Sent: Monday, September 20, 2010 8:16 AM
Subject: Re: Mid September
Well, my plans are actually to let my greenie know on our last week that I´m "dying" as we call it, and that he´s "killing me" as we say. That way I can enjoy the last district meeting as a going away deal. But there are a few small hurdles to jump in the next 5 weeks. One of which is the Mission jornal, which shows the names of everybody who is going home. Not sure what to do about that, yet, but I´ll pull some strings in the Staff to keep my secret safe.
E. Botão knows that I´m "old" on the mission already. That´s kinda hard for me to hide, since I´ve met everyone already and I don´t intend to lie about how long I´ve known people, but he doesn´t know how old I am. I suppose he must think I´ve some 3 months to go. Which isn´t too wrong. I´ve got 1 month to go, still. The members in the ward are convinced already that I´m ending, since I guess the missionary who was here before me did the same thing. Dunno.
But all goes well enough down here. I´ll keep on working and try and hit my goal of baptisms in the mission (numerically and spiritually speaking, I´ve a few boxes left to check off, haha)
But for now, that´s about all.
Love,
Bryan
Monday, October 4, 2010
Email - 9/20/10
Sent: Monday, September 20, 2010 8:03 AM
Subject: Re: Mid September
Man, what a crazy week it´s been. Monday we had a baptism in Independencia. Tuesday I grabbed my stuff and we took off for Goiania, where we had training until late afternoon, when I met my final companion. Elder Botão. Like E. Vitorino, he´s from Pernambuco, in the north of Brasil. We spent the evening wandering downtown in Goiania, and Wednesday we spent 7 hours on the bus to Uberaba (at least there was a movie about a hockey playing monkey who learned to skateboard in Seattle) Thursday on out we worked in the area.
Or at least, we tried to. When I say we´re opening the area it´s because me and E. Button (his name in english) have arrived here together, without knowing anything, and sadly, the missionaries who were here before us didn´t leave much. Though I can´t blame them too much, since one was ending his mission last transfer, and honestly this isn´t the most exciting place on the mission. But I maintain a positive attitude. After all, I´ve already passed some of the most hard areas on the mission, so I´m sure I´ll survive here.
It´s okay if YOU get trunky, mom. Moms have the right to be trunky. It´s more or less the typical way a Mom is. I mean, you DID send a letter to me at the end of my first month marked "Only 23 more payments and you´re all mine." I´m the one who can´t be trunky. And I´m sure I´ll survive. All my mission Pres. Tobias was preparing me for such days as these. I´m very grateful that the men who have lead me on my mission have always prepared me so well for the future that what would shake others to pieces comes as a natural change of course to me.
I´m not saying it´s all smooth sailing, but I´m calm and peaceful. As E. Owen always told me, "Come what may, enjoy it." Or something like that in english.
My flight plans are Oct. 27th. So on the 25th I´ll be leaving Uberaba for Goiania. If I´m lucky, Pres. will let me explore just abit the area and say good-bye to some of the people I´ve met on my mission. On the 27th I´ll get on a plane from Goiania to Brasilia. From Brasilia to São Paulo. From São Paulo I´ll pull an overnighter to Dallas Texas, and when I get to Texas, it´s non-stop until I get home. According to the info, I should be arriving on the 28th, around 11:30 in the afternoon. At least, that´s what the papers are saying. I´d send you the flight plans, but I dunno if it´d help, since it´s all in portuguese.
Well, as of the 20th it still hasn´t rained a single drop in the area of the mission. It´s cooler here in Uberaba than in Aparecida, but still not rain and snow and all that jazz. I´m pretty sure the difference in weather when I get home will kill me. Good thing I´ll be traveling in my suit, huh?
Wow, I´ve really come to miss home-made jelly. You know that if you made a bunch of loaves of bread, put out jelly, honey, and peanutbutter, I wouldn´t have any problem accepting that as my welcome home feast? Though thinking a second time, I also wouldn´t mind them thai noodles you make so well.
I just worry that whatever I eat will kill me. I remember that I had to adjust to food here, I wonder if I´ll have to adjust to food there?
Oh, and I want there to be milk. Lots and lots of good old american milk.
