Monday, September 28, 2015

33rd Week Out, 13th week in Juazeiro, Fortaleza

This week we were going through our list of less active members, and we were going to pass by a man named Chrysten.  We got to the address listed for him but no one answered the door.  Now at this point we could have just gone on to the next less active, but I felt an impression to "try harder." So I knocked the doors of some of Chrysten's neighbors and quickly found out that Chrysten no longer lived there and no one knew who Chrysten was.  We did ended up finding a man that knew Chrysten!  He explained how to get to this long road where he lived but he didn't know which house.  (Roads here in the center of Juazeiro are long!  They can have thousands of houses on a road!)  I wanted to give up, but I still had that feeling of "try harder."  We made our way to this road and we asked people, restaurants, knocked doors, anyone on this street but no one knew who Chrysten was.  We were walking down this road and I saw a woman through a small window as we walked by and had a STRONG feeling to go and talk to her.  She said the name sounded familiar and she called her son over to ask if he knew Chrysten, and he did!  They described the house but didn't have the number.  We started down the road to find it, and while we were walking, this kid that knew him yelled from behind us and said we had passed it.  This time he guided us to his door.  We clapped our hands and Chrysten answered the door!  He hadn't been to church in 10 years, nor seen missionaries since because he had moved and no one knew where.  He was so happy to see us and we bore our testimonies that Heavenly Father truly guided us to him.  We invited him back and Sunday morning as we walked into church, Chrysten was standing at the doors and said "I beat you."  He was baptized at 28 and now is 39, at the time there wasn't even a church building here yet, just a small group that met in a 2 story house.  We could have given up many times with finding him, but because of our efforts, and listening to the promptings I felt, Heavenly Father guided us to one of his lost sheep. After 10 years, Chrysten took the sacrament this Sunday.  

This Sunday we also had 2 baptisms.  One was Daniel who is the younger brother of Thiago!  Through Thiago, we were able to help Daniel come to a surety that this church is true.  Ezikel was our other baptism.  He is 17 years old and suffers with depression.  He is the son of Jovelina, the woman we baptized last Sunday.  When we first met him, he didn't want to talk with us.  I asked him if we could talk with him for 30 seconds one day and we told him how much Heavenly Father loved him.  We told him that he could feel of that love if he would just pray to our Heavenly Father.  After that lesson, he prayed with us and told Heavenly father he was sorry for not believing in him.  The spirit was so strong.  His mom was crying and from that point on Ezikel wanted to hear more and more.  Last Sunday I motivated him to try and go to church one time!  Just one time.  I told him "If you don't like it, you don't have to go again."  But I know if anyone goes to church one time, they will feel something different than they have ever felt before, that is the Holy Ghost!  It testifies of truth to all of us through this feeling.

I know that this church is true!  I also had the opportunity to become close to one of the sisters investigators.  His name was Cicero and we have become good friends over the last 2 weeks.  I had the opportunity to baptize him as well.  I love this program Heavenly Father has created for us! Brothers and Sisters, I hope you all know that I'm here serving a mission because I want to.  I'm not serving because anyone made me!  I am here because I wanted to!

I love you all and thank you for all your love and support!

Impressions of Juazeiro Brasil

  1. Brasillians play Just Dance using YouTube!
  2. Brasillians really love birds! Almost every house you enter has pet birds.
  3. Dont baptize your camara.....yea

Address:
Rua Republica da Armenia 765
Agua Fria
60821-760 Fortaleza-CE
Brazil

(Note mail in Brazil is regulated as you might have heard, packages and even letters have a high chance of being opened if you do not cover the letter or package in pictures of Jesus and Catholic Mary. Shipping takes about a month time sometimes longer.




Monday, September 21, 2015

32nd Week Out, 12th week in Juazeiro, Fortaleza

Dear family and friends;

Not much to report this week.  Some of the world mission rules have changes and my mission doesn't even have to use suits anymore so I decided to give mine to my recent convert Thiago for his 18th birthday.  

Sunday Thiago received the Melchizedek priesthood.  That night we has a baptism for Jouvelina Maria Carvalhas De Freitas.  She asked me to baptise her and it was hard because she was scared of the water.  She is such a strong woman.  She has one girl and four boys.  One of them has depression and we have been crucial friends in his life.  We have been teaching her for a couple weeks.  It's amazing to see people, who at first you go by and start teaching them about gospel principles, but once they pray about our message and receive a answer, they truly have a desire to know more and share it with others. 

