Nova Venecia - Penultimate!

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. =)

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.

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!

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. 

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.

Nova Venécia - Week One

Well, I wasn't really happy about being transferred.  I have actually been missing my last area a lot.

 My district.  My new companion is on the far right.

One of the hills in town.  

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

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

Hey family, how's it going?

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!

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

Well, this week has been a really busy week. This week we didn't travel all that much so, yeah we did have time this week to teach in our area. We actually found some really great people to teach this week too.

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. =)

Cariacica - Week Four

 My comp and I went to the beach!

Not really.  We had to come to this beach city to do an interview.

There isn't anyone at the beach because in Brazil, it's WINTER!

All right, so here's what's going down this week. So we had a lot to do in the zone this week. It was really rushed.

So about the zone, its pretty dang big. It's the biggest in the mission. We have 23 missionaries, nine of them sisters. The zone has like four cities, Cariacica, Cachoeiro de Itapemerin? We just call it Cachoeiro, Anchieta, and Guarapari which are beach cities. So we have done a lot of traveling the last two weeks.

This week we went to Anchieta in the morning to do an interview with a guy named Wesley. He was baptized this Saturday.

As an LZ, I have to call a lot of people. That is about it. haha. No, we do some training at the start of the transfer, that's why we had two zone meetings. We had to do it in two different cities.

This week we found a lot of people to teach. The zone baptized a lot this week as well. We could have had more, but we faced some setbacks.

We found one guy who was just prepared for us. It was really funny. His name is Edilson. We did a contact with him in the street. He's only 16 but had gone to church once by himself and really liked it, but never went back. That same day we went and taught him, his brother, and 18 year old that lives there, and Edilson's mom. It was really good. In the upcoming weeks they will be baptized. =)

We worked hard this week.

Sorry I don't really have anything super cool to share this week.

Thanks for everything fam. I'll be home soon.

Cariacica - Week Three

Well, I have noticed that I have grown a lot here on the mission. One thing that I have learned on the mission, I always thought that the mission would make you a different person. That's always what everyone says, “oh you come back different!” But what I have come to realize on the mission is that you don't change. You are still you. What the mission does is kinda filter out the parts about you that aren't that good, and helps the good things, (a.k.a. Christlike attributes) become more apparent in your life. And that's how I've changed.

One of the big things that I have come to realize as well, Like the children's songbook says, "by this shall men know ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." (I guess that’s in the scriptures, too!) I have really tried to apply that in my life. I know that I'm still not perfect. I'm still the same person, just a better version of me. =)

This week we had zone meeting twice. My companion and I had to travel to another city, it was like a 3-hour ride there and back, but it was a really great meeting. The Spirit was there really strong.

Toward the end of my mission I am really learning to recognize the influence of the Spirit, the moment that he is present. And that really helps in the lessons. Our investigators know that they are feeling the Spirit too. It's really good.

We have a few investigators that are progressing, and we just got some really good references yesterday for some families that have a ton of potential.

Do you help the missionaries out? If you don't, you should. Because the work doesn't go forward really quickly without the member's help. And that's what the prophet is wanting to change. Remember Elder Anderson's conference talk: Paint a missionary tag on your heart!

We are having fun, and feeling the Spirit.

Looks like you're all having fun. If we don't do fun things when I'm around I'm leaving the family and finding another that includes me in the fun activities. haha kidding.

Love you all.  I'm doing my best here.

Cariacica - Week Two

Well, this week has gone pretty well, I guess. I'm working really hard, but we're still having a few problems here with the area, a.k.a. we don't have a big teaching pool yet. So we are walking a lot and talking to a lot of people to try and see if someone wants to talk to us.

So, last week, we helped a woman named Raquel up her hill with grocery bags. She appreciated the help, and we taught her really quickly and marked to come back. Anyway, she went to church yesterday, and she really liked it. We have been teaching her a lot, and she Knows that what we teach is true. She accepted to be baptized, but didn't want to mark a date yet. She is really awesome. And she's really using her faith because Satan is really trying to get her to not go and stuff like that. The night before going to church she had a dream and saw the church exactly how it is but people were doing weird spirit things in the chapel, and it really scared her, but she went anyway, and saw that it was nothing like what she dreamed. She was impressed by everything in the church. We have been teaching her son Felipe as well, and he will progress as well. He really likes what we're teaching him.

