October 10, 2011

Nope, nothing in the package department yet. I have slowly gotten mail. But it looks like everyone may be coming out of strike... banks, school, police, bus drivers, and maybe even mail. Yes a lot of strikes.

My companion and I get along really well.  We are getting a lot done.  This past week we baptized two women. We are really looking forward to many more. We are having some really good success here, one of my better areas for numbers.  We are doing really well.  We are also teaching an English class that has averaged about 45 people in the last two classes.

I have started studying more in English. I was feeling as though I knew very little, like I knew a ton in another language but nothing in my own. So I went back to my English to do some more studying. I will probably start my second reading of Jesus the Christ so I can go more in depth with the scriptures as well. My first reading was just on the surface. I learned a lot but I want more.

This past week I have started studying the Sermon on the Mount. It has been interesting. I haven’t quite gotten as in depth as I wish I had. So I still have more to study on the matter.

One set of scriptures I liked a lot was Matthew 7:17-20. I think. It talks about the wise man and the foolish man, something that can be applied to everything. A literal sense when thinking about construction, marriage, friendship or whatever other setting.

Do not lose my puppy dog!!!!!!!!!!!!  I could totally see Logan jumping off the couch faster than anyone else when he knew the dog was missing from the backyard.  Haha

Ya, marrying someone from here I don’t think would go very well. It wouldn’t be as bad as many would think. But it is a lot of work. Probably more than I am capable of.

I hope you got my other 3 pictures.

Sorry this week is a little weak. I am trying to catch- up on things I missed at conference.

October 3, 2011

Well, I am actually watching the Priesthood session right now as I email you.  Conference was very good. I was a little "put off" by a number of the messages though. Last conference was about what... marriage... get married fast!... this time... there were some parts about children... faster and sooner! I heard that and about died!!! I was like, I am still getting use to the idea that you want me to get married and not play around... and now this!!!!! Wait for me to get home first!!!!! haha.

I am in Conjunto Ceará with Elder Harris. He is from Riverside, California. He started his mission in Pocatello, Idaho and then got his visa and came here. So he has nine months, six here in Brasil.  I am actually almost back in my first area. I am right next to it. This area is good. I am actually taking care of two wards... which meet in different buildings... on the opposite sides of the two areas... at the same meeting time... someone didn’t plan this out real well. haha.  I still miss Parquelândia. But the ward members here appear good. We were supposed to have two baptisms yesterday, but they were there and decided to wait. It was rather disappointing. But, hey, what can you do. We were kind of caught off guard by them changing their minds.

It is weird, every once in a while I have one of those moments where I realize I am coming to a close in my mission. I am living with a missionary that has less than 5 weeks now and I follow shortly after. I have only four transfers left. A lot of time if you look at it but living a little over five months as a missionary is nothing. It is weird.

We are short on missionaries here, really short. We need like another 20-30 but we don’t have them. They have asked Brazilians to stay more time if they can and would. I asked President if I could stay, but we can’t because the church won’t pay for another visa renewal. So I am still coming home on time.

Yea, I want scripture covers as well, but it looks like no one here does them anymore. So whatever, I’ll just stick with what I got.

I will start buying stuff in a bit. I will just bring it all home with me. It would be over 200 or 300 reais to mail a package home. But I will leave almost all my clothing here for the other missionaries.  I will have a lot of space to bring stuff home for you.

I sent two emails home with pictures and hope that you got them. If not, let me know and I will try again the following week.

Tell the man at work that we go on missions because it is a commandment of God to do this.

What is the band show this year? What is the theme? Try and send a video!!! haha

So since you asked me to start buying stuff I wish to ask a question as well. Mac... or PC... If I have a pc, I will prolly play games. If I have a Mac, maybe not. But if I buy a PC I save money if I buy a Mac, I will not. So which do I get a Mac or PC?

 Well, my time is up. I love you all and wish you all a good week!!! Send me news from home!!!

September 26, 2011

Well, as you all should know, I have left. After 7 1/2 months, I left my beloved Parquelândia. I am already missing her a lot! I miss Dante, Jessica, Bispo and his wife. I miss everyone. Well, not everyone. haha. I am worried about Elder Reffatti., it looks like he may have grabbed a fubeca. So I told him to keep an eye on himself. And before he does something stupid to my area, call President.

I am now in Conjunto Ceará 1 e 3. It’s like right next to my first area, Guadalajara. So it is really weird to be back here.  It is one of my poorer areas. I have been working with rich people for the last year and 1 or 2 months. I have already seen a number of places here I haven’t seen since the start of my mission.

