Week 60 ~ Why, I do believe we've had a change in route captian! :VWU

Here is the email from Elder Vester for this week. Enjoy!

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We went to Colatina for the conference, and there is a small "Cristo, Rendentor" statue. (It's half of the size of the one in Rio) And I snapped a photo of it as we crossed the bridge.

So, this week has been pretty up and down. I won't lie. We had a lot of trouble in the work. It seems like God is really trying us to see just how far we are willing to go to have results. And sometimes, we are blessed with something different, when what we really wanted was something else. I can't say I'm not blessed. I just need to look how the Lord is blessing me. So, lets hope all turns out well.

We really had some growing moments this week. I've truly learned just how important it is to believe in one another, and to have good desires. I firmly believe that we attract to us, exactly what we think of. If we think we're small, weak, and unable, we end up believing it, and limiting ourselves, just because we're scared to fly.

And I can testify, that when we learn to fly, we find out just how amazing it is to soar.

One thing I learned this week, is that it's even better when we can look back, with happy hearts and uplifted hands, and see just how far we've come. To see how the Lord fulfills the promises he made in Ether 12:27. To make our weaknesses, become strengths to us. And I am so grateful for the mission, and for the chance I've had to learn, and grow. It's pretty great.

So, returning to Desires. Is it a good desire for an elder to wish to baptize? Yes, absolutely yes. However, we need to make sure our desires, are in line with the Lord's desires. 

I've learned that God will test, and try our desires, to see if what we desire, is what we really want. And if it is, and he sees it fit to bless us with it, he will.

But, often times, he will give us something else, just as good, that will be of better use to us. Sometimes, we really really really want that salmon, and he gives us a better net in which to catch it. Not exactly what we wanted, but will be much better use to us in the long run.

So, one more thing, is the fact that sometimes, we need to learn to take correction. Elder Gavarette made a lot of changes this week, and I've got some adjustment, and acceptance to do. There was some turntailing, and some pretty low things done this week. So, I'm ready to learn again, and take these new directions willingness to obey.

I always remember my Dad saying "The true test, is to see who will do the dishes when Dad is out of the kitchen."

And let me tell you. I now understand a lot better.

But, That's another story. :D Hit up my journal for that when I get back.

So, I'll sign off now.

I love you all and wish you well.

Elder Vester

 

 

Look at my cute new shoes! I love them; :D

This is the owner of the ice-cream parlor. He's a really neat guy, and lived in the states for some time. He gives us discounts sometime. :D (But his wife has no idea how to take photos, so these are kinda horrible. lol)

More Açaí.

It's gotten so hot lately, that you can even see a tan line from my glasses.

(I doubt these show very well, but there ya go.)

 

Week 59 ~ Eating My Stress away in Açaí~ VWU

Elder Vester had a good week and the best thing about this week is that he has conference and Michael's Mission President, who is now an Area 70 over the Brazil area, will be there. We meet him as a family when we went to Utah when Michael and Shannon blessed Lacey. So Jacob is looking forward to that.
So enjoy!

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Howdy Yall
This week has been so rough. Really. One of the hardest weeks I've had in a long time. However, once again, I have learned; Dedication and obedience Always pays off. The joy of Baptizing someone makes all the fight with Satan and his forces Worth it.

Cuz let me tell you, I worked my tail off for this baptism. If any'll read my journal, you'll understand better just how much crap I went through this week. :D

You guys don't even want to know how much Açaí I ate this week.

(It was a lot.)

Here is Nicolina! She's my newest recent convert.

Worth it.
First, our other date, Marco, totally fell. He's running and hiding from us. This week, it was literal. He was hiding inside his house from us several times. So, we've moved on, as to not waste his time, and the Lord's time. I'm tired of working with wishy-washy people, so with any luck, I'll be able to find some more serious people to teach.
And Nicolina! She's this adorable little old lady, who is now happier then every that she has found the restored Gospel.
She really gave us a run for our Money, but, she finally got baptized on Sunday. It was a fight, literally every day. After our visits, there would be people from the church Assembly of God, that would come to her house, and tell her that we do macumba (A kind of black magic that only exists in Brasil) , and we're a cult, and we do all these other things, trying to make her not be baptized. Every day we got to see her, she told us she did not want to be baptized because of this, and this, and that. And at the end of every lesson, she Always said she was excited for her baptism. This however, is nothing to credit me. I know that the Lord was there helping every step of the way, and I'm amazingly grateful for this chance I had to learn and grow, from everything I went through in the last week.
I've come to a better understanding of teaching pure doctrine this week. Nicolina needed that we only teach the basic doctrines of everything, and that really put me to the test. I've come out of this week with a greater testimony of the atonement, and just how important the ordinances of salvation are.

