Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Jau


On Thursday, we'd pretty much finished the work for the week in our area and decided to help out on the other side of town. We spent 6 hours helping contact the investigators and less active members in another area. We set up some lessons and even did some teaching! We helped get the other missionaries their numbers and set up some appointments for them. They were grateful for our help.

WOOT, WE BAPTISED A FAMILY! Paulo, Silvana and Gabriele...Moises will be baptised in a year when he turns eight. It was wonderful and they were all so happy. The whole branch stayed after church to attend and it was great. I was in baptism high- knowing that we're helping someone return to the presence of our Heavenly Father, the promise of Eternal life, of being with their family forever and being happy. I love that verse in Revelations that talks about how there will be no more tears and everything will be okay. Truly, this is a gospel of good news, of knowing why we are here, that the purpose of life is more than just to sit around and eat, drink and be merry...although, you need to learn how to have fun. Joy is important, too!


And now we move to the weather...it feels like home because we are in the rainy, flood seasons. Many roads have been blocked, turtles have died and some of the houses near the river are in bad shape. We´re in an apartment so we´re okay. The floods always recede after 5 hours or so, but it felt like home for a tiny bit...good thing Sister Poast and I have umbrellas.

As well, I had the most interesting thing to eat...it was this tough meat. After we both had a tiny bit, we asked, "what is it?" To which they answered that it was some sort of bird...and then they said, "Pomba" ...pigeon. Yep, it was horrible and we were both got sick afterwards. The elders brought us stomach meds, but we were hurting for a few days.


So, I love you all. Keep up the good work. Do the small things, pray, read your scriptures, do home and visiting teaching, stay true to the faith, remember that it is the greatest of all gifts-- joy and peace. It is through the atonement of our Lord and Savior that we can do anything, but we have to endure to the end. (I have to talk in the other branch this Sunday for 15 mins, that is enduring to the end, say a prayer for me!) But the thing is that it's the small choices we make every day that will define our lives.

"Don´t do anything stupid"- as Mom always says, you guys are rock stars, know that you are all in my prayers. Take care. Erynn, I want photos of the black eye!

S.Stapley

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Jau

This week was totally awesome! We had sushi, yes sushi, although it was not as good as in Seattle. For New Years, we traveled to a town right next to the river and had barbecue with some of the members. I felt so full after eating, but it was fun. We got some pics by the river!

Okay, miracles of miracles! We have a family that is totally and wonderfully elect! They have three kids, Moses and Gabriell who are 7 and 9 and a son that's a drag queen and won´t talk to us. The four of them came to church and we´ll baptise them in two weeks. But the miracle is that the first day we went there, we explained that we don´t smoke or drink (two things they had problems with) but we had yet to teach them the word of wisdom...but when we went Monday, and after a totally awesome lesson, we had a conversation that went like this...

``So how many cigarettes do you smoke a day?``

``We smoke three packs a day``

``And how many have you smoked today?``

``Oh, we haven´t bought cigarettes since the first day you girls passed by.``

....BREATHE. So then we said,

``And Paulo how about acholl?`` (alcohol)

``Oh, I haven´t bought any since the first day you visited.``

So, yeah, they rock, and we´re going to baptise them. Then we went and visited another person who came to church on Sunday, his name is Ricardo and he´s 17. When we visited him he told us that he had a problem with drugs...okay, we asked him when the last time he used was and he said (drum roll) two weeks ago, and that he´s trying to change his life....UM PERFECT! We watched Faith in Christ and the spirit was very strong.

As a companionship we´ve made it a goal to go visit all of the menos active people in the branch and try to get them to come to church, but it would be so much easier if everyone did their home and visiting teaching. Here in Brasil, where only three people have cars, I can understand why it's hard, but back home- everyone has a car! I hope that the ward and the stake have 98% or higher on home and visiting teaching, it´s not that hard when you have a car! Yes, seriously, our job is to baptise them, the ward has to keep them active. Seriously, home and visiting teaching are easy, just take them cookies and ask if they are okay....come on, and it takes less than two hours. So, please just do it!!

As for me, I´m good, learning a ton and trying to be more confident. Thanks, hope you guys are doing well.

Love,
S.Stapley

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Jau

Well, not much has happened since I spoke with you on Christmas day....well other than I am very sunburned. We´re in Sao Maunel for p-day and instead of playing football with the elders, I opted to write letters to my recent converts and fell asleep in the sun...for about an hour. I should be in a ton of pain in the morning. Working hard, nothing new. I'm really grateful for Christmas and the opportunity I had to talk to you guys. Take care, Shan