Week of Craziness

Was Good my friends/family!?!?!?

Haha remember how the last line of my email last week was pray that everything goes according to plan…. Well let´s just say that is the last time I will end an email with that phrase. This week I want to change it up a little bit and put pictures first and let you enjoy the wildness of my week.

The Crew enjoying p-day at caracol

 Taking in the beautiful view

 When I got the call from president that I was emergency transferred

 Pondering my new life in the mission office

 My new comp Elder Castle and I as the new and best Secretaries of the mish

 President Campos let me head back to canela for the baptisms

 Orildo´s turn next week to be baptized

Well I´m in the missionary office all day (until 6pm) every day. It’s weird being stuck in an air-conditioned office answering phone calls, filling out important visa/passport documents, buying airplane tickets, and much much more. I just love the work aspect of the mission field… Leaving the house every day to knock doors in the heat for hours. Now mission life is more like a job. I´m sure after some time I will get used to the secretary life, but for now it’s pretty brutal. 

One awesome thing about working in the mission office is that in the last week I have talked with president Campos more than I have in 7 months on the mish. He is an awesome president and always knows how to make us laugh. But now I want to talk a little more about my last Sunday in Canela. 

President let me head back to Canela for the 4 baptisms of Andreigina, Kimberly, Elen, and Douglas. It was one of the best days on the mish. Presidente Felipe, president of the branch asked me to give 15 minute talk on whatever I wanted. I was able to give one of my best talks ever without any preparation. The spirit was fosho helpin me out. After my talk, the branch sang God Be with You till we meet again. It was emotional. After sacrament many other miracles happened. Orildo let me know that he was going to get baptized the coming week, and three teenagers we are teaching were trying to get to me stay for their baptisms too. The end of church was super special… I wish I could talk more about every one of our investigators who were baptized, but I don´t have enough time. I was hyped because after church Douglas asked me to baptize him. We are great friends and he is prepping to go on a mission. If all goes right… he will enter the field while I´m here on the mish. Elen is awesome and has a ton of new friends in the branch. Andreigina is one of the sweetest senhoras I have met on the mish and has a powerful testimony. Kimberly was one of the specialist baptisms I have participated in because her whole family has been waiting for her to be baptized and she finally received an answer. Her whole family was crying as she was baptized. 

Overall, it was one of the most rewarding days of my life to watch others follow the example of their savior and be baptized like he was. I know that this church is true, and that every hard day and rejection on the mission is worth it because we will become ever more converted unto Christ and help others see his love. I love this work and I am excited for my new challenges on the mish. Thanks for your prayers and support.

Dave 

 

So get this andreigina doesnt know how to read or write but when you are baptized you need to sign your name on the ficha. So the LZ taught her to write at her house and she was able to sign the ficha... incredible story and she was so happy when she learned how to write her name with 73 years of age

Planning is everything

Ba tchê another week in the books. I can´t believe how fast my time is passing on the mission. I have really noticed that when I’m working hard... I lose track of time. This week was another busy week of work. Taught more lessons then last week, found more new people to teach, and had 7 people at church on Sunday.... so to say the least I´m really happy. I won’t give away to many details of what will happen next week, but I’m excited to say the least. One thing I have noticed on the mish is that planning means everything. We have been focusing on improving our planning. I have noticed a huge difference in our success of finding people to teach, and teaching through the spirit. My gramps always tells me to be prepared and organized in everything. This advice is huge on the mish and in life. My companion Elder Soares has really helped me see the importance of being prepared... Hopefully we will see the results in the next coming weeks. All in all, be prepared in all things. This week some funny moments include leaving an investigator’s house and hitting my head on their gate in the front of their house. As I was leaving, I turned to say good bye, and when I turned around, boom hit my head on the gate. Haha There was a huge crowd outside of their house so everyone had a nice laugh including me. Also huge news.... yesterday I ate burgers... like legit burgers from the US, but with a twist. The buns were garlic bread. I highly suggest testing this out. The burgers were bomb. 

I want you all to know that Christ lives, he is our savior, redeemer, and king. Planning is everything, whether it be work, family, or church. A prayer is a simple yet powerful way to figure everything out. In one amazing lesson we had this week, an investigator shared that the best way to escape any temptations, trial, or difficulty, is to pray and think about a place that brings you to the light. My challenge for you this week is to think about that place that brings you to the light (or happiness). Thanks for all your prayers and support.... Pray that my week all goes according to plans.

