Week #78 - Graceful...

Boom!

Well, let me start off this letter with a cool story, then we can get to the details of the week. I fell down a staircase this week. Actually I fell down a concrete staircase plated by tile and I did it just before conference, yesterday. It hurt! Well, I wanted to watch conference in English at our church. I really do not like watching it translated. It just does not grab me the way it does in English. However our church is not equipped with a dual channel receiver and I was left with just the Portuguese. But wait! I got the bright idea to watch it on the computer in the secretaries office! Only problem was, the computer did not have an extension cord so I could plug in all the devices (dumb pc). So, we ran over to a members house who lives by the church, ran up the stairs in front of his house and asked to borrow and extension cord. He gave it to us and we started to run back. However, his neighbors dog, a boxer, would not have us interrupting any more. Yes, a boxer chased me all the way to the stairs, where I lost my footing and feel head first down a 10 step concrete staircase! GOD saved me! I rolled once, tucked me head in and basically slid down most of the staircase, tearing a small hole in my shirt. I swear, Angels held my head up just inches above hitting those stairs with each role, because I did not hit my head once! I simply rolled, slid and stopped in a heap at the bottom; to find on lookers who watched me biff! As I fell, I only thought one thing " Dude, you're falling down the stairs." After, laying at the bottom I only thought one other thing; "Crud, their goes conference. I really hope I didn't break anything." Elder Adhans was with me. He stopped the dog and smoothly asked if I was okay. I do not remember if I responded. I got up, told everyone I was fine and we walked back to the church. We turned on the computer, plugged in the screen, logged on, opened the Internet, found a connection, opened conference, only to find we had no speakers to hear Elder Packer speak. I was also hurting. So we went to my new house which is right in front of the church. I took off my shirt to find my back pretty beaten up because thats where I mostly slid, but I was surprised at how good it all looked. I was expecting more blood. Nothing that serious happened. I cleaned it all up, bandaged myself with some help and we returned to find that a member so kindly gave us his laptop to watch conference in English. All's well that end's well, right?

So, the rest of the week. WE MOVED! That is right, we have a new, beautiful apartment and it is full of amazing things!

NEW:
stove, washing machine, iron, ironing board, and microwave

Soon to be received items:
cabinets and dressers

Almost new things we brought with us:
Bunkbeds

This house is so clean and I love how it is so close to everything. We have basically all the best things and I worry over nothing in our house! The president came by and liked the new house and helped us organize some things. I was really excited to move and I am more excited that I am now in a great house. BEST MISSION HOUSE EVER!

Grandma Val and Papa Thom, I got your MRE package and I have to say I LOVE the food!!! After a long time without sloppy joes and beef enchiladas, your mouth explodes with happiness!!! I have been completely full for 2 days straight now and I still have a lot more to eat. Really, let me take this time to publicly thank you from my heart. You have given me so much on my mission. Not just food and shirts, but I feel your love and prayers. I know that through the spirit, I can feel your warmth.Thank you for being so involved in my mission. I love you guys!

General conference was absolutely fantastic. I received so many impressions, and I really cannot explain how much, or what I enjoyed the most. I received so much. However, after listened to elder Holland, I have a renewed desire to show Christ that I really do love him and I want to do His will. I will most definitely study this conference more! We heard the amazing announcement about the age being reduced for missionaries and I have to say I am super excited. It comes late for me to see the effects of this change on my mission, but I am sure Roman will see a huge difference. ALSO, I am sure KATI will see a huge difference on her mission too! It is a good choice Kati. NO, it is the best choice! At conference we had 7 investigators come and all commented on how they felt an amazing spirit and want to know more about those men on the TV and why they are different.

Our mission had a miracle last week. We baptized 93 people. That is just amazing and something that does not happen in every mission. I can tell you that Brazil is ripe for the harvest! We just need more missionaries!! It was amazing and the Brazilian area presidency called our mission president to congratulate us! But in the end, it is not about a number. We are so happy because so many people have come to know the truth!

Well, that was the week.

I love you
eu vos amo,
Elder Asa Laws

Week #77 - "What would her father say? I'll tell you what her father'd say. He'd say he's gonna kill himself a crab, that's what her father'd say!"

Boom!

Well, first I am so very proud of my brother Roman. His mission is looking like the coolest mission ever and I just know he is the best Elder on the Planet!!! Go get 'em!!!!!!

Second, I had a good week. It was a slow week and a learning week, but a good week none the less. We started our week off by going to the temple on Wednesday. Wow, I just absolutely love the temple and I learn so much when I go there. Really, I have come to understand a lot more clearly this gospel and the bare truths of God's plan for us, but going to the temple. The temple provides answers and instruction. It brings peace and order. I can go to the temple, looking for an answer that I just cannot find anywhere else and God always seems to have an answer there for me. I always leave so filled and ready. I wish I could go every week. Alas....

So, on the mission I have already read the Book of Mormon 3 times and the new testament once, along with a ton of other things! So for the last 2 months I had put aside reading the Book of Mormon to try to read other scripture. Yes, I would look up a verse or two but it was not reading directly, every day. Well, I started again this week and it has been wonderful to read such an inspired book, such scripture. Yes, I really do believe that it was written by prophets of the ancient Americas (see the introduction of the book itself to know more) and I find solice and guidance within it's pages. I once again invite anyone within the reach of my blog to read this book. It does good things!

