Grape Juice and Cheeze

Where in the world is Jess Robert Angus?

Carlos Barbosa ;)

How are you liking your new area and your new companion?

Well

Are you still a trainer?

No, but I'm still the boss. :) District Leader

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And thus did the voice cry out from the wilderness. "O ye nations of Carlos Barbosa, repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins." That's right, I now find myself in the city of Carlos Barbosa, famous for it's wine and cheese. In fact, just this month they're holding the annual Festi-Queijo (Cheese-Fest). This means that there are thousands of cow statues in the street, and occasional pukeing because of over indulgence. 

The city is really cool. There are a lot more people here, the city is beautiful, has a lot more hills, and is a lot colder. Unfortunately, trying that short sleeve stunt here will get me killed. I guess coats serve a purpose after all. :P My new companion, Elder Barbosa, is from Espírito Santo, a state that's very hot all year round. Because of this, he hit the flu season hard. However, unlike my big flu, we played it smart and stayed at home. Now, with a few pills, and a lot of homemade recipes by members, he is back up and kicking. What a marvelous thing!

As for me, I'm no longer trainer, so they felt I could be even worse as a District Leader. XP The story behind this gets even better, because I didn't even know I was District Leader until I was already arriving in the area. That's like arriving in a new country and the people tell you you're the president. ... Okay, not that extreme, but you can imagine my surprise. In the end, it is a wonderful opportunity I have to serve my fellow missionaries. 

And now, how is the work? Sicknesses on the side, this area is wonderful! The people are really receptive, and the members are really cool. Even better, the families are elects. During our search for new investigators, we found one family of nine people all in the same house. We sat them all down and taught them about the restoration, and then invited them to be baptized. Their replies were simple. "Of Course." :D My companion and I were grinning from ear to ear. And had I had more time to write, I'd say all the great and remarkable questions they had. But, We'll leave that until next time.

In the end, I'll leave you all with a simple comment. The best leadership is that of love and humility. The Book of Mormon shows examples of the best Kings that worked for their own sustenance and served their people. Even Christ, the king of kings, came first to serve his fellow men. When we are given positions of leadership, we must be firm in what is right, but humble and loving as well. Charity is the pure love of Christ, and the greatest gift of all.

Thanks for everything! And until next time.

Elder Angus

Word of the week:

Queijo (KAY-joh) Cheese. Grape juice and cheese are not good to eat in excess. I've already seen the consequences. :l

Our Father's Business

It appears that my time in Rio Pardo has come to an end, but for which I'm truly grateful. Unfortunately I don't know where I'm going to until tomorrow, which means y'all won't know until next week. :P However, I feel the time was well spent. 

What I feel even more is the weather. Leaving Colorado, I'd hoped for more stability in the climate, but received worse. Just this week we had rain and sun, freezing cold and burning hot, and sometimes all of it in the same day. Everyone here is getting sick. :l As for me, I've been able to avoid further sickness for the time being. Booyah! If I could say the same about being tired, I would be jumping off the walls. Unfortunately every man needs his weakness.

This week we'd started visiting a family of members that hasn't visited church in more than two years. Recently, the father had been passing by the church during one of our weekly coordination meetings and invited us to come by. This family has some of the strongest ties to each other and to God than I've seen in a long while. When entering the house, we couldn't help but tell them this. We spoke with them, it appears as if they'd always been active, in both the church and the doctrine for many years. In fact, their daughter even slept with the Book of Mormon near her side! The only problem is that because of persecution and other problems, they stopped going to church. Now, a couple of years later, they spoke with us that they truly feel a hole where the Church once filled, and they don't want to continue this way anymore. This next week, they'll be going to church for sure. ... Unfortunately only my companion will see it. :P

Today I'll be short but sweet. Endure to the end. The gospel of Jesus Christ fills our heart and soul with joy that we sometimes never imagined. However, if we want to maintain this joy we've found, we must continue walking until we arrive. Just as dinner isn't eaten as we enter the door, we must continue until we arrive at the table. As Jacob writes, endure in your path until ye obtain eternal life.

Thanks everyone for the help and support. I'm rooting for you.

Elder Angus

Word of the week:

Transferência (Trans-fer-ENS-ee-uh) Meaning Transfer. :l

Photo: Baptisim of Silvania from last week.

Não Temais

Note from Mom: Hello to all our friends and family.  I thought I would let you know what was going on in the family so you know what Jess is talking about in his letter.  Our daughter Madison is expecting a little girl in November.  We are all really excited but wish that she lived close by.  Jess's birthday is coming up September 17th.  If any of you would like to send him a birthday card I am sure he would love it.  His address is as follows:

 

Elder Jess Robert Angus

Caixa Postal 13008

Porto Alegre - RS

CEP: 91010-971

Brasil

 

Thanks for all your prayers and support,

Debbie

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To Mom: O ... ... ... <-Super Long hug

I'm glad to see the family is getting better and stronger. I'm a little sad to know that we'll still be faulting testosterone in the family (I was hoping for a nephew), but I'm glad that another child of God will arrive in our family. However, if there's anything that I'd ask for my birthday, it's ties. At home, three ties is enough for a lifetime, but on the mission, six ties doesn't even fill a week! :l But I'm fine with just about anything, even if it's just a booby-trapped box. :P

Do not fear. Nor be ye dismayed. Little of us truly understand the magnitude of this commandment. Many of us are lost in a world of stress, anger, worry, sadness, and other troublesome emotions. We become wracked with questions, doubts, misunderstandings. We look everywhere, but hide within ourselves. A little bit back an Apostle, Deiter F. Uchtdorf, spoke that one of the most popular regrets in life is this: I wish that I'd let myself be more happy.

