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!

Campos2 - Week Nine

Hey mom. What's up?

Well this week has gone pretty well. Kind of. We also had stake conference this week.  It was good. The speakers were really great. The only not good part was that we had confirmed with 17 people to come to church and we were really excited about that. And only two showed up. And these two are basically members--they come every Sunday, but can't be baptized because they're not married. It was also cool because I saw a lot of the members from the Campos ward that I haven't seen for a while. That was  cool.

We are doing really well here too. The work is going good. We are finding a lot of new people to teach. Our best investigators however are having a few set backs, but they are progressing well.

There were a few lessons this week that I really felt the Spirit. Especially our lessons with Douglas who is starting to believe. We left the Book of Mormon with him and challenged him to read and pray about it. Our lessons with him are awesome. I really like the way my companion teaches. He teaches a lot differently from my other companions. When he talks about the Atonement or about the gospel, its more than just saying it because that's what he has to say, but because it's what he really believes. There is a conviction and a special feeling behind his words. Like every word he says comes from the soul. Our lessons with Douglas have been some of the most spiritual that I've had on my whole mission. I know that he's changing and he's even telling that to us. I'm excited to teach him and I  hope that he keeps going.

I've been reflecting on things that I have learned here on the mission, and I have really learned a lot while I've been here. Looking back on the mission it seems like it's been forever. But it's really helped be a better person.

I'll share just one of the lessons that I have been thinking about. Humility and gratitude are important to receive revelation. The strongest prayers that I have ever had on my mission, before asking for help to my problems, I made an effort to first thank for everything that I had. And I really opened myself up to receive the answer, no matter what the answer was. These prayers have been some of the strongest in my life.

I love the mission and I love the gospel. It's such a sacrifice, but its worth it. This week I'm going to take some time to put the things that I have learned here on the mission down on paper to remember.

I don't think that I'll finish here in Campos. I think that I'll be out soon. We had interviews with president this week. It was kind of funny, he said that on the mission we're here to suffer. haha We're doing the work of our Lord Jesus Christ, and a part of His work was to suffer so that the children of Heavenly Father could come unto Him and have eternal life. So we have a part of this suffering, with all the difficulties that we go through on the mission trying to bring souls unto Christ.

He basically told me that I might be a zone leader soon, but we'll see. I'm just trying to do my best.

Well I love you all. I'm surprised at how much the "littles" have grown. haha I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be the shortest boy in the family, but I think that I've known that for a while.

I'm going to try and call about 6 my time, I think that like 1 there.  Hope church is out already. Well I'll talk to you guys soon.
Love you!

Campos2 - Week Eight

 Brazil!

 "I found Herbie!"

Me and my companion, Elder Diego.

Well, This week has been pretty good.

About basketball, You know that I haven t been the biggest basketball fan, but looks like I'll have to get into the family gig. Talking about sports here, Brazil is getting ready for The Confederations cup that will happen here in like two months. I'm hoping that US will come out strong. =) I have also heard from my companion that Donovan might play for a team here in Brazil. That is interesting.

Anyway, about mission things.

Remember how I talked about Felipe last week? He is doing really well. This Sunday he was ordained a priest. =) It's really awesome to see him progress and see the excitement that he has to live the gospel. We started to teach two references that he gave us this week. The first one is a family friend named Nilton. He had heard a lot about the church from Felipe's family when they were active in the church. We had a really spiritual lesson with him this week. He told us that he is a coward because he knows that some of the things that he does is wrong and doesn't have the courage to change his life, but we invited him to pray and see what God wants him to do. We are going to teach him this week.

Yesterday, we also taught Felipe's friend Douglas. He wasn’t really certain if God exists or not, and doesn't have many religious beliefs. We taught him about faith. It was a really spiritual lesson, and I know that he felt the Spirit. He said that after that lesson he changed his mind about some of the things that he had said to us, and he thanked us for the message. He agreed to let us teach him more this week. He has tons of potential.  =) I love it when the members help.

