March 30, 2010 - Letter Home

The Grass was Greener


 Hello everyone! I had a very good week this week, and am very glad that it is again P-day. It was a good week because we had a baptism! Sabino Francisco da Silva was baptized, after a bunch of sweating and worrying and doubting that it would actually happen. But we spent a lot of time with him this week and got him to the point of being firm in his decision to follow the testimony that he had gained of the gospel. Sweet! I am excited because Sabino will now pave the way for the rest of his family (4 other people) to enter the church. His daughter, Marina, is already becoming friends with the people in the ward, and has come to church once, so the work is rolling with them.
 

 

"Sabino's Baptism"

I am also very excited that we were able to reactivate two families of 5: 
Irmar, Maria, Camila, Eliza, Casselano
 and 
Paulo, Monica, Victor, Cezar, and Pedro
 have all been going to church for the last three weeks, and have said that they’re feeling good about going to church again after a couple years of inactivity. It’s awesome to have baptisms, and that should be our main goal as missionaries, but at the same time it seems to me like such a large victory that we’ve been able to teach inactive families and help them feel the spirit again, and realize that they need to come back to church.

In the case of Paulo and Monica and their family, we were having lunch at their house a couple weeks ago before church (that starts at 2 o clock), and Paulo told us before lunch that they were going to stay at home during church, so I prepared a message to try to get them to go with us to church. I started the message with some scriptures I wasn’t familiar with, and as I started explaining the scriptures I could tell no one was getting anything. So I tried to explain more simply, but everyone was kind of spacing out and I felt like I just kept blabbing on. Paulo was looking at his feet waiting for me to finish. Monica left the room to go tell the kids to quiet down. Even Elder Silva was blinking to keep awake. But then I just decided to bear my testimony, and really I can’t describe exactly what happened, but everyone returned to the room, everyone was looking directly at me, and really I can’t remember exactly what I said, but it was just about my family and the blessings I’ve seen from seeing my family go to church, and how grateful I was to have my Dad going to church in the year before the mission. I teared up a bit and asked Paulo, “What reason do you have to not go to church?” And he looked at me and said, “None.” Then he stood up and told the family, “Everyone get dressed, we’re going to church with the Elders.” Woah! Bam! And they’ve been going to church since then, Paulo even said the closing prayer to Sabino’s baptism. It’s so awesome to know that the Lord is doing his work. For surely, whatever I said just wasn’t making a difference, maybe they weren’t interested or maybe I wasn’t speaking Portuguse correctly. But the Spirit started talking to that family, and through the Spirit, they were able to get back to following the right path. Cool. We will continue to work with that family.

While setting up the pool that we would baptize Sabino in, Elder Silva started to spray me with the hose. And we had a water fight that was pretty funny. I slapped him in the face with a wet mop, while he had the hose. Then I secretly filled up some empty bottles with water and went to go drench him in revenge. Ends up the empty bottles had been used to store weed killer, and Elder Silva’s eyes got all irrated for the rest of the night. I felt bad. But we laughed it off, bought a pizza, and chilled out the rest of the night. Hehe.

I finally bought a cuia (cup), bomba (straw), and herva (tea) to make chimarrao. It’s that type of herbal tea that EVERYONE makes here. I thought it would be easy to make but as I was pouring near-boiling water in the cuia, it fell out of it’s holder and spilled all over my hand and the table. Curses! I cleaned everything up and tried again. The bomba wouldn’t suck water for a while but I read the instructions more and figured out how to do it. Chimarrao em casa (house), baby! I can’t wait to make Chimarrao for you guys and see you get grossed out or your mouth burned like I did my first time here. There’s a technique to it and an accustomed taste. You guys’ll like it after the first couple times. But I’m planning on sipping Chimarrao every day now during study time. Firstly because it’s a warm drink and the mornings are getting much colder here, secondly because I want to become a TRUE gaucho! It’ll happen.

Man, nothing else really cool happened this week. I mean, I’m sure stuff happened but I just need to keep more atent and write stuff down during the week that happened. But I want to get to you guys.
 
see this week's video "Fantastic Fruit Hour with Sabino" 
here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkXh09qp51s


and "Interview with Cassellano"
here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O69046Cr5I


Daddio, thanks even for the quick note! Seriously, any little thing is awesome and we know how busy it is there. I did play futbol again this Saturday, and as goalie I was actually able to fend off a couple of hard shots, and so that was cool. That’s cool that you’re putting the room back together, but at the same time I did want that room to not go to waste for a long time. But it’ll be cool to get back and see it all perfectly like it was. So awesome that you’ve got an office and that you’re working with the guys there. That’s got to be pretty cool. Definitely makes a difference, I think, you being able to focus there and being directly in contact with the other guys has to help. Very cool. I don’t know if I wrote this already but Marau is a huge dirt biking capital of Rio Grande do Sul, and I’m always seeing trucks with bikes and people heading out to the trails. I hope we can be some of those people in a while… :) Love you muchly my Dad. Have a good week.