Other than them, we have a few new investigators, but we don't know how its going to be. I'm going to make a lot of cookies today for our zone meetings that we have to do in two different places, because the zone is really big. But its going to be good. We're going to lose a day of work in cachoeiro (another city close) to do the meetings there, but the bus ride is a few hours long. we'll spend the day doing a division with the other elders there.

We're working really hard, and the ward here is really big! I've never seen any other this big on the mission! It really helps in the bringing investigators to church part.

We also had our zone counsel this week, with president. It was pretty good. They talked a lot about how the prophet has asked to speed up the work.

I guess that's it with the mission work. We're working hard here. There are some days that I'm just super tired, but I get through it.

Love you all.

Cariacica - Week One

Well, my week has been really busy so I haven't really had time for much thinking about anything but missionary work. haha

This transfer, to my disappointment, I was called as a Zone Leader. My new companion is Elder Tavares, he's from the south of Brazil and only has 11 months on the mission, but he's really cool. We've had some really good talks about some things, and I can tell that we are going to get along. We have some of the same opinions about missionary work and about the Lord's way of leadership. So I'm kind of getting used to being a zone leader and using the chance that the Lord gave me to improve a little more before I go home. I also think that it will help me work hard until the end.

So a few things, what kind of haircut is that Zack? I can't tell if its like Mexican, or like UFC fighter . . .  Anyway, Mom, I also think that the pizza sandwich is the most effective way to eat a pizza. At least Little Caesars. Way to go Drew. Like a boss. Good job on having spiritual experiences. Now you just need to work up the personal desire to go on a mission. The Elders that are here because they want to are one step ahead of the ones that go because someone else wants them to.

Anyway, we've had a good week of work. It's actually been really spiritual. And the ward here is huge. Pretty cool.

We have been teaching a girl named Natalia, who is 15 and has been going to church for a while. She hasn't been baptized yet because her dad doesn't agree with it . . . yet. =) she told us that she had never actually received an answer about the church or the Book of Mormon. We taught a really good lesson about faith and the Spirit was really strong. I asked her if she felt a difference between before we showed up, and now. And she tried to describe how she was feeling. And I helped her see that the feelings of peace and warmth that she was feeling was the Spirit. We challenged her to pray and ask if we are representatives of the Lord and if the Book of Mormon was true. We came back the other day to follow up with her. When we asked her, she was really excited because she said she got an answer! She was happy because with the other elders she never recognized getting an answer.

We have taught some really spiritual lessons this week, and we are finding some really good people to teach. I like it here. I think it's a great area for the end. Oh and I'm in Cariacica. In a ward called Itacibá. It's a really big area, but I like it.

But yeah. I guess that's all for now. I'm doing my best, and I'm feeling the Spirit doing the Lord's work.

Have fun in the summer. It's cold(ish) at night here. Love you all.

Campos2 - Week Sixteen

Well, looks like you guys are really busy with the summer activities.

Anyway, the week went by pretty well, and we found out about transfers last night, and I'm finally getting out of Campos. unfortunately, our bus leaves at 2am in the morning tomorrow. Lame. So today is going to be really busy. That's the biggest news that I have.

This week we had a really spiritual lesson with Isla. It was one of the strongest spiritual experience that I can remember in the past weeks. We left a quick message about the organization of the church, and I bore my testimony. It was just a really good experience. I'm really happy with the progress that she has made and how her testimony of the gospel has grown.

That was basically the best thing that happened this week. We'll see what'll happen this transfer. It will probably be my last area.

Well, I guess that's it. Love you guys. Have fun with your summer activities.

P.S.  I forgot my stuff so I can't send pictures today. 

Campos2 - Week Fifteen

Making kibble--a kind of fried meat--for a service project.

Hey fam. looks like things are going great there, as always. I think Blake should have kept the punk hair. haha I guess it's pretty nice for you guys there now that summer's come. Here it's a little bipolar. There's some days that it's hot, and then others that it's a little colder.

I don't know if you've heard anything about it, but Brazil has been having some major protests here this week. It's been really incredible. I thought it was awesome. Anyway, there was little happening here in Campos, so we're all fine here.

