"This week was tough, but we're happy!
The mission broke a record. We got the highest number of baptisms for one week in the last 10 years. The mission as a whole baptized 69 people!
Friday we have transfers, but it doesn't look like much is going to change in the whole mission. We're afraid that Elder Clark will get transferred (to be assistant) but we think that everyone else will stay put.
Today has already been great. We had breakfast at a member's house in the other ward and he made pancakes with the Krusteaz stuff you sent me. He just got back from vacation in the US so he's rich. He made pancakes and scrambled eggs and bacon. I used the last of the Lawford's Maple Cream Syrup which is considered by all of us to be the best maple syrup on the face of the planet!
Saturday Elder Clark's ward had a baptism and we helped. We sang with Elder Clark and Elder Bradford in a choir for the special musical number. Out of the 17 baptisms marked between the two of us, only that one happened...sad huh! But, oh well, we did our part, this I know.
Last Thursday, we prepared an inspired lesson about the priesthood for Antonio, Roseli, and Jader. When we walked in, the first thing she said to us was that it would be our last visit! Even before we got to the baptismal invite, she said that she was certain that she would never get baptized in our church, EVEN THOUGH she knows that everything we taught is true. So, we taught and bore testimony and personal experiences and invited them all to be baptized. They rejected, but in the closing prayer we felt the greatest sense of peace. We felt the Holy Ghost confirm to us with power that we had done all that was required of us, and that their future was in the hands of the Lord.
I also felt a peace similar to that as I looked at the roses in our neighbor's yard. I remember the garden that we have and feel like I can comprehend the perfection of God. The mission is pretty good!
I'm happy and love you all.
Elder Christian
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Oy Veh!
"Oi familia,
First, I want to say that almost all of the baptisms fell through. We still have one marked for this Saturday, but he has real Word of Wisdom problems that we're working on, but he'll get over them. They fell through because they didn't go to church. I was so excited. We were finally seeing some major results from all our hard work, but then they all went away. I know this is just a trial of our faith, and it's impossible for me to stop working so we continue, enduring to the end.
Last night we taught Antonio, Roseli, and Jader and invited them to be baptized. We taught them an inspired lesson about the priesthood and bore powerful testimony. The spirit was there. She rejected even before I could invite her, but I still invited them and they rejected. We said the final prayer and in the prayer Elder Nodal and I both felt an overwhelming peace
and we knew that we had fulfilled our purpose with them. Afterwards, I bore testimony of the Savior in a way that I felt to be as powerful and personal as the testimony of Pres. Castro Deus. It's hard to describe, but it was a powerful confirmation.
Our zone leaders (with whom we live) are going to get a washing machine! That's exciting!
We're going to carve jack-o-lanterns today...out of watermelons! I got your Halloween package and it was amazing. You really put a lot of work into that package and we all appreciate it. Everyone is amazed at how well you pack the packages.
Dad, everyone here says Obama is winning...uh oh!
I noticed something alarming...my credit card says it expires this month. That is weird because I've only had it for one year, but maybe you should check that out. I drew out a whole bunch of money because the rate is super good...almost 2.5 to one. So, I have that as backup, but I know I can get by on just my mission money for awhile. You might want to call the bank.
I don't know what more to say than we are working hard, always, and that I know this is the work of God. I know that Jesus Christ lives and is my Savior. I love Him and I love you all. Ate mais!
Elder Christian
First, I want to say that almost all of the baptisms fell through. We still have one marked for this Saturday, but he has real Word of Wisdom problems that we're working on, but he'll get over them. They fell through because they didn't go to church. I was so excited. We were finally seeing some major results from all our hard work, but then they all went away. I know this is just a trial of our faith, and it's impossible for me to stop working so we continue, enduring to the end.
Last night we taught Antonio, Roseli, and Jader and invited them to be baptized. We taught them an inspired lesson about the priesthood and bore powerful testimony. The spirit was there. She rejected even before I could invite her, but I still invited them and they rejected. We said the final prayer and in the prayer Elder Nodal and I both felt an overwhelming peace
and we knew that we had fulfilled our purpose with them. Afterwards, I bore testimony of the Savior in a way that I felt to be as powerful and personal as the testimony of Pres. Castro Deus. It's hard to describe, but it was a powerful confirmation.
Our zone leaders (with whom we live) are going to get a washing machine! That's exciting!
