7 Aug 2011 - Jardim Castelão Area (Mom)

[Today Paul LeFleur bore his testimony and likened life to his experience at the beach this past week. He got caught in a riptide while in Florida. He said it is like life. You try hard and still end up going backward. But as long as you are trying as hard as you can, you make it back to shore. He said he had a boggy board, which would be the Holy Ghost. Adversity (riptide) comes out of nowhere and if we have the skills we can overcome it..] My last companion was telling me about rip tides and stuff like that. He is from Corpus Christi so he use to surf and stuff like that. So his analogy makes sense to me :) It's a good one though. I thought of one one of these days, but in my old age I have forgotten it :) We are challenged by the Prophets and stuff to think of real life examples to help us teach so that the people can understand better. If I ever teach a surfer, maybe I'll use that analogy. I might have to learn some new vocab though...

7 Aug 2011 - Jardim Castelão Area (Dad)

[Day 36 in a row over 100 degrees and still counting. Looks like we'll beat the all-time record this week. Not a record I want to experience beating.] Whatever, that would be a worthy record to experience. You live in an air conditioned house and everything so it doesn't really matter how hot it gets outside. How hot is it at night there? 

The people here are great, especially in this area. For some reason I have loved them a lot faster than any other area. Well I have gotten close to them I should say faster than other areas. I was a little shy, but I guess I'm opening up more. It's good to have a nice companion and great members. It makes even a hard area nice to work in. We got a baptism yesterday so the blessings are starting to come already. 

[I asked him about his school plans.] I could get Michael's job with my mop handling skills. I show off to the Brazilians with my broom balancing skills that I learned at college....yep a place of higher learning for sure. [I asked if the robber from last week was wielding a gun.] Yeah he was armed. He was throwing his .38 caliber revolver in my face but I made it out alive :) He didn't believe that I didn't have pockets either so he gave me the search. I surprised myself because I wasn't scared and I was talking to the kid with a little bit of sarcasm and joking around a bit....that's just me I guess. I thought it was a member, since they like to joke around like that. I even saw the gun but it didn't register. I just looked and smiled at the other duplo of elders waiting for them to talk to their friend...but they didn't.

[... As the prophets have mentioned, the only thing we can give God that isn't already His is our will, and ultimately that's all He's really asking for....] I watched a video on lds.org that was talking about that. There was rich guy that always wanted more money and stuff. The missionaries talked to him and told him that God didn't want his money or anything else he had. All He wanted was him! It's so true. People try to please God in other ways, but He just wants us to follow His commandments. It's the way we show faith and our love for Him. Pres. Batt or someone said that good missionaries say that they are serving to help themselves or help share the gospel, to share the joy that they have etc. But the great missionaries will serve because they love God. Of course, they will do the other things, but first and foremost they will do it for their love of God. We need to follow Christ not for blessings nor fear etc but because we love Him. That is true obedience!

31 July 2011 - Jardim Castelão Area (Mom)

[Today is a "relaxing" day. Not that much time before Lauren and I drive to Utah. We went to IKEA on Friday to get her some stuff for her apartment.] I'm glad that you got time to relax. Hey where were all my apartment things when I went to school ;) Girls always have so much stuff in their apartments. I had a picture of the beach and that's about it. She goes back to school in like 2 weeks right. Are you ever going to tell me what car you guys bought? Who left for Utah? They are going to the cabin already? 

[Scott came home (friend from the ward who returned from the Philippines). We attended his open house on Saturday and listened to his talk yesterday. I have to say he made me miss you. He is the first of your class to come home.... Just a word of advice, when you come home and have to give a talk on whatever assigned topic, use examples from your mission.] That's funny I always hated the kids who couldn't stop talking about their mission. Every time they had to talk, they always just told mission stories. I guess you learn a lot but you learn other stuff during your life too. It's weird think that Scott is home. It made me think what it would be like being home and I didn't like it at all :) It's super scary to think about going home. I remember in my first area, I was swinging on the hammock and I had 3 months on the mission. I was already scared about going home. It's weird how you remember a lot that has happened. Only 2 from my class went on missions. Me and him right?

I can already imagine my homecoming talk will just be tears. I get all teary-eyed thinking about it. Oh how I love it so much. I'm not perfect but I'm trying to do my best. It's hard, but I love it. I need to do a lot more, and I'll do it. I love it so much here. I love how it has changed me. I LOVE LOVE the people here. They aren't just people on the street. They are my people! I can understand them and I have the only thing that can change their life. I can't wait to serve another mission. Oh Mom, there is nothing better. I love it.

31 July 2011 - Jardim Castelão Area (Dad)

[Bats in the house. Hm, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like that. Especially the eye-nibbling part. As long as they aren't those blood-sucking bats though, I'm thinking you're pretty safe unless you sleep with fruit piled on top of you.] Luckily they were small bats. They weren't those huge fruit bats the size of bobcats. 

[Scott Ross (a friend of Jeffrey that just returned from the Philippines) spoke in sacrament meeting today and heads off to family vacation and USU tomorrow.] It's really weird to think that Scott is home. It makes me scared to go home. I still have 11 months left but it makes me think and then I get sad :) I guess I have to go home though since they don't have Ranch or Taco Bell here :) I don't know how I could go through life without it.