We are also having really good lessons with Carlos and Natalia. Natalia got an answer to her prayer and knows that what we are saying is true. She didn't come to church this week, but we left the Book of Mormon with her and we are going to see how her reading went this week. I'm really excited about the things we have to do this week. We have some really great investigators, and I know that they'll keep progressing.

That's about it. It's crazy that Nate is home already. Time here is just flying by. When is Jesse going to get home?

We are going to Rio when you come right? I can't leave Brazil without going.

And I bought white shirts. All the shirts that I brought are gray. A sister in the ward made a comment about it to me one day and I decided to buy a few new shirts.

Why is Cameron working in LA? Oh and uh, it's not May yet. Its still April. It's the month that never ends. haha

My companion is out of his mind. He's really funny. But we are working really well together, we laugh every day, which is the most important part. If a missionary isn't happy, the work doesn't get done. There is no progress. But there is a subtle difference between being happy and just goofing off. haha. Whatever. We're working hard.

The mission is great. I'm trying my best. Some days, it's just so hard to keep walking. But we do what we can. Trial of faith. "Just do it" is like our mission motto. "Só vai!" yeah..

That's about it. I have started to buy Snickers and Milky Way here lately. It’s not quite as good as in the states, but its pretty darn close.

I love you guys, hope the family is doing well .

Choose the right, when a choice is placed before you.
If the Savior stood beside you, would you do the things you do?
Ere you left your room this morning, did you think to pray?
Search, ponder and pray, are the things that we must do. I know the scriptures are true.
I know that my Redeemer lives.

and last but not least,
I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ. I know who I am, I know God's plan. I'll follow him in faith.

I love you all. And I love the church hymns. They share my testimony better than I do. This month I am going to do a special musical number in sacrament meeting. =)

Peace out.

Campos2 - Week Seven

Well, like I said, this week was action packed.

So, transfers were this week like I said. I was sad to see my companion go. He was one of the companions that I liked the most. The member that took him to the bus terminal said that he almost cried when he was leaving because I was the best companion that he had. haha =) So on Tuesday I spent the day with the other elders here. They (the leaders) said that my companion would get there that day, at the normal time, which is 10:30ish. So I was there waiting, and no one showed up. I called the LZs and they said he would come tomorrow. Lame. So we went back home and I went to sleep. 3:30 in the morning I got a phone call from the elders, saying that my comp was at the terminal. Well great. Why didn't you tell me that before? So he took a taxi to our house.

This week has been really interesting with my new comp. Almost everyone gives us food. Literally almost every single house we enter, they give us cake and soda. Every house! It's ridiculous.

We also had a sister from the church tell us that her son's father (...) wants to be baptized. Woo hoo! We'll start working with him this week.

We are working with a less active named Felipe. He was baptized when he was 9, and didn't stay in the church very long. His family fell away from the church when his father died. A few weeks ago he found us in the street, and wanted to know how to get our visits. Since then he has gone to conference, and to church twice. We have been teaching him like an investigator, because he doesn't know very much about the church, but he has such a huge desire to learn and follow the church. Every time we talk to him he had been reading on the church website, or studying something about the church. We challenged him to read and pray about the Book of Mormon and to know if the church was true and if it was the right path for him to follow, and he got an answer so clear and powerful. So awesome. It's really amazing how much desire and real intent does for getting an answer. He is a really great guy, and the bishop is preparing him to receive the Aaronic priesthood.

We are also working with a less active named Enilda. She is really great, she has some problems with the word of wisdom, but she says that she wants to come back to the church. She is living with a man named Claudio. They are really funny. Such a classic old couple. haha. We challenged them to get married this week. They just looked at each other, and then back to us, and Claudio said, “Let’s do it.” So, he also wants to get baptized, we just have to figure out this marriage thing, and that's it.

We are working really hard.  I walked a LOT this week. But that is a good thing.

Thanks mom and dad for everything, Love you all. Keep up the good work!