Well i don't know where that week or that transfer went! i can't believe, that once again, monday will be a day in my life that things change and i will know what the future has in store for me! I can't believe it's come! It's been a great week. Actually it´s been the best week that i've had on the mission! theres been a lot of great things that have happened that i've never done before in my life and also many just great little lessons learned!
this week, we have a new ward mission leader that has been really good to work with. he's a return missionary from Curitiba, Brasil. and he is about 30 years old now. it's interesting, you can tell that he was a great missionary still to this day. funny how things like that stick! but on friday we got to do a division with him and it was great. just to see another way to work and how to find new people to teach. the good old knocking doors is fun and all but after about 100 in a day it gets old. so it's been nice to learn a new way to do things!
Saturday was a crazy day!! not gonna lie one bit, it was crazy! i guess the story really starts out on friday night when after i went to sleep, it would appear my comp. took a double dose of his super super strong medicine. well that was not smart. saturday morning rolls around and i wake up, get ready and study and wait and wait and wait and finally about 10:30 rolls around and elder maia has moved positions but has yet to wake up. so i go in and talk to him. a good saturday morning conversation ya know...hey man what's up? what can i do to help you get out of bed? you know just the typical saturday morning conversation... well, he loses it. he admits about double dosing his meds and he just loses it. by the way, i have his permission to say this. but ya loses it. he starts ripping his clothes and taking them off and talking about demons and people being in our house and just tons of crazy stuff. so i'm just scared out of my mind, almost peeing my pants, when i have the thought to just pull a joseph smith from the movie about him and put my arm up and say some words under the power of the priesthood. well 20 seconds later after words that i don't remember, elder maia returned to himself. so ya, that was a pretty good start to a saturday morning. beat saturday cartoons anyway. after a good call to president to talk with elder maia, we were off and working like a normal day. by the way, i need to say i just love president parrella! he is the man! he is awesome! i have so much respect for him and i am so happy to have had the opportunity to know him. he's amazing!
sunday was cool....kinda. our investigators bailed and we sat through church with no one again. i hate that feeling! we also had a lesson about eternal families. can't say that one was my favorite given the distance between me and my eternal family! but it's all good.
sunday night we taught a woman that is the wife of an active member. she's awesome but...(ya the but is never good) she just won't follow the church. she goes, she pays tithing, she has a testimony. she knows it's true but she has a fear of completing challenges like getting baptized. we had an incredible lesson with her and the spirit was so strong but she still just wouldn't budge into the "yes, please baptize me" zone. it's all good. lesson learned that everyone still has their agency. i can't take away gifts of god from people regardless of how awesome it would be!
like i said tho this week i have learned many lessons. i think i have had more personal revelations this week than in my lifetime! most, if not all of them, are very very simple but revelations none the less. the first is the true purpose of life and why we are here. it's like the scriptures say...to prepare to meet god. but what does that mean. i have learned through investigators and the spirit that repentance is really the only true way back to god. the worlds view of repentance is funny. i think our natural instinct is to think...wow he is a sinner. what did he do? but then i look at it from the view of heavenly father..what a difference! i just can't help but imagine heavenly father and christ cracking open a bottle of guaraná with the angels of heaven and just having a party. they have got to just be absolutely thrilled with someone repenting. someone willing to convert themselves regardless of what the world may think! how awesome! anyway just a sweet thought.
also i have been thinking alot lately of mosiah 4:27. "and see that these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order." so all things have to be done in order. i think a lot of times in life we get ourselves into stuff way too fast and we get in way too deep. if that is the case what do we do? we go back to the beginning and start over and we do it right. we take the baby steps necessary and we do so diligently. when all this is done in order we win the prize. we just have to win the race for today, in order.
also i have been thinking of d&c section 6:33-37. i won't copy this one cause i would be here all day. but read it! it's awesome! we must do good! whatever we do here we receive the reward in heaven. we are the flock of christ. he is watching us. he suffered for us. when we build on his rock, not even the world can take us down. nothing is stronger than that rock. and the best part. look unto christ, doubt not. fear not. how awesome a promise. we look, we do not doubt and we do not fear if we follow him. christ knows we are not perfect but he still loves us. in my mind he loves the sinners more. he came to serve the world...or the sinners. it may be hard to follow him but regardless the difficulties and what the world may throw, with him we conquer our natural man. he loves us.
above all, the one lesson i have learned on the mission is that our families love us. no matter what, they love us. our true friends as well. like proverbs says in chapter 17 verse 17: a friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. i know i love my family but above all, i know they love me regardless of my faults. they are always at my side. as well as my friends.
i know this work is real. missionary work is amazing. lately i have been thinking about how i have changed. i used to think that i miss movies and music and my family and all this but i think about not being a missionary and all i would want is to be a missionary. i will do anything and everything to serve with honor. to "return with honor". i will complete the mission because i only have a little time...i have to make it count now.
i know the work is inspired. we are led by the lord in our lives. he knows us. he does work in mysterious ways but i know without a shadow of a doubt that he is watching us. the first word said to this modern world from the mouth of god was a name. he knows us. i love the lord and i will do anything to follow him better and live with him again regardless of the embarrassment i may have, or the world's view of who i am. they do not matter to me. christ is my savior and god is my father. i will walk with them all my life....and into eternities.
i love you all and i hope you have a great week. enjoy conference! prophets are on the earth! enjoy it! god be with you til we meet again!
Elder Excell
P.S. another lesson learned: read this again on like...sunday and see if you get anything different out of it. i always think it is interesting to see what we get the second time around!
P.P.S. "I believe in christ, so come what may."
P.P.S.S. 2 John verse 12
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Q&A - September 29, 2010
1. When are transfers? We know that Elder Maia is headed home and you'll be getting a new companion but do you know yet if you'll be staying in Alvorado?
next wednesday and no but i will know here soon what lies ahead for my future!
2. Have you received the package we sent you yet?
nope but i will check again today when we pass the office!
3. What's the plan for P-day today?
last pday for elder maia....mcdonalds here we come!!!!
4. Did you figure out the problems with your camera card? Will we get more pictures soon?
it's not a problem with the card now but a problem that these computers are locked behind cages and i can't connect! don't worry you'll see them soon!
5. Does Isabella have brothers and sisters or is she an only child? -PS on this one - I love the way the kids seem to always love you so much! You are going to be an awesome Dad to my grandbabies someday!! =)
yes, she has a little bro who is a stud and is my buddy too. his name is andre...we play with ben 10 toys (tv show action figures) while we wait for lunch! he's awesome!
6. How much does it cost you to have internet access on p-day?
2 hours is 3 reals. buck fifty more or less!
7. What's your secret for keeping your positive attitude?
look at the big picture. i ask myself how i want to be remembered. and i don't allow myself to be negative. i just simply tell myself no.
next wednesday and no but i will know here soon what lies ahead for my future!
2. Have you received the package we sent you yet?
nope but i will check again today when we pass the office!
3. What's the plan for P-day today?
last pday for elder maia....mcdonalds here we come!!!!
4. Did you figure out the problems with your camera card? Will we get more pictures soon?
it's not a problem with the card now but a problem that these computers are locked behind cages and i can't connect! don't worry you'll see them soon!
5. Does Isabella have brothers and sisters or is she an only child? -PS on this one - I love the way the kids seem to always love you so much! You are going to be an awesome Dad to my grandbabies someday!! =)
yes, she has a little bro who is a stud and is my buddy too. his name is andre...we play with ben 10 toys (tv show action figures) while we wait for lunch! he's awesome!
6. How much does it cost you to have internet access on p-day?
2 hours is 3 reals. buck fifty more or less!
7. What's your secret for keeping your positive attitude?
look at the big picture. i ask myself how i want to be remembered. and i don't allow myself to be negative. i just simply tell myself no.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
life is for living, and love is for giving...(cheesy i know) - Alvorado
well, one more week gone through the books of life and too many of us, if not all of us, it didn't even appear to have happened. at least for me anyway. this week was awesome as is every week. i really feel dumb writing that every week but i can't leave it unsaid so yes, it was a great week.
after i sent the email of awesomeness last week we were off to the city for elder maia's first doctor appointment. it went well and he said it helped a ton. i also got to see more of belo horizonte. it really is such a pretty city. i will be honest...parts of it are very trashy but what city doesn't have its trashy parts. they all do. last week i got to see a lot of the "upper class" area and it is beautiful. the parks are incredibly designed with fountains and statues everywhere. the architecture is incredible on some of the buildings. especially as i sit and watch the way they build them. the technology of building has arrived here but is sparse. these people build with their hands and they build well. anyway it was very nice to see the city a little bit more and get to know it. i can now say that i know the downtown decently and can get around!
the next day elder maia had another appointment in the city to see if he could get some meds to help. he was able to get some and since then has been much better. he is pretty funny on the meds tho. they have some pretty sweet side effects. he's only fallen asleep on me about twice a day every day since then. sometimes during lessons. kinda funny!
friday we got to go back to bh again for another appointment and an interview with president parrella. i love that man! he's awesome! so after a good amount of time not working, we were able to slowly ease back into the missionary game and teach a few lessons on saturday.
our main investigator right now is igor. bad news is he couldn't go to church because he got the chicken pox. poor guy. he's 15 and awesome! he would be a great addition to any ward. especially this one. very smart and has drive.
anyway, sunday morning was a great day cause we had our ward correlation meeting with all the priesthood leaders of the church. we spent the whole time making goals that have to do with the missionary work and everyone is really fired up to do the work with us. i hope it continues. sunday i also got to speak for the first time in alvorada. it was a decent talk. i'll be honest...it was the talk that i wanted to give and it went perfectly but i was planning on it ending better, i just couldn't find the ending point i wanted but oh well. it was good.
i also have a new best friend. her name is isabella. she's 7 and likes the color pink. she sits with me everywhere in church. she's the bishops daughter. she noticed that i wore a blue tie to her house for luck so she wore her blue dress to church for me. i also wore my pink tie for her! =) she's cute. she even drew me a picture!
monday was kind of a crazy day. monday in this mission is weekly planning and a chance to gather your thoughts for the week and get a game plan going again after church on sunday. so that usually lasts until lunch. well, after lunch we were in the streets knocking doors and while elder maia was doing a contact i was looking in the street and saw this drunk guy (not rare) that was starting to fall backwards. he just absolutely nailed his head on the road with so much force. it was bad. i heard it from 2 houses away. i ran to him because he started convulsing and i didn't know what to do so i felt as if to give him a blessing and so i did. he was bleeding profusely out of the back of his head and even had some other...matter...dripping out. it was scary. i called the ambulance. yes...in portuguese. my portuguese is getting real good by the way. anyway back to the story...after i hung up with them the drunk guy woke up and came to his drunk senses which was not much. i asked his name and he said he forgot. then....the miracle or just the craziness (i have yet to decide) he gets up...stands up...and walks away with blood still gushing out his head. walks the most perfect straight line i've seen and down the road, turned the corner and disappeared. literally disappeared. crazy! i just hope he's ok. whoever found him, found him with blood that he wiped all over his face and little pieces of cranium skull skin disgusting stuff on his nose. i feel bad for the person that received that fright. anyway good adventure eh?
so, it's been a great week. this week i find myself thinking alot of different things to deal with the gospel and i don't know what will come out right now because this part is not in the outline but i'd like to bear my testimony. i know that god lives. he does not change. he is the same god that ordered his son jesus christ to create adam and eve. he has always shown his plan and his gospel through the prophets. i know that jesus Christ was a real person and not a myth. he was born of an earthly mother and a heavenly father. he lived the perfect life in everything that is important. he did not have the perfect car, the perfect house, or the perfect financial situation. he did in fact tho have the perfect absolutely sinless life that showed all mankind the example of how to live. he lived great and did all for us. he died for us as well. even until his last moments, he suffered the temptations of satan as the robber on the cross next to him stated "if" thou be the christ, save us. this man, doubting his authority, and christ, knowing that he perfectly could withdraw himself from the eternal mission to which he had been sent, continued on. he did not quit. he was the son of the living god and today he still is. after three days of work in the spirit world he was resurrected and he lives today. both the father and the son have appeared to joseph smith. the 14 year old boy whose faith did not waver. i know that prayer is our eternal and never ending and always functioning communication line with our father in heaven. joseph smith knew that as well as he humbly knelt and broke free from the standard of "our father which art in heaven" and poured out the desires of his heart. we should do the same. i know that joseph smith was a prophet and he was the instrument in the lords hand that restored all the keys to the kingdom of heaven. those keys have not been taken from this earth and in the hands of 15 great men resides those keys today. one of them has all the authority and power to use them. thomas s. monson is the lords servant and prophet today and he leads and guides this church as the mouthpiece of heavenly father. the book of mormon is the other testament of jesus christ. along with the old testament and the new testament, the standard works are gods words and comfort to us. he loves us. i have felt his love in my life and i know that he knows me. my savior and redeemer lives and he atoned for every one of my faults. one day we will all be resurrected and we will see the saviors face. he will come again. we will be judged according to our works and our hearts. there is hope in life after. i know that the sealing powers here on earth and those in heaven are directly connected and our families can be sealed to the family of god for the eternities to come. i do not understand the meaning of eternity nor will i in this mortal life. i do know and i do understand that the works we perform here have eternal consequences. i know the gospel taught by chirst is true. when we live it, we not only have happiness here but we will in the world to come. i know this world is tough. the seven deadly sins do kill spiritually and they are not in few supply. stay away from them. the plan of happiness lies in my hands. the map to happiness i have and i will follow the steps until i reach my desired resting spot with my brothers and sisters and heavenly father and mother in the eternal mansions of celestial glory. my hope and my testimony is this. i know it not with my mind but also with my heart. the spirit of our heavenly father has witnessed these things unto me. i know them.
i hope you all have a great week. remember what treasures you lie up on earth, you will receive in heaven. build your mansion one brick at a time. some things will take time. favorite portuguese phrase...agua mole, pedra dura, tanto bate, até que fura. (soft water, hard stone, it hits alot, until it makes a hole.)
i love you all! thank you for everything! i have a great fan section!
with all my love,
elder excell!
after i sent the email of awesomeness last week we were off to the city for elder maia's first doctor appointment. it went well and he said it helped a ton. i also got to see more of belo horizonte. it really is such a pretty city. i will be honest...parts of it are very trashy but what city doesn't have its trashy parts. they all do. last week i got to see a lot of the "upper class" area and it is beautiful. the parks are incredibly designed with fountains and statues everywhere. the architecture is incredible on some of the buildings. especially as i sit and watch the way they build them. the technology of building has arrived here but is sparse. these people build with their hands and they build well. anyway it was very nice to see the city a little bit more and get to know it. i can now say that i know the downtown decently and can get around!
the next day elder maia had another appointment in the city to see if he could get some meds to help. he was able to get some and since then has been much better. he is pretty funny on the meds tho. they have some pretty sweet side effects. he's only fallen asleep on me about twice a day every day since then. sometimes during lessons. kinda funny!
friday we got to go back to bh again for another appointment and an interview with president parrella. i love that man! he's awesome! so after a good amount of time not working, we were able to slowly ease back into the missionary game and teach a few lessons on saturday.
our main investigator right now is igor. bad news is he couldn't go to church because he got the chicken pox. poor guy. he's 15 and awesome! he would be a great addition to any ward. especially this one. very smart and has drive.
anyway, sunday morning was a great day cause we had our ward correlation meeting with all the priesthood leaders of the church. we spent the whole time making goals that have to do with the missionary work and everyone is really fired up to do the work with us. i hope it continues. sunday i also got to speak for the first time in alvorada. it was a decent talk. i'll be honest...it was the talk that i wanted to give and it went perfectly but i was planning on it ending better, i just couldn't find the ending point i wanted but oh well. it was good.
i also have a new best friend. her name is isabella. she's 7 and likes the color pink. she sits with me everywhere in church. she's the bishops daughter. she noticed that i wore a blue tie to her house for luck so she wore her blue dress to church for me. i also wore my pink tie for her! =) she's cute. she even drew me a picture!