[Scott talked about having the right to choose and choosing the right. He mentioned the acronym for choose the right in Tagalog, which was TAP, or something like that, instead of CTR. That reminded me of the one in Spanish, which is HLJ, for haz lo justo, which means do the right. Doing has a little more power behind it than choosing, so it comes across a little better in Spanish than English. I'm assuming it is the same (as Spanish) in Portuguese.] In Portuguese they kept it as the same letters (CTR) but it means keep your path. It has a different meaning when you change the language. Sometime it gives you a new perspective.

[Oh, by the way, Scott said he took about 1700 pictures on his mission. He obviously lived in a safer country and had a little different mission rules. Anyway, when safe, photos sure are great for remembering. Making a back-up copy of the photos is probably wise in case some numbskull does decide they need your camera more than you do (as I'm sure they'll be able to sell the camera for a hefty two to five dollars).] I have about 800 pictures so far, but I always wish I took more. I have been trying to take pictures of the people in the ward and stuff like that. I have a CD but I haven't sent it yet because I don't have a post office in my area still. I need to make some more DVDs though. Well speaking of the camera....I have some good and bad news.....1st I'm still alive...2nd I don't have a camera anymore. I got robbed last Pday. They took my camera and another elder's and some other stuff. I wouldn't even tell you but then I would have to explain why I don't have a camera anymore. :) He got 1000 reais in loot though, good for him. He probably thinks all missionaries walk around with all that stuff. We just got done playing soccer and he got us about 10 feet in front of our house. I was thinking of laying a smack down...but I chickened out :) I didn't want 3 bullet holes in my chest either. Don't worry though, they don't rob missionaries here, or at least that is what they tell us here. We were in our soccer clothes so that is probably why. It'll be a good story though when I get back. The ward members promise me that I'll get my stuff when the vagabond learns the errors of his ways but I doubt it.

Today the Stake President took us to a meat buffet, the best kind of buffet! It's like Texas de Brazil but it's.....Brazil de Brazil. It was a nice place, better than any place that I have been to in the US, but then again I am partial to Taco Bell.... It was good meat, it would have been better with some BBQ sauce or A-1 steak sauce.... I got to eat pickles, green olives, caesar salad dressing, and some other stuff that I haven't eaten in forever. I'll probably gain about 123 pounds though. 

[Regarding the hard area, I'm guessing you aren't doing anything wrong. Sometimes we only get two talents to work with instead of five, but then the Lord expects only an increase of two instead of five. And for the times when you only get one talent in opportunities to work with, as long as you don't bury it and you do what you can with it to double it, the Lord is just as satisfied. And the next thing you know, the talents start pouring in.] I haven't thought about hard areas that way. That's a good way to think about it. I always believed that if I work as hard as I can it doesn't really matter how many baptisms and stuff I get. As long as I can say that I worked with all my heart, then my garments will be stain free! 

[I wouldn't worry too much about forgetting Portuguese. It's been thirty years since I really spoke Spanish and amazingly I still remember a lot.] I try to study Portguese a lot. I love learning it. I love learning languages. I think I'll study Spanish when I get back too. I wish BYU-I had Portguese though. I try to learn a lot from the speakers though. I haven't had a Brazilian for a few months, but I've been trying to work on my accent. It's hard to gauge your own accent though. It's funny because some people call me Brazilian (by the way I speak, but my blue eyes give me away!) and others just stare at me and are like "I can't understand a word you are saying." I don't know how that works, but whatever.

[I mentioned I am reading the book, "Believing Christ."] I don't think I have ever heard of that book. Since I have gotten on the mission, I have had a real thirst and desire for more gospel books. My last companion had some books by Russel M. Nelson and I read them. I have been reading Miracle of Forgiveness for the last 3 weeks and I almost finished. :) I just love reading them. I have a few written down to read when I get home. Who knows...the mission changes you. I couldn't care less about those kind of books before the mission. I think when I get back I'll just watch sports and read church books ;) just kidding. Since I have been on the mission my mind has opened a lot too. There is so much that we have to do. So much that matters in life. Stuff like paying attention in church, sacrament, scriptures, prayers, fasting, being nice etc etc weren't really that important. I just figured you had to do them and check them off the list. They open the doors for so many blessings though. There is a lot to do, yes, but that is what life is all about. All the stuff we have in life is to help us get better. Sacrament isn't just something to do, it cleans us! It's so important that only 2 times a year,  during General Conference, it isn't required. I have a lot to learn and I don't know if I will during my 2 years but I'll keep trying. I'm like a sugar-high, nose-picking primary kid sometimes....I just don't listen/pay attention. Things just go over my head. It's hard being a primary kid when everyone else is a missionary but I'll stop eating crayons and pay attention soon.

