So in short, my meeting today was cancelled, and I am being transfered to Vasco de Gama with the assignment to break some missionaries of their lazy habits. I don't have a lot of time.
This last monday we had a fun family home evening with our Recent Convert Brasillians. They cheated really bad, it was really funny. The game was seeing a word and describing that word without saying other words. Elder harvey looked at me and and said "Tu . . . " and I said "Burro!!!", I was wrong, the correct word was Santo, but it was funny. (Burro means donkey, Santo means Saint)
On tuesday we spent the day contacting with a member from Braga that took us around to meet her friends.
Wednesday all of my recent converts got together and we had a big going away party for me. I knew I would be going to lisbon and we had a great time and have some great. We marked a really cool couple for baptism as well.
On Thursday we had a scare. Right after we got home, a recent convert family called us and told us they were attacked. It is the lima family that was baptized right before we got there. They said that they had been beaten up and her boss let her sleep at her house.
On Friday we went to go and try and get some stuff out of the house with the 18 yr old kid and she told us that it was dangerous and she called some of her friends to protect us. After 30 minutes of waiting a taxi pulled up with 4 huge black guys got out to walk down with us. We got to their house to take the stuff out, and their neighbors started calling us all sorts of names and started coming out to fight us. We told them we are here in peace and don't want any confusion, we are just going to take the stuff out of their house. Then their son came out with a crowbar in his and and said that he was ready to hit anyone that came against him. One of the black guys rushed in the house grabbed a knife and said, look, we are here for peace but we will mess you guys up if you are here for a fight. needless to say there were 3 of them , we had 4 huge gangster guys with us, 2 missionaries, the 18 year old son, and god on our side, they gave up and let us get the stuff from their house.
On saturday satan worked overtime. we found a guy that said he wants to convert, and our couple that was marked fell through. Their son has banned us from talking to them.
Sunday we had the worse sunday in a long time. There were only 28 people in church. There were 13 people there that we had been working with. Everyone was traveling.
Elder Hope
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Monday February 11, 2013
Dear family and friends
It is interesting to have time to actually sit down and relax. I actually have 1 hour to relax today!!!
On Monday and Tuesday we went to a big 2 day conference in Lisbon. They invited all of the Zone leaders and District leaders in the country to go and be trained by president. President told us that here in the next transfer or two we are going to be getting a lot of new missionaries and are going to be losing some of the great experienced missionaries. He focused on inviting people to baptism and setting and working towards our goals. He showed graphs of our area compared to the average of the zone and mission, and it was interesting to see that when the zone leaders work well, than the rest of the zone follows suit. He told us the same thing is true in wards, that when the bishop works good and when the Elders quorumn president works well, than the rest of the ward and quorums follow suit. Monday night he threw us out in the middle of lisbon and told us that we were going to contact everyone and there dog. Imagine nearly 60 to 70 missionaries blitzing lisbon. It was great. there were over 200 references received in only 1.5 hours.
Wednesday we had to train our zone on invites to baptism. Since then they are working better. IT is interesting to see the principles of savior helping us all in our life. We marked a guy named manuel, but he didn't go to church, so he can't get baptized.
Thursday we took our recent convert Carlos around with us to teach him how to be a missionary and a home teacher. Carlos is the most elect man I know. One of the biggest problems with the work here in Portugal is that people are afraid to ofend each other by being bold. Carlos is very bold, but not overbearring. It is cool, because he has had a testemony for a while now and has been reading the book of mormon, Preisthood in Action, our Legacy, and the teachings of the Prophet Joseph smith.
Friday, we spent a lot of time with the other Carlos recent convert and Israele. Isreale was having a lot of problems with her family and baptism. She decided that she was going to be baptized and felt so strong. I didn't know what to do because I didn't want to separate her from her fiancé in Brasil, because I know that the church doesn't want to separate families, but I also know that god very clearly responded to her prayers about baptism. Our recent convert carlos opened up and told us that his family opposed him the whole time that he was being taught. He said god told him to do it, and he had to trust in god. His family threatened many things, but they are still a strong family.
Saturday Isreale was baptized. She asked me to get in a monkey suit to baptize her. Luckily I found a really awesome monkey suit with pockets, a collar, and a front pocket. I think it was for women, but I didn't care. Isreale was baptised. Afterwards, she told me that her finacé asked her to pick between facebook and baptism, she chose the baptism.
Sunday we reached our goal of having 40 people in church. We came into Foz with a frequency on a good sunday at 22 people, and yesterday we had 41 people. We went to another recent converts home (from before us) and she and her neighbor got in a fight. We convinced her to ask for forgiveness, and she came back and said that it was the best thing that ever happened to her. They live in such a humble circumstance. They have a leaky roof and our room is bigger than their house . . . which says something.
have a great day
Elder Hope
It is interesting to have time to actually sit down and relax. I actually have 1 hour to relax today!!!
On Monday and Tuesday we went to a big 2 day conference in Lisbon. They invited all of the Zone leaders and District leaders in the country to go and be trained by president. President told us that here in the next transfer or two we are going to be getting a lot of new missionaries and are going to be losing some of the great experienced missionaries. He focused on inviting people to baptism and setting and working towards our goals. He showed graphs of our area compared to the average of the zone and mission, and it was interesting to see that when the zone leaders work well, than the rest of the zone follows suit. He told us the same thing is true in wards, that when the bishop works good and when the Elders quorumn president works well, than the rest of the ward and quorums follow suit. Monday night he threw us out in the middle of lisbon and told us that we were going to contact everyone and there dog. Imagine nearly 60 to 70 missionaries blitzing lisbon. It was great. there were over 200 references received in only 1.5 hours.
Wednesday we had to train our zone on invites to baptism. Since then they are working better. IT is interesting to see the principles of savior helping us all in our life. We marked a guy named manuel, but he didn't go to church, so he can't get baptized.
Thursday we took our recent convert Carlos around with us to teach him how to be a missionary and a home teacher. Carlos is the most elect man I know. One of the biggest problems with the work here in Portugal is that people are afraid to ofend each other by being bold. Carlos is very bold, but not overbearring. It is cool, because he has had a testemony for a while now and has been reading the book of mormon, Preisthood in Action, our Legacy, and the teachings of the Prophet Joseph smith.
Friday, we spent a lot of time with the other Carlos recent convert and Israele. Isreale was having a lot of problems with her family and baptism. She decided that she was going to be baptized and felt so strong. I didn't know what to do because I didn't want to separate her from her fiancé in Brasil, because I know that the church doesn't want to separate families, but I also know that god very clearly responded to her prayers about baptism. Our recent convert carlos opened up and told us that his family opposed him the whole time that he was being taught. He said god told him to do it, and he had to trust in god. His family threatened many things, but they are still a strong family.