Mom! Thanks for the e-mail. Loved the video too. I am only a week closer to getting the package, and actually I think it’ll be three weeks before it gets here. Dang! But it is cool at least that I still have something to look forward to… Cassellano will get baptized but we’re waiting so his Dad can baptize him. He should be baptized next month. Really cool that you’re still determined to work out and read scriptures and wake up early – even on Spring Break!  I hope you guys’ll be able to go down to AZ and take some photos or videos and send em on over to us. :) I am so thankful for you my mom and the great blessing you’ve been in my life, and continue to be, even these many miles away. I love you so much. :)

Sista Lyns! Loved your letter this week, thanks! I’m so jealous it’s spring break there and that you’ve already been able to go hang out in Santa Cruz. Good times there. Hope you enjoyed it. How is school? How is drumming? Do you guys have a chance to go statewide or something like that? You should make videos of you drumming and I could show off to people here. They never take me seriously when I say you drum… :( I love you so much my Lyns and hope you can live it up over Spring Break and maybe get to go to Arizona. I liked when you wrote BAH in your e-mail because it’s something that everyone here says, for like everything. Cool Lyns. Love you lots. Have a good week!

Hey Kaitlin! I LOVE LOVE LOVED you video! Thank you so much! You did much better this time. The quilt you made was so cool. Seriously. If you want to send me a cool quilt you can, because it’s gonna get FREEZING here in a couple weeks! But it won’t snow. Weird. I also loved your Spanish! You’re doing good learning Spanish! I think I will be able to understand your Spanish when I get back too. I would like to learn after the mission, maybe you can teach me then! I love you so much Kait and I wish I could have spring break with you guys and go to Arizona and see all the cousins! That will be fun. Here’s a big ole Con hug, my Sis!!!! Have a good week! Love you!

Heya Brendon! Loved hearing about the good interviews and the cool new study strategy and that good stuff is happening with Angelica. General Conference will be SIIIC! Hehe. But it is kind of like General Conference is the Super Bowl here. The study strategy is a good one, and I do feel like it’d be good for me, but I’ve got to complete the promise that Elder Duarte gave me, he said that I’d be completely fluent when I finished reading the Book of Mormon. It also is cool to read and try to think of good lunch messages you could give with what you studied in the morning. I’ve already given more than a couple dinner messages about the wars of Alma, just because it was what I read most recently, and actually a couple of them have worked out well. But I definitely agree that you won’t get anywhere splitting up your study time so you’ve got to focus it on one thing. Cool. I never really thought of the other side how it would be without companions who’ve been giving me the reins. For surely it has helped. I kind of understand what you’re going through because Elder ----- hogged all the time too. To be honest, I do like being the one in control, although I believe that I am missing out on learning a bunch from another really experienced missionary. Like, for example, there’s so much that I’m still using from Elder Duarte and that’s only because he had the time to show me the ropes. I do feel like I’ll turn Senior next transfer, but it could easily be wrong, so I don’t want to get my hopes up. Mostly I will just be excited to start really working hard and using every minute and not having the excuse of blaming less effective work on the fact that your senior companion doesn’t have it all together. It’ll be cool too to see what you do as a senior. Soon, the wizard will become the man on the mountain! Freak man, I miss you so much and (unfortunately) just want to go and hang out with you again in Santa Cruz, eating pizza and Mountain Dew late at night before the cafeteria closes. Got to focus on the work… Those times will come. Okay buddy, love you muchly, go for it and get lost in the work!

Okay, gotta go! Everyone else, love you! Have a good week! Trust in the Lord!

Love (x3)!

O ye elder carpenter

March 23, 2010 - Letter Home

That's the Spirit!

Hey all my family!
How great it was to see my inbox filled up with letters from loved ones this P-day. Although I love getting emails from my immediate family, I especially loved the messages from my Grandma, Grandpa and Judith, my Aunt Karen, my best friend (and cousin) Nick, and a bunch of friends on FaceBook. What a great present for my birthday! Thanks guys. So here’s a shout out to all of you good friends and family.

I also loved my sweet birthday party and all the beautiful people who were able attend. Was fun guys. I can almost taste the chocolate cake.... Mmmmm... Hehehe. Really cool that I had a party on my birthday.

