Thursday, April 7, 2011

Well it’s been a crazy week for me so far and with that said I’ll start right at last Thursday. Thursday I had a division with my Zone leader it was much needed. He was very cool and I got to vent to him a little bit then he bought me a pizza because he thought we needed one ha-ha but it was really cool to just be with him. He’s very chill and we had fun while working that’s always important. Friday I ended the division with him and started a new one we spent the night outside of our area as well with my comp latter on. Saturday we were trying to get to the chapel to watch the first session but lunch was late so we watched it at a member’s area. Later we were able to get to the church were I could watch it in English. I did get to see the priesthood session and then afterwards we stayed in a Missionaries house that was close. Well something crazy happened right in front of us right before the priesthood session, I and my zone leader went to go for another walk, we went to the store looked at some food and decided we didn’t have enough money to get anything, so we started returning to the church. That’s when two guys came out of now-where and robbed a guy right in front of us who was 10 ft in front of us. It was supper crazy because the guy was saying a lot of stuff to the man and the other guy that was with him doing the robbing didn’t even notice us. (We were actually speaking English) but the weird thing was that the two never even looked at us. We actually think that they had no idea we were there. Now this might sound strange but for the first time in my life I felt invisible...... No joke.  INVISIBLE, because they were huge and two of them, and we are two Americans so we are a bigger target. But for some reason they never saw us they were like 10 ft away and walked around us without even looking at us. It was a scary thing I’m not saying we were invisible, but someone was looking out for us!!!
Anyways conference was good although there wasn’t a blizzard after hahaha. All the missionaries picked up on the hint that we need to get married (hahaha) so that’s the big talk with missionaries. Sunday I couldn’t listen to the conference in English so for me it was almost all in port. which was very hard for me and my zone leader to pay attention for that long. It’s really different in another language but we returned later Sunday night to our area. There was some really good talks but I’m short on time so I won’t go into that. 
Today we went to the temple It was really awesome for me. President and I had a 45 min interview and that went good. Then inside the temple I met 2 ppl. one was from Rexburg the other out in Mud Lake!!!!!!! SO I got to talk to them and they knew the Simmons and some of the ppl out in Mud Lake. They will return home in 1 week so one of them will call you to say hi. I gave him the house number  they speak good English but have an accent so when they call don’t think it’s some sales person. Because they really are cool. One is a temple president here in Brazil and he said something to me that really hit me hard and touch my heart so when they call I think you will like them (and there old) there awesome. I hope all is well with everyone, I’m short on time but doing all right. I love and miss you all -Josh 

Monday, April 4, 2011

Well another week has gone by and so much has happened. The weekend we were stretched to our limits at times we really just wanted to just sit down in some shade. It was hot muggy and everything that could go wrong went wrong. (We had 3 of those days in a row) Discouraging, But pushing through we were able to get some teaching in and knowing the lord blesses and rewards ppl who trust and keep pushing through the hard times, we started off the week on fire!!! Things this week have been really good, Monday we had a division my comp. went with another elder to some trainings and I stayed with a new elder who only has 2 1/2 months in the mission. With his little experience in the mission, I was supper nervous and to top things off he wasn’t too happy he had to go on a division in our area. (He hates divisions) so after the long bus ride I finally got the elder to start talking to me. Right as we got to my area we began running to our appointments and every appointment was awesome. We had investigators saying that they prayed about the BOM and that they know it’s true and all that good stuff by the end of the day we taught 5 lessons. We had some really cool experiences. We were able to mark 6 baptism dates! which was so cool. Our last lesson of the day was the best.  It was getting pretty late and the elder that I was with really didn’t want to work much more. So we started knocking doors. Well the first door they let us in an old man and his daughter. We began teaching and just got to the part of the restoration of the Gospel when the old man stopped us, he began to tear up and said that his whole life he has wondered about the things we were talking about and we show up and answerer them in 15 min. We left the first vision and he had tears rolling down his face it was a really cool experience. Then we invited him to baptism without thinking about it he accepted and also his daughter. He said he was so gratefully for us being there and sharing this message with him. His daughter said she will defiantly be at church this Sunday, it was a neat experience. We returned to the house when the LZ called they were nervous about how the day went because they knew this elder didn't want to be there and the night before the assistants had to convince him to come to lapa. SO when I told the LZ about the day they were supper surprised and very excited for the baptism dates. Tuesday was a bit more difficult with this elder, he didn't want to leave the house and work and woldnt study at all once out of the house things got better. But so far this week has been good. The lord has really blessed us and we’re now seeing so many blessings. But everyone knows this area is tough and it has a nickname that this zone has for it. Because it will discourage anyone and everyone who works here for that reason the elder didn't want to be with me and travel for 2 hours on a bus to get here. I learned a lot with him and I know that the lord really blesses us when were patient with this work.
We’re are teaching a crazy guy who owns a fish pond that ppl pay to fish in, so ill be working to get some benefits to get a hook in the water there.
Anyways I found out that this town has about 39,000 ppl or so. So it’s like Rexburg but smaller in size wise so I think that's why I like it here at times. But I don’t have much more time I have a funny story to tell you but I’ll write it in a mission ties. Let’s just say my comp literally thought I was an angel.
But I love you all thanks so much for the prayers and letters, everyone be safe. I know this church is true and if we’re having a hard time the lord will reward us with a ton of blessings after if we continue to have faith. Just trust in him with all you might mind and soul. Until next week, -Josh


p.s. I’ll be thinking of you guys during conference and for the 2 days we will stay with some elders in Curitiba so we can watch it at a church so enjoy and don’t sleep through conference. lol!!!!


NOTICE