Brothers and Sisters, anyone can know that this church is the true church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints here on the face of the earth.   All you have to do is pray and ask Heavenly Father.   You don't go and research on the Internet because who can lie?  All of us?  We are all human?  But who cannot lie?  Heavenly Father.  If you don't ask you will NOT receive an answer.  I know this is true because I have gotten down on my knees and prayed and received an overwhelming feeling.  This feeling is the Holy Ghost I talk about nearly every letter.  It's better than any feeling in the world, 40 times stronger than any drug.  I love this feeling that I cherish every day. 
"If our lives and our faith are centered on Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong."  On the other hand, if our lives are not centered on the Savior and his teachings, no other success can ever be permanently right"


I love you all and thank you for all your love and support.

Impressions of Juazeiro Brasil

  1. It's loud here!  There's always some kid screaming, a crying child, someone pounding something, music blasting, a motorcycle... forget your peace and quietness.
  2. They have a drink here by the name of Guarana Jesus!

Address:
Rua Republica da Armenia 765
Agua Fria
60821-760 Fortaleza-CE
Brazil
(Note mail in Brazil is regulated as you might have heard, packages and even letters have a high chance of being opened if you do not cover the letter or package in pictures of Jesus and Catholic Mary. Shipping takes about a month time sometimes longer.






Wednesday, September 16, 2015

31st Week Out, 11th week in Juazeiro, Fortaleza

Dear Family and friends;

This week I hit 7 months and time just continues to fly.  This week was filled with miracles.  So a while back I was on a street looking for a man that someone referenced to me, but with the directions given to me, I was brought to a road but didn't know what house.   I felt prompted to talk to a lady in the street and ask her if she knew him.  Her name was Rosa.  She didn't know where he lived but she told me that she had a cousin that was a member of our church, and it seemed that she knew a lot about Mormons.  I asked if one day I could come by her house and share a message with her, which she accepted.  Now we started passing by her house and teaching her like an investigator, but after 3 or 4 visits, she revealed to us that she was a member of the church 10 years ago but fell away.  She had lived in Sao Paulo and moved here so she was not on the church records because no one knew where she lived.  Brothers and sisters, I invited her to "come back" and this last Sunday,  after 10 years, she sat next to me in church.  We knocked nearly every door on her street but we never found that man on her street... 

I now know that Heavenly Father sent me there for her.  My joy was so great yet again this Sunday, to have Rosa in church with her son.  During sacrament meeting Joao Neto and Thiago both stood up and were called to be ward missionaries for Juazeiro.  

Brothers and Sisters, this is the church of Jesus Christ here on the earth today.  It changes everyones life for the better!  Miracles DO happen and will continue to happen until that glorious day that our Savior comes again!  I love you all and thank you for all your love and support!

Impressions of Juazeiro Brasil
Walmarts here don't have anything American, not  food, clothes, nothing! you would forget its Walmart without the logo.


Address:
Rua Republica da Armenia 765
Agua Fria
60821-760 Fortaleza-CE
Brazil

(Note mail in Brazil is regulated as you might have heard, packages and even letters have a high chance of being opened if you do not cover the letter or package in pictures of Jesus and Catholic Mary. Shipping takes about a month time sometimes longer.





Friday, September 11, 2015

30th Week Out, 10th week in Juazeiro, Fortaleza

Dear family and friends;

This week transfer calls came and we had 8 other missionaries sleeping in our house... It was crazy!  I felt bad because some slept on the tile floor!

But anyways, I said bye to my beloved companion Elder Hwang.  He is now the assistant to the President which makes sense because he was such a good missionary, GREAT missionary!  Elder Hwang taught me so much about life, being a missionary, and the gospel.  He made missionary work so much fun, like it's supposed to be! I'm a better missionary and Man because of him.  He goes home here in a couple weeks!  I'm really going to miss him for all he has done for me!  

I now have my first Brazilian companion by the name of Elder Moraes.  He is 19 years old and has 9 months in his mission.  He´s from Sao Paulo.  He has one older sister.  She was the first one to join the church in his family at the age of JUST 12 years old!  Because of her, Elder Moraes' family is all in the gospel today.  He ONLY speaks Portuguese, no English, so I know this is an opportunity for me to improve on my Portuguese.  