Anyway, this week has been a little harder than the others. We are working really hard, and we're walking a lot more than normal. We've been working with those families that I told you about last time, Jefferson went to church this week, and he really liked it. He's been keeping up with the things that we left with him, and he has been keeping the word of wisdom as well. He's really excited about the help that he's getting. We'll keep helping him out this week.

Wellington didn't go to church this week because they traveled this week, but we have been able to teach him a few times this week. We talked to them a little about helping them get married, and they seemed to like the idea. They have a really good family, and I know that the gospel can do so much to make it better.

We had a baptism this week. Isla was baptized on Saturday. She is really awesome and she has a really firm testimony. She was interviewed on Tuesday, and she passed and our district leader was really surprised at how prepared she was. The day before the baptism, we found out that she stayed the night in the hospital because she had a fever or something, and our ward mission leader Andre called her to give her some support. She said that she was thinking about giving up, but after she talked to us and Andre, she decided that give up is exactly what Satan wants and that she is going to do everything to show that she is going to follow god and do what she knows is right. Well she was baptized and is really happy that she was. She told us that she knew that it was the right thing to do and that nothing else could have made her happier than being part of the church of Christ. So awesome! =)

We also had some hard news with Elba and her family, but that's part of the mission work. Not much we can do about that.

That's about it for the week. One more week before the end of transfers. We'll see if this time I'll get out of Campos.  haha

Talk  to you guys later.

Campos2 - Week Fourteen

 With Filipe

 A burned out van.

 BRAZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIL!

 Me and the comp

Hey fam, This week has been pretty good. We had to walk a LOT this week, it's kinda killer. But that's all right, because we had to walk a lot to teach some really good people! And that's the best part. We had some really good lessons this week too.

Bad news, president cancelled the fireside. LAME. But that's all right. No biggie.

All right so this week we started teaching a woman named Isla, who has had some positive contact with the church in the past, the missionaries found her, and she accepted a visit. We started teaching her this week, and she is progressing really well. The first lesson we taught about the first principles of the gospel and a little about baptism. The spirit was really strong. We asked her to say a prayer and ask if she needed to be baptized in the church of Christ. The next day we taught her again and she had a really powerful answer to her prayer, and we committed her to be baptized this week. She accepted. She also came to church this week, and she really liked it. She was amazed at how everyone received her so well. She's really excited to keep progressing in the gospel.

This Sunday we had some really great lessons with Felipe and some of his friends. He took us to teach two of his friends. The first is Wellington who came to church last week. He was really impressed with what happens at church and he really liked it. We taught him and his wife. They have a 4-year-old son too. The Spirit was really strong in that lesson too. I love pointing out when people are feeling the Spirit. It really helps them understand what they are feeling so that they can recognize it in the future. The only bad thing is that they are going to travel this week. We'll teach them on Wednesday and then only next week.

We also taught a man named Jefferson who is one of Felipe's friends. He is having a drinking problem that he wants to get over because it is destroying his relationship with his wife. We taught them with a really strong Spirit, and he wants our help. He promised to go to church this week and is really looking for some help. He is really sincere and that will do a lot for him and help him progress.

So, something that was a little fun this week was that this Sunday, I walked into church and the secretary asked how to spell my name. I asked why and he said, “Because you're going to speak today.” I said, "No I'm not, that's next week." "No, its today . . . "  "Um well they told me next week, but all right . . . "   and so I spoke in church this week. I talked about being an example as a member of the church and how we should "let our light shine forth" so that others can be led to the truth. It turned out pretty good, for a talk that was prepared in like 5 minutes. haha

That's about it for the weekly report. Happy father's day dad. Hope you had a good time. I'll buy an In n Out shirt for you when I get home . . .  maybe. ha.

The littles are so tall! It's going to be weird coming home. I always knew that I was going to be the shortest in the family. Except for Mom and Darcy. haha

Anyway, my comp cut my hair this morning.  It actually turned out pretty good. Especially because it was free. So yeah.

