How crazy that BYU football sounds. Thanks, as always, for the continued updates. I predict that this year BYU will go undefeated, win a close one against the Utes, get a shot at the Natl. Championship, but will be kept out of it by some BCS computer calculation. Then people will revolt against the Great and Abominable BCS system, and then great will be the fall of that system. Just a prediction from the field...
The highlight of this week actually happened just last night. The day had been a bit hard for me. For what reason, I don´t know why. Maybe the move of P-day to Monday made my body think that it should feel burned out by Sunday. We were trying to meet our goals for the week, as Sunday arrived and we were still 5 new investigators short. We visited many references, but not a single one was home, which was more that a bit discouraging. Our last visit of the night was a reference that was about three months old, but we had never managed to find this person at home. We decided to just leave them if it didn´t happen this time. Anyway, we knocked on the door, and this guy answers. He´s about 55, and his name is a bit complicated (I think its Lorivão or something like that). He told us that his wife was already in bed, but that we were welcome to just come in and talk to him. After a few minutes of conversation, (He told us that he was “Non-practicing Catholic”, which is probably the most common type of religious person that we encounter) we shared the first message about the Restoration with him. He seemed to show interest and made some good comments during the lesson, but above all I felt the Spirit pretty strongly during the lesson. We didn´t leave a Book of Mormon with him as we had run out, but he said that we were welcome to come back and visit again. Although, as he said, he didn´t think that he´d be interested in changing religions as he was born Catholic and after 55 years doesn´t know if he wants to leave to something different. From my perspective, the Spirit was saying something else during the discussion. Nothing too big and amazing, but a higher point in my week.
We return tomorrow to teach again, so everybody pray that he responds to what I believe that he´s feeling.Everybody's excited for conference, although we might not get to watch the Priesthood session as it finishes quite late. I´m hoping though. General Conference is a big help to the work, I think, as sometimes people have a little harder time wrapping their minds around the concept of a modern-day prophet.
Also, I guess the dollar went up or something, because lately our money that we receive from the mission every two weeks for food and stuff has went up. Horray for more little packages of frozen Açaí in my freezer!
´Till next week kids!
-Elder Répri
(I want my nametag to say this so that everybody can have an easier time pronouncing Heperi. I tried it out on a Brazilain and he said it perfectly.)
Monday, September 29, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
P-Day changed , again.
So sorry about the short notice again, but P-day got moved back to Monday again. We got a new schedule at Zone Conference that pretty much moved everything around schedule-wise.
Zone Conference was very good. It was all centered around how we can better use the Book of Mormon in our teaching and street contacts. I felt that I really got a better vision of how I can use it in our teaching. (Oh yeah... My thanks to everyone that I received letters from. Replies will come as soon as is P-day-ey possible.) While we didn´t succeed in finding the Pizza Hut, a McDonalds shake that I had was a very welcome substitute.
The ride back was a little tougher, though. We rented a van, and the driver was already a little questionable in terms of driving ability. Add that to the fact that he didn´t sleep at all while we were at the conference, and we had a driver who was about 20 hrs. without a good nights sleep. We took turns keeping him awake, which was kinda scary. Lots of prayers were said in the back of the van, and we ended up making it ok. We got in the house at about 3 am though, which made the next day the hardest one that I´ve had energy-wise in the mission. I felt we were blessed by our effort that day, though, as we picked up two new investigators that really want to go watch a baptism at the church this Sat, which I take as a good sign of their interest in the gospel.
Our baptisms fell thru this week, and so it was a week of re-marking things and stuff. Other than that, the works still going good here.
Until next!
Zone Conference was very good. It was all centered around how we can better use the Book of Mormon in our teaching and street contacts. I felt that I really got a better vision of how I can use it in our teaching. (Oh yeah... My thanks to everyone that I received letters from. Replies will come as soon as is P-day-ey possible.) While we didn´t succeed in finding the Pizza Hut, a McDonalds shake that I had was a very welcome substitute.
The ride back was a little tougher, though. We rented a van, and the driver was already a little questionable in terms of driving ability. Add that to the fact that he didn´t sleep at all while we were at the conference, and we had a driver who was about 20 hrs. without a good nights sleep. We took turns keeping him awake, which was kinda scary. Lots of prayers were said in the back of the van, and we ended up making it ok. We got in the house at about 3 am though, which made the next day the hardest one that I´ve had energy-wise in the mission. I felt we were blessed by our effort that day, though, as we picked up two new investigators that really want to go watch a baptism at the church this Sat, which I take as a good sign of their interest in the gospel.
