Waterfalls, Trains, And The Centenary

Beleza meus paralelepípedos??

Jk that doesn't make sense but it's so fun to say!! Missing all of you like crazy, but ya know how it is I already flew by 2 months and coming up on my second transfer in a couple weeks so you don't have to miss me for much longer. I Love every. Single. One. of you. All 181 people on this email, your families, and my other friends, family, acquaintances that aren't listed, I love you, so much. Ok I need to quit it with the misty eye stuff here are my adventures for this week. Watch out for Friday

Tuesday

For PDay, we headed to Cachoeira da Graça as a District!! A waterfall a couple minutes off the road, crazy cool!! Wandered around there, got my feet wet, had service so I called the fam!! We brought lunch with us, just some pãezinhos franceses, bolonhesa e mussarela. Right before we left we asked this old guy in a spandex to take a pic of all of us, Elders Silva, Reis, Madsen, Hernandez(ZL), Harper(ZL), and myself, in front of the waterfall! Then the four of us, myself, Harper, Hernandez, and Madsen, all stood under the waterfall for a picture, littyyyy

Returned home and made some chicken and rice with ketchup/mustard sauce.

Left the house and walked to Eliana and Marco's house, and had an amazing lesson about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and made a huge deal about coming to church. If she does, we'll be able to put her on date! She says she will, and Marco will hopefully make sure that happens.

We had to book it from Eliana's, past our house, to go visit the wonderful Irmã Fatima!! It went as usual, bashing my Portuguese, gave me a lesson of the improper verbs of Ser and Estar, which are so hard to remember especially when we get into future and past tense. She served some horrible cold Brasilian chá which I had to load up with sugar and swallow without having to taste it. She then wouldn't let us leave until like 10:15 because she just kept talking over our persistent complaints that we were past curfew.

Wednesday

Had a hour long Scripture Study with Sister Hunt via Zoom with all the “new” missionaries! It was fun finding my CTM companions haha.

We took an hour bus ride to Irmã Rose’s house for lunch! She served fried fish complimented with fresh oranges to squeeze on it and mashed potatoes with, you guessed it, beans and rice!! It was really good! Besides the fact I almost died of a bone in my throat lol.

After lunch, we headed back home and walked to a gated neighborhood where one of our Média References lives. The train tracks separated us from the bairro, and there were trains blocking the way so we had the fun experience of climbing the trains to get through them! So fun, and the scenery on the other side was just gorgeous. However, after wandering around in that neighborhood looking for the address she gave us, all we found were monkeys and houses that went up to 620. Her house was 805. This wasn't possible, so we called her and apparently she lives actually really far away, and so she won't be getting a Livro de Mórmon from our companionship. Triste. So, we chatted up with some workers in the neighborhood and we got a ride home!

However, like good missionaries, we didn't go back home, but continued our adventure in Monte Verde, contacting active and inactive members. That went really well!

During our travels there, we were inviting people to church and we got TWO new contacts!! We'll reach out to them and hopefully get them started on the path that ROCKS.

Thursday

Arrived to the Mission Office at 11! If you wanna know what happened between 11:30-20:00 here in Brazil, just ask my mom, I won't explain here

Had a great time there, had an amazing burger for lunch and Kadalora pizza for dinner! (Imagine Barro's Pizza with CHOCOLATE inside the crust and that's pretty much Kadalora)

Returned home via Uver, and we were able to get our Uber driver's personal contact and give him a Book of Mormon! It's dangerous having two missionaries in a car for an hour, it's impossible not to feel the Spirit

Memorized my Mission Scripture in Portuguese: Alma 26:12

Friday

District Divisions!! I traded Elder Silva for my District Leader, Elder Madsen!! He is the GOAT Elder Silva went with Madsen’s companion, Elder Reis

We all ate lunch together and grabbed milkshakes. After we parted, I went to Elder Madsen's area, Caucaia 2! We spent the day contacting inactive members. Many of them weren't home, But some were, here are some crazy experiences:

1. Guy we met who listened and kind of Bible bashed us, and says he loves to “eat the bread of all religions”. I got to share with him how our church is different from others. (Here many people say God is God, so as long as I believe in him somehow, I will be saved)

2. Many houses are stacked on top of each other, or multiple different families live in the same house. We clapped one garage that was shared by three houses, and the house we needed was in the very back. They wouldn't respond, so we were about to turn back, but an older lady came up from behind us and was like “Elders!! Do you guys need water??” We were like “sure! Thank you!” So we went through the garage to her house, which was the second farthest from the street, and we asked her about the family living behind her, she was like “oh yeah, they all work during the day” were like “OK ok thanks,” and suddenly her face turns dark and she starts whispering about demons and rattling off random numbers it was so weird. We said thanks and got out of there quickly. I asked Madsen if he knew her, because she obviously knew the “Elders”, but he said he had never seen her before lol. Hopefully the water she gave us won't make us see demons, I'll let you know

3. We entered an alleyway where a man told us we would find this one previously contacted person after we couldn't find their address. He led us into the alley and yelled into the curtained doorway for the lady we wanted to meet and promptly left. The lady came to the “door” totally naked except for a bra and was like 6 months pregnant. Holy crap hahaha we quickly invited her to church and hurried outta the alley. That was weird.

