Week 56 - Baptism, training, and my camera.

I had a baptism this week!  This was the first baptism in this area for some time. We had a good turnout from the ward. It was really good and we have super sweet investigators too.   We are teaching two FAMILYs that are progressing.  I am hopeful they will accept the gospel and chose to be baptized. 

My companion and I with the sister who chose to be baptized.

This transfer I am training!   My new companion’s name is Elder W. Souza.   He is from Natal. Natal means "Christmas" and is a northeastern state in Brazil.  He speaks with a little different accent than I am used too, but I understand him just fine.  He is super nice and has a great attitude.   He has the missionary fire which, is good!   He talks to EVERYONE -- even the drunks!  Normally, I just leave them alone but my companion is setting a good example for me that we need to give everyone a chance to hear the gospel message regardless of their circumstances.  The Lord looks at each of us as who we may become, not as what we are now.  He invites ALL of us to come unto Him.  The gospel of Jesus Christ changes each of us as we embrace it.  He will forgive us of our sins as we forsake and confess them and mold us into better people.

My camera is dead.  I’ve been looking at new cameras.  I didn’t see the model that I have but I’ll go check out one more camera store I know about around here.   I guess I could go to the mall and look too.  My district leader has lent me his camera.

Today we are going on a picnic with the sister missionaries and our district leader. 

Week 52 - Contacting, baptism, and my first year.

This week was really good. We contacted until the end of the earth and got almost nothing out of it. On Friday we did splits with two of the priests from the ward. We taught them how to teach and then Elder Helamã and I each took one and started contacting. It was by far the most fun I have had in the mission contacting. The young man I was with received very blunt NO´s during the first couple of contacts but it slowly got better and better and then someone let us in to teach a lesson! It was a way cool experience for the young man. Now both are going to come out with us every week!

The sister scheduled for baptism on Easter Sunday gave us a heart attack yesterday.  Just before church she came up to us and said she wasn’t going be baptized next Sunday and to call her later that evening. Elder Helamã was dying inside during our sacrament meeting. We called her and asked what happened?  She said no elders you don’t understand. I still want to be baptized!  She explained she is dating a member.  Both she and this member are divorced and they both have kids.  The member hadn’t told his kids about our investigator and wanted the kids to be present at her baptism. She wanted some time for things to settle in with the kids first.  She is very elect daughter of God. She has dreams about everything we teach. She even had a dream that she was inside the conference center before she knew what  general conference was! When we showed her a picture of the conference center she almost had a heart attack.  It was the building from her dream.

Thoughts on Easter by an Apostle of the Lord

It’s very hot here. Not as bad as Mogi das Cruzes though.  The "hot days" are supposed to be over as we are moving into autumn, but I sweat like crazy here. All my shirts are yellow.

I found a guy that plays guitar and I’m super excited to teach him.

São José dos Campos

I’ve been on a mission for one year now.  Time just flies.  It doesn't feel like it’s been a year.   I feel I have my best work ahead of me.

Week 19 - Transfers, Baptism, and Monkeys

Tomorrow are transfers and I will be getting a new companion.   Elder Villca has finished his mission and will be going home.  I still don’t know if I’m staying or not but I’m pretty sure I’m staying! As long as I don’t get transferred I’M BAPTIZING TWO WONDERFUL PEOPLE SUNDAY!!!  Ahhhhh I have waited for this day!

The Lord is opening so many windows.  If I stay and get a hard working companion I have no doubt in my mind we can find, teach, and bring many people to the water’s of baptism in the Lord’s church this tranfer!

THERE ARE MONKEYS HERE!!! The museu do ipranga has monkeys!!!  I will get a picture of them this week! I’m totally going to try to get one on my shoulder!

I went to Gaurulos today. It’s like a tiny town in the mountains.  The town is way cool!  It’s all dirt roads, cows in the street, forest, and favelas.

Week 10 - Zone conference, perfect investigators, and a baptism.

We had stake conference [a service with several congregations attending] this week and it was amazing! The stake president [leader over multiple congregations] is young but he is so cool.  It was all about missionary work the first day.  The second day was a broadcast from [Apostles] Richard G. Scott and M Russell Ballard. 

Richard G Scott

M. Russell Ballard

Last night we went with a family to an investigators house.  We had dinner and deserts! It was way cool!  It was hard to fit us all in because their house is only a little bit bigger then the size of our families down stairs bathroom.  It went really well though!  I taught them how to make "Oreo Balls" They loved them!  Their family are the perfect investigators.  You couldn't have better.

A little girl in the ward [congregation] was baptized this week and it was really beautiful!  The font here is gorgeous! 

John 3:5

Pure and Simple Faith