And Sunday night, we just chilled at her house, and watched the Testaments, and she made dinner for us.

Score muffins. :D

And I'm very excited for  this week. We'll be having one of the area 70's coming to the mission to give a conference for the entire mission. My brother Michael served in the Paraguay Ascension mission, and was Gaverette's assistant for quite sometime, and I've met him before. It'll be fun to see if he remembers me.

We also have a few more people that quite possibly will be baptized this Sunday. So, fingers crossed, and  prayers sent heavenward for me, alright?

I'm off to go shopping, and send Christmas presents for my wonderful Family.

Love you all, and miss you.

Com Amor verdadeiro

This is Helder, he's kinda a punk, but the photo is silly, so I added it.

Èlder Vester

Behold my District! 

Elder F.Cunha/Neilson, Elder Johnson/bezerra, and my companion and I

Nicolina with the Branch presidente

Nicolina with Irmá Maria Schmidt. (Our fellowshipper~)

 

Aaaaand I woke up to some beautiful fog. <333333

Week 58 ~ I like Brasil, but Brasil does not like me. Yup,. Diarrhea. VWU

Here is Elder Vester's email for the week. Sorry I didn't post sooner but I was out of town and then forgot.

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This week has been good, and bad at the same time.

So, I might have had massive diarrhea this week. But, that's over now, and I'm all good now.

I'M PRETTY SURE IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS STRANGE CAT-FISH SAUSAGE THAT A MEMBER GAVE US. D: Do not want. lol

So, anywho. Marco, and Mariana. They were going to be baptized, and sadly..
Satan worked really hard with our baptisms this week, and both of them fell.  Even with trying to accompany them every day, they tried avoiding us, and not answering our phone calls, and even hiding in their house. And sadly, Sunday, the day of the baptism, we found out that a family member died. This sent Marco into a grief that I'm not sure how to help. My companion and I were sitting out front of his house last night, and he came stumbling down the hill to his house, and invited us in. He was very drunk, and actually sent us away. We'll be going back to his house today at 7;

So, I'm  a little flabbergasted as to what to do.

However, on Saturday, my companion, being the boss that he is, went and marked another baptism for this weekend;  Her name is Nicolina. She's a hilarious little old lady, and has lots of word of wisdom problems, (She smokes, drinks, and drinks coffee) But, it's all going well.
We had many splits this week! We were visited by the Traveling assistants. I had the pleasure of working with Elder Norman. It was wonderful. The closest I can imagine, to walking with Christ on my mission; Norman is truly an inspiration to me, and I would one day like to be how he is. I really learned a lot from him, and I'm ready to apply it.
I interviewed one of Elder F. Cunha's investigators this week, too. His name is Thiago. He's 13, and he had a lot of doubts. But, after more then an hour of him crying, and me talking, he said "I'm scared that my friends will make fun of me, and bully me, calling me litter pastor, and things like that."
That really threw me through a loop. I tried everything I knew, and I still could not help him see just how important it was to be baptized, that everything would be ok.
Finally, I called Elder Kibbie (One of the assistants), and he somehow managed to help him overcome this fear. I'm so grateful for the mission leaders. They know what they are doing, and I really look up to them.
I've also had a really good week, in terms of companionship. We actually had a really good, open, heart to heart talk last night after the fiasco with Marco. My companion is an amazing person, and an even better Elder. He's passed so many things already, and for being a young man of 18 years old, I am amazed at how well he has overcome the trials he has faced.
I'm grateful for this opportunity I have to be here, to teach the Gospel, and help others.

He caught a duck!

This is Jacob's MP3 player that doesn't work, but is cute!

So, I can't complain.

LIFE. <3 I love it.

And I'll see you all next week!

 

 

 

 

 

Week 57 ~ The Dengue Bug Bites Hard: VWU

Here is Elder Vester's email, he has been sick but sounds like he is on the mend. He seems to really like his companion and the area where he is at. I received a letter from him and he said that his apartment is small and when they arrived it was a mess, but they dug in and cleaned it up. He is doing a lot of walking, that is how he is able to keep his weight off. - Enjoy!