monday was kind of a crazy day. monday in this mission is weekly planning and a chance to gather your thoughts for the week and get a game plan going again after church on sunday. so that usually lasts until lunch. well, after lunch we were in the streets knocking doors and while elder maia was doing a contact i was looking in the street and saw this drunk guy (not rare) that was starting to fall backwards. he just absolutely nailed his head on the road with so much force. it was bad. i heard it from 2 houses away. i ran to him because he started convulsing and i didn't know what to do so i felt as if to give him a blessing and so i did. he was bleeding profusely out of the back of his head and even had some other...matter...dripping out. it was scary. i called the ambulance. yes...in portuguese. my portuguese is getting real good by the way. anyway back to the story...after i hung up with them the drunk guy woke up and came to his drunk senses which was not much. i asked his name and he said he forgot. then....the miracle or just the craziness (i have yet to decide) he gets up...stands up...and walks away with blood still gushing out his head. walks the most perfect straight line i've seen and down the road, turned the corner and disappeared. literally disappeared. crazy! i just hope he's ok. whoever found him, found him with blood that he wiped all over his face and little pieces of cranium skull skin disgusting stuff on his nose. i feel bad for the person that received that fright. anyway good adventure eh?
so, it's been a great week. this week i find myself thinking alot of different things to deal with the gospel and i don't know what will come out right now because this part is not in the outline but i'd like to bear my testimony. i know that god lives. he does not change. he is the same god that ordered his son jesus christ to create adam and eve. he has always shown his plan and his gospel through the prophets. i know that jesus Christ was a real person and not a myth. he was born of an earthly mother and a heavenly father. he lived the perfect life in everything that is important. he did not have the perfect car, the perfect house, or the perfect financial situation. he did in fact tho have the perfect absolutely sinless life that showed all mankind the example of how to live. he lived great and did all for us. he died for us as well. even until his last moments, he suffered the temptations of satan as the robber on the cross next to him stated "if" thou be the christ, save us. this man, doubting his authority, and christ, knowing that he perfectly could withdraw himself from the eternal mission to which he had been sent, continued on. he did not quit. he was the son of the living god and today he still is. after three days of work in the spirit world he was resurrected and he lives today. both the father and the son have appeared to joseph smith. the 14 year old boy whose faith did not waver. i know that prayer is our eternal and never ending and always functioning communication line with our father in heaven. joseph smith knew that as well as he humbly knelt and broke free from the standard of "our father which art in heaven" and poured out the desires of his heart. we should do the same. i know that joseph smith was a prophet and he was the instrument in the lords hand that restored all the keys to the kingdom of heaven. those keys have not been taken from this earth and in the hands of 15 great men resides those keys today. one of them has all the authority and power to use them. thomas s. monson is the lords servant and prophet today and he leads and guides this church as the mouthpiece of heavenly father. the book of mormon is the other testament of jesus christ. along with the old testament and the new testament, the standard works are gods words and comfort to us. he loves us. i have felt his love in my life and i know that he knows me. my savior and redeemer lives and he atoned for every one of my faults. one day we will all be resurrected and we will see the saviors face. he will come again. we will be judged according to our works and our hearts. there is hope in life after. i know that the sealing powers here on earth and those in heaven are directly connected and our families can be sealed to the family of god for the eternities to come. i do not understand the meaning of eternity nor will i in this mortal life. i do know and i do understand that the works we perform here have eternal consequences. i know the gospel taught by chirst is true. when we live it, we not only have happiness here but we will in the world to come. i know this world is tough. the seven deadly sins do kill spiritually and they are not in few supply. stay away from them. the plan of happiness lies in my hands. the map to happiness i have and i will follow the steps until i reach my desired resting spot with my brothers and sisters and heavenly father and mother in the eternal mansions of celestial glory. my hope and my testimony is this. i know it not with my mind but also with my heart. the spirit of our heavenly father has witnessed these things unto me. i know them.
i hope you all have a great week. remember what treasures you lie up on earth, you will receive in heaven. build your mansion one brick at a time. some things will take time. favorite portuguese phrase...agua mole, pedra dura, tanto bate, até que fura. (soft water, hard stone, it hits alot, until it makes a hole.)
i love you all! thank you for everything! i have a great fan section!
with all my love,
elder excell!
Q&A - September 22, 2010
1. What is the best thing about serving in Alvorado?
alvorada is a great area. the ward here is awesome and very willing to help with the work. we have divisions often and have the wards help and confidence behind us. very good for missionaries!
2. Are there as many steps to climb in Alvorado as in Justinopolis or Ponte Nova?
not as bad but yes they do exist. minas gerias in brasil is the rocky mountains of the states. it's been a hike and will be a hike. i would hate to make anyone jealous but i have bricks for calves right now and my quads are bigger than my head!
3. What are the staple items that you buy when you go grocery shopping? - the must haves?
milk, chocolate powder (cause the milk is not very good plain), and apples. i love the fruit here. apples, mangoes and bananas.
4. What is the biggest treat that you occasionally splurge on at the grocery store?
if i ever have money i splurge and get myself some good old peanut m&ms. but they are so expensive!!! equivalent to about 5 bucks for one of the little packs. carrisimo!!! (super expensive in português.)
5. Our Children's Sacrament Meeting Program will be this Sunday. Do they have a Children's Sacrament Meeting Program in Brazil?
i have yet to see them but i'm sure they exist. the church is the same everywhere. regardless the language or the people, the church is the same!
6. What was the highlight of your week?
this week i got to call the ambulance for the first time in brasil. that was sweet. i'll explain more in the letter. don't panic mom!
alvorada is a great area. the ward here is awesome and very willing to help with the work. we have divisions often and have the wards help and confidence behind us. very good for missionaries!
2. Are there as many steps to climb in Alvorado as in Justinopolis or Ponte Nova?
not as bad but yes they do exist. minas gerias in brasil is the rocky mountains of the states. it's been a hike and will be a hike. i would hate to make anyone jealous but i have bricks for calves right now and my quads are bigger than my head!
3. What are the staple items that you buy when you go grocery shopping? - the must haves?
milk, chocolate powder (cause the milk is not very good plain), and apples. i love the fruit here. apples, mangoes and bananas.
4. What is the biggest treat that you occasionally splurge on at the grocery store?
if i ever have money i splurge and get myself some good old peanut m&ms. but they are so expensive!!! equivalent to about 5 bucks for one of the little packs. carrisimo!!! (super expensive in português.)
5. Our Children's Sacrament Meeting Program will be this Sunday. Do they have a Children's Sacrament Meeting Program in Brazil?
i have yet to see them but i'm sure they exist. the church is the same everywhere. regardless the language or the people, the church is the same!
6. What was the highlight of your week?
this week i got to call the ambulance for the first time in brasil. that was sweet. i'll explain more in the letter. don't panic mom!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
if love is a labour, i'll slave til the end - Alvorado
wow! another week flown by and once again i am sitting in a computer hut on the best day of the week, aside from every other day of the week. i know i say it every time but can you believe that was a whole 7 days? that was a whole 168 hours of life gone by.
i hit some landmarks this week which is always a cause for reflection. i have now a good solid 8 months under my missionary belt. also the equivalent of 1/3 of my time here. crazy to think it's gone by like that. i also have now known i would be here in brazil more than a year. that's right a year. also happy anniversary to the wright family. established in its entirety with noah more than one year ago. it's just insane to think. probably should stop before i get trunky.
anyway, this week has been awesome just like all the rest of them. it would appear that i have fully converted my brain into portuguese and i am now apparently teaching lessons to investigators while i sleep. that's funny to watch back on camera. kinda creepy too!
also this week...up until now in my life i have never been served papers and been taken to court. well, i have now been served papers more times in brasil than in the united states. good news is i won't be going to court. i guess the church here has our missionary cell phone listed as the primary phone number. which is fine until a strange lady calls, telling us to meet her at the chapel. so we run down there thinking something is wrong so we hurry. we get there and since i answered the phone and have her my name, i got served the papers. i guess a guy who worked for the company building this chapel didn't get paid and so he is suing the church. all for a grand total of 1,785 reals and due within 48 hours of the deliverance of the paper. needless to say, i almost fainted upon reading and called president asap and he took care of the situation. so, the lesson to be learned in this kids...when in brazil serving a mission, never give your name out to strangers, especially "judge" people. and upon contact with them, don't hand over your passport number. it creates a problem. but, it's all good now. fortunately i will not be serving time in a brazilian prison.
friday, elder maia had an interview with president parrela to try to refocus on the work and get some stuff out so we went to the center of the city and when elder maia was done, sister parrela walked in with the kids and said she was taking us out to eat and get food. of course, as 20 year old boys, we said let's do it and we were off. sister parrella literally ended up buying all our groceries and all the food we could want for the next 2 weeks. it was so great to hang out with her family too. their kids are 17, 16, 12, and 7. they also have one on a mission too. but it was so great to talk to them and just be around friends! i love that family. i now have a friendship there that will not be dying anytime soon! i love them.
i've tried a new fruit i wouldn't recommend. it's called cidra. i don't know if it was the way it was served or just a bad piece but it is the closest i have come to vomiting on the mission. it was absolutely rancid. tasted like moldy oranges. oh so bad. but, yes mom, i ate it all and with a smile on my face! =)
now the best part of the week. this week, elder maia and i, while knocking on doors, knocked at a house that looked normal. a young woman came out and we asked if we could share a message with her and whoever else was inside and she agreed rather willingly and so we went in. she said she was there with lots of her friends. alright, so to this point in the story, we have a 23 year old girl with lots of friends. sweet. so we get in and i get a kinda sick feeling. i ignored it and kept going. after conversing with about 10 girls of about 22 years of age i asked, so what do you guys like to do. bad question. i then learned why the sick feeling. yes, the house that we knocked at was a prostitution house. you wouldn't believe the amount of smiles two good looking missionaries can get in a house like that. i didn't know how to get out. i had already said we would leave a message, so yes, we said a prayer, i taught the law of chastity in about 4 minutes and we booked it out of there. like joseph from potiphar's wife, we just ran! all the way home (around the block) sat down and just laughed!! man it was great. so ya, future missionaries...stay away from the brothels!
anyway, above all this week, i've been studying alot about what really is the work of god and why is it so important. well, i have decided the best scripture to cite is moses 1:39. his work and his glory is our eternal life and salvation. sweet, so that describes what it is but who is involved in the work of the lord? well, i found we all are. dc 121: 34...many of us are called in the world but few are chosen and yes, we are the chosen. and also he has called the weak things of the world to thrash the nations doing his work so if we don't all fit in that category, i don't know who does. (dc 133:59) we also are fighting against something in this work. just like every story, we have our trial and something to overcome. i like how the apostle paul says it in ephesians 6:12. we are not fighting against men and humans but against principalities and powers of darkness. so my thought...where are we doing this work...well it's existed long before we can remember. we fought this way eternities ago. and now the site has changed to this mortal life. but why is this work important. dc 15:6. this work is the work of the greatest value to us. this is the rescue team to save our literal brothers and sisters. the sons and daughters of god. but when should we do this work? i love the scripture in dc 64:25...if you believe in chirst and heavenly father, today is the day. not tomorrow or the next but today is where the happily ever after begins. a journey always starts with one step. there would be no "happily ever after" if there was no "once upon a time". but the most important question to be answered...how do we do this work? well, i like dc section 4 to explain. we do it with the characteristics god has outlined and we do it with our whole might, mind and strength. if you desire, you are called to the great and marvelous work. the biggest lesson i have learned on the mission is not how awesome it is to be a missionary, but that i had the opportunity to be such my entire life, and sadly to say, a great majority of that time was time that could have been spent doing the work that is the most valuable thing we have and i didn't. every one is a missionary. none are exempt.
i testify that we were all chosen to do part of this marvelous work and wonder. that heavenly father knows every person on this world and especially those in his church. he has a work and a wonder to do and he called us all to do it. he knows us. he knows us because he has been here and he has done it. jesus christ knows the pains and the difficulties and he knows where to turn for when the hard times come. in his final hours of mortal life, in his most trying time when even the prisoners at his sides doubted his authority, he said one word that i believe is a lesson to us all. abba or in portuguese papãe, or in modern english...daddy. in his most needful time he called upon the father and he finished the work he was sent to do. he did not give up on us and we should not give up on him. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! when doing what is right we have a godly promise that angels will be about us and chirst will go before us. and if we feel inadequate...well quite frankly we are. we are inadequate alone, but we are not alone when we do the right things like keeping the commandments. extraordinary things are done by ordinary people who have learned to work in extraordinary ways.
this is a labor of love. (heb 6:10) and if love is a labour i will slave til the end. i know this work will not be frustrated. (dc 3:1) it is his work and he has sent us to do it.
now my prayer to all who read this. first off, i hope i do not appear preachy. but second....on this ordinary day, where you woke up in an ordinary way and ate an ordinary breakfast. where you got ready in an ordinary fashion doing your hair in that same old ordinary way. after you took that ordinary drive to work and where you now sit doing your ordinary things at your ordinary office reading this ordinary email at the ordinary time...please...take this ordinary moment to do something extraordinary in helping the work of our heavenly father move forward. and if you feel inadequate and tried and tired and beat...remember the example of christ and cry out as he did..father, daddy, or abba. he will help you. after the times that now seem trying and impassable, you will look back and having been tested, know that the arm of god has helped you. i know this. as nephi, we must not doubt.
i love you all and am so grateful for the opportunity i have had to be here on a mission. the distance between those upon which i think right now and myself is great but is not permanent. as moroni said...i would return unto you but the lamanites are on our western front and i must go to battle.
i love you all. keep on keepin on.
elder excell.
p.s. dc 128:22 - shall we not go on in so great a cause?
i hit some landmarks this week which is always a cause for reflection. i have now a good solid 8 months under my missionary belt. also the equivalent of 1/3 of my time here. crazy to think it's gone by like that. i also have now known i would be here in brazil more than a year. that's right a year. also happy anniversary to the wright family. established in its entirety with noah more than one year ago. it's just insane to think. probably should stop before i get trunky.
anyway, this week has been awesome just like all the rest of them. it would appear that i have fully converted my brain into portuguese and i am now apparently teaching lessons to investigators while i sleep. that's funny to watch back on camera. kinda creepy too!
also this week...up until now in my life i have never been served papers and been taken to court. well, i have now been served papers more times in brasil than in the united states. good news is i won't be going to court. i guess the church here has our missionary cell phone listed as the primary phone number. which is fine until a strange lady calls, telling us to meet her at the chapel. so we run down there thinking something is wrong so we hurry. we get there and since i answered the phone and have her my name, i got served the papers. i guess a guy who worked for the company building this chapel didn't get paid and so he is suing the church. all for a grand total of 1,785 reals and due within 48 hours of the deliverance of the paper. needless to say, i almost fainted upon reading and called president asap and he took care of the situation. so, the lesson to be learned in this kids...when in brazil serving a mission, never give your name out to strangers, especially "judge" people. and upon contact with them, don't hand over your passport number. it creates a problem. but, it's all good now. fortunately i will not be serving time in a brazilian prison.
friday, elder maia had an interview with president parrela to try to refocus on the work and get some stuff out so we went to the center of the city and when elder maia was done, sister parrela walked in with the kids and said she was taking us out to eat and get food. of course, as 20 year old boys, we said let's do it and we were off. sister parrella literally ended up buying all our groceries and all the food we could want for the next 2 weeks. it was so great to hang out with her family too. their kids are 17, 16, 12, and 7. they also have one on a mission too. but it was so great to talk to them and just be around friends! i love that family. i now have a friendship there that will not be dying anytime soon! i love them.
i've tried a new fruit i wouldn't recommend. it's called cidra. i don't know if it was the way it was served or just a bad piece but it is the closest i have come to vomiting on the mission. it was absolutely rancid. tasted like moldy oranges. oh so bad. but, yes mom, i ate it all and with a smile on my face! =)
now the best part of the week. this week, elder maia and i, while knocking on doors, knocked at a house that looked normal. a young woman came out and we asked if we could share a message with her and whoever else was inside and she agreed rather willingly and so we went in. she said she was there with lots of her friends. alright, so to this point in the story, we have a 23 year old girl with lots of friends. sweet. so we get in and i get a kinda sick feeling. i ignored it and kept going. after conversing with about 10 girls of about 22 years of age i asked, so what do you guys like to do. bad question. i then learned why the sick feeling. yes, the house that we knocked at was a prostitution house. you wouldn't believe the amount of smiles two good looking missionaries can get in a house like that. i didn't know how to get out. i had already said we would leave a message, so yes, we said a prayer, i taught the law of chastity in about 4 minutes and we booked it out of there. like joseph from potiphar's wife, we just ran! all the way home (around the block) sat down and just laughed!! man it was great. so ya, future missionaries...stay away from the brothels!
