Serra - Week Sixteen

To answer questions first, transfers will be next week. Our mission will get 20 new missionaries, which is a ton! We have been getting a few more sisters, but not much. From everything that I've heard, its okay to come still, but I think that might be something to talk to the secretary about.

I had an experience this week that changed my mission and the way I see things in the gospel. Me and my comp have talked a lot about some things and I have felt that I have really grown.

To start, what helped me learn was our zone leader talking about how our purpose is only baptize and saying a lot of things that I didn't agree with such as there is no point in teaching lessons and getting new investigators if they don't accept the baptismal invite on the first go, or if they are having trouble quitting smoking or any other change, just stop visiting them and try to find the "elects." I got really frustrated because it's not the Lord's way. We are representatives of Jesus Christ. Our purpose is so much more than baptize. If I can help someone come closer to Christ, helping them have more faith, helping them believe more, helping them feel the Spirit, helping them change, even if they didn't get baptized,  I fulfilled my purpose. My purpose is to invite othesr to come unto Christ, helping them have faith in Jesus Christ and in his Atonement, repent of their sins, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. If I can help someone in any of these steps, I succeeded. A reactivation, a renewal of a covenant is just as good as one made.

Numbers, are not what's important. What is important are the things you can’t measure. Love, charity, faith, kindness, service, obedience, diligence, the Christlike attributes.  That is Christ's way. I thought a lot about Elder Holland's talk from conference about the first and greatest commandment. Lovest thou me? Feed my sheep. We are to emulate the Good Shepherd. We do this by caring for the flock individually, being sensitive to the needs of others and focusing on helping them. Our numbers will be reflective of our diligence, but only in a way. I don't need to teach 10 lessons in a day to have an awesome day, but if I helped just one person feel the spirit and come closer to Christ, my day was a success. Our job as missionaries is to establish the Church, and one way to do that is through reactivating. The church here in Brazil only has a 20% activity rate. I feel like that is because missionaries here focus so much on the number of baptisms, and not the quality of conversion.  That is what I have learned this week. Our work in the church shouldn't be so much, How many? but Who? Christ, the Good Shepherd knows his sheep, each one, and loves them. As servants of Christ in his church, we should do the same. Know those you work with, their needs, and focus on helping others reach salvation, and not just the number of people present, or not.

We have decided after studying Preach My Gospel that we won’t teach lessons without members. We will focus on only teaching lessons with members present, and working much more with less actives and part member family to work with reactivation, and to get more references.

I feel like the things I have learned this week will stay with me for the rest of my life, and I have also seen things that are almost the same in my patriarchal blessing, which helps me know that this was a lesson that I needed to learn. =)

We have a few investigators close to baptism, and a few we are starting to teach that have a lot of potential. We are still working with Daniela. We're trying to get her to read and pray about the Book of Mormon everyday. Because we know that if she does, she will get her witness.

Sometimes we just need to stand up for what we know is right.

The First sign of Love has always been Loyalty.  Loving Christ means being loyal to him and his gospel. It means helping others as he did. It means doing what Christ would do.

Everyday I think about that primary song, "If the Savior stood beside me, would I do the things I do? Would I follow his example and try harder to be true? Would I think of his commandments? Would I live more righteously, if I could see the Savior standing by watching over me?" This song has become something that I can't forget. It helps me look for opportunities to serve, to do good works.

I know that this church is true, even though we have faults. I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to be truly happy in this life. I love the mission, even with all of its difficulties, disappointments, and hardships. I love it because never have I felt so much joy, happiness, or Christ-like love towards others. Never at one time have I  grown so much. I know that this is where I am supposed to be, and that the mission is supposed to change me, more that it should change others. I really love Elder Holland's last talk. Especially after learning this lesson.

I love you all. Keep up the good work. =)

Serra - Week Fifteen

Eating pannitone

I found luck! (sorte=luck)

Well, this week went by pretty quick I guess. It was really hot this week and we had to walk a ton. It wasn't all that great. But, there were some good things that happened this week.