We're going to carve jack-o-lanterns today...out of watermelons! I got your Halloween package and it was amazing. You really put a lot of work into that package and we all appreciate it. Everyone is amazed at how well you pack the packages.
Dad, everyone here says Obama is winning...uh oh!
I noticed something alarming...my credit card says it expires this month. That is weird because I've only had it for one year, but maybe you should check that out. I drew out a whole bunch of money because the rate is super good...almost 2.5 to one. So, I have that as backup, but I know I can get by on just my mission money for awhile. You might want to call the bank.
I don't know what more to say than we are working hard, always, and that I know this is the work of God. I know that Jesus Christ lives and is my Savior. I love Him and I love you all. Ate mais!
Elder Christian
Thursday, October 16, 2008
9 + 8 = 17
"Oi!
This has been an exciting week! We've worked hard and are doing very well. Let me remind you of the standard that we are trying to meet:
10 investigators in church
12 lessons with members
14 new investigators
This past week we reached:
3 investigators in church
13 lessons with members
17 new investigators
Along with another 18 lessons ourselves, that makes 31 lessons total. This sure isn't Germany, is it Dad?
Something amazing happened as well, which I'm still not quite believing. We found a family of seven, five of whom are 8 or older. We taught them the first lesson and less than half a second after we invited them to be baptized on October 25th, the eight year old son shouted "I will!" Then we went around the room and all five committed to be baptized. I'm still shocked by it all! They didn't go to church Sunday, so they'll have to be baptized on the 26th after church, and we haven't been able to talk with them all together again, but we've talked with a couple of the sons and the mom and each time they've said they're excited to be baptized. We're praying that this comes through. Their names are Damiro, Raimunda, Benicio, Pablinho, Fabrico, Milena, and Andre. Please put their names in the temple. I think that I'm so shocked that this has happened that we need a bunch more people to excercise their faith too!
We also have a baptism of an old investigator, Aparacido. He has been having a tough time overcoming smoking, alcohol, and coffee. He will be baptized on the 25th as well. Antonio, Roseli, and Jader are also marked for the 25th, but Roseli freaked out when she went to church. She thinks she's too poor and that everyone looks down on her and doesn't accept her. And now she won't give up coffee to save her life, but she know this is all true. She's just acting like a spoiled little child in response to their father. She'll come around, especially after Antonio and Jader get baptized.
So in total, October 25th, 2008 we plan to baptize nine people!!! The zone leaders also have eight people marked for that day. Can you imagine 17 people being baptized in one meeting! Nossa! I just really want this to happen. The ward has been really animated as they've heard about this.
We had interviews with Pres. Castro Deus on Monday and he is really happy with our work. One thing he always says in my interviews is, 'Elder Larsen, your companion really likes you.' That always makes me happy. And today in the leadership meeting he told Elder Clark that he really wants us to baptize, because 'they deserve it.' I'm super happy. This has been a good week.
I love you and am happy. I know this is the Lord's work.
Elder Christian
This has been an exciting week! We've worked hard and are doing very well. Let me remind you of the standard that we are trying to meet:
10 investigators in church
12 lessons with members
14 new investigators
This past week we reached:
3 investigators in church
13 lessons with members
17 new investigators
Along with another 18 lessons ourselves, that makes 31 lessons total. This sure isn't Germany, is it Dad?
Something amazing happened as well, which I'm still not quite believing. We found a family of seven, five of whom are 8 or older. We taught them the first lesson and less than half a second after we invited them to be baptized on October 25th, the eight year old son shouted "I will!" Then we went around the room and all five committed to be baptized. I'm still shocked by it all! They didn't go to church Sunday, so they'll have to be baptized on the 26th after church, and we haven't been able to talk with them all together again, but we've talked with a couple of the sons and the mom and each time they've said they're excited to be baptized. We're praying that this comes through. Their names are Damiro, Raimunda, Benicio, Pablinho, Fabrico, Milena, and Andre. Please put their names in the temple. I think that I'm so shocked that this has happened that we need a bunch more people to excercise their faith too!
