Monday, August 31, 2015

242 days left

So this week has passed by super super fast we have worked lots in Alvorada a neighborhood the farthest one away from us. Its a really white area where its really ready to harvest. We have another family that we are teaching that doesnt have a religion but is "kinda" searching for one so we were the first ones to get to them (take that JWs). We also have a couple youth (18, 19) that went to church on sunday and liked it alot and we marked with them for wednesday to go and teach them so hopefully they will get dunked but we'll see... HOLY WOWOWOWOW Rachel (Gardiner spoke in sacrament meeting) is already 12 wow thats fast!!!!!! wow im old!! 
Yesterday i completed a year and FOUR months with only 7 to go!!! But the mission is a good thing that will help for the rest of my life!!!

-- 
Love Elder Smith



Question
What you gonna do today?
Clean the house cuz its a mess!!!!

How is your family progressing?
The one we found a while ago is starting to slack on going to church and the W.O.W so we go there every now and again to give a lesson but we are focussing on this new family that needs to get married!!

I sent the quilt along...get the other package yet?
Thats neet i got the package a while ago just forgot to say so... woops

Got any pictures to send me? I don't think we have one of your companion or your fake companion.
I havent taken a pic with my REAL comp cuz we hardly have time together

One thing you love about your companion...either one...
Super good at teaching

Have you been collecting good food recipes from people? So you'll have a collection and can cook them or I can? How bout those cheese balls?
Not yet but ill get on that!!!

Hey so this monday i wont be able to get on cuz we have a rule here that all the holidays we have to leave the house at 8 AM and this monday just happens to be a holliday its Brazils independence day so we have to work it instead of celerbrate but on wednesday will be our p-day for this week then it goes back to normal! I dont like it but its what Pres said to do so we gots to do it!! ðŸ˜µðŸ˜’

Monday, August 24, 2015

249 days left

So this week passed by we really did lots!! Im not even going to say anything about my companion cuz we only have worked together a minimum of a day and 2 hours this month... But besides that we are still working with Joamears family but we need to put a goal with them tho stop smoking and drinking coffee!! These are the two major things about Brazil ohh and marriage thats another LITTLE thing about here!! But this week passed by super fast i almost dont see the weeks pass by but i think i find them in the days as the pass!! But for reals we are doing TONS of door knocking im basically a pro at clapping my hands to call people in their homes!! and my feet have calluses on my calisesits super dross imma have to do a pedicure when i get home!! We saw lots of drug trafficking in the neighborhood that we are working and there arent any police that patrol that area!!!! But thats it this week!!!

-- 
Love Elder Smith


questions:
Do you have a return date?
Nopers not yet ;( 

What was your favorite meal this week?
stroganoff de frango 

Who did you eat with? And do you usually eat every meal with a member?
We will always eat with a member unless they cancel and then we go eat with Maria my recent-convert cuz she makes marmitex and the members pay her to feed us. So basically yes we eat with a member everyday!

Favorite thing this week?
We had an activity on thursday and we played a battleship game of our knowlege of the BOM and the last round was general knowlege and i answered a question in English cuz i didnt know how to say it in Poruguese and i got it right cuz the judge knew how to speak English!!

Last time you sent pictures, you sent one of you on a bridge over a river...where is that and what is the river called?  I think I'm going to use that to replace the picture at the top of your blog.  It's perfect.
Its here in Piracicaba its called Rio de Piracicaba but its drying out super fast!! and kinda stinky too!

Monday, August 17, 2015

256 days left...wow again.

Hey so this week was a good one that FLEW by we did lots of work but it seams like so little time has passed!! So we are working with this new family that is super super cool Joamer, Elizangela and Graziele, they are super cool we've been working with them for about 3 weeks but they havent gone to church till yesterday!! But the Dad he is SUPER shy and so its hard to get him to go anywhere!! He's almost like dad like dad just doesnt want to go...hehe. They live in our farthest area away from our house so we either walk there and go an hour earlier or we pay R$3 and get a bus which i prefer walking cuz its a cool walk!! But i swore to myself i will never ever ever again walk 30 Km 18 Miles a day to talk to ppl!!!!! And one thing that im super grateful where i live is the Temple I realized that we are super blessed that we have a temple basically in front of our house so i think that at times we take it for granted that we have one soooo close!! There are ppl here in Brazil that go 27 Hours by Bus to get the Temple and pay up to R$900 which is about $250!!! Its incredible the faith and the desire the ppl have!! Amazing!! I also made a promise to myself that when i get home imma go to the temple at least once a week to help those that cant go with such frequency!!!! Well thats my week!! Love you guys and go to the temple!!!

