Subject: 9 days!
Hello Everybody!
Let's see how much I can fit into this email. I've been trying to get a lot done. President is having us make zone plans and goals for the new transfer so I´ve been getting those typed up and emailed.
On Friday, we went up to São Paulo again. This time it was to President´s house for a council meeting. President taught us a lot about helping our investigators repent before being baptized. He quoted a few parts from the church handbook that says that the best way to show repentance is righteous action over a long period of time.
This Sunday, Elivira came to church for the third time. She´s planning on her baptism this coming Sunday. She's made it over 3 weeks without drinking coffee! In fact, everyone in the house has succussfully made the switch to hot chocolate.
Desidério came to church for the first time. He said that next time he´ll be sure to come in a tie to be more prepared for his baptism next month.
We´ll do the final presentations of "Another Christmas Story" this week end in São Bernardo and Riberão Pires.
This week we´re going to try to get in a meeting with Stake President Renato to consider creating a branch in the stake.
Thanks for everything!
Goodbye for now!
--
Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
12-09-08
Subject: There has to be music at Christmas time.
Hello Everybody!
This week was quite a rush!
On Saturday we did our first musical performance of "The Other Christmas Story." I played violin and sang in the choir. Elder Shumway (Millie´s second cousin) is a music genius and organized everything. We´ve practiced only during two p-days, but the performance was a sucess. Many of the Investigators that attended felt the spirit so strong that they accepted baptism. Saturday was our performance in São Paulo. I took a bus with Elder Karr and Elder Machado stayed with his companion. The performance ended at 8:30pm. Because we would get home late, President didn´t want us traveling by bus the normal way, so he rented a van to take us all the way to our homes. But to make it worth the price, he put us in the same van with 4 sister missionaries. (Don´t worry, the driver was a male member). But we had to drop one set off sisters in Guarujá and the other set off in Santos. On top of that the driver got lost a few times. (Cool side note - we took a ferry from Guarujá to Santos). Anyway, we got home at almost one in the morning. I haven´t stayed up so late in over 15 months! Then we had to wake up even earlier than normal to get to the church and fill up the baptismal font for José's baptism. It was great! However, because of water problems, we had to fill up the font half the way with buckets, and the baptismal meeting got a little behind shedule. It ended at 9:05, and Priesthood opening excersizes started 5 minutes late.
Because he was baptized before church, we were able to confirm him the same day. His wife (Ivone) is a recent convert, so here in a year they can get sealed in the temple!
Then Sunday night we went to Santos to perform once more. Next week, we´ll perform in São Bernardo and then in Riberão Pires.
Today we had transfers. Elder Machado went to São Paulo. My new companion is Elder G. Santos from Pernanbuco. This is my first time having a companion with over a year and a half on the mission.
It´s going to be a great transfer!
Merry Christmas!
--Elder Allred
Hello Everybody!
This week was quite a rush!
On Saturday we did our first musical performance of "The Other Christmas Story." I played violin and sang in the choir. Elder Shumway (Millie´s second cousin) is a music genius and organized everything. We´ve practiced only during two p-days, but the performance was a sucess. Many of the Investigators that attended felt the spirit so strong that they accepted baptism. Saturday was our performance in São Paulo. I took a bus with Elder Karr and Elder Machado stayed with his companion. The performance ended at 8:30pm. Because we would get home late, President didn´t want us traveling by bus the normal way, so he rented a van to take us all the way to our homes. But to make it worth the price, he put us in the same van with 4 sister missionaries. (Don´t worry, the driver was a male member). But we had to drop one set off sisters in Guarujá and the other set off in Santos. On top of that the driver got lost a few times. (Cool side note - we took a ferry from Guarujá to Santos). Anyway, we got home at almost one in the morning. I haven´t stayed up so late in over 15 months! Then we had to wake up even earlier than normal to get to the church and fill up the baptismal font for José's baptism. It was great! However, because of water problems, we had to fill up the font half the way with buckets, and the baptismal meeting got a little behind shedule. It ended at 9:05, and Priesthood opening excersizes started 5 minutes late.
Because he was baptized before church, we were able to confirm him the same day. His wife (Ivone) is a recent convert, so here in a year they can get sealed in the temple!
Then Sunday night we went to Santos to perform once more. Next week, we´ll perform in São Bernardo and then in Riberão Pires.
Today we had transfers. Elder Machado went to São Paulo. My new companion is Elder G. Santos from Pernanbuco. This is my first time having a companion with over a year and a half on the mission.
It´s going to be a great transfer!
Merry Christmas!
--Elder Allred
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
12-02-08
Subject: We´re singing Handel´s Messiah!
Hello Everybody!
Well, my email will probably be short because the internet went down because of the rain, and just came back again. Well, José is getting ready for his baptism on Sunday. He already let us annouce it in Sacrament meeting, so it´s pretty firm.
Not much new to write. We´ve been teaching quite a bit. This area is a little harder than my last area because it´s richer. Everyone lives in apartments, but we finally reached our goal of 30 lessons in this area. We´ve been focusing on families. Over 90% of the people with whom we´ve been talking on the road have been potential priesthood holders.
Have fun everybody! Choose the right!
Love, Elder Allred (The one in Brazil that´s from Rexburg).1!!!!!
Hello Everybody!
Well, my email will probably be short because the internet went down because of the rain, and just came back again. Well, José is getting ready for his baptism on Sunday. He already let us annouce it in Sacrament meeting, so it´s pretty firm.
Not much new to write. We´ve been teaching quite a bit. This area is a little harder than my last area because it´s richer. Everyone lives in apartments, but we finally reached our goal of 30 lessons in this area. We´ve been focusing on families. Over 90% of the people with whom we´ve been talking on the road have been potential priesthood holders.
Have fun everybody! Choose the right!
Love, Elder Allred (The one in Brazil that´s from Rexburg).1!!!!!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
11-18-08
Elder Jason Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Richa Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: 2 elephants? Check. 2 tigers? Check. 2 mosquitos? Check. Wait? Is this one male or female?
Hello Everybody!
João and Marilda were confirmed! João is already helping us teach other investigators. When he bears his testimony during the lessons, one can tell that they really feel the spirit. We took Iraci to their house last night to teach her about tithing. They helped us a lot. Marilda told her how she too struggled with coffee for a few weeks before succeeding.
We started teaching a great family. A family of 11! The wife (Ivone) had one child and the husband (Ivonir) had 3 before they got married. Then they decided to adopt 5 more. This is really hard to find here in Brazil. Most people don´t believe in large families. They don´t know what they´re missing. They live really close to the chapel. When we passed by their house on Sunday morning to get them to church, they were already ready and ended up getting to church about 20 minutes early. At least they were able to get to know some members before the meetings started.
We had zone conference on Friday. It´s always such a neat experience. We always come back home invigorated, inspired, and excited to do the work. It´s amazing how much revelation we can receive when we are taught by our leaders.
Sunday night, President and Sister Richardson spoke at a fireside in one of the wards in our stake. We took Edvaldo there to watch. He ended up getting to meet them and was all excited to tell them that he was going to be baptized in 3 weeks. He´s come a long way.
Last night before going to bed I started studying Genesis chapter 6 quite thoroughly. With all the rain we´ve got the last 2 days, I´m sure it´ll come in handy to know the details of ark construction.
Thanks for everything!
Love, Elder Allred
--
Christmas wish:
-Two mini english hymnals
-Two mini english primary children´s songbooks
-One mini portuguese primary children´s songbook
-Face Wash
-Short sleeve white shirt (Not too fat - Brazilians don´t feed us enough ice cream.)
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Richa Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: 2 elephants? Check. 2 tigers? Check. 2 mosquitos? Check. Wait? Is this one male or female?
Hello Everybody!
João and Marilda were confirmed! João is already helping us teach other investigators. When he bears his testimony during the lessons, one can tell that they really feel the spirit. We took Iraci to their house last night to teach her about tithing. They helped us a lot. Marilda told her how she too struggled with coffee for a few weeks before succeeding.
We started teaching a great family. A family of 11! The wife (Ivone) had one child and the husband (Ivonir) had 3 before they got married. Then they decided to adopt 5 more. This is really hard to find here in Brazil. Most people don´t believe in large families. They don´t know what they´re missing. They live really close to the chapel. When we passed by their house on Sunday morning to get them to church, they were already ready and ended up getting to church about 20 minutes early. At least they were able to get to know some members before the meetings started.
We had zone conference on Friday. It´s always such a neat experience. We always come back home invigorated, inspired, and excited to do the work. It´s amazing how much revelation we can receive when we are taught by our leaders.
Sunday night, President and Sister Richardson spoke at a fireside in one of the wards in our stake. We took Edvaldo there to watch. He ended up getting to meet them and was all excited to tell them that he was going to be baptized in 3 weeks. He´s come a long way.
Last night before going to bed I started studying Genesis chapter 6 quite thoroughly. With all the rain we´ve got the last 2 days, I´m sure it´ll come in handy to know the details of ark construction.
Thanks for everything!
Love, Elder Allred
--
Christmas wish:
-Two mini english hymnals
-Two mini english primary children´s songbooks
-One mini portuguese primary children´s songbook
-Face Wash
-Short sleeve white shirt (Not too fat - Brazilians don´t feed us enough ice cream.)
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
11-11-08
Subject: One Way!
Hello Everybody!
Wow this week went by fast!
João and Marilda were baptized on Sunday! It was a really spiritual experience. They invited their whole family to watch the baptism. Usually we have to worry about the water being too cold, but this time was different. We left a member in charge of the baptismal font while it was filling up so we wouldn´t have to waste time waiting in the chapel when there are thousands perishing in unbelief. He got the water to the right level, but forgot to check the temperature. Either he forgot, or thought it might be more efficient to do the baptism by water and the baptism by fire at the same time. :) When Brother Rildo (counselor to the bishop) entered the water to baptize Marilda, he hopped right back out. We had to delay the baptism for about ten minutes to let out some hot water and add some more cold water.
After the ordinances, we had some very spiritual experiences. After leaving the font, João entered the restroom, fell on his knees, and offered a prayer of gratitude for being able to make the changes that allowed him to take this great step. While João and Marilda changed clothes we showed a church film that touched the heart of the family members, who later accepted the invite to learn more of the restored gospel. Both João and Marilda were invited to bear their testimonies at the end of the meeting. The both testified that they knew the Church is true. Marilda said that she felt quite warm in the baptismal font, but that the warmth she felt wasn't from the boiling water but from the spirit that she felt "coming from above." To end the baptismal meeting, 5 primary children sang "I Like to Look for Rainbows" while Elder Machado played the piano. The sound that filled the chapel was angelic and I´m certain that I heard the voice of more than 5 children.
Here in a year João and Marilda will be sealed in the temple, together with their son who passed away 2 months ago in a car accident. Marilda said that the Plan of Salvation was what opened her heart to the restored gospel.
We´re teaching a 28 year-old man who has trouble understanding and remembering all that we teach. When we teach investigators like him or when we teach a family that has little children, I always recognize how blessed I was to learn the simple truths of the gospel ever since I was young. The ways that Mom and Dad taught us, I now use frequently to teach. Preach My Gospel says that master teaching is when you can take something complex and simplify it until a child can understand it. I often remember and utilize simple Primary lessons, such as using my hand and a glove to explain how the spirit enter in the body, has the same form as the body, and gives the body life.
Edvaldo is one of our investigators that is really progressing. Because of how big his changes have had to be, we asked President Acácio (President Richardson´s counselor) to do a pre-interview to help us set goals with him and support him in the repentance process. The interview was Sunday night after the baptism. Edvaldo said that is was a very spiritual experience and that now he has a hope that he didn´t have before.
Thursday was a really neat day. We had interviews with President Richardson, and then Elder Machado and I took Sister Richardson to do inspections of all the missionaries' homes. We didn´t really have to show her the way because her car has a really advanced GPS. It was only wrong once, when we entered the wrong way into a one way street and almost died. Luckily Sister Richardson had asked me to offer a prayer before leaving to make sure we wouldn´t get in any wrecks. I felt really special because I got to act as translator for Sister Richardson when we visited each companionship in their homes.
I made another Book Of Mormon CD today. We´re teaching Iraci, a school teacher that ironically can't read because of pore vision. She´s really progressing, but is having trouble giving up coffee. The problem is that she doesn´t yet believe in the Word of Wisdom, which is because she doesn´t have a firm testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith because she hasn´t been able to read the Book of Mormon yet. But now our problem is solved!
Thanks for all the prayers, love, and support!
--
Love, Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Hello Everybody!
Wow this week went by fast!
João and Marilda were baptized on Sunday! It was a really spiritual experience. They invited their whole family to watch the baptism. Usually we have to worry about the water being too cold, but this time was different. We left a member in charge of the baptismal font while it was filling up so we wouldn´t have to waste time waiting in the chapel when there are thousands perishing in unbelief. He got the water to the right level, but forgot to check the temperature. Either he forgot, or thought it might be more efficient to do the baptism by water and the baptism by fire at the same time. :) When Brother Rildo (counselor to the bishop) entered the water to baptize Marilda, he hopped right back out. We had to delay the baptism for about ten minutes to let out some hot water and add some more cold water.
After the ordinances, we had some very spiritual experiences. After leaving the font, João entered the restroom, fell on his knees, and offered a prayer of gratitude for being able to make the changes that allowed him to take this great step. While João and Marilda changed clothes we showed a church film that touched the heart of the family members, who later accepted the invite to learn more of the restored gospel. Both João and Marilda were invited to bear their testimonies at the end of the meeting. The both testified that they knew the Church is true. Marilda said that she felt quite warm in the baptismal font, but that the warmth she felt wasn't from the boiling water but from the spirit that she felt "coming from above." To end the baptismal meeting, 5 primary children sang "I Like to Look for Rainbows" while Elder Machado played the piano. The sound that filled the chapel was angelic and I´m certain that I heard the voice of more than 5 children.
Here in a year João and Marilda will be sealed in the temple, together with their son who passed away 2 months ago in a car accident. Marilda said that the Plan of Salvation was what opened her heart to the restored gospel.
We´re teaching a 28 year-old man who has trouble understanding and remembering all that we teach. When we teach investigators like him or when we teach a family that has little children, I always recognize how blessed I was to learn the simple truths of the gospel ever since I was young. The ways that Mom and Dad taught us, I now use frequently to teach. Preach My Gospel says that master teaching is when you can take something complex and simplify it until a child can understand it. I often remember and utilize simple Primary lessons, such as using my hand and a glove to explain how the spirit enter in the body, has the same form as the body, and gives the body life.
Edvaldo is one of our investigators that is really progressing. Because of how big his changes have had to be, we asked President Acácio (President Richardson´s counselor) to do a pre-interview to help us set goals with him and support him in the repentance process. The interview was Sunday night after the baptism. Edvaldo said that is was a very spiritual experience and that now he has a hope that he didn´t have before.
Thursday was a really neat day. We had interviews with President Richardson, and then Elder Machado and I took Sister Richardson to do inspections of all the missionaries' homes. We didn´t really have to show her the way because her car has a really advanced GPS. It was only wrong once, when we entered the wrong way into a one way street and almost died. Luckily Sister Richardson had asked me to offer a prayer before leaving to make sure we wouldn´t get in any wrecks. I felt really special because I got to act as translator for Sister Richardson when we visited each companionship in their homes.
I made another Book Of Mormon CD today. We´re teaching Iraci, a school teacher that ironically can't read because of pore vision. She´s really progressing, but is having trouble giving up coffee. The problem is that she doesn´t yet believe in the Word of Wisdom, which is because she doesn´t have a firm testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith because she hasn´t been able to read the Book of Mormon yet. But now our problem is solved!
Thanks for all the prayers, love, and support!
--
Love, Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
11-04-08
Subject: Taxi!
Hello Everybody!
The week went by really fast.
Last Saturday we taught Iraci for the first time. She's a 50 year-old P.E. teacher. The next day on Sunday, she went to church all by herself.
This week, João and Marilda will be baptized. They moved their baptism to this Sunday because they want their family to be able to attend.
On Friday, we had a council meetting in São Paulo with President. We were supposed to be there by 10am, and it takes about an hour and a half to get up there by bus. We had it all planned to get there at 9:30 catching the 8:05 bus. Unfortunately, when we get to the bus station, we realized that we had left almost all of our money at home. We caught a van home, grabbed the money, and realizing that we might miss the 8:30 bus, we caught a R$7.00 taxi to the bus station. We barely missed the 8:30 bus. The next was scheduled to go up to São Paulo at 9:05, which would make us late for the meeting. We called the assistants an told them that we would be late. They told us that it wasn´t an option and ordered us to get a taxi. We then had to spend R$150 on a 2-way taxi trip to São Paulo. Luckily the assistants lent us some money to get home and we fit another companionship in the taxi to split the cost on the way home.
Now we´re going to baptize the taxi driver.
--
Elder Allred
Hello Everybody!
The week went by really fast.
Last Saturday we taught Iraci for the first time. She's a 50 year-old P.E. teacher. The next day on Sunday, she went to church all by herself.
This week, João and Marilda will be baptized. They moved their baptism to this Sunday because they want their family to be able to attend.
On Friday, we had a council meetting in São Paulo with President. We were supposed to be there by 10am, and it takes about an hour and a half to get up there by bus. We had it all planned to get there at 9:30 catching the 8:05 bus. Unfortunately, when we get to the bus station, we realized that we had left almost all of our money at home. We caught a van home, grabbed the money, and realizing that we might miss the 8:30 bus, we caught a R$7.00 taxi to the bus station. We barely missed the 8:30 bus. The next was scheduled to go up to São Paulo at 9:05, which would make us late for the meeting. We called the assistants an told them that we would be late. They told us that it wasn´t an option and ordered us to get a taxi. We then had to spend R$150 on a 2-way taxi trip to São Paulo. Luckily the assistants lent us some money to get home and we fit another companionship in the taxi to split the cost on the way home.
Now we´re going to baptize the taxi driver.
--
Elder Allred
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
10-28-08
Elder Jason Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Richa Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: Me. Elder Allred
Hello Everybody!
