Week 8

Jacob is on count down now. One week from today he will be in Vitoria, which is were he will serve. Don't forget to start sending any letters to the mission office. He will only be able to get his mail once a month unless he is close to the Mission office. He will need letters more than anything now. The work will be trying and there won't be as many missionaries around, of course he will always have a missionary companion with his all the time but that isn't the same as hearing for friends and family.
Enjoy!

Oi Tudo mundo~

It's my last P-Day in Sao Paulo. By this time next week, I'll be in Vitoria. <3

Eu so muito animado! I am very excited. ^_^

This last week has been very exciting. Elder Johnson and I went proselyting for the first time yesterday. We tracked the streets for about 4 hours, and passed out 3 Book of Mormons. ;D very tiring experience, but good overall. Totally wore me out.

This week has also been a week for goodbyes. I said goodbye to my Brazilian roommates, Do Vale and Moriria.

I also said good bye to Elder Jacob Earl, who was in the Prescott YSA with me. He's off to Salvador Sul mission! Good guy, and I'll miss him.

I also said goodbye to Sister Ferrin, and  her companion Sister Wooten. 2 very sweet girls, and very wonderful missionaries.

And, I said goodbye to the Sao Paulo Temple. I'm going to miss it. All the Brazilian Crystals in lights were beautiful.

Portuguese is coming along. Not as much as I would like, but I know enough to look confused when someone opens their mouth. I have a lot of trouble understanding, because there are so many different accents and dialects just in Sao Paulo. But, I have a goal to be fluent in Portuguese by February.

I so got this. :D

Teaching has been very discouraging. We were unable to baptize Regina before we leave. and Igor has gone back to hating god, and has stopped reading the scriptures. Very sad week in that respect.

And, to top it all off,  We've all gone crazy! I just bought 2 litters of a Brazilian soda called Guarina. Its delicious. :D

Anywho~

Not much else going on!

Remember to use my Vitoria address from now on. <3

I LOVE ALL OF YOU. <3

I don't know when I can next be able to email, so look out for me!

Vitoria, here I come!

~ Elder Vester

Week 7

They will be going to Vitoria! Elder's Vester, Oborn, Marlette & Sis. Tychsen

So glad that Elder Vester is enjoying his mission. Two weeks from today he heads to Victoria.
Here is this week's post. Enjoy!

oi tudos povos!

Tudo bem?

This week has been super laid back. Nothing crazy happened. In fact, there was a car wreck I just witnessed out front of the CTM.

Dead things were everywhere. ;D Just a fender bender.

Well! This last week Brazil switched to Summer Time, so I am an hour farther ahead then everyone again.

That means 5 hours between me, and Arizona. lul.

I've officially hit Stir crazy in the CTM. I just bought a Hello Kitty Headband to wear to Gym, because I am the manliest man ever.

I also picked up some cute little Brazilian style headbands for my nieces.

 This week was wonderful for teaching!

Elder Johnson and I were able to commit Regina to Baptism!

And my Atheist Investigator?

He's now reading the book of Mormon, and praying. He's got some pretty hard struggles in his life, and through the spirit, and testimonies, we were able to teach him that God truly loves, and knows us, and that his Son atoned for us, and knows how we feel at every moment of our lives, and can lift us up when nothing else can. The Gospel is truly amazing!

Nothing else really to report. My Portuguese is coming along much better. I was able to have a good 5 minute conversation with a woman who runs a local Yarn Shop. Super nice lady, with a very northern accent. I'm excited to learn how to understand it better. :D

Nothing could be better! (Except maybe the food, and having totally clean clothes....) But all is well. <3

Brazil is beautiful, and rainy today. <3 The temple is beautiful, as normal, and I am sad that next week will be the last chance I have to go to it. ;3;

But! We're going to baptize so many people in Vitoria, that the church will build a new temple, in Vitoria!

At least, I hope. <3

Till next week you pretty people. <3

~ Elder Vester

Just a reminder,  It takes about 2 weeks for mail to get here sometimes, (in fact, I got a letter from a month ago this week.) So, please make sure to start sending letters to my Vitoria address!
Tchau~

This person made Jacob's new scripture case.

