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
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
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
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