Saturday Isreale was baptized. She asked me to get in a monkey suit to baptize her. Luckily I found a really awesome monkey suit with pockets, a collar, and a front pocket. I think it was for women, but I didn't care. Isreale was baptised. Afterwards, she told me that her finacé asked her to pick between facebook and baptism, she chose the baptism.
Sunday we reached our goal of having 40 people in church. We came into Foz with a frequency on a good sunday at 22 people, and yesterday we had 41 people. We went to another recent converts home (from before us) and she and her neighbor got in a fight. We convinced her to ask for forgiveness, and she came back and said that it was the best thing that ever happened to her. They live in such a humble circumstance. They have a leaky roof and our room is bigger than their house . . . which says something.
have a great day
Elder Hope
Wednesday February 6, 2013
really quick, we had a 2 day conference in lisbon, so that is why I am writing today,
monday the 28th, we had a really good time bowling again with our brasillians. We taught Israele about trusting the lord, and she was stoked for her baptism.
tuesday we had a district meeting and taught a cool lady named Maria de Rosalia. she isn't married, but she is cool. She is really progressing.
wednesday we went to braga and I got to see all of my recent converts and investigators. They are all strong in the church and have plans on going to the temple here soon.
thursday we got a call from a guy named josé coelho that wanted us to visit him. Well, we wet to visit him, and it turned out that he is one of our drunk members.
Friday we went to a less active family to get them back. it is sad because the dad doesn't go to church with the kids, but his wife goes. The brasilians were cool, and Israele changed her baptismal date to the 9th of february becasue of her fiancé.
Satuday Isreale was interviewed and Natalia in Braga came down to shows us a friend of hers.
Sunday Carlos got the preisthood and we traveled.
I will tell you about the conference next email.
love
Elder Hope
Monday January 28, 2013
Dear family and friends,
It is good to note that this week has been very eventful. I have noticed that the 2nd half of my mission has been much more fruitful than the first half in terms of baptisms.
On monday we went bowling with our brasilians and we are going to go again today. I somehow won with a score of 128, and I got a turkey!!!, I was shocked, but it was cool. That night we marked a lady named emilia for baptism for the following sunday. She is the mom of Carlos Ribeiro that was baptized 8 days ago. We talked to bishop and he said he would interview him for the priesthood so that he could baptize his mom.
On tuesday we had zone conference with President Fluckiger. I had the task of going and ordering from Subway for 42 missionaries. I bought 42 footlongs, and as luck would have it, Irmã Fluckiger told me I ordered too much food. So to announce that the food had arrived, I told everyone that Irmã Fluckiger had little faith in us to eat all the food. We ate it all. That night I got to go to some meetings with the stake presidency and the mission president. We learned that there was investigator marked for baptism in our zone that lived in our area, but was going to church in Maia (another area). WE were told to take care of the situation, and help her go to church in Foz de Douro.
Wednesday Carlos had his interview for the priesthood and passed with flying colors. He is the most elect man that I know. The bishop gave him the priesthood in action book, and he has almost finished it. We were on a division with Póvoa de Varzim and I stayed in Foz. My goal was to help the greenie. We found a lot of cool people and I don't think I have contacted so many people before. I told him we would not knock doors, and we didn't. We had a nice argument with the elders in maia about their investagator. I donºt care about the number, but I was worried that she couldn't get a temple recommend or a calling in the other ward. We promised them the number, but they wouldn't budge.
Thursday Presidente got involved and resolved most of the problem. we found a lot of cool people that don't live in our area, but we stayed optomistic. A member named Julia just had her daughter move into her house, so we are really excited to teach her.
Friday I went to ermesinde on a division. Right before going into the interview, the lady said that she was going to leave the church and never come back because of family pressure. we didn't get the interview done but she finally agreed to come back to chruch. I went to jaime's office and we got a lot of things figured out with our problem from maia and for a car when you come to portugal. Emilia got super excited to pass her interview.
Saturday we did the interview for Katia, the lady that lives in Foz, she lives literally 5 minutes from us walking and reallçy close to the foz chapel. WE had correlation and had 2 baptisms marked for sunday, from Emilia and Katia. We called bishop, and he was cool with all of that.
Sunday we had a confusion at church. We had half a hurricane outside, and there were a lot of people that showed up late to church, including Carlos and Emilia. Luckily Sacrament is last. We introduced Katia to the bishop and the bishop and he started ripping our heads off for 2 baptimal services and that it doesn't work for him and such. Emilia is old and can't come back at night, so had to go right after church, and Katia has friends in Maia that wanted to come, so we sort of had to do it that way. So bishop ripped us apart and elder Harvey took Katia away. Bishop then called the two of us in and told us we can't cook in the chapel with the members. We said ok, but he kept trying to rip us apart. We said OK, we understand, we wont do it again, He continued. Finally we picked him apart by asking why he cooked with all the members 5 weeks ago to try and show him we understand. He said "Não vamos buscar aquilio" or in other words, I don't want to talk about that. So we sit down in priesthood and a lot of people are still late, so he called us in and bishop called us to go and talk to him. He told us carlos couldn't get the Preisthood because he was late to priesthood and that we can't have 2 baptismal services and ripped us apart. He told us we have no love for the people, because we are just throwing people in the water and then forgetting about them (all of our recent converts were at church) and Just ripped us a new one again. I don't know what was going on. We called the stake presidency and after 10 minutes of speaking to the stake he allowed carlos to get the preisthood. Needless to say Bishop won't even talk to us now, because we called him out with the stake since he wouldn't listen to us. We spoke to president fluckiger and he told us to be patient but that with everything he was saying and doing we did the right thing. In the end of our confusion, Carlos baptized his mom!!!!!
have a great day
Elder Hope
Monday January 21, 2013
On monday we had a great time teaching the brasilians. They insist on feeding us, and we accept. we have a carlos we call Carlos Grande that we had marked that we taught as well, he is super pumped for his baptism. during p day we played baskeball with 4 other elders. There was a really annoying guy that didn't play very well that we humbled, it was fun. I played one on one and beat him, and I don't even play basketball all that well.
Tuesday was transfer day and it was really annoying walking around with a third elder.We went down to the train station to get his comp and Elder Harvey and I continued finding really cool people. We found a cabo verdian family that is in really humble circumstances. The Brasilians made us Lasagna and Carlos, the one we baptized was really excited for the holy ghost.