What a life! The courtyard at the CTM

Courtyard ~ he loves the plants

View from Jacob's room on a stormy night!

This is the computer lab where he spends a lot of time.

Saying good bye to Elder Webber with Elder Vester and Elder Johnson in the back.

Week 6

Jacob's Dad treated him to a Pizza party. This is Elder Vester enjoying his pizza, cookies and pop outside of the CTM. He looks good!

 Don't forget to start using Jacob's mission address to write him letters!

I've forgotten what week it is.... Day 42 or something like that.

Hello everyone!

Things have been wonderful on this side of the globe.

It's been a very crazy week weather wise. I've had rain, cold, and very hot all within this last week. The rain is sometimes a little icky because of the mass amounts of pollution, but all is well. Everyone loves the rain.

It's been a very slow week with teaching. Igor is very very hard to teach. He is an atheist who goes out and parties every weekend, and does not see a need to have any kind of religion....

And Regina is slowly progressing.

But, a quick update on life.

I have about 2 weeks left here in the CTM, so mail will not longer reach me at this address.

As of this email, please check my facebook for my mailing address in Vitoria. <3

I owe a few of you an apology. I forgot to add a few people to my email contacts when I left, and I just added them today. Sorry. ;a;

But, All is well in the CTM!

I went and took some pictures in the courtyard of the CTM, and around the CTM so you can see where I've been trapped for so long. :D

It's been an awesome week for testimony building. I've had my patience, and forgiveness tried many many times, this week. And I've grown a lot. The Savior truly loves us, and knows each of us. He knows our pain, our sorrows, sufferings, and trials. But he also knows our strengths,  joys, and everything wonderful.

He's reminded me of how blessed I am many times this week.

I am truly grateful for families, and for the Gospel. I know without both, I would be lost, angry, and unhappy. The Gospel brings me so much joy in my life that I could explode!

I love everything!

Its so wonderful. <3

And to end on a Random note, Pokemon Toys and ECT are very cheep down here.

I'm all kinds of excited for that. asdfghjkl;

Yes.

To everyone, know that I love you, and miss you.

I think of each and every single one of you almost every day.

Stay Strong, and live, laugh, love, and do as Christ would do.

Much Love, and Many Prayers.

~ Elder Vester

Week 5

Two the the Elders are on their way to their Mission!

Great letter from Elder Vester, along with a few pictures. He is doing so well.

Hello everyone!

Not much of an exciting week for me. Or is it?

Regina is still giving elder Johnson and I a lot of trouble. We're doing our best to teach, but we have such limited Portuguese. You would think we could have converted her after 5 weeks or whatever. lol But I can feel my language skills growing every day. I love it. :D

I do have a small confession to make. Alexandre, and Regina are actually my teachers, role-playing as actual investigators they had. Alexandre, turned out to be Alexrandra, and all of us were relieved to know she was baptized. None of us seemed to get through to her, but we all learned from it.

Starting tomorrow, we teach Igor. :D

TRC has been going well. We did that lesson without a script, and it was wonderful. The sister's knew a lot more Portuguese then Johnson and I did, and they really helped us with pronouncing words and ect~

AND CONFERNCIA GENERIAL. OH SUMBEMPA. <3 YES.

MISSIONARY EXCITEMENT NO JUTSU!

I really got a lot out of this last general conference. Down here, because of the time difference, the morning sessions were at 1, and the afternoon at 5. The priesthood session was recorded, and replayed for us at 9 Sunday morning. Such a richness of spiritual knowledge in such a short time.

If any of you missed any of the sessions, i would really recommend reading them in the next Ensigns.

The Lord truly loves us, and wants nothing but the best for us. <3 This, I know with my whole heart.

I wish everyone well

Ate Mais manlha.

~ Elder Vester

Everyone arriving at Sao Paulo airport

A Brazilian sunset from Jacob's room. Big city!

This is sooo Jacob

I received an e-mail from David that he received from his friend Nicole. As it turns out Nicole has a family friend, Emily, that is at the CTM in Sao Paulo, where Jacob is at right now. 