Transfers happened on Saturday. Usually transfers only happen on P-day, but all the mission presidents in Brazil had a conference and so the MTC kicked out the greenies a few days early.
Jennifer was baptized on Sunday. I´ve now taught a Jennifer and a Sarah. I'm trying to find a Kristie and a Sheresa, but I haven't yet been successful. Unfortunately, I wasn´t there to see the baptism because I was transfered one day earlier. Elder C. Pereira called me and said that it only took the bishop 4 tries.
Many people were sad to see me leave. Aurea's family cried. She said that through our teachings she came to know her Savior more than in the previous 10 years of intense religious study. Rodolfo's family said that if they don't see me again here in Brazil, at least we'll see each other in the Celestial Kingdom. Sérgio, Valdira, and Thiago are planning on their sealing in the temple next July and we´ll see each other then. Fabrício, Débora, and Yago are also planning their temple sealing in August. They were confirmed the 17th of August. Maybe attending their sealing will get to be the last thing I do in Brazil before getting on the plane next August.
I was trasfered pretty far. All the way to the other side of city. :) My new companion is Elder Machado (Elder Club – either it´s 'club' or one of the other types of weapons the Lamanites liked to use – I remember seeing it in the Book of Mormon.). My new area is São Vicente First Ward. We live in an apartment building on the 11th floor right in front of the beach (we get to use the elevator). This time I'm on the island. My last area was on the continent, but the rest of the city (the bigger part in fact) is on the island, so we always had to come here to the island to do everything.
On Sunday Pedro was confirmed in my new ward, and this Sunday João and Marilda (a married couple) will be baptized. Each time we eat lunch at a member's house, we ask the family to pray for João and Marilda to be baptized.
Edvaldo came to church for the first time on Sunday. He's been having some great changes in his life. I have confidence that his humble repentance will help him prepare for baptism within the next couple months.
Don't forget to Choose the Right, brush your teeth, and say your prayers.
Don´t forget that Halloween is close, chocolate is good, and sending packages to Brazil isn't too expensive.
Goodbye for now!
--
Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Richa Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: Me. Elder Allred
Hello Everybody!
Transfers happened on Saturday. Usually transfers only happen on P-day, but all the mission presidents in Brazil had a conference and so the MTC kicked out the greenies a few days early.
Jennifer was baptized on Sunday. I´ve now taught a Jennifer and a Sarah. I'm trying to find a Kristie and a Sheresa, but I haven't yet been successful. Unfortunately, I wasn´t there to see the baptism because I was transfered one day earlier. Elder C. Pereira called me and said that it only took the bishop 4 tries.
Many people were sad to see me leave. Aurea's family cried. She said that through our teachings she came to know her Savior more than in the previous 10 years of intense religious study. Rodolfo's family said that if they don't see me again here in Brazil, at least we'll see each other in the Celestial Kingdom. Sérgio, Valdira, and Thiago are planning on their sealing in the temple next July and we´ll see each other then. Fabrício, Débora, and Yago are also planning their temple sealing in August. They were confirmed the 17th of August. Maybe attending their sealing will get to be the last thing I do in Brazil before getting on the plane next August.
I was trasfered pretty far. All the way to the other side of city. :) My new companion is Elder Machado (Elder Club – either it´s 'club' or one of the other types of weapons the Lamanites liked to use – I remember seeing it in the Book of Mormon.). My new area is São Vicente First Ward. We live in an apartment building on the 11th floor right in front of the beach (we get to use the elevator). This time I'm on the island. My last area was on the continent, but the rest of the city (the bigger part in fact) is on the island, so we always had to come here to the island to do everything.
On Sunday Pedro was confirmed in my new ward, and this Sunday João and Marilda (a married couple) will be baptized. Each time we eat lunch at a member's house, we ask the family to pray for João and Marilda to be baptized.
Edvaldo came to church for the first time on Sunday. He's been having some great changes in his life. I have confidence that his humble repentance will help him prepare for baptism within the next couple months.
Don't forget to Choose the Right, brush your teeth, and say your prayers.
Don´t forget that Halloween is close, chocolate is good, and sending packages to Brazil isn't too expensive.
Goodbye for now!
--
Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
10-21-08
Subject: Forward, Pressing Forward!
Hello Everybody!
This Saturday, we will have transfers. It was supposed to be next Tuesday, but there will be a meeting of all mission presidents in Brazil, and so the MTC here decided to release the greenies on Saturday. So, on Saturday I could be in a new area. However, I don´t think I will be because Elder Karr and I are planning a musical activity for the stake and President and Sister Richardson are planning on attending. If I get transfered it´ll be a little dificult to be there. But if I do get transfered, I´ll miss the baptism of Jennifer on Sunday. She came to church for the fourth time in a row last Sunday.
Tonight, I´m going to go up to São Paulo to renew my vista. I´ll stay there overnight and come back tomorrow.
Yesterday we made plans and set goals for Jorge to stop smoking. He was an investigator in the other stake, but last week moved to our ward. His wife is already baptized and he has already read the entire Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants. Last week he was smoking 40 cigarretes per day, but this week he has already cut that number in half. His goal is to completely stop 35 days from now.
Maria das Dores is as firm as ever. She´s getting close to getting the divorce all worked out ao she can get married and baptized.
Eunice and her grandson Hérique (Erik) came to church the first time on Sunday. Hérique (10-years-old) thought that Sacrament Meeting was really boring and kept asking us when it was going to end. Fortunately he agreed to stay for Primary. After it ended he came up tp us with the biggest smile. "Primary is so neat! Do they have this every Sunday?" After we affirmed, he said that he´s going to come back every week. :)
Eunice is just working out her doubts about being baptized again. It will be her 4th time. She was first baptized as a Catholic when she was born, then in the Adventists, and then in the Christian Congregation. But we´re sure the Spirit will help her feel what she needs to do.
Diego also came to church for the first time on Sunday. His wife is a Buddist, so I´ll have to study up on the part of Preach My Gospel that refers to teaching those without a Cristian background. We don´t get this opportunity often.
Thanks for your love and support!
(Happy aniversary Mom and Dad! - Ha! I remembered!)
--
Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Hello Everybody!
This Saturday, we will have transfers. It was supposed to be next Tuesday, but there will be a meeting of all mission presidents in Brazil, and so the MTC here decided to release the greenies on Saturday. So, on Saturday I could be in a new area. However, I don´t think I will be because Elder Karr and I are planning a musical activity for the stake and President and Sister Richardson are planning on attending. If I get transfered it´ll be a little dificult to be there. But if I do get transfered, I´ll miss the baptism of Jennifer on Sunday. She came to church for the fourth time in a row last Sunday.
Tonight, I´m going to go up to São Paulo to renew my vista. I´ll stay there overnight and come back tomorrow.
Yesterday we made plans and set goals for Jorge to stop smoking. He was an investigator in the other stake, but last week moved to our ward. His wife is already baptized and he has already read the entire Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants. Last week he was smoking 40 cigarretes per day, but this week he has already cut that number in half. His goal is to completely stop 35 days from now.
Maria das Dores is as firm as ever. She´s getting close to getting the divorce all worked out ao she can get married and baptized.
Eunice and her grandson Hérique (Erik) came to church the first time on Sunday. Hérique (10-years-old) thought that Sacrament Meeting was really boring and kept asking us when it was going to end. Fortunately he agreed to stay for Primary. After it ended he came up tp us with the biggest smile. "Primary is so neat! Do they have this every Sunday?" After we affirmed, he said that he´s going to come back every week. :)
Eunice is just working out her doubts about being baptized again. It will be her 4th time. She was first baptized as a Catholic when she was born, then in the Adventists, and then in the Christian Congregation. But we´re sure the Spirit will help her feel what she needs to do.
Diego also came to church for the first time on Sunday. His wife is a Buddist, so I´ll have to study up on the part of Preach My Gospel that refers to teaching those without a Cristian background. We don´t get this opportunity often.
Thanks for your love and support!
(Happy aniversary Mom and Dad! - Ha! I remembered!)
--
Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
9-30-08
Hello Everybody!
This is Elder Allred speaking! How is everybody doing?
Well, Shirley had been having a little trouble with coffee last week, so we´ve moved her date to this Sunday after General Conference. Thankfully, she´s now decided to never drink it ever again. Sarah hasn´t had any coffee since we taught the Word of Wisdom! She was going to be baptized on Sunday, but she wants to wait and be baptized together with her mom.
Great news! Rodolfo (Shirley´s husband) got the Aaronic Priesthood on Sunday! Now he can baptize his wife and daughter on Sunday! The bishop designated a few of the priests in the ward to confer the priesthood upon him.
Sérgio and Valdira and Fabrício and Débora got their first triple combinations on Sunday. The ward did a ward temple trip on Saturday and we sent money with the members to get them. I also got a triple combination for Rodolfo´s family that I will give them this Sunday at the baptism.
Luciano is the fiancé of a young lady in our ward. He´s been coming to church steadily and finally at church on Sunday decided to get baptized. It was really neat. He told us that he want´s to get baptized as soon as possible, so wee marked the date for this Saturday night. Because he will work this whole week, we had to teach him the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th lesson all at once after the meetings at church on Sunday. He readily accepted everything because he´s been so involved with the church for the last couple months. He was our best student at English class while it was still going on.
We´ve been teaching an older lady called Maria Lúcia (probably about 60-70 years old). She´s been coming to church regulary now for a few months. Her son, Oduvado(probably about 45 years old), has been a member of the church for 5 years. Unfortunately, about a year ago he suffered an accident and hasn´t been able to go to church since. The joints on the right side of his body don´t really work to well. For example, his right hand don´t close and he can´t bend his right knee. He´s been pretty much bed-ridden. He´s been having great progress! He can now sit up on his bed, and thinks that here in a little bit he´ll be able to leave the house in a modified wheelchair that his brother has been working on. We visit them a couple times week to teach him and his mother. While we´re there we help him with his physical theropy. Maria Lúcia doesn´t want to be baptized yet because, as she puts it, "baptism is for young people." Anytime we try to teach her about baptism she refuses to listen, but she´s been building a lot of good friendships at church lately, so hopefully she´ll soften up here in a little bit.
I don´t think I told you guys about the baptism a week and a half ago. Maria Juliawas baptized and confirmed the Saturday before last. She isn´t a convert however. She´s the eight-year-old daughter of Mário and Joelma. Mário is a little less active, so Maria Julia asked me to perform the baptism. I called President to see if missionaries could do ward baptisms, and he said as long as the bishop says so, which he had already done. Joelma went through the temple for the first time this last Saturday. We´ve been working with Mário to reach the same goal so that they can get sealed soon.
(I just realized that I had been spelling Saturday wrong, so I went back and corrected all the "Satterday"s that I typed.
This is Elder Allred speaking! How is everybody doing?
Well, Shirley had been having a little trouble with coffee last week, so we´ve moved her date to this Sunday after General Conference. Thankfully, she´s now decided to never drink it ever again. Sarah hasn´t had any coffee since we taught the Word of Wisdom! She was going to be baptized on Sunday, but she wants to wait and be baptized together with her mom.
Great news! Rodolfo (Shirley´s husband) got the Aaronic Priesthood on Sunday! Now he can baptize his wife and daughter on Sunday! The bishop designated a few of the priests in the ward to confer the priesthood upon him.
Sérgio and Valdira and Fabrício and Débora got their first triple combinations on Sunday. The ward did a ward temple trip on Saturday and we sent money with the members to get them. I also got a triple combination for Rodolfo´s family that I will give them this Sunday at the baptism.
Luciano is the fiancé of a young lady in our ward. He´s been coming to church steadily and finally at church on Sunday decided to get baptized. It was really neat. He told us that he want´s to get baptized as soon as possible, so wee marked the date for this Saturday night. Because he will work this whole week, we had to teach him the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th lesson all at once after the meetings at church on Sunday. He readily accepted everything because he´s been so involved with the church for the last couple months. He was our best student at English class while it was still going on.
We´ve been teaching an older lady called Maria Lúcia (probably about 60-70 years old). She´s been coming to church regulary now for a few months. Her son, Oduvado(probably about 45 years old), has been a member of the church for 5 years. Unfortunately, about a year ago he suffered an accident and hasn´t been able to go to church since. The joints on the right side of his body don´t really work to well. For example, his right hand don´t close and he can´t bend his right knee. He´s been pretty much bed-ridden. He´s been having great progress! He can now sit up on his bed, and thinks that here in a little bit he´ll be able to leave the house in a modified wheelchair that his brother has been working on. We visit them a couple times week to teach him and his mother. While we´re there we help him with his physical theropy. Maria Lúcia doesn´t want to be baptized yet because, as she puts it, "baptism is for young people." Anytime we try to teach her about baptism she refuses to listen, but she´s been building a lot of good friendships at church lately, so hopefully she´ll soften up here in a little bit.
I don´t think I told you guys about the baptism a week and a half ago. Maria Juliawas baptized and confirmed the Saturday before last. She isn´t a convert however. She´s the eight-year-old daughter of Mário and Joelma. Mário is a little less active, so Maria Julia asked me to perform the baptism. I called President to see if missionaries could do ward baptisms, and he said as long as the bishop says so, which he had already done. Joelma went through the temple for the first time this last Saturday. We´ve been working with Mário to reach the same goal so that they can get sealed soon.
(I just realized that I had been spelling Saturday wrong, so I went back and corrected all the "Satterday"s that I typed.
9-23-08
Subject: Conference! (Ok, just 11 more days... Patience!)
Hello Everybody!
I didn´t have too much time to write last week because I was making a CD of the Book of Mormon for a recent convert who has dificulty reading. I was quite amazed that I was able to download the entire Boom of Mormon in MP3 in only about 45 minutes. But it took up all my time. I´ll try to write more this week, but if I have time I´m going to make some General Conference Invites to give to people on the street.
Anyway, just to finish what I was saying last week:
Shirley and Sarah are getting ready for baptism. We´ve riddened their house of all coffee. Rodolfo is trying to get the confidence to receive the priesthood so that he can baptize his wife and daughter this Sunday.
Elder Carr is from Salt Lake City. He is a professional singer. I got really excited when I heard that he was moving in with us last week. Unfortunately, he said that barbershop isn´t his thing. He just does solos. (Don´t worry- I´ll convert him!)
We had Stake Conference this last Sunday. The 3rd ever in our stake! (Because it makes a little time that the stake divided itself). Even though it is a 45 minute bus ride to get to the stake center, Rodolfo took his family and Maria das Dores brought hers as well. Maria das Dores is only waiting her divorce and marriage to come through to be baptized. We´ve been having a lot of success teaching families lately.
We did a service project at the house of Aurea (recent convert) cleaning her "quintal" (yard?) and taking away all the "mato" (wilderness?).
President Texeira is having his first missionary reunion, but I won´t be there. I think Salt Lake City is a little outside of our area.
Goodbye for now!
--
Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Hello Everybody!
I didn´t have too much time to write last week because I was making a CD of the Book of Mormon for a recent convert who has dificulty reading. I was quite amazed that I was able to download the entire Boom of Mormon in MP3 in only about 45 minutes. But it took up all my time. I´ll try to write more this week, but if I have time I´m going to make some General Conference Invites to give to people on the street.
Anyway, just to finish what I was saying last week:
Shirley and Sarah are getting ready for baptism. We´ve riddened their house of all coffee. Rodolfo is trying to get the confidence to receive the priesthood so that he can baptize his wife and daughter this Sunday.
Elder Carr is from Salt Lake City. He is a professional singer. I got really excited when I heard that he was moving in with us last week. Unfortunately, he said that barbershop isn´t his thing. He just does solos. (Don´t worry- I´ll convert him!)
We had Stake Conference this last Sunday. The 3rd ever in our stake! (Because it makes a little time that the stake divided itself). Even though it is a 45 minute bus ride to get to the stake center, Rodolfo took his family and Maria das Dores brought hers as well. Maria das Dores is only waiting her divorce and marriage to come through to be baptized. We´ve been having a lot of success teaching families lately.
We did a service project at the house of Aurea (recent convert) cleaning her "quintal" (yard?) and taking away all the "mato" (wilderness?).
President Texeira is having his first missionary reunion, but I won´t be there. I think Salt Lake City is a little outside of our area.
Goodbye for now!
--
Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
9-09-08
Elder Jason Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Richa Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: Wow, that water was cooooooooooooold!
Hello Everybody!
Yeah!
Rodolfo was baptized and confirmed! His wife, Shirley really felt the spirit at the baptismal meeting. I´m sure that it won´t be long until she realizes that she to needs to be baptized. And their daughter Sarah is just waiting for her mom. Guess what! Sarah is 11 years-old - just like another Sarah I know! :)
(Wow, this keyboard is really weird to use)
On Saturday, we participated in the Church's nation-wide service project "Mãos que Ajudam" (Hands that Help). Throughout all of Brazil, the Church spent Saturday renovating public schools. We were lucky. The Church chose one of the public schools in our area. Over 500 people from the two stakes here in São Vicente came to help. Most of the work was repainting, cleaning and fixing desks, fixing and replacing doors, rewiring the fans and the lights, and stuff like that. My companion and I got a cool job. We got to drill into the side of the school to put up metal grates on the windows to block the rocks that kids throw. It was only a one-day project, but we got a lot done. Actually, President only let us help for 5 hours. He said that there were more important things to be doing. :) So we got there at 6:30 in the morning and worked until lunch. Most of the other missionaries in the two zones live on the island and had to wake up a lot earlier to get a bus. We only had to wake up at 6am because it´s only a 5 minute run from our house. We´re hoping that the parents of the students that study there get a little more curious about the Church because of the project. Many teachers were crying out of thankfulness because they had lost desire to continue working in that broken-down school, but now they have a renewed hope.
I finally mailed the letters I wrote a few weeks ago.
Fabrício (who was baptized 3 weeks ago along with his wike) got his first calling on Sunday. He was set apart as the assistant secretary in the Elders Quorum. He and Sérgio (a recent convert from last transfer) got the Aaronic Priesthood the week before.
