Week 25 ~ So, no Worm, but maybe something else? :VWU

If I may, I would just like to say that if Elder Vester is doing his best, which he is, he will be fine. I think the Mission President is trying to tell the missionaries that it they don't have 2 baptism in a month, that he will interview them and see how he can help them. Maybe the translation of the language leads Elder Vester to feel that he might get sent home, but I don't think he will. He is doing his best. I know he would appreciate your prayers. He is a great missionary and this is a test in faith and trust. I am sure he will be fine. ~ his Momma


Lol. The Worm was actually just a cut. It went away after a few days.

However. My companion has some kind of contagious rash, so I might end up catching that? D:

This last week has been pretty rough. Elder Christensen has been sick almost all week, so we did not leave the house very much.

And to make it worse, President has been getting very upset at missionaries who have not baptized very well. We all got very angry emails this week. He said that if we do not start baptizing 2 people a month, we will be put in jeopardy of being sent home, and honors removed. I don't agree with this, but I can't do anything about it. I have not baptized someone in almost 6 weeks, and I'm very nervous. My zone leaders have been harping on everyone about getting baptisms. They came to our last district meeting, and they lost a lot of sight in my eyes. "We have one person who we are helping to stop smoking..." "Tell him he has 2 options. Stop, or not. Set a date with him for the 3rd of march." There are many more examples, but I'll stop complaining.

Needless to say, I believe that my mission leaders have lost sight of what is important. Our job is not just baptize baptize baptize, but to help strengthen the members, and reactivate less-active members. 

President Hinkley said that missionaries could baptize 1000 people a month, but if they do not stay active, all the work was for nothing.

So, I'm at a standstill. I'm honestly trying my hardest out here, and I know I need to do this work on the Lord's time.

But, I'm scared that I'll be sent home at the end of next month. President said that he will call in every elder that does not get 2 baptisms from now on, that they will have an interview, and will be reviewed if he should be sent home.

I got a bunch of valentines from Single's ward this week. ~ He is loved.

I'm trying my best here... But We'll see. I pray every day for the Lord to help our investigators, and to place people in our path who would accept the Gospel.  So far, my well has been empty.

I'm scared that my best is not acceptable enough for the Lord.

And so, I will work as hard as I can to baptize someone in the next 3 weeks. Otherwise, I'll be back at home.

Please keep me in your prayers.

Wish me luck.

Élder Vester

Week 24 ~ I might have a worm? :VWU

Elder Vester seems to be doing good. Here is his email and pictures for this week.

So, this week was nuts

But, lots of funny stories.

 

First. I woke up this morning with a strange line on my wrist, and I think it could be a worm. We'll see.

One of my investigators, Lucimar, found my blog last week, and read every single entry.

(e porque sei que tenho seu atenção, Olá. <3 Ti-amo. Pode continua lendo meu blog. E super estranha, mas eu fala só verdade.)

She's very intelligent, and speaks very very good English. lol, So, that was cute. 

Um, some guy was beat up in the street close to someone I know, and there was blood all over her door. :D Scary no jutsu!

No he isn't showing off his leg, he is showing off the super glue on his pants!

The teaching has been good this week, but I have been super trunky. I've been really homesick, but I'm doing my best to stay focused. c:

 

>_> I got super glue all over a pair of slacks, and I miss my peanut butter. D: This is the last of my peanut butter, and the first of my nutella.

 

So, this week something wonderful happened. 

Larissa, a young woman we are teaching, has been going to church for 5 years. She has wanted to join the church since her first week.  She's been given all the lessons, and she lives with her grandma. Her grandma has not given permission for her to get baptized. This last week, we invited her grandma to come to church.

This is the last of his peanut butter and the first of his nutella.

We also ended up getting to church an hour early, because we forgot about daylight savings time. lol

Anyway. We waited for Larissa and Salia to walk in. Only Larissa showed up.

