65th Week Out, Week 13 Mondubim, "Investigators Have Challenges"

Dear family and friends this week was a lot of work we had 3 baptisms all lined up and all 3 of them fell, let me explain. So the first 1 that fell his name is Alison and I don't even know why he fell because Saturday night he tells us that he's excited to be baptized tomorrow morning and then tomorrow morning we pass by and find out he went on a trip to another city and didn't even tell us and his dad said he only comes back tomorrow but we saw him in the road that night...... yup and the other was 2 brothers (David and Danubiu) we were going to baptize the mom signed their papers saying they could be baptized and then from nothing we show up at her house Friday and the mom starts going crazy and was like I don't want you guys talking with my kids and don't come back, she kicked us out of the house and then ran inside her house and would not come back and talk to us.... but her sons came out and talked with us and this kid is intelligent man he's the smartest 14 year old I have ever met and he tells us how hes been reading the Book of Mormon and he has been praying to be baptized this Sunday and he started crying because he wanted so be baptized and we were like alright man dont you worry were going to come back here with some people that can talk with your mom (the sisters!) so Saturday we stopped by this woman's house with the sisters (Sister Andrews and Sister Bento) and David let the sisters in (we didn't even go in we stayed outside)  and he went to go get his mom and when she entered the room she's like UM NO NO NO HOW DID YOU GET IN  MY HOUSE? and she PUSHES are you getting this? FORCES BY HAND the sisters out of her house WOW this woman is NUTS! she pushed THE SISTERS! I was stunned I didn't believe my eyes but yup that was my week... anyways I know this week will be better! I love you all and thank you for all your love and support!

Impressions of Brasil

-So I love the people here it's like this; you get into some strangers house and he will let you sit in his chair and he will sit on the ground because he doesn't have others he will get you a fan because its' so hot here and he won't even put it on rotating to get him to he will just put the stream of air on you, he will ask you if you would like water and you say yes and then he comes back with food and juice or soda.

64th Week Out, Week 12 Mondubim, "Visit to the Hospital"

Dear family and friends This week was just another week I had to go to the Federal Police to renew my visa because it's expired. The Federal Police is all the way in the other mission. I met up with all the missionaries of my group that came to my mission because we all had to renew our Visas, when we got there we entered a door that had a sign that said estrangeiros (strangers) and there was people from all over japan, Germany,Africa, etc. anyways that took all day and the rest of the week I got sick again and had to go to the hospital. and let me explain to you how the hospitals here in Brasil are. ALSO that I went to the most expensive hospital available to my in my mission, took like 2 hours to get there by car! so we got there and went to the emergency area  and took like 1 hour to serve me and there was like NO ONE waiting! So the woman finally attended to me after forever and passed like 4 IVys (however you spell it) for me to take and I took them all,and in a couple hours finished, and she came and looked and just passed by me, turns out she went to lunch and I was like hey can you guys take this needle out of me so I can go home now and they were like no she needs to check and make sure everything's ok and I was like oh ok can you call her and they were like no she went to lunch so I sat there in a chair for 2 hours waiting and she finally comes back its 2 o clock and I haven't eaten anything all day! I'm starving at this point and when this woman finally shows up she has the nerve to ask me if I wanted to take another IV i was like WOMAN take this needle out IM LEAVING hahahaha. Anyways I'm hoping for a better week! love you all and thank you for all your love and support!

-Impressions of Brasil

-DON'T go to the hospital because they are not there for you... they are there to get paid sadly...

63rd Week Out, Week 11 Mondubim, "No Transfer...will continue to Train"

This week I was walking in the street and I see a soccer ball in the middle of the road, there was no one in the road so I figured I would at least shoot the ball over to the side of the road, and when I kicked the ball it didn't move and found out it was filled with rocks and sand... then all the kids started to come out from their houses and laugh at me hahahha lol that was good... We had a baptism for a kid named Gabriel, he is 16 years old. I found him when I was in between appointments, I felt impressed that I should talk with him as We walked by him that night, and I almost didn't talk with him I walked by him and 5 seconds later I stopped went back to talk with him. He had a problem with smoking so I gave him a blessing that he would be cured from this desire to smoke, we fasted for him this week and he has not touched a cigarette since and never will again, he was baptized Sunday after stake conference. His parents who we are also teaching came to church with him and they arent married so we will be working with this family to mary them and baptize them here in a month or 2. Transfer calls came and looks like I will be staying here! I'm grateful for another transfer here in Mondubim Me and my comp are best friends! I would gladly stay another! I Love you all and thank you for all your love and support!