anyway, above all this week, i've been studying alot about what really is the work of god and why is it so important. well, i have decided the best scripture to cite is moses 1:39. his work and his glory is our eternal life and salvation. sweet, so that describes what it is but who is involved in the work of the lord? well, i found we all are. dc 121: 34...many of us are called in the world but few are chosen and yes, we are the chosen. and also he has called the weak things of the world to thrash the nations doing his work so if we don't all fit in that category, i don't know who does. (dc 133:59) we also are fighting against something in this work. just like every story, we have our trial and something to overcome. i like how the apostle paul says it in ephesians 6:12. we are not fighting against men and humans but against principalities and powers of darkness. so my thought...where are we doing this work...well it's existed long before we can remember. we fought this way eternities ago. and now the site has changed to this mortal life. but why is this work important. dc 15:6. this work is the work of the greatest value to us. this is the rescue team to save our literal brothers and sisters. the sons and daughters of god. but when should we do this work? i love the scripture in dc 64:25...if you believe in chirst and heavenly father, today is the day. not tomorrow or the next but today is where the happily ever after begins. a journey always starts with one step. there would be no "happily ever after" if there was no "once upon a time". but the most important question to be answered...how do we do this work? well, i like dc section 4 to explain. we do it with the characteristics god has outlined and we do it with our whole might, mind and strength. if you desire, you are called to the great and marvelous work. the biggest lesson i have learned on the mission is not how awesome it is to be a missionary, but that i had the opportunity to be such my entire life, and sadly to say, a great majority of that time was time that could have been spent doing the work that is the most valuable thing we have and i didn't. every one is a missionary. none are exempt.
i testify that we were all chosen to do part of this marvelous work and wonder. that heavenly father knows every person on this world and especially those in his church. he has a work and a wonder to do and he called us all to do it. he knows us. he knows us because he has been here and he has done it. jesus christ knows the pains and the difficulties and he knows where to turn for when the hard times come. in his final hours of mortal life, in his most trying time when even the prisoners at his sides doubted his authority, he said one word that i believe is a lesson to us all. abba or in portuguese papãe, or in modern english...daddy. in his most needful time he called upon the father and he finished the work he was sent to do. he did not give up on us and we should not give up on him. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! when doing what is right we have a godly promise that angels will be about us and chirst will go before us. and if we feel inadequate...well quite frankly we are. we are inadequate alone, but we are not alone when we do the right things like keeping the commandments. extraordinary things are done by ordinary people who have learned to work in extraordinary ways.
this is a labor of love. (heb 6:10) and if love is a labour i will slave til the end. i know this work will not be frustrated. (dc 3:1) it is his work and he has sent us to do it.
now my prayer to all who read this. first off, i hope i do not appear preachy. but second....on this ordinary day, where you woke up in an ordinary way and ate an ordinary breakfast. where you got ready in an ordinary fashion doing your hair in that same old ordinary way. after you took that ordinary drive to work and where you now sit doing your ordinary things at your ordinary office reading this ordinary email at the ordinary time...please...take this ordinary moment to do something extraordinary in helping the work of our heavenly father move forward. and if you feel inadequate and tried and tired and beat...remember the example of christ and cry out as he did..father, daddy, or abba. he will help you. after the times that now seem trying and impassable, you will look back and having been tested, know that the arm of god has helped you. i know this. as nephi, we must not doubt.
i love you all and am so grateful for the opportunity i have had to be here on a mission. the distance between those upon which i think right now and myself is great but is not permanent. as moroni said...i would return unto you but the lamanites are on our western front and i must go to battle.
i love you all. keep on keepin on.
elder excell.
p.s. dc 128:22 - shall we not go on in so great a cause?
Q&A - September 15, 2010
1. You mentioned that you were to stay in your apartment for a few days because Sister Parrella asked you to. What was the reason for this?
ya, we had to stay in the house a little while last week because it was hard for elder maia to leave. we eventually were able to walk in the streets but not do much work and now we are back to firing on all pistons and working like a dream!
2. What was the craziest thing you saw this week?
well....i have a great story for you in the email. it really will be great!
3. When was the last time you cooked for yourselves and what did you make?
ummm you aren't gonna believe this but mom i made rice and raisins! hahaha! it was a while back with elder mcguire but it was awesome!
4. What is the very best thing about getting to serve with a Brazilian Elder?
i am learning so much about the culture. the language. and it's nice to just be with someone who the culture is a natural thing for them. they know where the limits and boundaries are on things you can say and not say. how far sarcasm can go. i'm learning a lot!
QUESTIONS FOR US:
1. how much does the book "mormon doctrine" cost?
2. how many verses are in the book of mormon?
3. what's the newest guitar hero?
4. xbox 720? is it real?
5. favors and addresses....can you get physical addresses for the following people please...i would love to write them and hear from them...alexis peterson, ciara mcdermott, robin jensen (you can find her on my facebook and hopefully contact her. just send a message from my facebook to hers asking for a address), tiffany michaud, steffani bybee, robert and jennifer, jake thomas (college room mate). thanks so much.
ya, we had to stay in the house a little while last week because it was hard for elder maia to leave. we eventually were able to walk in the streets but not do much work and now we are back to firing on all pistons and working like a dream!
2. What was the craziest thing you saw this week?
well....i have a great story for you in the email. it really will be great!
3. When was the last time you cooked for yourselves and what did you make?
ummm you aren't gonna believe this but mom i made rice and raisins! hahaha! it was a while back with elder mcguire but it was awesome!
4. What is the very best thing about getting to serve with a Brazilian Elder?
i am learning so much about the culture. the language. and it's nice to just be with someone who the culture is a natural thing for them. they know where the limits and boundaries are on things you can say and not say. how far sarcasm can go. i'm learning a lot!
QUESTIONS FOR US:
1. how much does the book "mormon doctrine" cost?
2. how many verses are in the book of mormon?
3. what's the newest guitar hero?
4. xbox 720? is it real?
5. favors and addresses....can you get physical addresses for the following people please...i would love to write them and hear from them...alexis peterson, ciara mcdermott, robin jensen (you can find her on my facebook and hopefully contact her. just send a message from my facebook to hers asking for a address), tiffany michaud, steffani bybee, robert and jennifer, jake thomas (college room mate). thanks so much.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Patience is a Process of Perfection - Alvorado
what a crazy fast week and a crazy week as well. it seems like way too much has happened that maybe i missed a pday cause so much has happened. anyway it has been a great week. as far as the work we are doing very well. if all goes well and if we have enough faith, israel will be baptized this weekend. i hope it all works out. but faith is two things, believing and acting, so we'll make it happen!
last pday was a pretty relax day. elder maia and i wrote letters and cleaned. normal pday really. at night we taught a group of 14 year old kids. it was actually one of their birthdays. it was cool tho. it was just nice to find someone i could kind of relate too. we taught the first vision a little different, just focusing on what they desired most in their lives and what joseph smith desired and then applied it all. i think it turned out very well. just nice to break out of teaching the same type of people and teach a group of 10 or so 14 year old kids.
this week has been a little interesting because my companion has been a little down. not so much about the work but about everything. his life is kind of a sad story and it's with his permission i share this. but he was baptized into the church at 15 years old and lived with his mom who adopted him and he doesn't know who his real mom or dad are. a couple months after he was baptized, his mother passed away and so he had to live with his aunt. now, at home, his aunt has been very sick and not getting better. he is facing 4 more weeks in the mission and then making the scary jump back to real life and responsibility and also has been pretty bummed being junior comp this mission. on top of all this, he has some depression problems and so everything kind of hit all at once this week which has been tough to deal with. but i have seriously grown a great testimony that heavenly father knows every person serving in his church. they are serving where they should be. even down to the deacons quorum president. he is there because his heavenly father knows him and needs him there. i need to be here with elder maia for some reason and all i can do is my best. it's been a little tough tho. we have spent a couple days in the house under order from sister parrella and so that has been rough but also awesome. i have had a couple weeks to study a lot!! it's been awesome! anyway i was able to give a blessing to him this week and it was an amazing experience. i could just feel the words flowing through me as if i wasn't even me saying them....cause i wasn't. i remember mentioning that his mom was watching him and proud of him. i cried. it was a great moment and amazing to feel the spirit like that! great moment to bond!
fast topic switch, but just so everyone knows, patrick...a member here, went a little crazy with my facebook and adding people, so no, it was not me and yes i will be your friend on facebook. sure why not!?
sunday, we taught a 7th day adventist which was....cool...she was a fanatic and maybe even a lunatic. 7th day adventists, for those that don't know, is a branch off of our church and is close on some things but on others not really. their main belief is the sabbath is saturday. and trust me they can explain it to you. it was a tough lesson but i felt we accomplished our purpose there. she kept counting to me the days of the week. like alright the first day of the week was sunday, 2nd monday, third tuesday....and finally, what she thought to be equivelant to the cure for cancer...she discovered the 7th day or day of rest is saturday....little does she know it was. then christ came and was the law and was resurrected on a sunday and we now worship on sunday. well...at least she knows now. it's kinda cool learning about other religions. i won't talk bad about any of them but it has been a testimony that the church is true. i just can't see christ preaching in front of a band with a drummer and electric guitar. i just don't think the sermon on the mount was like that.
it's been a good week tho. im learning a lot about patience. i used to just think patience was enduring something. just waiting it out. but i have come to realize it is so much more encompassing. it's enduring well and enduring all things, including yourself. i've learned to never give up on anyone and yes anyone includes yourself. deiter f uchtdorf gave a great talk in conference in april about it. (p.s. can you believe conference is less than a month away!!! so stoked!!!) but in his talk he talked about how in the valleys that we are in right now...we rarely see how beautiful they are until we climb the tough mountain and look back. i thought it was a great analogy. i hate to steal hannah montana's idea, but life is a climb. patience to climb it and see what we accomplished is the tough part. we will experiences disappointment in life but when we have done our best, we will not be disappointed in ourselves. i believe very deeply that life is what we make it, and you can make it through this life, just make sure that you make it the right way.
i know heavenly father has a plan for us. it is extremely tough for me to not bear my testimony all the time because this life's only purpose is to prepare to meet him again. everything we do here is for the life after. it is absolutely imperative that we do the right things! youth, kids, teens, punks, boys, and girls...please follow the righteous examples of your parents. parents, please lead with an example worthy to follow. the world is a scary place but also a beautiful one, depending on our personal view of things. love this life while you have it because it passes fast. the sand in my hourglass is ticking fast on the mission. at the beginning of the mission, i regret to say i prayed for it to fly. now i find myself burrowing in the sand of my own time and trying to stop it from falling. the mission is the greatest place in the world and i would not trade this time for anything.
i know that this gospel is true. i know it without a doubt and it has become engraven on my heart. my only wish and desire is to spread the good news and give others this happiness. i love my family and eternity is a very worthy goal to shoot for. my only desire is to become more of a doer...not just a hearer of the gospel. (james 1:22).
i guess all in all to wrap up, i just want to say...the friends will pass, the time will fly and the memories will come and go. remember the good times and moments that you yourself make. and if you lose sight of hope...you haven't lost it yet, you just aren't looking hard enough.
i love you all and i hope this scatter brained email helps someone this week. oh, and everyone do me a favor that reads this....call your parents and tell them you love them and talk to them. i feel if we did that more often this world would be better. i would do it, but my love goes out in an email until christmas day.
thanks for everything...hope my new portuglish dialect makes sense. it was rough to write!
with love, and the best wishes this week,
elder excell
last pday was a pretty relax day. elder maia and i wrote letters and cleaned. normal pday really. at night we taught a group of 14 year old kids. it was actually one of their birthdays. it was cool tho. it was just nice to find someone i could kind of relate too. we taught the first vision a little different, just focusing on what they desired most in their lives and what joseph smith desired and then applied it all. i think it turned out very well. just nice to break out of teaching the same type of people and teach a group of 10 or so 14 year old kids.
this week has been a little interesting because my companion has been a little down. not so much about the work but about everything. his life is kind of a sad story and it's with his permission i share this. but he was baptized into the church at 15 years old and lived with his mom who adopted him and he doesn't know who his real mom or dad are. a couple months after he was baptized, his mother passed away and so he had to live with his aunt. now, at home, his aunt has been very sick and not getting better. he is facing 4 more weeks in the mission and then making the scary jump back to real life and responsibility and also has been pretty bummed being junior comp this mission. on top of all this, he has some depression problems and so everything kind of hit all at once this week which has been tough to deal with. but i have seriously grown a great testimony that heavenly father knows every person serving in his church. they are serving where they should be. even down to the deacons quorum president. he is there because his heavenly father knows him and needs him there. i need to be here with elder maia for some reason and all i can do is my best. it's been a little tough tho. we have spent a couple days in the house under order from sister parrella and so that has been rough but also awesome. i have had a couple weeks to study a lot!! it's been awesome! anyway i was able to give a blessing to him this week and it was an amazing experience. i could just feel the words flowing through me as if i wasn't even me saying them....cause i wasn't. i remember mentioning that his mom was watching him and proud of him. i cried. it was a great moment and amazing to feel the spirit like that! great moment to bond!
fast topic switch, but just so everyone knows, patrick...a member here, went a little crazy with my facebook and adding people, so no, it was not me and yes i will be your friend on facebook. sure why not!?
sunday, we taught a 7th day adventist which was....cool...she was a fanatic and maybe even a lunatic. 7th day adventists, for those that don't know, is a branch off of our church and is close on some things but on others not really. their main belief is the sabbath is saturday. and trust me they can explain it to you. it was a tough lesson but i felt we accomplished our purpose there. she kept counting to me the days of the week. like alright the first day of the week was sunday, 2nd monday, third tuesday....and finally, what she thought to be equivelant to the cure for cancer...she discovered the 7th day or day of rest is saturday....little does she know it was. then christ came and was the law and was resurrected on a sunday and we now worship on sunday. well...at least she knows now. it's kinda cool learning about other religions. i won't talk bad about any of them but it has been a testimony that the church is true. i just can't see christ preaching in front of a band with a drummer and electric guitar. i just don't think the sermon on the mount was like that.
it's been a good week tho. im learning a lot about patience. i used to just think patience was enduring something. just waiting it out. but i have come to realize it is so much more encompassing. it's enduring well and enduring all things, including yourself. i've learned to never give up on anyone and yes anyone includes yourself. deiter f uchtdorf gave a great talk in conference in april about it. (p.s. can you believe conference is less than a month away!!! so stoked!!!) but in his talk he talked about how in the valleys that we are in right now...we rarely see how beautiful they are until we climb the tough mountain and look back. i thought it was a great analogy. i hate to steal hannah montana's idea, but life is a climb. patience to climb it and see what we accomplished is the tough part. we will experiences disappointment in life but when we have done our best, we will not be disappointed in ourselves. i believe very deeply that life is what we make it, and you can make it through this life, just make sure that you make it the right way.
i know heavenly father has a plan for us. it is extremely tough for me to not bear my testimony all the time because this life's only purpose is to prepare to meet him again. everything we do here is for the life after. it is absolutely imperative that we do the right things! youth, kids, teens, punks, boys, and girls...please follow the righteous examples of your parents. parents, please lead with an example worthy to follow. the world is a scary place but also a beautiful one, depending on our personal view of things. love this life while you have it because it passes fast. the sand in my hourglass is ticking fast on the mission. at the beginning of the mission, i regret to say i prayed for it to fly. now i find myself burrowing in the sand of my own time and trying to stop it from falling. the mission is the greatest place in the world and i would not trade this time for anything.
i know that this gospel is true. i know it without a doubt and it has become engraven on my heart. my only wish and desire is to spread the good news and give others this happiness. i love my family and eternity is a very worthy goal to shoot for. my only desire is to become more of a doer...not just a hearer of the gospel. (james 1:22).
i guess all in all to wrap up, i just want to say...the friends will pass, the time will fly and the memories will come and go. remember the good times and moments that you yourself make. and if you lose sight of hope...you haven't lost it yet, you just aren't looking hard enough.
i love you all and i hope this scatter brained email helps someone this week. oh, and everyone do me a favor that reads this....call your parents and tell them you love them and talk to them. i feel if we did that more often this world would be better. i would do it, but my love goes out in an email until christmas day.
thanks for everything...hope my new portuglish dialect makes sense. it was rough to write!
with love, and the best wishes this week,
elder excell
Q&A - September 8, 2010
1. We've just had a day off from work for Labor Day - I'm pretty sure that is not a holiday there in Brazil, but I'm sure they have holidays that we don't. Have there been any since you've been there and what was your favorite or the one you found most unique?
actually, yesterday was independence day here...it was alright. the us does it better. but my favorite i think has been tiradentes day....literally means teeth pulling day but i guess it's the name of a past president or something like that but it just makes me laugh...hahah teeth pulling day! =)
2. What season are you in right now? What is the average temperature?
average temp 90...super dry. we are moving into spring so the rain should be on its way...woohoo!!