Silly me, huh, worry about these things? But that´s how it all rolls, right?
All goes well down here. Send my love to Matt and Megan. Send my love to Katie and her family. Send my love and gratitude to Grampa and the many others who are contributing to my mission (I hope I´ve served in such a way as to deserve your sacrifices). Send Colin on a mission, and send my thanks to my friends for the pictures.
Love,
Bryan
Subject: Re: Mid September
Man, what a crazy week it´s been. Monday we had a baptism in Independencia. Tuesday I grabbed my stuff and we took off for Goiania, where we had training until late afternoon, when I met my final companion. Elder Botão. Like E. Vitorino, he´s from Pernambuco, in the north of Brasil. We spent the evening wandering downtown in Goiania, and Wednesday we spent 7 hours on the bus to Uberaba (at least there was a movie about a hockey playing monkey who learned to skateboard in Seattle) Thursday on out we worked in the area.
Or at least, we tried to. When I say we´re opening the area it´s because me and E. Button (his name in english) have arrived here together, without knowing anything, and sadly, the missionaries who were here before us didn´t leave much. Though I can´t blame them too much, since one was ending his mission last transfer, and honestly this isn´t the most exciting place on the mission. But I maintain a positive attitude. After all, I´ve already passed some of the most hard areas on the mission, so I´m sure I´ll survive here.
It´s okay if YOU get trunky, mom. Moms have the right to be trunky. It´s more or less the typical way a Mom is. I mean, you DID send a letter to me at the end of my first month marked "Only 23 more payments and you´re all mine." I´m the one who can´t be trunky. And I´m sure I´ll survive. All my mission Pres. Tobias was preparing me for such days as these. I´m very grateful that the men who have lead me on my mission have always prepared me so well for the future that what would shake others to pieces comes as a natural change of course to me.
I´m not saying it´s all smooth sailing, but I´m calm and peaceful. As E. Owen always told me, "Come what may, enjoy it." Or something like that in english.
My flight plans are Oct. 27th. So on the 25th I´ll be leaving Uberaba for Goiania. If I´m lucky, Pres. will let me explore just abit the area and say good-bye to some of the people I´ve met on my mission. On the 27th I´ll get on a plane from Goiania to Brasilia. From Brasilia to São Paulo. From São Paulo I´ll pull an overnighter to Dallas Texas, and when I get to Texas, it´s non-stop until I get home. According to the info, I should be arriving on the 28th, around 11:30 in the afternoon. At least, that´s what the papers are saying. I´d send you the flight plans, but I dunno if it´d help, since it´s all in portuguese.
Well, as of the 20th it still hasn´t rained a single drop in the area of the mission. It´s cooler here in Uberaba than in Aparecida, but still not rain and snow and all that jazz. I´m pretty sure the difference in weather when I get home will kill me. Good thing I´ll be traveling in my suit, huh?
Wow, I´ve really come to miss home-made jelly. You know that if you made a bunch of loaves of bread, put out jelly, honey, and peanutbutter, I wouldn´t have any problem accepting that as my welcome home feast? Though thinking a second time, I also wouldn´t mind them thai noodles you make so well.
I just worry that whatever I eat will kill me. I remember that I had to adjust to food here, I wonder if I´ll have to adjust to food there?
Oh, and I want there to be milk. Lots and lots of good old american milk.
Silly me, huh, worry about these things? But that´s how it all rolls, right?
All goes well down here. Send my love to Matt and Megan. Send my love to Katie and her family. Send my love and gratitude to Grampa and the many others who are contributing to my mission (I hope I´ve served in such a way as to deserve your sacrifices). Send Colin on a mission, and send my thanks to my friends for the pictures.
Love,
Bryan
Email - 9/13/10
Sent: Monday, September 13, 2010 3:49 PM
Subject: Re: Mid September
Well, without being overly trunky about it, we have officially arrived at my last transfer. Yes, my last six weeks as a full-time missionary. I think I still haven´t really been able to get my head around the concept, that in a few short weeks, all this will come to an end. I mean, this is my life, my world, my work. I don´t know how to do anything but this. Man, and the culture shock I´m gonna pass, huh?
