New Area-4-25-16

Hello-

So as you can see I was transferred... I have to say it's about time but I also will miss 2 families incredibly. It is something I didnt think would happen here but lo and behold it did. I will really miss S's family. They were so great and I was sad to leave them. I will also miss that "new Family." They were really nice and i hope they continue to progress. But I got transferred to Biguaçu which is the Stake on the Coast of FLORIANÓPOLIS! I finally got to stay around the island for the first and probably last time. But I'm here now and my companion is Elder Valadão. He is from Northern Brazil and got here with Elder B Ribeiro. So he has been here about a year already. It is very possible that he is my last comp. But we'll have to see! He seems nice and the area already seems decent. The apartment is okay. Not to big but it's good enough for just two. I am now a DISTRICT LEADER again! I am excited. I will be the District Leader for 2 other areas and the SENIOR MISSIONARIES' DISTRICT LEADER! It's pretty awesome. I havent met them yet but I've only heard good things about them. Also Elder Maltez followed me here and is in my District again! That was funny. Elder Stahn was called to be a new secretary as well. So we will see each other every once in a while still. but those are the major changes for me!

So I looked at the list of cities where the Olympic torch will pass and it PASSES my new area!!! So I will totally try to get pictures! it will come through on the 12th of July and I'm pretty sure I'll be here still so that will be awesome!

The pic I sent was our District and we had a district meeting before transfers. We also did lunch all together becasue everyone was given money for lunch. So we made yakisoba and it was amazing! I was very happy.

When we teach we really just look at what they need to be taught on the records and then we teach it. We use the missionary pamphlets (https://www.lds.org/manual/missionary?lang=eng) and Preach My Gospel ( https://www.lds.org/manual/preach-my-gospel-a-guide-to-missionary-service?lang=eng ) and the scriptures. We prepare just like if we were preparing a talk for Sunday.

Our visit with S. was incredible. We talked about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and our life to prepare to meet God and it was great. The Spirit was strong and they agreed to be stronger to get their marriage figured out so they could be baptized.

Well for the most part I would just like you all to remember to serve others this week. It is so easy to forget to serve others.  I know that through service and acts of random kindness we can make friendships and be blessed more then ever before. I know that we are blessed when we sacrifice for the Lord.

Well I love you all and I'll send you pics next week with all the new stuff!
Elder George

4-18-16

Hello!

To answer your question about if people ask why I'm here in Brazil. Well, people seem to guess the darndest things. I've already been asked so many things about why I'm here. One of which is. "Are you an American spy?" I say that I'm not and that's a surprise to them! WHY WOULD THE U.S. SPY ON BRAZIL??? Oh well...

Yes, I do have a minister card. It just tells people that I am a registered minister and that I have the right to visit people in hospitals if they request me. It's only happened a few times in the past 19 months, but I can do it if people want. I'll send a pic next week for you guys to see! But pretty much people don't care too much because there are sooo many different religions here that no one can keep track. So we just do our thing.

Our new family we found last week is doing really great and they will read and pray about the Book of Mormon And see if next week they can go to church. It is a couple and 3 daughters and they are really nice. We are gonna try and get them integrated with a member that lives close to them. We are really hoping that it will go well.

This week Elder Moore from the mission office called and asked me a super important question: He asked me what airport I wanted to fly into when I go home! I'll have my flight plan next Monday on the transfer day! It feels so close now and actually real. I had always thought that the day would never come. Now the day is actually real. Weird stuff. I'll send it to you guys next week.

Speaking of transfers this week is the transfer so if I don't send anything next week it means I was transferred and was traveling. 

This week I really got into the Book of Mormon again and I learned once again that reading really gets us a recharge against the things that try to do things that hurt us. I liked this picture:

There really is power in the book. Often, there are people who start to read the Book of Mormon at the beginning of the year and end up losing their spot and stopping their study. But START AGAIN! It really is the best thing that one can do. I know the book is true. It changed who I am and it can change you too.

Love you all and have a great week!

Elder George

New Week 4-11-16

 

Hello!

