Tripping on Miracles

Wow, it's amazing how much time you can waste just dazing of in thought. The even more incredible thing is how I can waste time just to write that I'm wasting it. :P What a world.

Anyway, I was transferred! Tuesday I arrived at the bus station and received a little paper sending me all the way to Rio Pardo (a little north of Santa Cruz do Sul) and I thought, "Bah, not a city." Turns out the new area is almost exactly the same type of city as Ivoti. Only here, the church and the missionaries have been around for years without growing. That is, until my companion and I arrived. My new companion, Elder L. Santos, is a really strong bona-fide Fortelezan and recently born. But, despite these qualities, he brings the spirit like no other into the lessons we teach. He's truly a power house.

But if anything has been more prepared than my companion, it is this city. Ever since we've arrived here it's been nothing but miracles. Almost every family we speak with, I feel as if I already knew them. Almost every lesson we teach, the people are ready to commit and to change. Even in the days that seem the worst, we're finding the best of people. 

For example, the second day I was here, we had a meeting with someone a mile or two away. So, we left early and walked the distance to his house, just to find that he wasn't there. :l So we tried knocking on a few doors, talked with a few people... nothing was happening. We decided to begin searching for another contact. In fact we ended up searching for an hour in vain in the wrong neighborhood until we finally encountered a road we thought was right. Then after walking a while, nothing but trees and grass on both sides, we came across a house just as a man was exiting the house. We talked with him, asked him if he knew the missionaries, and he invited us to enter. That very moment, he'd been praying to better his life. People had passed by just moments ago trying to kill him, and he himself was ready to do the same. Then, in a moment of sincere prayer, two young men with ties came walking down a deserted street. :D  He's now getting ready to be baptized this next Sunday, and is extremely excited!

Truly we are tools in the hands of the Lord as we do as he says, and we get this wonderful opportunity to serve our part in the miracles that he performs. Thanks everyone for the food, love, and letters. The weather here is starting to get colder, but the fire is getting ever hotter.

Até próximo!

Elder Angus

Word/Phrase of the week:

Palavra/Frase Seminal - (pah-lah-vrah/frah-zee seh-mee-now) Meaning word/phrase of the week. Inception! >:D

Rip Tide

Bah!!!!! I'm getting transferred! Okay, in reality, I did see this coming. In fact, this entire week my companion and I have been joking that one of us will be transferred even after just two weeks together. But it's amazing how fast time flies. To think that I've already completed six months in my mission is crazy. ... Then again, I still have another year and a half. :D *does little irish jig out of pure joy* 

Anyway, I really don't have alot of time, so I'll jump right to it. This week we've received a higher padrão or level of excellence as far as our obedience is concerned. I won't lie, some of the rules established become very difficult to live, but after you live them, it really begins to show greater fruits. We've been searching alot for new investigators this week and we've truly been blessed. Almost everyone we've been meeting with lately seem like I've known them before, which made me try every little bit harder to help them. One family we found recently is really excellent. It consists of a mom, two daughters and one son, who haven't visited a church in a really long time. When we arrived there, they were extremely receptive to both us and our message. We invited them to go to church this Sunday and asked if they wanted any rides to get there when it rains. The mother then turned to me and said, "Don't worry about the rain. Church is a compromise. If you'd walk to work or walk to school in the rain, there's no reason you'd put off church just because of the rain." They went this Sunday and they are really growing fast. Now I'm just sad I won't be around to see the baptisms. Oh well, there's alot more work to be done else where as well. >:D

Well, if there's anything I want to say to all of you right now is that we should never place our priorities on worldly things. Jaqui, our first convert here said that she's passed through all ways of life, but the same things always brought her happiness. In her own words, "People are searching for happiness in things that don't give us happiness." We should take a look at our lives, our goals, our intentions, and then see what it is that truly brings us happiness. For me, it's my family, my knowledge, and my God. Nothing could be more important than these, and I wouldn't sacrifice any of these for something of lesser value. We can search for riches, search for excuses, or search for fame, but nothing can bring us greater joy than a family, united in a home, striving to live the words of God.

Thanks everyone for the prayers, the letters, and the support. It's always a great surprise when you open a box and find military rations. XD Okay, thankfully I haven't gotten those yet. Anyway, until next week.

Elder Angus

Word of the week:

Engraçadinha (en-grah-sah-gee-nyah) Smart Aleck/Dork, like me! >:P

Photos:

- City of Ivoti (Part)

- Baptisim of Ari Luis (From Last Week)

Wake Up Call

>:D This week makes me smile. Mostly because the beginning of this week, we planned on something unimaginable happening, and then it happened. One of our investigators, the father of a member, had been progressing very well until about a month or two ago when he decided he didn't want any more. In fact, he pretty much rejected all that we had taught him and reverted back to the way he was (but he did still give us lunch). Then, this week, we stopped by for lunch and another member that just moved into the branch was there. To keep it simple, she's single in the army reserve, and she gave him a nice big wake up call to reality. 

