Mission Comic 2015-03-24

This last transfer we got a new Elder in the office to take over some of the finance responsibilities.  He's actually somewhat famous here in Brazil because he had a comic website called the Adventures of Wesley (his first name).  There a millions of followers of his site, and a lot of people here in Cuiabá know who he is, so that's kind of cool.  Last week, he made this comic to emphasize the importance of sending in the baptismal record sheets to Sister Davis:

1. Look at the horizon Elder Ping
2. What is on the horizon, Elder Mercês?
3. There are thousands of people
4. Thousands of millions of people
5. And all of them are going to be upset with you
6. When they find out that you baptize and confirm but don't send the baptismal records to Sister Davis.

So, we now have a celebrity (in an emergency!) here in the office!

Love to all.

Update 2015-03-22

Dear Family
The time just keeps flying by, and so many things happen each day it is difficult to know where to begin.  We went to Careces for a mini CTM training with the missionaries.   It was wonderful and dad shared an experience from his patriarchal blessing and talked about the blessings of a mission.  As for me I made popcorn balls for everyone.  We really enjoyed the training and the elders did a great job of teaching about obedience and work etc. We had ice cream in a little place next to the river.

Cáceres training for potential missionaries

Ice Cream... of course!

This is a wonderful family in our ward, We had them over for spagetti and meat balls and pancakes.(Not at the same time)  This picture is taken out side their house.  They had us over for a wonderful dinner.

Marco and Elizabeth Tuilho with missionaries

We spent the night in Cáceres and the next morning dad received a call from a man letting us know our friend Ney was in the hospital with infection everywhere, and would like a blessing.  The connection was not excellent and every hospital has pretty much the same name but dad wrote down what he could and told the gentleman we were traveling home and would be there as soon as possible.  Dad called the office elders and ask if they would try to find the address with the amount of information given us.  They could not find it.  So when we got back to the office Dad gave it his best effort and to make a already long story short we got to the hospital.  Ney´s friend was there to take Elder Davis, his wife and Elder Harris in.  There could only be three visitors so I remained outside.  They gave Ney a blessing and then he said two other people in the room wanted a blessing (it ended up being three more!).  Dad said it was a wonderful experience.  He would simply ask, "Do you have faith in Jesus Christ?"  When they said yes, he would explain that they had been given the priesthood power from God, and explain that a blessing has two parts, then give the blessing.  Everything seems to work together when you do the Lords work. Side note, while in Boston dad had to give a blessing so he was prepared with the correct Portuguese words and that was another tender mercy.
Our Stake Conference had a visiting authority, Elder Costa of the presidency of the seventy.  The talks were excellent and we loved it.  The Romrells came Tuesday for a visit and much to their disappointment ended up staying several days. He left his bag at the airport and it was stolen. It was a difficult experience for them.  We enjoyed their company, and might have had them for longer but Elder Romrell sprinted back to the airport to retrieve Sister Romrell's bag which was accidently left...again.  They have crazy luck but they are back in Sorriso.   They are a great blessing to that area, building the kingdom and doing amazing things with the people there.  They work in the areas of Sinop, Lucas and Sorriso.  We heard a wonderful quote in church today.  "To the strong Soldiers the Lord gives the biggest battles."  I sang in English "Tell me the Stories of Jesus" in gospel essentials at the request of the teacher.  That is about it for this week.  Dad is crazy busy with the office and yes, we are getting ready for transfers again. We are loving this wonderful work.  And of course we are so grateful for your love and support. The Church is True.
 Com Amor,  Mom and Dad

Romrells, the police agent in the ward (far left), us, S. Davis, E. Richards, E. Gadelha

Update 2015-03-03

This month we had Seven English missionaries go home and we will miss them.  Here is a few thoughts they shared in a letter back to president, "A good missionary is a missionary who changes your heart. The Lord wants us to prepare for a lifetime of dedicated service, all of this hard work has refined me so I can be a more useful instrument in His hands."  Another Elder wrote, "The choices we make now will have eternal consequences in the life that is to come.  If we cannot give our best in these few years here on earth, will we be able to give it our all throughout our eternal life.  A mission is a good practice in pressing forward with a steadfastness in Christ."  One of our elders when he arrived here had a very disobedient trainer, being the only active member of his family, having no support, decided he would go home.  He spent a few days with the AP´s before president could get back to Cuiabá and talk with him.  His stake president said they had reactivated him a year earlier.  President knowing all this, expressed a great desire for him to stay in the mission. The Spirit worked with him and he decided to stay.  He was one of the zone leaders at our last training, now a very good leader.  I wonder what his parting feelings will be? I guess what I am trying to say is I hope my mission will change me. I am staying but am I changing?  I realize this was in the news letter but this blog is some what like my memory blog and I wanted to remember this.  The church is true.  Com Amor Mom and Dad

Update 2015-03-02

Dear Family,
This past week is always one of my favorites because it is transfer week.  It is wonderful, sad, inspiring and exhausting but a remarkable reminder of the Lords hand in this great work. Sunday night transfers begin and depending on the amount transferring it becomes a little crazy.  All departing missionaries come in Sunday.   Now all returning missionaries receive a day of re-entry training and it is wonderful.  We do not do the training we just feed and house the missionaries. That happens on Monday.

Breakfast with Departing Missionaries
Sis Thedell, Elders Rasmussen, Watchman, Payne, Jackson, Mayolo, and Bonaro

The missionaries have dinner Monday night with the president and receive their exit interviews. They all fly out Tuesday at various times.  The new missionaries arrive on Tuesday around noon and we have lunch and some training (this week we only got 3 new Elders, 2 Brazilian and one Guatemaulan).  They are assigned to their new area and companion and usually leave Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.  We then prepare for training that always happens the Thursday or Friday after transfers to help the new leaders prepare for their service.  This is always wonderful and the training is great.  This time we had one of the Elders cook a churrasco for us!

This is Dad at the meat store buying meat for the BBQ.

Elder Prates (from Southern Brazil) cooking us a Churrasco! (BBQ Brazilian style)
The night before the Zone Leader Training

Group of ZLs and SLTs (Sister Leader Trainers) at our feast - it was very good.

Each time I feel the spirit elevating and press this mission to greater and greater heights.  This last training was great. In James chapter 3 the tongue is compared to a bridle in a horses mouth, a helm of a great ship moving it about, and a match lighting a great fire. All good examples and a great reminder of how important it is to control our tongue.  It was a good talk on how to encourage and lift those around you.  So now I have to try harder.  We also teach policy and rules and we do all the packets and handouts.  It is always an adventure.
Some heart breaking news... the darling little baby I was holding of the non-member lady at the last activity is in intensive care because the father got mad and threw him on the floor (all floors here are tile!).  They think there will be brain damage.  That is breaking my heart.  We can't undo the bad done by others we just help where we can and pray (which just isn't enough for me).  We had a wonderful open house at our ward building on Saturday.  Our ward is so excellent.  The youth were fearless in their work to bring people into the building, I was totally impressed.  They went to bus stops, up and down the streets handing out cards and inviting them to come and see.  I have never seen youth so bold. The rooms were all beautifully set up and the spirit was amazing.  The ward members were in each room telling about the different organizations and it was great.
We love you all so much.  The church is true.
Love, Mom and Dad