Funny side-note: this week I was writing up our weekly report while eating a "pastel". A pastel is like a scone filled with meat and cheese (reminds me of a hot pocket). I find them to be quite delicious and deep fried! Well, as I was writing, I grabbed the yucky Brazilian ketchup and accidentally squirted i it ALLL over my report! I was saddened but laughed it off and decided to just try to copy the report on a scanner. Well it worked and on the copy the stain didn't come through, so it looked okay. SAVED! I did not want to make a new one.

Speaking of that report, we made it in response to a very good meeting with the ward bishop here. Our bishop had a meeting with the president of the mission and that really lit a fire under him. HA! Now he really wants to start helping us. So we created a new ward mission plan and we are going to involve the members A LOT more. I am super excited because everything is better with the members involved! So, if you are member who is reading this, go invite the missionaries to do a family night in your house and then invite your friends to visit too!!!

In our house we still have my old mattress. Well, it was being useless just propped up against the wall, so we decided to turn it into our new practice goal for soccer. Every day we take a few shots at it with the soccer ball and it helps me get better!!! haha. Sometimes Elder Carlos likes to have someone hold it up and he starts wailing on it all UFC style (UFC is huge in Brazil. They like to watch dudes fight on tv. I do not.) He throws kicks and punches until finally the person holding the mattress throws it on the ground, followed by Elder Carlos jumping on top and body slamming the it. This all leads up to the inevitable choke-hold that knocks out the mattress and Elder Carlos always comes out the winner. I can't for the day the mattress finally wins.

Though, to be honest (and excited too) I will never see that day because I am MOVING!. Yes, I finally got permission to move out of my yucky house and find a house for me and my companion. We have already found one and have it contracted and everything! Tomorrow we move in and leave behind all the dirtiness of the last house. The new house is great. Actually, it is an apartment with one main room, a kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom. It is small but the price is good and it is directly in front of the church building. It will be just for me and my companion. I am excited to have a house just for us two and not my whole district. It is fun to live with a bunch of guys but it can be really hectic sometimes. So I will be glad to find quietness again! Also, the new bathroom is way nice. I am excited.

I will be honest. I got trunky this week. It was really hitting me that I am so close to home and I found myself thinking on college, and girls, and family, and bacon maple bars and everything amazing that my home has to offer. We only have a few people that we are teaching right now and some times we just have nothing to do for 30 or so minutes. This week I just drifted off into dream land during one of those breaks. It was rough, but I made it through and I realized that I only have a few months to do the most I possibly can as a missionary. So now is not the time to dream. It is the time to work. On the plane home I can dream (of Portland timbers home games and Burgerville fries!)

Well, that was the week. Sorry it was not as cool as my brothers week, but hey my mission is great!

Eu vos amo,
Elder Asa Laws

Week #76 - Stop following me, okay?! - Dory

Boom!

So our roof has been fixed but for some reason it still leaks two two parts! In the bathroom and on Elder Adhan's bed!!!! Ya, he really did not like that it has been raining all day and we came back to the house only to find his bed SOAKING wet. Well, that is how it goes int the rain forest. It is so stinken hot!!! Just thought you should know. Over 105 every day! I am melting...

Also, we have a rat that lives in our ceiling that has been eating a hole in the ceiling panels. It has gotten pretty big now and we talked to the owner of the house. He really does not feel like it is a big problem but we do!! So, as you can see we have a few problems in our house and I want to move. I already found a newer nicer place but let us hope that the mission approves the move!

Oh! also, our fridge broke! We spent the whole week without water in our house, which was harsh when we got home and had nothing to drink! Here is what was lost in the wake of that storm last week and not fridge:
spoiled Brownie mix
Jam went bad
All our tererê was ruined
no cold water
My syrup for pancakes went bad
my root beer too!

Even though all of this happened we had a wonderful week!! I loved basically every minute of it, other than the stress of our house issues. Yes, three brothers were baptized and it was so cool to see there progress this week. Abner, Ary Adler, and Cassio. They are all sons of a member who has come back to church recently and their family is just so cool. I love teaching them. There situation is quite humble but they have amazing hearts and you just have to to love them! Sunday they all were baptized and all just dancing with excitement. Cassio basically threw himself into the water when he was baptized! I love my mission.

We had interviews with the president this week and it was great. I just sat and spoke with him about my district and how each of them were doing. We really got to discuss the needs of my missionaries and it was nice to see how much he trusts me. God has a plan in all of this that goes on and I am so thank for for every single one of the missionaries in my district. They are all doing a great job and really pushing to get better. We see miracles daily.

So, right now is voting time in Brazil too and I hate politics here. It makes American politicians look like saints. I do not really need to go into details but here, there are a ton of problems and really no body has any solutions. Heck, a drug dealer is running for mayor here!!!! Anyways, I am glad that I do not have to vote here.

The week just goes by so fast now a days and I cannot believe I am coming up on 1 year and six months. That is just not fair. Sorry, I feel like my letters are getting super short, but really, we just work, and joke, and have fun. The mission is going great.

Eu vos amo,
Elder Asa Laws