Week 46

Monday, October 29, 2018

I am in love with this city! There are so many mountains and hills it’s crazy! It’s literally a city in the hills like it says in the scriptures. For those that wan to google it you can google Colatina, ES Brazil....

My camp is super great! He can cook like nobody’s business and loves soccer as much if not more than me. We actually eat dinner now. And it’s more than just rice. It’s nice having time when we get home and not being scattered to call people. 

As for the work here, there are a lot of members that have family not baptized for weird reasons. So we are making a lot of friendships and working to gain confidence to baptize the families. They also give a lot of food here which is good because all the walking we do I am getting even more skinny... 

Today I and the ZL woke up at 5 to go on a run in the Brazilian mountains. It was super epic. We did a 15k and then we will play soccer for a few hours... I’ll pay for it this week am sure ;)

But really just this. We are getting to know the area and the members. There was wedding we attended to help with so much food but to gain more blessing we decided to do a fast. And we found so many nonmembers that were there to make appointments... I love you all tons and hope you enjoy the photos!!!

Week 45

Monday, October 22, 2018

So this was my last week being a trainer and zone leader and being here in ala Itacibá... I got transferred to a little city in one of the far away zones of the mission. Ha-ha the mission jokes that people go there to be forgotten. The only sad part is the zone conference is excluded so I won’t get to see a majority of friends and old companions. But am super excited to get back and work in another branch. The begging is hard but it truly is a blessing to see the results and fruits of your labor. It’s like the story of Joshua and Caleb in the bible. When trials come and difficulties arrive... Give me this mountain.... 

Being as it was our last week in our house living together we decided to do something special each day... and being as it is that we are young man and missionaries it involved food every day. Monday we ate hamburgers... (Ha-ha I miss McDonalds) Tuesday it was a more or less version of tacos.... Wednesday it was ice cream and Thursday hotdogs... Friday a member made us pizza and Saturday I made donuts. Ha-ha, I’m trying to bulk up now for when I spend the next part of my mission in interior.... 

This week we also had stake conference and it was truly awesome to hear the training that the president gave. Here there has been a lot of contention because of the president’s election. He taught from the story of Moroni and how the people were weakened by their separation. We as members of the church of Jesus Christ must stay firm and united in our beliefs and life. Whoever wins the church will still be true... It was interesting with our investigators there but they enjoyed the conference. We are leaving behind 3 baptisms... but Elder Lima promised to send photos... 

This week’s spiritual thought... Either 12:27... We need to learn how to rely on the lord to accomplish miracles and his plans for us. And in order to do that he gives us weakness to help us remain humble. These weaknesses are not to stay weak but to be shown unto the lord that he may make them become strong. Challenges are the same thing. So in reality we should learn to be grateful that god puts difficulties and trials in our lives... It Awesome how the gospel can be strung out and woven together in to a chord (thank you Bednar) 

Over all I love you tons! Thank you for all the things that you are doing to help Gods Kingdom grow on earth. I hope you have a wonderful week and stay firm!

Pics will come in the next email... 

Week 44

Monday, October 15, 2018

This week passed by super-fast... We only have one more week until transfers arrive and it will be interesting to see what will happen. Elder Lima (the other ZL) and I will finish our sons training and send them out. But whether or not we will stay we have no idea. I’m hoping to stay a few more months in this ward. It is truly amazing when you can stay in one area for a long time to see the change in people and the growth and fruits of your labor. We all bore our testimonies this week and every member came up asking us what the heck was happening and if we were leaving because of transfers. It was really touching to see one member start crying. The people here are super loving. I will really miss the Brazilian culture in this aspect. 

This week we drank a soda that is only found in the north, north region of Brazil called Guarana Jesus... They literally have a soda named after Jesus. It’s pink and super good. Ha-ha (not IBC root beer level) But super good.. 

This week we also had a three stake activity for the youth called Meet up. It was super funny to hear all the Brazilians saying this English name with the biggest accent. But it was awesome because I saw people and members from all of my areas but one. It was truly a joyful encounter to see the people active and happy. I imagine it’s what Alma and the sons of Mosiah felt when they found each other again. 

I also taught English at a school for a service project... I know I know I don’t speak very well and have an accent but it was still super fun. Something I could do for a living here in Brazil (jk mom just wanted to give you a quick heart attack). But over all that was my week. We are really working hard to find new people because unfortunately a lot of our investigators are not progressing. Pray for us to find new people. Love you and miss you all tons!!!

