Week 62 Letter

Monday, April 30, 2012

Hi again...

We had a bitter and sweet week.  The sweet part was that we baptized a nine year old boy whose 15 yr old brother we reactivated and we are trying to help his parents get married legally so that they can be baptized.  They both have testimonies of the church and the gospel, but just need to get married.  But, Gustavo is awesome, and he is really excited that he was able to get baptized yesterday.  He is great.  His brother is awesome too.  They are good boys.  

The bitter part was that a lot of our investigators did not make it to church and we had some marked baptisms fall through.  One was Jean, who is a really awesome guy.  He is 24 and was really addicted to drinking.  He was drinking a ton, but he is now five days without drinking.  He passed the baptism interview and was ready to be baptized yesterday but he was not at church and we could not find him yesterday.  That was hard for me.  I really love him and was really excited for him.  Giving up drinking is hard and a lot of times it is his own guilt I think that makes him feel unworthy to get baptized.  This week we are going to teach him a little more about the healing power of the atonement.  He is an awesome guy and is really trying to turn his life around.  But, we have our work caught out for us this week.  We are not the only companionship in this ward which is a really big area, so we will have to walk a little more and plan our day and week a little better, but I am excited.  Elder Elizeu is doing great.  We are super good friends.  He seems like a little brother to me.  It is kind of funny, he is only 18 and it shows a little, but he is really excited to work which is a great blessing to me.  I sure like him.  Once again, it will be hard to see a companion go, but that is how the mission is.  So, that is my week for ya.  Sorry that I could not expand it into a longer email.  I think that I am getting so use to the missionary life that really nothing surprises me anymore.  Crazy stuff happens every day, but I kind of am use to it.  For example, yesterday we went to pick up a kid for church who we had met earlier in the week and his mom met us at the front of the house and told us that he is in to drugs.  I explained that that is why we were there to pick him up and take him to church.  She went to get him and came back and told me that he would not leave the bed.  I asked if I could enter and she said yes.  I went into his room and woke him up, saying something like, hey dude, good morning. Let's go to church, everybody is waiting for you man.  He woke up and explained that he did not have any clothes because he just stayed the night at the house and really lives on the other side of Cuiaba.  We talked for a little and he thanked us for coming.  It was sincere.  Maybe he will be able to go next week.  Just little things like that that makes up a mission.  I think that my companion thinks that I am crazy...maybe he is right. hahaha.  Well, I love you all and wish you all a great week!

Love, Elder Lee

Hey Becca!!!!

Happy birthday girl!  I cannot believe that you are going to have 12 years!  Time goes by so fast.  It seems like yesterday that you were eight and you were getting baptized.  I really am stunned.  I am sure that you are growing up to be a great young woman.  Holy cow, you really are a young woman now!!!!  I am sure that mom is freaking out.  I would be, and I am.  I sure love you Becca, and I cannot wait to see how much you have grown.  I will be able to see on mother s day.  I think that I will use Skype again so that I can see all of you.  I still do not know where I will do it but I think that there are a few members who should have a web cam.  Rebecca, I sure am proud to have you as my little, but all growing up, sister.  You were always so sweet and extremely capable.  You are going to be a great mom one day, and I am figuring out that that day comes up faster than we think.  Life is so weird, but it is so good.  I sure love you, and I wish you a happy 12th birthday!!!!  Love your brother, Elder Lee

Week 61 Letter

Monday, April 23, 2012

Hello family!