Hey Drew.  I like your music. Keep it up bro. That's one thing that I wish I had done. Dedicated myself to something that means something to me. But when I come back my music will be better than yours. =P and looks like you'll have to use your money to buy yourself a uke, cuz I'm taking mine. =) Love you bro! Oh and uh, being a waiter actually gets some pretty good money. Just don't go to like fast food places. Islands would be a good kind of place. You could also try getting a job at the mall or something like that. Sales bro. just go for it. Do your best. Something is better than nothing, so don't be too picky about your first job. And uh, be prepared for your mission! Love you man. I'm looking forward to hanging with you a bit when I get home.

Confederations cup started this week with Brazil vs Japan. The city stopped a bit.

Love you all! I'm doing my best, and we are doing a really good work here. =)
That's about it I guess. Ate mais!

Campos2 - Week Thirteen

Well it seems like you guys are going to have a really busy time now that school is out. It's pretty cool I guess . . .
Wow I didn't know that Jesse was coming home already! That's pretty crazy!

This week for me was also really full of activities.

This week we got a lot of references from members. A lot. The first one was a woman with two kids named Vanessa. She is Elba's friend. She goes to church, but is open to hear our messages. She is really great. We taught her twice this week, and we were supposed to teach her again but she wasn't feeling all that well. She is also pregnant. Anyways, she has a lot of potential to progress also. We're looking forward to teaching her.

This week we had zone conference. I didn't really like it all that much. It kinda seems to me like the mission is taking a wrong direction, but whatevs. These meetings on the mission, everyone always talks about the same things and elders use to do some GH, aka look how cool I am. I did THIS. It's annoying.

Oh, and this week me and my comp went to an all you can eat pizza. With dessert pizzas too. It was awesome. I ate 10 big slices. And they have some really interesting pizza flavors too. Like chicken. Or fish. And ice cream. And banana. But they're all good. =)

All you can eat pizza!

 

Ice cream pizza.  Yum!

This week we had a really good family home evening with a recent convert and his less active wife. Last week he marked with us asking us to help his wife. We went there and we had a really good lesson. It was really spiritual. One thing that my companion and I do really well is teach to the person. We hardly ever just teach a lesson or principle like it is in PMG, but we always listen to what the investigator needs to say, and we teach what they need to hear.

This week we also did a quick service project for a potential investigator, we helped unload a moving truck and put the stuff in the new house. I ripped my pants lifting some furniture.  haha But we got 6 new people to teach out of it. 6 references. Pretty awesome.

This Sunday we basically taught the lesson for the young men, I talked about why I went on the mission and some of the blessings of the mission. We didn't really have that much time to talk, but it was pretty good. I thought that it went well. After church we had a meeting with Andre, our new ward mission leader, and we started planning a musical fireside that we are going to do. It's going to be awesome.

And thats the week basically.
Good stuff maybe coming up. the mission's good. I love the gospel, and i love helping God's sons and daughters here.

Love you fam. =)

Campos2 - Week Twelve

 Elba and her family

Hey fam! Thanks for the news, looks like you're doing all right. That's weird that summer is starting there, its starting to cool off a bit here. The soccer fever is starting to build up here. The confederations cup is going to start soon, which will make the work pretty hard. Especially when Brazil plays. It's even worse because it's here too. haha

Anyway, we had an interesting week this week. We had a scare with some things that Elba's daughter was saying that could have had some very bad consequences, but we got that cleared up this week, but we were really sad that it happened, and we really wish it didn't. But adversity is part of the mission.

Anyway, the cool things that happened this week. We were talking to Filipe this week, and he's having some problems with a pastor's daughter that he works with. Because he's just coming back to the church right now, he doesn't have that much knowledge about the doctrines of the church, at least enough to explain to someone else. So we had a lesson with him, and we ended up explaining the 13 articles of faith, and how almost any question about what we believe can be answered with the articles of faith. He likes it, he felt like he learned a lot, and felt more confident in talking to others about what we believe. Having the articles of faith memorized is something that we should all do. I've started to do it in Portuguese.

The other really great thing that happened this week was Sunday. This was the first Sunday that Elba and her family would come to church alone, so we were a little nervous. But they all showed up. We were so happy! They all came and sat with me, the kids leaning against me and I really felt like family there. I really liked it. Every time I still think that its amazing how much love I have for the people that we teach. This week was fast and testimony meeting, and with a little encouraging from the relief society president, Elba went up and bore her testimony too. =) nothing makes a Sunday better than that.