We also have a baptism of an old investigator, Aparacido. He has been having a tough time overcoming smoking, alcohol, and coffee. He will be baptized on the 25th as well. Antonio, Roseli, and Jader are also marked for the 25th, but Roseli freaked out when she went to church. She thinks she's too poor and that everyone looks down on her and doesn't accept her. And now she won't give up coffee to save her life, but she know this is all true. She's just acting like a spoiled little child in response to their father. She'll come around, especially after Antonio and Jader get baptized.
So in total, October 25th, 2008 we plan to baptize nine people!!! The zone leaders also have eight people marked for that day. Can you imagine 17 people being baptized in one meeting! Nossa! I just really want this to happen. The ward has been really animated as they've heard about this.
We had interviews with Pres. Castro Deus on Monday and he is really happy with our work. One thing he always says in my interviews is, 'Elder Larsen, your companion really likes you.' That always makes me happy. And today in the leadership meeting he told Elder Clark that he really wants us to baptize, because 'they deserve it.' I'm super happy. This has been a good week.
I love you and am happy. I know this is the Lord's work.
Elder Christian
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Ten Investigators at Conference
"Oi!
We just got back from the temple and the mission office. Holy cow, those were some heavy packages! lol!
This week has been nuts. Conference was amazing. I got to watch all five sessions in English. The best was priesthood. I enjoyed all of Pres. Uchtdorf's talks and I don't know how, but Pres. Eyring's talks always are directed to me, without fail. You should have seen our faces when Pres. Monson announced the Italy Rome temple. The four of us were astonished! That is so cool!
We were able to take 10 investigators to watch conference this past weekend. I was really proud of that. I didn't realize that we had 10 until Monday night when we ran into Aparacida and she told us that Luiz and Eduardo went to the priesthood session Saturday night.
Our district leader has been worried that we haven't been able to mark any baptisms for awhile, so he did a training on the baptismal invitation and called us to practice first . In that practice I felt the spirit as strong as I've ever felt here in my mission. That was a powerful testimony to me that we are doing very well and doing things right. We are working hard, everything will happen in the time of the Lord. We have marked one family to be baptized on the 18th...Antonio, Roseli, and Jader. They are awesome. We just met them and they went to church the first week we invited them and they know this is true.
The exciting thing this week is Elder Bradford's old area. They baptized 11 this past Saturday. Dad, can you imagine that ever happening in Germany! Eleven people in one baptismal service!
I read the email from Casey about casting out evil spirits...that's intense. I read it aloud to everyone in our house. Up north in Brazil they have a lot of problems with that kind of stuff. I've heard of it here in our mission, too, but it's not nearly as common.
Well, I'm sure tired. I'm going to go home and rest and do laundry before pday ends. I love you all. Tschau! Tschau!
Elder Christian
We just got back from the temple and the mission office. Holy cow, those were some heavy packages! lol!
This week has been nuts. Conference was amazing. I got to watch all five sessions in English. The best was priesthood. I enjoyed all of Pres. Uchtdorf's talks and I don't know how, but Pres. Eyring's talks always are directed to me, without fail. You should have seen our faces when Pres. Monson announced the Italy Rome temple. The four of us were astonished! That is so cool!
We were able to take 10 investigators to watch conference this past weekend. I was really proud of that. I didn't realize that we had 10 until Monday night when we ran into Aparacida and she told us that Luiz and Eduardo went to the priesthood session Saturday night.
Our district leader has been worried that we haven't been able to mark any baptisms for awhile, so he did a training on the baptismal invitation and called us to practice first . In that practice I felt the spirit as strong as I've ever felt here in my mission. That was a powerful testimony to me that we are doing very well and doing things right. We are working hard, everything will happen in the time of the Lord. We have marked one family to be baptized on the 18th...Antonio, Roseli, and Jader. They are awesome. We just met them and they went to church the first week we invited them and they know this is true.
The exciting thing this week is Elder Bradford's old area. They baptized 11 this past Saturday. Dad, can you imagine that ever happening in Germany! Eleven people in one baptismal service!
I read the email from Casey about casting out evil spirits...that's intense. I read it aloud to everyone in our house. Up north in Brazil they have a lot of problems with that kind of stuff. I've heard of it here in our mission, too, but it's not nearly as common.
Well, I'm sure tired. I'm going to go home and rest and do laundry before pday ends. I love you all. Tschau! Tschau!
Elder Christian
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Parrot Poop and Motab Hymns!!
"Oi!
