TEMPLE, TRANSFER NEWS, e FRESH PRINCE

Bom dia pessoal!! Hope you had an amazing week full of miracles!! I invite you to look back on your week and find those miracles! Pray everyday about everything and everything! Prayer works! I love you all so much! Tell me about your week! I'll tell you about mine!

Tuesday

Pday!! We woke up early at Cotia 2 house and took a bus up to the São Paulo Temple! We met up with our Zone and had the opportunity to do an Endowment session! I know you guys probably know, but the Endowment has been altered again! Very cool and surprising for me haha, as I only go about once a transfer, and I am so grateful for that opportunity.

Afterward, Elder Silva and I visited Deseret Brasil Book Store, where I got a new tie and tie clip!

We then went and ate some Brasil KFC, which was disappointing to say the least.

Returned home, talked to my family, and visited Irmã Josefa's house where she had me try authentic homemade Caju juice!! So goooood.

Hustling to Josefa's, we passed by a woman and said the usual “boa noite”, but she stopped us and said she was interested in coming to our church on Sunday, so we told her where the church is and what time our ward meets. We tried to get her WhatsApp but she said she had to go. Super crazy miracle and hopefully we can meet her again on Sunday!

Wednesday

Elder Silva accidentally froze my apricot juice so I made slushies lol. Even though it was so cold after all the rain we've been getting.

Elder Silva had English Class and after that we contacted people in the street! A couple were interested in coming to church so we'll see!

We had a meeting with the new Bishop, Bishop William (we call members here by their first names because tons of people have the same last name. Talked about how the ward could help the missionaries more, and what we could do better all around. It's been very tough to get baptisms owing to the fact that most of the time our pesquisadores don't come to church. Here, they need to come to church at least twice before getting baptized. Tons of people are “too far away” or get sick on the weekends to go, it's been tough y'all.

We met up with a reference named Shinrock Rick and he has a huge desire to read the Book of Mormon, so we dropped one off to him and plan to see him for a lesson later this week!

Irmã Fátima again! This time was better, she served tea and when her back was turned I loaded up the sugar bc its almost unbearable without it. She also made this INCRÍVEL banana bread with like a quarter of an inch of cinnamon and sugar on top and a layer of fresh bananas lining the bottom. SO GOOD. Depending on our schedule next week and transfer news on Saturday, this might be my last time with her! Que triste. She was the one who made me want to learn Portuguese so quickly. lol

Thursday

Had a great lunch with a member, who enjoyed my message about prophets in preparation for the General Conference in October. She was astounded that I could speak so well after less than 6 weeks in the field so she got after her kids for not learning English in school that quickly haha.

We had planned to go to the São Paulo Visitors Center today with a lady who we were going to invite to be baptized today, but of course today was the day one of her kids got sick. She lives about 3 hours away from us so we can only do online lessons. She lives about an hour/ hour and a half away from a church building, with no car and 4 children. Add it all up and this was really our only chance to get to her. We are going to try to go another day with her.

We were sad so we got some Açai! I thought it was really good but Elder Silva says there is better.

We took the wrong onibus, or the right ônibus that took the opposite route it said on Google maps. Can't trust anything here, so we went an hour out of our way, and came all the way back to the same place we got on. Even if we got off the ônibus early, we would've had to walk about 2 hours. We got off that bus and were lucky enough to get on a new, this time correct, onibus.

On this onibus, we experienced crazy fog, like we were in the spirit world again. It's unreal. we took videos but apparently the cameras can see farther than us lol. But yeah, we also got rained on and lightning was dangerously close. I had an umbrella and Elder Silva didn't and he refused to share. We both got wet anyway so I just put one of my missionary tags on top of my umbrella because the more wet you get your tag, the prettier your wife will be. Trust me, my wife will be gorgeous.

Later at night we also bought some pretty good churros! No one was in the streets besides vendors because of the downpour, pois é

Elder Silva made his famous Tapioca flour, egg, and cachorro quente wrap. I'm not a huge fan of homemade Tapioca flour tortillas, but he loves it so I eat it haha

636 days left, D&C 6:36, “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”

Friday

After lunch, we tried to meet up with Shinrock Rick, but he was at his brother's house at the time we agreed to meet him at his house. Instead, we met with his brother and got his number and we'll pass by again.