I know at least my Mom hás been waiting to know how my birthday went, and all the cool stuff I did to celebrate. So all I can say is that maybe in the perspective of the world, my birthday was much better celebrated way over in Califórnia than it was here. I was doing a division with another Elder, Elder Thieme, a Brazilian from Curitiba, and so I had the opportunity to be sênior for a while. I really liked it! We managed to teach six lessons and find a new investigator family in one day! I felt really successful after that. We were strapped for cash and actually (more importantly) pretty much dead-tired when we returned to the apartment, so I fried the rest of our eggs and cooked some rice, and along with some leftover chicken, hot sauce, and a big cold bottle of coke, I had a nice little birthday dinner, and hit the hay right after. Yeah!

Cool news is that we should have a baptism this next Sunday! Sabino is a good friend, and hás a testimony and the desire to be baptized. I’m excited because it’s not everyday that the mission baptizes a middle aged man, who will be able to get the priesthood soon and maybe become a leader in the church here. Also, he is the head of a family of five, and there’s good potential that the rest will follow suit. However, I’m sure that we’re not out of the fire yet, for no other reason than that little voice in the back of my head. I don’t know, I guess it would have to be that his wife, Geva, is a really strict catholic, and we recently discovered that Sabino was planning to keep his baptism kind of a secret from his wife. So we invited him to spill the beans to her and tell her how much baptism meant to him, but.... man, I kind of feel like we’re treading on dangerous ground here. But how great it will be when everything works out right! I’m very excited.

"Cassellano"

I am also excited to be teaching Cassellano, a 9 year old “guri” (boy) of an inactive family we’re getting reactivated. He’s awesome, super smart, knows everything. He pretty much explained every step of the plan of salvation to us when we started to teach him. I have a photo of him I’ll send. Unfortunately we had to push his baptism back, but his baptism will probably be in a couple weeks. But I’m looking forward to it.
 
Unfortunately, for a couple of days this week it wasn’t going so well. Elder Silva and I had a few days where we were not getting along, we had a disagreement and stopped talking.  It really sucked. So I prayed more and after two days, I apologized, and now we’re friends again! Great! So there’s the truth. I kind of hide these things because I don’t want to worry you guys, and also because the actual act of writing everything out kind of makes me realize how bad it actually is. But seriously, don’t worry about anything. I’m just going to keep trying to be my personal best.

Anyway, on to more happy things. I finished the book of Alma in Portuguese! I use pretty much all of my spare time to read the Book of Mórmon out loud in Portuguese. Wow it helps. Seriously, if I don’t read the Book of Mórmon in my study time, I don’t understand things throughout the day. I’ve been feeling more and more confident in the language every day. I’m coming to the point where maybe every ten minutes I’ll hear a word I don’t know, but because of the context and the rest of the conversation, I’m usually able to figure it out. We have English classes on Saturdays and it really takes all my effort to switch back to language. But it comes back. Just need to warm up a bit. But anyway, I’m excited to finish the Book of Mórmon so I can move on to reading the Bible in Portuguese too. I want to finish all the standard works before the end of the mish! That will be an acccomplishment.

So glad to hear about the good news in the family! What blessings we’ve been given! It lifts my spirits to know that we just continue to be taken care of.

Brendon, I loved the game idea. You painted an image in my head. Now I’ll have something to daydream about in the mornings. Hmmm... maybe I’ll make some sketches. By the way, while I am happy you had an awesome party, I’m super jealous! Freaking Fortaleza. At least we do have hot water heaters here... heh heh heh. :) It looked really awesome. You ready to turn sênior next transfer? Have anything different you want to try/do when you finally get put in the pilot seat? I can’t believe you’re going to finish your journal. Seriosly, I think I write in mine at least twice a week now but I’m now where near to the end! I really need to get going on a daily habit of diary entries. I love you so much buddy!

Lyns and Kait! Love you my sweet sisters! I loved the vídeos and the awesome pôster you guys made! Kait, was my party fun? Did you like playing with those kids? Kaitlin, I want to see your awesome quilt you made! Lyns, I saw the jeep in the photo you sent and totally got the feeling that I just want to drive my jeep! You’re lucky. Enjoy it! I hope all is going well with finals. Love you my sweet girls. Have a good week!

My Mom! I’m so excited to get my package that you sent! For surely that day will be my real birthday. I love you Mom. Thank you for the sweet party. Hope you’re enjoying Lost and all the shows still. It won’t be long until we get to talk to you on the phone again! How time flies, seriously. I have heard about missionaries being held up, but it’s not very common in this mission. And no one hás gotten injured or anything before. Don’t you worry. ;) Also, everything is fine here materially, but I will be sure to let you know if there’s anything I’m really needed. Be happy Mom, enjoy every moment! I hope you have a good week!

