April 27, 2015

Hey!
This week was really cool, don't worry about me, I'm fine, definitely nothing dangerous, just something that stuck with me.
This week I got to go to the temple with an Elder I'm living with here to see the sealing of a family he reactivated, and their daughter was baptized. The cool thing is that the church made a cool video about this girl! Check it out!

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-06-023-unto-all-the-world-olivias-story?lang=eng


And the missionary I went with is in the video with his companion from back then (who I also lived with when i was in Diadema, haha!)
It was the first time I've ever actually seen a sealing, and it was a really special experience being able to see that.  The whole family was just so happy!
This transfer is only 5 weeks, so this is the last week of the transfer, the transfers are passing in the blink of an eye now! haha!  I only have 2 more and I can't believe it!
I love you!

April 20, 2015

Hey!
It's weird knowing that I will be home soon.  I'm just trying to continue to work on my mission and be the best I can.
This week was really good,we had more success finding people than in the last weeks and we have several investigators that should be baptized in coming weeks, including Hilary, a relative of a recent convert family.  She comes from a bit of a troubled family and is part of a Japanese  religion so sometimes it's hard to teach her, but she enjoyed church and I'm confident she will feel an answer from God. And Henrique, he went to church with afriend in another ward and we got the referral, he and his family are really receptive, and his family absolutely love the idea of him getting some sort of stability in his life because he can't seem to decide what he wants to do with his life.
Elder Souza and I had a really unique experience this week, it's not excatly a happy experience, so I dont think I'll write about it in this email, but I'll tell you about it when I get home probably.  but it helped me learn a lot about our purpose on this earth and how short and fragile and sad it can seem without the glorious perspective of the gospel.
Anyway, keep me updated on stuff, love you!

April 13, 2015

Hey!
This week was good!  It's been getting colder here, and our house is weird, it seems to amplify the cold, because one wall is facing an open field, so the wind hits it and cools it a lot, but don't worry, I have plenty of stuff for cold.
We are going to the temple in two weeks, I'm excited, I think it will be the second to last time I go here in São Paulo, so I want to take advantage!
Love you!!

April 6, 2015

Hey!
So this week I got my new companion, Elder Souza.  He is from the northeast of Brazil from Fortaleza, the capital of Ceará.  It's cool because we were in the same zone in Diadema a few months ago so I already know him a little and had even already done splits with him.  It's going really well but he was sick this past week and with that and general conference we only ended up working like 2 days, so we didn't get to do all that much in terms of missionary work.
I loved general conference, it's my last conference on my mission!  I can't believe it. There were some talks I really liked, especially the one by Elder Pearson. I think I'm going to read that a lot during the end of my mission.
Love you!

March 30, 2015

Hey!
These past couple weeks have been great in the mission.  The mission baptized 173 people in March!
We had a zone conference last week which was great, the big story was how Elder Hernandez was able to baptize 11 people in one day, and all the stuff involved in that!  It was really amazing!
Today we find out about transfers, but we still haven't gotten the call...I'll let you know what happens.
Thanks for doing everything with registration!
Love you!

March 16, 2015

Hey!
This week was pretty tough to work, we had to stay home a couple of days sick and weather was really bad.  It was just a weird week.  but this week we have zone conference, so that's exciting, I hope it will be really good and inspiring!
I am learning a lot here in this area,  I am thinking it is my last area so I'm trying to do everything I can.  There are a lot of really great people in this ward and I have some really cool examples in the Elders I'm living with and the people I'm getting to know.  Thanks for the nice words in your email, I know it's true, I know this is really the Lord's work!
Love you!

March 9, 2015

Hey!
This week went well!  I got the shoes, and they're great!  It took a while but they're here!
Tell Grant and Emma that I wish them really Happy Birthdays!
Haha, I would never think of hearing "we're so done of snow days" haha!
Yesterday I had the chance to talk in church.  It was really cool, I wish I had the chance to talk more, I feel I get kind of rusty when I go a while without talking.
It was cool because I was kind of nervous about being able to remember everything I wanted to say, but when I went up there I lost all my nerves and I didn't look at my outline even once, it was actually weird, but I feel like whenever I give talks I always feel a special spirit, it's really cool!
I attached some pictures from the past weeks!
I love my mission and I really know this is the Lord's errand, I know this is the true church of Jesus Christ!
Love you!

March 2, 2015

Hey!
This week was pretty good! It rained a lot and I ended up getting wet a bunch, which stinks, but it was fun and we need the rain, we've been in a drought for a long time!
The twins, Natalia and Natasha were baptized on Saturday!  The baptism was fantastic, they have been going to the ward for a long time already so a ton of peole showed up!  I think the baptismal meeting had more people than our Sacrament meeting, haha!
Otherwise the week was pretty normal, it's a lot harder to teach in this new area than it was in Diadema, this place is the richest area I've been in so far and most people just mind their own business and don't really stop to talk to us...  But we have a few cool people we're teaching and I really like the ward.  It's a small ward and it actually might close and join another ward soon but the people are great!
I loved the emails from Emma and Sammy!  It sounds like they're doing great!  Sounds like Sammy is liking martial arts, and emma has liked the snow.  Are they still playing minecraft a lot?  haha! Tell them I love them, and cant wait to see them again!
I love you!