We need to be happy. It is our purpose here to grow and to find joy. Obviously we will pass many great trials and afflictions in life. Just as Adam was taught that he must work all the days of his life, so must we. However, we must remember that when we are doing what is right, the Lord will be with us. When the Lord is with us, nothing is impossible. When nothing is impossible, there is no need to fear, but there is reason to shout and rejoice. Maybe many of you think that I'm speaking foolishness, but I've seen for myself the effect. I already know the weight of a heavy conscience, or of a needy family. In fact, sometimes I feel like I'm carrying the whole church on my shoulders. But, what I've learned is that when we never let our weaknesses pull us down, nor abandon our efforts on what appears to be a lost cause, God Completes the Rest.

This week was the baptism of one of the strongest converts I've seen. In fact, she'd already been converted before I'd arrived here, but because of worldly influences and persecution, she never wanted to commit nor follow. For the past four months, we'd testified, taught, and invited, and it had appeared as if to no avail. Then, the senhor completed his part. A week or two ago, a member visited this family to say hi and to talk with the husband. When they were talking, he bore his testimony, just about the importance of a united family, but it touched her soul profoundly. We arrived just a few days later, and she'd already began preparing everything for her own baptism, and her testimony is a force to be reckoned with.

So, be of good cheer, for the Lord thy god is with thee, for wherever thou walk-est.

Thanks for all the love and support. Unfortunately I haven't received a promised package from the youth yet, but maybe it'll arrive in a few years. ;) Just make sure you send to the "caixa postal" (p.o. box) because the office is overloaded by worried families of other missionaries. :P

Anyway, até próximo!

Elder Angus

Word of the week:

Guri/Guria (goo-REE/goo-REE-uh) Meaning child/ young man/ young woman/ laddie. This word is used mostly by the southerners. 

Prayers of the Faithful

This week I'll be short. For one, I'm short on time, and second, I'm on the Lord's errand. If there's anything I've learned this week, it's that sickness doesn't help the work, and the work is short on time. 

Over the last few day's I've been carried away by the flu, and even now I have trouble speaking and hearing. However, what's funny is that I'm so ignorant of my own health, I still tried teaching everyone I could with a high fever and a strong headache. (Sorry Mom) But of all the torture that I passed this week, there was one moment really special. After a day of full out flu, we finished our day in the house of one of our best investigators. This man was always a great example of faith to me, and when I arrived in that state, he was worried about me. We taught a short lesson, and then asked him to finish in prayer, something he never takes lightly. After a bit of hesitation, he agreed and made a truly sincere and faithful prayer, thanking for the things that he had, and asking that he, his family, and the Elder that is sick (Me) could be healed. The spirit was really strong in that moment and we all said goodbye for the night. No more than five minutes afterward, I was fine, no longer held bound by my sickness.

The faith that this man had, and the sincerity of his pleas with Our Father in Heaven was such that healed me in an instant, and this I cannot deny. We always say that "faith can move mountains," but what might be even more important than our faith is our desires and our sincerity with our Creator. When we simply repeat ourselves, our requests are vain, but when we truly open up unto him with all of our heart and mind, he will comfort us and strengthen us, and he, without a doubt, will respond to our prayers.

Thanks to everyone for all of your prayers and support. I'll try to send more letters here in a little.

Elder Angus

Word of the Week:

preguiçoso (preh-gi-SO-zoo) Meaning lazy. There's a fine line between genius and lazy.

Circumstances

Sometimes I look at my name tag and think, "Wow, I'm actually the missionary now." Ever since I was a child, I'd thought about being a missionary, but I don't think I ever really imagined what it would involve until about two weeks into the mission. How interesting. :P 

Anyway, this week was especially gratifying. Yesterday, we finally were able to bring three special investigators to church that had never arrived there before. But, even more special than them arriving was what they felt and learned. One woman we'd been teaching ever since I'd arrived here in Rio Pardo. She had lost her son to drugs a few months back and was really devastated. Then after we began to help her understand a little more, she began to really desire to go to church. Unfortunately, every week had an excuse; work, visitors, birthday parties, even sleeping. Finally, this week she decided that without a doubt, she'd go to church. Once there, she felt so good, she began thanking everyone, from us to all of the members, for all that they'd done to help her feel good. She returned home ready to tell everything to her husband, and ready to return every week she could.