Hey Daddio! I loved the news from the family, and am so glad that everything hás seemed to be falling into place. If we continue to be grateful for our blessings, our family will continue to be blessed. I don’t have my scriptures with me right now, but I was reading about the wars in the book of Alma this morning, and it made me think of our family. It seemed that after Captain Moroni managed to win every battle, the people remained in peace for a little while, but for surely something else even more grave happened. And it seemed like this pattern happened quickly in just a couple of years. But the battle I just read about was after Moroni won against the Lamanites through building up defenses in all the cities, making walls, towers, training the people, and staying alert to attack. But after the Lamanites were defeated, there was peace in the land. But what did Moroni do after this victory? He continued to fortify all of the other cities in the land, even going so far to create even more cities in the wilderness and establishing military presences and defenses there. Why did he continue to work so hard when the largest enemy presence had been destroyed? It doesn’t say exactly why in the scriptures, but I imagine that he had realized that, for surely, if they stayed idle and slacked off, his people would soon be attacked by the next wave of Lamanites. Because of this, the people had four years of peace, which is the longest period of peace I had noticed in the time of the wars of Alma. So even though we can (and should) enjoy the time of relative relief and peace, we need to keep going, keep stretching the limits, show our Father in heaven that our faithfulness to him doesn’t just depend on our need for him, but that even in the good times, we will continue to push ourselves to be better, just because our love for him and our faith that we have gained because of our troubles. So let’s all just be like Moroni... :) 
Love you so much my Dad. Marau is one of the few cities here in the south that hás a lot of Motocross, lots of trails and shops and parks to grind some dust. :) Maybe after the mission we can come out here and rent some bikes?...! That would be sweet.


Here is a quick video for the week:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux_lAAaCkP4
 
Love (x3) you guys! Be strong!

Elder Con
P.S. Nicko, thanks for the letter buddy. Planning on writing you very soon. :)

March 16, 2010 - Letter Home

 This weeks vídeo:  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqH0A71Vllo

Hey my family! Another week hás gone by like the blink of an eye. 
Tomorrow I’ll be 20. Woah! Seriously it’s very surreal that my 20th birthday hás finally come. I remember imagining having my birthday as a missionary since I was little. And in a little less than two week, I’ll celebrate 7 months in the mission. That’s nearly a third of the two years I’ve got here! It’s really freaking me out because it feels like this time is just going to slip out of my fingers and I’m gonna get back home not knowing what the heck happened. 

The people here in Marau, especially, are really needing help, and it just seems there’s not enough time in the day to help all the families in the ward that are needing help, not to mention all of the people here in Marau who havent even heard of the restored gospel. It’s a bit frustrating but the work is going. Elder Silva and I are continuing to be good friends, and we’re really set on making a difference here in this tranfer. It’ll be good.
 
So this week we played futbol with an investigator and his family and a bunch of friends. We played for about 3 hours. The goal is to get to know all the friends (about 20 people, maybe 10 different families) to teach them. However, for some reason we just played soccer, and afterwards everyone scrammed before we could talk to them about any church stuff. But we’ll meet with them this next week and hopefully it’ll all work out good. It was fun, and I’m definitely getting better at futbol, but I also got a litttle frustrated when they picked me to be goalie, and then kept telling me to be goalie for the next 3 games. The only advantage I have on the field is that I can run. I don’t really have any other skills other than being able to sprint to the ball and try to knock it out of the reach of the person who’s got it, or (maybe) sprint to it and try to knock it in the general direction of the goal. So I totally spaced on a bunch of the goals when it was getting pretty competitive, and I opted to sit out the next couple plays to mull around a bit. Oh well. It happens. Just gotta put it behind ya.

We had Zone Conference. It was really good. I had an interview with President Pavan similar to what Brendon talked about a couple e-mails ago, and I feel like I’m going to start over again, make some changes, and rededicate myself to the work. 
Zone Conference is usually when we receive packages that the mission home hás gotten, and so I was totally looking forward to my Birthday treat. But.... alas, the president’s car had no package with my name on it! I almost wanted to lie for you guys and say I got it, but it didn’t make it, and I guess I’ll just have to wait for 3 weeks until transfers to get my Birthday presents... 
:( Let’s all cry together for me shall we? 

:) Seriously don’t even worry about it. Us missionaries are so wrapped up in the work that 3 weeks will seem like 3 days, and while I’ll try to do something to celebrate my big 20th, it’ll be just as well to get all the cool stuff you sent me in just a little while. Tôo bad!


At conference, however, I got a customary box of candy that Presidente gives all the people with birthdays, and I also got a sweet letter (s) from Ashley which was just super awesome. I sat on the bus from Passo Fundo to Marau (about an hour), just going through everything Ashley put together and Jack’s handprints and drawings and it was really cool to think about all of the memories Ashley had on her mission and all the ones I was making here in Brasil. So I just sat on the bus, looked out the window, and had just a really nice peaceful ride, time to think and get my thoughts together and adjust my perspective on where I am in my mission and my life and everything. Really cool. Thanks Ash (and fam)!