Elder C. Pereira got a little sick on Sunday. He threw up a few times. I had to call Sister Richardson for him because she´s still learning Portuguese. It was really hard to try to talk in English. Typing is easier. Anyway, he´s better now. We´re pretty sure it was the leftovers from lunch that he ate.
Everthing´s great!
Goodbye for now!
--
Élder Jason Morgan Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Richa Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: Wow, that water was cooooooooooooold!
Hello Everybody!
Yeah!
Rodolfo was baptized and confirmed! His wife, Shirley really felt the spirit at the baptismal meeting. I´m sure that it won´t be long until she realizes that she to needs to be baptized. And their daughter Sarah is just waiting for her mom. Guess what! Sarah is 11 years-old - just like another Sarah I know! :)
(Wow, this keyboard is really weird to use)
On Saturday, we participated in the Church's nation-wide service project "Mãos que Ajudam" (Hands that Help). Throughout all of Brazil, the Church spent Saturday renovating public schools. We were lucky. The Church chose one of the public schools in our area. Over 500 people from the two stakes here in São Vicente came to help. Most of the work was repainting, cleaning and fixing desks, fixing and replacing doors, rewiring the fans and the lights, and stuff like that. My companion and I got a cool job. We got to drill into the side of the school to put up metal grates on the windows to block the rocks that kids throw. It was only a one-day project, but we got a lot done. Actually, President only let us help for 5 hours. He said that there were more important things to be doing. :) So we got there at 6:30 in the morning and worked until lunch. Most of the other missionaries in the two zones live on the island and had to wake up a lot earlier to get a bus. We only had to wake up at 6am because it´s only a 5 minute run from our house. We´re hoping that the parents of the students that study there get a little more curious about the Church because of the project. Many teachers were crying out of thankfulness because they had lost desire to continue working in that broken-down school, but now they have a renewed hope.
I finally mailed the letters I wrote a few weeks ago.
Fabrício (who was baptized 3 weeks ago along with his wike) got his first calling on Sunday. He was set apart as the assistant secretary in the Elders Quorum. He and Sérgio (a recent convert from last transfer) got the Aaronic Priesthood the week before.
Elder C. Pereira got a little sick on Sunday. He threw up a few times. I had to call Sister Richardson for him because she´s still learning Portuguese. It was really hard to try to talk in English. Typing is easier. Anyway, he´s better now. We´re pretty sure it was the leftovers from lunch that he ate.
Everthing´s great!
Goodbye for now!
--
Élder Jason Morgan Allred
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
9-02-08
Elder Jason Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Richa Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: That´s funny. It´s spelled just like the word "escape."
Last week we had zone conferences! Elder Soares (of the First quorum of the 70) came and talked with us.
Today for Pday, we went to the aquariam in Santos, the neighboring city of the island. It was really cool. It was almost like watching Finding Nemo. Then we went and cut our hair. But, our Pday is pretty much gone.
We got an entire family in church on Sunday. Rodolfo, Shirley, and their daughter Sarah. Rodolfo is getting all set for baptism (he´s already stopped smoking - and yes! he´s married!), but Shirley doesn´t want to leave her other church. For the mean time she´ll keep frequenting both of the churches. (Do we say "frequenting" in English? Maybe the better word is "attend.")
We got some bad news yesterday. Anderson (14 years old) has been preparing for baptism for over a month and was going to be baptized this next Sunday, but yesterday, his mother changed her mind (before we got her to sign the baptismal form). Now he´ll have to wait 4 more years. :(
Wanger and Rita are brother and sister that came to church for the first time on Sunday. They´re in their mid-twenties. They have a really firm decision to change their lives and be baptized, but the biggest obstacle for now is the Word of Wisdom. They´re getting better!
--
Elder Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Richa Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: That´s funny. It´s spelled just like the word "escape."
Last week we had zone conferences! Elder Soares (of the First quorum of the 70) came and talked with us.
Today for Pday, we went to the aquariam in Santos, the neighboring city of the island. It was really cool. It was almost like watching Finding Nemo. Then we went and cut our hair. But, our Pday is pretty much gone.
We got an entire family in church on Sunday. Rodolfo, Shirley, and their daughter Sarah. Rodolfo is getting all set for baptism (he´s already stopped smoking - and yes! he´s married!), but Shirley doesn´t want to leave her other church. For the mean time she´ll keep frequenting both of the churches. (Do we say "frequenting" in English? Maybe the better word is "attend.")
We got some bad news yesterday. Anderson (14 years old) has been preparing for baptism for over a month and was going to be baptized this next Sunday, but yesterday, his mother changed her mind (before we got her to sign the baptismal form). Now he´ll have to wait 4 more years. :(
Wanger and Rita are brother and sister that came to church for the first time on Sunday. They´re in their mid-twenties. They have a really firm decision to change their lives and be baptized, but the biggest obstacle for now is the Word of Wisdom. They´re getting better!
--
Elder Allred
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
8-19-08
Subject: Traduza... (Translate...)
Oi Todo Mundo!
Hello Everybody!
Parabéns pra você, Ryan! Que pena que você não virá à melhor missão do mundo. Pela menos as pessoas poderão pronunciar o seu nome. Aqui todo mundo tem dificuldade com o nome Allred. Em português, não existe palavras com dois ´l´s seguindos. E também o ´d´ mudo no final sempre palataliza-se. O mais perto torna-se "Owhedge".
Congrats Ryan! What a shame that you´re not going to come to the best mission in the world. At least the people there will be able to say your name. Here, everybody has dificulty with the name Allred. In Portuguese, there doesn´t exist words with double ´l´. Also, the mute ´d´at the end of a word always is palatalized. The closest they get is "Owhedge".
Bem. Enviei meu último email semana passado percebendo que esqueci incluir as missões que ia advinhar para o chamado missionário de Ryan. Advinhei primeiro a Missão Califôrnia Roseville e segundo a Missão Melhor do Mundo (ou seja a Missão São Paulo Sul). Pensei que se advinhasse errado (e nunca advinho errado), ele viria para cá. eu já tava planejando pedir ao Presidente na minha entrevista esta semana se poderia ser o seu trainador. Tudo bem.
Well, I sent my email last week realizing that I forgot to include my guesses for Ryan´s mission call. My two guesses were: the California, Roseville Mission and the Brazil São Paulo South Mission. I figuered that if I guessed wrong (which I never do) and he ended up not going to California, he would come here to the best mission in the world. I was already planning on asking President in my interview this week if I could be his trainer. O well.
Nós também tivemos a conferência da ala. A freqüência foi 180. Há cinco anos atrás, a freqüência foi o mesmo. Mas isso foi antes da ala dividir-se. Então, a igreja tá crescendo muito.
We also had ward conference. There was 180 people there. Five years ago, the attendence was the same, but this was before the ward split. So the church here is growing a lot.
Frabrício e Débora foram batizados no Sábado e confirmados no Domingo. Sexta-feira agora eu faço 1 ano na missão. Então, se eles prepararem-se muito durante este novo ano e forem ao temple exatamente daqui um ano, eu vou poder assistir o seu selamento.
Fabrício and Débora were baptized on Saturday and Confirmed on Sunday. This Friday is my one year mark on the mission. So, if they prepare themsleves a lot during this new year and go to the temple exactly one year from now, I´ll be able to attend the sealing.
Era para ter entrevistas com Presidente a semana passada, mas houve uma emergência e ele teve que sair mais cedo. As entrevistas foram remarcadas para amanhã.
We were suposed to have interviews with President last week, but there was an emergency and he had to leave earlier.
The interviews were rescheduled for tomorrow.
Nós temos uma nova regra em casa. Só podemos falar inglês dentro da casa, e só português fora. Não távamos fazendo isso antes porque eu e Élder Urie não quisemos desenvolver o hábito de falar inglês um com o outro. Mas, agora sou o único Americano em casa, e os outros três Élderes estão aprendendo inglês. Tem sido bem difícil porque fez tempo que não falei em inglês. Élder Magnum sempre tem que me lembrar, porque eu começo falar português sempre.
We have a new rule in the house. We can only speak English inside and only Portugues outside. We didn´t make this rule before because Elder Urie and I didn´t was to fall in the habit of speaking English one with the other. But now I´m the only American in the house, and the other three Elders are learning English. It´s been pretty difficult becuase it´s been a while since I didn´t speak English. Elder Magum has had to remind me, because I always forget and start speaking in Portuguese.
Ontém a noite, realizamos uma noite familiar na casa da Carminha (recém-converso). Teve mais duas famílias na ala que moram nos mesmos apartamentos. Foi muito boa! Desejo que Helenilton (seu marido) tenha mais vontade de ir à igrejo depois isso.
Last night, we held family home evening in home of Maria do Carmo (a recent convert). There were two more member families there that live in the same apartment buildings. It was really good! I hope that Helenilton (her husband) has more desire to go to church after this.
Bem, tenho que atualizar o site de referências.
Well, I have to up date the referral site.
Até logo!
Goodbye for now!
-Elder Jason Morgan Allred.
Oi Todo Mundo!
Hello Everybody!
Parabéns pra você, Ryan! Que pena que você não virá à melhor missão do mundo. Pela menos as pessoas poderão pronunciar o seu nome. Aqui todo mundo tem dificuldade com o nome Allred. Em português, não existe palavras com dois ´l´s seguindos. E também o ´d´ mudo no final sempre palataliza-se. O mais perto torna-se "Owhedge".
Congrats Ryan! What a shame that you´re not going to come to the best mission in the world. At least the people there will be able to say your name. Here, everybody has dificulty with the name Allred. In Portuguese, there doesn´t exist words with double ´l´. Also, the mute ´d´at the end of a word always is palatalized. The closest they get is "Owhedge".
Bem. Enviei meu último email semana passado percebendo que esqueci incluir as missões que ia advinhar para o chamado missionário de Ryan. Advinhei primeiro a Missão Califôrnia Roseville e segundo a Missão Melhor do Mundo (ou seja a Missão São Paulo Sul). Pensei que se advinhasse errado (e nunca advinho errado), ele viria para cá. eu já tava planejando pedir ao Presidente na minha entrevista esta semana se poderia ser o seu trainador. Tudo bem.
Well, I sent my email last week realizing that I forgot to include my guesses for Ryan´s mission call. My two guesses were: the California, Roseville Mission and the Brazil São Paulo South Mission. I figuered that if I guessed wrong (which I never do) and he ended up not going to California, he would come here to the best mission in the world. I was already planning on asking President in my interview this week if I could be his trainer. O well.
Nós também tivemos a conferência da ala. A freqüência foi 180. Há cinco anos atrás, a freqüência foi o mesmo. Mas isso foi antes da ala dividir-se. Então, a igreja tá crescendo muito.
We also had ward conference. There was 180 people there. Five years ago, the attendence was the same, but this was before the ward split. So the church here is growing a lot.
Frabrício e Débora foram batizados no Sábado e confirmados no Domingo. Sexta-feira agora eu faço 1 ano na missão. Então, se eles prepararem-se muito durante este novo ano e forem ao temple exatamente daqui um ano, eu vou poder assistir o seu selamento.
Fabrício and Débora were baptized on Saturday and Confirmed on Sunday. This Friday is my one year mark on the mission. So, if they prepare themsleves a lot during this new year and go to the temple exactly one year from now, I´ll be able to attend the sealing.
Era para ter entrevistas com Presidente a semana passada, mas houve uma emergência e ele teve que sair mais cedo. As entrevistas foram remarcadas para amanhã.
We were suposed to have interviews with President last week, but there was an emergency and he had to leave earlier.
The interviews were rescheduled for tomorrow.
Nós temos uma nova regra em casa. Só podemos falar inglês dentro da casa, e só português fora. Não távamos fazendo isso antes porque eu e Élder Urie não quisemos desenvolver o hábito de falar inglês um com o outro. Mas, agora sou o único Americano em casa, e os outros três Élderes estão aprendendo inglês. Tem sido bem difícil porque fez tempo que não falei em inglês. Élder Magnum sempre tem que me lembrar, porque eu começo falar português sempre.
We have a new rule in the house. We can only speak English inside and only Portugues outside. We didn´t make this rule before because Elder Urie and I didn´t was to fall in the habit of speaking English one with the other. But now I´m the only American in the house, and the other three Elders are learning English. It´s been pretty difficult becuase it´s been a while since I didn´t speak English. Elder Magum has had to remind me, because I always forget and start speaking in Portuguese.
Ontém a noite, realizamos uma noite familiar na casa da Carminha (recém-converso). Teve mais duas famílias na ala que moram nos mesmos apartamentos. Foi muito boa! Desejo que Helenilton (seu marido) tenha mais vontade de ir à igrejo depois isso.
Last night, we held family home evening in home of Maria do Carmo (a recent convert). There were two more member families there that live in the same apartment buildings. It was really good! I hope that Helenilton (her husband) has more desire to go to church after this.
Bem, tenho que atualizar o site de referências.
Well, I have to up date the referral site.
Até logo!
Goodbye for now!
-Elder Jason Morgan Allred.
Friday, August 15, 2008
8-12-08
Subject: I had never before had to use bug spray to go to bed at night.
Hello Everybody!
This last week it rained quite a bit. I think it´s because people just can´t make up their minds. First, we went a month without rain, so their was a water shortage. We didn´t feel the effects of it too much because we´re never at home during the day when everyone else is using water. We almost had a scare during Junior´s baptism a few weeks ago. The water at the chapel stopped right when we finished filling up the font. The problem is that there is a small leak, so we had to hurry and do the baptism while there was still enough water. Bishop almost had to lay him flat to get him baptized. Anyway, I think because of the water shortage, people must have started praying for rain. So, prayers were answered and the rain came down and the mud came up, the rain came down and the mud came up, the rain came down and the mud came up and the house of the Elders stood still and got muddy. Anyway, I think all the people that live on dirt roads prayed for the rain to stop. Now it´s really hot again. My companion has really dark skin, and even he put on sun screen today.
Last week we started teaching Rodolfo and his family (yes! He´s already married to his wife!). They said they would come to church. So we told him we would have a member pass by his house and walk with them. We assigned the job to Irmão (Brother) André, our ward mission leader. We told him Road Three of the Vila (Neighborhood) Ema. Little did we know that there are two road threes in Vila Ema. He choose the wrong one and never found the house. Later that day, we went to Rodolfo´s house. He said that he waited and waited for Irmão André to come, and he never came. So about 9:30 (the time when church starts), they decided to take off for church alone. They got there at 10:00, and our ward was in sacrament meeting, and the other ward were in the classes. They didn´t know where to go, so they went home! We explained what happened, and they said that they´ll come this week again. Hooray!
Last Saturday, when we were going to go contact a reference, we passed a man outside his home. About 30 steps latter, I felt the need to talk to him, so we did an about face and returned. At first I just offered him a pass along card. Then I decided to go ahead and try to teach him. He let us into his garage, at we taught him a quick first lesson, and invited him to church. He said he would come. We agreed to meet him at his home 9:15 am (He lives close to the chapel). Sunday morning about 8am, we tried calling Wellington (that´s his name) to make sure that he was awake and getting ready, but his cell phone was turned off. We passed there at 9:15 like planned. He was still asleep when we got their, but we woke him up and he said he would hurry and get ready. It only took him about 10 minutes to take a shower, get dressed, and eat something really quick. We showed up a little late for Sacrament meeting, but we had luck, and as ussual, the meeting started late, and we walked in during the first hymn.
Jonathan, who was going to be baptized on Sunday, now will have to wait a couple more years. His mom changed her mind and didn´t want to sign the baptismal form. :(
Fabrício and Débora are all set for their baptism this Saturday. All that´s left is the interview, which will take place on Thursday.
Aurea (who was baptized a few weeks ago with her family) is just craving to learn more. She has already read almost 3 different manuals of the teaching of the presidents of the church. She said that John Taylor is her favorite. She is always asking what she needs to be doing to prepare for the temple a year from now. And Luiz (her grandson of 10 years) is anxious to prepare to receive the priesthood in two years. That reminds me - I need to talk to the Primary President to get him going on the Faith in God program.
Sérgio and Valdira are as firm as ever. Valdira had to stay home on Sunday with Thiago, her three-year-old son who was coughing and couldn´t go out in the rain. (They would have had to walk 30 minutes in the rain). But on Monday, she told us that she felt such a falt of church, that from now on whether it´s raining or burning, she´ll never miss another church meeting ever again.
Elder C. Pereira´s English is coming along pretty good. I taught him how to make mashed potatoes today. I´ll send a picture of us both next week.
Thanks for everything!
-Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Hello Everybody!
This last week it rained quite a bit. I think it´s because people just can´t make up their minds. First, we went a month without rain, so their was a water shortage. We didn´t feel the effects of it too much because we´re never at home during the day when everyone else is using water. We almost had a scare during Junior´s baptism a few weeks ago. The water at the chapel stopped right when we finished filling up the font. The problem is that there is a small leak, so we had to hurry and do the baptism while there was still enough water. Bishop almost had to lay him flat to get him baptized. Anyway, I think because of the water shortage, people must have started praying for rain. So, prayers were answered and the rain came down and the mud came up, the rain came down and the mud came up, the rain came down and the mud came up and the house of the Elders stood still and got muddy. Anyway, I think all the people that live on dirt roads prayed for the rain to stop. Now it´s really hot again. My companion has really dark skin, and even he put on sun screen today.
Last week we started teaching Rodolfo and his family (yes! He´s already married to his wife!). They said they would come to church. So we told him we would have a member pass by his house and walk with them. We assigned the job to Irmão (Brother) André, our ward mission leader. We told him Road Three of the Vila (Neighborhood) Ema. Little did we know that there are two road threes in Vila Ema. He choose the wrong one and never found the house. Later that day, we went to Rodolfo´s house. He said that he waited and waited for Irmão André to come, and he never came. So about 9:30 (the time when church starts), they decided to take off for church alone. They got there at 10:00, and our ward was in sacrament meeting, and the other ward were in the classes. They didn´t know where to go, so they went home! We explained what happened, and they said that they´ll come this week again. Hooray!