I got my flight plans today. I´ll be going from Goiania to Brasilia, from Brasilia to São Paulo, São Paulo Dallas, and from Dallas, SeaTac. It´s kinda weird to see on paper the end of my mission. But hey, I´ve still got a good six weeks of work ahead of me.
I was transferred to my final area. I will be opening the Vallim de Mello area in Uberaba, Minas Gerais. Funny, huh? My mission is sorta coming full circle. I started in Minas, and went to Aparecida, from Aparecida to Goiania, Goiania to Anapolis, Anapolis Aparecida, Aparecida to Minas. Crazy, huh? Tomorrow I´ll spend the whole day on the bus, since it´s like a 7 hour ride. Fun, huh? I´ll no longer be serving as a Zone Leader, something that comes as a relief (though a bit sad, as I enjoyed my job) but the plus side is that I will, for the fourth time, be training a new missionary. What can I say, when I´m good, I´m good, eh?
I´m sad to leave E. Pimentel´s side. In these past 7 weeks we´ve grown really close one to another, and it´ll be hard to say good-bye. He´s definitely one of my favorite companions to date. Which is hard to say, since I generally like ALL my companions. Our friend, Wislene, is off to the MTC now, too. It was cool to see how someone going to the mission is from the point of view of who´s staying behind. She´ll be an excellent Sister, I´m sure. Heck, the girl managed to seal the deal of a baptism here one time, alone!
I´m excited about opening a new area. I´m going to try and do as Dad´s Trainer did with him, and not let my greenie know that I´m "dying" as the mission slang goes, haha. I don´t think I´ll even tell the members how much time I have. The fun part will be my new Zone. Almost all of them were lead by me at one time or another, and my Zone Leader is none other than my first newbie, E. M. Santos! Funny how these things work out.
What I wouldn´t give to see rain. It hasn´t rained in Goiás since March. Technically we´re in a drought, as it was supposed to have rained already this month. Every day it seems to get hotter. The sun´s so bright that the black pavement turns white. I´m gonna come home blacker than my shoes at this rate, haha.
As for the so very blessed green-beans, I hope the die. Wither and die. We must be able to find something more . . . suitable to the pallat to can, right? I mean, why eat venom, knowing it´s bad for you, when you can eat something healthy? That´s it! Green Beans are against my personal Word of Wisdom.
Hey, sister Lefebvre! It´s been a long time since I´ve heard about her! How´s she doing? And Nicole, that once-upon-a-time terror of my boyhood days? Dude, it must be so weird to see Nicole these days. I mean, I think the last time I saw her I had less than 16 years of age. Wow. Time sure flies, huh? But then again, I´m 22 now, so . . .
(At times it´s hard to know who´s more trunky, me or E. Pimentel. His girlfriend sent him a bunch of pictures this week, and I´ve got to admit, she´s a pretty young woman. I suppose he´s got a reason to be a little distracted with a girl like that back home, hahaha. But hey, it was my choice to not leave a lady waiting for me, and I´m sure that six weeks from now, there´ll be plenty of time to squander my time and attention on women, but at the moment I´ve a debt to pay to the Lord, and a work to finish here, and a ministry to end, so I can´t get too wound up in these "What will I do after?"s)
Oh no, somebody is cooking a meat that smells delicious, and I´ve got a stomach ache and can´t eat. Aww man. Hahaha. Have you ever been hungry and without the slightest desire to eat? That´s me today. Whatcha gonna do, eh?
Well, this is me, saying "I´m alive" and "Only 6 more e-mails home, wahahaha!!!"
Love,
Bryan
(SSSOOOO NOT TRUNKY)
Subject: Re: Mid September
Well, without being overly trunky about it, we have officially arrived at my last transfer. Yes, my last six weeks as a full-time missionary. I think I still haven´t really been able to get my head around the concept, that in a few short weeks, all this will come to an end. I mean, this is my life, my world, my work. I don´t know how to do anything but this. Man, and the culture shock I´m gonna pass, huh?
I got my flight plans today. I´ll be going from Goiania to Brasilia, from Brasilia to São Paulo, São Paulo Dallas, and from Dallas, SeaTac. It´s kinda weird to see on paper the end of my mission. But hey, I´ve still got a good six weeks of work ahead of me.