I also received a letter from a girl in a family we reactivated in Boqueirão. It was covered with hearts and pretty much a full blown love letter. Woah. Maybe it was a good thing I left when I did. That would get weird. She wants me to write her through my mission but I don’t think I will....

Ahem. 

My iPod nano broke. 2 weeks ago. And I’ve been without music (well, my own music). So I went out into the city and bought another one (but 2GB this time). But then I talked to another missionary who said there’s a place where they sell them for 70 reais cheaper. Shoot! So I’ve got music but it’s a bit bittersweet.
 
Man, nothing else really to say about my week. Just visiting families, sharing scriptures, trying to help, talking to people on the street, giving lots of first lessons (that talks about prophets and Joseph Smith and the Book of Mórmon), walking alot, and having some really good study time. Yep!

Thanks so much for all of your e-mails, photos, vídeos (Brendon, Lyns, and Dad). I feel like I could go next door and just go and talk to you guys. Sweet! I love that we can still feel somewhat close even 9 thousand miles away from eachother.

Dad, I love you buddy, my best friend, and am so glad things are going well. I that you’re gonna have to do a bunch more work, but how cool it is that we’ve received some blessings from the Lord! So awesome. He really is watching over us. I am so grateful that our family just got a good dosage of hope. Let’s be super grateful and just continue to pray and fast and depend on the Lord for every little thing. I tôo am a bit in the middle on whether you should sell the quads or not... :) Seriously, if you guys need to, go for it and sell them, they’re just things. At the same time, wouldn’t it be cool to schedule a trip to the dunes soon after our return, and just arrive all ready to go? Oh yeah, that’d be sweet. Hmm... better pray about that decision... :) 

Also Dad, keep working out! It’s not just for your body or your outer appearance, it’ll also help you think clearer and work more effeciently if you have a habit of excersize. Most importantly, I think it’ll also help you spiritually, because we are commanded to take care of our bodies as they are temples. So if you haven’t excersized today, go for it! You can always fit a 20 minute run into your day or something like that. I love you so much man, have a good week!

Hey my Mom! I love the idea about inviting the kids over for our birthday! Such a good way to spend the day. More than presents, it’ll be good to remember tomorrow that somebody else gets to share a bit of happiness with our family. You’re a saint Mom :P. So glad that you’re keeping up strong with Releif Society and helping people get prepared. I second the thought that it’s very important what you’re doing there. For surely. Also cool that you got together with the Porters... I’m jealous. Good times we had together. Thanks for the advice, and I’ll try to follow it more strictly. Mom, I love you so much and am so thankful for your efforts to make sure I have a good birthday. Even though your package didn’t come through, it’s going to be exactly as meaningful to me in a little while when I get it. (I’m excited!) Also, thanks for the photos! My new ipod supports them so I’ll keep em with me through the week. You’re a really good Mom, Mom. :) Have a good week!


Hey Lyns! Thanks so much for the vídeo and the letter! I love you lots and am thankful that the work load hás gotten a bit better. Summer is soon! Yeah! For me, it’s just started to get colder. Weird eh? I love seeing you and think it’s so cool that you can just converse with me about the things I’ve just been going through. Love you so much my beautiful sis. Have a good week!

Hey my Kaitlin! I love you so much! I hope you had a good week and that you’re learning lots and having fun with the family! Ashley told me about when she visited you with Jack Jack and you told her cool arabic stories! So cool! I bet that was really fun with her and Jack and that she is going to have a baby. It will be cool to see all the new baby cousins I have after the mission! I love you, and hope you have a good day and a good week! A big hug for my sweet sister! Love you sis.


Hey Brendon, loved the vídeos buddy and I totally laughed out loud like the rest of the family. That fruit looked outright alien. They don’t have them here. I’m jealous about the hike because I want a Zone activity like that (all the rest of the zones have them).
Hey, real quick, here’s the scripture chain I created to mark in LdMs, they teach the 1st lição: 1st-2nd paragraph of the Introduction, Alma 30:44, Mosiah 4:9, 2 Nephi 9:17-20, Mosiah 2:41, Jacob 4:4,6, Mosiah 13:33-35, 1 Nephi 11:26-29,31-34, Alma 7:11-13, 4 Nephi 1:27-28, 2 Nephi 26:20-21, 2 Nephi 9:1-3, Guia de Estuda: Primeira Visão, Guia de Estuda: Restaracao do Evangelho, 4th-9th paragraph of the Introduction, Moroni 10:3-7, and then page 621 (which is a blank page where you would write a testimony or post something about the steps of how to pray). Maybe this is useful?!?!
I love you buddy. Happy Birthday! That might be the first time I’ve needed to say that: we’ve always just enjoyed birthdays together. Here’s to the first birthday we’ve had seperated in our whole life! Hopefully there aren’t many more. Love you bunches man. Have much success.