3. Where or how do you hear news of the outside world? Stuff like the tower in Rio and Movie Titles?
i see a news title once in a while...members talk to us. i don't know near as much as i used to. i just know the cool stuff or important stuff. we walk past a movie store everyday so i get movie titles there. it's kinda funny tho...i don't know if i title them right. i just try to translate the name...
4. Have you noticed a big change in the way things happen since you mentioned the changes with Zone Conferences and such?
from what i have heard...the church has implemented a new system so there is a training meeting for all the zone leader, assistants, district leaders and trainers so that they can implement this new system. i guess they take 3 days a month to train these people and the leaders are pretty stoked. they say the mission will explode. all stuff in preach my gospel but not understood...
5. Every area you've been in seems to have a special family or person that loves to help the missionaries. Who is it in Alvorado?
here there are a couple. one is a return missionary and his name is jesse. i have never met a guy so smart in my life. he cleaned my camera card for me and found 107 viruses. he made me a dvd with all the pics and now i have a clean card again!! the other is a kid named patrick. he is 15 and he goes with us a lot to teach and helps us a ton. just a cool kid. reminds me of me at his age. =)
6. How big is the area that you and Elder Maia cover?
i don't know how to describe it. it's pretty big. to walk around the perimeter would take 3 hours...
7. Are you staying healthy?
you better believe it...even taking my vitamins! =)
8. Is there anything that we can do here to help you?
i hear this answer everyday because i ask the same question everyday, but prayer. it makes a huge difference!
9. Do you have questions for us this week?
1. address to the condo in belo horizonte?
2. what kind of tourist stuff is in minas gerais?
3. how much is it to rent a car here?
4. how much do tickets to the world cup in brazil cost 2014?
5. how was school first week?
6. dad, do you remember the discussions still?
actually, yesterday was independence day here...it was alright. the us does it better. but my favorite i think has been tiradentes day....literally means teeth pulling day but i guess it's the name of a past president or something like that but it just makes me laugh...hahah teeth pulling day! =)
2. What season are you in right now? What is the average temperature?
average temp 90...super dry. we are moving into spring so the rain should be on its way...woohoo!!
3. Where or how do you hear news of the outside world? Stuff like the tower in Rio and Movie Titles?
i see a news title once in a while...members talk to us. i don't know near as much as i used to. i just know the cool stuff or important stuff. we walk past a movie store everyday so i get movie titles there. it's kinda funny tho...i don't know if i title them right. i just try to translate the name...
4. Have you noticed a big change in the way things happen since you mentioned the changes with Zone Conferences and such?
from what i have heard...the church has implemented a new system so there is a training meeting for all the zone leader, assistants, district leaders and trainers so that they can implement this new system. i guess they take 3 days a month to train these people and the leaders are pretty stoked. they say the mission will explode. all stuff in preach my gospel but not understood...
5. Every area you've been in seems to have a special family or person that loves to help the missionaries. Who is it in Alvorado?
here there are a couple. one is a return missionary and his name is jesse. i have never met a guy so smart in my life. he cleaned my camera card for me and found 107 viruses. he made me a dvd with all the pics and now i have a clean card again!! the other is a kid named patrick. he is 15 and he goes with us a lot to teach and helps us a ton. just a cool kid. reminds me of me at his age. =)
6. How big is the area that you and Elder Maia cover?
i don't know how to describe it. it's pretty big. to walk around the perimeter would take 3 hours...
7. Are you staying healthy?
you better believe it...even taking my vitamins! =)
8. Is there anything that we can do here to help you?
i hear this answer everyday because i ask the same question everyday, but prayer. it makes a huge difference!
9. Do you have questions for us this week?
1. address to the condo in belo horizonte?
2. what kind of tourist stuff is in minas gerais?
3. how much is it to rent a car here?
4. how much do tickets to the world cup in brazil cost 2014?
5. how was school first week?
6. dad, do you remember the discussions still?
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Pictures in the Mail!!
We received a few pictures in the mail this past week along with the best letter ever!! Thought I'd post these for all to see...
Fishin' on P-Day
My birthday present. Biggest team in Minas Gerais and about to win the National Cup! By the way, you guys cheer for Cruzeiros too!
Birthday cake! Thank you for everything you sent! I Love You All!
Fishin' on P-Day
My birthday present. Biggest team in Minas Gerais and about to win the National Cup! By the way, you guys cheer for Cruzeiros too!
Birthday cake! Thank you for everything you sent! I Love You All!
What you do speaks so loud, others can't hear what you say... -Alvorado
well....1 week into the experience of alvorado and i am loving it! i have already learned a lot and i know i will continue to learn all the time! i love the ward here and i apologize in advance right now...this is the first time really concentrating in english for a week so i'm sorry if it doesn't quite all come together like a well written essay. man that's gonna be rough...essays in english when i get back! i'd rather knock on the local baptist preachers door that is way too willing to let us in!
anyway, this was a great week. from what i've seen, alvorada will be a great area. the ward here just barely got their first chapel and it's brand new. like it was opened the week i started the mission. the members here are solid and i am extremely excited to work here. i was a little embarrassed showing up to church the first sunday with zero investigators cause they all "gave us cake" and let us down. it was sad but this sunday should be an improvement. the area is a rich to middle class area so that has its pros and cons as far as the missionary work but it will be a great area.
we've already had some great success here this week. my first lunch in the area, i had something i had never had before and i wondered why we don't have it in the states. i had fresh watermelon juice to drink. it was awesome!! i'm not gonna lie, the first sip is a bit weird and then you realize that you are just eating watermelon and you don't have to deal with all the pesky seeds!!
the first couple days in the area were a bit rough but only because i have had to put myself into full portuguese mode. it's amazing tho in just a small amount of days how much my language and grammar and everything has increased. it's been extremely nice to be corrected. i've been waiting my whole mission for someone to correct my grammar and now i have a pro. it's been nice. but needless to say i do miss english quite a bit! but it's just like the mission.
i have been told lately to include the bad and ugly in my letters so here is some ugly...every night at about 12:30 i wake up and my bed is covered in bed bugs literally. and yes...they itch! it's a good thing that bug spray smells good because lately i have been sleeping in it practically. it's been an adventure. but don't worry mom, medically they don't hurt you!
elder maia and i have gotten along great. as little as we may have in common, there is still just the same amount of stuff to talk about. i learned that this week. whether you have nothing in common with someone or everything in common with someone, you can still talk forever. the only difference is with one you relate stories...the other you have a great opportunity to learn more about somebody and their life.
it's also just been a great lesson in humility. humility is seriously the world's greatest struggle. if you don't believe that, go and read a talk from spencer w kimball called the pride, or maybe it's called the pride cycle... i don't remember but if you can finish that talk and say you're not prideful... well maybe you should read it again for that statement alone. but humble people are always the best so i'm trying to become better at that. there is always an opportunity to be less prideful!
on sunday night, we were walking home and our pathway home took us straight through a police barrier stop on the road. we got stopped and my comp was struck dumb, i think like nephi's brothers, so i had to talk and tell them our purpose on getting through. it was a good test of my portuguese. the cop actually thought i was from the south of brazil. it was only a little iffy cause they were all holding ak-47's. don't worry mom. i didn't get shot. cops respect us here. as well as gangsters with guns...and yes i know that from experience. i hope that wasn't too honest. dad you should probably call mom and see if she is conscious.
anyway, this week has been great and as always have had some great moments and lessons to be learned. this week i have been thinking alot of the extreme home makeover that pocatello had a part of this last week. i've been thinking about how incredible the process is and that the work can be done in 1 week flat! i think a lot of it has to do with the amount of planning and everyone individually doing their part and i reflected on how we are not any different. we all have to do our part or else the job will not be completed. we all have to lift where we stand. the sad part of the job is some of our tools are wearing out now. they are getting rusty. for exampl,e moral discipline in the world today is a thing of the past. it's the rusty nail, the broken shovel or maybe even the bent saw blade in completing the job at hand. but once again, our own personal selves can fix that. good news is the designer is perfect. the design is perfect with zero flaws. it's his work and his glory and it will be done his way. we have been chosen among the billions in the world to take part of the gospel. to have that opportunity. as the army of gideon in judges 7. we have to be aware of all around us and stand together to get the job done. our numbers may be few but the job will get done. at times it may seem difficult, but not only is it possible, but the outcome is sure. but to smooth this process we must stick together. put on your helmet, roll back your sleeves, tighten up your armor, and unleash your sword, put your head down cause the fight is underway. finish the battle and finish the job you were sent here to do! if we don't come together in ourselves, in our families, we will not win! it must be done!
i love you all and i'm almost out of time! i hope you all have a great week this week! if you feel weak....remember it's you that can do it. (dc 1:19) oh and super quick...quote from gordon b hinckley...if you think it's hard...the pioneers are laughing in your face!
thanks to my home crowd! i love you all! until next week! fica forte!
anyway, this was a great week. from what i've seen, alvorada will be a great area. the ward here just barely got their first chapel and it's brand new. like it was opened the week i started the mission. the members here are solid and i am extremely excited to work here. i was a little embarrassed showing up to church the first sunday with zero investigators cause they all "gave us cake" and let us down. it was sad but this sunday should be an improvement. the area is a rich to middle class area so that has its pros and cons as far as the missionary work but it will be a great area.
we've already had some great success here this week. my first lunch in the area, i had something i had never had before and i wondered why we don't have it in the states. i had fresh watermelon juice to drink. it was awesome!! i'm not gonna lie, the first sip is a bit weird and then you realize that you are just eating watermelon and you don't have to deal with all the pesky seeds!!
the first couple days in the area were a bit rough but only because i have had to put myself into full portuguese mode. it's amazing tho in just a small amount of days how much my language and grammar and everything has increased. it's been extremely nice to be corrected. i've been waiting my whole mission for someone to correct my grammar and now i have a pro. it's been nice. but needless to say i do miss english quite a bit! but it's just like the mission.
i have been told lately to include the bad and ugly in my letters so here is some ugly...every night at about 12:30 i wake up and my bed is covered in bed bugs literally. and yes...they itch! it's a good thing that bug spray smells good because lately i have been sleeping in it practically. it's been an adventure. but don't worry mom, medically they don't hurt you!
elder maia and i have gotten along great. as little as we may have in common, there is still just the same amount of stuff to talk about. i learned that this week. whether you have nothing in common with someone or everything in common with someone, you can still talk forever. the only difference is with one you relate stories...the other you have a great opportunity to learn more about somebody and their life.
it's also just been a great lesson in humility. humility is seriously the world's greatest struggle. if you don't believe that, go and read a talk from spencer w kimball called the pride, or maybe it's called the pride cycle... i don't remember but if you can finish that talk and say you're not prideful... well maybe you should read it again for that statement alone. but humble people are always the best so i'm trying to become better at that. there is always an opportunity to be less prideful!
on sunday night, we were walking home and our pathway home took us straight through a police barrier stop on the road. we got stopped and my comp was struck dumb, i think like nephi's brothers, so i had to talk and tell them our purpose on getting through. it was a good test of my portuguese. the cop actually thought i was from the south of brazil. it was only a little iffy cause they were all holding ak-47's. don't worry mom. i didn't get shot. cops respect us here. as well as gangsters with guns...and yes i know that from experience. i hope that wasn't too honest. dad you should probably call mom and see if she is conscious.
anyway, this week has been great and as always have had some great moments and lessons to be learned. this week i have been thinking alot of the extreme home makeover that pocatello had a part of this last week. i've been thinking about how incredible the process is and that the work can be done in 1 week flat! i think a lot of it has to do with the amount of planning and everyone individually doing their part and i reflected on how we are not any different. we all have to do our part or else the job will not be completed. we all have to lift where we stand. the sad part of the job is some of our tools are wearing out now. they are getting rusty. for exampl,e moral discipline in the world today is a thing of the past. it's the rusty nail, the broken shovel or maybe even the bent saw blade in completing the job at hand. but once again, our own personal selves can fix that. good news is the designer is perfect. the design is perfect with zero flaws. it's his work and his glory and it will be done his way. we have been chosen among the billions in the world to take part of the gospel. to have that opportunity. as the army of gideon in judges 7. we have to be aware of all around us and stand together to get the job done. our numbers may be few but the job will get done. at times it may seem difficult, but not only is it possible, but the outcome is sure. but to smooth this process we must stick together. put on your helmet, roll back your sleeves, tighten up your armor, and unleash your sword, put your head down cause the fight is underway. finish the battle and finish the job you were sent here to do! if we don't come together in ourselves, in our families, we will not win! it must be done!
i love you all and i'm almost out of time! i hope you all have a great week this week! if you feel weak....remember it's you that can do it. (dc 1:19) oh and super quick...quote from gordon b hinckley...if you think it's hard...the pioneers are laughing in your face!
thanks to my home crowd! i love you all! until next week! fica forte!
Q&A - September 1, 2010
1. How was your first week in Alvorado?
it was a great week and i'm excited to tell you all about it in the email!
2. Is there a large ward or a branch there?
i am in a great ward of about 100 people and i'm super excited to work here!
3. How far are you from the Mission Office now?
depends...by bus about 15 minutes...
4. Are there other sets of missionaries in that same area or are you guys on your own?
in our ward it is just us....missionaries are much closer now tho...
5. What is the best thing about your new companion, Elder Maia?
elder maia...he is awesome. he is extremely smart about the gospel and knows what he is talking about. it will be fun to learn with him...
6. How does your new apartment rate with the ones you've lived in so far? How does the cost of rent compare?
cost i'm not sure but i know that the apartment is better. we have a washing machine!!! that's right, a washing machine!!! i was so stoked!
7. What are your plans for p-day today?
relax...write....sleep...=)
8. How do you feel about your Portuguese now with a Brazilian companion?
well....i get by and he says i don't even have an accent and he says i'm fluent... i'll be fluent maybe in about 12 years from now in my mind!
9. What was the highlight of your week?
this week we worked extremely hard and we marked a lot of dates for people to get baptized on the 12th of september!
10. Are you finding success as you are tracting each day? Finding people to teach?
see answer to number 9....=)
11. Are you healthy and happy?
healthy affirmative and happy double affirmative!
12. Do you have questions for us?
a. what's blakes last name in your office and what areas did he pass through when he served here?
b. heard rumors of a sweet tower in rio de janeiro for the olympics...can you send me pics?
c. movie watch: bounty hunter, and remember me? how were they?
d. when is paige mitton's bithday?
it was a great week and i'm excited to tell you all about it in the email!
2. Is there a large ward or a branch there?
i am in a great ward of about 100 people and i'm super excited to work here!
3. How far are you from the Mission Office now?
depends...by bus about 15 minutes...
4. Are there other sets of missionaries in that same area or are you guys on your own?
in our ward it is just us....missionaries are much closer now tho...
5. What is the best thing about your new companion, Elder Maia?
elder maia...he is awesome. he is extremely smart about the gospel and knows what he is talking about. it will be fun to learn with him...
6. How does your new apartment rate with the ones you've lived in so far? How does the cost of rent compare?
cost i'm not sure but i know that the apartment is better. we have a washing machine!!! that's right, a washing machine!!! i was so stoked!
7. What are your plans for p-day today?
relax...write....sleep...=)
8. How do you feel about your Portuguese now with a Brazilian companion?
well....i get by and he says i don't even have an accent and he says i'm fluent... i'll be fluent maybe in about 12 years from now in my mind!
9. What was the highlight of your week?
this week we worked extremely hard and we marked a lot of dates for people to get baptized on the 12th of september!
10. Are you finding success as you are tracting each day? Finding people to teach?
see answer to number 9....=)
11. Are you healthy and happy?
healthy affirmative and happy double affirmative!
12. Do you have questions for us?
a. what's blakes last name in your office and what areas did he pass through when he served here?
b. heard rumors of a sweet tower in rio de janeiro for the olympics...can you send me pics?
c. movie watch: bounty hunter, and remember me? how were they?
d. when is paige mitton's bithday?