I was transferred to my final area. I will be opening the Vallim de Mello area in Uberaba, Minas Gerais. Funny, huh? My mission is sorta coming full circle. I started in Minas, and went to Aparecida, from Aparecida to Goiania, Goiania to Anapolis, Anapolis Aparecida, Aparecida to Minas. Crazy, huh? Tomorrow I´ll spend the whole day on the bus, since it´s like a 7 hour ride. Fun, huh? I´ll no longer be serving as a Zone Leader, something that comes as a relief (though a bit sad, as I enjoyed my job) but the plus side is that I will, for the fourth time, be training a new missionary. What can I say, when I´m good, I´m good, eh?
I´m sad to leave E. Pimentel´s side. In these past 7 weeks we´ve grown really close one to another, and it´ll be hard to say good-bye. He´s definitely one of my favorite companions to date. Which is hard to say, since I generally like ALL my companions. Our friend, Wislene, is off to the MTC now, too. It was cool to see how someone going to the mission is from the point of view of who´s staying behind. She´ll be an excellent Sister, I´m sure. Heck, the girl managed to seal the deal of a baptism here one time, alone!
I´m excited about opening a new area. I´m going to try and do as Dad´s Trainer did with him, and not let my greenie know that I´m "dying" as the mission slang goes, haha. I don´t think I´ll even tell the members how much time I have. The fun part will be my new Zone. Almost all of them were lead by me at one time or another, and my Zone Leader is none other than my first newbie, E. M. Santos! Funny how these things work out.
What I wouldn´t give to see rain. It hasn´t rained in Goiás since March. Technically we´re in a drought, as it was supposed to have rained already this month. Every day it seems to get hotter. The sun´s so bright that the black pavement turns white. I´m gonna come home blacker than my shoes at this rate, haha.
As for the so very blessed green-beans, I hope the die. Wither and die. We must be able to find something more . . . suitable to the pallat to can, right? I mean, why eat venom, knowing it´s bad for you, when you can eat something healthy? That´s it! Green Beans are against my personal Word of Wisdom.
Hey, sister Lefebvre! It´s been a long time since I´ve heard about her! How´s she doing? And Nicole, that once-upon-a-time terror of my boyhood days? Dude, it must be so weird to see Nicole these days. I mean, I think the last time I saw her I had less than 16 years of age. Wow. Time sure flies, huh? But then again, I´m 22 now, so . . .
(At times it´s hard to know who´s more trunky, me or E. Pimentel. His girlfriend sent him a bunch of pictures this week, and I´ve got to admit, she´s a pretty young woman. I suppose he´s got a reason to be a little distracted with a girl like that back home, hahaha. But hey, it was my choice to not leave a lady waiting for me, and I´m sure that six weeks from now, there´ll be plenty of time to squander my time and attention on women, but at the moment I´ve a debt to pay to the Lord, and a work to finish here, and a ministry to end, so I can´t get too wound up in these "What will I do after?"s)
Oh no, somebody is cooking a meat that smells delicious, and I´ve got a stomach ache and can´t eat. Aww man. Hahaha. Have you ever been hungry and without the slightest desire to eat? That´s me today. Whatcha gonna do, eh?
Well, this is me, saying "I´m alive" and "Only 6 more e-mails home, wahahaha!!!"
Love,
Bryan
(SSSOOOO NOT TRUNKY)
Email - 9/6/10
Sent: Monday, September 06, 2010 4:05 PM
Subject: Re: Last of August
Sorry I can´t write more tonight, but, as for usual, I missed my window of time. I am happy to hear all is well, and thanks for the birthday wishes. Next week I´ll let you know how it all went down here in Brazil, and how it was to meet E. Godoi, of the 70. I hope you´re all well and love you all a lot.
Your Son,
Bryan
Subject: Re: Last of August
Sorry I can´t write more tonight, but, as for usual, I missed my window of time. I am happy to hear all is well, and thanks for the birthday wishes. Next week I´ll let you know how it all went down here in Brazil, and how it was to meet E. Godoi, of the 70. I hope you´re all well and love you all a lot.