So, this week we met a couple, Silmara and Renan. They are really cool. We were Just knocking doors on a street, and we came to the nicest house there. THE nicest. We rang the interphone, and I was expecting no good answer, but as my companion said that we were from the church of Jesus Christ, she said, wait a minute! And came and opened the door. She had really wanted to know more about the church. She had seen tv ads about the church a long time ago, and had seen the church driving by in the neighborhood next to her. She let us in and we gave a quick spiritual lesson about the restoration. It was awesome. Later in the week we came back and met her husband, who was also really cool. They are inactive Catholics, but were interested a bit in our message. The second lesson, (which we also talked about the restoration) was more spiritual than the first. I'm looking forward to bringing a member there.

We are still teaching some of these families that we have been visiting, but some of them have taken a bad turn, not really having the desire to live the Word of Wisdom, or losing some interest in investigating the church.

We didn't know the hour had changed.  We actually got up at
5:30 for church at 7 when it starts at 9. 

Sunday was also a good day this week. Even though we didn't know about the time change, waking up much earlier than needed, we had a good productive meeting with the ward mission leader. Waiting for sacrament meeting to start, Marrone and his aunt came in, but we were sad that Daniela didn't show up. that was the worst. Until she did show up right before the meeting started. That has to be one of the best feelings ever. When your awesome progressing investigator just shows up by themselves, ready for church. The members received her really well also. It made me really happy. I love being a missionary!

Since we were early for church,
my companion tried to sleep and I
played the piano.

We had a really good lesson with Daniela last night also. We taught her about the holy ghost. She believes that it's all true, but she isn't sure that she wants to make the commitment. We had a really spiritual lesson, We challenged her to read the Book of Mormon every day this week, and pray every day to know if the church is really true. And we challenged her to be baptized. She said that if she recognized an answer, that she would. And if she really reads and prays everyday, she will.

I dunno. I guess that's all I really have to say this week. I'm trying to do my best. I'm working on getting better. I guess that you kind of forget about something as you get older on the mission because you know what you are doing and forget to remember that there is no perfect missionary. You grow in some areas, and forget some other things. It's like a constant battle. For example, you sometimes fall into a routine, and it gets harder to follow the spirit. There is just so much to remember to do, no one can really be doing all of it. But I guess it just goes to show that we could all use a little more work.

I know that this is where I'm supposed to be. I'm doing my best to be a good missionary. Thanks for all the support. Love you guys. Until next week.

Oh, and I'm going to the eye doctor again on Wednesday. Just fyi

Serra - Week Fourteen

Oh, and I think that's super cool that I'm on that scouting thing! I was excited!

Well, this week was rather interesting. So I couldn't send email on my normal day because the place was closed. This has been like the biggest holiday weekend ever. It started on Friday, and technically ended yesterday, but today everything still isn't open. It's the recovery day. haha.

Well, so here's some fun stuff that happened. We bought 10 liters of açaí last p-day, and we've been snacking on that for almost every day this week. That's what the photo is. We also got some chocolate "fruitcake" for super cheap that we have been snacking on also.

So, Something interesting, is that this week, we've been starting in a new bairro that the missionaries have almost never worked in. Out of the 5 houses that we've been in so far, All of them are married couples. It's a miracle! I was pretty excited about that.  One of the families that we found there was really cool. We were walking down the street, going to one of our appointments,  and some kids started talking to us, we stopped for a bit and their parents showed up. We started talking about the church and about what we do as missionaries, and then they invited us in. we found out that they were married too, and we marked to go back. It was great. We are also having success finding men to teach. Which isn't all that normal for us, because normally they're out working during the week, but with Carnival, there were a lot of people home so we found some really good men and their families that have a lot of potential.

We are working with a man named Agenor, he says that he wants to be baptized, and he is going to church and quitting smoking, but he can't read. That's one of his difficulties. But, if he has desire, we'll get him baptized.