So now here's the rest of the story:

(SUNDAY) Today Elder Vester (from Arizona) complemented the dress I was wearing. It is my blue and turquoise drop waist dress that Mom helped me make before the mission. I said "Thank you! I made it myself with help from my Mom!" He looked surprised and said "No Way!" Really?" then it was my turn to be surprised because he asked me if I use the Simplicity or Butterick patterns. That's when I found out that he sews too. It was really coool! We talked all lunch. I'm kinda sad I didn't do more sewing before my mission. ...............

(TUESDAY) Today I had a moment of realization. On Sunday Elder Vester (the one from Arizona) showed me some of the clothes and costumes he has sewn. He's really into Jap-anese Anime and clothing. It really showed through in his pictures. Then I started thinking some of his pictures looked familiar.

Back Story: Before my mission Nicole Baker sent me a message on facebook, with a friend suggestion, for a Jacob Vester.  He was also going on a mission to Brazil and she knew him. So I messaged him and we talked for a few messages about how we were excited to be going to Brazil. Then we dropped it and forgot about each other because we assumed we wouldn't be at the CTM at the same time.

Back to Tuesday: Today it all clicked in my head. This Elder Vester was probably the same Jacob Vester from before my mission on facebook. We had met each other before the mission! But I didn't want to be wrong and embarrass myself so I decided to confirm it. Later in Lunch he sat near me. We started talking and I told him I had some questions for him. I asked if he knew any Bakers. He listed a David or something so I asked specifically about Nicole. He was so excited! It was really funny because by now his eyes were as huge as saucers! Then I asked him if "A random girl messaged him on facebook before his mission and said she knew Nicole and was going to Brazil too?" The moment he made the connection was priceless. "Oh my goodness! That was YOU?" It was great because his mind was blown. He totally didn't' see it coming. We high-fived. (That's how I learned it's against the rules to high five Elders if you're a sister.) Apparently we were loud too because everyone started asking what just happened. All Elder Vester keeps saying is that "the world is so small."

Heavenly Father sends tender mercies when we least expect it. What was the chance of these two missionaries meeting in a very large building. I am sure this experience brighten both of their lives. What a sweet story. 

Nicole, thank you for sharing this with me. I cried when I realized that Heaven Father does know each of us and our needs.

Week 4

I can't believe it has been 4 weeks already. Just think after this week General Conference there will be 3 more Conferences and Elder Vester will be home, another way to look at it ~ 100 more weeks. Do you think I miss him???
Here is his letter for the week. Enjoy!

Week 4 I think?

Ola todos!

Hello everyone!

My week has been very long. But a very good one. The days are very long, but weeks are short.

And as a small side note, there is a Mail Strike going on in Brazil, so I have no idea how long it will take for letters to come and go.

Kinda a bummer, but I can't do anything about it. lol

So! This last week has been quite the challenge for me. We've been getting into some of the more knitty-gritty parts of Portuguese grammar that don't translate into English. It's been hard to wrap my head around it, but I know it will come with time.

It's been an easy week for teaching. Only 5 lessons this week, so it's nice to have a little slower pace.

Elder Johnson and I have hit a little bit of a road block with Regina, just trying to help her understand things.

But Alexandre is coming along well! He's worried that he does not know enough about the Gospel, and commandments to be baptized, but Elder Johnson and I plan to fix that this week. :D

Not much goes on here. We just get up, we study, we eat, we study, we teach, we eat, and then we study some more.

Sorry this week is so short, but if I had some wild tales to be telling, I don't think I would be focused on the right things. And the Lord is on my side, helping me every step of the way. I don't want to mess that up. lol

I'm loving every minute of my life, even if it's as hard as it is. I'm so excited to be a part of this work, and to bring others unto Christ.

Look am me being all churchy and whatnot~

I'm very excited for conference next week~! We're going to be watching in the big auditorio here, and that's not going to be very enjoyable. But I'm excited to hear from the Prophet.

It's wonderful to know that a Prophet of God is on the earth again, and receives revelation for our day.

My testimony of that has grown so much in the last few weeks. The Lord loves us so much!

Alrighty.

I'm out of time. <3 I love all of you so super much!

Ate semana!

~Elder Vester