Jody, Karen, Grandma Imogene, thanks for the e-mails tôo. I love you my aunts, my Grandma. Thank you for keeping in touch and thinking about us. 

Have a good week!
Love love love everybody!
Big Elder C

March 9, 2010 - Letter Home

Fixing people

Hello!

So it’s another P-day. I’ve had a very good P-day so far. What made the difference? Elder K. Silva and I woke up early and went jogging to start the day!

Video of Jogging this morning  (click here)

We returned to the house, did a bit of cleaning, had lunch, and hit the lanhouse early. So today (much unlike Brendon), I got to just sit back and relax and enjoy my P-day. It’s makes such a difference to wake up on time for P-day. Usually we sleep away our time, but you really don’t need to. Whew.

So today I’m feeling really good not just because of the good P-day. I’m feeling good because I had in mind one picture of this transfer, and it changed completely. So when I started the transfer here in Marau, Elder Silva was happy and cool and we got along well. But after one day of work, Elder Silva changed. Pretty much he just didn’t talk to me. I tried to make conversation and joke around, but he quickly cut off any chance of conversation. So I talked to him about it, and he responded that he wasn’t a fun person, that not a lot of people liked him, that he wasn’t a good missionary, and that he would leave the area next transfer so we didn’t need to get to know eachother. I tried to discuss a bit more than this, but he didn’t go for that. I tried joking around to coax him out of his shell. Didn’t work. So I stopped talking, thinking maybe that he would start to want talking after he realized how the silence was. So for the second week I just did that. We do a lot of walking here in Marau, and walking in silence is horrible. I thought that’s how the transfer would go. I was getting pretty sad. Eventually, I just started to pray during all the silence. I had 2 full days of just constantly praying while walking around with Elder Silva. I wish there was a better climax than this, but one night after an especially hard day (a couple appointments fell through, and we arrived at a family home evening ready to teach an inactive family to find them all riled up after a fight between the parents, with the dad and the dad’s friends all over drinking alcohol and talking about it, and also a son who we were going to baptize drinking too and talking bad about the church… ahem), Elder Silva just started talking to me. Fortunately I was able to put off any possible contention, started talking and joking and conversing with him. He just completely changed. My prayers were answered. I still don’t know what exactly happened, but we’re like good friends now; jogging together, conversing all the time, he’s sharing food with me, taking photos and having fun in the spare moments of the day.

So that happened 3 days ago. These last 3 days have been really great! We have an awesome elect 40-year-old man with a family of 5, Sabino, that we invited to be baptized, and he accepted! We will teach him and help him out to reach this point over the next 3 weeks, and we think the rest of the family will follow after him. We have also been finding some new families, and getting a bunch of references from members! Yeah! So the work is going forward here.

I don’t really have a lot to say about our week other than this. Just little things.

We bought a fake pack of gum that shocks people, which we will playfully use with some members here. We have to be tactful here and not use with anyone who will get mad.

A member loaned me a Book of Mormon in French. I thought it’d be cool if I remembered anything. I didn’t remember anything. What’s cool is that after learning Portuguese, I can actually understand more or less the gist of French! What a cool thing it is to learn a Latin language: learn one and it’s super easy to learn the others! So after discovering this I started to daydream about going to live in France for a little while after the mission, try to pick up another language. It’s a dream I’ve had after our family visited Paris. Cool.
 
One investigator, Diego, is 21, has a sweet car, sweet house, very pretty girlfriend, goes to parties all the time, goes to a sweet college, and has been learning English with us. He hasn’t wanted anything to do with the gospel, but we’ve become good friends. We thought we were going to have to cut him, because we thought that with all he had in life, that he probably didn’t feel any need for anything else in life. He invited us to his house for an English lesson, and he had his laptop there. He was on youtube, so I told him I had a couple videos there, and we watched the photo reel you guys made, and also my mission call video. I thought that he would’ve gotten bored, but he was completely smiling through all of it. At the end, he said he really liked my family, that they seemed really happy and that we really loved eachother. We started talking about how his parents rarely see him, and how he is an only child and doesn’t really have that much of a family. I told him how our family wasn’t always completely like it was in the videos, and what made the difference. We taught the first lesson again and invited him to read and pray about the Book of Mormon, which we had done before, but this time he was just smiling through all of it and there was a light in his eyes. I was feeling the spirit there with him, unlike the last times we taught him. We’re going to visit him soon to see if he read and got an answer about the Book of Mormon. I just really liked this experience because, even I was thinking that really, Diego had everything anyone would want, but after realizing the difference in our families, I realized that there was something more that he could have in his life. Go family!