Last Saturday, when we were going to go contact a reference, we passed a man outside his home. About 30 steps latter, I felt the need to talk to him, so we did an about face and returned. At first I just offered him a pass along card. Then I decided to go ahead and try to teach him. He let us into his garage, at we taught him a quick first lesson, and invited him to church. He said he would come. We agreed to meet him at his home 9:15 am (He lives close to the chapel). Sunday morning about 8am, we tried calling Wellington (that´s his name) to make sure that he was awake and getting ready, but his cell phone was turned off. We passed there at 9:15 like planned. He was still asleep when we got their, but we woke him up and he said he would hurry and get ready. It only took him about 10 minutes to take a shower, get dressed, and eat something really quick. We showed up a little late for Sacrament meeting, but we had luck, and as ussual, the meeting started late, and we walked in during the first hymn.
Jonathan, who was going to be baptized on Sunday, now will have to wait a couple more years. His mom changed her mind and didn´t want to sign the baptismal form. :(
Fabrício and Débora are all set for their baptism this Saturday. All that´s left is the interview, which will take place on Thursday.
Aurea (who was baptized a few weeks ago with her family) is just craving to learn more. She has already read almost 3 different manuals of the teaching of the presidents of the church. She said that John Taylor is her favorite. She is always asking what she needs to be doing to prepare for the temple a year from now. And Luiz (her grandson of 10 years) is anxious to prepare to receive the priesthood in two years. That reminds me - I need to talk to the Primary President to get him going on the Faith in God program.
Sérgio and Valdira are as firm as ever. Valdira had to stay home on Sunday with Thiago, her three-year-old son who was coughing and couldn´t go out in the rain. (They would have had to walk 30 minutes in the rain). But on Monday, she told us that she felt such a falt of church, that from now on whether it´s raining or burning, she´ll never miss another church meeting ever again.
Elder C. Pereira´s English is coming along pretty good. I taught him how to make mashed potatoes today. I´ll send a picture of us both next week.
Thanks for everything!
-Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
8-05-08
Subject: Transfers!
Hello Everybody!
We had transfers, and I have some very sad news. Elder Urie was transfered. I only got to be with him for one transfer. :(
On Sunday, Carminha and her two granddaughters were baptized. They will be confirmed this coming Sunday. It was a very special ocasion. We started teaching them when a recent convert (Elinilde) from another ward in the neighboring stake moved to our ward to live with her mother. Elinilde got on our foot for her not receiving any visits from the missionaries since she moved in (we didn´t even know she had moved here). Oh, do we use the phrase "to get on someone´s foot" in English? I think it´s the equivilant of to get after someone. I´m not even sure how to word this anymore. Anyway, we went to her house and found out that her mother wanted to start coming to church as well. Next thing you know she stops drinking coffee and stops smoking and also brings her two granddaughters to church. Her husband (Helenilton) is a little slower coming along. But, he said he´s going to come to church on Sunday. It´s a start. He says he doesn´t want us to push him too much to stop smoking. He says he´ll stop little by little, but well get on his foot about that. I see a lot of potential in him. Last night, Elder Urie and I passed by for the last time before he was transfered, and I could picture Helenilton as a worthy holder of the priesthood being sealed with his wife in the temple. I have great hope for him.
The whole ward was really sad to see Elder Urie leave, but I think I was the saddest. Junior (that was baptized a few weeks ago) said that we´re like bread and butter. Jonathan, his friend (who also has been visiting the church, and will, with some miracles, be baptized on Sunday) said that he was going to walk into church with a complaint saying that they couldn´t make Elder Urie leave.
Together, Elder Urie and I were able to do more in one transfer than what was done in the last 5 transfers in this area. I´m really glad that the bar was raised a few years ago. I can see how 2 missionaries that are willing to rely completely on the Lord can be more affective that putting them each with a companion that still doesn´t know why he´s on a mission.
Luckily, I´ve been blessed 7 times in a row with amazing companions. My new companion is a Brazilian! Hurray! I love Brazilians! However, it does mean that I´ll be teaching English class alone again - he´ll be one of the students. His name is Elder C. Pereira. He´s from Recife. He the shortest companion I´ve had so far. We´re quite a contrast physically, but I can see that we´re going to work great together. All we have to do is make the duo a trio and let the Lord be the senior companion. This is his third area as well. He was born in (ie: his first area was) Mauá, in the area right next to mine, so I already know him a little. This will be his 4th transfer.
Well, when we found out about tranfers, and I found out that Elder Urie would leave, I got really sad, worried, and a little stressed out. We did so much good together, and I was worried that I wouldn´t be able to continue at the same level without him. But I was blessed to recognize that we did so well together because we relied on the Lord. And Elder C. Pereira and I will continue. It´ll be a great transfer. I´m excited!
Well, Goodbye for now!
Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Hello Everybody!
We had transfers, and I have some very sad news. Elder Urie was transfered. I only got to be with him for one transfer. :(
On Sunday, Carminha and her two granddaughters were baptized. They will be confirmed this coming Sunday. It was a very special ocasion. We started teaching them when a recent convert (Elinilde) from another ward in the neighboring stake moved to our ward to live with her mother. Elinilde got on our foot for her not receiving any visits from the missionaries since she moved in (we didn´t even know she had moved here). Oh, do we use the phrase "to get on someone´s foot" in English? I think it´s the equivilant of to get after someone. I´m not even sure how to word this anymore. Anyway, we went to her house and found out that her mother wanted to start coming to church as well. Next thing you know she stops drinking coffee and stops smoking and also brings her two granddaughters to church. Her husband (Helenilton) is a little slower coming along. But, he said he´s going to come to church on Sunday. It´s a start. He says he doesn´t want us to push him too much to stop smoking. He says he´ll stop little by little, but well get on his foot about that. I see a lot of potential in him. Last night, Elder Urie and I passed by for the last time before he was transfered, and I could picture Helenilton as a worthy holder of the priesthood being sealed with his wife in the temple. I have great hope for him.
The whole ward was really sad to see Elder Urie leave, but I think I was the saddest. Junior (that was baptized a few weeks ago) said that we´re like bread and butter. Jonathan, his friend (who also has been visiting the church, and will, with some miracles, be baptized on Sunday) said that he was going to walk into church with a complaint saying that they couldn´t make Elder Urie leave.
Together, Elder Urie and I were able to do more in one transfer than what was done in the last 5 transfers in this area. I´m really glad that the bar was raised a few years ago. I can see how 2 missionaries that are willing to rely completely on the Lord can be more affective that putting them each with a companion that still doesn´t know why he´s on a mission.
Luckily, I´ve been blessed 7 times in a row with amazing companions. My new companion is a Brazilian! Hurray! I love Brazilians! However, it does mean that I´ll be teaching English class alone again - he´ll be one of the students. His name is Elder C. Pereira. He´s from Recife. He the shortest companion I´ve had so far. We´re quite a contrast physically, but I can see that we´re going to work great together. All we have to do is make the duo a trio and let the Lord be the senior companion. This is his third area as well. He was born in (ie: his first area was) Mauá, in the area right next to mine, so I already know him a little. This will be his 4th transfer.
Well, when we found out about tranfers, and I found out that Elder Urie would leave, I got really sad, worried, and a little stressed out. We did so much good together, and I was worried that I wouldn´t be able to continue at the same level without him. But I was blessed to recognize that we did so well together because we relied on the Lord. And Elder C. Pereira and I will continue. It´ll be a great transfer. I´m excited!
Well, Goodbye for now!
Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
7-15-08
Subject: New record of investigators at church! (again)
Hello everybody!
This keyboard is really annoying. The shift key on the right side (the one I´m used to using) isn´t working, so I have to use the one on the left side (the one I´m not used to using). Oh the trials of life! I don´t know how I´m ever going to get through this email! :)
Anyway, we reached our goal! We got 20 investigators to church on Sunday. (It would have been 23 but three of them don´t count because they´re not baptizing age.)
I picked up my suit from the dry cleaners today. We had to take 2 different buses just to get there. Our area is out in the middle of nowhere. We have to take a 40 min bus ride to get to any bank or post office. Our zone is pretty spread out, and we´ve had to spend a lot of money on buses lately. For example last Saturday, in order to do some baptismal interviews, we went on a split with some other Elders, and between us four we paid for 20 bus passages.
Oh! I guess the shift button wasn´t broken afterward. This must be a gaming keyboard because it´s got a TURBO button that was messing me up. Problem solved!
On Sunday night we got to go to a fireside where President Costa (of the Presidency of the Seventy) spoke. We had to leave early to get home on time, but we learned a lot of neat things.
So, let me tell you a little about our investigators!
Sérgio and Vauldira - A couple with whom I did a street contact my second day here three weeks ago. Since then, they´ve been to church three times in a row. They let us take their coffee when we taught them the Word of Wisdom. Their 3-year-old (Thiago) was a handful in church. Our life line was the 12-year-old daugher of the old Bishop that kept him under control so he wouldn´t run up and down the isles. They have a baptismal goal of the 26th of July.
Fabrício and Débora - Friends of Sérgio and Vauldira. After they went to church last week, they found out that their best friends are the Elders´ Quorum President and his wife. They also gave us their coffee. They have already agreed to be baptized and are currently praying about a specific date we set with them. Their 5 year-old (Iago) is very well behaved.
Maria das Dores (Mary of the Pains) - I don´t know why her parents gave her that name. She´s the grandmother of Wellington (who was baptized two weeks before I got here). She attended his baptism, and really felt the spirit. We started teaching her and she came to church for the second time on Sunday. Her only concern about baptism is that she´s afraid of the cold water (the heater doesn´t work). We don´t have a firm baptism date marked with her yet because she needs to divorce her first husband (who she hasn´t seen in 20 years) and get married to the man she is living with now. Because of the spirit she felt at church two weeks ago, she has decided to get married. It´s going to be a complicated process, because we´ll have to talk with some lawyers. But, the goal is to baptize her next transfer.
Aurea, Danielle (her daugher), and Luiz (her grandson, but not Danielle´s son) - A family that I talked to the Saturday before last. That following day, they went to church as well as this last Sunday. When Aurea came home from church on that first Sunday, she had lost all desire to smoke. On Monday, we planned on teaching her the Word of Wisdom. Before we started, she told us that she had decided to stop drinking coffee as well because coffee makes her want to smoke. They also have a baptism goal of the 26th of July.
We also have Luana, Suiane, and Junior who were all interviewed. They passed, but aren´t feeling completely ready. The main problem is that Luana and Suiane don´t have enough courage yet to leave their old church. Suine has been to church these last 3 weeks in a row, and Luana and Junior have been 2 times. We started teaching Emerson, Suiane´s brother, and he came to church last Sunday as well.
Luan came to church for the first time on Sunday with 6 of his brothers and sisters and step brothers. Most of them have already been 2 or three times. But he´s sort of the leader, so it´s really going to help the others progress now that he finally came. Last night we had a Family Home Evening with them in the house of a member.
I don´t have time to talk about all our progressing investigators. But I guess that´s a big blessing because it means we have a lot of people to teach.
Goodbye for now!
-Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Hello everybody!
This keyboard is really annoying. The shift key on the right side (the one I´m used to using) isn´t working, so I have to use the one on the left side (the one I´m not used to using). Oh the trials of life! I don´t know how I´m ever going to get through this email! :)
Anyway, we reached our goal! We got 20 investigators to church on Sunday. (It would have been 23 but three of them don´t count because they´re not baptizing age.)
I picked up my suit from the dry cleaners today. We had to take 2 different buses just to get there. Our area is out in the middle of nowhere. We have to take a 40 min bus ride to get to any bank or post office. Our zone is pretty spread out, and we´ve had to spend a lot of money on buses lately. For example last Saturday, in order to do some baptismal interviews, we went on a split with some other Elders, and between us four we paid for 20 bus passages.
Oh! I guess the shift button wasn´t broken afterward. This must be a gaming keyboard because it´s got a TURBO button that was messing me up. Problem solved!
On Sunday night we got to go to a fireside where President Costa (of the Presidency of the Seventy) spoke. We had to leave early to get home on time, but we learned a lot of neat things.
So, let me tell you a little about our investigators!
Sérgio and Vauldira - A couple with whom I did a street contact my second day here three weeks ago. Since then, they´ve been to church three times in a row. They let us take their coffee when we taught them the Word of Wisdom. Their 3-year-old (Thiago) was a handful in church. Our life line was the 12-year-old daugher of the old Bishop that kept him under control so he wouldn´t run up and down the isles. They have a baptismal goal of the 26th of July.
Fabrício and Débora - Friends of Sérgio and Vauldira. After they went to church last week, they found out that their best friends are the Elders´ Quorum President and his wife. They also gave us their coffee. They have already agreed to be baptized and are currently praying about a specific date we set with them. Their 5 year-old (Iago) is very well behaved.
Maria das Dores (Mary of the Pains) - I don´t know why her parents gave her that name. She´s the grandmother of Wellington (who was baptized two weeks before I got here). She attended his baptism, and really felt the spirit. We started teaching her and she came to church for the second time on Sunday. Her only concern about baptism is that she´s afraid of the cold water (the heater doesn´t work). We don´t have a firm baptism date marked with her yet because she needs to divorce her first husband (who she hasn´t seen in 20 years) and get married to the man she is living with now. Because of the spirit she felt at church two weeks ago, she has decided to get married. It´s going to be a complicated process, because we´ll have to talk with some lawyers. But, the goal is to baptize her next transfer.
Aurea, Danielle (her daugher), and Luiz (her grandson, but not Danielle´s son) - A family that I talked to the Saturday before last. That following day, they went to church as well as this last Sunday. When Aurea came home from church on that first Sunday, she had lost all desire to smoke. On Monday, we planned on teaching her the Word of Wisdom. Before we started, she told us that she had decided to stop drinking coffee as well because coffee makes her want to smoke. They also have a baptism goal of the 26th of July.
We also have Luana, Suiane, and Junior who were all interviewed. They passed, but aren´t feeling completely ready. The main problem is that Luana and Suiane don´t have enough courage yet to leave their old church. Suine has been to church these last 3 weeks in a row, and Luana and Junior have been 2 times. We started teaching Emerson, Suiane´s brother, and he came to church last Sunday as well.
Luan came to church for the first time on Sunday with 6 of his brothers and sisters and step brothers. Most of them have already been 2 or three times. But he´s sort of the leader, so it´s really going to help the others progress now that he finally came. Last night we had a Family Home Evening with them in the house of a member.
I don´t have time to talk about all our progressing investigators. But I guess that´s a big blessing because it means we have a lot of people to teach.
Goodbye for now!
-Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
7-08-08
Elder Jason Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Rocha Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: New record of investigators at church!
Hello Everybody!
Elder Urie and I broke our record for number of investigators at church. We hit 18 on Sunday. It was really tough. We´re shooting for 20 this week.
I don´t have too much time to type because we had to spend most of our P-day playing basketball and looking for a dry cleaners in the center.
On Friday, we have zone conference with President and Sister Richardson, who just got here last week. We had to take a bus to get to Santos where we had the conference. It just also happened to be the 4th of July that day. Elder Urie and I live with 2 Brazilians (Elder Magnum and Elder Z. Santana). They both went to English schools (as in schools that teach English) before the mission and know a lot about America. So, they woke up early on Friday and surprised us with a traditional American breakfast with pancakes and french toast. They also put up an American flag. The problem is that they are really good cooks, and I think I ate too much. Then we had the hour long bus ride. We were pretty much the first people on the bus, so we got good seats, but as the ride goes on, we all gave up our seats to some older ladies. So, we were cram packed standing up on a long bumpy bus ride, and I had eaten a little too much. It sufficeth me to say that that is why I needed to dry clean my suit. :) (Don´t worry, I got out of the bus on time, and no one else had to do any dry cleaning).
Well, we have so many miracles happening in our area, but my time is up. Have fun everybody!
--
Elder Jason Morgan Allred.
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Rocha Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: New record of investigators at church!
Hello Everybody!
Elder Urie and I broke our record for number of investigators at church. We hit 18 on Sunday. It was really tough. We´re shooting for 20 this week.
I don´t have too much time to type because we had to spend most of our P-day playing basketball and looking for a dry cleaners in the center.
On Friday, we have zone conference with President and Sister Richardson, who just got here last week. We had to take a bus to get to Santos where we had the conference. It just also happened to be the 4th of July that day. Elder Urie and I live with 2 Brazilians (Elder Magnum and Elder Z. Santana). They both went to English schools (as in schools that teach English) before the mission and know a lot about America. So, they woke up early on Friday and surprised us with a traditional American breakfast with pancakes and french toast. They also put up an American flag. The problem is that they are really good cooks, and I think I ate too much. Then we had the hour long bus ride. We were pretty much the first people on the bus, so we got good seats, but as the ride goes on, we all gave up our seats to some older ladies. So, we were cram packed standing up on a long bumpy bus ride, and I had eaten a little too much. It sufficeth me to say that that is why I needed to dry clean my suit. :) (Don´t worry, I got out of the bus on time, and no one else had to do any dry cleaning).
Well, we have so many miracles happening in our area, but my time is up. Have fun everybody!
--
Elder Jason Morgan Allred.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
6/24/08
Elder Jason Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Rocha Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: The ocean!
Hello Everybody!
Yep! I was transfered. My new area is Parque das Bandeiras in the city São Vicente. It´s in the Baixada. The mission is split into three areas: São Paulo, the ABC Region (where I´ve been up until now), and the Baixada. "Baixada" means "lowered". The Baizada is the area more along the coast, which means I´ve escaped cold weather for during the winter. I saw the ocean for the first time today. The weather is very wet. My new conpanion is Elder Urie. He´s from Arizona. He has the same amount of time on the mission as Elder Risenmay does. He went to BYU before the mission and he already speaks Portuguese very well. We´re going to be a companionship of power.
We live in a house with two other missionaries: Elder Z. Santana and Elder Magnum. They are our zone leaders, but they´re not in our district. Elder Urie says that our area is shaped like a ´U´ and the house is right in the middle even though it isn´t in our area.
Last night, I said goodbye to some of the recent converts. Sergio and his wife were already making sure I would be able to attend their temple sealing a year from now. I´m really looking forward to that.
