Week 96 Letter

Monday, Dec 24, 2012

Hey mom, so some updates for you.  Some of the plans have changed because of a mini transfer that had to happen before Christmas.  The transfer goes until the end of the year, but in order to send some missionaries home before Christmas, we had a mini transfer which affected a lot of the zone and district leaders because it was district leaders that were leaving, so I am now in Rodonopolis, MT.  So, I have already planned to use a computer of a member to do Skype with you and it will be in the afternoon here, although I am not sure what time yet.  I think that it will be from 3 to 4 o’clock in my time, do you think that that would be okay, because at night we have an appointment with a family and they do not have internet, so the night time will not work.  Anyways, if there is any problem, let me know.  I will try to pass by the lan house today in the afternoon to be sure that everything is okay.  If you want to call me today to mark a time, my new number is 066 9217 8035. Thanks mom, and until you call, love Elder Lee

Merry Christmas to all, what a pleasure it was to talk with you!  You all look so good, and I cannot wait to see you in person, but in the meantime, I am going to take full advantage of the mission.  I sure love it.  I just got done talking with you, so there is not a lot to say, but I promised to write a little, so here it is.  This week was good; I went around meeting some investigators and members, and really finding a new teaching pool because the work has been a little slow here lately.  There have already passed 2 months here that there has not been a baptism, so we are working to change the momentum.  I am excited to be here and work in this area.  I have officially been in every city now that has a church in Matto Gross and our part of Rondonia, which few missionaries can say, if any.  I have been extremely blessed.  I am happy that you had the chance to get to know  little bit about President Reber.  He is such a good and inspired man, and I think that we will keep in contact for a long time after the mission.  I sure love him and respect him.  I wish that there was some way for you to see all of the people that I was blessed to teach and baptize.  You would love every one of them, and I know that they would sure love you.  These people are so special.  Well, I love you all, and cannot wait to hear from you via email next week.  Great holidays!  

With love- Elder Lee

This was a note from Shane's mission President - 

Sister lee. 

Yes I am familiar with the process. I will be in the mission home in several hours and take of it then. What wonderful son you have. He is a great leader in the mission and has helped me so much. Great job as parents!  

Happy holidays to you all and thanks again for sharing a fine young man with us. 

Pres. Reber

Week 95 Letter

Monday, December 17, 2012

Mom, Happy Birthday!!!

I sure love you mom, and hope that you had a great birthday.  I hope that you accept this email as a worth present, lol.  I will send some pics for you because I know that you like them.  Sorry that I have been bad about taking and sending pics.  I will tell Tony to be better ( :  I did want to wish you a happy birthday though.  I have been thinking a lot lately about how blessed I am to have you as my mom.  I was even talking to President Reber Saturday morning about how involved my parents were in my life and how grateful I am for that.  Speaking of talking with Pres Reber Saturday, it is because he came with me to my house to announce to Will that his calling came and that he will serve in the São Paulo East mission and that he is will leave on Jan. 3.  It was awesome getting to hear the news with him.  Will promised me in Sinop that he would open his call with me present, even if he had to travel, and I must admit that I did not believe it, but the Lord works in many ways to answer his prayers of his worthy children.  It was awesome.  Anyways, I was reading a talk from a general authority, I think that it was Dallin H Oaks who was talking about the great plan of happiness, and he said that in our premortal life we progressed as far as we could without having received a physical body and a mortal experience and that the decision that we made there affect who we are here.  Mom, I know that you made great decisions there and that I must have done something really good to deserve you as my mom, or on the other hand, something really wrong and God thought that I would need all the help that I could get if I were to have a chance.  At any rate, thank you for being such a wonderful mom.  I have also been studying a lot about the nature of the calling of motherhood.  It is the most elevated and sacred calling that I daughter of God can receive.  It requires more work and patience than any other position.  It carries eternal consequences of most impotence.  |It is so important that it was reserved exclusively for women.  Mom, you magnify this calling better than any other.  You are a perfect example of every attribute that motherhood requires.  Patience, temperance, meekness, love unfeigned, courage, strength, internal beauty (external as well ;) eternal perspective, gentleness, longsuffering, selflessness, humility, careful hands, a firm mind, virtue, benevolence, knowledge, integrity, hope, faith, and among and above all charity.  I know that this is a short list, and I know that you have many more attributes and characteristics.  Thank you so much for being the mom that God wanted of you.  I hope that I have been the son that you wanted of me and I promise that I will continue to get better.  I sure love you mom, and I think that world of you, and I know that it is not just me that thinks that.  Every ward and branch that I have passed in in Brazil, you have come up in a sacrament talk.  That is really true.  You give hope, strength, and courage to people around the world.  You are a perfect example of being a light to the world.  You have a great light, and you let it shine forth. Thank you for always being engaged in a good cause.  Thank you for being engaged in raising and teaching me.  How blessed that I am.  I love you mom, and wish you a great birthday!!!  You of all people deserve it!!!!  Love you grateful and always indebted son,

Elder Shane Lee

Will is going to stay until almost the end of the year.  He has been waiting for a long time to go, so he is all ready.  Really, they called Pres Reber and told him that Will would only leave in March, but Pres Reber moved it closer because he knows that Will was just waiting to leave.  President Reber is awesome.  I still do not know what I am going to do for Skype, but I think that I will spend Christmas night at Joaquim's house, Aryane's family.  He and his wife are marked to get baptized on the 23rd.  I am super excited!!!  Anyways, they have a computer and internet, but I do not know if they have a web cam.  I will investigate and see.  If so, I think that I will Skype from there.  If not, I will have to use a lan house.  The problem is that on Monday I do not think that I will be able to email you, so if I do not email you, call me Monday at this number, 065 9236 5199, (my cell) and we can plan it out on the phone.