Dave

Gramado LZ and LD reppin the white tie for district meeting

New fave tie

When a sister gives you a giant bag of skinny pop

planejamento (planning is important)

Zona Unida

January 16, 2017

Oi! I’m stoked to tell you about my week. A new transfer started the new year, and our zone is hyped to put in work haha. So hyped that we created a zone motto – Zona Unida. By far this was one of my hardest working weeks on the mission. We worked in new neighborhoods, talked with everyone, and planned diligently. It was the first time on the mish that my comp and I have taught over 50 lessons in a week. Because of our hard work, the miracles came in full. This week we opened a bairro called Santa Marta. It is by far the most receptive and accepting neighborhood I’ve worked in here in Canela. Wednesday we had put in a full day of work, we were tired and were prepping to walk an hour back to the house. We were leaving Santa Marta, when we passed an open door. At first, I thought nothing of it, but then about 20 steps later…I knew we had to return to that house, so we did. I clapped and this 70 year old woman came to the door with the biggest smile. She practically forced us in her house and explained how last year she had the missionaries in her house. She explained a dream she had, and how she knew our church was the only true church of “Jesus Cristo.” She is so excited to be baptized February 5^th and even took a bus alone to get to church 30 minutes early. Andreigina truly was a miracle.

Another miracle happened last night. Douglas, who is now a super good friend of mine, finally accepted a date to be baptized. During the week, he told us that the weeks he missed church or days where he didn’t read the Book of Mormon, he felt annoyed, perturbed, and a lack of peace in his life. He also told us that he feels something unexplainable when he reads the Book of Mormon. I’m beyond stoked for him to follow the answer to his prayers and be baptized. He is super smart, hard working, and has a testimony of this Gospel. Many other miracles happened this week, but these were my two favorite. Another important teaching I learned in the Book of Mormon this week is that we need to thank for everything. In 3 Nephi 19, Jesus teaches the Nephites to always pray. 3 times in this chapter, Jesus reverently departs those he is teaching to say a prayer of gratitude for the Nephites faithfulness. (3 Nephi 19:20-23, 28-29, 32-34) To see the power of thanking in a prayer just look at verse 25…This week I made sure to thank my Heavenly Father for all these miracles and hardships. I thank you all for your support and prayers and encourage you all to pray and pour your heart out in thankfulness. This gospel is life changing, Christ is our everlasting King, and all we have is because of him and our Father in Heaven.

Love, Dave

me and my boi

a game of cards 

Giving tiger pointers

texas of brazil

That one phone call home

Testify

January 9, 2017

This week was solid. I learned a lot about the things I need to improve on the mission. Big news – Elder Soares and I are staying in Canela for one more transfer. I’m pumped because we have an awesome group of investigators who are preparing for baptism, and everyone in Canela is starting to get laid off so it will be way easier to find people to teach. Last week, I mentioned how Orildo and Elen were preparing to be baptized this week. Unfortunately, Elen ended up traveling with her family, and Orildo wants a baptism date close to his birthday (January 22). But they are both super prepared and ready to become members. Orildo never drank, never smoked, and never drank coffee, so he was living the Word of Wisdom all his life. Elen has been reading the Book of Mormon for a week and is already in Alma. It’s fun to teach them, and I always learn something new. Douglas, Orildo, and Jefferson came to church this week. The spirit was super strong as our branch testified of the truthfulness of Christ. Fast and testimony meeting is for sure one of my favorite moments on the mish. I rarely ever bore my testimony before the mish, but I have made it a goal to every month stand at the pulpit and testify about the things that I know. I have truly seen my testimony grown as I have practiced sharing it with companions, members, investigators, strangers and those who read my letters. My challenge for you would be to continue to bear your testimony. Whether it be at church, in a text, with friends or with family, there is never a bad moment to share what you know. There is no doubt in my mind that through sharing your testimony with others you will grow closer to him. I had an experience that changed my perspective on testifying. A couple weeks back I was on splits with LZ Elder Karchmarsky. We were standing next to a popular restaurant in Canela waiting for the other 2 missionaries to arrive when 3 middle-aged men came up to us and questioned, “Who is Joseph Smith?” As one asked, the others chuckled. I took a step back and felt offended, but my companion stood boldly and firmly replied, “Joseph Smith is a prophet of God.” The three men immediately became silent and walked away. In this moment I learned that we must always be ready to testify. We never know when a doubt, trial or temptation will enter our life, but if we are worthy and ready to testify, we will persevere and only grow stronger. So testify! “Nevertheless, ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon; and they rejoice over you, and your sins are forgiven you.” Doctrine and Covenants 62:3. I love you all and hope you have a great week.

Dave

failed zone pic

elder quesado... was in my zone during passo fundo... only person ive met on the mission who knows how to play basketball

my first lz... elder ribeiro in the middle purple tie... left the mish today