Our baptisms fell thru this week, and so it was a week of re-marking things and stuff. Other than that, the works still going good here.
Until next!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
A Week in Review
Ha ha! Great to hear that BYU slaughtered them UCLA Bruins! I remember being really ticked off exactly one year ago at BYU's loss, so now my happiness returns hearing about that. And also good to read from Rob’s blog that a Russian internet café isn’t too far off from a Brazilian one. Currently there are many Brazilian boys yelling at each other as they slaughter each other in some type off Halo rip-off. How different things are around the world, eh?
This week was a tough one. Probably the lowest one in terms of number of lessons taught and investigators at church. Elder D. had to travel to Londrina to renew his visa, so I had to spend about a day and a half outta my area with the other Elders, so that might've had something to do with it. But other than that, we were preparing to have a good amount of investigators at church, called people, etc., only to have nobody show up. It was quite depressing, even more so to learn that one of them was too tired to come to church because she had been unable to get to sleep due to several cups of coffee. Sheesh!
On a funnier note, we visited that older guy in the other Elder’s ward again. He’s getting closer to baptism, just as soon as he stops making his own alcohol in the house. He never remembers any American missionary’s names, so he just called me “Bill Clinton” and Elder Madsen “George Bush” the whole time that we were there. Although he did remember to say “Elder” one time in front of the Bill and George.
In other news, the bishop in the ward is moving, so the ward is all buzzing with what is gonna happen there. Also, we might be dividing my area in a bit as some of the parts are about 2 or 3 hours from the chapel. Apparently plans are going forward for a new chapel around here, which would really help with people going to church.
This Friday is Zone Conference in Campo Grande. I´m excited because Campo Grande is supposed to be a really cool place. (I hear they have Pizza Hut right down the street from the chapel. Whoot!) The only downside is that we have to leave from our house at 3 am Friday morning, as the van we hired has to pick us up, go to Dourados (city about 1 hr. ½ from here) to pick up the other Elders there, and then go to Campo Grande. It won´t be a good day for sleep, but if I can get my taste buds on some real pepperoni pizza, it´ll be a good day…
Welp, that´s is from me.
Later!
Excelcior!-Me
This week was a tough one. Probably the lowest one in terms of number of lessons taught and investigators at church. Elder D. had to travel to Londrina to renew his visa, so I had to spend about a day and a half outta my area with the other Elders, so that might've had something to do with it. But other than that, we were preparing to have a good amount of investigators at church, called people, etc., only to have nobody show up. It was quite depressing, even more so to learn that one of them was too tired to come to church because she had been unable to get to sleep due to several cups of coffee. Sheesh!
On a funnier note, we visited that older guy in the other Elder’s ward again. He’s getting closer to baptism, just as soon as he stops making his own alcohol in the house. He never remembers any American missionary’s names, so he just called me “Bill Clinton” and Elder Madsen “George Bush” the whole time that we were there. Although he did remember to say “Elder” one time in front of the Bill and George.
In other news, the bishop in the ward is moving, so the ward is all buzzing with what is gonna happen there. Also, we might be dividing my area in a bit as some of the parts are about 2 or 3 hours from the chapel. Apparently plans are going forward for a new chapel around here, which would really help with people going to church.
This Friday is Zone Conference in Campo Grande. I´m excited because Campo Grande is supposed to be a really cool place. (I hear they have Pizza Hut right down the street from the chapel. Whoot!) The only downside is that we have to leave from our house at 3 am Friday morning, as the van we hired has to pick us up, go to Dourados (city about 1 hr. ½ from here) to pick up the other Elders there, and then go to Campo Grande. It won´t be a good day for sleep, but if I can get my taste buds on some real pepperoni pizza, it´ll be a good day…
Welp, that´s is from me.
Later!
Excelcior!-Me
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Short email on Wednesday
Even though Luke caught us by surprise with his early email, yesterday, we sent our weekly email anyway. Gratefully, Luke was able to pick it up. Here it is...
Just have some time to read today as most people didn´t have the chance to get an e-mail from the family. Thanks for the note, and thanks for the incoming package and stuff. Sister Simpson was right, as right now I am the only one in the ward that can play for everyone.
Thanks for the mission experience Dad, as that kinda thing is actually the number one thing that I run into here: If a church preaches the "gospel" and talks of Christ, you´re good to go for this life and the next. I´m still learning how to communicate what you said, to the people though.