4. We had a planned visit with one lady and we talked about the Holy Ghost, because she had gone to church but didn't like it because it was too “quiet”. We shared Helaman 5:30 and had her recognize the Spirit she was feeling in the moment. Muito Legal!

5. Our final planned visit was with a family whose 4 year old son had passed away. Had the special opportunity to teach this family about the amazing Plan of Salvation and explain about eternal families! I got to share my unique experience, and Madsen said I spoke perfect Portuguese. I don't really remember the words I said, I only remember what I was talking about. (He prolly was just being nice) but crazy!! Gift of Tongues works!!

6. Hurried to meet back up with my comp and Elder Reis, and on the bus back, Elder Madsen and I were hit on by a group of girls! They kept telling us we were beautiful in English and did their best to impress us with what they knew hahah. We gave them Madsen’s WhatsApp number

Chegamos, então corremos para comprar caldo de cana com morango e maracujá

Got home, had Zone Council over Zoom and conked out after a long crazy day

Saturday

Happy Brasil Independence Day! (Independence from Portugal according to Elder Silva)

Had a great time at seminary, and learned Nephi, Son of Helaman is an amazing detective, practically the Sherlock Holmes of the Book of Mormon (Helaman 9)

Made some spaghetti and hotdogs at home which was super yummy

Went out, but most people were either gone or didn't have time for us.

We returned home, made a bolo for the ward, we watched Coco and had Mexican food! Well, Elder Silva and I didn't watch, we were too busy talking to a formerly baptized member who hadn't come to church in a long time. We had invited her to Noite do México, and she came!! Had a good conversation with her, she's pretty good at English too so that was fun. I tried to get her reinterested into coming to church and I love sharing about the Plan of Salvation and eternal families, and she really liked it!! She can't come this week to church but she says she plans to next week! We'll see

Sunday

Had a wonderful church service, but spend most of the time comforting a family that was having trouble with voodoo believers in their neighborhood

After church, we headed to Arlene's house where we had a MASSIVE lunch with her family, the family who lived right next to them (members), and Bispo (Bishop) and his family. Arlene's husband grilled up some amazing meat, and Arlene made incredible potato salad. It all tasted different than back home, but it was delicious!!

I was able to share a message of 2 Nephi 31:20, “Feasting” on the words of Christ. Or in this case, “banqueteando” ohhh man try saying that to a group of like 20 intelligent Portuguese speaking people hahaha

Returned home, baked a quick três leites bolo for Reunião Distrital on Monday then left casa

We walked in a HUGE circle contacting people for about 4 hours and our path was ALWAYS blocked by a train. so many trains this week. Also this druggy guy followed us for a good hour so that wasn't easy to talk to people with haha. We gave him a Restoration pamphlet and he left.

Monday

Happy Birthday President Nelson!!

Had the District Council today, and the LZ's (Líderes de Zona) were able to be here in person!! They're so fun, I love Elders Harper and Hernandez. It was actually Elder Harper's one year mark!! After the district council, we went and ate lunch and drank milkshakes with the LZ's!

After the LZs left, Elder Silva and I went on an adventure, walking to and all around Jardim Rosa Azul, Monte Verde, and Irmã Josefa's house, where we were able to watch the Anniversario de Presidente Nelson live translated into Portuguese!! Was a beautiful service and tribute to our wonderful Prophet. If you weren't able to watch it, I highly recommend it!! (Because I definitely will so I can fully understand it haha)

Returned to the house a bit late, but we decided to clean the house so we didn't go to bed till close to midnight. Oops. Perdoe-me padrões missionários but we did it because we are having a District Churrasco (barbeque mas não mesmo) on Pday!!

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT

What better way to commemorate our Prophet's birthday, by sahring his words!! Some of my favorite topics to study at the moment are Faith and Obedience.

Through faith, all things are possible, our Prophet said:

"To achieve the “impossible,” … the foremost requisite is faith. … The Lord personally taught this truth to his disciples: “If ye have faith,” he said, “nothing shall be impossible unto you” [Matthew 17:20]. The mountains in our lives do not always move how or when we would like. But our faith will always propel us forward. Faith always increases our access to godly power. … Faith in Jesus Christ is the greatest power available to us in this life. All things are possible to them that believe [see Mark 9:23]. Faith in Jesus Christ propels us to do things we otherwise would not do. Faith that motivates us to action gives us more access to His power."

And through obedience, we have the opportunity to recieve ALL that God has.

On this topic, our Prophet said:

"[A covenant] is a sacred promise with God. He fixes the terms. Each person may choose to accept those terms. If one accepts the terms of the covenant and obeys God’s law, he or she receives the blessings associated with the covenant. We know that “when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.” Through the ages, God has made covenants with His children. His covenants occur throughout the entire plan of salvation and are therefore part of the fulness of His gospel. For example, God promised to send a Savior for His children, asking in turn for their obedience to His law."

I love President Nelson, and I love this Gospel. We have so many opportunities in our daily lives to do good, exercise faith, and be obedient. Being out here has made me realize how LONG a day is, and how satisfied I feel when I fill it with things I am proud of, especially when I have faith and obey. Never be ashamed to be a part of this church. Shine your light, and be a missionary WHENEVER you can and WHEREVER you are!!

Love you all!! Tell me about your week!!

Elder Stock