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
transfer 5...alvorado
well, as the subject of this email has indicated clearly enough...i have been transferred to a new area called alvorado. it is right in the heart of belo horizonte and seems like a great area. i have heard great rumors that the ward here and the members are awesome and the work will be awesome!
my new companion is from brazil! i have officially gotten my first brazilian companion which will be awesome. this is actually his last transfer on the mission so it will be good to end it together!
the last week has been a great, sad, and sometimes painful week. last thursday after a great pday of just rest and letters, the day before i got a little sick. now before you freak out mom it wasn't that bad...i just got super dizzy and ran a bit of a quick fever so thursday afternoon, after staying out in the street working as long as my equilibrium would let me, i began to get super dizzy so we went back to the house and i crashed for a good hour or two under direction from elder mcguire. i'm not gonna lie, it was weird. as hard as the life in the streets is working... being in the house drove me nuts. i couldn't take it. needless to say two hours later we were back to full power (or at least we pretended) and went to work.
this weekend we walked past my first witch doctors house doing voo doo. it was crazy and i hated it to be honest. i walked past and immediately just got sick in my stomach and had that feeling that said get the heck out of there. so we walked past a little faster than normal. it was always a cool dream of mine to say that i was in a witch doctors house and had to cast out some devils but now i find myself hoping that i never have to get close to it ever again. eck!
this weekend we met a cool kid named caiu and he´s 15 years old. we marked a date with him but then his dad prohibited him from going to church. it was ridiculous. i also broke a fingernail clean off in his house so i bled everywhere. i didn't want him to know tho so i just clenched my hand into a fist and then when we left i showed mcguire and he about died laughing. he said it made alot more sense why i was clenching my fists during the joseph smith story and only using one hand to open my bible! hahaha good story!
this week has also been a bit depressing for more reasons than one. first off, i will miss neide and miltons long awaited wedding. but i have been informed that i will be receiving a good amount of pictures from the wedding! also i had to say good bye to ponte nova. yes, the tears came and sometimes... they didn't leave the eyes but they definitely filled them. as far as i am aware that means i can keep hold of my man card. it was great to look back tho and think of the work that i accomplished and the opportunities that i was blessed to have in the beloved city of ponte nova. it was also really sad to say tchau to elder mcguire. he was a great comp and we had some great times. but it's ok, because just like all stories...one day, over the rainbow, not so far away exists more stories to be written.
i learned a good lesson from maria this week, the one that we baptized a couple weeks back. she told me that it wouldn't be long until we met again. and it was more than just an old lady comment. she knew what she meant when she said that. she knew this would most likely be the last earthly visit we would have but she still said it. what a great testimony of the plan of salvation. how great it is that in all our goodbyes there is a soft whisper of a see you later always!
anyway, my time is running short due to transfers but i hope this week brings a great week to all. and if you want a bit of reading to do read helaman 2:13 and see what the difference can be between a person full of iniquity and a person righteous like captain moroni in alma 48:17. be a captain moroni. the effect you have on humanity for eternities to come is at stake!
i love you all and i hope to hear from you more often. being closer to the city means more accessibility to letters....just saying! ;) thank you to all those who have written and i hope some sort of something has arrived in your mailbox somehow brightening a day a little! i love you all! until we meet again....
elder excell
my new companion is from brazil! i have officially gotten my first brazilian companion which will be awesome. this is actually his last transfer on the mission so it will be good to end it together!
the last week has been a great, sad, and sometimes painful week. last thursday after a great pday of just rest and letters, the day before i got a little sick. now before you freak out mom it wasn't that bad...i just got super dizzy and ran a bit of a quick fever so thursday afternoon, after staying out in the street working as long as my equilibrium would let me, i began to get super dizzy so we went back to the house and i crashed for a good hour or two under direction from elder mcguire. i'm not gonna lie, it was weird. as hard as the life in the streets is working... being in the house drove me nuts. i couldn't take it. needless to say two hours later we were back to full power (or at least we pretended) and went to work.
this weekend we walked past my first witch doctors house doing voo doo. it was crazy and i hated it to be honest. i walked past and immediately just got sick in my stomach and had that feeling that said get the heck out of there. so we walked past a little faster than normal. it was always a cool dream of mine to say that i was in a witch doctors house and had to cast out some devils but now i find myself hoping that i never have to get close to it ever again. eck!
this weekend we met a cool kid named caiu and he´s 15 years old. we marked a date with him but then his dad prohibited him from going to church. it was ridiculous. i also broke a fingernail clean off in his house so i bled everywhere. i didn't want him to know tho so i just clenched my hand into a fist and then when we left i showed mcguire and he about died laughing. he said it made alot more sense why i was clenching my fists during the joseph smith story and only using one hand to open my bible! hahaha good story!
this week has also been a bit depressing for more reasons than one. first off, i will miss neide and miltons long awaited wedding. but i have been informed that i will be receiving a good amount of pictures from the wedding! also i had to say good bye to ponte nova. yes, the tears came and sometimes... they didn't leave the eyes but they definitely filled them. as far as i am aware that means i can keep hold of my man card. it was great to look back tho and think of the work that i accomplished and the opportunities that i was blessed to have in the beloved city of ponte nova. it was also really sad to say tchau to elder mcguire. he was a great comp and we had some great times. but it's ok, because just like all stories...one day, over the rainbow, not so far away exists more stories to be written.
i learned a good lesson from maria this week, the one that we baptized a couple weeks back. she told me that it wouldn't be long until we met again. and it was more than just an old lady comment. she knew what she meant when she said that. she knew this would most likely be the last earthly visit we would have but she still said it. what a great testimony of the plan of salvation. how great it is that in all our goodbyes there is a soft whisper of a see you later always!
anyway, my time is running short due to transfers but i hope this week brings a great week to all. and if you want a bit of reading to do read helaman 2:13 and see what the difference can be between a person full of iniquity and a person righteous like captain moroni in alma 48:17. be a captain moroni. the effect you have on humanity for eternities to come is at stake!
i love you all and i hope to hear from you more often. being closer to the city means more accessibility to letters....just saying! ;) thank you to all those who have written and i hope some sort of something has arrived in your mailbox somehow brightening a day a little! i love you all! until we meet again....
elder excell
Q&A - August 25, 2010
1. Where are you??? Have you been transferred???
i have been transferred and i am now in the area called alvorado which is in the city of belo horizonte. dad, the address to our house: rua 4 #45, bairro sarandi. that should be good enough to at least pull it up on google and see. there is an airport just south of us just for a landmark.
2. If so, who is your new companion? Where is he from?
my new companion is elder maia and he is from here in brazil. he is from the state of ceerá and the city of forteleza. they are getting a temple right now actually.
3. If so, how are you feeling about the transfer so far?
after 2 hours, all seems to be well and it'll be nice to actually learn some portuguese. i have a feeling i am gonna start to just lose my english completely tho...
4. Did you decide how we should handle getting the pictures from your camera card? Is the cable still acting up?
i think i am just gonna keep going for a while with it. this particular lan house doesn't have a modem to hook into accessible so i will try next week and go from there!
5. Have you had the opportunity to play the piano very much?
yes and no...in ponte nova, i always accompanied the hymns in sacrament and played prelude and postlude when possible so i have been able to play a bit...all you young pre-missionaries...keep playing...you'll appreciate it later!
6. What was the worst thing that happened to you this week?
i was transferred. i will miss neide and miltons wedding which tears me up inside but also i had to say goodbye to a lot of people i love. when you guys come get me...you can be sure ponte nova is on the list of stops.
7. What was the best thing that happened to you this week?
i was transferred...it's always nice to just start over sometimes. to recapture the fire you need to be better and continue to grow. it will be a tough transfer but the lord often times brings us low so that he can raise us up!
8. Do you have questions for us? maybe....well see if you get an email...i think i can come up with some! (No email came so no questions for us...)
i have been transferred and i am now in the area called alvorado which is in the city of belo horizonte. dad, the address to our house: rua 4 #45, bairro sarandi. that should be good enough to at least pull it up on google and see. there is an airport just south of us just for a landmark.
2. If so, who is your new companion? Where is he from?
my new companion is elder maia and he is from here in brazil. he is from the state of ceerá and the city of forteleza. they are getting a temple right now actually.
3. If so, how are you feeling about the transfer so far?
after 2 hours, all seems to be well and it'll be nice to actually learn some portuguese. i have a feeling i am gonna start to just lose my english completely tho...
4. Did you decide how we should handle getting the pictures from your camera card? Is the cable still acting up?
i think i am just gonna keep going for a while with it. this particular lan house doesn't have a modem to hook into accessible so i will try next week and go from there!
5. Have you had the opportunity to play the piano very much?
yes and no...in ponte nova, i always accompanied the hymns in sacrament and played prelude and postlude when possible so i have been able to play a bit...all you young pre-missionaries...keep playing...you'll appreciate it later!
6. What was the worst thing that happened to you this week?
i was transferred. i will miss neide and miltons wedding which tears me up inside but also i had to say goodbye to a lot of people i love. when you guys come get me...you can be sure ponte nova is on the list of stops.
7. What was the best thing that happened to you this week?
i was transferred...it's always nice to just start over sometimes. to recapture the fire you need to be better and continue to grow. it will be a tough transfer but the lord often times brings us low so that he can raise us up!
8. Do you have questions for us? maybe....well see if you get an email...i think i can come up with some! (No email came so no questions for us...)
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
ultima semana no ponte nova?...pode ser (or in Google Translator: last week at the new bridge? can be ...)
wow! another week dead and gone and never to be relived again. it's always funny to sit here and write about the week and just look back at it and wonder how you made it through or how it went so fast. this week was a great week.
last thursday, after doing some last minute shopping before heading back home, i left the keys with elder mcguire and he locked the door and we were off. upon returning, the door would not open at all. the key would not fit at all. after trying everything, and i mean everything from cards to toothpicks to knifes, the door was shut and we were on the porch with all the groceries still. after calling around and realizing that all the locksmiths were closed, we set off to go sleep in the chapel but we finally found one locksmith open 24 hours. 2 and a half minutes later and 50 bucks poorer we were in the house. needless to say i won't be leaving the keys with mcguire anymore! =) that made the first time and the last time he's locking the door! jk!
the weekend was a great one and had quite a bit of success. the work still seems to me to be going slow but i know that i am trying as hard as i can! i figure after you do all you can and you still see nothing...there's more to be done.
this weekend, there was a big giant bike rally in ponte nova, and mom, you can officially let me go to sturgis now. i've seen it all. it was pretty sweet to walk past the park and hear some great 70s 80s and 90s rock and roll...and yes the united states has the corner on all that music. it was great.
on sunday, i had the opportunity to confirm my first member of the church. maria was confirmed a member and received the best birthday present ever on her birthday of the holy ghost! it was great. and yes....in portuguese. one quick side note...it still hasn't hit me yet that i speak another language almost fluently. kinda weird sometimes! also, on sunday we were given the opportunity to talk because the branch forgot to call the last speaker so mcguire and i split the time. up until sunday, my talks in the mission have not been so hot....most of you all know that i love to speak in public but throw in a new language and it shakes me. that was until sunday. i overcame that road block and gave my personal best talk i think in my life! i talked about the excuses we all give the church to not do missionary work and then i read some scriptures to help us all remember the duty we all have to preach the gospel. it went very well. at least i hope that's why the branch was crying...i hope it wasn't my portuguese! =)
the rest of this week has been just full of work, work and work. mcguire had his bday on monday so we are now two 20 year old boys trying to take on satan. his dad also got called to be stake president by russel m nelson. no biggie right!? he's a great comp.
vicente and eva are still just my favorite people here, if i'm allowed to have favorites. i love them. we went to their house on monday and sat down with them but after we left vicente felt so bad for not feeding us that he and his two girls brought us food to our house. they are so awesome! i didn't think that i would find a family on my mission that would be my temporary mom and dad until i met them! i love them!
this week could be the last week elder excell see's in ponte nova. don't ask me where that transfer went! it flew by! this transfer ends my first 25% of the mission in the field. where did that go? who knows! i can't believe it. life is flying but we are the pilots! if i have to say good bye to this area and this companionship it will be sad. i told myself i wouldn't cry on my mission saying good bye to people but i feel so much a part of this city. i know it better than my own hometown. i know the people down the street better than any others. i have come to the conclusion it's because i see it all with my gospel eyes. i see the man sweeping the sidewalk as my brother. i see the streets as all of our temporary lives here on earth before we can meet in heaven afterwards. it has really helped me to think about the heavenly eyes we all need to use when we look at others and the world around us. this city, if this is my last week here, will never leave my heart. it's concreted itself deeper within me than i ever thought possible.
the lesson learned this week...our lives are the same... and when we try to love those around us...when we see them as family....when we see the eternal plan and the part we share in it together, it becomes a part of us. those around us, when seen with these kind of eyes can not be forgotten.
i love ponte nova and everyone that i have had the great opportunity to meet. from the corrieos ladies to the drunk man on noah's ark. i consider myself as them... pontenovense - (like a rigby-ite, or pocatellan). as i end this epistle, i hope you will all remember the person next to you is your family and remember that there is a plan to be together with that family forever. my name is elder excell and i hereby close mine epistle!
elder excell!
i love you all! have a great week!
last thursday, after doing some last minute shopping before heading back home, i left the keys with elder mcguire and he locked the door and we were off. upon returning, the door would not open at all. the key would not fit at all. after trying everything, and i mean everything from cards to toothpicks to knifes, the door was shut and we were on the porch with all the groceries still. after calling around and realizing that all the locksmiths were closed, we set off to go sleep in the chapel but we finally found one locksmith open 24 hours. 2 and a half minutes later and 50 bucks poorer we were in the house. needless to say i won't be leaving the keys with mcguire anymore! =) that made the first time and the last time he's locking the door! jk!
the weekend was a great one and had quite a bit of success. the work still seems to me to be going slow but i know that i am trying as hard as i can! i figure after you do all you can and you still see nothing...there's more to be done.
this weekend, there was a big giant bike rally in ponte nova, and mom, you can officially let me go to sturgis now. i've seen it all. it was pretty sweet to walk past the park and hear some great 70s 80s and 90s rock and roll...and yes the united states has the corner on all that music. it was great.
on sunday, i had the opportunity to confirm my first member of the church. maria was confirmed a member and received the best birthday present ever on her birthday of the holy ghost! it was great. and yes....in portuguese. one quick side note...it still hasn't hit me yet that i speak another language almost fluently. kinda weird sometimes! also, on sunday we were given the opportunity to talk because the branch forgot to call the last speaker so mcguire and i split the time. up until sunday, my talks in the mission have not been so hot....most of you all know that i love to speak in public but throw in a new language and it shakes me. that was until sunday. i overcame that road block and gave my personal best talk i think in my life! i talked about the excuses we all give the church to not do missionary work and then i read some scriptures to help us all remember the duty we all have to preach the gospel. it went very well. at least i hope that's why the branch was crying...i hope it wasn't my portuguese! =)
the rest of this week has been just full of work, work and work. mcguire had his bday on monday so we are now two 20 year old boys trying to take on satan. his dad also got called to be stake president by russel m nelson. no biggie right!? he's a great comp.
vicente and eva are still just my favorite people here, if i'm allowed to have favorites. i love them. we went to their house on monday and sat down with them but after we left vicente felt so bad for not feeding us that he and his two girls brought us food to our house. they are so awesome! i didn't think that i would find a family on my mission that would be my temporary mom and dad until i met them! i love them!
this week could be the last week elder excell see's in ponte nova. don't ask me where that transfer went! it flew by! this transfer ends my first 25% of the mission in the field. where did that go? who knows! i can't believe it. life is flying but we are the pilots! if i have to say good bye to this area and this companionship it will be sad. i told myself i wouldn't cry on my mission saying good bye to people but i feel so much a part of this city. i know it better than my own hometown. i know the people down the street better than any others. i have come to the conclusion it's because i see it all with my gospel eyes. i see the man sweeping the sidewalk as my brother. i see the streets as all of our temporary lives here on earth before we can meet in heaven afterwards. it has really helped me to think about the heavenly eyes we all need to use when we look at others and the world around us. this city, if this is my last week here, will never leave my heart. it's concreted itself deeper within me than i ever thought possible.
the lesson learned this week...our lives are the same... and when we try to love those around us...when we see them as family....when we see the eternal plan and the part we share in it together, it becomes a part of us. those around us, when seen with these kind of eyes can not be forgotten.
i love ponte nova and everyone that i have had the great opportunity to meet. from the corrieos ladies to the drunk man on noah's ark. i consider myself as them... pontenovense - (like a rigby-ite, or pocatellan). as i end this epistle, i hope you will all remember the person next to you is your family and remember that there is a plan to be together with that family forever. my name is elder excell and i hereby close mine epistle!
elder excell!
i love you all! have a great week!