So, I did go to the dentist, and I got the right price, but it was a nasty fight.  The dentists are not exactly what they are in the US.  So, first I went to three dentists and they all wanted to do a root canal, but they were talking about doing it over longer periods of time.  One even wanted to do a seven month process.  So, none of them worked out.  For sure they just wanted more money.  Anyways, I was talking to members about good dentists and one member had the number and called for me but the secretary would not let her talk to the dentist so I called after she hung up and introduced myself as Pres Lee and told her that I am a part of an international dentist organization that started in the USA and using all of the vocab that I learned from all the other dentists I told her of the process that would have to happen.  I asked her to price it and she said that she couldn't because a dentist would have to look at it.  I think asked to talk to the dentist and said that he was a good friend of mine.  Within seven seconds I was on the phone with the dentist who they said was in an important conference.  hahaha.  The member who had called could not believe it.  So, I priced a root canal for that price and then went in to have it looked at.  They looked at it and told me that they would have to pull the tooth and put in a different false tooth that would cost a ton of money.  For sure they just want money and the Brazilians just believe everything.  So, I told him to just do a root canal and a filling and call it could.  So the next day they did a root canal without numbing up my mouth which was a treat but just another experience from the mission.  All worked out though and it is feeling and looking a lot better.  They told me that eventually I will lose this tooth, but when they said eventually they explained that it could be two years, ten years, or more.  Yeah, so I just did a root canal so that Dr. Bates and fix me up when I get back, if I even need it.  It was the cheapest place that I found, and I think that I know why now.  But, all is well.  So, about the glasses.  One pair broke, so I still have the other pair, but I kind of got use to not wearing them, so I just kind of stopped.  I never really liked glasses anyways.  This week was good, although our family that we wanted to baptize was out of town this week and I think that they will get back today.  We did bring five young women from the ages 16 to 19 to church.  Let me explain.  I ate ice-cream one day and did a contact with the girl that was selling the ice-cream.  I invited her to church and found out that she lives close to use so we said that we could pick her up if she wanted to show her the way.  She accepted and told us that she lives with 6 other girls that are her cousins.  She asked if they could go and so I said certainly.  So, when we got there Sunday morning, five of them were ready to go.  So we went and after the second hour two had to leave to go to work, but the other three stayed until the end and we taught them after church and marked a goal for them to receive an answer and be baptized this next Sunday, which they accepted.  So, we will see how it goes.  Transfers came in last night.  Elder Elizeu and I will stay here and work the two areas now, because president is taking out the other companionship because our mission is sending more home then are coming.  So, I am excited to stay and continue to work here with my comp.  My district had some changes and it looks like I am going to have my work cut out for me.  A couple of elders are coming in that have a rep for not really paying attention to the rules, and one of them is going home after this transfer which makes it hard to work in a new area when you know that you are about to go home, but I am excited to help my district work and baptize.  Anyways, that is about my week for you.  We had a good week and we are ready to start a better one.  So, Tony will not need another surgery then?  just a cast for three week and some therapy afterwards, right?  And how are you dad?  It sounds like the surgery was miserable.  Can you already feel it coming back faster than the first one?  Josh, happy b day again.   I sure love and miss you.  Have a great week everybody and enjoy the sunshine!!!

Hey Dad,

Good deal.  So it will be a full recovery then?  I am doing well.  Today I think we are going to play some basketball.  We play at a little half court hoop that is only 9 feet, more or less, and so I can dunk a little bit, although sadly I think that I have lost my hops.  It is fun though.  Yesterday Elder Maner's parents came to pick him up from the mission.  They live in Arizona.  It was awesome getting to meet them and talk to them for a little bit.  If was once again hard to speak English.  They said that I have a lot of accent, but I really cannot believe it.  I sound normal to myself.  They took a pic with me and they said that they would call you to let you know that they saw me.  They are really nice people and I sure loved their son.  He was a great missionary and a great example to me and a great friend.  It was really weird to see him go.  Yeah, it was like he was dying, but it was cool to see him die with his mom and dad.  I still do not think that you are old.  Everybody here just comments on how young you and mom are.  Also, you can tell mom that she has a bunch of fans in my area who all say that she is beautiful and amazing.  Well, I am off, but have a great week and good luck with the shoulder.  The pics looked pretty cool on the blog.  

Love you dad!

Week 60 Letter

Monday, April 16, 2012

Hello everybody!!!

So, thanks for all of the letters.  The last time that I emailed, I did not see all of the letters until after I had written because I scrolled down the page by mistake and did not see all of the new messages.  Yeah, I guess it was a blond moment, but here in Brazil I am actually considered blond, which is kind of funny.  Anyways, we had a great week.  We taught a ton of lessons; we had a baptism, Gilherme.  It was awesome.  He is 8 and his older brother has already been baptized.  His adopted mom and dad were at the baptism with another recent convert’s aunt.  It was awesome.  We are going to help them prepare for baptism now.  