I lost my wallet two weeks ago in a bakery in the poorest, most dangerous neighborhood in Passo Fundo. It had my personal and mission bank cards inside. I knew I had lost my wallet, but I simply thought that it was somewhere in the last house I was living in. How did I realize that I had lost my wallet in one of the easiest places to get stolen and have someone suck all the money dry out of both of my accounts? Because a member passed by in that bakery afterwards, who was part of a part-member family that we had been teaching in Boqueirao. The person who worked in the bakery mentioned that the wallet had the name of that members church in it, and the member called up Elder Lima, my old companion, and said that she’d bring the wallet to church last Sunday. So I’ll get my wallet, safe and sound, this Thursday in our district meeting. I was totally praying that I’d find it safe and sound! Sweet!

I hadn’t told you guys, because I was embarrassed, but I’ve been missing my wallet for a month. Before that I hadn’t used any money inside it. So now I’ve accumulated money for 2 transfers in my account. All I can say is that after months of bugetting the little remaining cash and change I had to get by, I’m going to go all out and Elder Silva and I will have a party. We’ll get pizza and icecream and everything. Sweet! I’m looking forward to this a lot.
Okay, I think that’s it. On to some responses!



I loved Kaitlin’s video! Kaitlin, you’re so good at making videos! I really loved it! It was really good! I think it’s really cool that you’re learning Spanish! Actually, Portuguese and Spanish are lot a like, so I will be able to understand (more or less) what you will say in Spanish! Cool! We can communicate after the mission. Actually I was listening to a Spanish radio program a member here listened to, and I can actually understand a lot! Sweet! Brasil is close to a lot of Spanish speaking countries, like Chile (you were right!) and also Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru! So maybe when we visit brasil after the mission together you will be able to understand the people here. Cool! Yes, I am sharing the gospel and teaching people, but I still haven’t baptized a lot a lot of people. Just a couple people right now. But I will baptize more people soon! I’m glad you’re saying prayers every day! That’s really good! I love to see you too Kaitlin and thank you for the video! You should do it again sometime for me!

Hey Mom! Thank you to you too for the video! I really just love seeing you and hearing your voice and pretending like your right here in front of me talking to me. Can you believe that we’re going to get to talk together on the phone in just 2 months for Mother's Day? It’s going to get here like no time. I was just thinking that after the videos, talking on the phone really might not be THAT exciting. At least not as exciting as it was on Christmas. Man I loved that… Anyway, it’s also good to see more of the house, just to remember all the rooms and everything, to know it’s still all there, all the same. It’s so awesome that, YEAH, the business is going forward! Holy smokes, it makes me feel good to just realize that things are going forward. Very cool. Way to go for you and Dad and everyone else involved! I also cannot believe that Kaitlin is actually going to High school. That sentence does not make sense to me. Where did the time go? I would also have the same fears, but from what I’ve heard, that high school is a good place to be. It is good to know that the Bishop is there. There will also be other kids of the ward there too right? It should be fine, but yeah, staying prayerful is a good idea. I will do that too. I love you so much mom. Thanks for the extra time of making a video. I can’t wait to get my birthday present this Monday! I am fairly sure it will arrive then, with Zone Conference. Gosh, I have such a good family. :)

Hey my Dad! Some of that last comment was directed to you! Para bens (congrats)! Man, I don’t think I can even begin to realize what a long road it has been. We just have to realize to not get comfortable on our dependence on the Lord, to continue to stay humble and thank God for every blessing he sends our way. Love you so much my Daddyo. I’m right here with ya. :)

Hey Lyns! Hope all is going well with school, and band and… man, there’s too much to list, isn’t there? :) Sorry to hear you were still feeling sick. I love you so much and can’t wait to discover the music you sent me! Love you my sweet sis. Keep being yourself!

Hey Brendon! Love you man! Hey, I figured out the scripture chain that David Stewart’s dad used when he loaned out Books of Mormon! Or rather, I invented my own. I wanted to share it with you but I forgot. But one thing I’m doing different is pasting printed maps of how to get to the church building, in our Books of Mormon. Oh yeah, and I discovered how to say “how about”. As in “How about we take a shortcut?” or “How about THAT type of icecream” or “How about we DO NOT do that?” I said “Como sobre” for like three months, but discovered it didn’t make sense. So I’ve been trying to figure out how to say it but it’s a bit hard to describe. But I learned how to say it from an English student we’re teaching. It’s “Que tal”. Like “Que tal um pedaso desse carne?” ou “Que tal você é loco?” I like using it. Maybe you can tôo!