I asked her how she was, and where her grandma was.

All she replied was "She gave me permission to be baptized!" And she grab my hands and wrung them.

I was overjoyed. I practically attacked elder Woodmansee. xD

So, we're trying to set a date.

<3

It's going to be a good week.

With any luck, I'll have some brazillian pokemon things, tooooooo~

#sillyAmericaMissionary

We got invited to a member's birthday party, Lucas. Thats Nil in the red dress.

So, life is good. <3

Now if I could just crochet. >_>

lawl.

Until next week my beautifuls.

Vai com Deus

Com amor

Èlder Vester

Hamburger night at a member's house.

Jacob being Jacob., love him!

Week 23 ~ I don't like Carnival :VWU

It was Carnival time in Serra. At 5:00 AM as I was sitting by my computer waiting for Elder Vester to send me an e-mail - there was none, so I went to work. At about 4:00 PM there was a short email letting me know that it was Carnival time and that everything was closed.
This morning I had a pleasant surprise when I looked up at me e-mail that there was the message - Momma you on I hope! It made my day. So here is his short e-mail and no pictures this week. We take what we can get!

D:< Carnival is icky.

Literally everything closed down, and I was unable to email my mommy on time.

Not to mention we had to spend 4 days in the apartment, and everything beforehand totally came to a halt (Cuz everyone was getting ready for Carnival).

This last week was really hard on the work.

We had our 2 dates fall. One, because she was  traveling, and the other.... Ran away; He did not have the guts to tell us that he changed his mind, and he got on a plane to Rio, and no one knows exactly what happened. Thank you Brazil. lol

 So, yeah. The work has pretty much come to a standstill. But, I'll be patient, I know the lord will bless elder Christensen and I if we keep working hard.

Just one day at a time!

I've been reading a lot of Ensigns and Liahonas. (Church magazines.) The Conference editions are amazing. I've really come to love, and thirst for the words of modern revelation. I'm very very excited for April so I can hear the words of the living prophet again. c:

Until Monday

Com amor

Elder Vester

Week 22 ~ When it Rains we have Llamas? VWU

February 5, 2013, Elder Vester has been out 5 months, but who's counting? ME! Can't believe it. He seems to be happier this week, sometimes change is good.

Elder Christensen and I.

We're getting hair cuts just after we leave the Lanhouse.

Hey Ya'll.

Turns out that lama in Portuguese means mud. Not Llama.

Suddenly things make more sense. :D

This week was pretty good. Elder Jones went to Linhares, about 2 hours away, and was made a Zone Leader. So, He's pretty happy.

This is my new companion, Elder Christensen. He's from Idaho. :D

He's totally crazy and I love it. We get along really well, and I'm excited to be his companion,

We're going to get new-dos together after we leave the Lanhouse.

FRIENDSHIIIIIPPPP.

So. No new baptisms. We had to remark with Fábio, and he'll be baptized this coming Saturday. 

We spent a good hunk of the week visiting members, and I showed Christensen the area. So, kinda slow, but a good week none the less.

Christensen has a lot of health problems, so the work has slowed down a lot. Time for me to learn to be patient again. :D

Also, we've had problems with the computers today, so my email is gunna be shorter then normal. Sorry. <_>

All in all, everything is going well. I really cant complain too much. I'm loving the mission, and I am so grateful for this opportunity to preach the work of God, in a Romance Language. :D Yeah

I've been reading a lot of Our Heritage, and I can't help but be touched by the many saints who exercised their faith in crossing the plains. So many examples of great faith. I love the history of the church. It truly makes me want to have the faith of a pioneer. 

Much love to all of you, and we'll see what this new week brings.

Tchau gente

Com amor

Moema, Luiz, and Letiçia. We taught Lele the lessons,and she's getting baptized tomorrow.(2/4/2013)

Èlder Vester

 

 

 

Christensen and I got invited to Gabí's 15th b-day party, it was cute.