I had to wake up at 5:00 this morning to finish packing. 5 o´clock isn´t that early - seeing how I would wake up at 3 during the summer to go to work - but it seems earlier when you have a set sleeping schedule that gets interrupted.
So, we took a bus down to the Baixada. It was an amazing trip. Everything is so green. Then we took another bus to our area. This bus trip was different than any I have ever experienced her in Brazil. When I was in the bigger cities, life was always rushed and it was every man for himself in the transit. Here in São Vicente, the bus we took was almost like a large van. I would describe the experience more as car-pooling. The people inside helped us with our bags, had conversations with each other, and presented a more friendly environment. You can even tell the bus driver where to drop you off, almost like a taxi: "I´m going to the pharmacy" -for example.
Last week was really successful. We were able to bring 5 investigators to church: Maria and Luiz (who are married), Giselle (her husband was going to come but got called in to work at the last second), Danielle (who we taught again Sunday afternoon at her brother´s house and now has a firm baptism goal, and Simone (an old investigator that we hadn´t taught in a while, but now has finally decided that she wants to do what´s right and has a firm baptism goal in just over a month to give her time to get married). I won´t be able to work with these people anymore because I´m in a new area, but I know Elder Risenmay and his new companion will do a fantastic job helping these people.
Well, I have a lot to do, so I´ll say goodbye for now.
Goodbye.
--Elder Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Rocha Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: The ocean!
Hello Everybody!
Yep! I was transfered. My new area is Parque das Bandeiras in the city São Vicente. It´s in the Baixada. The mission is split into three areas: São Paulo, the ABC Region (where I´ve been up until now), and the Baixada. "Baixada" means "lowered". The Baizada is the area more along the coast, which means I´ve escaped cold weather for during the winter. I saw the ocean for the first time today. The weather is very wet. My new conpanion is Elder Urie. He´s from Arizona. He has the same amount of time on the mission as Elder Risenmay does. He went to BYU before the mission and he already speaks Portuguese very well. We´re going to be a companionship of power.
We live in a house with two other missionaries: Elder Z. Santana and Elder Magnum. They are our zone leaders, but they´re not in our district. Elder Urie says that our area is shaped like a ´U´ and the house is right in the middle even though it isn´t in our area.
Last night, I said goodbye to some of the recent converts. Sergio and his wife were already making sure I would be able to attend their temple sealing a year from now. I´m really looking forward to that.
I had to wake up at 5:00 this morning to finish packing. 5 o´clock isn´t that early - seeing how I would wake up at 3 during the summer to go to work - but it seems earlier when you have a set sleeping schedule that gets interrupted.
So, we took a bus down to the Baixada. It was an amazing trip. Everything is so green. Then we took another bus to our area. This bus trip was different than any I have ever experienced her in Brazil. When I was in the bigger cities, life was always rushed and it was every man for himself in the transit. Here in São Vicente, the bus we took was almost like a large van. I would describe the experience more as car-pooling. The people inside helped us with our bags, had conversations with each other, and presented a more friendly environment. You can even tell the bus driver where to drop you off, almost like a taxi: "I´m going to the pharmacy" -for example.
Last week was really successful. We were able to bring 5 investigators to church: Maria and Luiz (who are married), Giselle (her husband was going to come but got called in to work at the last second), Danielle (who we taught again Sunday afternoon at her brother´s house and now has a firm baptism goal, and Simone (an old investigator that we hadn´t taught in a while, but now has finally decided that she wants to do what´s right and has a firm baptism goal in just over a month to give her time to get married). I won´t be able to work with these people anymore because I´m in a new area, but I know Elder Risenmay and his new companion will do a fantastic job helping these people.
Well, I have a lot to do, so I´ll say goodbye for now.
Goodbye.
--Elder Allred
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
6-17-08
Elder Jason Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Rocha Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: Snow, nope!
We´ll, I was older than Elder Risenmay for just over a week before he had his 20th birthday as well. Now we´re both old. We´re halfway up the hill.
We have transfers a week from today, and then the new president will get here the weekend after. A week or so ago when we had our interviews, President gave us each a blessing. President Teixeira gave us all a goodbye hug last week at the end of zone conference. During conference, he let us do a question and answer session, in which he would answer the questions not as President Teixeira, but as Elder Teixeira the General Authority. I didn´t get a question in because of course everyone had a question that they wanted to ask, so it was kind of a rush to get your hand up. Some of the questions were really good, and I learned quite a bit.
Too bad President Teixeira got demoted to "Elder" Teixeira. Maybe to make him feel better, Sister Teixeira will let him be senior companion for a little bit.
Looks like winter is just about to set in here in São Paulo. It´s been getting a little cold - about 15C (59F). I´ve gotten too used to the heat. I don´t think I´ll survive when I have to come back to Rexburg Weather. (If you wanted to send a sweater, I wouldn´t be opposed). Everyone here thinks that my companion and I are crazing walking around without jackets. In Rexburg, 60F is definately still t-shirt weather. The Brazilians act as if it´s the end of the world and bundle up in probably every article of clothing they own.
It´s amazing. People here seem to be magic. We leave the house on a perfectly clear, sunny day. On the street, we pass people who are likewise dressed for a sunny day. Then out of nowhere, it´ll start to rain, and then pour. These same people magically produce an umbrella that they didn´t have earlier. If the rain stops, we walk down the road, and these same people are no longer dragging around any umbrella (I always knew that womens´ purses could hold more than you think). They can also grow more clothing on demand, because if it turns chilly, they´ll always have a sweater or something that they didn´t have before.
Another weird phenomenom is that cold weather helps people prepare for baptism. We tell them that if they pray about the Book of Mormon, they´ll get a "warm" feeling, and they get all excited. And when it´s cold, they suddenly seem to think that modesty is a good idea.
Here in Brazil, we can´t call the members by "Brother" or "Sister" followed by their last name. Half the people have the last name of "da Silva" or "dos Santos". We have to say "Brother" or "Sister" followed by their first name. If we didn´t, it would always be like that one time when Bishop Teucher called on Brother Smith to say the closing prayer, and no one knew which Brother Smith he was talking about. Also,over half the women have the first name of Maria, so we have to use their middle name. And Aparecida takes at least a 30% lead over all other female middle names. My companion said he could just imagine if they had The Price is Right here in Brazil. "Maria Aparecida da Silva come on down!" There would probably be over 20 women in the audience thinking it was their turn.
This Friday, we´re going to take Jersey and Kelly (a couple we´re teaching) down to the marriage office to set up a marriage date. They need to get married before they can get baptized. When we first started teaching them, he told us that he didn´t see the importance of marraige. We then taught him the Law of Chastity. The Spirit was really strong, and now he and his wife are making the first steps toward their opportunity in just over a year to be sealed. If I´m still on the mission when they get that far I can go to the temple and watch! Well, that might be getting a little ahead of myself. They still need to get baptized.
--Elder Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Rocha Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: Snow, nope!
We´ll, I was older than Elder Risenmay for just over a week before he had his 20th birthday as well. Now we´re both old. We´re halfway up the hill.
We have transfers a week from today, and then the new president will get here the weekend after. A week or so ago when we had our interviews, President gave us each a blessing. President Teixeira gave us all a goodbye hug last week at the end of zone conference. During conference, he let us do a question and answer session, in which he would answer the questions not as President Teixeira, but as Elder Teixeira the General Authority. I didn´t get a question in because of course everyone had a question that they wanted to ask, so it was kind of a rush to get your hand up. Some of the questions were really good, and I learned quite a bit.
Too bad President Teixeira got demoted to "Elder" Teixeira. Maybe to make him feel better, Sister Teixeira will let him be senior companion for a little bit.
Looks like winter is just about to set in here in São Paulo. It´s been getting a little cold - about 15C (59F). I´ve gotten too used to the heat. I don´t think I´ll survive when I have to come back to Rexburg Weather. (If you wanted to send a sweater, I wouldn´t be opposed). Everyone here thinks that my companion and I are crazing walking around without jackets. In Rexburg, 60F is definately still t-shirt weather. The Brazilians act as if it´s the end of the world and bundle up in probably every article of clothing they own.
It´s amazing. People here seem to be magic. We leave the house on a perfectly clear, sunny day. On the street, we pass people who are likewise dressed for a sunny day. Then out of nowhere, it´ll start to rain, and then pour. These same people magically produce an umbrella that they didn´t have earlier. If the rain stops, we walk down the road, and these same people are no longer dragging around any umbrella (I always knew that womens´ purses could hold more than you think). They can also grow more clothing on demand, because if it turns chilly, they´ll always have a sweater or something that they didn´t have before.
Another weird phenomenom is that cold weather helps people prepare for baptism. We tell them that if they pray about the Book of Mormon, they´ll get a "warm" feeling, and they get all excited. And when it´s cold, they suddenly seem to think that modesty is a good idea.
Here in Brazil, we can´t call the members by "Brother" or "Sister" followed by their last name. Half the people have the last name of "da Silva" or "dos Santos". We have to say "Brother" or "Sister" followed by their first name. If we didn´t, it would always be like that one time when Bishop Teucher called on Brother Smith to say the closing prayer, and no one knew which Brother Smith he was talking about. Also,over half the women have the first name of Maria, so we have to use their middle name. And Aparecida takes at least a 30% lead over all other female middle names. My companion said he could just imagine if they had The Price is Right here in Brazil. "Maria Aparecida da Silva come on down!" There would probably be over 20 women in the audience thinking it was their turn.
This Friday, we´re going to take Jersey and Kelly (a couple we´re teaching) down to the marriage office to set up a marriage date. They need to get married before they can get baptized. When we first started teaching them, he told us that he didn´t see the importance of marraige. We then taught him the Law of Chastity. The Spirit was really strong, and now he and his wife are making the first steps toward their opportunity in just over a year to be sealed. If I´m still on the mission when they get that far I can go to the temple and watch! Well, that might be getting a little ahead of myself. They still need to get baptized.
--Elder Allred
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
6-10-08
Elder Jason Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Rocha Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: We´re going to make Shepherd´s Pie!
Hello Everybody!
Hooray! Leila was baptized and confirmed! It was a very special experience. You could see the glow in her countenance as she made this special covenant with God.
Sunday, the day of her confirmation, was quite interesting. Leila ended up getting to church quite late because she couldn´t get her sisters out the door. She got to the church about 9:20 (the meeting starts at 9). When she arrived she was practically running. Elder Risenmay and I got really worried when she met us outside the chapel almost in tears. We thought that something bad must have happened. It turns out that she was just really worried about getting there on time, so she got all stressed out when she arrived late. She had thought that she had missed her chance to be confirmed that day and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. We explained that the confirmation could still happen at the very end of sacrament meeting. She immediately looked very relieved/excited. She had chosen the bishop´s second counselor, Marcelo, to confirm her. During the confirmation at the end of the meeting, we could really feel the spirit. Overall, everything worked out and it was a very special day.
I´m pretty sure I´m going to be transfered in two weeks because I´ve been here since January, but I´m trying to do all I can to "leave the area better" than when I found it. We´re finding so many wonderful families to teach, and we´re working with the Ward Mission Leader to set up a new Ward Mission Plan so that we can involve the members more in the work. The best people to teach are always the family and friends of the members. For example, last night we taught Rosimeire (a less-active member) and Raíça (her non-member daugher), in the home of Celso and Cleide (Rosimeire´s cousin). As Preach My Gospel says, this gives the investigator an "automatic support system" to resolve concerns and receive help when the missionaries aren´t arround.
(Right now, I´m downloading Preach My Gospel in Audio from the church´s website so I can listen to it while doing dishes and stuff.)
"No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing."
-J. S. Jr.
--
Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Rocha Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: We´re going to make Shepherd´s Pie!
Hello Everybody!
Hooray! Leila was baptized and confirmed! It was a very special experience. You could see the glow in her countenance as she made this special covenant with God.
Sunday, the day of her confirmation, was quite interesting. Leila ended up getting to church quite late because she couldn´t get her sisters out the door. She got to the church about 9:20 (the meeting starts at 9). When she arrived she was practically running. Elder Risenmay and I got really worried when she met us outside the chapel almost in tears. We thought that something bad must have happened. It turns out that she was just really worried about getting there on time, so she got all stressed out when she arrived late. She had thought that she had missed her chance to be confirmed that day and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. We explained that the confirmation could still happen at the very end of sacrament meeting. She immediately looked very relieved/excited. She had chosen the bishop´s second counselor, Marcelo, to confirm her. During the confirmation at the end of the meeting, we could really feel the spirit. Overall, everything worked out and it was a very special day.
I´m pretty sure I´m going to be transfered in two weeks because I´ve been here since January, but I´m trying to do all I can to "leave the area better" than when I found it. We´re finding so many wonderful families to teach, and we´re working with the Ward Mission Leader to set up a new Ward Mission Plan so that we can involve the members more in the work. The best people to teach are always the family and friends of the members. For example, last night we taught Rosimeire (a less-active member) and Raíça (her non-member daugher), in the home of Celso and Cleide (Rosimeire´s cousin). As Preach My Gospel says, this gives the investigator an "automatic support system" to resolve concerns and receive help when the missionaries aren´t arround.
(Right now, I´m downloading Preach My Gospel in Audio from the church´s website so I can listen to it while doing dishes and stuff.)
"No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing."
-J. S. Jr.
--
Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
6-03-08
Elder Jason Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Rocha Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: 20!
Hello Everybody!
Ok! Who created an email account with mom´s name and pretended like it was her writing me? I know it couldn´t possibly be mom. We don´t have the internet at home and the library doesn´t let you use white-out on their screens.
This last week was really good. Yesterday on my birthday we had a very spiritual lesson with Jersey and his "wife" Kelly. By the end of the lesson, they both had set a marriage date for the 14th of June and a baptism date for the 21st of June! (Elder Risenmay and I have to help each other with spelling in English while we write our emails. We finally had to look at "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" to agree on how to spell marriage.)
On Sunday we got to attend the dedication of the Curitiba, Brazil Temple. President Monson didn´t display the gift of tongues when he did the dedication because there was a translator and so it wasn´t necessary. But Elder Nelson has been working on his Portuguese. During the session that we watched he led the Hosana Shout in Portuguese without too bad of an accent. I wonder how he finds time in his schedule to study Portuguese. I often think that my schedule is too full to get in all the studying I want to.
Leila is all set for her baptism this Saturday! She is going to work all week, so we have to do the baptismal interview right before the service. I´m not too worried because she has a strong testimony. She´s already read over half the Book of Mormon.
Well, Goodbye for now!
-Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Rocha Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: 20!
Hello Everybody!
Ok! Who created an email account with mom´s name and pretended like it was her writing me? I know it couldn´t possibly be mom. We don´t have the internet at home and the library doesn´t let you use white-out on their screens.
This last week was really good. Yesterday on my birthday we had a very spiritual lesson with Jersey and his "wife" Kelly. By the end of the lesson, they both had set a marriage date for the 14th of June and a baptism date for the 21st of June! (Elder Risenmay and I have to help each other with spelling in English while we write our emails. We finally had to look at "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" to agree on how to spell marriage.)
On Sunday we got to attend the dedication of the Curitiba, Brazil Temple. President Monson didn´t display the gift of tongues when he did the dedication because there was a translator and so it wasn´t necessary. But Elder Nelson has been working on his Portuguese. During the session that we watched he led the Hosana Shout in Portuguese without too bad of an accent. I wonder how he finds time in his schedule to study Portuguese. I often think that my schedule is too full to get in all the studying I want to.
Leila is all set for her baptism this Saturday! She is going to work all week, so we have to do the baptismal interview right before the service. I´m not too worried because she has a strong testimony. She´s already read over half the Book of Mormon.
Well, Goodbye for now!
-Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Thursday, May 29, 2008
5-27-08
Elder Jason Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Rocha Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: O Man! I left my pajamas in the kitchen ... again!
Hello everybody!
That subject line is from our quote board. :)
One of the most exciting things about transfers is that we get new agendas! After five weeks mine always seem to fall apart and it´s great to finally get a new one. The first thing I did when I got it was unbind it, laminate the covers, and then rebind it. It should last longer and stay pretty this time.
Well, over the past few weeks, our closest candidate for baptism was Sílvio. But then he finally got a job and now we have lost all contact with him in over 2 weeks.
Throughout the entire week we were working on helping our investigators come to church. By Saturday night about 8 of them had promised on coming. We generally try to stop by their house and walk with them the first time, so early sunday morning we headed of to their homes.
It was kind of disappointing when we ended up walking alone to church. The only investigator that went to church this last Sunday was Leila. Leila has been an investigator for more than 8 months. She has read more than half the Book of Mormon and comes to church about 3 times a month, but had often told us that she didn´t plan on getting baptized for another couple years. However, much to our surprise, on Sunday, she came up to us and asked us when was the next time we were planning a baptismal meeting because she wanted to be baptized! We set a date with her for the 7th of June. That should give us time to review the lessons and make sure she´s ready.
Last night we taught an amazing family! The Lord has been giving us a lot of families to work with. It´s amazing! However, teaching more people at once is often a little more dificult because each individual has his own concerns, doubts, and problems. The family only progresses as fast as it´s slowest member. So, it may end up being a longer process, but there is an internal support system that helps for a lasting conversion, and the blessings are so much greater.
This family we taught last night is golden! The family is Valdir (dad), Sónia (mom), (guess what! - they´re married!), Rogério (~age 25), and Rodrigo (~age 17). They all have committed to read and pray about the Book of Mormon and come to church on Sunday. We are going to take Eduardo and Dalila (our Ward Mission Leader and his recently baptized wife) to their house on Thursday when we do our follow-up visit.
Well, we spent all day cleaning up the house today. It is a lot more organized. I was able to get rid of a lot of things Elder Tavares had left behind.
Well, goodbye for now. Have fun and Choose The Right!
-Élder Jason Morgan Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Rocha Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: O Man! I left my pajamas in the kitchen ... again!
Hello everybody!
That subject line is from our quote board. :)
One of the most exciting things about transfers is that we get new agendas! After five weeks mine always seem to fall apart and it´s great to finally get a new one. The first thing I did when I got it was unbind it, laminate the covers, and then rebind it. It should last longer and stay pretty this time.
