Week 62

Monday, February 18, 2019

Hey everyone! This week was weird with all the changes in communication with families. But it should be awesome! Now we have an excuse to extend the mission to 3 years! (sorry, love you mom). But this week was super busy and productive for us. Sunday we brought 9 people to church and it was a fun interchange between sacrament and classes trying to get everyone in the right place. But it all worked out. My ward is super great with receiving new people. 

This week we spent a lot of time helping the new Hispanic family and getting to translate. We will probably baptize the grandma Saturday. If all goes well I will enter the water with my comp Elder Garcia and we will both help her be baptized. She has a few physical problems and so we will have two people in the water to make sure it all goes well. Pray for her. 

Fun story... Elder Garcia lost his name tag and wallet. He was really sad and a bit shaken. But we prayed and helped him have faith that it would all work out. After church a drunken guy entered with his name tag looking for Elder Garcia and praised him for being a man of god. And then after we got home he found his wallet waiting on the table.  Tender mercies are the best!!! We have lots of people to work with and couldn’t be more happy. On the 26th we will have transfers and are praying to both stay in the area with our families. But God knows best. 

We also started a challenge with all the members to invite three people to church and accompany them. It can be friends, family, or that person you meet in the grocery store line.  We are having lots of success with this. I would like to extend the challenge to you all for this week. It can really make a difference in their lives but even in yours. God is always looking for excuses to bless us. Help him out ;)

I love you all and miss you. Hope you all have a great week! Let me know how the challenge went!

Love, Elder Lee

Week 61

Monday, February 11,

So I had zone conference this week. And holy cow after a few hours in the AC I came out to the real world and got a super bad cold. But the conference was super good so it was okay. We had interviews and Sister Mazzagardi came to visit our house that was clean and organized like always... (she doesn’t like messes...) We rode in her brand new car. I’m not gonna lie; I got a little car sick. She drives crazy and the traffic here in un-real. 

This week we have been working a lot in the houses of the new Hispanic family that got here today. We picked them up at the airport. It was really weird to see all the planes. Haha, made home sick just for a little but then we found a family to do a contact with. We have been working all day with them. They will adapt and learn super fast, no doubt. Their month salary was so low that it only worked to buy a few pounds of chicken. 100 of their money is 25 cents here in brazil which is 7 cents in the USA... But it’s super cool and they gave me some to remember. I gave them a few reals to help them out. 

Last p day we got permission to leave my area to visit Walmart. It’s not anywhere the same... but they have an entire section for ice cream... I almost cried. It was beautiful. Seriously... maybe the most beautiful thing I’ve seen here ;) We also went to the mall to get my comp clothes for work. Also I got a haircut... So did my comp. he cried for a few days. He really likes his hair ;)

Highlight of the week: We borrowed a few bikes from members to bring some people to church Sunday. Transportation here is really hard. So we rode the 6 miles to pick up 15 year old Lucas who was 200 pounds and is 6 foot 3 and took him to church. He rode behind me and I had to pedal him there. I really appreciated sports training before the mission. We got to church and I had to give a talk and I was red and my shirt yellow. But the members see that we are working and are giving us confidence. This area would be great if we could always use bikes. This day was the  most productive. What takes hours to walk and dying in the sun turned into a quick bike ride with wind in our face. The only problem was our bikes were pink and purple... hope nobody got the wrong idea....

Over all, all is good here and I love every day miracles! I miss you all tons and hope you all have a great week!!! 

Love, Elder Lee

Week 60

Monday, February 4, 2019

This week passed by super quickly. We ran around trying to get everything we wanted done. Man and let me tell you there is not enough hours in one day. I remember working before the mission thinking that time never passed and waiting for the hours to pass. Here it kills me to see time pass knowing I’ll have to wait to get things done. Blessing of the mission I guess. But we were able to meet a few new people that really have potential. I’m really excited for this week. We will have President come and have a giant meeting with us. And he will bring our houses mattresses and other stuff we are missing. 

My comp is form Chile and I am getting to re-learn Spanish. We have a Hispanic family coming into the ward that doesn’t speak Portuguêse... So my comp and I get to translate... motivation to learn faster. 

The members here are starting to like us and are inviting us to family home evenings in their houses. We attended a ward council and bishop on the spot asked me to do a presentation. So I had to spend a good amount of time talking and discussing what they could do better. Our bishop has stressed that the way to strengthen and grow the church is by missionary work. He is very right. I remember when I thought that it was the responsibility of the missionaries to do everything in that field. I’ve spent a lot of time repenting. I hope that eventually I can be a super member that they can count on. Members like you all!

Love you all tons and am super grateful to have you all as examples in my life. This week’s spiritual thought is short and fast. But true as ever. Miracles come... after the trial of our faith... after the sweat of our brows... after we suffer and give what we can.

Love you all tons!!!

Elder Lee

Week 59

Monday, January 28, 2019

Sorry for the boring tittle. But this week was a lot of working with members to get their confidence. The work of missionaries is impossible without the help of members. Retaining converts is impossible without members. So It’s crucial that we have good relationships and friendships with them. People here are super amazing and good, but they have little experience and need help to catch the vision. We had a meeting with the bishop on how we could do that. We have a few things that we are excited to try. 