Elba and her family

She talked about her accident on Tuesday. I forgot to tell you. She got ran over by a truck this week, but it was really miraculous that she was all right. We were at her house waiting for her to get back, and some guy showed up and said that she had been ran over, and we went running to see if she was all right. We arrived expecting to see her on the ground, but she was standing up, talking on the phone. we were really surprised and she said that she wanted to call us, but didn't have our number, and we were some of the first to be there to help her. She didn't get hurt that bad, She hurt her knees a bit and hit her head, but she's fine already. In her testimony she talked about how she felt something different and she knew that she was going to be hit, she said a quick prayer, and was saved from being really hurt, or killed. She was grateful and knows that this is Christ's church. =) I love that family.

Well, that was most of our week. I love you all, I'm doing my best, and I know that this is where I'm supposed to be. Even though it's been the same place for most of my mission. =) haha I feel like I'm serving in the Brazil Campos mission, not the Vitoria mission. But that's okay. Love you all. =)

Me and the comp., and the elders in the house. The one in the tie is Elder Aquino, he was  emergency transferred today, so that's why he's in proselyting clothes and we aren't.

Oh, and one more thing. I'm at 81.5 kilos. I haven t been at that weight since I left the MTC in Brazil. haha

Campos2 - Week Eleven

Looks like you guys had fun over memorial day weekend.

They don't have that here as you could guess. The have all the other ridiculous holidays here.

Well, yeah we had transfers, I'm here again, the package you sent got here, but the ZLs were too lazy to bring it here, so I'll get it at zone conference this upcoming week. Lame.

Well this week we have been working a lot with Elba's family. Her two other daughters were going to be baptized this week, but they decided to wait until next week, which is all right for us. They just wanted to get used to church a little more. But they are really good. Marianna, who is the oldest, is really committed in her decision. She knows what is right and wants to do it. We've been going to their house basically every night to help them with the gospel. We did a short division one night this week, and my companion told them that I was transferred, and they almost cried. They were really surprised to see me the next day.

I really love missionary work, but some times you just get exhausted. And collapse. haha

We started teaching another family this week, a reference from the old bishop here. It's a young couple with a little baby, and they are really interested. But they've got that same old problem of not being legally married. But we'll work with them on that.

I love the mission here, it's really great. We're working hard and moving on till the end!

We didn't really have any adventures this week, but next week we will!

Love you all, keep doing what's right!

Campos2 - Week Ten

Hey mom. This week was pretty good. A few cool things happened this week. We caught a rat in our room at night so we hunted it. It was pretty small and he was trying to live in one of my suitcases that I always left open under the bed. That was interesting.

The best part of the week was definitely Sunday. The rest of the week didn't really stand out that much. We have been working with Elba and her family for some time now, and 5 of them were supposed to be baptized on Sunday. We were there on Saturday and they had two people there that were trying to talk them out of it, basically. But Elba had her mind made up that she was going to do the best thing for herself and for her family. But we walked away from that lesson feeling really down. Sunday morning came around and Yara, the daughter who is pregnant, was having some pains so she didn't go. Mariana didn't go either, but all the others did. That made me really happy. So, we started filling the font before church started. But everyone forgot about it . . . so it started overflowing and going into the hall. Haha Oops. During sacrament meeting I sang. There is a member here that lived in Canada for a long time, and he plays the piano really well. I sang "Where Can I Turn for Peace" and it turned out really awesome. I should have had my comp record it or something. But everyone liked it. After church and some complications, the baptisms happened! Felipe, who we reactivated, helped and baptized the youngest. He was really excited and happy to be a part of it because it was his first baptism.

In the end it turned out all right. =) Another happy day on the mission.

I also got the news of transfers last night. I'm going to be here in Campos for another 6 weeks with my current companion, Elder Diego. I'm glad that I'm going to keep my companion, but not all that excited about staying here. But that's okay because if I'm here then that's where the Lord needs me the most and it's where I still have work to do.

I love you all, thanks for all the support. I’m trying my hardest and giving all that I can, even when I'm almost exhausted every day. Haha

Love you guys!