Last night Dante, Jessica, Elder Reffatti and I had a little going away party. We took a bunch of pictures,   ate some cake and played a little Uno. We put all the pictures on Dante’s computer, and then said our goodbyes on the street and left. I am really going to miss Dante and Jessica. I am actually going to try and finish my mission there (Parquelandia). I want to do three transfers here and then finish up there. That would be my dream. To see everyone again! Keep talking to Dante and Jessica please!!!

Yesterday we had two more baptisms, Verena and George. It was weird. It was like super, super easy to teach them and baptize them. I can’t even explain how easy!!!!!! I don’t even know how it was that easy. Well.... I do... but you know what I mean.

Yesterday was weird at church. I am like famous in Parquelândia because I’ve been here so long. When they said I was leaving everyone was like shocked and stuff. I was hard on them sometimes but at the same time it was almost as though we both, the ward and I, knew what actually happened over the last five transfers.  But the ward is so much better. I look at the people I baptized there and realize the people we baptized are holding the ward together right now. They had lost so many people it wasn’t funny. But almost all the people we baptized are in leadership positions. It is truly amazing.

What did I get to see Dante do that most missionaries will never see a baptism of theirs do?:

Sacrament- Prepare, bless
Blessing of the sick
Baptize
Confirm
Count tithing
Set-apart

I have seen him do almost everything there is to do. It has truly been amazing.

Well, as you can see I absolutely love Parquelândia. I have really learned what it is to love the people. I didn’t know it until I was looking out of the window in my room yesterday.

President Souza was so hard on me that I made a special "report" on Parquelândia for him and gave it to him at the leadership training meeting. I think it impressed him. I just think it was a lack of understanding on his part on the unique needs and circumstances in the area. He made a special note of it in his email to me.

Well, no package yet. And hold off on any other packages. Almost nothing here is moving. It might be here now but I have no idea.

As you can see, my email is much longer than normal because my email system to the President isn’t working. So you are the only people I need to email today!! I only email two, you and President! haha

I am super excited for conference! haha. My last one here! haha it is really weird. I have friends going home in every transfer up to when I leave. When you look at the numbers it is so short a time. And it is hard to believe. It was weird to look out my window last night and think about it all.
Well, I hope all is well. I love you all so much. Por favor continuar a falar com meus amados em Parquelândia!!! Love you all!!!!!!! Have a great week!

August 29, 2011

Well, this is a very weird email. That is weird to think that dad has been released from being Bishop.

Well, we haven’t had any other really weird experiences like last week.

This past week was zone conference for us. It was one of the best zone conferences I have ever attended. I am loving President Souza. The only "problem" that I am seeing is that he never served a mission nor his wife. So sometimes he doesn’t understand fully what is like to be a missionary on the "front line". So sometimes they ask us to do some things that are rather illogical or very, very difficult to do. But hey, maybe that is what the mission needs so, I will do my best to do it. Haha

I have not received the package. I have only received the mission ties with the email from Tristan, Jamie, Richie and Cam. But, I haven’t received mail in like six weeks, maybe more. haha. But it is normal when you have the amount of time I have on the mission. Everyone stops receiving mail. haha

Well, other than this not much happened this week. We are still waiting for our DVD’s and DVD players to arrive. I am really excited for them to arrive and be able to watch the Preach my Gospel DVD’s.

So is dad going to do anything? like by "do anything" I mean does he already have another calling?

What is the band show this year??? Force Logan to write me about it. And what classes is he planning to take?

My journal writing has improved a lot. Oh oh oh, I finished the New Testament in Português yesterday!!! So I am thinking I am going to finish the Book of Mormon and then start on the Doctrine and Covenants. I think I am going to try and read the works in Português before the end of my mission. Won’t be easy but it is do able. I just need to use my time wisely.

So what is new for all of you any other new things happening?

I love you all and wish you all another great week!!!

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August 22, 2011

Well, this week was the most interesting week of my life. I am not exactly sure where to start so I will start with the normal stuff and move to the weird stuff. 

So this past week, we baptized the family I spoke of.  Our numbers were extremely low, but the two baptisms kind of make up for it.

Ok, honestly I have nothing except the weird stuff. 