The other more interesting story is that of Daniel. We've been teaching him quite some time, and he's one of the greatest people I know. Unfortunately, he'd never had time off work since we began... until now. However, although he enjoyed church a lot, what was even more special was the night before. Just to help him really be interested in going to church, we did a tour of the building, showing the rooms, the baptismal font, and finishing in the chapel. When we arrived in the chapel, he got really excited as he laid eyes on the piano. After playing a little, he told us about an experience where in a time of need, God had provided him with a keyboard and taught him how to play. In just a month, he'd been playing better than everyone else. Ever since, he'd felt that God wanted him to play in a church, but every other church he visited didn't feel right. Then, when he saw the piano in the chapel, he knew. As he put it, something so good and so big grew in his heart that he could barely stay in the building too long. :) In that moment, he knew where all the pieces came together.

It's moments like these that truly make the work worthwhile, and truly testify to me the power that God has. Our father knows and guides each and every one of us according to our own selves, and he will prepare all to receive and to know of the truth through whatever means arrive closest to our souls and our hearts. What we decide to do afterward is up to us.

Thanks for the prayers and support. I'll make sure to send photos next time. Until then, vai com fé, nada duvidando.

Elder Angus

Phrase of the week:

vai com fé (vai cong fey) Go with faith.

P.S. For those who want to know, my companion is from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais born in the church and a lot like me. :P 

Firm Foundations

Leaving Colorado, I thought that maybe the weather would become more stable. Unfortunately, the weather here is just as unpredictable here as it was there. One moment it's freezing cold with powerful winds and heavy rain, the next it's clear skies and blazing hot. The worst problem of all is it changes so quickly that everyone gets sick. But in the end, I hear I didn't get the worst of the weather front. Unfortunately, my family doesn't inform me very well, so I only hear rumors from people that watch the news down here. As far as they're concerned, the whole country is being destroyed by tornadoes and hurricanes. My prayers go out to everyone affected by the various disasters. 

Anyway, this week was fun, first of all due to my new greenie, Elder Pereira. He was born in the church but only his close family are members. As well, he's part of the first 18 year old crops that are entering the mission field, but even so, he is almost more prepared to serve than I am. I have alot to learn. :D The only problem is that he's as ashamed to talk as everyone else. It's interesting how all of us really want to talk about something, but are really shy about it. When the world is so loud, we should let the gospel shine forth if we expect things to get better.

Last week, Vladimir was baptized, but I didn't have time to explain why. This man had been going to church since the dark ages. He knew it was true, knew it was better than any other he'd visited, but because of daily trials and persecution from others, he never joined. Even a few members had begun labeling him as crazy or saying that he'd never be baptized. However, my companion and I, and a few members on our side, did as Jesus directs and saw him as our Heavenly Father does.  Despite all the trials, the problems, the past, we saw him as our brother and continually invited him to become better and feel better through the gospel of Christ. Finally, we arrived one day and he was happier than I'd ever seen, and excited to speak with us. We asked if he'd received an answer. He looked at us with firm resolution and said, "I cried like a baby."

Last year, the prophet spoke to us on how we should not see people as they are, but see them as they can come to be. Truly this is an eternal principle, and I can witness of it's truth. Had we continued thinking the same way as others, that this man was crazy, that he'd never change, he'd still be in the same state of misery he'd been before. We are all children of the same Heavenly Father. We have a responsibility to help all of our spiritual family be comforted, helped, and best of all, informed of the great plan of redemption given us through our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Thanks for everyone's prayers and letters. Unfortunately, some packages are still only rumors and haven't materialized in my hands, but I hope for the best. May god be with you all, always.

Elder Angus

Word of the week:

envergonhado(a) (en-ver-goy-nyah-doo[duh]) means ashamed or made shy

Pilars of Light

Mosiah 18 gives us a great understanding of what it means to be in the church of Christ. We must always seek to do what is right, and show kindness for one another. We must mourn with those that mourn, comfort those in need of comfort, and stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places. We are the light of the world, and we must shed our light upon all who are in the house. This week, more than ever, we had the pleasure of lighting the way and the truth for those who needed it.

For the past few weeks, we'd been teaching the daughter of a member. The mother, already old and unable to walk, spoke with us, and her, the importance of God in her life. Then, just a few days back, she passed away. Moments like these become really difficult for people to overcome, even for those who understand the hope that comes after death. Just a little bit afterward, we'd begun planning how we could help her overcome this sadness, but came up with nothing but a few tears and a few shots in the dark. Then, when we arrived in her house yesterday, we began to talk, just following the spirit. By the end of the lesson, everybody had gone dry with tears, both of sadness and of joy, and we left feeling better than ever. 

In the end this showed something to me. As one of our recent converts said, "when God's with you, he'll put the right words in your mouth. You just need to speak." If I had more time or could write faster, I'd pass hours just on this subject, but sufficeth it to say that we should never be worried about what we'll say, or how we could help.  Just pray for the spirit and open your mouth. The rest will be up to the Lord.

The weather here is a killer, switching between hot and cold faster than Katy Perry, but all is well with me. Thanks everyone for your prayers, letters, and worries. If there was anything I could ask more, just give my family a great big hug.

Anyway,

Elder Angus

Word of the week:

Calçada (kal-SAH-duh) Meaning sidewalk. Apparently the government isn't responsible for the sidewalks, so there are many places where there isn't any. :l