Also, I had an opportunity to interview Flaviane, who was also baptized.  She is awesome and really excited to jump into this new world of the restored and fullness of the gospel.  She is also excited to help her family get their way into the new and amazing world that she has discovered.  I have really enjoyed doing interviews.  I guess that it has let me see the work that we do from a new perspective.  We really are changing people's lives.  It is awesome.  This next Sunday we have marked for a family to come to church.  They have been to church in the past.  I think that it has been like, 10 years.  She was active for nine months and never got baptized.  This time we are planning to go get onto the path by the gate.  She is great and she has three great kids.  We got to meet her yesterday night.  She really liked us and she liked being reminded about how she liked the other missionaries and the church.  I am excited for this week.  My district is doing a lot better.  We started out with some problems and some really weak spots, but this week we had a great week and this next week is set up to be even better.  Everybody is happy and re-excited to get to work and get her done.  It has been rewarding being a leader.  To tell the truth, I was kind of hoping to just be a senior for a while, but I have really like being the district leader.  It has been a great blessing on my mission.  My companion Elder Elizeu is doing well.  He is learning a lot and is excited to work which is always nice.

So it sounds like all of you are doing well.  I cannot wait for my little bros to get home, even though I am not even there.  I can imagine the excitement in the home and I can imagine mom getting everything ready in the house.  Tony, I hope that you are doing okay and that you will not need a surgery.  It would make it a lot easier for sure.  Dad, I am praying that all goes well with your surgery.  It sounds like it is going to be rough.  Are you going to have to do more physical therapy afterwards? And for how long?  Shauna, you sound busy, but it also sounds like a good life style.  How serious are you and Jason?  Lucky for you, tony is in a sling, but of course I loyally put my money on my bro, hahaha.  Are Cameron and Ali still in the tennis season?  How has that been going?  Josh is ready to have a b-day in just a few days.  Dude, this will be the second b-day that you have had while I was on the mission.  It is so weird to think that.  Time has gone by so fast.  I fell like you just turned 12 and now you are going to be a teenager.  Dude, enjoy being a teenager because it goes by fast man.  You will be a great teenager.  The thing that makes a teenager really cool is a teenager that does not act like a teenager.  Josh, you will be a great teenager because you will be a righteous teenager.  A teenager that listens to your mom, a teenager that is an example to everybody around you, a teenager that is a great big and little brother, and a teenager that is a great priesthood holder.  I have no doubt that you will be a super star teenager.  You are the man.  Becca and Katie are for sure doing well in school, church, and life.  Hopefully they are staying clear of the little punk boys that all think that they are so dang pretty.  Caleb, are you still getting out to play tennis?  How are my little men Ryan and Levi?  They look good on the blog.  They are all grown up.  I cannot believe how fast you have all grown up.  When I get home you will all be taller than me.  I am still about 5' 9" and 155 lbs.  In Brazil I am tall, but I have a feeling that I will get home short again, hahaha.  Well, I love all of you and it was great hearing from all of you.  What a great week you had at church.  I have gained a new appreciation for the leaders of the church.  I know that they are inspired servants of God.  Dad, I also know that you are a great stake president.  Keep up the good work.  I know that we are in the service of an almighty God, and that we are unprofitable servants.  What a great promise, that we will always be unprofitable servants.  Anything that we do for him, we are immediately blessed (however you spell that).  I have learned this for myself.  I love all of you and wish you all a great week.  
Love Elder Lee