He got baptized! >:D

Truly this one was a miracle, because the likeliness that he would've accepted us to teach again was slim, let alone be baptized. Then, during the middle of the week, we got a call that he was going to early morning seminary, and that he wanted to be baptized. That very day, we arrived in his house, talked with him, and challenged him for the weekend. He accepted. \'o'/

Anyway, that's just the better news of the week. For the better part of this week, we did a lot of walking. In fact, we actually walked over to a neighboring city once. As well, we've been doing contacts in the dark, improvising on essential items (for cooking, sleeping, etc.), and talking to everybody. Unfortunately, very few people even pass us on the streets, so that doesn't get us very far. 

Well, I guess if there's any moral for my story, never doubt anything. Even the things that appear impossible are highly probable when the Lord is on your side. Anyway, I've about written my mind dry today. Thanks for all of your support! It's nice to know I have a little fan club, somewhere. 

Elder Angus

Words of the week:

Português - faxina (fah-shee-nah) The weekly house cleaning. Usually people here save it for one day each week, and it's really rough.

Mission - só agua (soh ah-gwah) Means "just water." When we find people are already completely prepared by the Lord for baptism, we use this phrase. Other quirky ones are "just add water" and "nothin' but water." :P

Trail of Breadcrumbs

If your thinking I have something amazing to say this time, I hope you're right. Here on this end, everything is almost becoming a routine. For this, every day is a constant battle to teach with real feelings and the spirit, instead of just puking out a memorized teaching plan.

Well, today I successfully killed my companion (he's joking...hopefully) and received a new one in his place. May Elder Bueno rest in peace, and grand welcomes be granted unto Elder Rovere, the valiant soldier to take his place in line. Elder Rovere is from Curitiba, and has been in the mission for less time them me. >:D That makes me an official senior companion. MuahahahahahahahahHAHAHAAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!! ... ... :l Sorry. I should be careful what I ask for, because this will put a lot more responsibility on my shoulders. 

Anyway, this week doesn't have a lot of huge things to talk about. We had a food judging contest, where I won "Most Creative" for my cookies and creme. As well, we started teaching a co-worker of one member that lost her father and grandmother in the last few months. But, she's holding up really well, and she's truly golden. When we began to teach her, she presented all of her attention on us, and even more incredible than this is that she began to understand and believe true principles we normally teach, before we had taught them. She even went to church this week, bringing her boyfriend along for the ride!

But we also began teaching/coordinating efforts with the mother of one of our investigators, setting baptismal dates like no body's business, and even sneaking in visits with a family that seems to be avoiding us. ;) Okay, they're not actually avoiding us, but they do seem like they're forgetting on purpose. Anyway, if there's one thing that I'd really like to speak to all of you, it's about today. One phrase that I heard a lot here from missionaries is that we should prepare not tomorrow, nor today, but yesterday. We should be spending each day and each minute of our lives in preparation to enter the presence of God. Now, what I mean by this is that we should define our future choices by the way we choose to live now. Someone who has never even left the desire to drink enter his heart will probably never drink, just as one who desires to sin will probably continue to do so. If we are constantly working under the dark shadows of sin, we will never enter into the light that is God, and for this we must work now, so that when the time comes, our souls are filled with the bright light of the gospel, and we enter into our Father's presence gladly.

Thanks for all the help, love and support. I'd hug you all if it wasn't against the rules of physics (or the mission, for that matter). Do what y'all do best!

Elder Angus

Word of the week:

Portugúese - Pastel (pah-steu) A type of food here that is like a large, flat hot pocket. Fortunately, these actually taste good.

Mission - Father, Son, Step-Father, Step-Son: When a missionary is "born"into the field, he receives a father. If the father is changed while the son is still in training, he gains a step-father.

>:P

Caçado

:D... Today was an adventure. An adventure involving embarrassing incidents, terrible fruit juice, a broken bus, futile hours of travel, and a white Ferrari. Unfortunately, I have only the time to bait y'all and not the time to tell. >:D But, if it means anything, I did leave enough for the imagination.

Baptisms! Booyah! This week we baptized the three kids of one of our strongest investigating families. In fact, I actually performed the ordinance myself for the first time... ever... and in Portuguese. o_o I'm not going to lie, I was shaking like mad. Fortunately, shaking like a mad man doesn't make it any less valid -.- The parents are next in line and have their minds set to follow.

But wait, THERE'S MORE!