This week has been good...this last weekend in particular. These past few weeks were slow until Friday. We just dropped everything and walked our entire area teaching two minute lessons on the Restoration to anyone we saw. We marked appointments for this entire week and we've found some good families. One family is really good. They are really needy though, but that makes them humble. Their names are Antonio, Roseli, and a son Jader. We will also return to a family today and I hope all goes well. We taught the wife the first lesson and we'll teach the husband tonight. I pray that works out because they really are a good family. What may impede them is that she works on Sunday. Their names are Gilmar and Luiana.
Here is some other good news! Joao Batista came to church on Sunday!!! I expect he'll also come to at least one session of conference too! He is wonderful. His wife and daughter are still resisting to be taught, but he is firm.
Some more good news...remember Aparacida, whom Elder Hancock and I baptized. Well, her oldest son, Eduardo, has started coming to church! I was blown away when I saw him there. That is a good sign! We can only teach him on weekends, but I bet he'll go to conference and then we'll invite him to be baptized along with his dad, Luiz, who continues to go to church. I bet, if Eduardo gets baptized, Luiz will also and that family will be complete and will be able to be sealed in the temple in one year.
We had a Church Exhibition on the Square on Saturday. We set up a huge banner that we used in the open house and we had the four of us missionaries and about five members giving out cards and questioning people about their beliefs and whether they'd like a visit from the missionaries. We got about 30 references from that...some have already fallen through, but it was a good activity. We gave out almost 500 pass along cards, some of which I'm sure will turn into references. During the activity I got pooped on by a wild parrot. I didn't like the poop, but I thought it was cool that it was a wild parrot!!!
Speaking about parrots, have I told you about our parrot next door? He can whistle the Brazilian National Anthem and is learning the MoTab Hymns now!
We are SUPER excited for conference. There is nothing better than this! We'll get to watch everything in English, and we'll even get to watch it here in Vinhedo. We would normally have to go to the stake center in Itatiba which is a pain in the butt! But we can watch it here now.
I realized that I was close to the year mark, but I didn't realize how close until you said it was only 6 weeks away! NOSSA! Time has flown by and continues to fly!
We're working really really hard and we're happy. I love you."
Elder Christian.
This week has been good...this last weekend in particular. These past few weeks were slow until Friday. We just dropped everything and walked our entire area teaching two minute lessons on the Restoration to anyone we saw. We marked appointments for this entire week and we've found some good families. One family is really good. They are really needy though, but that makes them humble. Their names are Antonio, Roseli, and a son Jader. We will also return to a family today and I hope all goes well. We taught the wife the first lesson and we'll teach the husband tonight. I pray that works out because they really are a good family. What may impede them is that she works on Sunday. Their names are Gilmar and Luiana.
Here is some other good news! Joao Batista came to church on Sunday!!! I expect he'll also come to at least one session of conference too! He is wonderful. His wife and daughter are still resisting to be taught, but he is firm.
Some more good news...remember Aparacida, whom Elder Hancock and I baptized. Well, her oldest son, Eduardo, has started coming to church! I was blown away when I saw him there. That is a good sign! We can only teach him on weekends, but I bet he'll go to conference and then we'll invite him to be baptized along with his dad, Luiz, who continues to go to church. I bet, if Eduardo gets baptized, Luiz will also and that family will be complete and will be able to be sealed in the temple in one year.
We had a Church Exhibition on the Square on Saturday. We set up a huge banner that we used in the open house and we had the four of us missionaries and about five members giving out cards and questioning people about their beliefs and whether they'd like a visit from the missionaries. We got about 30 references from that...some have already fallen through, but it was a good activity. We gave out almost 500 pass along cards, some of which I'm sure will turn into references. During the activity I got pooped on by a wild parrot. I didn't like the poop, but I thought it was cool that it was a wild parrot!!!
Speaking about parrots, have I told you about our parrot next door? He can whistle the Brazilian National Anthem and is learning the MoTab Hymns now!
We are SUPER excited for conference. There is nothing better than this! We'll get to watch everything in English, and we'll even get to watch it here in Vinhedo. We would normally have to go to the stake center in Itatiba which is a pain in the butt! But we can watch it here now.
I realized that I was close to the year mark, but I didn't realize how close until you said it was only 6 weeks away! NOSSA! Time has flown by and continues to fly!
We're working really really hard and we're happy. I love you."
Elder Christian.
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