-- 
Love Elder Smith


Questions
Do you think karinas baptism was your most specialist?
I Think it is!
How old is karina?
23

One thing that would really help a new missionary: Is to really try to understand WHO he really is and what a role he really has as a servant of the lord!! One thing that Pres. Costa the Brazil area Pres. said to us that the biggest thing that missionarys have problems with is to really understanding who they are and what power they have as Priesthood holders!! Another thing is to really act on the Spirit and do it RIGHT when he says to do something!! And when you are teaching a family use the power that god bestowed upon you and use it often!!! Thats one thing i learned this passed couple of weeks. This one dude we taught was super beat up from repeated motorcycle accidents and has had a couple preachers and people from other churches go to his house to say a prayer for him, when he said that i heard a voice in my head that said "we have the power of GOD to heal people USE IT!!!! In that same moment i knew that if we were to give him a blessing that he would be cured that same day!!! I know that really listening to the spirit and acting upon the whispers that he gives it are really important!!! Thats one thing that i need to better as an old missionary so if the new missionaries learn that early they will really have a successful mission!!! Use the power that the lord BESTOWED upon you to BLESS OTHERS!!!!

Monday, August 10, 2015

263 days left

Hey guys so this week was amazing!!! We've been working with Karina for a couple months and last sunday she said that she wanted to get baptised and i told her that we could baptise her on saturday and so on saturday we had a BAPTISM!!!!!!! wohhooo so Karina was Baptised on Saturday! It was a good long two months to wait for her to decide to do this but she finely dicided to do this!! I had asked her if she was going to invite her parents and she said she didnt know if that would be a good idea...but then she called me on friday and said that her parents were coming to the baptism and i kinda got scared cuz her dad is super strong in another church, and he is slightly against ours but then President Canuto came to the baptism and i was really happy that he came and talked with him!! Happy day!!! 

Of course i remember the little birdies i remember i bore my testimony about that remember?? I dont know what about but i remember that i shared that story.


Yea Monica is a member here that her family helps lots with the church and with us in our work!! 

Favorite moment this week?
a mix of Elder Costa coming and the Baptism!!!!

What did they cook for you?
A soup called sopa de Cara i dont really know how to describe it but it was super good!!!


Monday, August 3, 2015

270 days left Coolest email yet!

I don't really need sunscreen its a joke cuz Elder Costa the area President is coming here to give a training on Friday and we need to be ready cuz he is going to come in with some heat!!! He is not a loving kind of guy. He likes things his way and the way of the BOOK nothing changes!!!!!!!!!!!! So it autta be fun to see what he has to say!!! So this week is the week of miracles!!!! We started with NOTHING to start out the transfer cuz we had dropped most of our investigators for a while to see if they can get better or if we can get new ones. But this Sunday really was a Sunday of miracles cuz Karina came to church and after Soc Soc she came to Gospel Principles and she sat next to me and she said "Hey remember that BAPTISM thingy??" and i responded "YES" she said "I think i am ready to change the life im living cuz i dont like it!!!" So then i asked her when she wanted to get BAPTISED and she said "as soon a possible!!" so i said Saturday cuz we still need to teach her algumas coisas so we are meeting with her on tuesday to make all the arrangements for the BAPTISM and things like that!!!!!! This is the COOLEST thing that has happened here as it comes to BAPTISM!!!!Ohh and the best thing is, is that we were Fasting when she said that!!! So that just strengthens my testimony on Fating cuz if we fast with a purpose it works!!!!!!! So Saturday will be her BAPTISM!!!! The second miracle on this day was that Irmão Buzzato he is SUPER rich and goes to the states frequently so this time we ate lunch at his house and for dessert he pulls out Ice Cream and Peanut Butter M&M's and when i saw those M&M's i freaked out I love them!!!!!!
Well that was my week not much of details but thats the miracles of the week!!!
Love Elder Smith  hey Fat Lard tots a fat joke

​questions:
 
Ok, just think of something that you wished you'd known before coming out.  or that you had been more prepared to do?  just something for a new missionary.  ​
Dont be dumb with your studies cuz the more you study the more you can teach with the spirit the more ppl you can convert!! Or just flirt to convert... your choice
 
What you doing today?
 Prolly gunna sleep dunno prolly gunna fly some kites
 
Who cuts your hair now?
 Irmã cida has a hair school and so we get it cut by the students
 
Best thing this week?
 Miracle of Karina
 
How do you like your new companion? 
 IDK cuz we havent worked together at all this whole week and prolly the coming week!!
 
How do you like your fake (other zl companion) companion?
Hes cool so its the Assistants not the ZLs

Dads questions:
Do you think you'll be in Piracicaba for many more transfers?
i think so but im not sure cuz itll be my 4th transfer if i stay and thats a lotta time
 
Can you send back some more pictures?? we're running dry!
Yea ill send some now!!