Please excuse my annoyingly propaganda-like (note from Breanna...he said Propagandic...that is not a word) transition as we move on to other events of the week. This last week kicked of with the party of Carnival, which means that all the missionaries return home earlier in the day. Probably for the best, as a few extra hours at home really helps one prepare. A little extra reading, a little more sleep, a little more fruit ninja, a litt... wait, fruit ninja? 

...

Anyway, we kicked off the week well rested and ready to go. That, and we're starting to see all the gears turning. Baptisms, birth, miracles. It's all falling into place, if not for a little pushing and shoving. :P But I guess a good story today would be that of a new investigator we found yesterday. In fact, it was more like he found us. As my companion was standing in front of the church before it started, the man passed by and began to converse with him. He spoke of how he'd visited many religions and never found one he felt was right. We visited him later that night expecting water, when we got a waterfall. As the man put it himself, he was prepared of the Lord through his faith and his conversations with God. By his faith, many miracles had already been wrought, including the salvation of other's lives and his own. But most of all, he was so spiritually in tune, he had already been taught many great truths by the holy ghost that are normally the largest barriers for us to overcome. It's only been a day, but just by the power of the spirit I felt there, he'll be one of our strongest investigators.

But, if there's one thing I'd like to share with all of you, it's the principles behind the spirit of this man. Faith and Miracles. As Moroni says in the book of Ether, "God is a God of Miracles, as he has been from the beginning, and will continue to be so as long as Faith still exists upon the face of the earth." When we have faith, especially in things that never faileth (God and Jesus Christ), miracles inevitably follow. The faith of this man served as a conduit that connected him with his heavenly father, and through his faith, he served many people just as Christ did and taught us to do. Likewise, Another family this week just bounced back from an extreme financial crisis after months of prayer and a chance encounter. If we seek miracles in our lives, we must first seek Faith. We must be in a constant struggle against the feelings of impossibility, or the influence of Satan, for therein we find the light and the hope of Christ. Dedicate your time, if even just a little each day, to read the scriptures, study them in your heart, and converse with you Heavenly Father in prayer. Though the things are simple, it is by small and simple things that great things are brought to pass. 

Thanks for the letters and the support. I've been getting a few Christmas and new years letters recently, so I'll be sure to respond to the as soon as I get time. ;) Anyway, stay sweet and feed the sheep.

Elder Angus

Words of the Week:

Portuguese: Caçador (Kah-sah-door) Meaning hunter. As the prophet Jeremias prophesied, "first the lord will send fishers, and the he will send hunters, to seek out the low places, the mountains, and under the rocks." (Sorry, I probably butchered that quote. :l )

Mission: Kill, Dying, Dead - When a missionary is going home, he is dying. When he has left, he has died. And theretofore, the companion with which he died is the killer. R.I.P Elder Bueno (5/6 more days)

Photos!

-My sweatiest shirt yet.

-Wonderful Translation

-The Baptism this week

-Fruit Ninja >:D

P.S. Breanna, send me a list of friend requests I have on Facebook and I'll tell you whom to accept. I don't remember how many people added me. :l Sorry. Oh, and thanks good buddy ol' pal. :P

Failing Flesh

Unfortunately, lifting groceries is not a sufficient enough exercise to prepare one for service in Brazil. I learned that this week as my companion and I did a little service for our Branch President, making a few modifications to his house and fence. To those of you who don't know, every single building constructed here is made of any combination of wooden slates, brick, concrete, and stone. Unfortunately, this particular work involved more of the latter, carrying 88lb stone blocks from the front yard to the back. o.o' Let's just leave it to say that my arms still haven't recovered from the incident. 

But, although I wasn't entirely prepared physically, I like to think I was well prepared spiritually. "Whom the Lord calls, he qualifies." On saturday night, I was awakened by my companion with the frightening news that I, he'd remembered, had a talk to give the next day. ...:l So, after slowly getting out of bed, I went on a frantic search for the topic and material for the talk, only to find I had left it at the chapel the day I received it. X( But, as eager as I was to prepare that talk when I got to church the next day, I still had responsibilities to do. So, in about the last few minutes before sacrament meeting, I quickly skimmed over the material. Subject: missionary work. -.-' What a relief! Fortunately, I've talked so much about the subject in Portuguese before, I was well prepared to give the talk. >:D Does that mean I'd do this again?...No, no I won't. However, this is just another witness that as we are doing what we're supposed to, and fulfilling all of our responsibilities, the Lord will help us conquer anything he asks of us.

Nothing much else happened this week that's worth mentioning (that I remember), but this upcoming Saturday, we'll be having three really powerful baptisms. This family is well prepared, and have really strong testimonies. Two days ago, they even went with us to help teach another family, and during the lesson, they bore their testimonies so powerfully you could just see the light of Christ manifest in their hearts. Unfortunately, the parents have yet to be baptized, so only the kids will be baptized this week. Nevertheless, they will certainly serve as a strength and an anchor to help their parents make the next step.