Thanks for the chirstmas package and mama-mia PJ's!  I loved it!!!!!

Baptism of Lucas, getting Will's calling, the young man who baptized Lucas is from Cuiaba and was doing a 24 hour division with us. he has a year in the church, is 16, and we thought it would be cool if he got some baptizing practice.  It was awesome!!!

Week 94 Letter

Monday, December 10, 2012

Tecnologia (sorry, that was Portuguese, I wanted to say technology) can be a headache, cant it.  So, to answer the questions, I do not know if they bought my plane tickets yet, but I think that I will be flying home on the 12th or 13th of Feb.  I will let you know more when I know more.  The second question, my investigators are doing well.  Lucas, Gizele's little 10 yr old brother was going to get baptized yesterday after the stake conference but the chapel ran out of water so we had to remark it for this Saturday, but all is well.  Aryane's parents have committed to be baptized before the end of the year.  That will be really awesome.  Will is going to stay with my until the end of the year waiting for his call.  I think that it should be coming soon.  My birthday was great.  These people are so good to me.  I do not know if the package came yet.  I just tried calling to the secretaries, but they did not answer the phone, so I still do not know.  I cannot believe the Jason already got his call, and to South Korea?!!  That is awesome!  That will be a "fun" language to learn, he will be great!  I did get the photo that dad sent me of Elder Sands and Sister Ward.  It is a small world, and being in the church makes it smaller.  I will send some pics to you.  I really do not know what else to write... This week we will have the Christmas mission conference and the day after will be a training conference for the leaders which will also be an all-day event.  I think that meetings wear me out a lot more than working on the street, but they are always good and really do make a difference.  The week after I think that I will travel to Carceres, a city outside of Cuiaba and Varsea Grande to do some divisions there.  I have already done divisions there as a district leader three or four times.  It is about 4 hours of a bus ride.  Usually we travel at night to take full advantage of the day.  The next transfer is at the end of the year, the 30t and 31st.  I really do not doubt that I will be transferred, which is sad, but it is part of the mission.  President said that he is going to release all of the missionaries going home from their leadership positions before the end of their missions to let them help and train other missionaries take their spots.  I am the only one in my group that has continued as a leader, but I think that I will be released this next transfer.  We will see.  President told me that he might have me train again on the next one, but he thinks that only 2 or 3 new missionaries will come.  It is all in the air, but I will do anything that the Lord asks and President Reber knows that.  Well, there is my week in an email.  I love you all, and wish you all a happy Christmas season!!!  

Love Elder Lee

Playing Soccer

Elder Grantham, Rodriguez, and I (Elder Herrera was traveling)

  Baptism of Gizele

Week 93 Letter

Monday, December 3, 2012

Hello family!!!  Well, this will have to be quick, but we had a great week.  Gizele was baptized Friday in one of the most spiritual baptismal services that I have witnessed.  It was awesome to see her there with her member and nonmember family.  She was so ready.  I had the privilege of baptizing her with the help of Elder Herrera.  Because she is paralyzed from the hips down, I carried her into the water, and well I was saying the prayer with my arm raised, Elder Herrera secured that half of her from falling into the water. Then I held her weight again and lowered her into the water and brought her up again and carried her out of the font.  It was awesome.  It made me think a lot about the way Jesus is willing to carry us if we just come to him and lay aside the things that easily beset us.  It was incredible, and then I was able to confirm her on Sunday.  All in all, it was awesome.  Also, we had a baptism of three kids in the ward that I was helping to teach.  I baptized one, Elder Rodriguez baptized the other, and Elder Willians baptized the third.  It was super cool.  The parents are preparing to be baptized as well, but they are waiting for their documents to come back so that the can get married legally.  It was also a great and full baptismal service.  All is well in Zion.  This week I am going to really work on the rest of Gizele's family and friends.  I am excited.  Well, that is about it, sorry that it was short, but it really was a good and busy week.  The zone is doing well, and this next week we are expecting that it only gets better.  I am doing a lot of splits this transfer to try and help everybody out with marking dates, teaching, and planning.  So far, so good.  Tomorrow I am going to help Elder Rodrigues teach a girl that came to church named Bruna, she is a friend of a recent convert.  It should go well.  I think that she is more ready than she thinks.  It will be really the first time that she will be taught by missionaries, and so we will teach the restoration.  Well, I love you all and send you all hugs.  Happy holidays!!!

Love, Elder Lee

PS - I did take pics, but I am not here with my camera, I will have to send them next week.  Their names are Karoline 13, Filipe 8, and Keilyane 10.