Q&A - August 18, 2010
1. Do you think you'll still be in Ponte Nova on September 5th for the wedding?
....that remains to be seen but i really really hope so! it would be sad if not but the lord knows what he does and as always i'll go where he wants me to go!
2. When are transfers?
transfers are next week...
3. What are the plans for today's pday?
sleep! i need to still catch up on it from a couple weeks of big things happening! i'll write some good letters too!
4. What is your favorite scripture and why?
phew...i don't even know where to start. i have seriously a list started in my journal...a whole page of them. the one that comes to mind right now is matthew 10:39...great mission reminder scripture!
5. Any questions for us?
1. can i get a real street address for bethani casper?
2. can you send me any blog comments people put up? it would be cool to see...
3. when you get a chance however it may come...can you send paul cardall the christmas box...it's mission approved music and i would love to have it. if you can send it through email that would be awesome...however it works out would be greatly appreciated!
4. where is the house of the extreme makeover gonna be at? where in poky?
5. whitney james is getting married!!?!?!?! wow!
6. any other relationship changes latey...weston? he better wait for me to get home!
7. how was brax's first week out in the real world?
8. how much is a dozen white eggs in the states?
....that remains to be seen but i really really hope so! it would be sad if not but the lord knows what he does and as always i'll go where he wants me to go!
2. When are transfers?
transfers are next week...
3. What are the plans for today's pday?
sleep! i need to still catch up on it from a couple weeks of big things happening! i'll write some good letters too!
4. What is your favorite scripture and why?
phew...i don't even know where to start. i have seriously a list started in my journal...a whole page of them. the one that comes to mind right now is matthew 10:39...great mission reminder scripture!
5. Any questions for us?
1. can i get a real street address for bethani casper?
2. can you send me any blog comments people put up? it would be cool to see...
3. when you get a chance however it may come...can you send paul cardall the christmas box...it's mission approved music and i would love to have it. if you can send it through email that would be awesome...however it works out would be greatly appreciated!
4. where is the house of the extreme makeover gonna be at? where in poky?
5. whitney james is getting married!!?!?!?! wow!
6. any other relationship changes latey...weston? he better wait for me to get home!
7. how was brax's first week out in the real world?
8. how much is a dozen white eggs in the states?
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Pictures
noodles for lunch!
the companionship of all companionships, elder excell and elder mcguire
maria, baptized aug 8, 2010
bday cake...mom, this is the brazilian version
Ponte Nova - version 3.4
can anyone believe the time is flying as fast as it is? as weird as it may be to some of you, and including myself, i will be hitting 7 months since i have been away from all you beautiful folks! that's insane in my point of view! this week has been a great week tho. coming back from zone conference last week with a lot of energy to just put our shoulder to the wheel and push a long. we definitely pushed tho that's for sure!
last p day was really nice because we just kinda took a break and wrote some letters and just loved the company of each other. i love elder mcguire. we have some of the greatest talks. alright, i guess it's just like one big giant talk, but i love the kid! we are very very good friends and there was definitely more than a companionship in mind when heavenly father put us together!
this week we made our own recipe for tortillas, because contrary to popular belief, these people here do not have the same diet as mexicans. so we made our own, and all of the sudden, we feel like we have the world at our fingertips! you can make anything with a good ol' tortilla. we've been busy at work. oh, and p.s., if anyone has a good recipe for mango salsa, which i'm sure someone does, please send it. we are in the land of mangoes.
that does bring up an interesting point. there are a lot of things that i thought they would have here that they just don't have. for example, tortillas, tortilla chips, pepsi products besides pepsi cola, peanut butter, potato chips, lemons, chili peppers, ranch or salad dressing in general, barbecue, and they don't even have pepper at most places. it's a different culture for sure.
oh, i need to add in here, due to the popularity of the question, how to pronounce the portuguese j and the best way to describe it is it's pretty close to english but more soft. the letter j here is pronounced jota but the j sounds like shzhshzhota. kinda.
this week we were successful in marking neide and miltons wedding date for the 5th of september! what a giant step. we got enough money to be able to finish up the costs and mark it! i'm so stoked for them. they are just so stoked to get baptized in the only true church. neide often says when people ask her if she is changing religion, she responds, no i found religion! that's what's up neide! you tell 'em!
this weekend, we had a baptism for maria assumpção da silva! she is a 76 year old rock star! she's awesome! let me just give you a sneak peek at the world of maria. on thursday when we taught her and invited for baptism, we both felt like it was gonna have to wait another week and then when mcguire opened his mouth he started to say "do you think.." in a real soft uncorageous way, but then he stopped and said "maria, you know it's true. will you be baptized?" and immediately, she knew and was baptized that sunday! on saturday she had her interview and she is kinda old and forgetful, so she was ready for us to come get her, but then her neighbor told her she didn't have church today so she got changed again and started to work in the yard, so when we came to get her she wasn't ready but then she changed and off we went. while walking there, she said her neighbor was a malignant spirit of the devil tempting her! hilarious! then later that day, we went to go check up on her and she had locked herself in the house and lost the keys so we said a prayer and she found them. but she did however tell us she was always like saint peter and held on to her keys. haha, get it, cause christ gave peter the keys! hilarious! but she cussed out the devil pretty good for hiding her keys! she's a hoot! i love her! it will be great to have the opportunity to chill with her in the celestial kingdom lounge!
anyway, sunday was great because of the baptism and then we had a manhunt going out in the city with a good group of members trying to find all the less actives. it was pretty successful!
anyway, it's been a great week with some good food and some great memories. it's kind of brought me back to think about the purpose of our life and how we measure this earthly life. i've come to the conclusion that life is not measured by minutes and hours, but by moments, and moments are made by those who choose to make them. make your minutes moments because moments are what we remember. i don't know if it's the being far away from home, but the only thing i am now remembering is the memories and particularly with my family. the minutes passed then and didn't mean much, but my family memories and friend moments mean everything to me right now. i have a pretty good feeling too that if we keep the moments good ones right now, the life after will be a lot more pleasant. make a moment with your family tonight. it's worth it!
i love my family with all my heart and i love this work with all my heart. it will be a great week again only because i plan on making it one. another thought to ponder...life is what we make it out to be. so yes, very literally, we control our hope and destiny.
i love you all! can't wait to hear from you all again! have a great week!
elder excell
last p day was really nice because we just kinda took a break and wrote some letters and just loved the company of each other. i love elder mcguire. we have some of the greatest talks. alright, i guess it's just like one big giant talk, but i love the kid! we are very very good friends and there was definitely more than a companionship in mind when heavenly father put us together!
this week we made our own recipe for tortillas, because contrary to popular belief, these people here do not have the same diet as mexicans. so we made our own, and all of the sudden, we feel like we have the world at our fingertips! you can make anything with a good ol' tortilla. we've been busy at work. oh, and p.s., if anyone has a good recipe for mango salsa, which i'm sure someone does, please send it. we are in the land of mangoes.
that does bring up an interesting point. there are a lot of things that i thought they would have here that they just don't have. for example, tortillas, tortilla chips, pepsi products besides pepsi cola, peanut butter, potato chips, lemons, chili peppers, ranch or salad dressing in general, barbecue, and they don't even have pepper at most places. it's a different culture for sure.
oh, i need to add in here, due to the popularity of the question, how to pronounce the portuguese j and the best way to describe it is it's pretty close to english but more soft. the letter j here is pronounced jota but the j sounds like shzhshzhota. kinda.
this week we were successful in marking neide and miltons wedding date for the 5th of september! what a giant step. we got enough money to be able to finish up the costs and mark it! i'm so stoked for them. they are just so stoked to get baptized in the only true church. neide often says when people ask her if she is changing religion, she responds, no i found religion! that's what's up neide! you tell 'em!
this weekend, we had a baptism for maria assumpção da silva! she is a 76 year old rock star! she's awesome! let me just give you a sneak peek at the world of maria. on thursday when we taught her and invited for baptism, we both felt like it was gonna have to wait another week and then when mcguire opened his mouth he started to say "do you think.." in a real soft uncorageous way, but then he stopped and said "maria, you know it's true. will you be baptized?" and immediately, she knew and was baptized that sunday! on saturday she had her interview and she is kinda old and forgetful, so she was ready for us to come get her, but then her neighbor told her she didn't have church today so she got changed again and started to work in the yard, so when we came to get her she wasn't ready but then she changed and off we went. while walking there, she said her neighbor was a malignant spirit of the devil tempting her! hilarious! then later that day, we went to go check up on her and she had locked herself in the house and lost the keys so we said a prayer and she found them. but she did however tell us she was always like saint peter and held on to her keys. haha, get it, cause christ gave peter the keys! hilarious! but she cussed out the devil pretty good for hiding her keys! she's a hoot! i love her! it will be great to have the opportunity to chill with her in the celestial kingdom lounge!
anyway, sunday was great because of the baptism and then we had a manhunt going out in the city with a good group of members trying to find all the less actives. it was pretty successful!
anyway, it's been a great week with some good food and some great memories. it's kind of brought me back to think about the purpose of our life and how we measure this earthly life. i've come to the conclusion that life is not measured by minutes and hours, but by moments, and moments are made by those who choose to make them. make your minutes moments because moments are what we remember. i don't know if it's the being far away from home, but the only thing i am now remembering is the memories and particularly with my family. the minutes passed then and didn't mean much, but my family memories and friend moments mean everything to me right now. i have a pretty good feeling too that if we keep the moments good ones right now, the life after will be a lot more pleasant. make a moment with your family tonight. it's worth it!
i love my family with all my heart and i love this work with all my heart. it will be a great week again only because i plan on making it one. another thought to ponder...life is what we make it out to be. so yes, very literally, we control our hope and destiny.
i love you all! can't wait to hear from you all again! have a great week!
elder excell
Q&A - August 11, 2010
1. You talked about fishing in a shirt and tie last week in your email. Does that mean that you wear your dress clothes even on pday if you go out in public? Are you wearing your dress clothes this very moment?
ya, we aren't allowed to wear normal clothes in this mission outside of our homes. so ya my normal clothes don't get much use! right now i'm in mission attire.
2. Will the changes that you mentioned about zone conferences and other meetings affect how often you are able to get your mail now? If so, do you know yet how often you will be able to get your mail?
i mean, as far as we know, yes. the only problem is, here in ponte nova, the only time we see missionaries, besides ourselves in the mirror, is at zone conference. normally, people will have their district bring them mail if someone goes into bh but we don't have that luxury so we will be getting mail less often i think...who knows yet tho?
3. Do the changes affect how often transfers will happen?
transfers are still every six weeks.
4. How often does President Parrella visit your area?
so far he has been here once since i've been here. we are literally in the middle of nowhere so we are 4 hours from the closest missionary. it takes a good chunk of a day to visit ponte nova.
5. What have you been studying lately during your personal study time?
lately, i have been reading jesus the christ and pregar meu evangelho...preach my gospel. never enough time tho to actually study everything i want to.
6. Do you have questions for us this week?
1. what is imdb saying about the green zone with matt damon?
2. what type of banana do we eat in the united states?
3. how are the journals coming?
4. what's everyone in the family's favorite scripture and why?
ya, we aren't allowed to wear normal clothes in this mission outside of our homes. so ya my normal clothes don't get much use! right now i'm in mission attire.
2. Will the changes that you mentioned about zone conferences and other meetings affect how often you are able to get your mail now? If so, do you know yet how often you will be able to get your mail?
i mean, as far as we know, yes. the only problem is, here in ponte nova, the only time we see missionaries, besides ourselves in the mirror, is at zone conference. normally, people will have their district bring them mail if someone goes into bh but we don't have that luxury so we will be getting mail less often i think...who knows yet tho?
3. Do the changes affect how often transfers will happen?
transfers are still every six weeks.
4. How often does President Parrella visit your area?
so far he has been here once since i've been here. we are literally in the middle of nowhere so we are 4 hours from the closest missionary. it takes a good chunk of a day to visit ponte nova.
5. What have you been studying lately during your personal study time?
lately, i have been reading jesus the christ and pregar meu evangelho...preach my gospel. never enough time tho to actually study everything i want to.
6. Do you have questions for us this week?
1. what is imdb saying about the green zone with matt damon?
2. what type of banana do we eat in the united states?
3. how are the journals coming?
4. what's everyone in the family's favorite scripture and why?
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
I'm 20? - Ponte Nova
well, another week done and gone! once again i have no idea where that went and how it just managed to fly by. although, i did get a sweet quote from grandma that i loved that said "life flies by but you are the pilot!" i loved it. a good thought.
so this week, once again, has been full of plenty of adventures and plenty of those moments where you just can't help but be thankful for the life you were given here on earth and the knowledge of the gospel!
last pday we went fishing! it was awesome! we never got anything but hey, what's the true point of fishing? to get something or to just enjoy the scenery and the company. we headed out after a great day of emails and all and got on a bus that gets just up above town a bit and we threw our lines in and went at it. it was so nice to sit on the rocks with a guaraná in hand and just swap some good stories with elder mcguire! i love the kid! he's my favorite companion so far and we are just having a great time together! i think a ton of people must have just been laughing their butts off looking at the two white kids in white shirts and ties trying to fish brazilian style! it was a lot of fun!
on friday we got chased by dogs! that was a great story! it all started after about 4hours of getting doors slammed to the face and so we decided it was time to take about a 15 minute breather. close to the road we were knocking on doors, we found a kind of brush area with a ravine and on the top of the hill was a radio tower, so while we were out walking in the brush, just enjoying a good hiking trail, we heard a giant bloodhound at the top of the hill guarding the tower. didn't think much of it because of the 10 foot deep ravine between us so we thought we were safe but then we heard him start to come, and of course, this just has to happen right when it is starting to get dark and visibility is minimal. elder mcguire and i just look at each other and scream simultaneously "run!!" so off we went, running through the brush and the tall grass and sage brush with our feet just happening to hit every rut in the ground. simultaneously, we both ate dirt, and man i would have loved to have this on tape because we just rolled right out of it and kept trucking. it would've been pretty spectacular to see. so after we thought we were free from the dog, we stopped and caught our breath for about 3 seconds and then we heard him coming again and we booked it out of there. we looked like quite the pair running into the street again just covered in dust and limping on home. it was a great time!
my birthday was sunday. weird! we had a great time and i got some sweet presents thanks to some birthday souvenir money. i bought some official cruzeiros workout pants. i know that sounds ridiculous but i love them! we also made two cakes. one brazilian and one american and yes the american one was better! cream cheese frosting and all! delicious! oh and family...that card was my absolute favorite! loved it!
zone conference was this week which is always awesome! they are switching some things up though. we only have zone conference every 3 months now and also some other kinds of leadership meetings and all. it's a different system for the whole church, not just us, so we'll see how it goes. you just kind of trust in the fact that we have a prophet that talks to god and knows how we should be doing our thing! it's new, and to be honest not my favorite, but probably cause it's new. we'll see. change is good right!?
i had another interview with president parrella! i love that guy! i walk out of every interview with a new desire to just do it. just go at it. it's awesome! i'm so glad i'm here.
as far as the spiritual experiences this week - i've learned a little more about the importance of today. we have a word in portuguese called "moley" (phonetically) and it means soft literally, or just kind of lazy. i learned the words if and when are just moley words! words for slackers. many times we find ourselves saying "if this happens then i'll be good". what a slacker thing to say i decided! we need to eliminate the if's in our lives today. not tomorrow, to see if it will happen but do something about it today. when you read in the scriptures you see that we need to choose this day who we are. we need to repent today and not put it off. the devils biggest technique is putting it off and not doing things now. satan sure does take people down with drugs and everything, but i think his biggest tool is the word later or tomorrow. don't leave for tomorrow what you could do today. i'm learning very fast that time is limited for all of us. we only get one shot at this life and it will end. don't put off things necessary for later. today is the day. carpe diem, as they used to say. vive hoje, as they say here. we all can be better today and we should strive to do so. the way to be better has already been laid out and it wasn't by someone who waited to do so when it was convenient for him. follow the map today. the treasure truly awaits!
i love being a missionary and i hope everyone knows that! i love it here and there is no better place in the world! my time can't be better spent than this work! thank you all so much for your letters and help! i love you all! thanks for cheering in my stadium and know that i am in the front row of all of yours!
elder excell
so this week, once again, has been full of plenty of adventures and plenty of those moments where you just can't help but be thankful for the life you were given here on earth and the knowledge of the gospel!