Wednesday we basically had a huricane come through and nothing worked out for us. In the end we managed to find a couple people and teach our caboveridan family. They are elect, but they don't exactly like the idea of waking up at 8 am for church.
Thursday it rained all day agian, but we took our brasilians to the chapel for an interview with the bishop. One of the brasilians is a less active that was interviewed for 1.5 hours by bishop, but it was all good. We taught another one of the brasilians the basics of piano. We then took the bishop over to Miguel, our recent convert's house and Carlos Grande. They loved bishop. The bishops wife got mad at us because bishop didn't get home until 10 pm and he hadn't eaten anything and he is diabetic. Turns out there weren't any problems with his health.
Friday I went on a division with Maia and I was with Elder Fry. We had another terrible storm pass through and on our way to the stake center we saw a car stopped in the rain with it's emergancy flashers on. In portugal this doesn't mean anything, but there were 3 or 4 people with umbrellas right infront of the car and there was a little red sack on the ground. As we crossed the street we saw the head of a joven sticking out of the bag with obvious head wounds and a covered in blood. I was about to help, but then we saw the ambulance pull up, and I didn't want to get involved in the portuguese legal system. I am pretty sure that he was dead. I helped elder fry get organized and we ate at subways. There are not very many subways in portugal, but we found one.
Saturday we went around looking for ingrediantes to make a dish that a member was going to make us on sunday. She is super poor, and we had the idea to buy stuff so she could make us a meal and give her the leftovers seeing as it would only be 10 or 15 euros and we had money left over. Needless to say we didn't find it. We had correlation meeting and got really exctied because we had 7 super ready investigators coming to church. We gave a lady a blessing and in a really humble way she was imediately healed. It was a blessing to see that Christ loves her that much to show her His power like that.
Sunday we woke up to a couple of text messages saying that investigators werent coming. We had 3 in church and then we called another, and he had decided to visit another chapel because his friend was getting the aaronic preisthood, so we actually had 4 in church!!! Our members made us a great meal with our money and we baptized Carlos Grand緌. I have seen the many miracles of baptism in portugal.
Elder Hope
Tuesday was transfer day and it was really annoying walking around with a third elder.We went down to the train station to get his comp and Elder Harvey and I continued finding really cool people. We found a cabo verdian family that is in really humble circumstances. The Brasilians made us Lasagna and Carlos, the one we baptized was really excited for the holy ghost.
Wednesday we basically had a huricane come through and nothing worked out for us. In the end we managed to find a couple people and teach our caboveridan family. They are elect, but they don't exactly like the idea of waking up at 8 am for church.
Thursday it rained all day agian, but we took our brasilians to the chapel for an interview with the bishop. One of the brasilians is a less active that was interviewed for 1.5 hours by bishop, but it was all good. We taught another one of the brasilians the basics of piano. We then took the bishop over to Miguel, our recent convert's house and Carlos Grande. They loved bishop. The bishops wife got mad at us because bishop didn't get home until 10 pm and he hadn't eaten anything and he is diabetic. Turns out there weren't any problems with his health.
Friday I went on a division with Maia and I was with Elder Fry. We had another terrible storm pass through and on our way to the stake center we saw a car stopped in the rain with it's emergancy flashers on. In portugal this doesn't mean anything, but there were 3 or 4 people with umbrellas right infront of the car and there was a little red sack on the ground. As we crossed the street we saw the head of a joven sticking out of the bag with obvious head wounds and a covered in blood. I was about to help, but then we saw the ambulance pull up, and I didn't want to get involved in the portuguese legal system. I am pretty sure that he was dead. I helped elder fry get organized and we ate at subways. There are not very many subways in portugal, but we found one.
Saturday we went around looking for ingrediantes to make a dish that a member was going to make us on sunday. She is super poor, and we had the idea to buy stuff so she could make us a meal and give her the leftovers seeing as it would only be 10 or 15 euros and we had money left over. Needless to say we didn't find it. We had correlation meeting and got really exctied because we had 7 super ready investigators coming to church. We gave a lady a blessing and in a really humble way she was imediately healed. It was a blessing to see that Christ loves her that much to show her His power like that.
Sunday we woke up to a couple of text messages saying that investigators werent coming. We had 3 in church and then we called another, and he had decided to visit another chapel because his friend was getting the aaronic preisthood, so we actually had 4 in church!!! Our members made us a great meal with our money and we baptized Carlos Grand緌. I have seen the many miracles of baptism in portugal.
Elder Hope
Monday January 14, 2013
It is transfers again and I am staying in Foz de Douro. it is interesting to stay that I am going into my last transfer.
In spite of MANY questions that have been asked by other returned missionaries, friends, and family members, I have decided to elaborate on the food system here in Portugal and the digestinal results. It has been asked if every missionary in Portugal poops his pants, and the answer is NO, I have not yet been blessed with that privilege. Elder Harvey was hit by a bull in a bull fight breaking the rules in lisbon, so he litterally got ripped a new one. The food is generally salad, french fries, rice and some sort of meat.
Last monday we went to the mall and had a good time looking around. We ended the day by teaching a guy named carlos that is marked for the 20th and prepared him to stop smoking. We are so excited.
Tuesday we went to our first district meeting on the last week of the transfer. I got to see Elder Fry give it. Elder Fry is my District Leader, it is super cool to see his progress. We went and taught our Brasillian kids, that are super awesome too. We told Carlos ( a different one ) that he was ready to be baptized that weekend, he didn't know what he thought about that, but said he would pray about it.
wednesday we were sort of dumb and decided to knock doors for a little while. It is the first time in probably 9 or 10 months that I have knocked doors, I hate knocking doors. So, there was no result. I always go and make friends with the members and then contact people on the street and meet the less aactive families that not everyone is a member, it is way more efficient that way. Here in Foz we have been working a lot with families less actives.
Thursday we went to braga all day for a division. I got to go around a teach and see all of my recent converts and investigators. There is one investigator that is just working on marriage and then she will be baptized.
Friday we did a mini division with the assistantes. We marked Carlos for baptism this sunday and it was a party. We have 2 people named carlos marked and ready to go for baptism, one on the 13th of january and the other on the 20th.
Saturday we went and did baptismal interviews for elder Fry and he did my baptismal interview. We also got a ton of investagators together and we played basketball.
Sunday was the best sunday in my mission. We found 7 new investagators and baptized the Brazillian Carlos. He is from Forteleza.
