October 6, 2009
Hey everyone!Things are going great here in São Paulo, Brasil! General Conference was amazing this weekend, and I even feel a little guilty having a whole P-day to myself right after it! Despite the amazing talks and wonderful spirit, we also had 4 meals a day for two days instead of just 3, and we had probably 4-5 hours of free time on Saturday and Sunday. It was very cool. I got to sit next to Brendon for most of the meetings, and we got the opportunity to catch up a lot between meetings. After General Conference, it seems everyone hás kicked it into high gear here, and I hope that attitude continues! I'm feeling the spirit more than ever, and am having good success in my work, in both spiritual knowledge and knowledge of Portuguese.
This last week was also very cool because we were preparing all week for our first official proselyting day as a district. Instead of going to our class for four hours on Friday, we went out into the streets of São Paulo around the CTM, and were given 2 Livro de Mórmons per companionship, and a bunch of phone numbers to hand out for the church. Although I had a little experience from a previous P-day, I was still very nervous because the bar had been raised! So we said all the prayers we could and tried our best to memorize contacting phrases in Portuguese, and Elder Feller and I stepped out into the world!
Our first contact was with two seventeen year-olds returning from school, waiting for a bus. We sat down right next to them and talked with them for probably 15 minutes! They were very nice and they were actually in English class at their school so they were trying it out for the first time on real English speakers. We had fun teaching each other for a while and laughing at pronunciation differences, and then we slowly brought it into religion. They were both born Catholic but one of them had this idea about how he believed in nature and not God. Anyway, I was able to give a really cool testimony (I'm still impressed I was able to communicate it) about how church wasn't something you only do on Sundays, and that through knowledge of God's plan for you, you can more realize how beautiful and complex life and the world is. Anyway, we were feeling the spirit and we introduced the Book of Mórmon, and the one nature guy seemed really interested in reading it! We tried to teach as much as we could, but their bus came and we had to wrap it up. I had written my testimony in the book and also a phone number for more information. I hope he reads and prays about it!
Our second contact was with a man and a woman sitting on the grass in a little park. They seemed intimidating to talk to, because they were in the middle of a fast conversation. However, Elder Feller and I were committed to talking to everyone, so we approached them, said hi, and I think once they realized we weren't going away, they started talking to us. Luckily, the woman knew pretty good English! Another lucky contact! The man went off on talking about American politics and the unfairness of how people in Brasil have it so much worse, and Elder Feller and I really got a bit discouraged because it seemed like that is all they wanted to talk about, and we didn't really know what to say in response to some of his statements. However, I was impressed to read Helaman 5:12 with him, which is one of my favorite scriptures, about how if we are built on the rock of the Lord that nothing can topple us. We then were able to talk a bit about their religious lives. Then the man left, but said he was coming back. As soon as he was gone, the woman started crying and told us that they had three kids, but were not legally married, and that they had just been talking about getting separated! She said she had studied the Book of Mórmon when she was younger, but had lost her copy before she prayed about it, and that she knew that we were sent to her and her husband to help them focus on what God wants for their life! Woah! Elder Feller and I were misting up as we bore our testimonies, and gave her our second copy of the Livro de Mórmon, and I really can't remember what exactly happened except that we were both really feeling the spirit and the woman was very happy when she left. Way cool.
After that, we walked around without any books to hand out, but we talked to a bunch of people and handed out 8 phone numbers to people who said they were interested. Cool! It was a very uplifting day, but Elder Feller and I were absolutely dead tired after we got back. I slept good that night.
In other news, my District Leader got promoted to be an Assistant to the President. And I’m the new District Leader! Woah! It really caught me by surprise, and I'm still filling into the responsibility, but the rest of the district hás been really great in supporting me. So that's cool.
General Conference was amazing, and I also would have to say Elder Holland's talk was one of the highlights. There’s an Elder in our neighboring district, who came on the plane with us, who hás been having some problems with his testimony, specifically about Joseph Smith, and wanted to go home. He told his district that if something major didn’t happen at General Conference, that he was going to leave. Anyway, all of us were thinking of him as Elder Holland spoke, and it really seemed to be directed at him. That Elder is still here. Cool.
to watch part of Elder Holland's talk from General Conference, click here
However, General Conference was also a great blessing to me personally. It was awesome to think of all of you out there watching at the same time. I really liked Elder Scott’s talk at the beginning, Elder Packer’s, and Elder Eyring’s, which seemed to be pointed at the ability to receive the spirit, and gain real knowledge and real direction through it, and the possibility of miracles if we keep ourselves worthy and close to God. I liked the point that one Elder made, I can't remember who, who said not to become casual in your prayers and scripture study. I challenged my district over the next week to pray and study the scriptures about how their Heavenly Father wants to improve, and to trust in Him as they apply whatever answer they got. I know that if we do this in the right spirit, and trust in God and have faith in Him, that miracles could happen inside all of us. Cool.
Anyways, that was pretty much my last week! Everything is going very well! Of course, the reality is that time out here is, like the time out in the real world, made of its ups and downs. The trick is savoring the ups, and realizing that the downs are only there to challenge you to learn and develop so you can turn them upside down. I'm loving the fact that through sincere prayer, scripture study, and pondering, the Lord will help us in that process.
Dad, thank you so much for your email and update! Elder Uchtdorf's Priesthood talk especially made me think about you, and I imagined sitting beside you in Priesthood meeting. That's the thing I most missed during this weekend. I love you Dad. You are with me in my prayers. Your example hás held me up out here. Another talk I loved was the talk in Priesthood meeting about how to be good fathers and sons. You were a very good Dad, and I have absolutely no complaints or regrets. I know its a bit difficult while we’re separated out here, but I think our relationship will grow still, and I can't wait to be with you and continue to enjoy that relationship after we get back, and through eternity. Thanks for bein a good dad, Dad.
Mom! I love you! Thank you so much for your words! I love the updates! I wish I could write a more lengthy personal note, but I am out of time, and I love you! You are doing a great job with this missionary mom thing, and all the other elders are jealous!
Lynsey! I love you so much and you are such a great example to me. I am so proud of everything you have done so far in your life, and you are a beautiful young woman inside and out! Keep to the spirit and call on the Lord to lift you up! Whenever I see sisters here I think of you and how awesome you will be here! You were meant for this! Your life will for surely hold many great experiences and accomplishments! Love ya sis!
Kaitlin! I love you so much! I am so glad you are having a good time at school and I am excited to get pictures of you as a beautiful Indian princess! I cant wait! How are you doing on learning Japanese? Do you know any new words? Have you still been learning about Hindi things? Is there anything cool in school that you've done? Any new friends? What are you doing with the family that hás been fun? What do you want to know about Brasil? Want to know any special words or ways to say things? I love you sis. You are such a special spirit and person and I am so glad I have someone back home who I love so much. Are you reading the Book of Mórmon every day? Just a little bit is fine! I know you will feel the Holy Ghost if you do it! Heavenly Father wants you to be happy, wherever and whatever you are doing! I love you Kait! Heres a big olé Con hug!
Till next week guys! Amor amor amor!Love you all very muchly! You all are the only reason I am looking back, but also one of the main reasons I am looking forward!
I am with you in thought, prayer, and spirit!
Love, Con
(Elder Carpenter)
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