Week 43

Monday, October 8, 2018

This week was super amazing but also a bit difficult. We are in the process of having to decide what families we will continue with. I think the hardest part of being a missionary is having to leave people in the area book and hope the missionaries in the future will find them. But we have to have faith and do our part to find those that are ready to progress and commit to making the covenants of baptism. We found a couple last week who went to church with us and her problem is that she suffers from depression. But there was a talk in conference that is perfect and exactly what she needs to hear. It’s truly amazing how the lord’s servants can receive revelation to bless the lives of Gods children. In between conference Sunday we went to bring people but all our families fell through. I received a prompting to go to a family that we cut long ago that wanted nothing more... after testifying with power and authority I was sure they would come... but only they didn’t. While walked back feeling defeated wondering why I had the prompting we saw a man lying on the ground having serious pains. The people around him asked us to help him. We were in a hurry to return on time and I offered to give him a blessing. I felt inspired to say that he would be healed by his faith and able to make it home. After we helped him up and he thanked us and god and went on his way. I realized that we need to really listen to the spirit and not question the results because God is over everything and knows all. I have sooo much learning left to do it blows my mind. I’m worried two years isn’t enough time for a mission. I’m waiting for Pres. Nelson to say that missions will now be 3 years next conference... (Don’t have a heart attack mom)

But I love and miss you all and hope everything continues to go well for you. I pray for you all every day and am thankful for the continued prayers of strength and encouragement. They really make a difference!

Love you all!

Highlights of this week:

Made Donuts this week and went out for ice cream with the other American one day...

Week 42

Monday, October 1, 2018

This week went by really fast... It’s crazy to think that vie already lived here with the other three missionaries almost two transfers. I am really grateful for them. This is the first time I’ve lived with other elders and I’m loving it. But this week was good and I got to find a few new families that have so much potential. This Sunday we had a family in church that really struggle with depression and are having a really hard time. But her prayers were answered through a talk bishop gave and a lesson I taught in Gospel principle. They will probably be baptized in two weeks. This month will be harder because we have a Sunday for conference and stake conference that we cannot confirm anyone. But everything will work out. 

This week we were pressed by a drunken guy (this happens every day) who started getting mad yelling at us to preach to him when a member shows us with another guy saying clear your questions with these guys and the guy was like no, I had them three years ago and all this happened when our investigator walked by... It was super awkward. I am teaching my son English and the first word I taught was awkward because it doesn’t exist in Portuguese and we need it a lot ;) 

This week a new area opened in the mission and will introduce the gospel to a new part that has never seen it yet. It is such a blessing to see the work really continue to grow and spread to every corner of the world. President got the area approved and it will open maybe this week. 

Next week is the presidential election here and things are getting really crazy. One candidate is in prison, the other that was winning got stabbed and the others are almost getting attacked as well. Got to love South American governments. And right now the Venezuelan money dropped. I am a millionaire in the money they use in that country now... I also am meeting a lot of the candidates for state senator because I live close to Vitoria the capital. They all love to stop and talk to us because I’m American. But one of them has the name elder too. He was an interesting guy. It would be neat to baptize the next state senator here. 

But that’s about all I have for you. Keep being amazing and blessing the lives of others! Love you all tons!!!

It won’t let me send photos... but next week I’ll send more... sorry :) 

Week 41

Monday, September 24, 2018

Another week has passed and the work is continued. This week we are really cracking down on the members to remind them of their responsibility. Sometimes they think that it is the responsibility of missionaries to do everything. But we have to do everything we can to help. They are starting to catch the vision and some serious improvements have been made. We are teaching a few families and they are showing real potential. I am really grateful for the prayers that have been offered by you all and the prayers offered in the name of missionary work. I love the scripture Alma 6:6 that says me must pray and fast often for the souls of those that don’t know God yet... I don’t know how that translates into English so it is a good idea to look it up to understand better. But this week we met with a recent convert of ours that did black magic before she was converted. She gained a lot of money to do it for people but she has completely turned her life around. We have had some interesting encounters with friends of hers from the past but it is very important to know the priesthood is real and more powerful than anything Satan has to offer. 

This week I have also been reflecting a lot about the sacrament and how it can really be a blessing in our lives. I asked myself if I was really taking full advantage of the blessing and decided to try and do better. I am so grateful for the help you all have offered in my life and the patience you have had with me... (Shout out to mom and dad ;) )

Continue to bless the world and give light to those in darkness. Love and miss you all!

PS Elder Nerdin and I returned to my first little city to do an interview of baptism and got to reconnect with a lot of old members and recent converts. Two of my recent converts will be married in November and are preparing to go to the temple next year... These are the best moments in mission I swear! also my son went to the hospital because his eye randomly swelled up... but he is better now... he stayed in house for a few days so Nerdin (Americano) and I got to do divisions... also the guy with glasses on bottom is the same guy who had the beard and was bald... he changed a lot after his baptism... 

I’m also feeling super sick maybe with worms...