February 23, 2015

Hey!
So I was transferred to a city called Santo André, it's been going well here so far.  The youth all just got back from fsy (the new name for efy, I think)  and they are all fired up about the gospel! It's awesome!  There were 2 young women in our ward who have been coming to church for like 8 months but weren't baptized, and they came back from fsy just dying to be baptized! So this Saturday they will be!  It's awesome!  Yesterday in the Sacrament meeting there weren't any speakers, they just had all the youth bear testimony, it was cool!
My companion is Elder Lott, he's great, we're actually really similar in personality.  He is also from North Carolina, and get this, we live with another elder from North Carolina!  So all of the Elders from NC are living together, and we all will go home at the same time!
That's crazy about the weather and I can't beleive Julia is taking the act and sat!  I remember being pretty stressed about those too!
My new area is really big, by far the biggest I've had before, but the ward is kind of small, but I like the members I've met so far.
Yesterday, seeing all of the youth bear testimony, I really felt the Spirit, I know that this is truly the gospel and church of Jesus Christ, and by His sacrifice and teachings anyone can change, be redeemed from imperfection and live a life of purity, one day returning to our Father in Heavens presence!
Love you so much!

February 16, 2015

Hi!
We still haven't gotten transfers yet, which is annoying, but I'll try and let you know if I am transfered or anything!
That's crazy how cold it is, haha!  It's going to be a shock living in North America again, haha!
This weekend is Carnival, so a lot of people in Brazil are partying and a ridiculous number of people have gone to the beach, haha!  But here in Diadema it's pretty normal, not all that many people traveled or are doing many parties.
I started doing the blurb a day thing, but I kinda lost it later in the week, but this week I have the routine down, so I'll do it well!
Love you!

That is a pizza, haha, it's half chocolate with strawberries and half chicken and cheese, it sounds weird, I know, but it's really good!  And that is Elder Guimarães, he is home already, I lived with him for 2 transfers, he is fun.  He's super crazy, and excited, it was fun living with him.

February 9, 2015

Hi!

It's awesome to hear from you!  This week was pretty good, but people are starting to wind up for Carnival, which is the really big, country-wide party that will happen this weekend, so the work was a little slower than normal.  I'll write down a blurb everyday this week to send to you in my email!
And about the shoes, don't worry too much about it, a member gave me a pair of brand new, nice and durable shoes that he didn't need, so I'll be fine for a while! Don't worry, I'm not walking around in socks! The Lord provides! haha!

In terms of careers, I'm still not very sure but looking around the BYU site I really felt pretty good about Electrical Engineering, especially looking at the Masters and PhD program, I am really thinking that I want to get a PhD!
Love you!!!

February 2, 2015

Hey!
So this past week flew by really quick, we're already in the fifth week of the transfer but it feels like it just started! Mateus still isn't baptized, and now it's looking like it may take a few more weeks to get his parents approval. This honestly has to be one of the most frustrating things possible, to see someone super prepared for baptism and then the parents don't allow it.  

We are going to the temple tomorrow, which is going to be great, I think president is setting us up to be able to go like every 2 months instead of every 3 months, like it was.  I'm super excited!  

Elder Tanner and I are working in a pretty poor area recently trying to find new people to teach, it's pretty funny sometimes the people we find and the stuff that happens, and we have noticed that whenever we see someone drunk on the street it's pretty much a 100% chance that they are going to try and talk to us!  haha!  But it makes for some good laughs between me and my comp!
But other than that not much happened this week.  
Love you!

January 26, 2015

Hey!!

So the bad news is that Mateus didn't get baptized yesterday... he was interviewed and passed and is super prepared and has a great desire to be baptized but the mom is playing goalie, haha, that's a missionary term we use here.  She just wants to learn a little more about the church and have the chance to go to a few meetings, so we're planning on his baptism being on Feb 8.  Tome was confirmed yesterday, he's doing great!

I love you!

January 19, 2015

Hey!

Whats up?  This week has been good, although it's still scorching hot down here!  Tomé was baptized yesterday, it was awesome, the Bishop remembers going to visit him with the Elders 8 years ago! haha!  We also have another investigator, Mateus, who will be baptized this week. He is 17 and after only a few weeks being taught is already really strong and really wants to get baptized!

Today Elder Tanner and I went to visit the Liberdade, that was fun, we ate frozen yogurt, haha!

Love you!