Monday September 26, 2011
Hello my family!
Another week has flown by and once again I sat down to write and everything that has happened left my head. We worked a lot this week and we found a new way to get investigators. There is an English school called Wizard which has a Mormon owner (Brazilian) but there are also schools in the United States for other languages. My companion went in last p day for information about English for dummies book prices and we started talking with the school manager. We ended up teaching about the restoration and book of Mormon right there in her office. We also marked a date to talk to her class to help them practice their English. Ironically, I went and was looking to the teacher to confirm that I was speaking English right. A little sad, I know, but we did pick up another 7 investigators and we went again to a different class Saturday and picked up yet again another 7 people. So, we had a great contact week but our teaching week was not as good. We had a hard time finding people home in general and we were forced to stay close to our house because Elder Leal has a wicked case of BOO (ask tony if you do not know what that means). As a result, we did not have a good turnout at church, although in all honesty, we have 4 investigators who knew that they would not make it yesterday but are firm for the next Sunday, including the English teacher and her legal husband who are awesome people. We did have a nonnative member return to church who we have been teaching and her husband (sadly not legally) but they are working towards marriage and afterwards his baptism. We actually ate lunch with them yesterday. They are great people and will be a great help to the church here in Lucas. Junior is doing great! His cell phone was stolen and he was out of town so we did not have a lot of contact with him this week but yesterday he get back into town about 4 in the afternoon so we visited with him and he is doing great. He will be a branch president in the next year or two. He is the man. Also, yesterday we visited an inactive member in his 30s who had served a mission but has left the church. He promised to be at church Sunday which is good. He is actually new to Lucas but he already knows a couple members of the church from Cuiaba so everything is set. What else happened this week... oh, we also found another anaconda skin in the lake, but this one is a little smaller, just less than 2 meters. Anyways, everything is good and our branch has strengthened a ton, very noticeable, and our mission president is excited to put another companionship here to help with the work because everything has taken fire. President Oliveira still does not know if he will be able to put another 2 missionaries here this next transfer or if he will have to wait until the next because we will have a shortage of missionaries because we have a big group going home this next week. But, the branch is doing great. We are trying to finish the transfer strong. I have gained a love for Lucas and the people here, so it will be really sad if I have to leave, but if president Oliveira can put another companionship here there is a really good chance that I will stay a 3rd transfer and get a new companion because I already know the people and the area. Cross your fingers for me. Thank you all for all of your letters. I loved reading them. Sorry that I do not have time to write more than one email, but I do want you all to know that I love you all and I am always praying for you. No, Halloween is really strange to them. They think that it is so funny that Americans dress up ugly and go door to door for candy. Maybe it is because the candy here is cough drops. Anyways, that is just the people who know about Halloween, aka missionaries who have had American companions.