last pday we went fishing! it was awesome! we never got anything but hey, what's the true point of fishing? to get something or to just enjoy the scenery and the company. we headed out after a great day of emails and all and got on a bus that gets just up above town a bit and we threw our lines in and went at it. it was so nice to sit on the rocks with a guaraná in hand and just swap some good stories with elder mcguire! i love the kid! he's my favorite companion so far and we are just having a great time together! i think a ton of people must have just been laughing their butts off looking at the two white kids in white shirts and ties trying to fish brazilian style! it was a lot of fun!
on friday we got chased by dogs! that was a great story! it all started after about 4hours of getting doors slammed to the face and so we decided it was time to take about a 15 minute breather. close to the road we were knocking on doors, we found a kind of brush area with a ravine and on the top of the hill was a radio tower, so while we were out walking in the brush, just enjoying a good hiking trail, we heard a giant bloodhound at the top of the hill guarding the tower. didn't think much of it because of the 10 foot deep ravine between us so we thought we were safe but then we heard him start to come, and of course, this just has to happen right when it is starting to get dark and visibility is minimal. elder mcguire and i just look at each other and scream simultaneously "run!!" so off we went, running through the brush and the tall grass and sage brush with our feet just happening to hit every rut in the ground. simultaneously, we both ate dirt, and man i would have loved to have this on tape because we just rolled right out of it and kept trucking. it would've been pretty spectacular to see. so after we thought we were free from the dog, we stopped and caught our breath for about 3 seconds and then we heard him coming again and we booked it out of there. we looked like quite the pair running into the street again just covered in dust and limping on home. it was a great time!
my birthday was sunday. weird! we had a great time and i got some sweet presents thanks to some birthday souvenir money. i bought some official cruzeiros workout pants. i know that sounds ridiculous but i love them! we also made two cakes. one brazilian and one american and yes the american one was better! cream cheese frosting and all! delicious! oh and family...that card was my absolute favorite! loved it!
zone conference was this week which is always awesome! they are switching some things up though. we only have zone conference every 3 months now and also some other kinds of leadership meetings and all. it's a different system for the whole church, not just us, so we'll see how it goes. you just kind of trust in the fact that we have a prophet that talks to god and knows how we should be doing our thing! it's new, and to be honest not my favorite, but probably cause it's new. we'll see. change is good right!?
i had another interview with president parrella! i love that guy! i walk out of every interview with a new desire to just do it. just go at it. it's awesome! i'm so glad i'm here.
as far as the spiritual experiences this week - i've learned a little more about the importance of today. we have a word in portuguese called "moley" (phonetically) and it means soft literally, or just kind of lazy. i learned the words if and when are just moley words! words for slackers. many times we find ourselves saying "if this happens then i'll be good". what a slacker thing to say i decided! we need to eliminate the if's in our lives today. not tomorrow, to see if it will happen but do something about it today. when you read in the scriptures you see that we need to choose this day who we are. we need to repent today and not put it off. the devils biggest technique is putting it off and not doing things now. satan sure does take people down with drugs and everything, but i think his biggest tool is the word later or tomorrow. don't leave for tomorrow what you could do today. i'm learning very fast that time is limited for all of us. we only get one shot at this life and it will end. don't put off things necessary for later. today is the day. carpe diem, as they used to say. vive hoje, as they say here. we all can be better today and we should strive to do so. the way to be better has already been laid out and it wasn't by someone who waited to do so when it was convenient for him. follow the map today. the treasure truly awaits!
i love being a missionary and i hope everyone knows that! i love it here and there is no better place in the world! my time can't be better spent than this work! thank you all so much for your letters and help! i love you all! thanks for cheering in my stadium and know that i am in the front row of all of yours!
elder excell
Q&A - August 4, 2010
1. How was your birthday?? Do you feel "one year older and wiser too" ?? How did you celebrate?
well, it was a fast sunday and so celebration was a bit of a minimum on the actual day but on saturday we made a good cake and then this morning we made the cake i got at zone conference from you guys!!! i loved it. it's already been attacked!
2. Did you enjoy your day of fishing last Pday? Did you catch many fish?
well, we got nothing but it was a great day of just straight relaxing!
3. Was zone conference yesterday?
yes!
4. Just wondering if you got the package we sent you and if you were able to get your mail?
yes and i'll talk about it in the letter
5. Are you keeping your apartment cleaner since the major cleaning job you did on it a couple weeks ago?
it's still spic and span!
6. What was the highlight of your week?
interview with president! it was an awesome 15 minutes. there were so many great things that happened tho! i loved the whole week!
well, it was a fast sunday and so celebration was a bit of a minimum on the actual day but on saturday we made a good cake and then this morning we made the cake i got at zone conference from you guys!!! i loved it. it's already been attacked!
2. Did you enjoy your day of fishing last Pday? Did you catch many fish?
well, we got nothing but it was a great day of just straight relaxing!
3. Was zone conference yesterday?
yes!
4. Just wondering if you got the package we sent you and if you were able to get your mail?
yes and i'll talk about it in the letter
5. Are you keeping your apartment cleaner since the major cleaning job you did on it a couple weeks ago?
it's still spic and span!
6. What was the highlight of your week?
interview with president! it was an awesome 15 minutes. there were so many great things that happened tho! i loved the whole week!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Pictures!
preaching in ponte nova
the tarantula i killed
the cleaning army of helaman
last night with clites and the cool pants we got!
Peach Cobbler and Hammocks - Ponte Nova
wow! what a week again! the measure of time has been severely altered in my brain. was that really a week again!? anyway the time is always filled with unforgettable experiences and stories to be told, so let me tell.
it starts with the best/worst pday known to all missionary existence. its crazy how long missionaries live in houses without cleaning once. incredible. so we literally spent 5 hours cleaning last pday. we put on some bandannas, some motab, and our mean faces and went to work. we literally hauled a whole truck load of trash out of the house. it was disgusting. i regret to inform you that i did live in it for 3 months without doing anything and i don't know how, but i have repented and we did our work and we now have a home to live in that is sanitary. so yes, it wasn't much of a day of rest but it was necessary and because we worked our tails off last week we are going to go fishing all day today! a good lesson learned and a home gained.
saturday was pioneer day which really doesn't exist here or in any other place in the world besides idaho, utah, and cokeville but we celebrated. while we were walking out to visit some investigators that day, we saw a guy selling hammocks for the equivalent of ten bucks so we jumped on it and we also found some peaches (not easy to find) and we made peach cobbler while listening to some sweet pioneer music. pioneer day was definitely a win this year. the peach cobbler was awesome. we decided to even be real pioneers and hang up the hammock and sleep in them all night. needless to say we made it about 3 hours, and one extremely sore rear end later, after a collapsed hammock, we now sleep on our beds again. and yes, the rear end that hit the ground would be mine. at least the ground was clean, right?! =)
as you can see by the picture, the spiders are out and about. that was the first one that i have seen in brazil mom so you don't have to worry. i'm not fighting them off every day! the second one that i found was in someone elses garage and was really hard to get but we tried to lure it close to us with some bacon flavored chips but we didn't get it. i feel bad because this strangers garage was filled with about a bag full of these bacon flavored things and the spider didn't move. kind of a bummer but it was fun while it lasted.
today will officially be the best p day ever! we are going fishing! i hope i will be able to send you guys a sweet awesome picture of me wearing normal missionary clothes holding up some kind of treasure from the deep rio piranga! (river of the ipiranga) i'll do my best!
this week, as far as the work goes, has been etremely difficult. we have been knocking in the richest part of town and not having much success. even to the point that some days we knock on doors all day long and when we get home at night and add up the numbers we only had 2 lessons. it's rough. it reminds me much of the nephites under the command of helaman when they are just beaten down with not much back up for miles but they just keep fighting. if there is one thing i have learned lately, it's self powered perseverance. as stupid as the quote may be, dori, from finding nemo, knew what she was talking about. just keep swimming, just keep swimming, what do we do? we swim, swim, swim. the missionary version is a bit different but the same message. just keep working, just keep working, what do we do? we work, work, work. but, if there is one thing learned from all of it... it's that heavenly father rewards us for the work we do. i have no doubt of that. we can have days where all you want to do is just go home and cry "i give up" but you don't... why? because the days that we would not teach a lesson all day when we worked our butts off... that night, at about 7 o clock, things just get rolling. we ended up with 5 lessons yesterday and yesterday was rough. 3 of the 5 came after 7:30 at night. the lesson to be learned: just keep trying. just keep working. the reward will come and it will be after your patience is tried. remember joseph smith in liberty jail... my son, peace be unto thy soul. thine adversities and afflictions shall be but a small moment but if thou wilt endure it well, god shall exalt thee on high. the reward always awaits us. we just have to show we really want it!
i love you all and i'm sorry the message is a little cut today but the fish are being caught and we're not there. seriously, thank you so much for everything that every single one of you do for me. i hit 20 years this weekend. and i can't think of a single place better to spend it than here! i love the work and the work will be done! have a great week and i can't wait to here from you all soon! love you all!
it starts with the best/worst pday known to all missionary existence. its crazy how long missionaries live in houses without cleaning once. incredible. so we literally spent 5 hours cleaning last pday. we put on some bandannas, some motab, and our mean faces and went to work. we literally hauled a whole truck load of trash out of the house. it was disgusting. i regret to inform you that i did live in it for 3 months without doing anything and i don't know how, but i have repented and we did our work and we now have a home to live in that is sanitary. so yes, it wasn't much of a day of rest but it was necessary and because we worked our tails off last week we are going to go fishing all day today! a good lesson learned and a home gained.
saturday was pioneer day which really doesn't exist here or in any other place in the world besides idaho, utah, and cokeville but we celebrated. while we were walking out to visit some investigators that day, we saw a guy selling hammocks for the equivalent of ten bucks so we jumped on it and we also found some peaches (not easy to find) and we made peach cobbler while listening to some sweet pioneer music. pioneer day was definitely a win this year. the peach cobbler was awesome. we decided to even be real pioneers and hang up the hammock and sleep in them all night. needless to say we made it about 3 hours, and one extremely sore rear end later, after a collapsed hammock, we now sleep on our beds again. and yes, the rear end that hit the ground would be mine. at least the ground was clean, right?! =)
as you can see by the picture, the spiders are out and about. that was the first one that i have seen in brazil mom so you don't have to worry. i'm not fighting them off every day! the second one that i found was in someone elses garage and was really hard to get but we tried to lure it close to us with some bacon flavored chips but we didn't get it. i feel bad because this strangers garage was filled with about a bag full of these bacon flavored things and the spider didn't move. kind of a bummer but it was fun while it lasted.
today will officially be the best p day ever! we are going fishing! i hope i will be able to send you guys a sweet awesome picture of me wearing normal missionary clothes holding up some kind of treasure from the deep rio piranga! (river of the ipiranga) i'll do my best!
this week, as far as the work goes, has been etremely difficult. we have been knocking in the richest part of town and not having much success. even to the point that some days we knock on doors all day long and when we get home at night and add up the numbers we only had 2 lessons. it's rough. it reminds me much of the nephites under the command of helaman when they are just beaten down with not much back up for miles but they just keep fighting. if there is one thing i have learned lately, it's self powered perseverance. as stupid as the quote may be, dori, from finding nemo, knew what she was talking about. just keep swimming, just keep swimming, what do we do? we swim, swim, swim. the missionary version is a bit different but the same message. just keep working, just keep working, what do we do? we work, work, work. but, if there is one thing learned from all of it... it's that heavenly father rewards us for the work we do. i have no doubt of that. we can have days where all you want to do is just go home and cry "i give up" but you don't... why? because the days that we would not teach a lesson all day when we worked our butts off... that night, at about 7 o clock, things just get rolling. we ended up with 5 lessons yesterday and yesterday was rough. 3 of the 5 came after 7:30 at night. the lesson to be learned: just keep trying. just keep working. the reward will come and it will be after your patience is tried. remember joseph smith in liberty jail... my son, peace be unto thy soul. thine adversities and afflictions shall be but a small moment but if thou wilt endure it well, god shall exalt thee on high. the reward always awaits us. we just have to show we really want it!
i love you all and i'm sorry the message is a little cut today but the fish are being caught and we're not there. seriously, thank you so much for everything that every single one of you do for me. i hit 20 years this weekend. and i can't think of a single place better to spend it than here! i love the work and the work will be done! have a great week and i can't wait to here from you all soon! love you all!
Q&A - July 28, 2010
1. Do you have any Sister Missionaries serving in your mission?
yes, we have probably 15 sisters in the mission
2. What is Elder McGuire's first name?
daniel
3. Did you have Zone Conference yesterday or will it be next Tuesday?
we still don't know for sure but i think this tuesday that's coming...
4. Are you still going fishing today for P-day?
you bet! we are already packed and ready to go with some boiled eggs and a 12 pack of guarana!
5. What was the highlight of your week?
small highlight... broke my soccer juggling record and now have a record of 32 to beat!
6. How are all the mission "supplies" holding up that we got for you?
everything is going awesome mom! thank you so much for everything you sent!
7. Can you even believe that you are turning 20 YEARS OLD on your BIRTHDAY in just a few short days??!!??
i literally stopped in the street and looked at mcguire with such a confused look on my face and just said "my teenage years are over?" i can't believe it. i'm a big boy now?
8. Do you have any plans for celebrating your Birthday on Sunday??
well, it's sunday and fast sunday so not really... monday will be the celebration and mcguire is baking me a cake and even with frosting!
9. Do you have any idea how much your family loves you??
i think i do and then i read your letters and i think i only comprehend a fraction! i love you guys so so so much!
10. And last but not least, any more of your crazy, wacky =) questions for us this week??
this week i'm gonna be honest, my questions are very limited.
1. what's the dow and nasdac sitting at?
2. are we still in iraq?
3. will you send an apple pie and banana bread recipe and also one for salsa?
yes, we have probably 15 sisters in the mission
2. What is Elder McGuire's first name?
daniel
3. Did you have Zone Conference yesterday or will it be next Tuesday?
we still don't know for sure but i think this tuesday that's coming...
4. Are you still going fishing today for P-day?
you bet! we are already packed and ready to go with some boiled eggs and a 12 pack of guarana!
5. What was the highlight of your week?
small highlight... broke my soccer juggling record and now have a record of 32 to beat!
6. How are all the mission "supplies" holding up that we got for you?
everything is going awesome mom! thank you so much for everything you sent!
7. Can you even believe that you are turning 20 YEARS OLD on your BIRTHDAY in just a few short days??!!??
i literally stopped in the street and looked at mcguire with such a confused look on my face and just said "my teenage years are over?" i can't believe it. i'm a big boy now?
8. Do you have any plans for celebrating your Birthday on Sunday??
well, it's sunday and fast sunday so not really... monday will be the celebration and mcguire is baking me a cake and even with frosting!
9. Do you have any idea how much your family loves you??
i think i do and then i read your letters and i think i only comprehend a fraction! i love you guys so so so much!
10. And last but not least, any more of your crazy, wacky =) questions for us this week??
this week i'm gonna be honest, my questions are very limited.
1. what's the dow and nasdac sitting at?
2. are we still in iraq?
3. will you send an apple pie and banana bread recipe and also one for salsa?