We had some really great experiences with Marrone and his mom Adilena this week. Marrone watched a baptism at church, but is still saying that he doesn't want to get baptized yet. We are teaching his mom, (his dad is a member) and she is really liking the Book of Mormon. She just thinks it's great. We had kind of a family home evening there. We were there teaching and everyone decided to show up and participate. After we talked about the word of wisdom, we kind of hung out with the family, and they really liked it. They went to church on Sunday, and their other son, who is a member went also. It was the first time that I have ever seen him at church. The best spiritual experiences this week were with them. Last night we were there again, and we passed the 20 minute restoration movie, they liked it so much that we watched it twice. Adilena thought that it was really cool, and wanted it to have more. We are going to challenge her to baptism this week. =)

I guess other than that work was pretty normal. The streets were pretty dead. I think I'm losing weight. haha I look thinner, and I'm gaining muscle. Its amazing what 30 minutes of workout every morning will do to ya.

My comp is newer than I am, he doesn't have a year on the mission yet. But I do want to train again. I think maybe this next transfer because we'll get like 15 new missionaries.

So, I'm having a great time, I love the mission. I'm looking forward to the rest of this transfer. Looks like we'll have success!

I made a goal to take at least one picture a day, because I haven't been taking any. I'm sure you'll like getting the extra pics. =)

I guess that's it. Love you all. I'm doing my best here. =) Darcy should be watching all the soccer games that are happening in preparation for the cup.

See ya later.

Serra - Week Thirteen

I took hardly any pictures this week. I hit my comp in the face with a refrigerator snowball. In retaliation for the one he threw at my back.


Anyway. Still didn't get your other box, I did get a care package from the Relief Society, which was awesome. Kind of a surprise. But it didn't have Mike and Ikes. Oh well . . .


So, cool things this week. We are teaching a vampire lady! haha  :) She can only talk to us when the sun isn't super bright. So on cloudy or rainy days. But she's really good. Her dad was a member, but he was the only one in the family. She knows a little bit about the church. We taught her with a member which really helped because he really supported her in her desire to quit smoking. She is excited to read the Book of Mormon too. She is just overall a great investigator. But extended family is coming to stay the week of Carnival, so its going to be hard to peacefully teach her this week. (Stupid carnival . . . ) Anyway, a little bit after that lesson, we tried to teach another lady, who said she was busy, but made us some food. Salgados. yummmm . . .  I'm sure we can get this vampire baptized. I just hope she doesn't burst into flames when she takes the sacrament. :)

We are still teaching Daniela.  She is for sure going to be baptized. We just need to talk with her to get a good date, because she'll be out of town this weekend to avoid the Carnival madness. She'll for sure be baptized. She's just awesome. She's already super integrated with the ward. She's going to another ward activity next week too.

So here's a cool little tender mercy, Saturday, we had walked a lot. And it was Really hot. We were getting to the other bairro, and I commented to my comp, a cold soda would be reaaaly nice right now. Less that five minutes later, we walked past a restaurant on the side of the freeway, and someone called us over. He told us to sit down and he ordered us soda without asking us. Haha He had talked to the missionaries in the past, and had been to church. We talked to him for a while, he bought us more soda, and then gave us his address so that we could go talk with him about the Book of Mormon. Yesterday, we ran into him again. He's a really great guy too. =)

I guess that's it. We also had a lesson with a member's son about repentance and the commandments. We drew a cliff, put a railing on it, and then an ambulance at the bottom. The cliff is sin. His question was, why not just wait until before you die to be baptized? So we talked about true repentance. Just because there's an ambulance at the bottom, would you jump off the cliff? The commandments (the guardrail) are there to protect you. Stay on the right side and you won't need the ambulance (which is repentance.) He got the point. But it was a cool visual aid. You can't purposely break commandments saying "I'll repent later." Jump off the cliff.  You lose your agency.


Well I guess that's it. Never thought the 49ers would be in the super bowl. Carnival is this week. Work will probably be a bit slow. Love you all. Thanks for everything and all the support!