Elder Benson and Elder Larsen at zone conference
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Teaching and Understanding
"I heard about President Hinckley's death Monday at our district meeting. It makes me sad. I will miss him especially because he is practically the only prophet I've ever known. I know that President Monson is called of God and will lead the church further than we can imagine right now.
As for teaching experiences, that's all we've been doing. We've taught 22 lessons (in two weeks), most about the restoration, but a few about the plan of salvation. My companion, Elder Miranda, says that we should hope to be teaching more. I have taught half and he has taught half at each lesson. I can see progress in my Portuguese. I am slowly beginning to understand others and can respond simply. We have one investigator, named Hugo, that we are particularly excited about. We are pretty sure we will baptise him. There are at least two other families that I am hopeful about. For your information, I've played the piano at every meeting.
The weather is cool, overcast, and rainy off and on. My comp says this started the very day I arrived and hasn't let up since. We really think that the Lord is blessing us with the weather I want because I am here. I am SO SO grateful for this weather, because otherwise it would be extremely hot! I really hope that it keeps up.
Thank you for everything and especially all your prayers. I'm grateful for all the letters. Please everybody, keep writing. I get my mail once every three weeks, so write lots!
Eu te Amo, Christian
As for teaching experiences, that's all we've been doing. We've taught 22 lessons (in two weeks), most about the restoration, but a few about the plan of salvation. My companion, Elder Miranda, says that we should hope to be teaching more. I have taught half and he has taught half at each lesson. I can see progress in my Portuguese. I am slowly beginning to understand others and can respond simply. We have one investigator, named Hugo, that we are particularly excited about. We are pretty sure we will baptise him. There are at least two other families that I am hopeful about. For your information, I've played the piano at every meeting.
The weather is cool, overcast, and rainy off and on. My comp says this started the very day I arrived and hasn't let up since. We really think that the Lord is blessing us with the weather I want because I am here. I am SO SO grateful for this weather, because otherwise it would be extremely hot! I really hope that it keeps up.
Thank you for everything and especially all your prayers. I'm grateful for all the letters. Please everybody, keep writing. I get my mail once every three weeks, so write lots!
Eu te Amo, Christian
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Adapting to Real Missionary Work
"Honestly, this has been one of the hardest, longest weeks ever! The spirit has been SO STRONG constantly. I haven't adapted to missionary WORK yet. Saturday we did a service project with the elders quorum here in the Campo Grande Ward and it was to repair a cement roof for one of the members. We were hauling buckets of cement back and forth and I had trouble keeping up with the Brazilians who have had to do this stuff all their lives. But I'm getting better.
Sunday I had to speak in church--in Portuguese! Holy Cow! I stumbled through that short talk. I also had to accompany the hymns on a rickety old organ. I will have to do that every week and this coming week I have to accompany the choir! It's fun, but I wish I had a piano. My companion said that the ward really loves me a lot. I was surprised when he said this, because I really can't tell what they think of me because I don't speak Portuguese. But he says that they really, really, really love me. I am grateful for that because I love them too. They are all so nice and generous.
I haven't gone hungry at all, even though I haven't eaten breakfast or dinner at all, but yesterday I dragged my companion to the supermarket to get cereal because I wanted breakfast. I want to try to make scrambled eggs, but I don't dare cook anything. We are fed lunch by the members every single day. They feed us a lot and I eat a lot. I think I've eaten much more out here in the field than in my whole life.
We live in a small, run down, drab apartment. But it's ok. I've gotten used to it. At first I was disappointed, but we only study and sleep there so it's not a big deal. There are VERY FEW nice homes here in Brazil. One thing I've noticed is that our streets in Bountiful might as well be lined with gold. The streets here are so poorly maintained and so dirty, and the buildings so ugly and covered in graffiti. I shouldn't write anything negative about my area, but this is just to give you an idea of what it is like. The countryside is so beautiful, however. I am not in the big city of Campinas. I am in the Campo Grande region near Campinas and there is lush countryside all around us.
Thank you and I love you all.
Sunday I had to speak in church--in Portuguese! Holy Cow! I stumbled through that short talk. I also had to accompany the hymns on a rickety old organ. I will have to do that every week and this coming week I have to accompany the choir! It's fun, but I wish I had a piano. My companion said that the ward really loves me a lot. I was surprised when he said this, because I really can't tell what they think of me because I don't speak Portuguese. But he says that they really, really, really love me. I am grateful for that because I love them too. They are all so nice and generous.
I haven't gone hungry at all, even though I haven't eaten breakfast or dinner at all, but yesterday I dragged my companion to the supermarket to get cereal because I wanted breakfast. I want to try to make scrambled eggs, but I don't dare cook anything. We are fed lunch by the members every single day. They feed us a lot and I eat a lot. I think I've eaten much more out here in the field than in my whole life.