So the weather here is about the same... Insanely hot. Today and yesterday were better but still super humid. It should have already started to cool off as we are getting closer to winter, but it hasn't yet. Generally the mosquitos die during the winter because it's cold but last winter they didn't because it didn't get super cool... So that's why there is such a problem now. So we are hoping for some colder weather.

I got the package actually LAST THURSDAY! It was awesome! It was awesome and I have already given some of my good friends that aren't American a tie to remind them of me and they enjoyed them. I also enjoyed the Peanut Butter as always and the hymn book. I admit there isn't too much time to practice but I want to do better with that and take it to District meeting to play. IT meant a lot. Thank you :) YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I fount the pin you hid in the sock. It was awesome and I loved it so much :D THANK YOU!

We have one couple of Senior Missionaries but I haven't even met them yet and it's been a year since they've been here. They're American, and that's basically all I know about them. We also still have 6 in the apartment and one is Elder Peterson who is from the US. No, We don't do splits anymore unless it's absolutely necessary. So unless there are really big problems we just stay in our own area. Elder Peterson is cool. He is nice and does the right thing and wants to be obedient which is good. He is fun to be around. My Companion is Elder Castro. I guess I forgot to tell you his name.

For Zone meeting, we taught about the Holy Ghost in Conversion and it was good. We talked about the moment when we had our own personal conversion and it was pretty good. Unfortunately, doing all of these trainings is getting a little repetitive. I would love to not always be in charge. But the President seems to trust me and ask me to arrange a lot.

Our investigators are doing well and literally the only thing holding them back is getting married. So we're gonna get a member to help them on that. Other than that, the work is about the same. We talked to a lot more people this week and miraculously we found a new family that we will teach tomorrow. So that will be a great way to find some new investigators. 

Listen, Brazil isn't all that to photograph. You probably wouldn't even like it where I am. The city is dirty and hot and really unpleasant to live. There isn't any beaches, there isn't any cool forests or anything like that. Basically it's a hotter more humid area like ours that has rice and beans with every meal.

Well this week I was marking my MTC Portuguese scriptures and I found the verse* that says all things will work together for our good and that hit me. I realize that through ANYTHING, we should be cool because things will work together for our good. Even though we may have some things to work on, we should remember what we have already learned and apply it to our new challenges. I know that God is with us through all things. He helps when we are passing challenges and when we are trying to do what's right. He hears our prayers and answers them. He only requires that we be patient and wait for him to manifest his will AS we do the right thing. I love you and I know God loves you too. 

Have a great Week!

Elder George

*Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another. (Doctrine and Covenants 90:24)

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/90.24?lang=eng#23

Busy Week 4-4-16

General Conference together!

Well this week was busy as you can see!

 

So the zone breakfast happens every time we have a zone meeting. The Zone Leader's are in charge of feeding the missionaries at that time. So that Is where it came from. It cost about 70 reais and we did sandwiches and juice with some little cookies as well. Every area from the city watched General conference together this time which was really cool. We got to watch in English which always is good and by October Conference I'll be able to be at home!!!! YAY!

 

I mentioned that the mission told us to get special bug spray because Off isn't working on these massive mosquitoes. So, the bug spray was probably something that the mission didn't really want to do but the area presidency said that they had to. So I had to buy a can of bug spray for 60 reais ($9)! and the mission said," You HAVE to buy this but lets use common sense. Don't use it everyday..." That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I thought," Are you kidding. You're gonna break us to buy this stuff and now telling us that we shouldn't use it everyday!?" Oh well. I'll use it for the next few months.

 

My head is fine. I got the stitches out on Tuesday and now all the guys have stopped playing nerf because they don't want any other injuries.... probably for the best.

 

M and S are doing well and they are already doing the things they should! We talked more about the restoration of the Church and Joseph Smith and they seemed to feel something more. So, I said "When you know that these things are true will you be baptized and follow it?" They said they would and our next visit we'll try to mark a baptism date!

 

I really liked Elder Holland as usual and that one was the one I needed especially now. Here is a link to his talk.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/media/session_5_talk_11/4829903593001?lang=eng

 

I know that when we remember the spiritual things that happen in our lives we will be able to make better decisions in the future. I know that our Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, is called of God and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true.

I love you all and I hope you have a great week!

Elder George