Thursday, April 24, 2014

April 21, 2014

Hey family,

This week has been one to remember, to start the week we had transfers on Tuesday.... and well I got a new companion, but on top of that I am keeping my old comp. We are now the first trio in 6 years..... the reason for that is because Elder Hill still has to finish my training. We all are getting a long, and we are having a ton of fun. Wednesday came, and we had one lesson then hit the streets, we did like over 50 contacts... and only got 2 addresses... this area is so hard, we also walked all the way home after and that is an hour walk. Thursday we had a bunch of lesson and it was a good day

Friday was just a normal day until we went to dinner. The member we were going to lives in a very very poor part of town... so we went there. We walked inside this two bedroom house, the walls made of cardboard and wood, with holes everywhere, and a tin roof, that was not really doing anything because I could see the stars most of the time. We came in and sat in the dirt because they had no table. The mother put out so much food.... like a ton and I didn't know how she paid for it, but it was all there... we started eating, when I noticed that the kids were not eating.. (3 kids) and the mother was not. I asked Elder Hill why they were not... and then he told me this.. he said that the mother doesn't eat lunch for three weeks and the kids don't eat dinner for about a week or more so that she can feed us... I sat there and started to cry. Here I am, I have money, and I cannot eat for one meal, there's food tomorrow, but they don't eat so that we can eat. The look in the kids eyes, of hunger and just sitting there.... I almost couldn't eat more, but the mother made us eat all of it... she said that the blessing she gets from feeding us, is worth all the time going without food. I stop... this was unreal, I tried to give them money but she said she wants the blessing of the Lord, by serving his servants the missionaries... after we were leaving I had some chocolate with me, and I asked the mother if I could give it the kids, and she said yes, and the kids loved it... after we went outside I walked for a little bit and then stopped.... and cried. I am not sure I can do this.... that family went without food so I would be full... I cried.... it was unreal....

After we walked some more, we passed a party that was happening in the area... and when they saw us and they yelled at us.. swearing and stuff and then they threw food and eggs at us.... it was bad... three missionaries in white shirts covered in rotten fruit and eggs, all different colors... and the eggs... holy smoke I swear they froze them.... I have tons of welts now.... it took more three hours to scrub out the tomatoes.... but that day was a change for me... I didn't care that we had food thrown at us... or that I have welts that hurt like crazy, but that a family has that much faith in us the missionaries, the kids loved us, and the food was the best I have ever had. but at a cost, that breaks my heart. The rest of the week was good, lots of work and lots of fun but this week is one to remember
April 14, 2014
Hey mom and family

This week has been a crazy week, so where to start. I got a hair cut on terçs so that was crazy, I got it kind short, so I don't have to cut it for a long time. This week we had a ton of lessons and a lot of walking. We have been super busy and we had an amazing baptism on doming. Wow was it so good, this kid Lucas is so strong, he knows everything is true, and was so ready, he is the reason why I am still here. This week was really hard, I got sick again, and really didn't want to be here, but seeing his faith, and how much he loves the gospel, proves to me that this is true, and what I am doing is changing people's lives. He is a really good kid, and now he is family to me. He is a brother in the Lord. On sabado we went to a charrascal.... wow they had some amazing food, wow it was so good. I did try chicken heart... and well wow it had a wild taste, haha not sure I liked that one. It is transfers tomorrow, I have been here for 6 weeks time is flying!!!!! It's crazy. Yesterday we went to a family home evening and birthday party for some members and it was super fun, I hung out with all the little kids because they speak the same Portuguese as me haha, or even better and we just played games, and we played dragons and princess. I love little kids here they are soooo funny. We do magic tricks with them and wow so many good times. Keep me in your prayers, and I love you all, the Lords work moves forward.
CHARRASCAL

FOR THE BROTHERS

BROTHER IN THE LORD
WHAT FUN TO BE A MISSIONARY

FUN THINGS TO SEE IN BRAZIL


Hey family, this week has yet been a crazy one....

So to start with Monday until quarta..... I was really sick, like sick, sick. I couldn't move or do much.. but you don't stay home you keep working. I don't remember much of those days... haha, so this week we picked up 4 new investigators, and let me tell you we have 3 golden investigators. They are amazing, one of them Lucas is a boss, love the kid. He is getting batismo on the 13th, I am so excited. Transfers are next week.... wow time has flow I have already been in brazil for over 1 month, it is crazy. Our goal as a companionship is to do service for people. One of the best ways is pushing cars.... most people have standers so we just give them a push for a jump start.... well on sabado we were walking when we saw a car down, so we walked over and asked if they needed help, and they did so we said we would push them... well they didn't know how to jump the car, and my comp doesn't know how to drive standard, so I drove a car. I jumped it and drove to the side..... makes me really miss driving, haha. On quinta we had two lessons one after another, so of course we run late on the first one so we had to leave and run..... it was funny two white guys running in white shirts and ties back packs down the streets of Sao Paulo.... but we made it on time... out of breath of course. We went to the stake center and watched conference... and well I watched it in Portuguese so I really didn't understand much.... we watched some in English on sabado, but over all... I kinda of just sat there... haha, but it happens I heard it was really good, so I will read them online when I get chance. I am loving it here, I am being humbled every day, but I am making memories that will last forever.