We live in a small, run down, drab apartment. But it's ok. I've gotten used to it. At first I was disappointed, but we only study and sleep there so it's not a big deal. There are VERY FEW nice homes here in Brazil. One thing I've noticed is that our streets in Bountiful might as well be lined with gold. The streets here are so poorly maintained and so dirty, and the buildings so ugly and covered in graffiti. I shouldn't write anything negative about my area, but this is just to give you an idea of what it is like. The countryside is so beautiful, however. I am not in the big city of Campinas. I am in the Campo Grande region near Campinas and there is lush countryside all around us.
Thank you and I love you all.
A Look Back At Christmas 2007
Back row: Elders Page, Hahne, Brewer, Heimuli. Center: Elder Larsen, Pres. Tanner, Sisters Tanner & Cardon, Pres. Cardon, Elders Moura, Benson. Front: Sisters Kitchen, Jones, Pierce.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The Road to Campinas
"I just arrived in Campinas today and p-day ends in a minute so this is really short. Sorry!
My companion is fantastic! He used to be a zone leader and he and I are opening an area that hasn't had missionaries for over a year. I am kinda surprised that they would assign a greenie to open an area. It seems like a privilege and a lot of responsibility and work. I am excited!
I feel good! I am not worried about anything. I am excited to be out in the field. My president is amazing! He interviewed me and it was almost completely in portuguese. He asked me if I had a testimony of the Savior and to tell him about that. Then he said that I had a strong spirit and he knows that I will baptize many, many people. They want us to baptize every week and teach the first lesson twice a day. Last month there were 170 baptisms and the average is 140.
I am happy here! I love you all. Tchau!
My companion is fantastic! He used to be a zone leader and he and I are opening an area that hasn't had missionaries for over a year. I am kinda surprised that they would assign a greenie to open an area. It seems like a privilege and a lot of responsibility and work. I am excited!
I feel good! I am not worried about anything. I am excited to be out in the field. My president is amazing! He interviewed me and it was almost completely in portuguese. He asked me if I had a testimony of the Savior and to tell him about that. Then he said that I had a strong spirit and he knows that I will baptize many, many people. They want us to baptize every week and teach the first lesson twice a day. Last month there were 170 baptisms and the average is 140.
I am happy here! I love you all. Tchau!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
A Tale of Two Temples
Last week the internet ate his e-mail so we only got a couple of paragraphs. He reported, "for bad luck! I just wrote the longest email of my life and the internet died on me.... so I don't have any more time left. But today my district got to go to the Campinas temple! How exciting! It is really beautiful and impressive. Neither (the Sao Paulo or Campinas) is as big or impressive as the SLC or Bountiful temples, but this has been by far the best. Afterwards we walked to the back of the temple and saw the city of Campinas spread out in front of us and we were very impressed and those of us who are going there were excited to be assigned there."
This weeks' email avoided being eaten by the internet:
"Today was amazing. I've had an amazing week. Today we went to the Sao Paulo temple and guess what? I ran into Kirk Simmonds! (for those not acquainted, Elder Simmonds is from our same stake, assigned to a Sao Paulo mission). I was sooooo excited! Actually he saw me before I saw him and he ran up to me and was like 'ELDER LARSEN' and he was smiling and happy to see me. We talked for a long time and then again for a few minutes after the temple. He is doing great and is a real humble and powerful missionary. He had a lot of good advice and we were so happy to see each other.
Yesterday our Brazilian roommates left. We were all very sad about that because we love them, but we are going to write to each other. They only have to stay in the MTC for 19 days because they don't learn english like we learn portuguese. Sister Kitchen left for her mission, too. The trio of sisters is now a duo. Our district is so lucky to have sisters. There are so few and we have three! I really don't know what we would do without them.
I'm so excited to go out to the field. I am not worried about the language. I've just accepted that I can only speak a little right now and I know that I will improve immensely in the field."
This weeks' email avoided being eaten by the internet:
"Today was amazing. I've had an amazing week. Today we went to the Sao Paulo temple and guess what? I ran into Kirk Simmonds! (for those not acquainted, Elder Simmonds is from our same stake, assigned to a Sao Paulo mission). I was sooooo excited! Actually he saw me before I saw him and he ran up to me and was like 'ELDER LARSEN' and he was smiling and happy to see me. We talked for a long time and then again for a few minutes after the temple. He is doing great and is a real humble and powerful missionary. He had a lot of good advice and we were so happy to see each other.
Yesterday our Brazilian roommates left. We were all very sad about that because we love them, but we are going to write to each other. They only have to stay in the MTC for 19 days because they don't learn english like we learn portuguese. Sister Kitchen left for her mission, too. The trio of sisters is now a duo. Our district is so lucky to have sisters. There are so few and we have three! I really don't know what we would do without them.
I'm so excited to go out to the field. I am not worried about the language. I've just accepted that I can only speak a little right now and I know that I will improve immensely in the field."
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