Elder Hope
In spite of MANY questions that have been asked by other returned missionaries, friends, and family members, I have decided to elaborate on the food system here in Portugal and the digestinal results. It has been asked if every missionary in Portugal poops his pants, and the answer is NO, I have not yet been blessed with that privilege. Elder Harvey was hit by a bull in a bull fight breaking the rules in lisbon, so he litterally got ripped a new one. The food is generally salad, french fries, rice and some sort of meat.
Last monday we went to the mall and had a good time looking around. We ended the day by teaching a guy named carlos that is marked for the 20th and prepared him to stop smoking. We are so excited.
Tuesday we went to our first district meeting on the last week of the transfer. I got to see Elder Fry give it. Elder Fry is my District Leader, it is super cool to see his progress. We went and taught our Brasillian kids, that are super awesome too. We told Carlos ( a different one ) that he was ready to be baptized that weekend, he didn't know what he thought about that, but said he would pray about it.
wednesday we were sort of dumb and decided to knock doors for a little while. It is the first time in probably 9 or 10 months that I have knocked doors, I hate knocking doors. So, there was no result. I always go and make friends with the members and then contact people on the street and meet the less aactive families that not everyone is a member, it is way more efficient that way. Here in Foz we have been working a lot with families less actives.
Thursday we went to braga all day for a division. I got to go around a teach and see all of my recent converts and investigators. There is one investigator that is just working on marriage and then she will be baptized.
Friday we did a mini division with the assistantes. We marked Carlos for baptism this sunday and it was a party. We have 2 people named carlos marked and ready to go for baptism, one on the 13th of january and the other on the 20th.
Saturday we went and did baptismal interviews for elder Fry and he did my baptismal interview. We also got a ton of investagators together and we played basketball.
Sunday was the best sunday in my mission. We found 7 new investagators and baptized the Brazillian Carlos. He is from Forteleza.
Elder Hope
Monday January 7, 2013
This has been the strangest week on my mission where there has been the most heartache, most joy, and the most disapointment feeling as if we let someone else down.
On new year's eve we met the mom of a member we wanted to start teaching. She is older, but really cool. She really warmed up to us and the members said that is good since she was against the church a little while ago. We didn't talk a lot about the gospel, but it was nice. We ate the traditional portuguese bachalhau.
On Tuesday we went to go and teach our family. They are part of my family, the little girl drew pictures for us and Filipa showed us proofs that she was praying and reading the scriptures. They are the most elect family that I know. They took us into Porto so we could catch a bus to lisbon. That night we stayed in the mission home and it was the first night in a long time that I haven't woken up feeling like an old man. In Foz our mattresses are terrible. Mine is hard as a rock and elder Harvey's is like a hammock when you sit on it. I have been annyoying the mission office to get us new ones. Irmã Fluckiger is the nicest lady you can imagine she went out and made sure that all of us were nice and warm and had enough blankets and made sure we ate a good breakfast the next morning It is one of those times you miss having a mom.
On wednesday we were in Lisbon in a conference. President Fluckiger is getting us ready for the new year. in 2012 there were roughly 1300 baptisms in Portugal. That night we went back to Foz de Douro. We were able to report that we are having record high frequencies in our sacrament meeting. sunday the 30th we had 31 people, the first time in a year that we had over 30 without a ton of stake leaders present. We have also reactivated a family of four where the dad is a mel. preisthood holder.
On thursday I went to Póvoa on a division whrere we got to teach some of the references anita gave Póvoa. Anita is the lady I baptized in Braga and I knew them. All in all, they are progressing. Some of my investigators in Braga that are going to be baptized soon knew I was going to be there and came down to Póvoa to see me. Meanwhile in Foz, Filipa accepted all of the commandments.
Friday morning, Filipa called and said she was done with us, and said that she didn't want us back in her house. Aparently the pressure got to her and her mom refuses to speak with her. I literally cried at the loss of this family that was progressing so well. Later that day a member from another ward called us and told us to be at our chapel at 4 o'clock, so we went and he brought a family for us to teach. He taught them about the beattitudes, and didn't let us say a thing. We then had dinner with carlos Santos later that night. That night we both cried and did what was even harder to do, thank god for our trials and the blessing we had to teach them.
Saturday we went over and finally found Filipa. She mixed all of our words around to the point where her kids realized she wasn't making any sense. I am sad that they wouldn't accept it because of her mom, but I am happy to say that I can say I fought a good fight and did everything we could to help her realize the problem. In the end I know it isn't the end of the story that everyone wants, but we did our best. Right after that we marked a guy named carlos for baptism that Elder Harvey found on thursday.
sunday we were blessed to have 5 investagators at church and most of them are progressing. We have a brasillian girl that we haven't been able to teach yet that has been to church 2 times and is super elect!!! we found her 9 days ago and she just went to church on the first invite without a lesson. Yesterday she brought all of her roomates except one, including the less active roomate that hasn't been to church in months. A guy named João come to church. He is the craziest guy I have ever met, but he is smart, and wants to be baptized.
Elder Hope
On new year's eve we met the mom of a member we wanted to start teaching. She is older, but really cool. She really warmed up to us and the members said that is good since she was against the church a little while ago. We didn't talk a lot about the gospel, but it was nice. We ate the traditional portuguese bachalhau.
On Tuesday we went to go and teach our family. They are part of my family, the little girl drew pictures for us and Filipa showed us proofs that she was praying and reading the scriptures. They are the most elect family that I know. They took us into Porto so we could catch a bus to lisbon. That night we stayed in the mission home and it was the first night in a long time that I haven't woken up feeling like an old man. In Foz our mattresses are terrible. Mine is hard as a rock and elder Harvey's is like a hammock when you sit on it. I have been annyoying the mission office to get us new ones. Irmã Fluckiger is the nicest lady you can imagine she went out and made sure that all of us were nice and warm and had enough blankets and made sure we ate a good breakfast the next morning It is one of those times you miss having a mom.
On wednesday we were in Lisbon in a conference. President Fluckiger is getting us ready for the new year. in 2012 there were roughly 1300 baptisms in Portugal. That night we went back to Foz de Douro. We were able to report that we are having record high frequencies in our sacrament meeting. sunday the 30th we had 31 people, the first time in a year that we had over 30 without a ton of stake leaders present. We have also reactivated a family of four where the dad is a mel. preisthood holder.
On thursday I went to Póvoa on a division whrere we got to teach some of the references anita gave Póvoa. Anita is the lady I baptized in Braga and I knew them. All in all, they are progressing. Some of my investigators in Braga that are going to be baptized soon knew I was going to be there and came down to Póvoa to see me. Meanwhile in Foz, Filipa accepted all of the commandments.