After, we met up with Irmão Antonio's family, who are inactive and talked about prayer and invited them to church, (where Elder Silva and I are giving talks this Sunday)

Contacted in public for a while and met this super fun family! We got their numbers and invited them to church!

It started raining on us on the walk to Irmão Marcos house. This was the last time we would teach Eliana before she became a “gray point”. She's the one we healed in my first week. We asked her if she would be baptized, but she said she still couldn't decide between us and her Catholic traditions. She wouldn't pray in front of us, or read the scriptures. So infelizmente, we had to stop teaching her. Hopefully some other missionaries can get to her.

It was pouring when we left, and we got a call from one of our Pesquisadores, who said she would like us to come over. We were super excited because she and her son are so ready to be taught! So, we ran about 2 miles in the pouring rain and lightning to find their house. Sheesh what an experience haha. We entered their home, and she is a baker. She had warm, delicious coconut bread, butter, and chá ready for us. We had an amazing time, and they'll be coming with us to the CDV this next Tuesday. We left at 9:45, already late for curfew, and sprinted our way home in the pouring rain. We did not have time to get caldo de cana.

Saturday

Seminary was great!! So many people came!! Sister Suely, the teacher, was so happy.

Afterwards, we helped with cleaning the bishop's office. The old Bishop had stuff in the closet from 2007 hahah

Long walk for one member, and we couldn't meet with her anyways because her brothers weren't home, so we just left her with encouragement to keep coming to church.

Met up with Elder Madsen and Reis in the street. A gay guy came up to us and started singing and dancing. He wanted Elder Madsen's pink flower tie, so Madsen gave it to him. He was so happy he kissed Elder Madsen on the cheek. He tried to get me to sing the opening song of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air but I've forgotten the words. (Sorry dad). A random Brazilian started speaking English to us, and he let us follow him to his house!

TRANSFER NEWS!!

I will be staying in Caucaia 1! I will have a new companion, Elder Ferreira! Elder Silva will be going to an area in Osasco! We transfer on Wednesday.

We traded ties.

Sunday

Gave talks in our Sacrament meeting! Tons of our pesquisadores came to listen! The audio recording didn't work so I’ll see if I can record it for all you Portuguese speakers to critique me. Let me know if you got it.

Elder Silva said goodbye to literally everyone in the church building.

Later at night, we Bible bashed in the Universal Church. It's so weird, they have a massive Ark of the Covenant mural. We Bible bashed the 21yr old pastor about the Holy Spirit, because I said I had the Gift of Tongues. Then we got into the Trinity and how it is three separate people united in purpose, and how God isn't The Father, The Son, and The Spirit all in one. It was fun! The pastor was very eloquent. We left him with a Plan of Salvation pamphlet.

Elder Silva said goodbye to Irmã Fatima, which took forever.

Monday

Reunião with my district was fun!

We spent the day walking to all memebers and recent converts houses so Elder Silva could say goodbye to everyone.

Stuffed our bags full of Books of Mormon, about 9 in total, we worked from 8:30 until 9:00 and were able to give out 5!!

Had Pizza night with Elder Reis and Madsen! Thanks TJ!!

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT

This week I would like to testify of the power of prayer. I wish I did better at saying my personal prayers at home. I am just thinking back of all the times, and all the things I could've done better if I had the power of prayer with me. I help I could have had with struggles with friends, school, and building my testimony. I am so grateful for the opportunity to focus on my daily prayers here in the mission. I see miracles everyday about what we ask for. It's simply incredible. I invite you guys, if you aren't, pray every day, multiple times!! Pray for literally anything. If you have faith, praying in the name of Jesus Christ, your prayers have power. Here is some scripture evidence, in an order I hope makes sense.

"And also the Lord will remember the prayers of the righteous, which have been put up unto him for them." (Mormon 5:21)

"He that asketh in the Spirit asketh according to the will of God; wherefore it is done even as he asketh." (D&C 46:30)

"And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you." (3 Nephi 18:20)

Love you all so much!! Tell me about an experience you had with prayer!!

Elder Stock