Well, over the past few weeks, our closest candidate for baptism was Sílvio. But then he finally got a job and now we have lost all contact with him in over 2 weeks.
Throughout the entire week we were working on helping our investigators come to church. By Saturday night about 8 of them had promised on coming. We generally try to stop by their house and walk with them the first time, so early sunday morning we headed of to their homes.
It was kind of disappointing when we ended up walking alone to church. The only investigator that went to church this last Sunday was Leila. Leila has been an investigator for more than 8 months. She has read more than half the Book of Mormon and comes to church about 3 times a month, but had often told us that she didn´t plan on getting baptized for another couple years. However, much to our surprise, on Sunday, she came up to us and asked us when was the next time we were planning a baptismal meeting because she wanted to be baptized! We set a date with her for the 7th of June. That should give us time to review the lessons and make sure she´s ready.
Last night we taught an amazing family! The Lord has been giving us a lot of families to work with. It´s amazing! However, teaching more people at once is often a little more dificult because each individual has his own concerns, doubts, and problems. The family only progresses as fast as it´s slowest member. So, it may end up being a longer process, but there is an internal support system that helps for a lasting conversion, and the blessings are so much greater.
This family we taught last night is golden! The family is Valdir (dad), Sónia (mom), (guess what! - they´re married!), Rogério (~age 25), and Rodrigo (~age 17). They all have committed to read and pray about the Book of Mormon and come to church on Sunday. We are going to take Eduardo and Dalila (our Ward Mission Leader and his recently baptized wife) to their house on Thursday when we do our follow-up visit.
Well, we spent all day cleaning up the house today. It is a lot more organized. I was able to get rid of a lot of things Elder Tavares had left behind.
Well, goodbye for now. Have fun and Choose The Right!
-Élder Jason Morgan Allred
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
May 20, 2008
Elder Jason Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Rocha Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: Maua! The city of Hills!
Hello Everybody!
Well, today was transfer day. Guess what! Elder Risenmay and I are both staying at least one more transfer in this area! This will be my 4th transfer here in a row, which will be almost 6 months. I remember when I first got the news I was coming here to Jardim Zaíra, Mauá. The Elders that had already passed through here said that after Jd. Zaíra, the rest of the mission is a piece of cake.
I already know this area like the back of my hand. We can´t walked down the street anymore without running into someone I´ve already taught. I was looking at the numbers and I´ve taught almost 300 investigators since I´ve been here. Take that and divide it by the 100,000 people that live within our boundries and that means I´ve taught only 0.3% of the people I should have in the last 4 months. Well, we have at least six more weeks to teach the rest before next transfer.
Actually, this transfer will only be 5 weeks because of when the new mission president is coming. This is our last transfer with President Teixeira. Did you all see his picture on the General Authority page of the new Ensign? That´s my mission president! You all are just jealous.
Do you remember that one family of nine people I talked about last week? Well, three of them were able to come to church on Sunday! Helena (the mom), Naílton (a son- 25 yrs?), and Bianca (a daughter- 13 yrs?) are those that went. They could only stay for sacrament meeting, but next time they want to stay for all of it. They´ve already said that they plan on coming regularly. Helena hasn´t received her answer yet. When we came back the second time to teach her, she told us her experience. She hadn´t had time to read the Book of Mormon yet, but she had prayed that night if what we taught her is true. She said that she suddenly felt a dark and cold feeling that overcame her, and she just felt terrible and could not sleep the entire night. She asked us to help her understand what happened. I felt prompted to read from the revelation in DC where the Lord tells what we will feel "if it be right" and also of the "stupor of thought" if it isn´t right. Then we read in Galations 5 where it talks about faith, love, and peace being among the fruits of the spirit. The feeling that she experienced is not how the spirit talks with us. We explained that the adversary would try to keep her away from something as important as the restoration.
She told us that that was exactly what she was thinking. During the night she felt that the enemy was trying to keep her family away from something good, and so she made a firm decision to come to church that Sunday, even though she wasn´t planning on going because of another appointment she had already marked. Hooray for triumphs! Now she just needs to find time to read the Book of Mormon and get and affirmative answer from the right source. I´m sure she already has, but we´ll find out tomorrow night. Before baptism, Naílton needs to get married with his "wife" Marcia who also lives in their home with their daughter (that makes 5 couples we´re working with now). Marcia was a little skeptic of the Restoration, but that´s why we´re here, right? Right!
Karina and Sílvio (José) didn´t reach their baptism goal. Karina´s family is telling us that she won´t be old enough to make that decision until she´s 18. Sílvio started working and we haven´t been able to contact with him in over a week. It kind of makes it hard to prepare him for baptism when we can´t find him. He usually gets home about 11pm, and we have to be home by 9:30pm. Well, the easiest way to solve problems is to get some miracles, so we´re praying for some.
Well, Goodbye for now!
--Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Rocha Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: Maua! The city of Hills!
Hello Everybody!
Well, today was transfer day. Guess what! Elder Risenmay and I are both staying at least one more transfer in this area! This will be my 4th transfer here in a row, which will be almost 6 months. I remember when I first got the news I was coming here to Jardim Zaíra, Mauá. The Elders that had already passed through here said that after Jd. Zaíra, the rest of the mission is a piece of cake.
I already know this area like the back of my hand. We can´t walked down the street anymore without running into someone I´ve already taught. I was looking at the numbers and I´ve taught almost 300 investigators since I´ve been here. Take that and divide it by the 100,000 people that live within our boundries and that means I´ve taught only 0.3% of the people I should have in the last 4 months. Well, we have at least six more weeks to teach the rest before next transfer.
Actually, this transfer will only be 5 weeks because of when the new mission president is coming. This is our last transfer with President Teixeira. Did you all see his picture on the General Authority page of the new Ensign? That´s my mission president! You all are just jealous.
Do you remember that one family of nine people I talked about last week? Well, three of them were able to come to church on Sunday! Helena (the mom), Naílton (a son- 25 yrs?), and Bianca (a daughter- 13 yrs?) are those that went. They could only stay for sacrament meeting, but next time they want to stay for all of it. They´ve already said that they plan on coming regularly. Helena hasn´t received her answer yet. When we came back the second time to teach her, she told us her experience. She hadn´t had time to read the Book of Mormon yet, but she had prayed that night if what we taught her is true. She said that she suddenly felt a dark and cold feeling that overcame her, and she just felt terrible and could not sleep the entire night. She asked us to help her understand what happened. I felt prompted to read from the revelation in DC where the Lord tells what we will feel "if it be right" and also of the "stupor of thought" if it isn´t right. Then we read in Galations 5 where it talks about faith, love, and peace being among the fruits of the spirit. The feeling that she experienced is not how the spirit talks with us. We explained that the adversary would try to keep her away from something as important as the restoration.
She told us that that was exactly what she was thinking. During the night she felt that the enemy was trying to keep her family away from something good, and so she made a firm decision to come to church that Sunday, even though she wasn´t planning on going because of another appointment she had already marked. Hooray for triumphs! Now she just needs to find time to read the Book of Mormon and get and affirmative answer from the right source. I´m sure she already has, but we´ll find out tomorrow night. Before baptism, Naílton needs to get married with his "wife" Marcia who also lives in their home with their daughter (that makes 5 couples we´re working with now). Marcia was a little skeptic of the Restoration, but that´s why we´re here, right? Right!
Karina and Sílvio (José) didn´t reach their baptism goal. Karina´s family is telling us that she won´t be old enough to make that decision until she´s 18. Sílvio started working and we haven´t been able to contact with him in over a week. It kind of makes it hard to prepare him for baptism when we can´t find him. He usually gets home about 11pm, and we have to be home by 9:30pm. Well, the easiest way to solve problems is to get some miracles, so we´re praying for some.
Well, Goodbye for now!
--Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
May 13, 2008
Subject: Mom´s Day!
Hello Everybody!
Happy Mother´s Day one more time for my mom! Happy Mother´s Day to Grandma Allred and Grandma Thompson!
Right now we´re working with José Silvio and Karina. They have both stopped drinking coffee and have come to church 3 times now. They are our investigators closest to baptism.
Yesterday was pretty amazing. Before lunch, we taught Irene. Her husband wasn´t there, so we left a quick message in her "quintal" (translation: yard? - except it´s not a yard at all really) because we can´t enter the house without another man there. After lunch, we contacted a family with whom I had spoken on the street a couple of weeks ago. We had been going to his house every couple of days because he lives close to another investigator. Yesterday we finally found him at home. We taught Reumar, his wife, and two children (They´re already legally married! - rarity). They have already accepted a baptism date! Then we stopped by a member´s house (Irmão José Gomes), and he agreed to come proselyting with us. Preach My Gospel says that sometimes the Lord directs you to an area, not to visit the person you planned on visiting, but to help you find someone else near by that He has prepared. So, after a few appointments fell through, we started knocking doors in the area. While doing so, the thought came to my mind to go to another road that happened to be quite far away. We went specifically to that road, and after knocking only 3 doors, we found a family of 9 that now has a goal for baptism and has agreed to come to church on Sunday. The mother of this family had the missionary discussions many years ago, but then moved to this area and didn´t know where the closest church was. Another blessing is that she already had a Book of Mormon and we had just given out our last copy to Reumar that very morning. We hope to get more next district meeting, but until then, we´ve just been telling people to pray about the prophet Joseph Smith and telling them that we´ll come by another day to leave the Book of Mormon with them. We´re also out of the pamphlets that we usually leave with investigators.
Last week, we decided to focalize most of our teaching pool into one area so we wouldn´t waste half the day walking. In doing so, yesterday we were able to return to over 8 houses near our home all on the same street that had agreed to a return visit. When we came back to these houses yesterday, of course in a few no one was home and a few decided that they didn´t want to listen, but we were able to enter into 3 homes and teach the first lesson. We taught two older ladies (Cida and Edeusita); we could enter into their home because we had that male member with us. Then the member needed to go home. Afterwords we taught a man named Edita, and then another man named Anderson. Anderson also agreed to a goal of baptism next month.
Today I was feeling a little sick (don´t worry Mom - just a fever and headache), but it was quite a blessing because I happened to get sick on P-day, and we didn´t lose any teaching time.
Well, this transfer is almost over. Next Sunday night, we´ll find out if we´re are both staying here or it one of us is leaving. After our success yesterday, I really want to stay this next trasfer, but I´ve already been here for almost 4 1/2 months, so who knows. I guess you all will find out next week.
Until next time!
-Élder Jason Morgan Allred
Hello Everybody!
Happy Mother´s Day one more time for my mom! Happy Mother´s Day to Grandma Allred and Grandma Thompson!
Right now we´re working with José Silvio and Karina. They have both stopped drinking coffee and have come to church 3 times now. They are our investigators closest to baptism.
Yesterday was pretty amazing. Before lunch, we taught Irene. Her husband wasn´t there, so we left a quick message in her "quintal" (translation: yard? - except it´s not a yard at all really) because we can´t enter the house without another man there. After lunch, we contacted a family with whom I had spoken on the street a couple of weeks ago. We had been going to his house every couple of days because he lives close to another investigator. Yesterday we finally found him at home. We taught Reumar, his wife, and two children (They´re already legally married! - rarity). They have already accepted a baptism date! Then we stopped by a member´s house (Irmão José Gomes), and he agreed to come proselyting with us. Preach My Gospel says that sometimes the Lord directs you to an area, not to visit the person you planned on visiting, but to help you find someone else near by that He has prepared. So, after a few appointments fell through, we started knocking doors in the area. While doing so, the thought came to my mind to go to another road that happened to be quite far away. We went specifically to that road, and after knocking only 3 doors, we found a family of 9 that now has a goal for baptism and has agreed to come to church on Sunday. The mother of this family had the missionary discussions many years ago, but then moved to this area and didn´t know where the closest church was. Another blessing is that she already had a Book of Mormon and we had just given out our last copy to Reumar that very morning. We hope to get more next district meeting, but until then, we´ve just been telling people to pray about the prophet Joseph Smith and telling them that we´ll come by another day to leave the Book of Mormon with them. We´re also out of the pamphlets that we usually leave with investigators.
Last week, we decided to focalize most of our teaching pool into one area so we wouldn´t waste half the day walking. In doing so, yesterday we were able to return to over 8 houses near our home all on the same street that had agreed to a return visit. When we came back to these houses yesterday, of course in a few no one was home and a few decided that they didn´t want to listen, but we were able to enter into 3 homes and teach the first lesson. We taught two older ladies (Cida and Edeusita); we could enter into their home because we had that male member with us. Then the member needed to go home. Afterwords we taught a man named Edita, and then another man named Anderson. Anderson also agreed to a goal of baptism next month.
Today I was feeling a little sick (don´t worry Mom - just a fever and headache), but it was quite a blessing because I happened to get sick on P-day, and we didn´t lose any teaching time.
Well, this transfer is almost over. Next Sunday night, we´ll find out if we´re are both staying here or it one of us is leaving. After our success yesterday, I really want to stay this next trasfer, but I´ve already been here for almost 4 1/2 months, so who knows. I guess you all will find out next week.
Until next time!
-Élder Jason Morgan Allred
May 6, 2008
Subject: Learning on the Mission.
Hello Everybody!
Last Friday we taught Jorge for the first time. We met him on the train a few weeks ago and got his address. He came to church on Sunday all by himself, and he has a goal to be baptized on the 18th!
Last Friday we also taught Mercia for the first time. She also came to church and has the same goal. We´ll need a few miracles because she needs to get married to her "husband" of three years within the next two week. When we went back to her house yesterday, she had read the parts of the Book of Mormon we marked and prayed and got an answer! She said that she felt a different feeling that she had never felt before - a wonderful sensation that feeled her heart with a lot of peace and gave her goosebumps. We quickly explained to her that this was the Holy Ghost answering her prayer and testifying of the things we had taught. As soon as we left her house my companion just said, "Golden!"
José and Karina also came to church. It was their second time. They´re working on giving up coffee. They´re also preparing for baptism the weekend after this.
Sunday morning we ran into an old investigator (Eliane) that told us that she finally read the Book of Mormon. I asked if she prayed. She said yes! (RM). I asked if she got an answer. She said, "Yes. It was really good."
Quick disclaimer for people to whom sarcasm is a foreign language: the following is sarcasm.
<sarcasm>
Things I didn´t know before the mission, but learned from my investigators:
-The correct title of the Book of Mormon is the Book of the Mormons or the Mormon Bible.
-The correct name of the church is the Church of the Mormons or Church of the Latter-day Saints.
-Mary, the mother of Jesus, was perfect. Eve, on the other hand was the most sinful woman on earth.
-In order for someone to be a prophet, his name has to be in the Bible.
-We can each be a prophet if we read the Bible enough.
-You can get the priesthood by taking a theology class.
-We should all strive to be our own apostles.
-You shouldn´t pray with your arms folded.
-Women have to pray with a viel.
-We really can beleive everything we see on TV (as long as it says something bad about the Mormons or displays rehearsed miracles for other church).
-It doesn´t matter which church you go to as long as you believe in Christ.
-It´s not important to be married even after living together for 30 years.
-Coffee is really healthy.
-If we already have faith, we don´t have to continue to develop it.
-When we tell people that we have a free DVD for them, we actually are after their money.
-The Mormon church only lets white, rich foreigners go to church.
-The Book of Mormon is rascist.
-It´s a sign of pride to say that our church is the only true church.
-The Catholic church has 12 living apostles.
-The more tithing your church requires the more true you church is. (We never really have a problem teaching tithing. Other church around here charge up to 50%.)
-If you get baptized a second time, you deny the Holy Ghost and commit the unpardonable sin.
-Efesions says that there is only one baptism, so any baptism counts. (Does that mean you can also baptize with milk or even bricks? -That´s an inside joke my companion and I have).
</sarcasm>
If you recognized that that is html coding, give yourself five points.
That list is just to show how confusing the gospel can get without living prophets receiving modern-day revelation. How grateful I am for a living prophet and the restored truths of the gospel!
--
Elder Jason Morgan Allred.
Hello Everybody!
Last Friday we taught Jorge for the first time. We met him on the train a few weeks ago and got his address. He came to church on Sunday all by himself, and he has a goal to be baptized on the 18th!
Last Friday we also taught Mercia for the first time. She also came to church and has the same goal. We´ll need a few miracles because she needs to get married to her "husband" of three years within the next two week. When we went back to her house yesterday, she had read the parts of the Book of Mormon we marked and prayed and got an answer! She said that she felt a different feeling that she had never felt before - a wonderful sensation that feeled her heart with a lot of peace and gave her goosebumps. We quickly explained to her that this was the Holy Ghost answering her prayer and testifying of the things we had taught. As soon as we left her house my companion just said, "Golden!"
José and Karina also came to church. It was their second time. They´re working on giving up coffee. They´re also preparing for baptism the weekend after this.
Sunday morning we ran into an old investigator (Eliane) that told us that she finally read the Book of Mormon. I asked if she prayed. She said yes! (RM). I asked if she got an answer. She said, "Yes. It was really good."
Quick disclaimer for people to whom sarcasm is a foreign language: the following is sarcasm.
<sarcasm>
Things I didn´t know before the mission, but learned from my investigators:
-The correct title of the Book of Mormon is the Book of the Mormons or the Mormon Bible.
-The correct name of the church is the Church of the Mormons or Church of the Latter-day Saints.
-Mary, the mother of Jesus, was perfect. Eve, on the other hand was the most sinful woman on earth.
-In order for someone to be a prophet, his name has to be in the Bible.
-We can each be a prophet if we read the Bible enough.
-You can get the priesthood by taking a theology class.
-We should all strive to be our own apostles.
-You shouldn´t pray with your arms folded.
-Women have to pray with a viel.
-We really can beleive everything we see on TV (as long as it says something bad about the Mormons or displays rehearsed miracles for other church).
-It doesn´t matter which church you go to as long as you believe in Christ.
-It´s not important to be married even after living together for 30 years.
-Coffee is really healthy.