Friday morning, Filipa called and said she was done with us, and said that she didn't want us back in her house. Aparently the pressure got to her and her mom refuses to speak with her. I literally cried at the loss of this family that was progressing so well. Later that day a member from another ward called us and told us to be at our chapel at 4 o'clock, so we went and he brought a family for us to teach. He taught them about the beattitudes, and didn't let us say a thing. We then had dinner with carlos Santos later that night. That night we both cried and did what was even harder to do, thank god for our trials and the blessing we had to teach them.
Saturday we went over and finally found Filipa. She mixed all of our words around to the point where her kids realized she wasn't making any sense. I am sad that they wouldn't accept it because of her mom, but I am happy to say that I can say I fought a good fight and did everything we could to help her realize the problem. In the end I know it isn't the end of the story that everyone wants, but we did our best. Right after that we marked a guy named carlos for baptism that Elder Harvey found on thursday.
sunday we were blessed to have 5 investagators at church and most of them are progressing. We have a brasillian girl that we haven't been able to teach yet that has been to church 2 times and is super elect!!! we found her 9 days ago and she just went to church on the first invite without a lesson. Yesterday she brought all of her roomates except one, including the less active roomate that hasn't been to church in months. A guy named João come to church. He is the craziest guy I have ever met, but he is smart, and wants to be baptized.
Elder Hope
Monday December 31, 2012
Dear family and friends,
It is weird to think that it is already new year's eve and that 2012 has already basically passed by.
The mission cut us 150 euros on accident, but we still haven't gotten it. Ironically enough, we have never had to worry about food. We have nothing in our house, but out of the blue a member or investigator will call us and invite us over every day that happened. We didn't go hungry. What a blessing from above!
Monday we cut our P day short about 4 hours so that we could get some work done in our area. We haven't had much time in our area with all of our traveling for interviews and to Lisbon and to other meetings, so we took advantage of our extra time. We had a lesson with Filipa's family who has been coming to church pretty frequently. They told us that they already had plans for the 30th but on the 6th they would come. It is really neat to see them coming along. We told them to pray about a date for baptism and on friday we would return with a date. We then went over to Carlos Santos's aunts house and met two little old women who like to feed us. they gave us so much food, but it was good. They made us bachalhau, a kind of fish (cod fish), and it was good.
On tuesday we had christmas and we sort of stayed with Carlos the whole day. We went over for lunch, taught a lesson to his familiy members, and then played twister with the kids. Elder Harvey spoke with his family and then I spoke to y'all. it was fun. I am sad to see that was the last time that I will speak to y'all on my mission, and that here soon, we are going to be reunited. Jaime said that he would hook me up with a car deal.
On wednesday we went to a very inspired training by President Teixeira, the Area president of Europe. He taught us about taking care of our leaders and how to work with them. it is necessary here as we have a lot of support from the leaders we just don't have a lot of action or work from them. We got home that night and found Irmão cunha who is the keeper of the keys at our chappel. He is this short little man we call the hobbitt, and he is always emulating a sort of grumpy attitude.He came up and asked if he could take a picture with us. Which is a really big deal, he hasnºt accepted or taken photos with missionaries in over a year, he is just a little grumpy old man.
On thursday we laughed all day because we found out that the bishop in another unit told an elder to bless a dog with the priesthood. He is a greenie, and was on a division with a member, and he put his hands on the dog's head, and blessed it. Unfortunately you shouldn't do that in the preisthood. We laughed and thought it was a joke, but we found out it wasn't. I feel bad we made fun of him until we realized it was actually the truth.
On friday we had weekly planning at the church and took carlos santos with us to a lesson with filipa's family. He was stoked that we were going to mark them for baptism, that he litterally spoke too much, but in the end they were marked for the 13th of January. I am so excited for them.Carlos then invited us to his house for Lasagna.
On saturday we had a day that was not working. Half of the city is out of town for the holidays but we found a really cool brasillian lady from Forteleza that knew some missionaries in the past. She said she would come to church.
On sunday she came to church. For the first time in over 2 years we surpassed 30 people in church, having 31 people. And we were missing 2 families that are out of town. Israele (the brasillian) brought 2 of her friends with her to church from Paraná (Curitiba is the capital!) 12 of the 31 people were from missionary efforts!!! we brought a family of 4 back to reactivate them and we had 4 investigators and the ex elders quromn president that we are reactivating and 1 recent convert and us two. We are working on trying to reactivate some Melquesideck preisthood holders and families. the ward was so excited that most of the people that we brought have schedulded times to meet with other members to have fun with them or for home teaching.
Have a good time.
Elder Hope
It is weird to think that it is already new year's eve and that 2012 has already basically passed by.
The mission cut us 150 euros on accident, but we still haven't gotten it. Ironically enough, we have never had to worry about food. We have nothing in our house, but out of the blue a member or investigator will call us and invite us over every day that happened. We didn't go hungry. What a blessing from above!
Monday we cut our P day short about 4 hours so that we could get some work done in our area. We haven't had much time in our area with all of our traveling for interviews and to Lisbon and to other meetings, so we took advantage of our extra time. We had a lesson with Filipa's family who has been coming to church pretty frequently. They told us that they already had plans for the 30th but on the 6th they would come. It is really neat to see them coming along. We told them to pray about a date for baptism and on friday we would return with a date. We then went over to Carlos Santos's aunts house and met two little old women who like to feed us. they gave us so much food, but it was good. They made us bachalhau, a kind of fish (cod fish), and it was good.
On tuesday we had christmas and we sort of stayed with Carlos the whole day. We went over for lunch, taught a lesson to his familiy members, and then played twister with the kids. Elder Harvey spoke with his family and then I spoke to y'all. it was fun. I am sad to see that was the last time that I will speak to y'all on my mission, and that here soon, we are going to be reunited. Jaime said that he would hook me up with a car deal.
On wednesday we went to a very inspired training by President Teixeira, the Area president of Europe. He taught us about taking care of our leaders and how to work with them. it is necessary here as we have a lot of support from the leaders we just don't have a lot of action or work from them. We got home that night and found Irmão cunha who is the keeper of the keys at our chappel. He is this short little man we call the hobbitt, and he is always emulating a sort of grumpy attitude.He came up and asked if he could take a picture with us. Which is a really big deal, he hasnºt accepted or taken photos with missionaries in over a year, he is just a little grumpy old man.
On thursday we laughed all day because we found out that the bishop in another unit told an elder to bless a dog with the priesthood. He is a greenie, and was on a division with a member, and he put his hands on the dog's head, and blessed it. Unfortunately you shouldn't do that in the preisthood. We laughed and thought it was a joke, but we found out it wasn't. I feel bad we made fun of him until we realized it was actually the truth.