Impressions of Mondubim Brasil

-People grab huge leaves from the tropical trees and walk with them on their heads to shade them because it's so freaking hot here!

62nd Week Out, Week 10 Mondubim, "New Investigators"

Dear Family and friends this week we didn't have a baptism but we worked very hard! We made 37 new investigators and marked 20 baptismal dates and out of all this, eight people came to church so we should hopefully see a baptism out of this. Funny thing that happened this week we were in church in sacrament meeting and my investigator was sitting in the back row wich touches the wall if you lay back. And my investigator happened to lay back and flip the light switch and turned off the lights! Haha Elder Anastacio is a great companion! We are already like brothers! He is going to come visit me one day after the mission we might even rent an apartment together for college, but he's definitely a best friend! I made cinnamon toast this week and like nobody even knew it existed and thought it was the best thing ever! It's so simple too!

-Impressions of Mondubim Brasil

-so the news was playing when I was emailing today and I happened to hear that ONLY 20 banks were robbed this year in Brazil (CEARA) ALONE! Lol, well thank goodness for only 20!!!!

61st Week Out, Week 9 Mondubim, "Baptizing Success and Adventures of Omnibuses"

Dear Family and friends this week was super great! Remember Andre and Joao Vitor who were baptized last week! Well this week we baptized their dad Sergio! This week I also did a division and during the division we found an old man who was blind walking in the middle of the street all alone. Obviously lost we extended our arm to him and helped him make it to a supermarket where we found someone who knew him. When we were about to leave he asked, are you guys Mormon?  Like we didn’t say anything about the church and he couldn’t see, so that was pretty cool! Elder Anastacio my companion we are very similar in many things and he loves to have fun like I do! We are both very laid back and getting along just great. I love my mission And I love Mondubim.  I love you all and thank you for all your love and support!

Impressions of Mondubim Brasil

-Here in Brasil the bus transit is CRAZY I know I have said this in the past but let me explain a little better why now; so the omnibuses here are so freaking loaded that there's people on top of everyone for example like yesterday I was waiting at the bus stop and the bus shows up completely loaded like people hanging out the door loaded! And there was this man like pressed up against the roof above everyone with a bell and when the door opened to get in, he started ringing the bell like LETS GO! GET IN! PARTY! LETS SEE HOW LOADED THIS BUS CAN GET!  Lol and like just to get out of this bus people will be working together like 10 to 15 people will have to get off and get back in just so you can get off. Also pulling the string to stop this bus does not work you have to scream like HEY! I NEED TO GET OFF! HEY! And even then sometimes it dosen't work lol. And ON TOP of all this madness there will be people that enter the bus to sell candy to everyone! they will put a piece of candy in everyones hand and then scream IS THERE SOMEONE BLESSED OF GOD THAT WILL BUY MY PRODUCT? Like wow people are desperate to make 5 cents, you spent more money to enter the bus than you sold on the bus… but yea everyone buys candy! I do to who wouldn’t?

60th Week Out, Week 8 Mondubim, "Training New Companion"

Dear family and friends, This week I was in a Trio until Wednesday when my companion arrived from the MTC. His name is Elder Anastacio. he is 18 years old, from Sao Paulo leste. It's funny he is my third companion from Sao Paulo and here in Brasil there's different accents wherever you go so I'm here in Ceara but I don't speak with the accent of Ceara, I speak with the slang of Sao Paulo haha ( if that didn't make sense imagine someone speaking with a country accent in California) anyways this week was great we were able to set many baptismal dates! and we even had a baptism all lined up for Sunday but Sunday afternoon he didn't pass his baptismal interview due to question 4 so that stunk. But This week we WILL baptize I will find someone this week. When you start your mission and don't baptize it makes it hard to realize your purpose it to BAPTIZE. I didn't baptize anyone on my mission from the day I entered for 6 months and because of this baptism I created in my mind a thing that doesn't happen. I've grown my faith so much on my mission. I know I am here to baptize people and the lord will guide me to them according to my obedience and efforts. I love you all and thank you for all your love and support!

Impressions of Mondubim

• So back in USA when it rains it's cold and everyone has jackets and umbrellas, here it's so stinkin hot that people will be using an umbrella to not get wet but without a shirt because it's so hot!

59th Week Out, Week 7 Mondubim

No email this week.  Transfer Week... In a Trio companionship near Fortaleza East Mission Office.  Awaiting the arrival of my companion from San Paulo, Brazil.  Trainer Round 2!