Thanks again.
-Luke
Just have some time to read today as most people didn´t have the chance to get an e-mail from the family. Thanks for the note, and thanks for the incoming package and stuff. Sister Simpson was right, as right now I am the only one in the ward that can play for everyone.
Thanks for the mission experience Dad, as that kinda thing is actually the number one thing that I run into here: If a church preaches the "gospel" and talks of Christ, you´re good to go for this life and the next. I´m still learning how to communicate what you said, to the people though.
Thanks again.
-Luke
P-Day one day early...
So P-day got moved to today as a result of all the traveling that people have to do tomorrow. Me and Elder De Angelo are staying here, which I´m happy with as there are a couple of baptisms that we have marked for next week that I don´t wanna miss.
This week we got to participate in the “Hands that Help” program. We painted one of the local high schools around here. We were a bit worried that it wouldn´t work out, as the morning of the activity was the coldest that I´ve experienced here yet in Brazil. The other Elders stayed at our house that night, and we all woke up a bit early to jog down to the local bakery to have some “Italian Hot Chocolate”. I dunno if it´s really Italian, but it was the thickest liquid that I had ever drank. It was kinda like someone melted a Hershey´s bar and then put it in a cup for you. Delicious and healthy!
The activity went pretty well, although we didn´t manage to get the whole school painted, and have to return next week for some touch up work. I got one of those vest thingys that you wear, but unfortunately somebody swiped mine.
As for the investigators, nothing too spectacular. Some good ones (people did their reading and showed up at church!), Some interesting ones, (we taught a 15 year old girl yesterday who it seems like has studied and visited almost every church around here. The result is that she is basically a hybrid of every type of person and doctrine that we run into, (If there is a misinterpreted scripture or idea from the Bible, she can quote it and believe it.) so it´ll be interesting as we teach the restored gospel to her. Also, we got to help with an investigator of the other Elders, a 75 year old man named Zeferino who has a tendency to mix Portuguese, Spanish, and a language called Guaranee (not how you spell it) when he talks, making our poor American brains almost explode. The Elders think they have a good chance of baptizing him as soon as he accepts the word of wisdom part. He likes to make his own alcohol in his house, with the justification that people drank wine in the Bible. We´ll see how this turns out, heh heh...
Think that´s it from my neck of the woods.
Until later!
-Me
This week we got to participate in the “Hands that Help” program. We painted one of the local high schools around here. We were a bit worried that it wouldn´t work out, as the morning of the activity was the coldest that I´ve experienced here yet in Brazil. The other Elders stayed at our house that night, and we all woke up a bit early to jog down to the local bakery to have some “Italian Hot Chocolate”. I dunno if it´s really Italian, but it was the thickest liquid that I had ever drank. It was kinda like someone melted a Hershey´s bar and then put it in a cup for you. Delicious and healthy!
The activity went pretty well, although we didn´t manage to get the whole school painted, and have to return next week for some touch up work. I got one of those vest thingys that you wear, but unfortunately somebody swiped mine.
As for the investigators, nothing too spectacular. Some good ones (people did their reading and showed up at church!), Some interesting ones, (we taught a 15 year old girl yesterday who it seems like has studied and visited almost every church around here. The result is that she is basically a hybrid of every type of person and doctrine that we run into, (If there is a misinterpreted scripture or idea from the Bible, she can quote it and believe it.) so it´ll be interesting as we teach the restored gospel to her. Also, we got to help with an investigator of the other Elders, a 75 year old man named Zeferino who has a tendency to mix Portuguese, Spanish, and a language called Guaranee (not how you spell it) when he talks, making our poor American brains almost explode. The Elders think they have a good chance of baptizing him as soon as he accepts the word of wisdom part. He likes to make his own alcohol in his house, with the justification that people drank wine in the Bible. We´ll see how this turns out, heh heh...
Think that´s it from my neck of the woods.
Until later!
-Me
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Hi to Andy Magleby
Today, I was at work on my computer when Luke's email came through. I immediately sent the following to see if Luke was at the other end:
Dad: Are you still there, boy?
Luke: Yep. I am
Dad: Just saw your email... I’m in the office at my computer and thought I could catch you to say Hello. Hope that doesn’t violate any mission rules. Hope you are doing well. The day is bright, here, and has cooled considerably. I believe your mate Andy Magleby will be back in town, tonight. Love you, Dad
Luke: Ha ha, thanks Dad. Yeah, we were just checking our references. I've gotta head out now, but thanks for the message. Say hi to Andy for me when you see him. -Luke
Dad: Are you still there, boy?