I did read the blog.  It was awesome.  I cannot wait to meet my two little brothers.  On Christmas I think that I am going to Skype, but I do not have a place yet.  It might be in the lan house here, we are good friends with the owner.

Hey dad, I wanted to wish you a happy birthday!  I know that you are probably not thrilled to be 47, but I am sure that you are still young.  I sure love you dad, and I really do look up to you.  I am thankful for everything that you have taught me.  Some of the things that you have taught me before are just now really sinking in.  Your lessons have left and continue to have a great impact on me.  Also, I am expecting a lot more lessons after the mission, because to be honest, I am scared spitless about the after mission life.  I know that I am in good hands though :)  I will have lots of questions and doubts, but I am really glad that I feel like I can tell you everything, and without fear ask for help, counsel, and advice.  I am going to need it.  Sometimes I feel spoiled that I have the perfect family, and when I try to tell people about the joy that their family can have, I perceive that they do not fully understand the meanings of these words as I do.  I really know that families can be forever, and that families can be happy here in this life.  I know this because I have been raised by goodly parents who love the Lord, and who are fully converted.  This last month I have been thinking a lot about the difference between a testimony and conversion.  A testimony is a belief or knowledge of something that is true.  Conversion is a testimony put into action and into practice.  A testimony can be received in an instant.  After one prayer somebody can receive a testimony, or in other words, a spiritual witness about any truth, be it about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, tithing, or perhaps church attendance.  Conversion, on the other hand, is something that happens over time.  It is the changing of one's heart to submit to all things that the Father sees fit.  It is a testimony in action and a habit formed over time.  I know that my testimony has grown and been strengthened over the mission, but really, I have always had a testimony of these truths.  What has changed is my level of conversion.  I want to continue increasing my level of conversion for the rest of my life.  I think that this is what is meant by endure to the end.  To become converted to the Lord, and eventually become perfect, as he is.  Well, there is my thought for you.  I was not thinking about saying all of that in a birthday card, but I really do want to wish you a happy birthday, even though it is a little late and let you know that I love you dad.  From your grateful and proud son - Elder Lee

Week 92 Letter

Monday, November 26, 2012

Are you still there?  I just finished the essays.  I think that it is a good idea that you proof read them.  I did it on a word document.  Tell me if you can open this.  I am good, tired, but good, and ready to play soccer.  Funny how playing a sport is like resting on the mission.  It gives me a mental break.  I did not find a nativity yet, but I will be able to look today.  The weather is hot and raining.  The lowest that it gets is the high 70's.  Right now it is 12:15.  Just so that you know, my ACT test score was 27 I think.  I have not seen the blog yet, but I will look.  Are you needing anything else for the applications?  What did you think of the essays?  It has been a while...

Alright, I am going to run then.  All is well here and this week was good, although I hardly worked in my area.  I am going to do more division this transfer to help the zone.  We are needing it.  We do have a new missionary living with us.  You know him.  Do you remember Willians from Sinop, whose mission papers I helped with?  He has his call in finally, the branch was complicated, nobody knew how to send mission papers, and he is doing a transfer of a mini mission while he waits.  I never thought that I would train him to be a missionary.  It was awesome doing some splits with him.  He is super excited.  God works in mysterious ways.  It is pretty awesome all everybody is in the right place at the right time.  Well, I love you mom.  Have a great week!!!

Love, Elder Lee

Week 91 Letter

Monday, November 19, 2012

Alright, to start answering questions... the t-shirts of Brazil are going to be a little hard.  The only shirt that you can get that will say Brazil is the Brazilian soccer shirts, uniforms.  For an official, it is 200 R$, or 100 dollars in American money, but that is to get the official that is really Nike.  The thing in Brazil is that there are a lot of false shirts and it is not against the law, so I can get some false jerseys for about 30 R$ or 15 dollars each, but the sizes will be hard to find.  I can try though.  The other thing is the nativity.  I will have to go to the mall to look, but I do not have any idea where I will find one.  And I am sure that it is not cheap, but because you are buying with dollars it cuts the price in half.  I will really have to look though.  Christmas is not what it is in the states here.  In Brazil Christmas might be big, but I am in the poorest capital of the country. It is pretty sad.  I will look though.  Transfers were yesterday and I lucked out because I will stay here with Elder Herrera and the next real transfer is at the end of the year.  My week was good.  I was hardly with my companion because of a bunch of divisions and stuff but I stayed in the area and worked hard.  All is well.  Gisele, the girl who got shot is doing awesome.  She would have been baptized yesterday but her family was traveling so we marked it for this Sunday, another great reason why I stayed here this transfer.  She has read almost all of the gospel principle manual, is in 2 Nephi in the b o m, and she is reading our heritage as well.  She is loving all of it.  She is awesome.  Sadly, one of the families that I am teaching had a car accident so he could not come to church, but he is remarked to come next week and I will pass in his house a few more times this week.  All is well.  Did that answer all of your questions?  Here is a question, where are you at mom with my college applications?  SO, do you need something from me?

Love you all – Elder Lee

Week 90 Letter

Monday, November 12, 2012

Hi everyone!!!

