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
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
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.
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