Luke: Yep. I am
Dad: Just saw your email... I’m in the office at my computer and thought I could catch you to say Hello. Hope that doesn’t violate any mission rules. Hope you are doing well. The day is bright, here, and has cooled considerably. I believe your mate Andy Magleby will be back in town, tonight. Love you, Dad
Luke: Ha ha, thanks Dad. Yeah, we were just checking our references. I've gotta head out now, but thanks for the message. Say hi to Andy for me when you see him. -Luke
Red Hot Shower Heads
Good to here them Cougars are doing nice and ranked. Right now I´m working with Elder Madsen from the other ward. He´s from Ogden, and a Ute fan so he likes to tell me how ugly my “Y” pillow cases are that Mom sent me. We´ll see how ugly they are come December I guess...
Many ups and downs this week. As usual, it rained pretty hard this past week, and investigators made it to church with varying degrees of difficulty. Our Zone Leaders had a meeting with the Stake President yesterday, and apparently they´ll be dividing my area and putting another companionship here soon. That´ll be helpful, as on our area map on our wall in our house, we´ve divided the area into 7 chunks to help us remember to plan accordingly. (such as not marking one appointment in area 1 and another in area 7, which are about 1hr 30 min apart by foot...).
People who live far out sometimes have a hard time motivating themselves to get up and to church on time. We´re thinking on photocopying that article that they had in the Liahona a couple months back about that Brazilian guy who would walk 25 miles every week to get to church. Maybe that´ll give ém some motivation...
We held a screening of The Testaments for our investigators, and it helped them to realize more that the Book of Mormon was a real thing. Everybody had many questions, including how the Nephites knew about Jerusalem and had the book of Isaiah and stuff like that. We got to bust out 1st Nephi and explain, and now they´re gonna start reading the book from the beginning. Marribe, who has her baptism marked for next week, reads tons and might finish before the baptismal date.
As for misellaneous (I really can´t spell, and this Microsoft word program that I´m using doesn´t speak English, so it can´t help me) items, our shower head is broken, (again) but this time was the coolest. I was showering and the heating part wasn´t working, so I tapped it a few times and then it turned on. But, when I finished showering, the heating part refused to turn off. Then the top plastic part started turning bright red, (and I mean really red, like molten lava colored) something that I didn´t know plastic could do. Thinking quickly, (and maybe not too intelligently) I started whacking the shower head with my hand. (the bottom part that wasn´t red) Long story short, I avoided any burns and managed to save the shower head from exploding. On the bad side, I´m back to taking a nice icy shower every day.
Welp, sáll from me.
-Lukie
Many ups and downs this week. As usual, it rained pretty hard this past week, and investigators made it to church with varying degrees of difficulty. Our Zone Leaders had a meeting with the Stake President yesterday, and apparently they´ll be dividing my area and putting another companionship here soon. That´ll be helpful, as on our area map on our wall in our house, we´ve divided the area into 7 chunks to help us remember to plan accordingly. (such as not marking one appointment in area 1 and another in area 7, which are about 1hr 30 min apart by foot...).
People who live far out sometimes have a hard time motivating themselves to get up and to church on time. We´re thinking on photocopying that article that they had in the Liahona a couple months back about that Brazilian guy who would walk 25 miles every week to get to church. Maybe that´ll give ém some motivation...
We held a screening of The Testaments for our investigators, and it helped them to realize more that the Book of Mormon was a real thing. Everybody had many questions, including how the Nephites knew about Jerusalem and had the book of Isaiah and stuff like that. We got to bust out 1st Nephi and explain, and now they´re gonna start reading the book from the beginning. Marribe, who has her baptism marked for next week, reads tons and might finish before the baptismal date.
As for misellaneous (I really can´t spell, and this Microsoft word program that I´m using doesn´t speak English, so it can´t help me) items, our shower head is broken, (again) but this time was the coolest. I was showering and the heating part wasn´t working, so I tapped it a few times and then it turned on. But, when I finished showering, the heating part refused to turn off. Then the top plastic part started turning bright red, (and I mean really red, like molten lava colored) something that I didn´t know plastic could do. Thinking quickly, (and maybe not too intelligently) I started whacking the shower head with my hand. (the bottom part that wasn´t red) Long story short, I avoided any burns and managed to save the shower head from exploding. On the bad side, I´m back to taking a nice icy shower every day.
Welp, sáll from me.
-Lukie
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