Your Son,
Bryan
Email - 8/30/10
Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 1:34 PM
Subject: Re: Last of August
Well it´s good to hear he´s mellowing out, then, huh? Maybe he won´t try to kill me when I come. Especially since I´ll be coming home in my suit, so he can´t rip it up, as it´s a nice suit (Here´s to hoping it stays nice till November, huh.) Speaking of which, I don´t know when, but you can expect an e-mail here in the future from the Mission with my return flight plans. I don´t know how soon, so don´t get trunky, but I gave your e-mails to the Sec. Fin. to send the plans when they arrive.
I know I need to just get over my own little problems and throw the rest of the burden on the Lord. I always remember what Pres. Tobias said to me once in an interview. He told me that, as a missionary, and as a member, I ought to live happy. If we have to repent, we ought to be happy to repent, as it´s a chance to learn and come closer to Christ. I suppose the anger, whininess and sadness are Satan´s little way of trying to get a hold of me.
So happy I´ll be.
This week is a big fat week for me, as there´s a lot that´s going to happen. We´re working our tails off to have a baptism this week (which is to say, MANY baptisms this week) and also Elder Godoy, an Area Seventy will be visiting our mission this week, and Sunday is, of course, MY BIRTHDAY!!!! WOOHOO!!! I´M GONNA BE OLD!!!!! And also we´ve planned a little fireside for Sunday Night, which is turning out to be freaking awesome.
This Sunday we brought 14 investigators to Church. I felt like the King of Town. It was a good month here in Aparecida, as we ended with 11 baptisms in the month (2 of which were ours) and the month of September is shaping up to be a promising penultimate battle for me.
I´m excited for Friday, when I´ll be in Goiânia with so many of my friends, and as a special treat, on Thursday, we´ll have a few Élders from around the Mission in our house (as you might expect, only the best of the best. Élder Martin, who lived with me and E. Stapler and E. Maxwell. E. Vitorrino, my last comp in Anápolis. E. Challis, and E. Brown, who are from my group on the Mish. This week is gonna rock. All going according to plan, it could be one of the best weeks I´ve had in a long time.
Oh man, I can´t believe it´s already time for the Family Camp-Out at Cougar Lake! Dude, I´ve been out here for a long time, haha. I also can´t believe it´s still snowing up there. I´m gonna die from the cold when I get home. Will Grampa Barney be going this year? If so, send him a big hug from me, okay? I find myself some days all contraried up, y´know. In part, I never want to leave Brasil, because it´s beautiful and wonderous and amazing here, and on the other hand I have the greatest yearning to see my mountains and forests and the ocean again. To feel rain on my face and snow on the ground and see my breath in the cold winter´s air. Can a man live in two places at once?
Man, I know how the Missionaries must have felt. You know that there´s nothing that the missionaries like less than to miss a meal, and when they forget and find out that something went wrong and a lot of food was made for them and that they weren´t there to eat it, you can bet that they generally feel like garbage. I know that I hate hate hate to miss lunch, even when I don´t find it too appetizing, because it´s something that (usually) the sisters have prepared with love as an act of charity towards somebody else´s sons. So don´t be hard on the Elders, as the poor guys probably felt awful about it.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GREEN BEANS!!! As we say down here, "Ecca!" Which means literally, "YUCK!"
Love,
Bryan
Subject: Re: Last of August
Well it´s good to hear he´s mellowing out, then, huh? Maybe he won´t try to kill me when I come. Especially since I´ll be coming home in my suit, so he can´t rip it up, as it´s a nice suit (Here´s to hoping it stays nice till November, huh.) Speaking of which, I don´t know when, but you can expect an e-mail here in the future from the Mission with my return flight plans. I don´t know how soon, so don´t get trunky, but I gave your e-mails to the Sec. Fin. to send the plans when they arrive.
I know I need to just get over my own little problems and throw the rest of the burden on the Lord. I always remember what Pres. Tobias said to me once in an interview. He told me that, as a missionary, and as a member, I ought to live happy. If we have to repent, we ought to be happy to repent, as it´s a chance to learn and come closer to Christ. I suppose the anger, whininess and sadness are Satan´s little way of trying to get a hold of me.
So happy I´ll be.
