Monday, September 25, 2017

Email 09/25/17

I liked the blanket (the one sent in the package he received last week). I like how thin it is, it will work. I haven`t been transferred as yet. I will be transferring today for my new Area Càceres. My new companion's name is Élder Villalobos. He is another Peruvian. I will be leaving at six tonight.  I don`t have much time to do this so I will try and keep this short. I had an excellent week. I got to spend my last bit of time here with the people I wanted to the most.  I loved my time here in Várzea Grande. I met and was able to share the gospel with so many. I will miss many people here. I hope that I will be able to return here in the future.

I like the news from home, and don`t worry I have been receiving knowledge of the calamities that are upon the earth; from time to time. I will miss many of the families that I have been teaching and visiting.

I have been told that it (new area) is an excellent area. I think that I will enjoy it. The only problem I have now is getting ready in time. I have a hair cut scheduled at three. Lucky I have already packed.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/C%C3%A1ceres+-+State+of+Mato+Grosso,+78200-000,+Brazil/@-16.3833639,-59.0383028,8z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x939a5589b35ef77f:0xc44da2f19737a002!8m2!3d-16.0768867!4d-57.6822654?hl=en


Elders: Nelson, Santos, W.Silva, Silveira, Cunha, Campos, Reis, and Dayton; ( not necessarily in that order); Sisters Paiva and Bitencourt.


Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Email 09/18/17

My week was pretty good. It has been alright with my companion. We did get to meet a good family in one of the extreme parts of our area. They already knew the missionaries that were here before me. They accepted Books of Mormon, gave us dinner, and paid for our bus ride back. I was very grateful for that experience. My investigators are doing alright. One is getting closer. His name is Celso and he is the Husband of Ranata and the Father of Lucas. He is in some the photos I have in drive. One of my favorite Brazilian foods would have to be their BBQ or Churrasco. I like it. I love their fruit. Their pastries are great as well.

I received the package this last Friday. I enjoyed the snacks and am using the socks. Thank you for the high quality socks. I so far have only four pairs of socks that have holes all the rest are still good. The Lord has been preserving my clothes that I need.

Sounds like dads foot is better. That is great that you were sustained to another office.  Thank you for letting me know about Sister Freitas. I will pray for her. I found out this last Friday at the Zone Conference for the Cuiabá Stake that I will be transferring next week. I will let you know then where I will be going.  I love you too.


Monday, September 11, 2017

Email 09/11/17

My week has been fine comparatively, but there is something I haven´t sufficiently mentioned in the past. During my time here in Brazil and at other times before the mission I have been seeing many red harvest moons. I saw one this last Saturday that was nearly full and especially red. Concerning the hurricanes, I have heard of only Texas and Florida. I heard nothing of the fires and earthquakes, but I was shown pictures of the Texas hurricane. I just read an 8.1 earthquake is the one you were talking about that hit Mexico. Wow. Wildfires, and I saw that there were various other earthquakes in other places. These are all fulfilling Matthew 24, right now.

I had a case of muscle pain due to sleep in a bad position, I had to have something called GELO rubbed and massaged on it. I feel better now. João-Victor was happy enough to massage it for me. I will put the photos I need to put in into drive. Thank you for the information. I hope that Dad will be alright. How is the rest of the family holding up? From what the family of João-Victor have shown me on Facebook they appear to be doing fine.

I do have one question to ask. Just a thought. Have you read all of the Joseph Smith Translations within the appendix of the Bible? I have been reading many of them and I have learned much. I would suggest if you haven´t read all of them yet, that you would. Some of it will even help you with understanding my patriarchal blessing. I love the ones that are not in the appendix and are scattered throughout the Bible itself. In the Portuguese version they have the translations in the appendix of the Triple combination and in the appendix of the Bible. They are very helpful for me personally and for giving to my companions. They have helped me much in the past and are still helping me.

I have been struggling a bit in mind lately. I remember when I was in São Paulo, just before my whole district left for their several missions, we decided to give each other priesthood blessings. I enjoyed the experience and I found it interesting when I gave one to my friend Elder Barnes. I didn´t understand most of what I said and I was a bit surprised when he got up and shook my hand immediately after the blessing. He was a great guy. In my blessing I received a very important message. The Spirit said through the Elder something along the lines of this: "It is going to be hard, but know that you will be able to do miracles. The lord has had me help many a people in receiving the Gospel and I have given a number of blessings in the which the recipients have been healed, but I am getting a little concerned that I have not as yet done others. I am very grateful for the ones I have had the opportunity to perform, but I was hoping that they would be greater than they have hitherto been. I will keep waiting on the Lord for this. Maybe he plans to have me do them later on. One of the reasons why it was hard in Rondonopolis was because the Lord needed to have me suffer in order to prepare me for the future. If you reread the Joseph Smith Translation in Hebrews 11, you will understand at least one of the reasons why I had to suffer in Rondonopolis. Just know that I know that the Lord was pleased with my endurance. I wish to keep going and overcome my problems I have. I don´t know exactly how hard this past time has been for you and the Family, but I do now know why it has been happening. The kind that I am having now are not too great for me to handle at this present time. The Mission is struggling at the moment, but I hope that we will do better in the future. I am greatly happy to know that you and the family are being blessed. I will keep trying to keep my spirit up.

 Thank you for the E-mails. They were very helpful. If you have any questions just ask.

Monday, September 4, 2017

Email 09/04/17

 I had a somewhat slow week, but we did have English class twice again. One thing I do need to mention is something that happened this last Thursday. One of our investigators, Renata had a heart attack. Élder W. Silva and I were on our way to the Mission Office to pick up any and all packages for us that were there. We found out that we would have to return later in the day, due to the Élders that attend the office were doing a service project. As we were returning we got the call that she had that heart attack and we went to the hospital in our area. Lucky for her she was at work in her hair salon with her husband Celso when it happened. We arrived and gave her a priesthood blessing. After that we went to Almoço. We returned later to the Office and I received the Oragami you sent me. I have already used it. Thank you for sending it. It must have arrived just after the last Zone Conference or so. Later that day we went back to her Cabeleireiro (hair stylist) place to check up on how she (Renata) was doing seeing as we are not permitted to frequent the hospital often. Too our surprise, she was perfectly fine. The Lord healed her. The priesthood blessings do have virtue, and at times very fast virtue. I am grateful for this experience.

Speaking of Dentist appointments, what do you think I should do concerning that? I have not yet visited a dentist hear in Brazil. Do you think that I should go to one soon or wait until later?

Yes! Spence is going on a mission. Four corners is good. I wonder how he is feelings seeing as he is going to be cornered for two years. He has more states in his mission than me. I found out about the hurricane just a moment ago on Lds.org. I will have to study that later on. Thank you for the spiritual thought and the jokes. Have a good week.


Açaí. It is a very common and very delicious fruit dessert. It had banana, condensed milk and powdered milk in it.