Bland Week

Hello everyone! This week was just bland. It kind of reminds me of that one cereal, Kix. That was a very bland cereal. Just like this week. However, Tuesday was pretty cool. 

Life in Brazil is still just as great, and even better as a missionary. Tuesday we had interviews with the President, and we learned more how to handle our key-indicators (number stuff and such) to serve more effectively in our determined areas. I also got to talk more with my district. Afterward, Elder Calisaya and I went to the bank to draw out our mission allowance, and some random Brazilian girl drove by us and screamed out `Hey American! You guys are funny!´ That´s pretty normal though.

So, I really admire the stalwart energy of Alma the younger when he taught the people of Ammonihah. This week as I read these passages, I reflected on a little part that stuck out to me. I remember that as Alma had finally given up, and was trodding along to the next city, an angel appeared (the same that had sparked the initial conversion of Alma) and told him to go back. Now, the interesting part is that after he recieves this message that he needs to go back and teach the gospel of repentance, it says that `He returned speedily to the land of Ammonihah´ (Alma 8:18). Instead of moaning and groaning at the thought that he would have to confront trial and persecution again, Alma goes running back to the city. I really admire this spirit of enthusiasm to preach the gospel, in any situation that we´re in. 

This week, we sought out new investigators and new people to commit to go to church. Specifically, we are searching out new people to commit to baptism, and we´re hoping to be able to find a lot here in Dias Macedo to give this area a nice base of members to work with. 

And that was my week. Tchau!

Elder Bispo

Mom!

This past year in Brazil, I feel most surprised to look back on how much I have been blessed to have been used by God as an instrument to carry out His works. Specifically, I find it amazing how the Spirit has acted through us in our many lessons, and in the many other opportunities I have had to also serve the other missionaries. This month we have been reading Chapter 4 of PMG, and I´m starting to really appreciate how the Holy Ghost has directed us in every way. Through all my experiences here on the mission, I honor these the most.

Oh, and I also heard that France freaked out and declared war on Israel. Yeah, that was quite a shock.

Whoo Carson!

Whoo all the new families of people that grew up in OP1!

Love you!

Elder Bispo

ELDER BISHOP. reports

This week was quite amazingly full of all sorts of good stuffs! In our district meeting, we all threw a little party for Elder Bradley and Sister Alcocer. Their birthdays were this week. I´ll send pics.

After our little party, we then went into our training session and marked the dates for baptism interviews. Our district marked down three this week. As District Leader, I had to do all these interviews. Normally that wouldn´t take much time, but each interview was scheduled for a different day! And transportation here isn´t the best. So I was a little worried this week that with all the time these interviews would take out of our schedule, that Elder Calisaya and I wouldn´t have been able to work too well in our own area! However we saw a bunch of blessings this week.

Despite all the interviews and such, that took precious time away from three of our working days, we were able to get a bunch done this week! It´s amazing how the Lord blessed us. This week was actually our most productive week that I have had here in Dias Macedo. I´m pretty darn excited.

Also, we found another really amazing family this week! Michael and Tamára! Michael actually lives in the Zone Leader´s area, however we are going to work together with them, because they want to get married and they want to go to church! Unfortunately, Michael was caught in a motorcycle accident this last saturday, so they weren´t able to go to church. Fortunately he didn´t break anything or scar. He simply sprained his ankle. Blessings!

Graça and Marcos are still progressing really well! They are both determined to join the church to enjoy the blessings of being full time members. However, Marcos is having a little trouble with his alcohol addiction. He was actually diagnosed with alcoholism, but he has shown amazing and just about super-human diligence in leaving behind his addiction. He went two full weeks sober, on his first try! I´m very humbled at his great spiritual strength. Please pray for him!

And that´s the week! Até mais!

Elder Bispo

Busy week...

Well everyone! This week was great, and I am just loving this ward. This week we found a bunch of new families to teach. But first, I wanted to talk about Wednesday.

Wednesday was weird. Extremely weird. It rained (weird), and therefore we were late to our District Meeting (more weird). While we were walking in the road afterwards, I saw a man stop in front of a family and begin to quack like a duck (most weird). Then later in the road we heard this huge motorized sound, looked back, and witnessed a whole army of about one hundred or so soldiers, all on motorcycles (flipping out of my seat weird). So Wednesday was weird. 

Anyway, the rest of the week was great. Our regular teaching group (those that are progressing in the Gospel) consists right now of about six families. As I may have mentioned earlier, this ward was supposed to have been divided awhile ago. Until now it has not, because of the low number of active members on our side of the ward. So we are searching out and being blessed with so many families to teach! I am absolutely positive that the Lord has a great purpose for us here. I am ecstatic to help this ward finally divide. These faithful members deserve it.

Yesterday, after the church meetings, we contacted a referral (family of three) from a less-active member. We then discovered that this referral family had already taken the lessons from the Elders, and that the Elders had helped them marry, in preparation for the baptism. However, these Elders were then both transferred, and two other Elders were put in their place. Unfortunately, both of these new Elders decided not to work, and this family stopped going to church. Even though this extremely unfortunate event happened, I know that my Heavenly Father has a divine purpose in helping us find this family again. I´m extremely grateful to be teaching Gleisson, Diane, and their son.

We are teaching also another referral family, Graça and Marcos. They are progressing very well, however we will need to help them get married before their baptisms.

And that´s my week! Até mais, meus amados!

Elder Bispo

A great start to the New Year

Happy New Years, everyone! It felt pretty great to know that I have gotten this far in the mission. I served the whole year of 2014! Whoo! I´m pretty happy with what I´ve been able to accomplish here in Ceará, and I´m super grateful that Heavenly Father called me here to serve! I know that His ways are greater than my ways, so I´m ecstatic and marvel that he has been able to use me to accomplish His ways!

This week we recieved a referal from a member, Leandro, that lives close by us. He wanted us to visit his mom and step-dad, and so we marked a time to go there. So the time came, and Leandro, Élder Calisaya and I taught a marvelous first lesson with this family! Graça and Marcos came to church this week, and we will now be preparing them for marraige and baptism! I am very excited to be able to teach this family!

However, despite this great news, it´s still being super hard to get people to church! I feel like God has a lesson for me to learn, and I must not have learned it yet, because in all three areas, ever since I became a leader on the mission, it has been SO difficult to get people to church! However this is the key to helping people along the path of salvation. I have seen here on the mission that everyone that makes it to church is able to feel the sweet spirit of the Holy Ghost testifying of the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel. Now, whether or not they choose to act on this feeling is up to them, but this is such a crucial step to one´s conversion to Christ. For some reason though, the past six months or so have been almost all big fat zeroes in people that attended church, despite all my efforts to teach and preach the gospel. However, as I mentioned above, I know that God´s ways are greater than my own. I have seen many times here on the mission that the people I have taught have been able to progress after I leave the area. It´s really awesome to see that.

Pray for the families that we are teaching so they can experience the great blessings of the Restored Gospel! The ward deserves the blessings of more righteous families!

Até logo,

Elder Bispo