"Quero entender! Conte Tudo! Quero Saber desses estranhos com eu!"- Tarzan in Portuguese!
Well, there goes the transfer! Only 4 more to go!!! That really hit me this week that my mission is coming to an end. I do not like that. It goes too fast.
This transfer, I will be staying in Ajuricaba for another 6 weeks, my fourth transfer in total. My beloved companion will be going. Yes Elder Moreira is leaving, to Campos Eliseos, which is the ward that sits to the south of ours. Actuyall, it is the closest area to mine in the whole mission. So he is not going very far. My new companion will be a Brazilian who I know nothing about, but I will meet him tomorrow. I am sure he will be a great missionary, that way I can leave after this next transfer. 6 months is a long time for a missionary to stay in one area. As for the rest of my district, Elder Carlos will be leaving and he will be going to the other side of the city and another Brazilian will come in his place. Once again, I will be the only American in my district. 1 of only 2 in my zone! Really, our mission has very few Americans and even less sisters. Its hard core!!!
So, I gave a talk at church this week. I was informed Saturday night when the bishop called, asking me to fill up a spot at church. I accepted of course, and asked "what would you have me talk about?" "Oh, talk about missionary work, or the restoration of the church. You know, missionary stuff!" Well, I liked the idea of talking about he restoration and after much thought and prayer, I decided to simply read from Joseph Smith-History, the first vision. I practiced a bit reading, trying to really convey what I wanted, and when I got up there I asked for reverence. I read, slowly, and with a kind of Elder Holland tone. Strong and emotional. I wanted everyone in the room to feel what I feel when I read that account. Then, I simply told the members, in so many words, why that message was so important and why they have to share it with everyone. It was quite powerful for me and I knew I had said what God wanted me to say. The rest of the meeting was pin-drop silent. Many member thanked me for the talk. I was flattered, but I just hope we see results. We need the members help. I love them and love to work with them.
Last P-day we met a women in the super-market who stopped us and asked "Hey, can women go to your church? I heard it is just for men?" We stopped, kindly corrected her and explained how she was more than welcome to come and we would love to come to her house and offer a lesson. She accepted and told us how her husband used to come to our church. We left and I thought little of it after. Normally, people that stop us on the street do not actually want to be visited. Well we went there twice already and they are an amazing family. Elizangela and Raimundo. Raimundo went to church for 3 years but never was baptized. They told us that they already believe the Book of Mormon is true. So now we have to teach them! hahaha! Sometimes even on P-day God sends you people to teach.
I finally made those oatmeal cookies that were sent to me a month or so ago. Well, wait, let me start again. We finally got enough money to buy a new tank of gas for our new stove. Yes, we had a new stove for 3 weeks without using it because we had no gas. Well, now we do and to inaugurate, we made cookies! THEY WERE AWESOME and I have decided that I am in love with cookies again. I will eat a million when I get home!
At lunch on Sunday, we had pineapple juice, but the problem is the pineapple was washed, but lo, it was not rinsed of the soap. So when it was blended and given out to drink. It still had much of that soapy flavor. It was so funny to watch everyone freak out as they drank pineapple-soap juice!!! No, it was not good. But it was certainly a lunch I will likely to remember.
So in all of Brazil, the church has decided to give a new focus for the pass along cards, but the missionaries will not use them. We had an activity where the members were given 500 cards in total and went out to just hand them out and explain to everyone what they were and how they could receive free dvds about Christ and even receive a Book of Mormon. Well Jane, who we are teaching, went to town handing those cards out and she is not even a member of the church, yet. She is really loving the church and is excited for her wedding! Many members enjoyed it and saw how easy it really is to talk about the gospel. I hope to see much fruit from this activity.
Yes, I am good and I am happy. The gospel is true, the book is blue!
eu vos amo,
Elder Asa Laws
Well, there goes the transfer! Only 4 more to go!!! That really hit me this week that my mission is coming to an end. I do not like that. It goes too fast.
This transfer, I will be staying in Ajuricaba for another 6 weeks, my fourth transfer in total. My beloved companion will be going. Yes Elder Moreira is leaving, to Campos Eliseos, which is the ward that sits to the south of ours. Actuyall, it is the closest area to mine in the whole mission. So he is not going very far. My new companion will be a Brazilian who I know nothing about, but I will meet him tomorrow. I am sure he will be a great missionary, that way I can leave after this next transfer. 6 months is a long time for a missionary to stay in one area. As for the rest of my district, Elder Carlos will be leaving and he will be going to the other side of the city and another Brazilian will come in his place. Once again, I will be the only American in my district. 1 of only 2 in my zone! Really, our mission has very few Americans and even less sisters. Its hard core!!!
So, I gave a talk at church this week. I was informed Saturday night when the bishop called, asking me to fill up a spot at church. I accepted of course, and asked "what would you have me talk about?" "Oh, talk about missionary work, or the restoration of the church. You know, missionary stuff!" Well, I liked the idea of talking about he restoration and after much thought and prayer, I decided to simply read from Joseph Smith-History, the first vision. I practiced a bit reading, trying to really convey what I wanted, and when I got up there I asked for reverence. I read, slowly, and with a kind of Elder Holland tone. Strong and emotional. I wanted everyone in the room to feel what I feel when I read that account. Then, I simply told the members, in so many words, why that message was so important and why they have to share it with everyone. It was quite powerful for me and I knew I had said what God wanted me to say. The rest of the meeting was pin-drop silent. Many member thanked me for the talk. I was flattered, but I just hope we see results. We need the members help. I love them and love to work with them.
Last P-day we met a women in the super-market who stopped us and asked "Hey, can women go to your church? I heard it is just for men?" We stopped, kindly corrected her and explained how she was more than welcome to come and we would love to come to her house and offer a lesson. She accepted and told us how her husband used to come to our church. We left and I thought little of it after. Normally, people that stop us on the street do not actually want to be visited. Well we went there twice already and they are an amazing family. Elizangela and Raimundo. Raimundo went to church for 3 years but never was baptized. They told us that they already believe the Book of Mormon is true. So now we have to teach them! hahaha! Sometimes even on P-day God sends you people to teach.
I finally made those oatmeal cookies that were sent to me a month or so ago. Well, wait, let me start again. We finally got enough money to buy a new tank of gas for our new stove. Yes, we had a new stove for 3 weeks without using it because we had no gas. Well, now we do and to inaugurate, we made cookies! THEY WERE AWESOME and I have decided that I am in love with cookies again. I will eat a million when I get home!
At lunch on Sunday, we had pineapple juice, but the problem is the pineapple was washed, but lo, it was not rinsed of the soap. So when it was blended and given out to drink. It still had much of that soapy flavor. It was so funny to watch everyone freak out as they drank pineapple-soap juice!!! No, it was not good. But it was certainly a lunch I will likely to remember.
So in all of Brazil, the church has decided to give a new focus for the pass along cards, but the missionaries will not use them. We had an activity where the members were given 500 cards in total and went out to just hand them out and explain to everyone what they were and how they could receive free dvds about Christ and even receive a Book of Mormon. Well Jane, who we are teaching, went to town handing those cards out and she is not even a member of the church, yet. She is really loving the church and is excited for her wedding! Many members enjoyed it and saw how easy it really is to talk about the gospel. I hope to see much fruit from this activity.
Yes, I am good and I am happy. The gospel is true, the book is blue!
eu vos amo,
Elder Asa Laws
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