This week is a big fat week for me, as there´s a lot that´s going to happen. We´re working our tails off to have a baptism this week (which is to say, MANY baptisms this week) and also Elder Godoy, an Area Seventy will be visiting our mission this week, and Sunday is, of course, MY BIRTHDAY!!!! WOOHOO!!! I´M GONNA BE OLD!!!!! And also we´ve planned a little fireside for Sunday Night, which is turning out to be freaking awesome.
This Sunday we brought 14 investigators to Church. I felt like the King of Town. It was a good month here in Aparecida, as we ended with 11 baptisms in the month (2 of which were ours) and the month of September is shaping up to be a promising penultimate battle for me.
I´m excited for Friday, when I´ll be in Goiânia with so many of my friends, and as a special treat, on Thursday, we´ll have a few Élders from around the Mission in our house (as you might expect, only the best of the best. Élder Martin, who lived with me and E. Stapler and E. Maxwell. E. Vitorrino, my last comp in Anápolis. E. Challis, and E. Brown, who are from my group on the Mish. This week is gonna rock. All going according to plan, it could be one of the best weeks I´ve had in a long time.
Oh man, I can´t believe it´s already time for the Family Camp-Out at Cougar Lake! Dude, I´ve been out here for a long time, haha. I also can´t believe it´s still snowing up there. I´m gonna die from the cold when I get home. Will Grampa Barney be going this year? If so, send him a big hug from me, okay? I find myself some days all contraried up, y´know. In part, I never want to leave Brasil, because it´s beautiful and wonderous and amazing here, and on the other hand I have the greatest yearning to see my mountains and forests and the ocean again. To feel rain on my face and snow on the ground and see my breath in the cold winter´s air. Can a man live in two places at once?
Man, I know how the Missionaries must have felt. You know that there´s nothing that the missionaries like less than to miss a meal, and when they forget and find out that something went wrong and a lot of food was made for them and that they weren´t there to eat it, you can bet that they generally feel like garbage. I know that I hate hate hate to miss lunch, even when I don´t find it too appetizing, because it´s something that (usually) the sisters have prepared with love as an act of charity towards somebody else´s sons. So don´t be hard on the Elders, as the poor guys probably felt awful about it.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GREEN BEANS!!! As we say down here, "Ecca!" Which means literally, "YUCK!"
Love,
Bryan
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Another Email - 8/23/10
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2010 3:28 PM
We´re working hard to have baptisms every week. The First Presidency seems to be putting a lot of pressure on Brazil to turn over better results. I continue with my goal of 3 a month, but the best would really be 4-5 a month, or one a week. If the Prophet´s putting the heat on us, it must be that the Lord´s putting heat on him. But the funny thing is that honestly, we ARE capable of this. It´s not SO hard to find people who receive baptism here. If we could unite our efforts and conquer our natural men, it would not take long to have a temple here in the MidWest of Brazil. The problem is just that, haha.
Wow, now that he´s been to church a few times, it just lacks the Elders grab him by the neck and chuck him in the waters. Let them know I want to see the photos, haha. Today baptism, tomorrow sealing, and, at the end, a new Quorum Pres.
Thanks for the advice, Dad. I´d say that´s more or less what I´m going through now. I´m struggling against myself to not succumb to the temptation to rest, to sleep in, to give over to the hungers of my body, and having a tough time finding courage to fast in this blazing heat. I have to deal constantly with a rag-tag band of Elders who have desire from "Little" to "None" in terms of baptizing, and who don´t exactly seem to remember that Jesus Christ could be coming any minute now. I don´t have any problems with my companion, but I feel that I´m failing him. I feel that I´m failing my zone, and that I´m failing myself. I suppose that now is really the time that I need to put myself to the pedals and work the rest of myself away.
I´ve been feeling lately like I´ve been erasing myself. I don´t remember any musics I listened to before the mission, and I can´t recall where I left off in TV and books and secular study I´ve absolutely blanked. At first I feared this, that all my talents and learning and likes and ways were slowly fading away. But as I stare into my soul and see that big black stain of sin, I know it´s for the best. As Pres. Hinckley said, if we want to be happy, we need to lose ourselves in the work. And I´d rather lose the man I was, and all that made him, what I liked, and the many things I didn´t like about him, than live forever condemned in the man I was. If I have to take a spiritual pencil and erase myself so that The Lord can start me over from scratch, so be it. I´d rather be a different me and be exalted than be condemned as the man I was.