Eu ti love Família,.. I love you guys so much if there is anything you guys need or want I will do what I can. Stay strong and work hard, this work is true the evangelho is true, I know that Jesus Cristo is my Salvador, love you and take care.
BAPTISMO


Mission Fun


ROOM AND AREA

Week 4 (March 31, 2014)

Hey family, it's been yet another busy week.

This week we had a slow week, so we did a ton of contacts... and I mean like a ton. We gave out like 30 copies of The Book of Mormon this week and got a lot of new lesson this week, but we had to put in all the work to get to that point. I also did some contacts this week.... and wow was it rough, I don't speak much and so it can be hard to get across what I want to say. I also got shut down a ton, some people here can be super mean but that's (de boa) or in English, that's life. It's definitely been a trail of faith. Some great news of this weekend was that we had three batismo, wow the family was so cool. We also have 3 others with batismo dates, so I might have like 7 or more in my first transfer..... so cool, I am doing the Lords work, it's what keeps me going. Last night I got really sick, and have been out of it for a while now. Keep me in your prayers, because I am dying at the moment, and there's no stopping because I am on the Lords time. So yeah this week has been slow because we didn't have a lot to teach but we have like 6 or more this week, so that is cool. Life is good. Out of money but what is new. Dad I have read 2 of the 4 missionary books, and wow are they so cool. I love them. My next read is Jesus the Christ, they say it has so much deep doctrine in it. I want to thank you for everything you have done....you have changed my life with your example. I love you.
Week 3 (March 24, 2014)
Wow, sounds like you have had yet another busy week. Well to start off with some good news we had an amazing batismo this week. This lady was so ready for the gospel and is so smart. The batismo was so amazing, the spirit was so strong, and it felt so good that I was able to help bring this women into the gospel. The best part is that her whole family came and we are going to try to teach a bunch of them. The work moves one. and with some luck we should have another three this weekend, or at least two. This week has been full of adventures, on Thursday we took a bus out to this area to do splits with some other missionaries. The bus was super full like it always is, and we were all jammed packed and had no room to do anything. Then there was a big bang and the bus broke down, so we all got off, and had to wait for another bus to pick us up. The bus we got on was already full and so it became over full..... like everyone was on so we pushed are way through to get to the back because we had some time before our stop. Then our stop came up and we couldn't move, because there was no room, we tried pushing and pushing.... no luck and the bus passed our stop and kept going. I mean we were in the middle of nowhere.... we were probably out of our zone... and we had no way of getting back so we said a prayer, and then started to talk to people and see if they could get off so we could get off..... they were all super nice and got off... when we could get off, we were already like 30ish or more min out of our area.... luckily we were guided by the spirit and found the right bus and made it back without any harm done, but was I scared. It is super hard because no one speaks english, we taught some great lessons and we got a firm for a batismo. This week we ran out of money, so no more buses, we had to walk everywhere.... and we live out of our area, so we have to leave early to make it to our appointments..... We walk all day, my legs are getting jacked haha. On Friday we went and did an interview for one of the sisters batismo, and that was really cool, we had 8 batismo this week for are zone, highest in the mission. The work here is really growing. on Saturday we got the chance to go in to the furvellas..... or in other words.. the slums and I mean cardboard walls and tin roofs.... I was sooo scared, we walked in and the spirit was taken away. This area was unsafe, also the people think we are cops, so have to be really careful to say the right things, and no english.... we left very fast. and I hope I don't have to return. Elder Hill said... always be ready to run... because the people here won't think twice about fighting you, and they will all come together... so that was nice to know. Last story, so we were on the bus and these two girls came up and started talking with us, and we were telling them about the gospel, and it was super tight, but they keep laughing through the whole thing, so we were like... ok, then elder Hill asked them what they were laughing about... and they were like, we are members.... we got played but it was super funny and they were so nice. I was reading in Jacob 6:12 and it reads, [oh ye, be wise, what more can I say] or something like that.... but what a powerful scripture.... definately one of the best, be wise and work hard. Anyways I love you family and hope all is going well. Life here has been busy and full of work, and maybe someday I will learn Portuguese.