Well, we had a good and busy week again.  We did not baptize, but we sure worked hard.  Gisele, the girl who was shot went to church and she is progressing steadily, although no sudden jumps.  She is liking it all though.  Yesterday we went to visit Aryane's family in the hospital because her grandma is sick and old and so the whole family has been there for the week and we went and paid a visit.  They really appreciated it.  Aryane's dad is really funny in his own way.  He loved that we came to visit and his first words were, hey Elder Lee, I really missed you, you piece of sh**.  When his wife insisted that he not talk like that, he excused himself by saying, hey, I really like this son of a b****.  It was really funny.  He is a really good down to earth guy.  I sure like him.  He said when all of this is over he wants to take us fishing.  He always promised that he is going to go to church a lot more when things calm down with his mom.  He loves that Aryane was baptized and that she is on a good path.  The mom is also very happy with her and with us.  A great family.  Jaiany's dad is warming up to us a lot too.  If all goes well he is going to come and play soccer with us.  I hope that he comes.  A lot of other stuff happened, but I am not remembering anything else.  It seems like the weeks blur and I cannot ever remember what was this week and what was last week or even two weeks ago.  Time on the mission does not exist.  We did meet a new family that we are going to teach.  This guy is really smart, legally married to his wife and has two smart sons who both speak English and have musical talent, which is hard to find in Brazil.  This man Silvio also has 6 different bibles, all a translation different.  We are going to really focus on the Book of Mormon.  I think that he is going to like it.  They are really active in their church, but smart people are attracted to the church because they recognize that the true church makes everything make sense.  We are going to teach them this week and maybe his older son, 18, will play soccer with us too.  We also meet two girls at church yesterday, a girlfriend of a member and her older sister.  They are 17 and 22 I think.  We are also going to teach them this week, although they are only really home on Saturday.  So, there is my week in an email.  I love you all, and I love hearing from you.  Thanks for your prayers and your love.  -Elder Lee

Week 89 Letter

Monday, November 05, 2012

Hello family!!!

Another week has flown by and this one ended on a really high note.  To start, we had a great Sunday turnout, although, as always, we were hoping for more.  We had 7 investigators at church and the other companionship in the ward, Elder Rodriquez and Grantham had 8.  It was awesome.  One of my main investigators came which was a miracle.  Her name is Gisele and she is 22 and suffered two gun shots in the back saving two lives at her work place in a robbery.  The after effect is that she is paralyzed from the hips down and cannot feeling anything in her legs or feet.  It was in the hospital that her aunt, an active member, gave her a Book of Mormon and this last week we found out about her and went to visit her.  She loved our visits and has been reading the Book of Mormon and soaking it up.  To give you an idea, in the gospel principle class I was assigned to teach last minute about obedience and the story of Nephi going to get the plates came up.  I knew that she had read it because you already explained to me Friday the whole story in amazing detail, so I asked her to tell the story to the class, which was full of investigators and some members.  She boldly told the story and all of the members, including her cousin who was with her, were amazed.  It was awesome.  I am going to teach her again Tuesday and invite her to be baptized this next Sunday.  She came with her aunt in the car and they brought a chair for her that is reclined so that she could kind of sit and laydown for the three hours of church.  She loved church.  She has an incredible attitude of everything that has been going on with her.  We transported her by picking up the chair and going from room to room for the classes.  It was awesome.  Last night I talked to her relatives and they all told me about how much she liked church and their faith that she would one day be baptized.  I think that they will be surprised to learn this week that she might be baptized so soon.  It will be fun to tell them after Tuesday if all goes well.  

The highlight of yesterday was Jaiany's baptism.  

She is the girl who I helped write a card to her dad asking for his permission to let her get baptized.  She gave the card to him Thursday and Friday received permission.  The dad really liked the card, even cried, and willing let her be baptized yesterday and even came to the baptism.  It was awesome.  Her mom and 6 year old brother Jair were also there.  It was super special.  She has been waiting 3 months to get baptized.  She was so happy.  Friday, when I found out that her dad was letting her get baptized I almost cried from joy.  One of those moments I guess when you feel like a lot of work and time and prayers were really worth it.  It was, for sure.  So, there are the highlights for you all.  It was a good week and this week I hope that it gets better.  Jaiany will be confirmed, and I am hoping to baptize Gisele.  I love you all, and wish you all a great week!!! 