At this point in my mission I know that I can teach the gospel and what we believe com certeza!  I can talk about the gospel all day in Portuguese, but when it comes to regular things in life, that have nothing to do with the gospel… I'm soooooo lost (hahaha.)  

I'm so happy in my life.  One thing I've realized about serving a mission is that… it doesn't Automatically make your life amazing for when you return.  Serving a mission teaches you how to become awesome everyday so that when you return you can make an amazing life! 

Brothers and sisters, I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (O evangelho de Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Ultimos Dias) is Jesus Christ´s church here on the earth today, and I'm so glad to be a part of it!  I Iove you all and thank you for all your love and support!

Impressions of Juazeiro
  1. All the kids ride bikes in the streets here and they LOVE doing wheelies!  They will just ride down streets doing wheelies and it's really funny when people start doing wheelies down the SMALL streets of Brazil with MOTORCYCLES!  Crazy man!  
  2. In Brasil, when ambulances are driving down the street with sirens and flashing lights... cars don't get out of the way!
Address:
Rua Republica da Armenia 765
Agua Fria
60821-760 Fortaleza-CE
Brazil

(Note mail in Brazil is regulated as you might have heard, packages and even letters have a high chance of being opened if you do not cover the letter or package in pictures of Jesus and Catholic Mary. Shipping takes about a month time sometimes longer.




This is the church biulding out here in Brasil! Its honestly the nicest looking church here in Juazeiro! Almost everyone knows where it is even if they arent mormon! You cant miss it!

My new companion! Elder Moraes!

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

29th Week Out, 9th week in Juazeiro, Fortaleza

Dear family and friends;

This week we had a visit by Apostle Elder Neil L. Anderson.  He had a devotional for all of Juazeiro do Norte on Wednesday night and people came from all over Brasil to listen to him! We had over one thousand people here in our tiny capella.  I was in the estacionamento (parking lot) parking cars from 4-10!  He gave everyone there that night an opportunity to come up and shake his hand.  It was crazy to see a line going out of the building of people who wanted to shake his hand! 

Thursday he had a devotional that was only with the missionaries!  I had the opportunity to shake his hand as well.  He spoke in Portuguese and also spoke in English a times and had a translator.  I would like to share a story that his wife spoke about.  She said, "Back when we had family home evening, we didn't have the Internet, so what we did was every Monday night, we would read a talk given by one of the quorum of the 12 or 1st presidency, those men who we sustain as prophets and apostles. Every time we received a copy of the Ensign ( talks given by the quorum of the 12 and 1st  presidency), it was precious to us.  I took this Ensign and went to a copy place because we didn't have one at home.  I made copies for each of our children.  When I finished the lady totaled all the copies and told me the total was $50.00 (back then that was a high price to pay.)  In that moment I felt that this price was to much... I then recalled feeling sick to my stomach that I had put a price on the gospel."  She then said, "It is work EVERYTHING to have the words of the prophets in my house.  It blesses me, my children, my grandchildren." 

Brothers and sisters I too know that we have a Prophet on the earth again today and his name is Thomas S. Monson.  I know he along with his counselors and quorum of the 12 have been set apart as special witnesses of Christ. I know Neil L. Anderson is an apostle of God as well.   I was able to feel the convincing power as I listened to him speak.  The Holy Ghost testifies of truth and it was so strong as I listened to him.  I cannot deny the feeling that I felt, nor could anyone persuade me to say he is not an apostle of God.  I KNOW this church is the church of Jesus Christ here on the earth.  Brothers and sisters, thank you for all of your love and support!


Impressions of Juazeiro
-Days that are freaking quente (HOT) here and HUMID really stink walking around BUT it makes my freezing showers a little less miserable.


Address:
Rua Republica da Armenia 765
Agua Fria
60821-760 Fortaleza-CE
Brazil

(Note mail in Brazil is regulated as you might have heard, packages and even letters have a high chance of being opened if you do not cover the letter or package in pictures of Jesus and Catholic Mary. Shipping takes about a month time sometimes longer.



there was some kind of Festa aqui? mais Eu nao sei porque or para que? mais foi legal man!


So we went to the mall close to our area and they had a SUBWAY AND MCDONALDS, the funny thing is in the U.S. I would never eat McDonalds but... out here when you havent had an american burger in SOO long. McDonalds is Heaven!

Elder Camargo My favorite brasilian came down because the of  apostle!