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Harder the Climb, the Better the View! - Ponte Nova
well, i'm not gonna lie, this week was the best week i have had in such a super, super long time and it's all because of change! i've decided that i love change! it's amazing the amount of habits you can gain in 3 months without change, and when the change comes, you realize the growth that can be made! but i am getting ahead of myself. i'll get into the change later.
this week has been great! elder mcguire and i are just hitting the work super hard with a new determination to just give the lord all we have! on sunday we both got the opportunity to speak in sacrament meeting which was a great. you all know me - i love to speak in public so i jumped on the opportunity. elder mcguire gave a great talk about the obligation we all have in the church to share the happiness that we have. it gave the branch a good kick in the butt to start throwing some references our way! my talk was about the things that we have been given and all things that have been given for us and the necessity to give back to everyone that has given us something including heavenly father, christ, and the church. it went well. always room for improvement tho.
we had a lady have an epileptic attack in the middle of church. that was pretty scary. no one really knows her that well so it was pretty interesting to watch the reactions. as with all epileptic attacks, you have a little burst out and then kinda go out for about 15-20 minutes and you're back to normal. so in the middle of church this woman screams the equivalent of jesus saved me and then passed out and i just looked at mcguire and we were on the scene ready to go. we carried her out of sacrament and into the relief society room and had the branch president following us. we got the relief society president to come watch over her so we could speak and be in the meeting with our investigators and all was well. it was just awesome to see how the ward will adapt so fastly and so easily to help the needs of another.
we are still working with neide and milton to get them married. we got the paper work under way with them and now we just have to wait 1 month and 15 days to have the wedding. the uncool part of this is that i may not be able to witness this wedding if i am transferred this upcoming transfer. so yes, i have been on my knees a bit to see if heavenly father will leave me here...i guess i will just work as hard as i can and just realize i am the tool in the masters hand.
lately, i think people think we are getting skinny or something because we are just getting fed right and left! wow! i'm not even having problems with not eating because of the taste of the food but because i am so stuffed from the last house and i can't eat much more. but mom...don't worry...i'm still eating everything that's put in front of me. i just hope i don't get too blessed with an expandable stomach! =( just kidding i still weigh less then when i came! =)
we got to to watch the mormon tabernacle choir pioneer show on sunday! talk about awesome and homesick to watch video of salt lake city and hear patriotic songs and hear songs from the music man! wow! 76 trombones...i never thought that would give me homesickness! haha!
marcelo had another expo this week that was incredible and went over extremely well. it was some of his photos from the acting theater here in town. his pictures are amazing! not to mention that the theater he was working with preformed! i about had to turn away cause i liked watching theater again so much! i realized the impact that the theater has had on me and how much i love it! it was awesome to watch!
elder mcguire and i are getting a lot of the american factor lately and yes it's good and bad. elder mcguire has blue eyes too so we hear about every 30 minutes..."whoa!! mom, mom, come here there are two americans at our door with blue eyes! they have blue eyes! congratulations on your eyes!" so mom and dad...you did good work and i'm passing on the congrats to you guys! we also get bombarded by people inside of stores because we get the "rich american" stereotype. don't get me wrong, the king treatment is cool until they find out we have no money and then our new friends desert us pretty fast! pretty funny to watch.
as far as my thoughts for the week, of course i have some. firstly, as i already mentioned...change! i have realized getting a new comp after 3 months that i let some of my habits slip. and the change has brought a new determination to stretch and grow and be better. i've learned stretching is awesome. take the simple example of stretching before a good solid game of football. you stretch out nice and well and when you play you are accustomed to the stretching and you are more agile. then when the bus of a man is coming toward you, it's not too fast that you cant handle it and you have a lot less chance of injuring yourself. now, if you don't stretch out and accustom yourself to the movement, the bohemath of a man comes straight for you and when you try to move you aren't able to do so fast enough to avoid the blow of the hit. life is no different...stretch out...accustom yourself to the movement of all of life and do so thoroughly and in the right way with your trainer called the gospel. when you do so, the heman of satan may come at you and you are so strong that however he comes at you, you are ready to get out of his path. i promise he is coming and if you stretch your spiritual muscles and don't settle for the good you are doing that is inhibiting you from the better you could be doing, you can dodge any bullet he sends at you!
i testify the gospel is changing lives. i have the blessing and incredible opportunity to see it every day and i know the gospel has the ability to flip lives from their upside down state to the right state that secretly everyone wants! heavenly father knows what he's doing. thomas s monson is helping him coach the game here on earth. the game will be won by those who are ready and that are on the lords side. when the time comes be able to to say while you are running your 97 yard touchdown kick return and the opponent is headed for you "get thee behind me satan" (matt 16:23)! with the gospel and the willingness to change and be better, even tho you are as good as you are, you can break any tackle!
i love you all so much and i am so happy where i am at. always remember that the success in our lives is judged by two people...you and heavenly father...everything else is an opinion!
love you all!
elder excell!
this week has been great! elder mcguire and i are just hitting the work super hard with a new determination to just give the lord all we have! on sunday we both got the opportunity to speak in sacrament meeting which was a great. you all know me - i love to speak in public so i jumped on the opportunity. elder mcguire gave a great talk about the obligation we all have in the church to share the happiness that we have. it gave the branch a good kick in the butt to start throwing some references our way! my talk was about the things that we have been given and all things that have been given for us and the necessity to give back to everyone that has given us something including heavenly father, christ, and the church. it went well. always room for improvement tho.
we had a lady have an epileptic attack in the middle of church. that was pretty scary. no one really knows her that well so it was pretty interesting to watch the reactions. as with all epileptic attacks, you have a little burst out and then kinda go out for about 15-20 minutes and you're back to normal. so in the middle of church this woman screams the equivalent of jesus saved me and then passed out and i just looked at mcguire and we were on the scene ready to go. we carried her out of sacrament and into the relief society room and had the branch president following us. we got the relief society president to come watch over her so we could speak and be in the meeting with our investigators and all was well. it was just awesome to see how the ward will adapt so fastly and so easily to help the needs of another.
we are still working with neide and milton to get them married. we got the paper work under way with them and now we just have to wait 1 month and 15 days to have the wedding. the uncool part of this is that i may not be able to witness this wedding if i am transferred this upcoming transfer. so yes, i have been on my knees a bit to see if heavenly father will leave me here...i guess i will just work as hard as i can and just realize i am the tool in the masters hand.
lately, i think people think we are getting skinny or something because we are just getting fed right and left! wow! i'm not even having problems with not eating because of the taste of the food but because i am so stuffed from the last house and i can't eat much more. but mom...don't worry...i'm still eating everything that's put in front of me. i just hope i don't get too blessed with an expandable stomach! =( just kidding i still weigh less then when i came! =)
we got to to watch the mormon tabernacle choir pioneer show on sunday! talk about awesome and homesick to watch video of salt lake city and hear patriotic songs and hear songs from the music man! wow! 76 trombones...i never thought that would give me homesickness! haha!
marcelo had another expo this week that was incredible and went over extremely well. it was some of his photos from the acting theater here in town. his pictures are amazing! not to mention that the theater he was working with preformed! i about had to turn away cause i liked watching theater again so much! i realized the impact that the theater has had on me and how much i love it! it was awesome to watch!
elder mcguire and i are getting a lot of the american factor lately and yes it's good and bad. elder mcguire has blue eyes too so we hear about every 30 minutes..."whoa!! mom, mom, come here there are two americans at our door with blue eyes! they have blue eyes! congratulations on your eyes!" so mom and dad...you did good work and i'm passing on the congrats to you guys! we also get bombarded by people inside of stores because we get the "rich american" stereotype. don't get me wrong, the king treatment is cool until they find out we have no money and then our new friends desert us pretty fast! pretty funny to watch.
as far as my thoughts for the week, of course i have some. firstly, as i already mentioned...change! i have realized getting a new comp after 3 months that i let some of my habits slip. and the change has brought a new determination to stretch and grow and be better. i've learned stretching is awesome. take the simple example of stretching before a good solid game of football. you stretch out nice and well and when you play you are accustomed to the stretching and you are more agile. then when the bus of a man is coming toward you, it's not too fast that you cant handle it and you have a lot less chance of injuring yourself. now, if you don't stretch out and accustom yourself to the movement, the bohemath of a man comes straight for you and when you try to move you aren't able to do so fast enough to avoid the blow of the hit. life is no different...stretch out...accustom yourself to the movement of all of life and do so thoroughly and in the right way with your trainer called the gospel. when you do so, the heman of satan may come at you and you are so strong that however he comes at you, you are ready to get out of his path. i promise he is coming and if you stretch your spiritual muscles and don't settle for the good you are doing that is inhibiting you from the better you could be doing, you can dodge any bullet he sends at you!
i testify the gospel is changing lives. i have the blessing and incredible opportunity to see it every day and i know the gospel has the ability to flip lives from their upside down state to the right state that secretly everyone wants! heavenly father knows what he's doing. thomas s monson is helping him coach the game here on earth. the game will be won by those who are ready and that are on the lords side. when the time comes be able to to say while you are running your 97 yard touchdown kick return and the opponent is headed for you "get thee behind me satan" (matt 16:23)! with the gospel and the willingness to change and be better, even tho you are as good as you are, you can break any tackle!
i love you all so much and i am so happy where i am at. always remember that the success in our lives is judged by two people...you and heavenly father...everything else is an opinion!
love you all!
elder excell!
Q&A - July 21, 2010
1. How are you getting along with Elder McGuire?
elder mcguire and i are getting along extremely well and i am still just super stoked to have a change and i can see the missionary life-long friendship in progress!
2. How long has Elder McGuire been out?
he has two more transfers than me so he hit his 9 month mark today actually!
3. Tell us one really cool thing about him.
he is an outdoor man. he loves the outdoors more than anyone i've met and every time we walk by the river in the middle of the city he just has to stop and look for fish. we will be going fishing next pday!
4. Did you get a package or any mail when you went to BH last week for transfers?
i didn't have a chance to make it up to the office. we all meet at the bus station and so i was in bh for about 5 minutes in total!
5. When is your next zone conference?
we are still not quite sure on the date yet but i know it will be either next tuesday or the tuesday after. my guess is the latter!
6. Are you still cooking very much for yourself? What good things have you made lately?
mcguire loves to cook! i only know because i haven't gone breakfastless yet between simple shakes to crepes this morning! i don't eat much just because lunch is so gigantic. by the time we get home the last thing i want to do is put effort into cooking because i'm usually so exhausted!
7. Are you happy to still be in Ponte Nova and do you feel that you'll still be able to find people to teach or are you feeling like you've covered the whole area?
a little of both. the area has been surface worked tho. elder mcguire has given me a new amount of fire and drive to get the work done! but i absolutely love the area. mark my words...i will cry leaving ponte nova!
8. Any questions this week for us?
alright, if these just seem ridiculous then i'm sorry but you'll see what my mind wanders about in the streets walking from place to place...
1. which band is joe satriani famous for playing for?
2. what's the current united states health care plan? i hear something got passed?
3. can you send me a photo of my baptism....thanks!!
4. i don't remember what a cherry coke logo looks like...can you send me a picture of the logo?
5. karate kid 3???? with jayden smith???? how was it?????
elder mcguire and i are getting along extremely well and i am still just super stoked to have a change and i can see the missionary life-long friendship in progress!
2. How long has Elder McGuire been out?
he has two more transfers than me so he hit his 9 month mark today actually!
3. Tell us one really cool thing about him.
he is an outdoor man. he loves the outdoors more than anyone i've met and every time we walk by the river in the middle of the city he just has to stop and look for fish. we will be going fishing next pday!
4. Did you get a package or any mail when you went to BH last week for transfers?
i didn't have a chance to make it up to the office. we all meet at the bus station and so i was in bh for about 5 minutes in total!
5. When is your next zone conference?
we are still not quite sure on the date yet but i know it will be either next tuesday or the tuesday after. my guess is the latter!
6. Are you still cooking very much for yourself? What good things have you made lately?
mcguire loves to cook! i only know because i haven't gone breakfastless yet between simple shakes to crepes this morning! i don't eat much just because lunch is so gigantic. by the time we get home the last thing i want to do is put effort into cooking because i'm usually so exhausted!
7. Are you happy to still be in Ponte Nova and do you feel that you'll still be able to find people to teach or are you feeling like you've covered the whole area?
a little of both. the area has been surface worked tho. elder mcguire has given me a new amount of fire and drive to get the work done! but i absolutely love the area. mark my words...i will cry leaving ponte nova!
8. Any questions this week for us?
alright, if these just seem ridiculous then i'm sorry but you'll see what my mind wanders about in the streets walking from place to place...
1. which band is joe satriani famous for playing for?
2. what's the current united states health care plan? i hear something got passed?
3. can you send me a photo of my baptism....thanks!!
4. i don't remember what a cherry coke logo looks like...can you send me a picture of the logo?
5. karate kid 3???? with jayden smith???? how was it?????
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Ponte Nova - Round 3
well, here i sit in ponte nova again but things have been switched up a little bit with a transfer of elder clites and a new companion. elder mcguire is my new companion and i am stoked for the transfer. we'll do real good and have some real good times! he's from bountiful utah and loves the outdoors and sports. we'll get along well!
this week has been a great week, and to be honest it was just pretty average with not to much out of the ordinary. wednesday night we had a wedding of someone in the branch and we took some investigators. it was awesome! 2 days later they were sealed for all eternity! our investigators that are getting ready to get married are stoked now because they went! this week has been pretty crazy just running around trying to finish a transfer.
i don't have much time today because of the travel time but i will leave my thoughts, of course, as always! first off, i have mathematically proven the existence of god. but first, speaking of math...we figured out this week that in a meter cubed of sand you have more grains of sand then people on the earth. pretty sweet. (we had some long walks this week) anyway back to my discovery. so as some of you are aware, in brazil, they use the metric system so we are on liters. most drinks we but are 500 milliliters. so i was thinking in my head of a 16 oz. soda would be 666.66666(to infinity) milliliters. so it led me to the thought that humans are just completely flawed and if you add 8 oz. of soda (333.3333 infinity milliliters) to 16 oz. (666.66666 infinity milliliters) you would have 24 oz. or a liter but really that's just 999.99999 infinity milliliters. so i was driven to the thought that never will things ever be the same. nothing can ever be done exactly the same twice. for example you have a dart board with an infinite amount of points and you choose the one to hit so your ratio is 1/infinity....now the part where humans give up...mathematically 1/infinity is 0. we cant even fathom the thought. but somehow this world will become celestial and literally perfect! pretty crazy! so i may have not have proven god mathematically, but i know that somehow this earth was celestial and will return that way and that means perfection to an infinite amount and we can't fathom that but someone can.
another quick thought as my time runs short today...your life is a show. god is your director and you have been told exactly how the choreographing goes to be successful but you still are the one performing. you do your best and you follow the plan that your divine director has given and you will get an applause at the end and whats more than that is you will get a "well done thou good and faithful servant". everyone who reads this...go perform your show the best way you can following the plans you were given. if you mess up there is a way to get back on beat. there is a way to finish strong. win the show for you and the director will give you notes at the end of the show and you will receive a well done! i know heavenly father knows us. he gave us a plan. he gave us his son. jesus is the christ prophesied through the whole scriptural library. joseph smith made the show a reality for you by restoring the plan god gave all his children. the church is true and there to instruct us. thomas s. monson and all other leaders are there to help us finish our show smiling and as peter said keeping the faith! i love this gospel and i love all of you!
elder excell!
this week has been a great week, and to be honest it was just pretty average with not to much out of the ordinary. wednesday night we had a wedding of someone in the branch and we took some investigators. it was awesome! 2 days later they were sealed for all eternity! our investigators that are getting ready to get married are stoked now because they went! this week has been pretty crazy just running around trying to finish a transfer.
i don't have much time today because of the travel time but i will leave my thoughts, of course, as always! first off, i have mathematically proven the existence of god. but first, speaking of math...we figured out this week that in a meter cubed of sand you have more grains of sand then people on the earth. pretty sweet. (we had some long walks this week) anyway back to my discovery. so as some of you are aware, in brazil, they use the metric system so we are on liters. most drinks we but are 500 milliliters. so i was thinking in my head of a 16 oz. soda would be 666.66666(to infinity) milliliters. so it led me to the thought that humans are just completely flawed and if you add 8 oz. of soda (333.3333 infinity milliliters) to 16 oz. (666.66666 infinity milliliters) you would have 24 oz. or a liter but really that's just 999.99999 infinity milliliters. so i was driven to the thought that never will things ever be the same. nothing can ever be done exactly the same twice. for example you have a dart board with an infinite amount of points and you choose the one to hit so your ratio is 1/infinity....now the part where humans give up...mathematically 1/infinity is 0. we cant even fathom the thought. but somehow this world will become celestial and literally perfect! pretty crazy! so i may have not have proven god mathematically, but i know that somehow this earth was celestial and will return that way and that means perfection to an infinite amount and we can't fathom that but someone can.
another quick thought as my time runs short today...your life is a show. god is your director and you have been told exactly how the choreographing goes to be successful but you still are the one performing. you do your best and you follow the plan that your divine director has given and you will get an applause at the end and whats more than that is you will get a "well done thou good and faithful servant". everyone who reads this...go perform your show the best way you can following the plans you were given. if you mess up there is a way to get back on beat. there is a way to finish strong. win the show for you and the director will give you notes at the end of the show and you will receive a well done! i know heavenly father knows us. he gave us a plan. he gave us his son. jesus is the christ prophesied through the whole scriptural library. joseph smith made the show a reality for you by restoring the plan god gave all his children. the church is true and there to instruct us. thomas s. monson and all other leaders are there to help us finish our show smiling and as peter said keeping the faith! i love this gospel and i love all of you!
elder excell!
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