Love Elder Lee

Week 88 Letter

Monday, October 29, 2012

I am doing well, but sadly the baptisms fell though yesterday in our zone.  We had a great work week, but a bunch of last second problems happened and everything fell, including some people coming to church.  Satan worked hard this week.  I did have two investigators at church, although we were expecting a lot more.  We will work for a better week this week.  Anyways, all is well.  I wish that I really only had to think in one thing, but being a zone leader sometimes seems like it is taking away my focus on where I would like it to be, with my investigators, but I cannot complain because I know that I am were God wants me to be and helping missionaries is part of my personal mission.  Thanks for your kind words and support, it really helps.  I got pics from Jackson.  It is kind of funny to think that he is in the Bahamas and I am in the middle of nowhere.  But this mission is the same.  I sure love the mission.  I am not sure that I am ready to come home.  If I asked to stay another transfer, would you mind?  I know that some other missionaries have asked and they did not let them.  Who knows though? This week I have been doing a lot of exercises so I am hoping not to come home fat.  Good thing that I am in a mission were we have to walk in burning heat every day.  I think that I sweat about 7 lbs. every day.  It has been hot these days, but then again, it is always hot.  I am use to it though.  I think coming home will be a temp shock for sure.  This week I taught an English class of a member who works at an English school.  I went with E Grantham, who has 3 months in Brazil.  They said that it was a lot easier to understand me, but I do not think that that is because my English is better.  I think that it is because I have to talk slower to translate from port to English in my head and because I say things in English the way that they should be said in port.  I think that all of you would understand E Grantham better, hahaha.  I think that I am getting better though because living with two Americans, we talk English every once in a while.  Anyways, I really do not know what else to tell you about this week.  It is getting harder and harder to remember what was this week and last week and today and yesterday.  It is all just a blur.  I love you all and thanks for the Halloween card.  It was awesome.  Here is Brazil they do not really celebrate Halloween, but as the Brazilian culture is to party, there are always some places that do a Halloween party and dance.  Have a great week!!!

Love, Elder Lee

Pictures from our last baptisms

Week 87 Letter

Monday, Oct 22, 2012

Wow, sounds like a crazy week!  I am glad that everything is okay.  My first though was how grateful that I am that God is protecting my family while I am here.  He can do more for you than I could if I were there.  His promises are real.  Ryan, I did want to say happy birthday to you!  Cangrats!  I cannot believe that you are getting so old!!!  You also look good.  You are one handsome devil and the bike looks awesome.  You will have to be trying it out when I get home, hahaha.  I bet that you ride it better than I would.  You are the man!!!  

So, this week was good.  We had two baptisms.  One was Mikael, the kid who was supposed to get baptized last Sunday but his mom and dad were not able to come so be baptized him Saturday and it was awesome because he parents came and they liked it.  We take advantage of the opportunity to talk to them and teach them.  The mom lives in Cuiaba in a different area but we will call the missionaries that work there.  The dad is a less active who has some serious problems, but I think that he felt some of the power of the atonement at his son's baptism.  Sunday we had the baptism of Gaby, a girl who I have been teaching for a while but whose mom just turned around recently to let her get baptized.  Everybody was very excited.  It was a great baptismal service, both of them with lots of people and a great and powerful spirit.  I am going to miss being a missionary and this is one of the biggest reasons.  I am going to miss the opportunity to baptize almost every week.  It is incredible to see people change and grab on whole heartedly to the gospel.  It is a joy and privilege to be a part of the great work.  My love grows more and more for God's sons and daughters.  I was talking to Elder Grantham last night and we were talking about how our perspective on life has changed. Are we humans living a spiritual experience, or are we spiritual and living a human experience.  I will try and send some pics of the baptisms for you, if this computer will let me.  I love you all and wish you all a great week.  You are all in my prayers.  

Love Elder Lee

Dad,

Wow, what an intense week.  I miss talking with you about stuff like that in the car with you dad.  I think that our talks in the car had more of an effect on me and my thinking pattern than you know and most of that is because you are my hero.  I sure love you dad, and I sure look up to you.  I know that you live a hard and busy life, but I also know that you never want to look at it like that.  You always seem to stay on the side of how blessed you are to live that hard and busy life.  I know that it was a great blessing to me.  I have learned from your example what it means to dedicate your life to the lord.  I also know of the blessings that come because I was able to enjoy many of these blessing because of your selfless service.  Thank you so much.  This week, I taught a girl who has a testimony of the Book of Mormon and the church, her mom has a testimony of the Book of Mormon and the truthfulness of the church, and they want to be baptized but the dad, who does not go to any church and is never home, will not allow the daughter to get baptized and the mom cannot because they are not married on paper.  So, I suggested to the young girl that she write a letter to her dad, explaining why she wants to be baptized and thanking him for being her dad.  She did not know what to write and was even afraid, so I suggested that I write a model for her to look at and help her.  In writing, it made me think about how hard it is to now have the dad that I have.  I know that you love me and want the best for me.  I know that you would do anything to help me.  I know that you are a wise and faithful servant to our Heavenly Father.  It really made me grateful and it made me feel a great desire to serve because of the amazing parents that I received.  I know that much is required because much was given.  Thank you dad and have a great week!  

I sure love you!

Week 86 Letter

Monday, October 15, 2012

It sounds like everybody is doing well.  I cannot imagine cold weather.  Yesterday it got up 47 degrees C, whatever that is; I think that it is well about 100 degrees F.  ( Mom insert - 47 c is 116 f )  It was a toaster.  I am used to it though.  I am going to have to go to the gym for sure after the mission because if stay the same weight sweating, imagine not sweating all of the time.  This week was good for our zone.  We are about to get into a really nice rhythm it looks like.  I am excited.  Mikael was not able to get baptized yesterday because his parents had to travel so we marked it for next week, but it looks like everything will go as planned.  My companion is Elder Herrera.  He is a tall, white, blue eyed kid which is a little different than what I am used to, lol.  He is a nice kid and we get along really well.  We hardly every talk English though.  We are excited to get a lot done this transfer.  That is about my week.  Living day by day and trying to get everything done.  I love the mission.  Next week I promise that I will send some pics to you.  I have to take some first though, ;) hahaha. I love you mom and I pray for you all.  You are the best!  Have a great day and an awesome week!!!