Thanks Dad, for your example. Thank you for having chosen to be a missionary, and having been faithful on your mission. I never once needed another man to be my example, save Christ, than you. I´m so grateful for you having shown me the way, so that one day, my sons can serve missions as you and I did. Your decision to serve a mission helped me make mine, and serving my mission has helped me, and helps me to be the man I need to be.
Love,
Bryan
We´re working hard to have baptisms every week. The First Presidency seems to be putting a lot of pressure on Brazil to turn over better results. I continue with my goal of 3 a month, but the best would really be 4-5 a month, or one a week. If the Prophet´s putting the heat on us, it must be that the Lord´s putting heat on him. But the funny thing is that honestly, we ARE capable of this. It´s not SO hard to find people who receive baptism here. If we could unite our efforts and conquer our natural men, it would not take long to have a temple here in the MidWest of Brazil. The problem is just that, haha.
Wow, now that he´s been to church a few times, it just lacks the Elders grab him by the neck and chuck him in the waters. Let them know I want to see the photos, haha. Today baptism, tomorrow sealing, and, at the end, a new Quorum Pres.
Thanks for the advice, Dad. I´d say that´s more or less what I´m going through now. I´m struggling against myself to not succumb to the temptation to rest, to sleep in, to give over to the hungers of my body, and having a tough time finding courage to fast in this blazing heat. I have to deal constantly with a rag-tag band of Elders who have desire from "Little" to "None" in terms of baptizing, and who don´t exactly seem to remember that Jesus Christ could be coming any minute now. I don´t have any problems with my companion, but I feel that I´m failing him. I feel that I´m failing my zone, and that I´m failing myself. I suppose that now is really the time that I need to put myself to the pedals and work the rest of myself away.
I´ve been feeling lately like I´ve been erasing myself. I don´t remember any musics I listened to before the mission, and I can´t recall where I left off in TV and books and secular study I´ve absolutely blanked. At first I feared this, that all my talents and learning and likes and ways were slowly fading away. But as I stare into my soul and see that big black stain of sin, I know it´s for the best. As Pres. Hinckley said, if we want to be happy, we need to lose ourselves in the work. And I´d rather lose the man I was, and all that made him, what I liked, and the many things I didn´t like about him, than live forever condemned in the man I was. If I have to take a spiritual pencil and erase myself so that The Lord can start me over from scratch, so be it. I´d rather be a different me and be exalted than be condemned as the man I was.
Thanks Dad, for your example. Thank you for having chosen to be a missionary, and having been faithful on your mission. I never once needed another man to be my example, save Christ, than you. I´m so grateful for you having shown me the way, so that one day, my sons can serve missions as you and I did. Your decision to serve a mission helped me make mine, and serving my mission has helped me, and helps me to be the man I need to be.
Love,
Bryan
Email - 8/23/10
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2010 2:49 PM
Man, I miss having a dog in the house. It´s always so much fun when you can play with them and hug them and squeeze them. The only hugs I´ve had for a long time now are from missionaries. I´m sorta starting to miss some things back home. Not that I´m not happy here, but these last few weeks have at times been frought with difficulties at times and with a bit of hastle. Really all this stress would be no problem if I could have just 10 minutes to myself to deal with my OWN problems, but hey, you know how it goes, you only solve your own problems solving first the problems of others.
Recently I´ve been a bit whiny to myself, haha. I´m not sure what the big deal is with me lately. If I´m just getting worn out, or if I´m tired of being a leader in a time when not everybody wants to do what is right, or if I myself am just giving room to the enemy of my soul. I don´t know. There are days when I just want things to be the good old way they were for so much time on my mission. When I want all that fun and union to come back, but some times I think that maybe it´s just MY attitude that´s all wrong.
But I´m just whining a bit much. I am stronger than these little problems, and the ones I can´t solve, The Lord will help me to solve. I have to work on those 6 Christ-like attributes, that´s all.