On friday we had weekly planning at the church and took carlos santos with us to a lesson with filipa's family. He was stoked that we were going to mark them for baptism, that he litterally spoke too much, but in the end they were marked for the 13th of January. I am so excited for them.Carlos then invited us to his house for Lasagna.
On saturday we had a day that was not working. Half of the city is out of town for the holidays but we found a really cool brasillian lady from Forteleza that knew some missionaries in the past. She said she would come to church.
On sunday she came to church. For the first time in over 2 years we surpassed 30 people in church, having 31 people. And we were missing 2 families that are out of town. Israele (the brasillian) brought 2 of her friends with her to church from Paraná (Curitiba is the capital!) 12 of the 31 people were from missionary efforts!!! we brought a family of 4 back to reactivate them and we had 4 investigators and the ex elders quromn president that we are reactivating and 1 recent convert and us two. We are working on trying to reactivate some Melquesideck preisthood holders and families. the ward was so excited that most of the people that we brought have schedulded times to meet with other members to have fun with them or for home teaching.
Have a good time.
Elder Hope
Monday December 24, 2012
Feliz Natal!!
As I have been so carefuly pondering this past week, I have decided to include some information that I learned this last week.
On monday we had a lesson with a family of four. We are so excited to have them comming to church and there is a good prospect of getting all four of them baptized here soon.
Tuesday I went on a division in Ermesinde. Well, It was sad because I went the Junior Comp that is really new in the mission and he asked me how to work with members. I was thrilled at the question because I went by and got a lot of really cool references from my members in Ermesinde. I got to show him how to involve the members. I also had a meeting with Jaime to figure out what to do in Foz, and it looks like we are some of the last efforts so that foz doesn't close down or become a branch.
Wednesday we worked all day, and have been working with a lot of investigators.
Thursday we went to Lisbon with Presidente Teixeira, the area presidente. He told us the church has the land of the temple in it's name and construction will begin next year . . . hopefully. He said a lot of inspired things such as there is no quality if there is no quantity and he taught us how to work with the leaders of the church in a more effective manner. He also taught us of the apostasy pattern.
Friday we got a repair man to come to our house and he was hiliarious. He was looking for every little thing to fix, turns out he is an ex missionary and doesn't want to keep coming to foz. He wants to go and then finish all the work in one day and we taught the family again. We are stoked to have them progressing.
On saturday we had a lesson with the Remelgado Family, and had a correlation meeting
Sunday I learned what apostasy is as I went to church. the first class was combined about tithing, but they didn't do a very good job, luckily our family was late and missed the first hour. The second hour was a really sweet musical that we were volunteered to sing a duet in and sacrament meeting Elder Harvey was asked to give a ten minute talk 5 minutes before the meeting. there was so much false doctrine taught about tithing. I was interested to find out that the dispute between the gross and net income is only a european doubt becasue in america it is always the gross because we don't have a social security system. I was also interested to find out that you have more faith if you pay more than 10 percent. The best was that they read a manual from the 1970's to explain it.
all in all it was a good week, and I will look forward to seeing you tomorrow.
elder Hope
As I have been so carefuly pondering this past week, I have decided to include some information that I learned this last week.
On monday we had a lesson with a family of four. We are so excited to have them comming to church and there is a good prospect of getting all four of them baptized here soon.
Tuesday I went on a division in Ermesinde. Well, It was sad because I went the Junior Comp that is really new in the mission and he asked me how to work with members. I was thrilled at the question because I went by and got a lot of really cool references from my members in Ermesinde. I got to show him how to involve the members. I also had a meeting with Jaime to figure out what to do in Foz, and it looks like we are some of the last efforts so that foz doesn't close down or become a branch.
Wednesday we worked all day, and have been working with a lot of investigators.
Thursday we went to Lisbon with Presidente Teixeira, the area presidente. He told us the church has the land of the temple in it's name and construction will begin next year . . . hopefully. He said a lot of inspired things such as there is no quality if there is no quantity and he taught us how to work with the leaders of the church in a more effective manner. He also taught us of the apostasy pattern.
Friday we got a repair man to come to our house and he was hiliarious. He was looking for every little thing to fix, turns out he is an ex missionary and doesn't want to keep coming to foz. He wants to go and then finish all the work in one day and we taught the family again. We are stoked to have them progressing.
On saturday we had a lesson with the Remelgado Family, and had a correlation meeting
Sunday I learned what apostasy is as I went to church. the first class was combined about tithing, but they didn't do a very good job, luckily our family was late and missed the first hour. The second hour was a really sweet musical that we were volunteered to sing a duet in and sacrament meeting Elder Harvey was asked to give a ten minute talk 5 minutes before the meeting. there was so much false doctrine taught about tithing. I was interested to find out that the dispute between the gross and net income is only a european doubt becasue in america it is always the gross because we don't have a social security system. I was also interested to find out that you have more faith if you pay more than 10 percent. The best was that they read a manual from the 1970's to explain it.
all in all it was a good week, and I will look forward to seeing you tomorrow.
elder Hope
Monday December 17, 2012
So we came into Foz de Douro with the prospects of fixing the ward. We had a high of 30 members in church yesterday!!! That was the first time in almost a year that we got 30 people, it had been around 27 or 28 generally.
So monday was a normal work day and we went and taught a couple of families. We have figured that the best way to help this ward is to bring families into the church. After a super spiritual lesson on church we finally got a couple to agree to come to church.
Tuesday we went to Lisbon for a christmas conference. We had a good time seeing everyone there. The seventy of the area was there and spoke to us on obedience. Aparently we have a big obedience problem on the mission. I understand, I have changed some things I have done some presidente fluckiger came in because presidente Torgan let us do other things. For example, we were allowed to come home late if we told the zone leaders, I don't do that anymore. The stake presidente of Oieras showed us how the good samaritan was like christ.
on Wednesday we found a really cool family of 5 people. a mom, a grandma and 3 kids. It is sad that there isn't a dad there, but they are really a cool family that i think will progress soon. We also went by a couple of the active families to see what was going on. We also taught Miguel, our guy that we had marked and reviewed his baptismal program.
on thursday all of our lessons fell through because of a storm we had. My umbrella litterally snapped in half and the storm was worse than some texas thunderstoms we had. We still got to teach some apostate less actives and some eternal investigators.
On Friday we had the interveiw for Miguel. . . .get this, Elder Fry got to come and do the interveiw!!! It was so cool to see him get to interview Miguel. We spent a lot of time looking for a house, but we were led directly to a couple that is really needing our help.
