37th Week Out, 17th week in Juazeiro, Fortaleza

This week I got to experience miracles! 1st things first our emailing time has been changed I know only have 40 minutes to email instead of 1 hour and 30 minutes so I'm sorry if I don't email back! This week I taught English class for the first time to try and find more people to teach! I had a class of members and non members. I taught how to pray in English! So this week Our Mission President told everyone they needed to baptize this week! So me and my companion did everything possible to have 1. we worked incredible hard, fasted, and prayed for miracles. Sunday morning started the 1st miracle when 1 of our past investigators showed up at church. her name was Marcia, we had dropped her about a week ago because she didn't want to hear anymore and just doubted everything we said. We spent hours and weeks with her. She yelled at us some times and I would get up and say Marcia I'm not here to fight, I will leave if you just want to fight. I gave her a blessing, she was the first person I ever gave a blessing here in Brazil in Portuguese, I didn't even know how that day, so i had asked my companion if he knew but he didn't know either, so we were siting there looking through the missionary handbook to know what to say. Sunday at church she told us how sorry she was for all the work she put us through and she told us she had received an answer to her prayers that she knew this church was true! and she would be baptized! So that night she was baptized and we had another baptism planned that night along with her. His name is Bruno and hes 21 years old but he didn't show up for the baptism. we called him after it was 7:30 and told him we were still all ready and everyone was still here waiting for him but he said next Sunday... so we started walking home and almost got there, it was 8:00 when Bruno called us and told us he wanted to baptized tonight still, so we RAN all the way back to the church, told everyone to stay because by that time everyone was leaving, we planned another baptism and Bruno was baptized that night! the spirit was so strong! I know both of these baptisms were miracles. My faith grew so much and I know if we have faith we can do all things! I love you all and thank you for all your love and support!

Impressions of Brasil

-Every restaurant has a picture of "the last supper"

Bruno and his girlfirend who is not a member as well but she is investigating the church.

Marcia Baptism, also the first person I ever gave a blessing here in brasil in portugese

36th Week Out, 16th week in Juazeiro, Fortaleza

Hello;

This week transfer calls came and my companion was transferred.  Then I found out I would be training!  I traveled to Fortaleza by omnibus.  The trip was 10 hours there and another 10 hours back!  We had a training there and I met my companion.  His name is Elder Correa.  He is a Native Brassilian from Porto Alegre North.  He is the only member in his family!  His parents are divorced.  He is 19 years old.  I love the kid!  He has a big heart!  I'm so excited to be training already!  I know I will learn much from this experience!  

We only worked 2 days this week because we were in Fortaleza all week, but we managed to have 6 investigators at church!

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

Impressions of Fortaleza Brasil

• Onibuses here Double the maximum capacity of passengers! (ex maximum 100 and theres like 200 people on these buses!)

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.

35th Week Out, 15th week in Juazeiro Fortaleza

Dear family and friends this week I have hit 8 months! man time is picking up speed!

Transfers come today but I want to stay here! I love my area, I love my companion, I love this people! I know 1 day I will have to leave, but it will be a hard day. This week me and my companion worked hard on making new investigators because our teaching pool was running low. We found 27 new firm people this week. 2 of which said they WILL go to church this sunday unless they die. They have so many missionaries from this litte Ramo (group) serving in the field! 10! its such a strong Ramo and I love seeing it grow! To experience people being baptized and confirmed every sunday is deffinetly not the normal from home. I loved fast sunday here in brasil like allways! its amazing to see so many people get up and bear their simple but strong testimonies of how they know this church is true. Me and my companion had a lot of rejection this week. We had a baptism planned this sunday but the day before he slammed his gate in our face and told us never to come back. But despite the rejection we face I can say with all my heart that this is worth it! I add my FIRM testimony that I know this churchy is true, I dont just really think so... I KNOW its true and its something NO ONE can take from me! My answer came as I got down on my knees and offered a simple prayer and asked heavenly father if it was true.,I didnt see some pilar of light or hear gods voice but I had a simple answer that I cant deny. I know everyone can recive an answer! and thats why im here to help people know of this truth! I love you all and thank you for all your love and support!

Impressions of Juazeiro Brasil

-Everyone loves bannanas! they have bannana everything here! (fried bannana, the lists are endless) and the best part is you can just grab bannanas off the trees here as your walking around!

I asked the RAIO here if i could take a picture with them! the RAIO is sweet its like a special military force that deals with drug trafficing. they use bullet proof black clothes and ride around on motorcycles through town in a group of 4 and 1 has a big assult rifle. if you have never heard of the RAIO before look them up on the internets its very cool to see them in action!

City of Jauzeiro

All the kids in the streets here and from their roof tops fly Pipas (kites) Pipas are a huge cultural thing here in Brasil! I walk by kids every day flying Pipas! They even have wars here with kites and they will try and cut eachothers lines. So Thago taught me how to make and fly a pipa this week!

34th Week Out, 14th week in Juazeiro, Fortaleza

Dear family and Friends;

This week we didn't have much time to work due to General Conference, and we also had a Mission Conference as well so not much to report.  I have been spiritually filled and uplifted this week and I would strongly suggest anyone who did not have the opportunity to watch Conference to watch it recorded!  It was very spiritual as Elders; Rasband, Stevenson, and Renlund were sustained as new Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

I was lucky to be able to assist all the sessions of Conference in English, along with some other Americans.  We all crammed into the little clerks office!

This past Sunday made me step back and look at my life and realize how my Portuguese has improved.  I talk with just about everyone with no problem.  I can always seem to explain what I want to say.  I understand what people are saying.  I know that through my efforts of studying and correcting myself, that Heavenly Father is blessing me for my efforts.  There's no way I could have done this on my own.

It was funny to see new Americans arrive this week at the Mission Conference who were in the same position I was when I first got here.

Brothers and sisters I know my Heavenly Father is with me.  I thank you for all your prayers, and for all your love and support!  I know that it's blessing me!

Impressions of Juazeiro Brasil

• Everyone wars soccer jerseys for T-shirts everyday.

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.