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
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
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.
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