On saturday we decided to take advantage of a ward activity to get to know the members really well, so We baptized Miguel and had the plan to be at the ward party. The ward didn't want to baptize miguel because of the party, but in the end he got baptized. We had a small scuffle with our 1st counselor in the bishopric because he refused to open up the baptistry and the room for the clothes. Later that night we had a meeting with the stake presidency and Presidente Fluckiger and they told us that we will have a key here soon so that we don't have to worry about it. I am glad that the stake is 100% behind us. It is interesting because there are 8 units in our zone and I have already served in Ermesinde, Braga, and Viana do Castelo and elder harvey has already served in Guimeraes so between the 2 of us we have, or are serving in 6 of the 8 units in this stake. Presidente Neiva was called to be the new stake presidente, the ex branch president of Viana do Castelo and Jaime was called in the presidency.
On sunday we had a super elect couple finally come to church and after 20 minutes they left. They hated church. The men in Priesthood got into a deep doctrine debate and in relief society didn't even recognize her presence. They also didn't want to be separated. Later that day they were upest about 2 things, they were separated, and that every door was locked (we have been trying to get them to open the sacrament room). We took the bishop there and he told us to have patience and told the family, well, if you didn't like it, you didn't like it, it's ok, the door is always open. We were shocked that he didn't even try to resolve any problem, he just shrugged it off. they tried to give Miguel the Aaronic Priesthood in Sacrament meeting before he was confirmed a member too, that was fun to explain, and then the bishop forgot how to confirm people. It was funny that all the men got up to confirm him so there were 8 people in the circle. We then visited a really cool less active family that wants to come back, but hasn't been visited for 2 years by their home teachers. We called our ward mission leader and he told us, I wonder why they didn't ask to have home teachers. I am dumbfounded by the lack of caring in this branch that is functioning as a branch. we were told we have to take care of Miguel, our recent convert because he won't be taken care of by the members yet.
Come what may and love it, but it should be fun. I am excited that the only sane members are the members we are going to spend christmas with.
Elder Hope
So monday was a normal work day and we went and taught a couple of families. We have figured that the best way to help this ward is to bring families into the church. After a super spiritual lesson on church we finally got a couple to agree to come to church.
Tuesday we went to Lisbon for a christmas conference. We had a good time seeing everyone there. The seventy of the area was there and spoke to us on obedience. Aparently we have a big obedience problem on the mission. I understand, I have changed some things I have done some presidente fluckiger came in because presidente Torgan let us do other things. For example, we were allowed to come home late if we told the zone leaders, I don't do that anymore. The stake presidente of Oieras showed us how the good samaritan was like christ.
on Wednesday we found a really cool family of 5 people. a mom, a grandma and 3 kids. It is sad that there isn't a dad there, but they are really a cool family that i think will progress soon. We also went by a couple of the active families to see what was going on. We also taught Miguel, our guy that we had marked and reviewed his baptismal program.
on thursday all of our lessons fell through because of a storm we had. My umbrella litterally snapped in half and the storm was worse than some texas thunderstoms we had. We still got to teach some apostate less actives and some eternal investigators.
On Friday we had the interveiw for Miguel. . . .get this, Elder Fry got to come and do the interveiw!!! It was so cool to see him get to interview Miguel. We spent a lot of time looking for a house, but we were led directly to a couple that is really needing our help.
On saturday we decided to take advantage of a ward activity to get to know the members really well, so We baptized Miguel and had the plan to be at the ward party. The ward didn't want to baptize miguel because of the party, but in the end he got baptized. We had a small scuffle with our 1st counselor in the bishopric because he refused to open up the baptistry and the room for the clothes. Later that night we had a meeting with the stake presidency and Presidente Fluckiger and they told us that we will have a key here soon so that we don't have to worry about it. I am glad that the stake is 100% behind us. It is interesting because there are 8 units in our zone and I have already served in Ermesinde, Braga, and Viana do Castelo and elder harvey has already served in Guimeraes so between the 2 of us we have, or are serving in 6 of the 8 units in this stake. Presidente Neiva was called to be the new stake presidente, the ex branch president of Viana do Castelo and Jaime was called in the presidency.
On sunday we had a super elect couple finally come to church and after 20 minutes they left. They hated church. The men in Priesthood got into a deep doctrine debate and in relief society didn't even recognize her presence. They also didn't want to be separated. Later that day they were upest about 2 things, they were separated, and that every door was locked (we have been trying to get them to open the sacrament room). We took the bishop there and he told us to have patience and told the family, well, if you didn't like it, you didn't like it, it's ok, the door is always open. We were shocked that he didn't even try to resolve any problem, he just shrugged it off. they tried to give Miguel the Aaronic Priesthood in Sacrament meeting before he was confirmed a member too, that was fun to explain, and then the bishop forgot how to confirm people. It was funny that all the men got up to confirm him so there were 8 people in the circle. We then visited a really cool less active family that wants to come back, but hasn't been visited for 2 years by their home teachers. We called our ward mission leader and he told us, I wonder why they didn't ask to have home teachers. I am dumbfounded by the lack of caring in this branch that is functioning as a branch. we were told we have to take care of Miguel, our recent convert because he won't be taken care of by the members yet.
Come what may and love it, but it should be fun. I am excited that the only sane members are the members we are going to spend christmas with.
Elder Hope
Monday December 10, 2012
Well this week has been crazy.
So Monday we set off and packed up to leave Braga. We traveled litterally all day to get to Lisbon. We left at noon and got there around 4:22. It is genearlly a 3.5 hour ride, but this time it took an extra hour . . . how fun!!! I was told I had a special calling as a missionary different from other missionaries, but wasn't told what. I was also elected to go and hang out with the sick elder . . . so for the first time in my mission, I got to go to bed an hour early!!!
Tuesday I actually woke up refreshed and was told by president that my calling in Foz de Douro was not to baptize but to clear up the problems in that ward. It is a ward of roughly 20 members. . . .it should be a branch. He said that is why the zone leaders were sent there. He also gave me his complete confidence and said that I would be supported by him and the stake presidency. He then said that Jaime Azevedo in the stake presidency now specifically requested that I be transfered to Foz to help with the problems When President Neiva (ex branch presidente in Viana do Castelo and current stake president) found out that I was in his stake, he seconded the motion. That night was a fun night. We traveled to Foz de Douro and had a meeting with the bishopric. The bishop is the ex patriarch and he was old and cool. The other people there were 60 year old men. So, We asked, what there vision was, they said that the ward grows and nothing else. When we asked how they responded that was the reason they were having the meeting. We then showed them some forms that need to be filled out for new members and less actives and asked if they were filled out and they responded that was the reason they were having the meeting. We then asked about home teaching they said it was going good but it could be better but they then said that was the reason they were having the meeting to reorganize duplas. We then found out that in the entire ward 9 members were visited in November and 2 of those 9 were done by the missionaries and are the less actives we work with. After realizing it would be one heck of a meeting, we left them in peace.