Love, elder Lee

Week 85 Letter

Monday, October 8, 2012

Well, this week I am really without a lot of time to write because I have got to run to the mission office in a second.  Maybe from there I will be able to write a little more.  For the meantime, here is a short message.  I loved conference and we had some investigators there and a lot of my recent baptisms.  It was awesome.  I could hardly sing called to serve in English though, but everybody around me wanted me to try.  It was fun.  I guess that it has been a while.  Transfers came through and I will stay here but a lot of things in the zone have switched up.  I think that I am excited for the changes.  It will be good.  My companion is an American from California I think.  I have never met him but I will train him to be a zone leader.  It will be good.  This week we taught a lot and had to solve a lot of problems.  Sometimes as a missionary you feel more like a social worker, psychiatrist, lawyer, marriage counselor, finance worker, and more (sorry about the spelling, I hope that that gets better with time).  It is fun to see the instant help that comes from on high in each different situation.  Anyways, for lack of time, I have to close, but I love you all, and all is well here.  Have a great week!!!

Love Elder Lee

Week 84 Letter

Monday, Oct 1, 2012

Alright, so this time I know what I am going to say.  We are going to start with the results of his week.  In my area we baptized Ariane, a 13 year old girl who is a member’s neighbor and a best friend of an investigator,

 and I was also able to be involved in the baptism of Wellington from my last area.  It was awesome.  

So, a little of the story of each of them.  Jaiany is a girl who we have been teaching with her mom for a long time.  They both want to get baptized but the mom is not married and the dad is really stubborn, but they still come to church.  Last Sunday, Jaiany brought her friend Ariane with her, who happens to be a neighbor of a member.  We taught her and her parents this week and marked her date for this Sunday, or yesterday I guess it would be.  There were really no problems and the parents, who are married legally, but a little unready to make a commitment, came to the baptism and loved it.  It was awesome.  After, I talked with the dad and he expressed to me how happy he was with his daughter and her decision.  I saw the tears in his eyes when she was baptized.  I am excited to work with them this week.  The only hard part is that the dad travels a lot because of work.  Anyways, awesome.  Then there is Wellington, who I have known for 5 months now.  Maybe I told you about him.  I reactivated his wife, Natalia whose baby boy I blessed the week that he was born with a blessing of health.  I helped him stop drinking and partying, but they still had to get married.  For two transfers I helped them get mentally ready for marriage, and the week after I left their documents came back, a 30 plus 'day process, and they were married.  Elder Marque started really teaching him about 3 weeks ago, but as much as Wellington knew that it was true, he just could not make the decision.  Friday I went on splits with Elder A. Silva, Elder Marque's comp, and we went to visit him.  It was a nice surprise.  We taught him and talked to him, and helped him make the decision to be baptized.   He was baptized yesterday  nighhtt o that i  could see iit. IT WAS  AWESOME! 

MY keyboard is being really weird so sorry that this is getting hard to read. 

hyy sorry that last message id not gtfinished, ths kyboarrd is bad, so I jst wanted tyo say that love you all.

Love,

Elder Lee

Week 83 Letter

Monday, September 24, 2012

Hello!

Not a lot to report today, mostly because I sit down to write and I forget everything that I was planning on saying.  Well, here it goes...

This week we had some good and sad news.  The sad news is that Fernando moved to another state.  The good news is that he stopped smoking and drinking coffee which he saw as a miracle and he has promised to continue to go to church at his new home and be baptized.  Some other good news is that we marked some dates for this next Sunday.  It is exciting.  Also, tomorrow will be zone conference which is always good and a blessing.  It will be fun to get to know President Reber a little better.  This conference will just be our zone at our chapel so it will be a little more intimate than what we are used to which will be a fun change I think.  The other good news is that all of my baptisms here and in my last area are all firm in the church, progessing, and sharing the good news with me with much pride and excitement.  That is always fun.  It makes a missionary super happy.  Last night I dreamed that I ended my mission and I cried and cried and cried.  I woke up really happy that I still have another 5 months before this day.  Not that I am not excited to see all of you, but I really do love the mission and so I have to be sure that I take advantage of everyday while I have this great calling and responsibility.  It is a blessing and a joy.  Luckily, I know that the work of building the kingdom does not end after a mission.  So, that is about my week for you.  I really do not remember what else I was going to say... sorry.  Hey, so Josh is going on a mission to Ukraine, right?  Is there anybody else with a call yet that I do not know about?  I am excited for them.  Anyways, I have not looked at the blog yet, so I am going to give her a look.  I love you all and wish you a great week!  Hugs to all of you!

PS – It sounds like Danny’s English is getting better.  It will be a while for me.  But I think that he will learn it faster than 3 years.  I am sure that he has the gift of tongues.  God knew that he would have to learn English.  I cannot wait to meet him. 