Mommy, I am needing to go into the dentist today to get a root canal.  I chipped a tooth in Ji-parana and as a result I think that a filling fell out and so I went to the dentist, actually a few, and had it looked at.  They all say that I will need a root canal, but the dentist close to me wanted to do a long process and that would not work with the missionary life.  They also wanted a lot of money.  So, I was talking to a member and she tried to call her dentist for me but the secretary would not let her talk to the dentist.  So, funny story, I called right after her and introduced myself as a member of the internationary global dentistry organization from the US and let her know that I wanted to get speck of some pricings on a root canal.  She explained that the dentist would have to look at it to know the price, but I let her know that as a dentist I already knew what would have to be done.  I told her of the entire process using all the the vocab and details that I had learned from the other two dentist offices that I had visited that same day.  She explained that she did not understand the process or the prices, so I asked to talk to the owner and dentist of the member, Douter De Mundo and threw in that he was a close friend of mine.  Without another word she passed the phone to him and we talked about it all.  He gave me a lower price and told me that he thinks that he will be able to do everything in the same day, but it is going to be about 350 R$, which is about 190 dollars.  The mission does not cover dentist payments, so I will have to use my personal card.  So, I wanted to know how much money I have on my card.  If you could let me know and let me know what you think about all of this.  I am going to try and mark today for a Thursday this week.  Anyways, I love you!  
Love Elder Lee

Week 59 Letter

Monday, April 09, 2012

Hey my family!

How are all of you?!  I am doing great.  We had a good hard working week this week, but sadly we did not see the results that we were hoping for.  That is a little lesson on endurance.  It means continuing to get better without getting discouraged.  I am very excited for this week and we are getting set in the area.  It is kind of a hard area to get set into.  The members are more closed and the area is large, but we have not got a good solid teaching pool, which really consists of youth.  We are teaching some couples, but they need to get married first, but they are making progress.  This week we are going to try and baptize an entire family, which consists of a mom, and her 3 kids, 2 girls and a boy.  She has already been to church from what I have been told, but she was never baptized because I do not think that she was married legally.  I still have not met her.  I have only talked to the kids and her 20 year old niece.  The niece, Emanually has already accepted baptism so we are going to try and prepare her for this Sunday.  It is pretty awesome.  Also, there was a 17 year old girl that wants to be baptized, but her mom is pretty set against the church.  I taught her, but she just wanted to bible bash.  I started answering all of her questions, but I realized that she would always have more.  She was not wanting to learn, just argue.  I even asked if she would believe in the BOM if God arrived in front of her and told her that it was true.  She said no.  What can you do?  I do not like lessons like that.  It makes me frustrated that people can be so blinded in their own personal belief.  I'd imagine that if I did not have the gospel I would be looking for truth.  Not all are ready to her the servants of the Lord.  The 17 year old girl Jeniffer still wants to be baptized so we are going to try and help her.  Maybe her mom will let her, but we will see this week.  The mom goes to a church and is a pastor, but all of her kids do not go because they do not like it, so it would make sense that the mom would want them in a church rather than on the street, even if it is a different church.  Anyways, other than that all is well.  Elder Elizeu is doing great.  He is learning quickly and is happy to be here.  My district is doing well too.  Tomorrow I am going to travel to Carceres to do a division with the two elders there.  It is out in the patanal.  I am excited.  I have only passed through by bus.  I have never left the bus station. So, there is my week for you.  All is well and the work is going forth.  I know that this is God's work and his glory and I am glad that I get to be a part of it.  We all are a part of it, if we want to be.  Those that have a desire to serve are called to the work.  I love all of you and wish you all a great week!!!

Love Elder Lee

Hey mom,

How are you!!!???!!!  I sure love you.  I hope that you had a great Easter.  Elder Maner is an American missionary who lives with me and he bore his testimony and announced that it is his last Easter on the mission.  He is going home in like, 20 days.  I realized that this is my last Easter too.  I am not sure that I am happy about that.  It has gone by so fast.  The mailing address is the mission home.  I am pretty close to there.  Tell Koli that I love him that I am glad that he had a great b day. 

Hey dad,

I haven’t heard you in a while and I was doing some studying, and I was trying to discover the chronological order of the books of the New Testament.  I looked in the bible dictionary and got a pretty good idea, but it does not have all of the dates, maybe because they are not known, but if you know anything more than what is in the bible dictionary, I would appreciate the help.  Thanks.  I love you and have a great week!

