21 May 2012 - From Bottom to Top

Here's the stake missionary plaque wall two years ago with Michael's plaque first in line at the top and Jeffrey's at the tail. Now Jeffrey's in #1 in line and only a week to go.

14 May 2012 - Bom Jardin Area (Dad)

People sometimes look down at returned missionaries if they don't come home running back to school/work/marriage and 'wasting' time doing anything else. I spent a lot of time walking around so I'll need to rest a bit ;)

I can see that my desires have changed and I have different priorities in my life. The gospel is much more important to me now. I made a few goals for returning home. I don't like making goals, I'm not good at it but I have tried here on the mission. It should help me...I guess.

I was able to visit an old area today and my love for these people overflowed. I didn't realize how much I missed them. It will be hard to go. I felt a deep love for them, not just 'hey you are a cool guy' feeling. A feeling that wanted me to do anything I could to help them. There is one family in particular that tickles the tender cords of my heart. I only stayed for 5 weeks in that area but they have profoundly 'marked' me. I love them. I love them all. I'm glad I served a mission and I worked hard. I plan to keep working too. These people deserve it and so much more. It is good to look back and feel good about your work. Sometimes it is hard to notice because so many people are doing it around you. You forget about the billions who don't. It seems like you are just one more and so many more people are doing it better than you. These new kids are 2342 times better than I was when I got here. They are good and prepared. It is the Lord's work and it will only keep getting better and better.

7 May 2012 - Bom Jardin Area (Dad)

For me it isn't scary leaving the mission. I know that I'm only supposed to be here for 2 years but it's scary what comes afterwards. Life hasn't even started yet, once I get back hope things are going to have eternal consequences. Everything before the mission was just preparing to go on a mission. No I actually have to put into practice that stuff I learned :)

People tell us a lot that we need to not go back into our old lives after the mission. Either I'm going to go crazy and not enjoy/do anything I did before the mission or I will be normal. I'm too hard on myself so I will probably go crazy :)

I don't know what life has for me. I never liked that fact. It is just much easier staying in the same place doing the same thing. Staying at home or just staying on the mission. You are use to it. I was telling my companion that you will always be a newbie in life. When you get on the mission people are like "Oh man the mission, you don't even know...someday". When you are finishing the mission; "Oh man going home, you don't even know...someday" When you get home "Oh man working and getting married, you don't even know...someday" and it just keeps going. I don't like being a newbie that doesn't know how to do stuff.

However, the mission is great. It is the greatest thing in the world. It has changed me soo much. Only the Lord really knows how much I have changed. I bore my last  Fast and testimony meeting testimony here in Brazil this past Sunday. I made it a goal awhile back to always share my testimony on fast sunday. This last sunday was by far the hardest. My heart was racing etc before I even went up. It wasn't nerves, I don't know what it was. It was hard though. This is all hard, but so worth it.

30 Apr 2012 - Bom Jardin Area (Mom)

I was able to visit a family that I had baptized today. It was nice to see them with callings and loving the church. It gives me a sneak peak on how it will be like in 10 years when I see their kids marrying in the temple etc. It makes me happy. I didn't baptize millions of people but I love all of the people that the Lord helped me to baptize. They are special and they have taught me a lot of things. I have a great respect for converts. They grow so much in 2 weeks. It takes other people 18 years to find out that the Church they were born in is really true. These converts figured that out in 2 weeks and were baptized and go to church for the next 40 years.

4 more weeks. Times seems to be going slow. It seems like eternity until I go back home. That is perfect for me because it doesn't bother me. I don't think about home and stuff like that. Probably with a week left things will get more emotional, more real. I can't believe it is over already. I know that the Lord only needs me here for 2 years so I can't go too crazy about leaving.

30 Apr 2012 - Bom Jardin Area (Dad)

I started Elder Bednar's challenge to read the Book of Mormon for 6 months with a special focus on the Atonement since I just finish reading it. Now that I know the importance of understanding the Atonement and knowing more about it, this reading should be all the more special. It is a hard subject that most people just ignore. They know it exists and that Jesus died for us and because of that we can live with him. Apparently, there is much more to it.

The time is running out. I don't know what to expect. I just keeping working blindly like I don't know I only have 4 weeks left. At this point it seems like a lot of time. Sadly, someday I will have to face the facts and I won't be able to ignore it. The mission has been good to me and it has changed my life. Only the Lord truly knows how much it has changed me life. It is by far the best thing to do as a young man age 19-26. Nothing will replace it and though it isn't mandatory, it will accelerate our spiritual growth. It will be sad not to hold the honor as a chosen representative of Jesus Christ. I ask you as my father, my Dad, Daddy, old man.... how do I leave it all behind? How do I leave these people? It is easy enough to leave the country but it will be hard to not think about it when I get home. Obviously I can think about it but I have to move on. What did you do? How do you not lose the language? I love it here. I was downtown the other day and I was just looking at the Cearanse people thinking: I may never see these people again. I was looking at them as children of God and not random people. I loved them and wanted to help them. It was easy for me to love this people. The Lord has blessed me so much through these people. I don't know why He sent me here, I haven't met anyone that was only able to be baptized by my ways etc. I only have faith in Him. I firmly believe that I am supposed to be here and that fact was established before this life. I have faith that I was supposed to serve here from 2010-2012. I love this work and I hope to bring many habits etc back home with me.

23 Apr 2012 - Bom Jardin Area (Dad)

Last transfer news. Same companion, same area. We'll see how things go. We have had an alarming increase of spiders in the house due to the rain. It just keeps you on your toes though. It's good for you. Our bug zapper that looks like a tennis racket exploded when we plugged it in so we will be seeing an increase of disease-laden mosquitos. We found some mushrooms growing in the kitchen area. All in all the next 5 weeks have a bright future in store. If I don't catch some disease then I'm truly immune to everything.

16 Apr 2012 - Bom Jardin Area (Dad)

I read that one talk that you were talking about. The one with the girl who didn't think that she was good enough and the guy drew the 2 lines. Brad Wilcox or someone like that gave the talk. You mentioned an interesting part but left out the rest of the mind blowing talk. So luckily I was able to read it's full content. I can't really remember exactly what it said, I just remember that it talks about how our purpose isn't to repay Jesus for all the things He did since He already paid the price. We are here to show Him how much we love Him and to prove  that we are willing to follow Him. Something like that.

Things here are good. I feel I am running out of patience a lot faster these days. Maybe it's because I'm nearing the end and Satan is trying to trip me up or maybe people are being more annoying :) I can notice a difference in these last days. Things are just harder. I'm feeling depressed about the language which never was a problem, about the ward members etc. I don't feel like they like me that much. Just a bunch of random stuff like that. I'm trying to do my best though, but not to repay Him but to show Him how much I love Him :)