-If we already have faith, we don´t have to continue to develop it.
-When we tell people that we have a free DVD for them, we actually are after their money.
-The Mormon church only lets white, rich foreigners go to church.
-The Book of Mormon is rascist.
-It´s a sign of pride to say that our church is the only true church.
-The Catholic church has 12 living apostles.
-The more tithing your church requires the more true you church is. (We never really have a problem teaching tithing. Other church around here charge up to 50%.)
-If you get baptized a second time, you deny the Holy Ghost and commit the unpardonable sin.
-Efesions says that there is only one baptism, so any baptism counts. (Does that mean you can also baptize with milk or even bricks? -That´s an inside joke my companion and I have).
</sarcasm>
If you recognized that that is html coding, give yourself five points.
That list is just to show how confusing the gospel can get without living prophets receiving modern-day revelation. How grateful I am for a living prophet and the restored truths of the gospel!
--
Elder Jason Morgan Allred.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
4/29/08
Subject: A little taste of American enterprise - Brazilian bananas are definitely better.
Hello Everybody!
Guess what! We just went to McDonalds! We decided that we were tired of eating mashed potatoes every P-day, so my companion said he wanted to eat out. We went to the center of town and found a McDonalds in the mall. The moment we walked in the mall I felt completely lost. I´m not really a mall person. Besides that, the mall didn´t feel anything like Brazil. Once we entered, I told my companion that I felt much more at home in the middle of the street market where we bought our fruit this morning. Anyway, McDonalds is a lot more expensive than I remember. It was R$11,00 (about $6.00) for a BigMac meal. I tried to tell Elder Risenmay that for that much money we could buy enough bananas and potatoes to last us the entire transfer, but he said we deserved a treat.
Last week we worked really hard. By the end of the week, we had 22 investigators with a baptism date marked. The real dissapointment was when not one of these people came to church on Sunday. Maybe everyone gets lost with the directions that I give them. It´s something like this: "You know the really big and pretty church on Rua Santa Helena? That´s the wrong church. We´re temporarily located in the warehouse right next door." We do spend as much time as possible trying to personally pick up our investigators before church, but they´re all too spread out.
Well, have fun everybody!
--
Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Hello Everybody!
Guess what! We just went to McDonalds! We decided that we were tired of eating mashed potatoes every P-day, so my companion said he wanted to eat out. We went to the center of town and found a McDonalds in the mall. The moment we walked in the mall I felt completely lost. I´m not really a mall person. Besides that, the mall didn´t feel anything like Brazil. Once we entered, I told my companion that I felt much more at home in the middle of the street market where we bought our fruit this morning. Anyway, McDonalds is a lot more expensive than I remember. It was R$11,00 (about $6.00) for a BigMac meal. I tried to tell Elder Risenmay that for that much money we could buy enough bananas and potatoes to last us the entire transfer, but he said we deserved a treat.
Last week we worked really hard. By the end of the week, we had 22 investigators with a baptism date marked. The real dissapointment was when not one of these people came to church on Sunday. Maybe everyone gets lost with the directions that I give them. It´s something like this: "You know the really big and pretty church on Rua Santa Helena? That´s the wrong church. We´re temporarily located in the warehouse right next door." We do spend as much time as possible trying to personally pick up our investigators before church, but they´re all too spread out.
Well, have fun everybody!
--
Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
4-22-08
Subject: I could use about 5 P-days in a row.
Hello Everybody!
So, quick review of last week:
We spent a few hours of our free time on P-day teaching again. My companion is telling us that we have to get our priorities straight. "Sleeping and writing letters are much more important P-day activities," he says. We´re actually an amaz/ing companionship. Both of us are still very new on the mission and still learning Portuguese. It has been making us rely much more on the Lord to keep the work going.
Last week was really amazing. We found 19 new investigators and we also have 19 investigators with a baptism date.
We´re teaching a new family (José, Iolanda, Karina, and Maria José) that went to church all by themselves last Sunday after we had only taught them one time. Their baptism date is the 17th of May.
Last Sunday night, all of our appointments fell through (again) and I asked my companion what we should do. I had decided to give him more chances to lead.
"You´re supposed to receive half the revelation in this companionship," I had told him.
Then he pointed down the road to some people in the distance. "Them."
"Ok."
We ended up finding and teaching one more family that week and set baptism dates with all of them on the first lesson. I have recently dubbed my companion "Co-Senior" to replace his title of "Junior." I think it´s a little more fitting.
Well, all of our baptisms fell through last week. Milaine and Anderson had to postpone their dates to this coming Saturday. Lucas´ mom heard some reports about the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (The one with Polygamy and stuff). She thought it was our church and wouldn´t let him get baptized, or even let us explain to her. We´re praying for the Lord to soften her heart so she will let Lucas be baptizes and so that we can end up teaching the whole family.
Evelyn has fallen back into some practices that are preventing her from being baptized. Her problem now is that she has lost the desire to change. :(
We had interviews with President Teixeira last Thursday. He brought us mail and the package with peanut butter! He told me to start preparing spiritually for a special blessing that he will give me next transfer. This will be my first blessing from a General Authority! (He was set apart as part of the First Quorum of the Seventy last General Conference.)
On Saturday evening, we decided to do a "church run". We went through as much of our area as possible visiting any investigator we have every taught to give them a special invite to come to church. To anyone who was not at home, we left special invites with the address of the church. It wasn´t too successful, but we enjoyed it, and at least we´re giving people the opportunities.
Well, the work is amazing. Keep sending letters even if I don´t have time to write back. Choose the Right! Endure to the End! The Church is True! ... You know, all those short quick phases that work as good letter enders.
-Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Hello Everybody!
So, quick review of last week:
We spent a few hours of our free time on P-day teaching again. My companion is telling us that we have to get our priorities straight. "Sleeping and writing letters are much more important P-day activities," he says. We´re actually an amaz/ing companionship. Both of us are still very new on the mission and still learning Portuguese. It has been making us rely much more on the Lord to keep the work going.
Last week was really amazing. We found 19 new investigators and we also have 19 investigators with a baptism date.
We´re teaching a new family (José, Iolanda, Karina, and Maria José) that went to church all by themselves last Sunday after we had only taught them one time. Their baptism date is the 17th of May.
Last Sunday night, all of our appointments fell through (again) and I asked my companion what we should do. I had decided to give him more chances to lead.
"You´re supposed to receive half the revelation in this companionship," I had told him.
Then he pointed down the road to some people in the distance. "Them."
"Ok."
We ended up finding and teaching one more family that week and set baptism dates with all of them on the first lesson. I have recently dubbed my companion "Co-Senior" to replace his title of "Junior." I think it´s a little more fitting.
Well, all of our baptisms fell through last week. Milaine and Anderson had to postpone their dates to this coming Saturday. Lucas´ mom heard some reports about the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (The one with Polygamy and stuff). She thought it was our church and wouldn´t let him get baptized, or even let us explain to her. We´re praying for the Lord to soften her heart so she will let Lucas be baptizes and so that we can end up teaching the whole family.
Evelyn has fallen back into some practices that are preventing her from being baptized. Her problem now is that she has lost the desire to change. :(
We had interviews with President Teixeira last Thursday. He brought us mail and the package with peanut butter! He told me to start preparing spiritually for a special blessing that he will give me next transfer. This will be my first blessing from a General Authority! (He was set apart as part of the First Quorum of the Seventy last General Conference.)
On Saturday evening, we decided to do a "church run". We went through as much of our area as possible visiting any investigator we have every taught to give them a special invite to come to church. To anyone who was not at home, we left special invites with the address of the church. It wasn´t too successful, but we enjoyed it, and at least we´re giving people the opportunities.
Well, the work is amazing. Keep sending letters even if I don´t have time to write back. Choose the Right! Endure to the End! The Church is True! ... You know, all those short quick phases that work as good letter enders.
-Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
4-15-08
Elder Jason Allred
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Rocha Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: P-day is way to short!
Hello Everybody!
So, it has been a little different having an American for a companion. Lately, I´ve been using phrases such as: "Are you sure that doesn´t make sense in English?" But, Elder Risenmay and I have been working so well and so hard together. Right now we have 14 investigators with a baptismal date marked for this transfer. We come home completely exhausted each night, having used every spare second during the week to teach. We even taught 2 lessons during P-day today.
Last Wednesday we got word that Elder Tavares (my old companion) returned to the mission. He left us a lot of problems, but I hope he takes advantage of the last part of his mission. I had been fasting and praying for him the last few weeks before he left. I´m still not quite sure why he left, but that was definately the most worried night I´ve had on the mission. I´m sure I´ll find out more when I have my interview with President Teixeira this Thursday.
This last week was really rewarding. Elder Risenmay and I found 16 new investigators throughout the week. It´s a little harder being senior companion, but the Lord always helps us. We have a goal to talk to over 300 people on the street this week to increase our teaching pool.
William got confirmed last Sunday! Sunday was pretty much amazing. We woke up early to catch a couple buses and pick up a family of 6 that we´re teaching. The parents (Gilvano and Neusa) have to get married before they can get baptized, and the four kids are waiting to get baptized with them. Marraige is a pretty complicated process here in Brazil, especially because Gilvano has to divorce his first wife first. He hasn´t seen her in 11 years. It will be quite the miracle when they can get all this worked out and be baptized within the next 5 weeks.
Our goal is to baptize Evelyn (age 15), Anderson (age 20), Milaine (age 22), and Lucas (age 16) this Sunday. They have all made real progress lately. They will all be interviewed tomorrow. Milaine completely stopped drinking alcohol, coffee, and tea, and completely stopped smoking even though she used to smoke over 4 packs a day!
Yesterday was pretty frustrating. We had 7 appointments marked and 5 of them fell through, including our plan to take Gilvano into town to get him divorced. He lives very far away. We had to wake up early and catch two buses to get there. Usually we walk because they don´t give us money to ride buses, but we had to get there early and it´s over an hour of walking one way. We got there and he ended up not being able to go because of work, but he said he was going to go today. That reminds me - I need to call him and see if it worked out.
Well, goodbye for now!
-Elder Jason Morgan Allred.
Brazil São Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr Luiz da Rocha Miranda, 159
8 Andar, Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 - São Paulo - SP
Brazil
Subject: P-day is way to short!
Hello Everybody!
So, it has been a little different having an American for a companion. Lately, I´ve been using phrases such as: "Are you sure that doesn´t make sense in English?" But, Elder Risenmay and I have been working so well and so hard together. Right now we have 14 investigators with a baptismal date marked for this transfer. We come home completely exhausted each night, having used every spare second during the week to teach. We even taught 2 lessons during P-day today.
Last Wednesday we got word that Elder Tavares (my old companion) returned to the mission. He left us a lot of problems, but I hope he takes advantage of the last part of his mission. I had been fasting and praying for him the last few weeks before he left. I´m still not quite sure why he left, but that was definately the most worried night I´ve had on the mission. I´m sure I´ll find out more when I have my interview with President Teixeira this Thursday.
This last week was really rewarding. Elder Risenmay and I found 16 new investigators throughout the week. It´s a little harder being senior companion, but the Lord always helps us. We have a goal to talk to over 300 people on the street this week to increase our teaching pool.
William got confirmed last Sunday! Sunday was pretty much amazing. We woke up early to catch a couple buses and pick up a family of 6 that we´re teaching. The parents (Gilvano and Neusa) have to get married before they can get baptized, and the four kids are waiting to get baptized with them. Marraige is a pretty complicated process here in Brazil, especially because Gilvano has to divorce his first wife first. He hasn´t seen her in 11 years. It will be quite the miracle when they can get all this worked out and be baptized within the next 5 weeks.
Our goal is to baptize Evelyn (age 15), Anderson (age 20), Milaine (age 22), and Lucas (age 16) this Sunday. They have all made real progress lately. They will all be interviewed tomorrow. Milaine completely stopped drinking alcohol, coffee, and tea, and completely stopped smoking even though she used to smoke over 4 packs a day!
Yesterday was pretty frustrating. We had 7 appointments marked and 5 of them fell through, including our plan to take Gilvano into town to get him divorced. He lives very far away. We had to wake up early and catch two buses to get there. Usually we walk because they don´t give us money to ride buses, but we had to get there early and it´s over an hour of walking one way. We got there and he ended up not being able to go because of work, but he said he was going to go today. That reminds me - I need to call him and see if it worked out.
Well, goodbye for now!
-Elder Jason Morgan Allred.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
4-8-08
Subject: New Companion!
Hello Everybody!
We had transfers today. Sunday morning we found out that Elder Tavares would be trasfered, and that I would receive a new companion here in Mauá. I was pretty sad knowing that I would lose Elder Tavares as a companion. The saddest thing however is that Elder Tavares for some reason decided that it was a perfect opportunity to quit his mission.
Even though we´ve been having a lot of success lately, Elder Tavares had lost the excitement of missionary work. His bags were all packed ready to leave to his new area, when all of a sudden without any indication he snuck away with another missionary that is from the same city.
My District Leader and I were up all night in a frantic worry looking for him and talking by phone with President Teixeira and our Zone Leaders. I don´t remember sleeping last night. President Teixeira right now is still in the United States since General Conference. He was sustained as part of the first quorum of the seventy on Saturday. President called the home of Elder Tavares last night to see if he had gotten there (which by that time he hadn´t). Now knowing that their son was missing, his parents somehow got our number and wouldn´t stop calling us all night. We got word this morning that he arrived in his house, which is about 2 hours away.
It was a pretty sad surprise. Anyway, I´m still here in Mauá. I got my new companion today. His name is Elder Risenmay from Seatle, Washington. He arrived to the mission 3 months after I did, so now the people in this area have to deal with two green Americans with really heavy accents. Elder Risenmay is a lot like me. He brought a Rubik´s cube and is majoring in Electrical Engineering (which is really close to Computer Engineering). I´m 12 days older than he is. Maybe we´ll both be together during our birthdays.
I met some missionaries that arrived here today from the MTC. A couple of them were Elder Jason Aaron Allred´s roommates in the MTC.
Good news! William was finally baptized. His baptism occured between the two sessions of General Conference on Sunday. This Sunday, he´ll be confirmed.
Yesterday, Evelyn created another plan to stop smoking. I´m praying that she follows this plan. Her goal is to be prepared to be baptized on the 20th of April. We also have Lucas, Sandro, Jenaína, and Milaine preparing to be baptized on this day. Gilvano and family (wife and 4 kids) have accepted baptism. We marked the date 6 weeks from now, because we have to wait for them to get married.
Conference was amazing. I hope all the members here in Brazil and the rest of the world heard what Elder Bednar said about missionary work.
Have fun everybody and Choose the Right!
--
Elder Allred
Hello Everybody!
We had transfers today. Sunday morning we found out that Elder Tavares would be trasfered, and that I would receive a new companion here in Mauá. I was pretty sad knowing that I would lose Elder Tavares as a companion. The saddest thing however is that Elder Tavares for some reason decided that it was a perfect opportunity to quit his mission.
Even though we´ve been having a lot of success lately, Elder Tavares had lost the excitement of missionary work. His bags were all packed ready to leave to his new area, when all of a sudden without any indication he snuck away with another missionary that is from the same city.
My District Leader and I were up all night in a frantic worry looking for him and talking by phone with President Teixeira and our Zone Leaders. I don´t remember sleeping last night. President Teixeira right now is still in the United States since General Conference. He was sustained as part of the first quorum of the seventy on Saturday. President called the home of Elder Tavares last night to see if he had gotten there (which by that time he hadn´t). Now knowing that their son was missing, his parents somehow got our number and wouldn´t stop calling us all night. We got word this morning that he arrived in his house, which is about 2 hours away.
It was a pretty sad surprise. Anyway, I´m still here in Mauá. I got my new companion today. His name is Elder Risenmay from Seatle, Washington. He arrived to the mission 3 months after I did, so now the people in this area have to deal with two green Americans with really heavy accents. Elder Risenmay is a lot like me. He brought a Rubik´s cube and is majoring in Electrical Engineering (which is really close to Computer Engineering). I´m 12 days older than he is. Maybe we´ll both be together during our birthdays.
I met some missionaries that arrived here today from the MTC. A couple of them were Elder Jason Aaron Allred´s roommates in the MTC.
Good news! William was finally baptized. His baptism occured between the two sessions of General Conference on Sunday. This Sunday, he´ll be confirmed.
Yesterday, Evelyn created another plan to stop smoking. I´m praying that she follows this plan. Her goal is to be prepared to be baptized on the 20th of April. We also have Lucas, Sandro, Jenaína, and Milaine preparing to be baptized on this day. Gilvano and family (wife and 4 kids) have accepted baptism. We marked the date 6 weeks from now, because we have to wait for them to get married.
Conference was amazing. I hope all the members here in Brazil and the rest of the world heard what Elder Bednar said about missionary work.
Have fun everybody and Choose the Right!
--
Elder Allred
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
4-01-08
Hello Everybody!
So, my companion and I set a new mission record. We baptized 37 people last Saturday. All were confirmed on Sunday. Because it was also Fast and Testimony Meeting, not very many people got the chance to bear testimony because we had 37 confirmations to do.
April Fools!
Well, all of our baptisms fell through this last week. Evelyn still has a problem smoking. Maybe we´ll make her drink cigarette tea this weak. Cigarette tea is a couple of cigarettes dissolved in water. Apparently, it instantly makes the person throw up and lose the desire to smoke. The hardest part is going to be convincing her to drink it.
Good news! William has finally accepted to be baptized. He´ll be baptized this Sunday, probably after General Conference.
Our Bishop is finally active again. He was able to sign the baptismal forms that we needed to send in a few weeks ago.
A couple weeks ago, I bought a pocket watch. It´s pretty neat. I was able to use my recently developed skill of bargaining. I´ve found out that if you buy anything here in Brazil and pay the original price, you´re getting ripped off. My purchase went as follows:
“How much is this pocket watch?” I said.
“It´s R$20, but for you I´ll make it R$15,” he said.
(I opened my wallet to check my supply)
“How about R$12?”
“I can make it R$13, but that´s as low as I can go.”
“But I´m only willing to pay R$12. How about it?”
