing, so that's my new goal.
Well, that's about it for this week I guess. We're going to work really hard this week. =) its going to be great. Looks like everyone's having fun. I think it's crazy how much everyone's grown up. haha
Love you all, talk to you all soon. haha =) That's awesome.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Nova Venécia - Week One
Well, I wasn't really happy about being transferred. I have actually been missing my last area a lot.
I am now in a small town in the north of the state called Nova Venécia. And its really small. Basically downtown is in the middle of a bowl, a river goes through the middle of the town, and its uphill on all sides. It's just a small branch here as well. President took me out of a huge ward and put me in a tiny branch.
My new companion is Elder W. Silva, who is pretty new on the mission, he only has a few months. He was in the Brazilian army before the mission. He doesn't talk all that much, which is a lot different from my last companion. Basically, everything is different! The people here are different from out in the bigger city of Vitória. I'm not really liking it as much as my last area, but during this week and the meetings that we had, I can tell that they need some help and that I can probably make a difference here. So I'm going to keep busy here.
This week we didn't have that much time to work, Monday, we just said goodbye to everyone that we could, Tuesday, we had transfers, the bus going to my area left at 11 at night, so I hung out in the other elders there.
We got in late, and we started the work. This week we had a lot of investigators in church, a family that the other elders were teaching, We are also teaching some really good people this week with a lot of potential. We found a family of a mom, and her three kids, two of them are in the teens and are listening to our message. They are really great.
Unfortunately, this week, we won't be able to work that much because we have to travel to zone conference. But that's all right.
I'm just going to try to do my best here before the end.
To dad, about the young men and the mission, I know a lot of elders here who are on the mission just because of the family or because it's what the church expects, but they all have found purpose here on the mission. There are a lot that come without testimony, but it's something that the gain here. It's definitely worth going just because it's what the prophet says we should do. That alone should make us go. But the elders who come with desire are one step ahead. It's all about humility and doing what god wants us to do.
But yeah. I guess that's it for the week. The pictures aren't working, but I'm trying to send them
Love ya
My district. My new companion is on the far right.
One of the hills in town.
My new companion is Elder W. Silva, who is pretty new on the mission, he only has a few months. He was in the Brazilian army before the mission. He doesn't talk all that much, which is a lot different from my last companion. Basically, everything is different! The people here are different from out in the bigger city of Vitória. I'm not really liking it as much as my last area, but during this week and the meetings that we had, I can tell that they need some help and that I can probably make a difference here. So I'm going to keep busy here.
This week we didn't have that much time to work, Monday, we just said goodbye to everyone that we could, Tuesday, we had transfers, the bus going to my area left at 11 at night, so I hung out in the other elders there.
We got in late, and we started the work. This week we had a lot of investigators in church, a family that the other elders were teaching, We are also teaching some really good people this week with a lot of potential. We found a family of a mom, and her three kids, two of them are in the teens and are listening to our message. They are really great.
Unfortunately, this week, we won't be able to work that much because we have to travel to zone conference. But that's all right.
I'm just going to try to do my best here before the end.
To dad, about the young men and the mission, I know a lot of elders here who are on the mission just because of the family or because it's what the church expects, but they all have found purpose here on the mission. There are a lot that come without testimony, but it's something that the gain here. It's definitely worth going just because it's what the prophet says we should do. That alone should make us go. But the elders who come with desire are one step ahead. It's all about humility and doing what god wants us to do.
But yeah. I guess that's it for the week. The pictures aren't working, but I'm trying to send them
Love ya
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Cariacica - Final Week
This is an older photo on the train track
Division açaí with Elder Cruz. I was on a conference call with the other zone leaders
Well, this week has been a really busy week. First off, the bad news. I was really not expecting it, but, I was transferred. =( I was pretty disappointed, but what can I do? I was really hoping to stay until the end here. My companion and I, and one of the other missionaries in my house were transferred. Lame. That means I'll only have one transfer in the next area, which will be my last. Next week you'll find out where I am.
The good news, we baptized this week!
Remember how I was talking about Edilson and his family? Well this week his mom, Sueli decided to follow the answer that Heavenly Father gave to her, and she was baptized on Saturday, with her other son, Edimilson. Edilson was baptized on Sunday because he was working on Saturday. But it was really great. We were happy that they decided to be baptized. It was a great way to end a transfer.
We also had a really great activity this week at Natalia's house. We have been trying to help her be baptized since we got here. We had a "family home evening" with some of the other youth of the ward. It was really good. We talked about the importance of being an example, and then we ate! But the best part was that we were able to talk to her dad, and gain his trust, basically. Because the only reason why she's not baptized is that her dad wouldn't let her. So its lame that we were transferred. Now others will have to carry on with the work.
We worked really hard just for that baptism to happen. Now that it did, we're really happy. I'm glad that we were able to help the people out that we did. We also had some good experiences with the members this week. We talked with a couple about being casual in our church activity. It was just a normal conversation, but it really helped them and they thanked us for our visit. That's the kind of work that I like to do with members, =) and they promised to give some referrals and start (again) helping out more in the work.
One other cool thing this week. We were led to teach a family. Last week, we were walking by, and I felt like I needed to knock on a certain door. We talked to a woman there named Gloria, and she told us to come back later. So this week we did. We found out that they had already talked to the missionaries, they really liked the church, but weren't baptized, and this last week, her grandson had died, and they were needing some uplifting. We talked to her, her son (the father of the one that had died) Joel, and Wallace, another family member. It was a really great lesson where we talked about Jesus Christ and the Atonement. It was really great, and I know that doors will be opened for them as they receive the message of the gospel again.
I guess that's about it for this week. I have to pack my bags one more time before the end. I'm going to give my best these last few weeks and not slack off like I could be doing.
But yeah, I'm probably going to be traveling all day on the 24th and I'll only get home on the 25th. I'm going to arrive in the San Diego airport. I'll get more details in a few weeks.
It's crazy to think how big the other kids are. I'm going to be the shortest in the family. Except for you mom. haha But that's fine.
Love you all!
Monday, August 5, 2013
Cariacica - Week Five
My comp and I having some açaí.
I've been with my old comp from Paraguay, Elder Delgado!
We had burgers for lunch this week. They were goood. And I got a hair cut.
We cut it at home because I didn't have money. We weren't going to cut it so short,
but the cutter was lame. So we took it all off. haha
We had a lot of people in church as well. We had 8 people at church on Sunday! It was a lot. And it was good because it was testimony meeting.
Well, Edilson, who I talked about last week, went to church with his family, Ramon, and Edimilson and his mom, so we're going to for baptism this week. We'll see how it goes. But they really liked church, and we've been having some really good lessons with them.
I also told you about Richardson last week as well. He and his mom went to church this Sunday as well. He really liked it. He payed a lot of attention to everything. We had taught him the day before about the restoration. He really wants to find the truth so that he can follow and serve. Which is awesome. Something that was really cool that he said was that he knew that we had a testimony and that we knew that our message was true because of our invitation to pray and ask God. He wants that confirmation as well. We'll try to mark a baptismal date with him for this week as well.
We found a really good family of 6 this week as well. The father's name is Claudio, and he was really receptive to the message. He said that when we were teaching him about Joseph Smith and the first vision that he got goose bumps. He was really funny, was talking about how if he prays and sees God and Jesus Christ that he will be a faithful servant like the prophet. haha He couldn't come to church this week, but he will come this next week.
Well we're working really hard here, I'm trying to give my best for the last 7 (=D) weeks of the mission. I enjoy feeling the spirit and helping others come to know the truth.
Love you all, thanks for everything. =)
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