As for the families we are teaching... A lot are really progressing. Yesterday we brought 6 people to church with us and they all loved it. We called members before and told them names and showed pics of the people so they could enter and people would call them by name to welcome them. We have 20 year old Mariá who has a 3 year old daughter. And the mom of Mariá who is Maria (without accent over the a). They have a little trouble with the Word of Wisdom but are willing to change. This week will be important for them to get baptized next Saturday. 

We still have the two little girls. We have reactivated the family and are getting a little closer every day. Who knows if it can still happen this week.  

Miriam is having lots of trouble at work so we are putting her on hold for a while. 

But over all those are the big ones. We have a few leads we will work with. Over all the field is white and harvest will be great. I’m so grateful to get to be a part of it. The work on this earth is really accelerating and we are lucky to be a part of it. Temple work is really being pushed here. I’m super excited for the Rio Temple that is coming this year. Take advantage all of you that live by the temple. There is no better place!

PS - Fun fact... I’m the ward music director. And everyone makes fun of my girly (but accurate) leading style. Thanks for teaching me mom and sisters ;)

But I love you all tons. Sorry I don’t have any better photos.

Elder Lee

Week 58

Monday, January 21, 2019

So my new area is great. There are lots of things we will get to start doing to get the work moving along here. But the weird thing is there are no hills... I feel super weird and out of place. It’s not an area very appealing to the eyes but it’s gonna be great. My comp is an elder from Chile but currently lives in the USA with his relatives. So he speaks English and I’m getting to re-learn Spanish. I’m DL of 8 awesome elders including the zone leaders. I get to live in a house with 4 elders one of which is my trainer on the mission. (My mission dad) I never thought I’d get to be so close to home again. It’s great to talk about areas, people we taught and what not. Here in a few weeks we will have some baptisms.

First is Miriam. She is dating a guy online who lives in Utah. He gave us her info by sending a reference. She now loves the church more than him... but when we teach they do a face time call and he participates which is cool. Her only problem is she works... like a lot. So Sundays are hard because they are trying to hire another but until them they are killing her. She is solid but will take a little while. She has already been to church once. Over all we will baptize her and get her sister Sara to jump in the water with us as well. 

Second there are two kids Nicole and Nataly who have 9 and 11 years. The whole family are members but a little less-active. They are scared the girls will baptize and go in-active. But we will be pretty straight with them and get her to sign the papers and let them be baptized. We are working on strengthening the family. And we have a bunch of others who are a while away but have potential. 

I’m excited to get things going and make a real difference in this city. I love you all and hope you all have a great week. You are always in my prayers!

This was me saying good bye to my old district in Colatina (on bottom)

Elder Lee

Week 57

Monday, January 14, 2019

So I got transferred form my city and for this I have no time to write... but I just wanted you all to know I’m alive and happy. I will move states and life in Rio... not the city... a bit above it. But should be super fun. I miss you all tons and will write a great miracle cram-packed letter next week. Hope you all are well and have a great week!!!

Love ya all!

So... my card works still... I’m happy and good... I’m leaving this city and moving to another state... wait for it!!! I will now live in Rio. Not the city but the state so I’m excited to leave Espirito Santo and see a whole new people. I leave in an hour and I’m nowhere close to ready. Hope I don’t forget anything because it’s a long ways a way. And yeah. Pretty much just that. It’s hard to say good bye. But has to happen eventually. I thought I’d stay one more. We had four baptisms this last transfer and worked our guts out. But now another group gets to come and finish the work. Realistically continue the work. But I love you tons and sorry I didn’t get to talk this week. Love you!!!!!!

I’m about to take a bus. The city name is Campos... but I’m outside the city in an area called turf... but it won’t work to google. Just google Brazil, Rio, Campos... and know I’ll be close by. But I have to go. Love you tons!!! 

Love ya all!

Week 56

Monday, January 7, 2019

So this week passed by super-fast. The highlight was getting to baptize the mother of Sara our recent convert. On the 6th of January Selma da Silva Gomes was confirmed a member of the church of Jesus Christ. At his point the work is not over but really just starting. Making sure she has people in the branch that will help her stay active and close to our savior. Another highlight was hearing from one of my recent converts in my first area that was almost over a year ago. I received an email From Douglas Morales that he and his girlfriend (who we also baptized) got married and will be sealed in one year in the temple of Rio when it opens. It’s really exciting to hear form people in the past to find that they are strong and active still. All the hardships you passed suddenly become irrelevant and you remember why you are here.

This week I had to say good bye to Lucas another youth we baptized because he will stay with his dad in another city for a few months. It’s hard to think that you might not get to see somebody you love until the next life. But this is all part of our loving heavenly fathers plan. We got to see him off in the bus station and give him one last testimony. 

This week is the last week of the transfer and I am feeling that I will leave and go to another city. But only time will tell. Two hour church was different but good. It’s as Jeffery R Holland taught, we need to jump into these changes. 2019 Is going to be such a miracle cram-packed year. Lots of things will happen and I’m excited to see the progress we make. I’m thankful for all of you and the things you are all doing. I hope that you all continue to grow and progress. 

Love you tons!!!! 

That’s so different in Sunday School! But church was good. It was weird and I felt like I was doing nothing. Usually I teach a class but they ended my class. I don’t know how I feel about it. My investigators drowned a little bit meeting with everyone else. I don’t like that I can’t use simple easy doctrine to start them off anymore. But this is the Lord’s direction so we have to jump into the changes.