Elder Lee

Week 58 Letter

Monday, April 2, 2012

Hey,

It sounds like you guys are doing great.  I had a good week, although our baptism was out of town this Sunday and she is not coming back until later tonight, so we will have to remark her date for this Sunday.  I did get to listen to the Sunday sessions of general conference this time, which was a great blessing.  I sure loved it.  It is amazing how great teachers the apostles and our prophet are.  They teach the pure and simple truths in such clarity that even a child can understand.  Just to share a quick thought on general conference, I remember that one of the apostles was talking about gifts of God given to us.  Both physical and spiritual.   I liked how he said that eternal truths are what nourish our spirits.  I thought a lot about that.  It made me think of what eternal truths are most important for the people that I am teaching.  We know so much that we sometimes forget that others are without the core truths that feed our spirits and our spiritual life.  This as simple but profoundly important as God is our loving heavenly father, Jesus is our savior and redeemer, we are not alone in this life, God has restored his true church on the earth based upon the foundation of apostles and prophets, the heavens are not sealed, the authority to preform saving ordinances is once again on the earth, and that each of us has a right to search for divine personal revelation from our creator and all powerful Father.  What a blessing to know these truths.  There are many that do now know.  Many that are searching for truths, but do now know where to find them.  Many that are spiritually hungry, even famished, and are waiting to be introduced to the fullness of the gospel that has a part in our lives.  What a privilege I have as a fulltime missionary and we have as members and partakers of his gospel, to share these eternal truths to those that are ready to partake of the feast that we so freely have.  We are a light to the world, and our light is truth.  May we continue to bless the lives of those around us, our fellow brothers and sisters, with the truths that we know and hold dear.

My week was good.  We taught a lot, we are learning the area and the members, and we are starting the week out right.  We are excited and we are anxious to work.  I am trying to find more ways to work more effectively.  We are going to try and use the activities of the ward to gain more references and investigators.  It should be good.  We are working a lot with youth in this area.  The youth are excited to work with and help the missionaries.  The older members are less excited, but I think that people will get excited as they see more baptisms in the area.  This area has been a hard place to baptize lately and there was also a time without missionaries before I arrived, so we are kind of reopening the area.  I am excited though.  My companion is doing well and he is learning fast.  Sometimes it is hard training; it is easy to forget that he is new and that he is really learning everything as if it were for the first time.  I think that this because he speak Portuguese so well, hahaha.  But we are learning a lot together and we have a great companionship.  It is a lot of fun training him.  He is a great guy.  He is only 18 which shows a little bit.  Maybe that is a good sign that I am growing up a little, but who knows :)  I will always be a kid ;)  My district is doing well.  I am really enjoying being the district leader.  I did not think that I would, because I just wanted to focus on my investigators and baptisms, but every opportunity to serve is good.  I have enjoyed doing the baptismal interviews.  It has helped my see what a role that we play in the lives of our investigators.  I knew that I loved them, more than I can explain, but seeing the relationship from an outside view I am able to see the love and appreciation that they have for us.  It is cool.  This last week I interviewed a lady and when I asked if she committed a serious crime she told me that she has killed two people and sent the third to the hospital with a bullet hole in his shoulder.  It was not until afterwards that I learned that she is a police and it was not a crime, she just wanted to tell me because her name was on the report.  Wow, that kind of stole my breath.  What do you do in a situation like that?  Luckily, it was not a problem.  So, to finish that letter, I want to let you know that I am well, and that I love all of you.  Mom, let everybody in Ji-Paraná know that I love and miss them and that Elder Lee "manda um braço para todo mundo"  I love you all and have a great week!

Elder Lee

Hey Koli Poki,

Happy birthday.  Man, I cannot believe that you are getting so old.  I remember when you told me that you turned 8 and got baptized.  I cannot believe that you are already 9!  It seemed like yesterday.  You are becoming such a good man.  You are the best.  Dude, I cannot wait to hear about all of the things that you have done while I have been gone.  Are you getting taller?  I have seen some pics that mom sent me on the blog and you look taller to me.  I cannot wait to see for myself.  I hope that you had a great birthday buddy.  You are the man and I am so glad that we will always be brothers.  You are now the coolest 9 year old that I know.  But make sure to let me know what your favorite present was and how your birthday was.  I love you man and have a great week!!!

Elder Lee