24 July 2011 - Jardim Castelão Area (Dad)

Well happy Pioneer Day, I know the Hawkes family had a great celebration ;)

 

Well I'm an old man. I have to tell people that I am 21 now. Then once I tell them that they just laugh and tell me that I look like I'm 14. That's good right? ;) I guess when I'm 99 it'll be a good thing. The missionaries that I live with tried to surprise me but my companion walked in first and they scared him good. I was down the stairs still and my companion said, '' Uh....that was a big spider". Nice try... It was good though. I was kind of sad that I got transferred from my last area right before my birthday because things would have been better, but I'm here to teach not have birthday parties.

 

Saturday was one of the best days ever. It was one of the funniest nights I've ever had. I'll start out by saying bats in the house! We were just sitting and the all of the sudden a black bat just fell from the ceiling. My companion is scared to death of any critter so he screamed. Our Brazilian ran and started poking it and stuff. We all stared filming but then the bat got up and started flying a bit. So 3 grown men started booking it and screaming like little girls. One was up on a chair cowering in fear, the other one was already out of the veranda. It was hillarious. We tried to get it out but it kept flying so we just ran around screaming and yelling "Kill it!" "Flush it down the toilet" "It's spreading diseases!" Stuff like that. The kid on the chair just kept saying Woah Woah! Luckily I filmed it but it's not any professional footage. Then guess what?! Another bat fell down from the ceiling! It was a crazy night. Me and my comp sleep out on the veranda so I was petrified every time I heard bat chirping around us. I was sure they were gathering the bat armies to come and nibble out our eyes. Needless to say I didn't sleep very well.

 

[Suggestions from Dad that he record more events.] I've been better and writing stuff down, but I'm not sure what all I should write. Plus it's a pain to write words and letters and stuff. :) The hardest part about taking pictures is the constant fear that someone is going to stab you to death to get your camera. So It's hard to carry around your camera. I want to take more pictures though.

 

Also I have some great news. We officially have churro vans in our area! They drive little micro asian vans and they have about 5 people crammed into them. You wave them down and they are all hunched over making your churros. It's great. They only cost about 60 cents too. I'm definitely going to get a picture of them. MMM churros.

 

This area is pretty hard. We are having an awful time trying to find new people to teach. Here I am complaining but I suppose in the US the missionaries have that sort of problem for 2 years not just one area. We are going to people's houses but none of them want anything. All the references we have are weak. I was reading the other day somewhere in the Book of Mormon 2 Nephi or Jacob about how we should have patience during our times of affliction. I realized I should probably be patient and just keep going. It's hard since we live with the LZ's and I don't want to let them or Pres. Souza down. The ward is really good and the area has had success in the past so I don't know what we are doing wrong. It's a good humbling experience though. I have a lot to change so hopefully the Lord can help me in these next months before I go home. I want to be different after the mission and I want to stay that way! Sadly, my companion says that BYU-I doesn't offer Portuguese classes so that is a bummer. One of my biggest fears is losing the ability to speak! Maybe I'll learn Spanish again...maybe not :)

17 July 2011 - Jardim Castelão Area (Mom)

This week has been a hard week because I have been sick the whole time. It started out with a sore throat, then I started to get a stuffy nose. It has happened a few times so far here in Brazil. It must be some seasonal things....who knows. For the last few days I have just been pouring snot out of my nose and coughing up my lungs. Hopefully it will pass soon. I have been taking a few different kinds of medication but nothing has happened. I lost my voice for a bit so it was hard to teach people. Dad told me that you guys got a cat...weird. Well that is all I have for this week...it wasn't too interesting... 

17 July 2011 - Jardim Castelão Area (Dad)

Yep new area. It's not that far away from my last area. All of my areas are pretty close to each other since they are in the same city. They have a good bus system here. It gets a little crowded but it's good. You use them a lot. This area is small so we don't use them, but my last area we used them all the time. They also waste my few precious reais that I get! Bus rides eat all my money...I guess it's good because I can't buy food and get fat. I'll get to go back at the end of my mission and I definitely will go back to Pedras. I learned to love the people there and I have a few people that I baptized there that mean a lot to me.

 

[Did Mom tell you that we got a cat?] A cat!? ewww. We use cats for kicking practice here..just kidding :) The cats in Brazil are the size of large pumas so I never mess with them. I like kittens but then they grow up and claw and bite plus they smell...and they have rabies.

 

This last Sunday I was thinking about what it would be like at home...just for a few minutes mind you. I was thinking what I could use that I have learned so far to help my family and myself. I was trying to measure what I learned here. I don't have any standout super crazy miracles that happened so I decided to think a bit. I started to write it down. Then I realized a lot of stuff has happened. Little miracles, medium miracles. I just hope I remember it all. I have been slacking on the journal writing thing sadly. I just want to remember these 2 years. I worry that I will forgot a spiritual moment or that I will forget someone. I know these are 2 wonderful years. I have learned many things in only a year. I could have learned a lot more, but I'll try harder during these next 11 months. I know without a doubt that the Lord is my Savior. I know that we are here to have a family and to learn and grow with them. I know that this gospel is the ONLY thing that can bring us true happiness. This is the only time we have to prove our love, please don't waste it. I have already been reminded by my loving Heavenly Father that this time on earth is short but so precious. We have mercy on our side........use it while you can. God will give us another chance but only if we take advantage of His atonement in THIS life.