“Ok, R$12 it is, but only because I like you.”
That´s how it´s done here in Brazil. I´m still getting used to it. Maybe I can pay even less for bananas once I get better.
Church on Sunday went very well, except for the fact the William was the only investigator to go. In Fast and Testimony meeting, Juciane and Jailson (both recent-converts) shared their testimonies. It is one of the best feelings in the world to hear and feel their testimonies, when just over a month ago, they hadn´t even heard of the simple truths of which they were now testifying.
Goodbye for now!
-Élder Allred
P.S.
I´ve been out of peanut butter for quite a while.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
3-25-08
Subject: Happy Easter last Sunday!
Hello everybody!
This last Sunday, David and Raquel were confirmed members of the Church and received the gift of the Holy Ghost!
In one of Mom´s letters she told me that because I´m in a hilly area, I need to try walking backwards every once in a while to avoid shinsplints. The other day I took her advice walking backwards and ended up walking into a tree. Hmmmm.....
Not much is new here in Mauá. We have interviews with President again on Friday and transfers in two weeks.
Yesterday, we cut the grass in our yard. We asked the other missionaries in Mauá to help. It took 8 missionaries and one member over 3 hours, and we´re not quite done yet. The owner of the house let the grass grow as tall as me. He kept saying that he´d get someone to cut it, but he never did, so we ended up doing it.
Our bishop has officially gone inactive. He had to work a couple weeks and then last week he went on a trip with his family. Maybe we´ll have to go visit them and teach them the importance of going to church each week to take the sacrament and serve others. :)
--
Love, Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Hello everybody!
This last Sunday, David and Raquel were confirmed members of the Church and received the gift of the Holy Ghost!
In one of Mom´s letters she told me that because I´m in a hilly area, I need to try walking backwards every once in a while to avoid shinsplints. The other day I took her advice walking backwards and ended up walking into a tree. Hmmmm.....
Not much is new here in Mauá. We have interviews with President again on Friday and transfers in two weeks.
Yesterday, we cut the grass in our yard. We asked the other missionaries in Mauá to help. It took 8 missionaries and one member over 3 hours, and we´re not quite done yet. The owner of the house let the grass grow as tall as me. He kept saying that he´d get someone to cut it, but he never did, so we ended up doing it.
Our bishop has officially gone inactive. He had to work a couple weeks and then last week he went on a trip with his family. Maybe we´ll have to go visit them and teach them the importance of going to church each week to take the sacrament and serve others. :)
--
Love, Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
3-18-08
Subject: Subject?... hmm... I give up! Multiple-choice is so much easier than fill-in-the-blank.
Hello Everybody!
This last Sunday during sacrament meeting Sergio was confirmed a member of the church and received the Gift of the Holy Ghost! A year from now, he can go to the temple to be sealed with his wife (already a member) and son. After church, David (16 year-old son of a recent convert) and Raquel (18 year-old sister of a recent convert) were baptized.
David had to overcome serveral problems to achieve this blessing. His life was full of consequences for adolescent mistakes, yet through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, he received a remission of sins that is promised to the penitent who accept His gospel.
Raquel finally decided to be baptized after being taught by the missionaries for quite some time now. One of her little sisters was baptized a few months ago by some missionaries that were here before Elder Tavares and I arrived. I personally think that she has had the desire to be baptized for quite some time, but that her parents altered their stance to oppose the church. I base my reasoning on the fact that she turned 18 years-old two days before the baptism, and was thus able to sign the authorization herself, rather than needing sactioning by her parents.
We´re teaching someone who already wants to serve a mission. His name is Anderson and he´s 20 years old. He´s going to be baptized a week from Sunday.
Evelyn has a goal to be baptized this Sunday. Unfortunately, she found out that giving up smoking is a little harder than she had hitherto assumed. But, as always, we´re expecting some miracles to happen this week.
Not much is new. We work despite difficulties and fall like dead men onto our beds each night. Last night, Elder Tavares was too tired to change clothes and slept all night with a white shirt and tie.
Oh, I almost forgot! Great news! We bought a spray to kill and prevent cockroaches (cocroaches, cokroaches - however you spell it).
Goodbye for now!
-Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Hello Everybody!
This last Sunday during sacrament meeting Sergio was confirmed a member of the church and received the Gift of the Holy Ghost! A year from now, he can go to the temple to be sealed with his wife (already a member) and son. After church, David (16 year-old son of a recent convert) and Raquel (18 year-old sister of a recent convert) were baptized.
David had to overcome serveral problems to achieve this blessing. His life was full of consequences for adolescent mistakes, yet through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, he received a remission of sins that is promised to the penitent who accept His gospel.
Raquel finally decided to be baptized after being taught by the missionaries for quite some time now. One of her little sisters was baptized a few months ago by some missionaries that were here before Elder Tavares and I arrived. I personally think that she has had the desire to be baptized for quite some time, but that her parents altered their stance to oppose the church. I base my reasoning on the fact that she turned 18 years-old two days before the baptism, and was thus able to sign the authorization herself, rather than needing sactioning by her parents.
We´re teaching someone who already wants to serve a mission. His name is Anderson and he´s 20 years old. He´s going to be baptized a week from Sunday.
Evelyn has a goal to be baptized this Sunday. Unfortunately, she found out that giving up smoking is a little harder than she had hitherto assumed. But, as always, we´re expecting some miracles to happen this week.
Not much is new. We work despite difficulties and fall like dead men onto our beds each night. Last night, Elder Tavares was too tired to change clothes and slept all night with a white shirt and tie.
Oh, I almost forgot! Great news! We bought a spray to kill and prevent cockroaches (cocroaches, cokroaches - however you spell it).
Goodbye for now!
-Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
3-11-08
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 2:35 PM
Subject: School Project? I thought I was done with homework for a while.
Hello everybody!
Sergio got baptized this last Sunday. He´s a pretty big fellow, and it took some effort to raise him back up out of the water, but everything worked out perfectly.
Sunday was also Scott´s birthday. Happy birthday Scott!
The other day when I went to put on my shoes, I discovered one and a half caterpillars inside. That struck me as odd, but I dumped them out and attempted to put on my shoe, when I discovered the other half of the other caterpillar. It turned out to be a cacoon! Did I spell that right? caccoon, kacoon, cakoon? English is so confusing!
I spent most of my time answering the following questions for Sheresa´s school project, so I´m including them in the email so it doesn´t look like I didn´t type very much.
What was your most memorable childhood moment and how did it affect your life?
Wow! Tough questions! I´d have to say that my most memorable childhood moment would have to be my baptism. Without my baptism, I wouldn´t be a member of the church, I wouldn´t enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost, I wouldn´t qualify for eternal life, and I definitely wouldn´t be here in Brazil serving a mission.
What do you think you need to do before you die?
Well, first of all, I need to finish my mission so that I can get married. Marriage is probably the most important on the list of things to do before death.
Who was/is your hero and why were they your hero?
Wait a second... I only get to choose one? Well, because this is Sheresa´s school project, I´ll choose James Madison (you know, the one they call the father of the constitution). He´s my hero because of his willingness to do that which he was inspired to do while valuing and accepting aid, opinions, and input of others to provide a more perfect constitution.
Tell me an experience that influenced your life.
Well, once upon a time (the spring of 1820 to be exact), there was a boy named Joseph. He had a question to which he couldn´t find an answer. Then he read a book (which happened to be very widely accepted at the time) that told him what he needed to do to find his answer. He did what the book told him to do, and something wonderful happened. That special experience would have to be the thing that most influenced my life.
What is your favorite quote/motto?
Have Fun and Choose the Right! (at the same time of course!)
In the past ten years, who has influenced your life the most and how did they influence it?
Drum roll please... and the winner is - Mom! That´s right, my mom! In fact, this is the second decade in a row that she´s won this award. You´d think that after winning the award for the first ten years of my life that she´d take a rest and let someone else have a chance at the next ten years. But once again, my mom has painstakingly given every effort to influence my life for the best.
What do you want to do with your life when you come home?
Well, I want to take it in my hands and squeeze out of it every drop I can. I´ll continue studying Computer Engineering, while looking for the Future Mrs. Elder Allred. Then the Future Mrs. Elder Allred and I will get married and we´ll raise a family.
Can you describe yourself in one sentence? If so, please do so.
Well, of course I can describe myself in one sentence, but then the sentence would be really long like this one, and it would take forever to read because I would have to include millions of adjectives that describe me with amazing accuracy like handsome, smart, witty, funny, strong, good-looking, and attractive, and then I would have to spend some time talking about how much people like me, and of course I would have to throw in some talents, and just to make sure people don´t get the wrong idea and think that I´m just bragging because of pride, I´d have to talk about how humble I am, and so the list of things that I would have to write about would just continue to increase, and then the sentence would get so long with conjunctions and commas that it would probably end up being grammaticly incorrect (which would be completely ironic in and of itself because this sentence is supposed to be decribing me, yet I would never write a grammatically incorrect sentence), and so you see that the entire purpose of such a task would be condemned as futile and no one would even understand what I was talking about, so why would I try to describe myself in one sentence, especially when I really don´t have time to spend writing such a sentence because I only have one hour to use email before we get to leave and start teaching people in Portuguese because that´s the whole reason I´m here in Brazil in the first place?
What advice would you give the people if you were the president?
Keep me in office! Vote for me again!
What would you do if you were the richest man in the world?
I´d buy a lot of bananas. Here in Brazil, bananas can be bought for about a nickel each. Thus, as the richest man in the world, I´d sure be able to buy a lot of bananas. Then, I´d give the bananas to all the poor people that don´t have anything to eat.
Well, goodbye for now!
Subject: School Project? I thought I was done with homework for a while.
Hello everybody!
Sergio got baptized this last Sunday. He´s a pretty big fellow, and it took some effort to raise him back up out of the water, but everything worked out perfectly.
Sunday was also Scott´s birthday. Happy birthday Scott!
The other day when I went to put on my shoes, I discovered one and a half caterpillars inside. That struck me as odd, but I dumped them out and attempted to put on my shoe, when I discovered the other half of the other caterpillar. It turned out to be a cacoon! Did I spell that right? caccoon, kacoon, cakoon? English is so confusing!
I spent most of my time answering the following questions for Sheresa´s school project, so I´m including them in the email so it doesn´t look like I didn´t type very much.
What was your most memorable childhood moment and how did it affect your life?
Wow! Tough questions! I´d have to say that my most memorable childhood moment would have to be my baptism. Without my baptism, I wouldn´t be a member of the church, I wouldn´t enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost, I wouldn´t qualify for eternal life, and I definitely wouldn´t be here in Brazil serving a mission.
What do you think you need to do before you die?
Well, first of all, I need to finish my mission so that I can get married. Marriage is probably the most important on the list of things to do before death.
Who was/is your hero and why were they your hero?
Wait a second... I only get to choose one? Well, because this is Sheresa´s school project, I´ll choose James Madison (you know, the one they call the father of the constitution). He´s my hero because of his willingness to do that which he was inspired to do while valuing and accepting aid, opinions, and input of others to provide a more perfect constitution.
Tell me an experience that influenced your life.
Well, once upon a time (the spring of 1820 to be exact), there was a boy named Joseph. He had a question to which he couldn´t find an answer. Then he read a book (which happened to be very widely accepted at the time) that told him what he needed to do to find his answer. He did what the book told him to do, and something wonderful happened. That special experience would have to be the thing that most influenced my life.
What is your favorite quote/motto?
Have Fun and Choose the Right! (at the same time of course!)
In the past ten years, who has influenced your life the most and how did they influence it?
Drum roll please... and the winner is - Mom! That´s right, my mom! In fact, this is the second decade in a row that she´s won this award. You´d think that after winning the award for the first ten years of my life that she´d take a rest and let someone else have a chance at the next ten years. But once again, my mom has painstakingly given every effort to influence my life for the best.
What do you want to do with your life when you come home?
Well, I want to take it in my hands and squeeze out of it every drop I can. I´ll continue studying Computer Engineering, while looking for the Future Mrs. Elder Allred. Then the Future Mrs. Elder Allred and I will get married and we´ll raise a family.
Can you describe yourself in one sentence? If so, please do so.
Well, of course I can describe myself in one sentence, but then the sentence would be really long like this one, and it would take forever to read because I would have to include millions of adjectives that describe me with amazing accuracy like handsome, smart, witty, funny, strong, good-looking, and attractive, and then I would have to spend some time talking about how much people like me, and of course I would have to throw in some talents, and just to make sure people don´t get the wrong idea and think that I´m just bragging because of pride, I´d have to talk about how humble I am, and so the list of things that I would have to write about would just continue to increase, and then the sentence would get so long with conjunctions and commas that it would probably end up being grammaticly incorrect (which would be completely ironic in and of itself because this sentence is supposed to be decribing me, yet I would never write a grammatically incorrect sentence), and so you see that the entire purpose of such a task would be condemned as futile and no one would even understand what I was talking about, so why would I try to describe myself in one sentence, especially when I really don´t have time to spend writing such a sentence because I only have one hour to use email before we get to leave and start teaching people in Portuguese because that´s the whole reason I´m here in Brazil in the first place?
What advice would you give the people if you were the president?
Keep me in office! Vote for me again!
What would you do if you were the richest man in the world?
I´d buy a lot of bananas. Here in Brazil, bananas can be bought for about a nickel each. Thus, as the richest man in the world, I´d sure be able to buy a lot of bananas. Then, I´d give the bananas to all the poor people that don´t have anything to eat.
Well, goodbye for now!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
3-4-08
Subject: Modern-day Pioneers
Hello Everybody!
Well, I guess it was a well kept secret. William didn´t find out that he was supposed to be baptized last week. Each time we went to his house to tell him, he wasn´t there. But some good news is that he wasn´t there one of the times because he had gone with some youth to the temple and he stayed out in the gardens with some of the youth while others did baptisms for the dead. He went to church again on Sunday as well!
Our goal of faith is to baptize William, Evelyn, and Sergio this Sunday. Evelyn is 15 years old (Kristie´s age). Since we´ve started teaching her, she´s stopped drinking tea and coffee, she hasn´t smoked for a week, and she broke up with her boyfriend/fiancé who had previously forbid her to listen to the missionaries and/or go to church. Can you believe someone Kristie´s age with all those problems? Well, they used to be problems, but because of the gospel, she´s been overcoming each obstacle one at a time.
Sergio is the husband of a member. He´s been going to church now and then for some time. Two weeks ago, he decided that he´s ready for baptism, so all we have to do is finish teaching him all the stuff he already believes, interview him, and dress him in white.
Modern-day Pioneers:
I was thinking about all the sacrifices that our investigators have been making to join the church, and it reminded me of the early pioneers when they joined the church. We want to tell people that by joining the church all their problems will go away, but sadly that isn´t the case. Problems will still come. Usually right before and right after something very important like baptism, the adversary is working his hardest to tear us down. But making covenants (like at baptism) we receive help to resist evil and qualify ourselves for peace in this life and eternal life after death.
Ana Claudia (who was baptized a week and a half ago) was kicked out of her choir that she studied two years to join. It was her life long dream to be in this choir, and she finally made it. After her baptism, the choir director told her that she had to choose to leave the ´Mormon´ church or leave the choir. She made the right choice, but it was very difficult and caused her a lot of pain.
Juciane (who baptized two weeks earlier) lost one of her jobs and has said that all her friends do is try to get her to leave the church and drink and party like she used to. But her testimony has been helping her stay strong. She bore her testimony of the Book of Mormon this last Sunday in church and told everyone that being a member of the church and having the gift of the Holy Ghost is worth all the sacrifices she´s had to make.
Everyone that I´ve taught that has decided to join the church has had some sort of really dificult trial to overcome beforehand. But, the miracles come after the trial of faith.
Goodbye for now!
-Elder Jason Morgan Allred
Hello Everybody!
Well, I guess it was a well kept secret. William didn´t find out that he was supposed to be baptized last week. Each time we went to his house to tell him, he wasn´t there. But some good news is that he wasn´t there one of the times because he had gone with some youth to the temple and he stayed out in the gardens with some of the youth while others did baptisms for the dead. He went to church again on Sunday as well!
Our goal of faith is to baptize William, Evelyn, and Sergio this Sunday. Evelyn is 15 years old (Kristie´s age). Since we´ve started teaching her, she´s stopped drinking tea and coffee, she hasn´t smoked for a week, and she broke up with her boyfriend/fiancé who had previously forbid her to listen to the missionaries and/or go to church. Can you believe someone Kristie´s age with all those problems? Well, they used to be problems, but because of the gospel, she´s been overcoming each obstacle one at a time.
Sergio is the husband of a member. He´s been going to church now and then for some time. Two weeks ago, he decided that he´s ready for baptism, so all we have to do is finish teaching him all the stuff he already believes, interview him, and dress him in white.
Modern-day Pioneers:
I was thinking about all the sacrifices that our investigators have been making to join the church, and it reminded me of the early pioneers when they joined the church. We want to tell people that by joining the church all their problems will go away, but sadly that isn´t the case. Problems will still come. Usually right before and right after something very important like baptism, the adversary is working his hardest to tear us down. But making covenants (like at baptism) we receive help to resist evil and qualify ourselves for peace in this life and eternal life after death.
Ana Claudia (who was baptized a week and a half ago) was kicked out of her choir that she studied two years to join. It was her life long dream to be in this choir, and she finally made it. After her baptism, the choir director told her that she had to choose to leave the ´Mormon´ church or leave the choir. She made the right choice, but it was very difficult and caused her a lot of pain.
Juciane (who baptized two weeks earlier) lost one of her jobs and has said that all her friends do is try to get her to leave the church and drink and party like she used to. But her testimony has been helping her stay strong. She bore her testimony of the Book of Mormon this last Sunday in church and told everyone that being a member of the church and having the gift of the Holy Ghost is worth all the sacrifices she´s had to make.
Everyone that I´ve taught that has decided to join the church has had some sort of really dificult trial to overcome beforehand. But, the miracles come after the trial of faith.
Goodbye for now!
-Elder Jason Morgan Allred
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