Okay, I’m rushing off the computer now! Love you guys!

VIJEOS!:

Part 2/3 from Last Week (sorry about the wait) -  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv1YX4ap9V0 

Part 3/3 of Last Week:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKCv5UaO_kY 

Part 1/2 of THIS week:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDE3Mgom37k 

Part 2/2 of THIS week: Aw man it didn’t upload! So I guess you’ll have to wait to see the end of that riveting story… Hehehehe. The suspense!

Love love love you guys! Just get busy livin already!

Yelder Con

March 2, 2010 - Letter Home

Everything has changed...

 Hey guys! Quick e-mail today because the internet here hás been wacky and I lost a bunch of work... Just something you need to get used to I guess. I think I explained my week well enough in my videos this week, so I’m just going to respond to all of your awesome e-mails.
 

 













 "photos of this one member who had a gun locker in his basement. He collects military things. It was cool to fool around with for a couple seconds."


Lyns! Thanks for writing me! I also love hearing from you because you always seem to be really excited and it gets me excited! I’m sorry you have been sick and are really rushed, but that seems typical for this time of the year. Just gotta get past it! There’s an awesome summer coming up just around the corner, and you just gotta hang on until then! 
Practice for the SAT and AP tests! Set at least a couple days at least two weeks before the tests where you just study all day. Then, right before the actual tests, have one day of light studying to remember everything. It’s worth it Lyns! Give it all you got! Also, don’t worry about the past, just figure out what you can do NOW to make sure you get the grades you want in the future. Okay? I also liked Brendon’s advice for ya.

I’ve had a bunch of dreams with you too! Woah! Did you have one where we were co-surgeons working on a man made of jello? That freaking guy just kept falling apart and we couldn’t do anything! Woah! Yeah that was good times. Looking forward to some more dreams with ya Lyns. :P (Só estou brincando, não aconteceu esse sono. Translation: "I am only joking, that did not happen in my dream." Haha!)

It really doesn’t seem real that I’m turning 20. In fact, unfortunately it doesn’t even seem like a really big thing here. That’s how it is on the mission. You’re birthday will come and you’re still just working and doing the same thing. But I will do a little something, maybe burn a tie like is tradition (but I only have 10! Maybe I’ll burn a sock…) I’ll let the family who is feeding us that day know, maybe they’ll do something special. 

Yep, I’m in another place right now: Marau. It’s a really cool city. It even seems just like Europe. Very pretty buildings and landscapes… but the people are supposedly harder to preach to here. Who knows. But I really like it.


Hey Mommy-O!
Thanks for the letter! I love you so much and miss you so much. Thanks for all of the photos! Seriously, I’m going to have to print out some of those to put in my “brag book.” I like the one of me, brendon, and nick and zach on the bench. Hehe. Good times. Also the one of me in the cave with lyns. And Dad and yours’ at the temple. Love it. Good memories.

Yes, I am in a new area! My new companion is Elder K. Silva. He’s very cool, but a bit complicated. Maybe I’ll explain next week. It’s only been four days after all.

 "a photo of Elder Silva.... "Studying" Hehehe. No, seriously he actually was reading."
 
If we watch "Lost" from beginning to end should take about 120 hours to watch. 4 episodes a day and we could make it in one month! I’m all for it!

I did not hear about Chile! What the heck is up with all the earthquakes? Weird things are happening…

The grossest thing I’ve eaten has to be something that I actually drank. One recent convert said she was going to make lemonade, and I accepted, until I realized that she put an entire lime, peel and all, in a blender with icewater and salt. Woah! It was really very horrible. I can’t say anything good about it. Don’t even make it to try to see exactly how disgusting it was for me. But I drank the whole thing. Yep. Things you do as a missionary. At least it wasn’t like a chicken head or lizard intestines or something. For the most part the food here is very normal.

Hey Dad! I love you so much buddy! Thanks for the awesome photos! Man, I totally love seeing your mission photos! I swear I think I’ve only seen one or two from your mission before. More would be awesome! I like the questions too and it makes me want to work harder. Hope work is going well. I’m right here with you my Dad. Stay with the Lord.

Brendon, it’s freaking crazy that other people in your group have already turned seniors! What the heck? Trainers even?!?! I actually really don’t like hearing this. Makes me think I’m running behind. Actually, if enough new missionaries keep coming I too will probably turn senior in three months. That will be cool. Love ya man. Keep strong.

Kind of running out of time, so I’ll end with a big hug to my Kait! And a shout out to the rest of my fam. Love you guys! Sorry that I ended early this week. Maybe the video will make up for it!


See it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDUIFVrjY0M 


Love love love!

Elder Connor