Week 82 Letter

Monday, September 17, 2012

Hi everyone!!!  I just got done looking at the blog and I loved it.  I cannot believe how old you all are.  Happy Birthday Danny!  It looks like it was awesome.   I am excited to see you and your bike in person.  We will have fun.  I sure love all of you.  Levi, you are super buff dude.  We can play hockey when I get home, but I think that I will have to buy some roller blades first.  It will be fun though.  Danny, I am going to play soccer today.  I am practicing so that we can play together when I get back.  It will be fun.  I think that you will win though.  Well, I had a good week.  We taught a lot, we contacted a lot, and we found a lot of people to teach.  Sadly, Fernando who was going to get baptized Sunday had to work all day because of an emergency thing.  He works in electric stuff and for hotels and some hotel in Cuiaba were having some nasty problems so all of Saturday and Sunday he was working and I think that he is still there today, but we will remark his baptism.  He has stopped smoking and has given up coffee.  He is doing great and he will be a great member here.  Also, we have a bunch of other possibilities for baptisms this week. It should be good.  I am loving the work and I think that I am learning more and more every day.  Sadly, the weeks are still passing by super-fast, and there seems like there is never enough time to do everything that I would like to, but I guess that that is how life is.  We are working really hard though.  I am doing a lot of splits with the missionaries in my zone which is also good.  All of my recent baptisms here are all doing great and are all very involved in the church, the activities, and even the missionary work.  I think that it is funny.  A lot of the time, recent members and investigators are a bigger help than the strong members.  I think that it is because the truth is fresher to them and they see the need to share it with everybody.  I hope that I never take the gospel for granted.  I know that I did a little bit when I was at home.  It is such a force, a gift, a privilege, and it is great news that we need to share.  We know the truth.  We have at a witness.  We can be god's vessels in bringing about the salvation of many of his children.  I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, because it really is the power unto salvation.  I am so glad that I have been chosen to take this message to the people here and everybody that I contact during my life.  It is an honor and pleasure.  I love the work.  It is his work and his glory that can be brought about with our hands.  Let us go forth boldly and be a light unto all people.  What do we have to lose?  As Paul said, if god is with us, who can be against us?  I am firmly committed to be a righteous and wise servant and steward.  I know that god is with me, I know who I am, and I know that with his divine help and power, the weak things of this world can thrash the nations with his spirit.  What a promise, what a blessing.  We have been called to serve him.  Is there a better master?  His salary is life eternal.  The only other salary comes from being a servant to sin, which brings the salary of death and misery.  I am grateful that we can rejoice because we have the right to choose, to act, or to be acted upon.  To choose our master, because no man can serve them both.  To be spiritually minded is life eternal.  Let us serve him with all heart and mind, that we may gain our reward and fully enjoy our reward with those who we have helped lift, those souls whose value is great in the sight of god, our literal brothers and sisters of a divine creator and father.  I know that this gospel is true.  I know that God's work is to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man.  I am thankful that I have been called to be an instrument in his hands to fulfill his plans and purposes.  I know that whom the Lord calls, he qualifies.  Good thing too  :).  I love you all!!!  Have a great week!

Elder Lee

Week 81 Letter

Monday, September 10, 2012

Hello family!!!

Sorry that I am writing this letter a little later today, I had to get a haircut and we ended up teaching the barber how to play a card game afterwards and teaching him about the gospel.  He seems like a really nice down to earth guy and the haircut was only 8 bucks which is cheaper than a lot of other places here.  So, to tell you the news of the week, we had 2 baptisms on Saturday, Clara, a little 9 yr old girl whose dad we reactivated and whose mom wants to get baptized but still needs to get married legally, 

and Jhyeci, who is 17 and a great young girl who is excited to have found the truth.  She will be a strength in the young women’s program here.  It was awesome.  

Also, Fernando came to church, a single man who is in his 40s and he is excited to be baptized this next Saturday.  He has been to church a lot of times in the past but he was addicted to drinking and smoking but he has seen a miracle in his life since we found him.  He has a week without smoking, beer, or coffee.  He is amazed because he has tried to stop many times before but never could.  We will continue to teach and help him a lot this week.  He is a great guy.  Sadly, Raimundo, the dad of Isis, the 15 yr old girl that I baptized, is having to travel a lot for work now so he is going to leave this week and will not be back for another 40-45 days.  I will really miss him, but he has been thinking a lot about the church and he even said that he will think a lot about baptism while he is gone so that he can feel more ready on the return to be baptized and continue firm in the faith.  On the other hand, two of his cousins, in their 20s came to live with Isis at home here, and so we will teach them.  One is single and the other is married (but not legally dang it).  Raimundo already talked to them about the church and talked really well of it.  He said that it would be the only church worth baptizing in because of the way that you feel when you are there.  He said it is the only church that is true to itself and its teachings.  I think that he believes that it is true, because he tells that to us, but he did not really tell his cousins like that but it was awesome to see him doing missionary work.  I love doing missionary work with investigators and recent converts.  So, that is about my week.  I am doing well, I am happy, and I have excited to work this week.  It will be fun.  I love all of you and I am so proud of each of you.  Also, I am going to go and play some soccer today so that I can play with Danny when I get home.  Good work Danny!!!!  Score a goal for big brother Shane!!!  Love you all and have a great week!!!!