Thanks everyone for the help and the prayers. Yesterday I ate the last Skittle in remembrance of all the good you guys do for me. But, instead of an emergency re-supply, I ask for something a little different. Instead, I ask just that you all sacrifice a little of your time, or show a little bit of courage to talk with somebody about the Book of Mormon. That's right, I just went there. >:P That means those of you who know, talk to others, and those of you who don't, talk with those who do. There is a lot of truth, power, and happiness that is riding on this one book of scripture, and we should never fear to declare this glad tidings unto the world (or to search for them, for that matter).

Anyway, don't lose your cool. You are children of God, and only you can throw off your groove. ;)

Élder Angus

Wards of the week:

Portugués - Churrasco (shoo-ha-scoo) Meaning barbecue. Here in the south, they have alot of it. Usually they do ribs or sausage rotiserie style over a charcoal flame. Delicious. :P~

Mission - Trunky (this actually might be Portuguese as well) The state of a missionary as he begins thinking a lot of home. For example, my companion is going home in 14 days, so he's gone all kinds of trunky. 

Note from Breanna: No, Trunky is not a Portuguese, it's a term used in all missions. :)

Every Pore is a Waterfall

Interesting fact: It costs about $25,000 to buy and send a shipping container of Skittles here to Rio Grande do Sul. How do I know this? Even though the branch here is extremely small, there just so happens to be one member here that makes a living of importing foreign or different foods and putting them on the market. So, naturally I asked to see if he'd be interested in a little venture. >:P Unfortunately I don't think he'll do it, but it never hurts to try.

Now that the ice has been broken and we're all soaked in this mess of a puddle, it's probably time to talk about my life. It's hot, really hot. Basically I've been nothing but soaked for the last week. If there'd been actual ice here, I'd have been all over it. I'm just going to say this in case it helps out any of my other buddies out in the field. If it's blazing hot outside, and you see two young men dressed in white shirts, ties and sweat, let them into your house, they need it. Besides, maybe they'll help you out as well. ;) 

Anyway, it started to rain here a few days ago, so at least things are improving...ish. But we're starting to find some really good people. Earlier this week, we'd been knocking a few doors in the richer neighborhoods. Some of them said no, some of them let us in and then let us out, and others even ran inside and tried to hide themselves. (these people make me laugh) Then, we came across the only humble house on the street and we didn't even have to knock. They invited us in, we talked, and then we set a baptismal date for them in three weeks! \'o'/ This family was truly prepared to receive the gospel. However, there are always two sides to a war. When we got back there the next day, we felt a spirit there that was absolutely terrible. The wife had gone completely the wrong direction, and by the time we arrived, she was somewhere between madly drunk and possessed. In fact, it could very well have been the two. She began denying God, shouting profanities, then slowly pleading for us to cast a demon out of the shower. Fortunately, as bad as any situation may appear, God always has a means to help as long as you are doing what's right, and in this case, that meant casting out the demon with full out priesthood power. :l The cool thing is it actually worked. We returned the next day, she was still drunk, but the holy spirit was much stronger there, and the father had progressed tremendously. There's still some work to be done, but there's always more help when it's needed.

Anyway, today I'm going to answer a question I got from a certain Brother Dwain because I feel that it's quite a good one. The question is that if we believe and profess that we have a living day prophet, why do others of different religions have so much success while the most of us don't? The question is surely a tough one, but stems from a false principal, being that somehow, riches and fame are guaranteed blessings for obedience to the Lord. Monetary prosperity is never guaranteed by God, and is often the form in which he tests and tries us. The city of Enoch(Zion) and the city of Babylon were greatly prosperous, both built high and strong, but in the end, Zion, being righteous, was brought unto heaven, and Babylon was destroyed. What the Lord has promised is that to those who believe in him and do as he asks, he will carry their burdens that they may become light. Being guided by a prophet in these latter days, we have the privilege to know and obey all of God's commands as he intended, and to receive warnings of dangers to come. In obedience to these, we will never be left without help, for the Lord will always be near. This is greater than all the blessings of the world.

Be obedient, and the Lord will prove his word. Thanks everyone who has done so much for me, and thanks for the letters. I never realized how cool they are until I actually received them. :)

Stay sweet,

Elder Angus

Words of the week:

Português - Gaucho (gah-oo-show) means cowboy. Basically everyone down here is. The lifestyle consists of owning a horse and drinking Chimarron (shim-a-hon, a grass flavored tea passed around like a hookah)  cl:{'

Mission - Snakey, meaning females that are attracted to serving missionaries (men are scorpions) ;P