Dona Maria was baptized this Saturday, and confirmed this Sunday, making her officially the oldest baptism in the history of the mission. Clocking in at a wonderful 103 years of age, Dona Maria managed to walk into the font, and with all the spunk I´ve ever seen, managed to crack a few jokes here and there as I and E. Pimentel helped her in the water. As I said the prayer, and lowered her in, she went with little complaint. Afterward she managed to even joke about how she felt the water (which was kinda cold) was too hot. During the special musical number, where we sang If You Could Hie to Kolob in Portuguese and English, to our surprise, she hummed along, as though she already knew the song, and then told us about how she was seeing three bright lights behind us, and many others in the rest of the room.
It was, to say the least, a very spiritual night. She said in her interview that she saw a man in white sitting by my companion´s side, and at the night´s end, we were told by one of the bretheren, "If not for you two, she would not have been able to receive baptism on this side of the veil."
Wow that´s weird about Darllen. She´s a convert of a friend of mine. No I don´t have a problem with you talking with her. It´s . . . weird, but I mean, she´s a good kid and all that jazz. She basically found out about Facebook one day and went and got lost in the internet universe, you know how all that goes, right? Just don´t putup any naked baby pictures of me, okay?
Yogurt huh? Dude, what I wouldn´t give to eat home-made food again. I´m so tired of the 70% ham and pale sickly white cheese sandwhiches for lunch, or the rice and beans and beans and rice and AGH. I mean, I love the food here, but when it comes to variety, you only have fruit to excite you, because the rest of what´s consumed down here? Ayayaya. But yeah.
This week was an excellent week for us. I hope this week that´s starting is as promising as this one. Love you all and take care,
Bryan.
Man, I miss having a dog in the house. It´s always so much fun when you can play with them and hug them and squeeze them. The only hugs I´ve had for a long time now are from missionaries. I´m sorta starting to miss some things back home. Not that I´m not happy here, but these last few weeks have at times been frought with difficulties at times and with a bit of hastle. Really all this stress would be no problem if I could have just 10 minutes to myself to deal with my OWN problems, but hey, you know how it goes, you only solve your own problems solving first the problems of others.
Recently I´ve been a bit whiny to myself, haha. I´m not sure what the big deal is with me lately. If I´m just getting worn out, or if I´m tired of being a leader in a time when not everybody wants to do what is right, or if I myself am just giving room to the enemy of my soul. I don´t know. There are days when I just want things to be the good old way they were for so much time on my mission. When I want all that fun and union to come back, but some times I think that maybe it´s just MY attitude that´s all wrong.
But I´m just whining a bit much. I am stronger than these little problems, and the ones I can´t solve, The Lord will help me to solve. I have to work on those 6 Christ-like attributes, that´s all.
Dona Maria was baptized this Saturday, and confirmed this Sunday, making her officially the oldest baptism in the history of the mission. Clocking in at a wonderful 103 years of age, Dona Maria managed to walk into the font, and with all the spunk I´ve ever seen, managed to crack a few jokes here and there as I and E. Pimentel helped her in the water. As I said the prayer, and lowered her in, she went with little complaint. Afterward she managed to even joke about how she felt the water (which was kinda cold) was too hot. During the special musical number, where we sang If You Could Hie to Kolob in Portuguese and English, to our surprise, she hummed along, as though she already knew the song, and then told us about how she was seeing three bright lights behind us, and many others in the rest of the room.
It was, to say the least, a very spiritual night. She said in her interview that she saw a man in white sitting by my companion´s side, and at the night´s end, we were told by one of the bretheren, "If not for you two, she would not have been able to receive baptism on this side of the veil."
Wow that´s weird about Darllen. She´s a convert of a friend of mine. No I don´t have a problem with you talking with her. It´s . . . weird, but I mean, she´s a good kid and all that jazz. She basically found out about Facebook one day and went and got lost in the internet universe, you know how all that goes, right? Just don´t putup any naked baby pictures of me, okay?
Yogurt huh? Dude, what I wouldn´t give to eat home-made food again. I´m so tired of the 70% ham and pale sickly white cheese sandwhiches for lunch, or the rice and beans and beans and rice and AGH. I mean, I love the food here, but when it comes to variety, you only have fruit to excite you, because the rest of what´s consumed down here? Ayayaya. But yeah.
This week was an excellent week for us. I hope this week that´s starting is as promising as this one. Love you all and take care,
Bryan.
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