So a couple days ago we taught this older lady. We asked her to pray and stuff and that we would return to see how it went. Well, when returned we asked her how the prayer went. Basically she is part of a religion like... spiritism... or something like that. Not really sure in English. Anyhow, we ask how the prayer went. Well, she began to explain how a spirit visited her. This spirit did nothing, walked to her made a few motions, smiled and then left. So we listened to this and found it... interesting... so we told her to pray and that we would return the following day and see how it all goes.  We left and went on our way discussing whether this was a good spirit visitation or an evil spirit. When we arrived at our house some hours later, we continued our talk looking through all our books to find some kind of answer. In short, we decided this was not a Heavenly messenger. There were too many flaws with her visitor to be so.  That night I had some rather strong impressions that something was wrong in the area, very strong impressions enough so that we called the President the following day. Well, we couldn’t reach him until night so... during that period we returned to this lady to see how the prayer went. We entered the house and nothing happened until we sat down and Elder Reffatti began to ask how the prayer went. And mid sentence a cat or a group, began to wail... as though someone was killing them. This lady and those in the house don’t know where these cats were. She jumped up and ran to find out what was happening.  We ended rather quickly and left. As we were leaving and we put our feet on the ground outside the house, the noise stopped. For about ten minutes everything in the area was going nuts. When discussing this back at our house, we decided that we have a spirit working that area of our area. We then remembered a weird comment Elder Reffatti made a few days earlier about a lady that lived close to there. He had made some comments about the fact that this lady was dark and had no life and was acting strange.  So yes, we ran into or came across evil spirits in our area. 

Our conversation with President Souza was a very good conversation. I was rather startled by everything that was happening and so with all that he said, he left me a little more comfortable. 

Can you have grandma send me her story that is kind of similar, the one about her house and a really bad smell?  Thanks!!!! 

So that was our fantastic week!!! Haha.  You may or may not want to post this on the internet. You can decide. 

But no, I have not received the mission ties letter yet.

I love you all and wish you all a great week!!!!!! 

Love you all!!!

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August 5, 2011

Well, it looks like you guys had another excellent week.

Well, this past week people broke into the church property and stole our water pump... again... so we have no water in the chapel. So we are wanting baptisms this week but at the same time not because we have no way to fill the font. Haha

Not much happened this week.

I don’t know if you all remember, but Jessica, that we baptized here. Well she was robbed Saturday night walking home. And well, she tried to fight back and the guy hit her on the head with the pistol grip so she had to get stiches and stuff and wasn’t able to go to church.

Saturday was weird. I have "lost" a lot of my allowance. Elder Reffatti dropped the 20 liter water jug and it broke and our new 20 liters of water went all over the house.  So we took the opportunity to wash the floor. haha. We had to buy a new one for 20 reais. It was actually a really funny moment. I was putting on my shoes and I hear him say “oh no”... then a thud and water on the floor. Then oh fetch!!!!! haha it was really funny. 

This week I finished the New Testament, the Book of Mormon, and all the talks from the previous general conference. So I am starting to study the Old Testament using that little booklet they give you at church.

Training has been good, interesting but good. I am learning a lot.

Well, I hope you all have a great week!!!!! Love you all!!!!

August 15, 2011

Well, another interesting week come and gone. Seems I can’t get a week just of peace. But I figure this week I will get it. This past week we, as in the other Americans I arrived with, went to the federal police to renew our visas... yes... we have been illegal since March... haha so yep. 

I slipped up on my journal writing last week just because of all the weird stuff that happened. But I am back on track. So hopefully I am writing in my journal correctly. It has been rather hard to find stuff to write. But I have a number of ideas in my head that are brewing of things I can write every day. 

Oh! Today was transfers but as we already knew, I stayed here for another transfer. So haha. I will be passing the large majority of my mission here which is weird. Very different from President Batt, but hey.  And no, my Mission President doesn’t have a son on a mission as far as I know. All of his children are married as far as I can remember. 

I got grandmas letter this past week! Thank you grandma!!! I also looked over all the stuff she sent with me again. Question….What happened with all of grandpa’s books???

So let’s see. It will be weird with everyone going off to college in the ward, but it happens. Everyone here that I really know is getting wrapped up and heading home. My trainer is headed home today. The sister that came here with us is headed home today. So it is all slowly coming to and end. And I have to be honest most of us Americans are a little worried about it. There seems to be nothing to come home to. There are no jobs, no economy. And I am supposed to return and work, go to school and somehow get married. A lot of missionaries are not looking forward to this. And I am not going to lie, neither am I. 

So now some good questions for you. What are the future prospects for a lawyer or someone with a political science degree?  Is it bleak? or still strong?

I would love to have gone on the high adventure. I am so ready to get back on the water. haha. But that will have to wait some time. 

My card is working here now. Just happens though that the church here doesn’t accept it so haha. Makes it a little harder to get the stuff I need. 

So, are you all doing FHE? Studying the scriptures? Praying together? I realized I haven’t asked in a little while. How are you all doing?

What grade is Logan going into? He will be a junior, right? He needs to start looking at scholarships or he will be high and dry. 

Well, I hope all is well with you!!! Have a great week and a couple good last weeks of summer!!!!!!