Another week has flown by and once again I sat down to write and everything that has happened left my head. We worked a lot this week and we found a new way to get investigators. There is an English school called Wizard which has a Mormon owner (Brazilian) but there are also schools in the United States for other languages. My companion went in last p day for information about English for dummies book prices and we started talking with the school manager. We ended up teaching about the restoration and book of Mormon right there in her office. We also marked a date to talk to her class to help them practice their English. Ironically, I went and was looking to the teacher to confirm that I was speaking English right. A little sad, I know, but we did pick up another 7 investigators and we went again to a different class Saturday and picked up yet again another 7 people. So, we had a great contact week but our teaching week was not as good. We had a hard time finding people home in general and we were forced to stay close to our house because Elder Leal has a wicked case of BOO (ask tony if you do not know what that means). As a result, we did not have a good turnout at church, although in all honesty, we have 4 investigators who knew that they would not make it yesterday but are firm for the next Sunday, including the English teacher and her legal husband who are awesome people. We did have a nonnative member return to church who we have been teaching and her husband (sadly not legally) but they are working towards marriage and afterwards his baptism. We actually ate lunch with them yesterday. They are great people and will be a great help to the church here in Lucas. Junior is doing great! His cell phone was stolen and he was out of town so we did not have a lot of contact with him this week but yesterday he get back into town about 4 in the afternoon so we visited with him and he is doing great. He will be a branch president in the next year or two. He is the man. Also, yesterday we visited an inactive member in his 30s who had served a mission but has left the church. He promised to be at church Sunday which is good. He is actually new to Lucas but he already knows a couple members of the church from Cuiaba so everything is set. What else happened this week... oh, we also found another anaconda skin in the lake, but this one is a little smaller, just less than 2 meters. Anyways, everything is good and our branch has strengthened a ton, very noticeable, and our mission president is excited to put another companionship here to help with the work because everything has taken fire. President Oliveira still does not know if he will be able to put another 2 missionaries here this next transfer or if he will have to wait until the next because we will have a shortage of missionaries because we have a big group going home this next week. But, the branch is doing great. We are trying to finish the transfer strong. I have gained a love for Lucas and the people here, so it will be really sad if I have to leave, but if president Oliveira can put another companionship here there is a really good chance that I will stay a 3rd transfer and get a new companion because I already know the people and the area. Cross your fingers for me. Thank you all for all of your letters. I loved reading them. Sorry that I do not have time to write more than one email, but I do want you all to know that I love you all and I am always praying for you. No, Halloween is really strange to them. They think that it is so funny that Americans dress up ugly and go door to door for candy. Maybe it is because the candy here is cough drops. Anyways, that is just the people who know about Halloween, aka missionaries who have had American companions.
On a Spiritual note, I have started reading D&C in Portuguese which has been great. Everything seems new in a new language. I have read up to section 48 and it was amazing to me how much about missionary work (directly) all of it was. A manual for missionaries that has taught me a lot and I am eager to learn more. The field is white and already to harvest. The work is great and the laborers are few but I know that with the help of our Heavenly Father, all things we can do. I love all of you and have a great week!!
Elder Lee
Elder Lee
Anyways, I love you, but I´ve gotta go and get back to work. We have to buy more rice today. Our shopping is usually rice, milk, flour, eggs, and juice mix. Today I think that we just need rice and eggs. Anyways, have a great week mom, and I will write again soon.
Hey dad,
I just sent my email to the family, but to let you knew, we had a so so week. Really, I feel that we had a success considering the circumstances. Elder Leal was sick all week and had the runs so we had to stay close to the house. I was sick too, but I did not have the runs which makes being sick much more pleasurable. Anyways, we stayed close to the house in case of accidents. He only had one, but we had 4 close calls which consisted of us walking briskly home and then me running a block ahead to open the door to the house and then to the bathroom while ran through the house with his pants down. The least that I can do since I forced him out of bed and onto the street. He pretends to be mad, but I can see that he is really proud of himself. I really will miss him as my companion. He has a history on the mission that is less than pretty because does not respect anybody, but for some reason he cares about what I think (maybe because I really like him) which has allowed is to grow together a lot. We did have an investigator to church with his newly active wife whom we have been teaching. They are not married legally but they are on the path and really excited. They are great people. Also, Junior, the guy that we baptized last Sunday is doing great which brings insurmountable joy. He is the man and has a strong testimony. That is about our week in a paragraph. Thanks for the letter dad, and I want you to know that I sure love you. I think about the lessons that you taught every day. Sometimes they are lessons from seminary or institute, other times lessons in our everyday conversations that mean so much to me, and sometimes about the lessons that were taught without words. I want you to know that your work is being carried to Brazil, and I am really hoping and striving to the missionary that I know that you were and are. Thank you for everything and I am so glad that I have you and mom forever, but in the meantime, I am glad to be away and doing the work. I do miss you all, but returning home will seem like a back on your heads moment. The work here is amazing and I am so glad that God calls on the weak things of this world to be an instrument in such a work and glory, his work and his glory. Have a great week dad!
Elder Lee
Elder Lee
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