On wednesday we set out with Elder Grover in a tripla to learn the area. Elder Grover had been transfered to Porto 1, but he was training and his greenie wouldn't get there until thursday, so he was told to stay with us. We met a lot of people and marked a guy named Miguel for baptism. Our first night we marked!!! We were told that was impossible in Foz because there have only been 4 baptisms in the last year and 3 of the 4 were from a less active family from cabo verde that moved here and went looking for the church, there were just a couple of kids that weren't baptized.
On thursday we tried to find were everything was. After a weekly planning, we went to the church and realized that everything was locked and we don't have the key. We have the key to get in the front door, but not in the sacrament hall or the baptistry. or anything else. So all in all, we can walk the halls of the chappel, but we can't get into anything, except get into the gospel principles room that doesn't have a lock. We also found a church pamphlet at the entrance that said Somente para Rapazes which is a pamphlet about the birds and the bees sitting out for everyone to take one. When I asked bishop about it, he said that no one reads those things or takes them seriously. On that same table was a Liahona magazine from 1987 and all 7 lesson pamphlets from before preach my gospel.
On friday we went to ermesinde to have a zone meeting and then came back to mark another brasillian kid for baptism. We will see. we just have to work on his testimony.
Saturday we went back to ermesinde to interview a lady for baptism and then came back to finish trying to figure out where we are. White washes bring an opportunity to learn the area really quick.
Sunday we had a high frequency of 29 people in chruch. The second counselor of the bishopric was there the first 2 hours and then dissapeared, his wife said that he doesn't like sacrament meeting. we found out our elder's quorumn president is inactive and no one knows how to contact him and they keep everything locked durning church. they only open the rooms being used during that hour. or in other words, the sacrament room was locked during the first 2 hours of church and priesthood is a bunch of 60 year old men fighting about deep doctrine.
we then left to go to braga for an interview of Paulo, the guy I marked for baptism in Braga. All of my recent converts there made a special effort to participate in the baptism and in a very emotional meeting, I had the oportunity to baptize my buddy Paulo. Someone didn't fill up the font very well, so it went up to my knees. . . that was fun. Looking back this was the third week in a row that I baptized in braga. In 3 weeks, 4 people were baptized there and all of them participated in the meeting. I am greatful for that oportunity.
Elder hope
So Monday we set off and packed up to leave Braga. We traveled litterally all day to get to Lisbon. We left at noon and got there around 4:22. It is genearlly a 3.5 hour ride, but this time it took an extra hour . . . how fun!!! I was told I had a special calling as a missionary different from other missionaries, but wasn't told what. I was also elected to go and hang out with the sick elder . . . so for the first time in my mission, I got to go to bed an hour early!!!
Tuesday I actually woke up refreshed and was told by president that my calling in Foz de Douro was not to baptize but to clear up the problems in that ward. It is a ward of roughly 20 members. . . .it should be a branch. He said that is why the zone leaders were sent there. He also gave me his complete confidence and said that I would be supported by him and the stake presidency. He then said that Jaime Azevedo in the stake presidency now specifically requested that I be transfered to Foz to help with the problems When President Neiva (ex branch presidente in Viana do Castelo and current stake president) found out that I was in his stake, he seconded the motion. That night was a fun night. We traveled to Foz de Douro and had a meeting with the bishopric. The bishop is the ex patriarch and he was old and cool. The other people there were 60 year old men. So, We asked, what there vision was, they said that the ward grows and nothing else. When we asked how they responded that was the reason they were having the meeting. We then showed them some forms that need to be filled out for new members and less actives and asked if they were filled out and they responded that was the reason they were having the meeting. We then asked about home teaching they said it was going good but it could be better but they then said that was the reason they were having the meeting to reorganize duplas. We then found out that in the entire ward 9 members were visited in November and 2 of those 9 were done by the missionaries and are the less actives we work with. After realizing it would be one heck of a meeting, we left them in peace.
On wednesday we set out with Elder Grover in a tripla to learn the area. Elder Grover had been transfered to Porto 1, but he was training and his greenie wouldn't get there until thursday, so he was told to stay with us. We met a lot of people and marked a guy named Miguel for baptism. Our first night we marked!!! We were told that was impossible in Foz because there have only been 4 baptisms in the last year and 3 of the 4 were from a less active family from cabo verde that moved here and went looking for the church, there were just a couple of kids that weren't baptized.
On thursday we tried to find were everything was. After a weekly planning, we went to the church and realized that everything was locked and we don't have the key. We have the key to get in the front door, but not in the sacrament hall or the baptistry. or anything else. So all in all, we can walk the halls of the chappel, but we can't get into anything, except get into the gospel principles room that doesn't have a lock. We also found a church pamphlet at the entrance that said Somente para Rapazes which is a pamphlet about the birds and the bees sitting out for everyone to take one. When I asked bishop about it, he said that no one reads those things or takes them seriously. On that same table was a Liahona magazine from 1987 and all 7 lesson pamphlets from before preach my gospel.
On friday we went to ermesinde to have a zone meeting and then came back to mark another brasillian kid for baptism. We will see. we just have to work on his testimony.
Saturday we went back to ermesinde to interview a lady for baptism and then came back to finish trying to figure out where we are. White washes bring an opportunity to learn the area really quick.
Sunday we had a high frequency of 29 people in chruch. The second counselor of the bishopric was there the first 2 hours and then dissapeared, his wife said that he doesn't like sacrament meeting. we found out our elder's quorumn president is inactive and no one knows how to contact him and they keep everything locked durning church. they only open the rooms being used during that hour. or in other words, the sacrament room was locked during the first 2 hours of church and priesthood is a bunch of 60 year old men fighting about deep doctrine.
we then left to go to braga for an interview of Paulo, the guy I marked for baptism in Braga. All of my recent converts there made a special effort to participate in the baptism and in a very emotional meeting, I had the oportunity to baptize my buddy Paulo. Someone didn't fill up the font very well, so it went up to my knees. . . that was fun. Looking back this was the third week in a row that I baptized in braga. In 3 weeks, 4 people were baptized there and all of them participated in the meeting. I am greatful for that oportunity.
Elder hope
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