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?
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