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This week has been a good one. First off, I'm very grateful for the chance I had to watch all sessions of general conference. There were many inspiring talks given that helped strengthen my testimony, as well as my missionary resolve. I hope to more fully work with the members, seeing as now I have an area where the members are willing to work.
Also the president realized how stupid it was, to not let the missionaries watch conference.So, double score. :D I also might have caught dengue. I've been super weak, and I hope to get over that, sooooo, yeah. Not the best, but whatever; The best way to enter the summer if you ask my opinion.
This week in way of companionship has been very good. I could never ask for a more Christ-like and perfect companion. Elder Hidalgo is so kind, and humble, and always finding ways to serve me. I am really grateful to have both a good area, and a good companion at the same time. After training my son, I was pretty burnt out. But, I'm all ready and excited to go.  We've got a family of elects we are going to baptize. Their names are Marco, and Mariana.
Marco we found about a week ago. He was already taught by the missionaries for more then 3 weeks, and got cut for some reason. He was referred to us by a member in the same day we arrived. We visited, and he had a few questions about the law of chastity, and the word of wisdom, but after answering all his questions, he said he wanted to be baptized. He said that he knew Joseph Smith was a prophet, and he just need to get time off from work to go to church.
His Daughter, Mariana, is who surprised us. We visited with her quickly on Thursday night, and invited her to read the Book of Mormon, and to pray about it. Then, on Saturday, my companion, and district leader were doing contacts in between the conference sessions, and found Mariana. They asked if she had read. She said that she was 7 pages away from finishing the book.
This girl of 12 years old, felt the converting power of the spirit, as she read the entirety of the Book of Mormon, in less then 48 hours.
She asked to be baptized this Sunday.
And, lastly we have Deogo. He's a 13 year old boy, who has a lot of desire to join the church. His mother is against the church, and step-dad is an ex-member, now pastor for the Assembly of God, Bethlehem ministry.
We're working with them to soften their hearts, and we'll baptize Deogo, I'm sure of it.
So, that's all we have going this week.
I love you all, and wish you well, <3333
CHECK THE BLOG FOR PHOTOS. CUZ i'M OUT OF TIMEEEEE
Elder Vester

This road sign says "The good end", its at the farthest point in my area, up a mountain, more then a 2 hour walk. 2 hours momma. Up hill. I thought if fitting to take a tired photo.

We had a zone meeting in Nanuke

Mina Gerais, and I took advantage of the pretty scenery.

This is the Branch meets for Church.

Week 56 ~ The New Venetia VWU

Sorry I didn't get this out earlier. Elder Vester seems to like his new area and his new companion - hooray! Sometimes change is good!
Here is his email and pictures.

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Anywho!

I'm in Nova Venécia, in Espirito Santo.

It's a quaint little city, and I rather enjoy it. It's pretty hot during the day, and it has lots of hills. So, I feel like I'm back in Cachoiero de Itapimirim. It's great. :D

So, Monday, I just spent getting packed and whatnot. We had a barbeque at the house, and we had about 9 missionaries there. It was great.

Tuesday morning at 8 I took a bus to Vitória, and got to see Elder Christensen again. <3 I missed that guy. He'll be going home at the end of this transfer, and being all normal and whatnot. And Blackwelder. Miss that guy tooooo~ I got put with elder Hidalgo, from Peru. He's a pretty great guy if I do say so myself. And then we took another 7 hours of bus from Vitória to here. We're working in a branch of about 20 people. The president here is also in the police force, and the first lunch we had with him, he walked in the house armed and everything. lol It was slightly terrifying at first sight. He's really a great guy, and I'll enjoy this area.

So, we're working our best to find new people, and we're challenging everyone we see to be baptized. We've got to find the people who are ready to join the church, and because we can't tell who are and not at first glance, we're covering all our bases.

So, I'll have more to report next week.

Love you all, and hope all are well!

Elder Vester

Behold my new companion. Elder Hidalgo

Welcome to the new Venetian. (I guess it's a providence in Italy?)
Check out my view~

I show unto you the sadness of our 2 fallen baptisms. Take it in.

we had  baptisms fall Saturday night. sadness

MY POKEMANS. LET ME SHOW YOU THEMZ.

There is a bike impound in the area, and has literally thousands of bikes in it.

Dora will be jealous!

We had a macaroni dinner with a member here last night. :D It's great.

This guy is a trooper. His name is Claudio, he showed us around the first day.