Love, Elder Lee

Week 80 Letter

Monday, September 3, 2012

I cannot believe that another week has flown by and it is more incredible that the month has already passed too.  Time just goes.  This last Friday we had a mission tour with Elder Costa from the 70.  He gave the leaders some training about being a model in all things and then he gave a training to all of the missionaries in the north part of the mission.  It was really good and I learned a lot and now have a list of ideas of things to do.  Sadly, I wish that I had known all of this at the start.  I will have to hurry and get it all done. I am excited to really take advantage of the last quarter of the mission.  I really love being a missionary and in the last 6 months you know that you really got the hang of it.  I was never afraid to invite people to come to Christ through baptism, but I feel like now I am prepared to really help that person be ready and willing to accept the invite.  It is a lot of fun.  For example, the other day I did a division with Elder Grantham who is on his 2nd transfer in brazil and we went and taught a lady that he had been teaching for the last month and whose son I helped get baptized, Cesar.  Elder Grantham explained to me the situation a little.  She goes to a church that keeps Saturday as the Sabbath and she does not eat pork and also believes that her church is the restored church of Christ.  She always says that she will read the Book of Mormon and pray about it, but she just has not done it and really was not showing a lot of progress.  We got there and started talking and it turned into a lesson.  I discovered that she really did not understand the importance of the Book of Mormon.  I taught her a little of the history and how it is another testament of Jesus Christ.  I also explained that it comes with a promise which we find in Moroni 10.  Then I decided to teach her how the Book of Mormon is the keystone to our religion.  I started off by saying that receiving a testimony of the Book of Mormon would respond to all other questions that she may have, for example, about the Sabbath and eating pork and using veils at church and if she needed to get baptized again.  Them I taught her how the Book of Mormon is evidence that joseph was a true prophet, exactly how the ark proved that Noah was a prophet and the opening of the red sea was evidence that moss was a prophet, among other things of course.  Therefore, the church must be the only true church with the only valid baptism on the face of the earth.  So... if the Book of Mormon is true, it is all true and she needs to get ready to get baptized.  Then I asked when she would like to receive an answer from god about the book.  She tried to burn me and say that it was on god's time table.  I agreed but explained that I would like to receive an answer as fast as possible, and that not asking can get in the way of god's time table, for example, if he wants to answer tonight, but she does not ask, how will he be able to respond.  She understood and agreed to pray, but she told me that she would need to receive a firm answer and sign, like somebody prophesying, a dream or vision, or some miracle like speaking in tons (which I thought was ironic).  Now it was my chastise here, but I did it really nicely.  I told her to be careful, because if she was not willing to mess with god's time table, why command him to answer in her way and not his.  She once again understood.  I then bore my testimony about how I read and prayed of the Book of Mormon and how I know that god answered me, without it being a vision or dream, but with the simple but powerful and piercing touch of the holy ghost and how I know that he answered, and I know that god knew that he answered, and so I told her that for me to deny the Book of Mormon would be to deny god.  She was touched and then said something that surprised me.  She told me that she wanted to know of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, but that she would like to read it all.  She told me that she would read it in 15 days.  I agreed with her proposition, so I told her that we could find a spot in middle ground.  I told her that she could read it in 15 days, but that she also needs to pray each one of those 15 days and ask god specifically about the Book of Mormon.  She agreed and accepted to be baptized when she receives a testimony of the book.  It was a great lesson and I really hope that she keeps her promise because I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that god will answer to any person that reads and prays about it.  It was great.  Saturday we will baptize Clara, a nine year old girl whose dad we re-activated.  He has been non active for the last 10 years or so, but is ready to come back.  He is going to church now and more than that, he is going to all of the activities.  Sadly, he still need to get married to his wife legally, but we will help them this week and next week with marriage process and if all goes well they can be married in about a month and a half and the wife is already wanting to get baptized.  Also, I am about to go and teach a man that I have just talked to on the cell phone, but he seems really sincere.  From what I know he had been taught 4 years ago and almost got baptized but he didn't and he has been thinking a lot lately and thinks that the time is coming for him to open his eyes, change his life, and enter the kingdom of god on earth.  I really do not know about the family and living situations, but I will find out here in a little bit.  So, it was a good week and this week will be better and busier.  I am going to try and help each companionship this week.  My goal is for each companionship is to baptize.  The mission has been slow on baptisms lately, our zone has been baptizing the most but they have been coming from my area.  Now I need to really figure out how the help the rest of them.  I am excited though.  I love all of you and wish you a great week!!!!

Elder Lee

PS -  I saw the blog.  Everybody is getting so big and everybody is super cute.  Tony will be a great missionary.  I know that you will be able to help Debbie mom.  Just having a friend in the church that loves you can make all the difference, and I know that she will be blessed because her son is on a mission.  I gotta go teach that man I told you about, Fernando, but I love you mom and wish you a great week. Send my love to the rest of the family and tell them thanks for the emails.  I loved all of them.  Love you!!!