Lots of BAPTISMS

Woohoo! Our week was great! My district is destroying! In the past our zone has been known as the dead zone of the mission. In the past our zone didn´t ever baptize anyone. Nevermore! This week we met our district goal of baptisms. We also met the Zone goal of baptisms. It´s so wonderful to meet goals. I´m honored to be able to serve with so many dedicated Elders and Sisters. 

Also, in our area this week, we found a bunch of new people that are super interested in learning more about Christ´s restored gospel. This group of people includes two couples and a few single adults who all have a great potential to follow Christ´s example by being baptized.

In the middle of the first lesson of the first couple, Elza and Ariberto, the couple randomly pulled out a copy of the Book of Mormon, and a pamphlet of the temple. A few years ago they were taught the lessons, but it looks like they didn´t progress because Ariberto was deathly sick. Now, in the lesson Ariberto told us how it was miracle that he was talking with us. His illness basically was ending his life, and so he had an emergency surgery done. Miraculously he lived, and now him and his wife want to ´pay back a debt´ that they say they owe to God. Ariberto and Elza were certainly prepared by the Lord to hear the joy of the restored gospel.

And that´s the week!

Elder Bispo

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

WEEKLY UPDATE

HUNTER COMMENTS ON THE LAST PACKAGE I MAILED TO BRAZIL: ( I didn't intend for deodorant, protein powder, protein shakes, ties, Easter candy, gum, pastichios or toothpaste to cause sooooo much trouble)

"I fought the beauracracies of Brazil for about 5 hours on Tuesday to finally get my package! It all worked out in the end. 

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING! I love you guys! I absolutely loved the ties! Also the protein powder is very much appreciated. My comp also loved the pistachios. I think we ate all of them in little under a few hours."

update:

This week, I felt sort of like that one old greek guy that ran a ton in some war to deliver a message, who then proceeded to die. Then they named a very well known track event after him. 

So yeah, I ran around Fortaleza quite a bit this week. Mainly all of the running (by bus, by car, by foot) was to interview all the people that my district is teaching to be baptized to be able to recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost to be able to enter the House of the Lord one day to be able to enter the Kingdom of God someday. Yeah, we ran more than that sentence did.

Also, I FINALLY recieved my missionary package. We had to go to Aldeota, which is the government district of Ceará. It was a little frustrating, as the weather was slighty below the normal eighty degrees, with what appeared to be a small hurricane showering us and turning the streets into rivers. So we also had to swim through the streets this week (whoops!  Swimming is against the rules?).

Just kidding, it wasn´t that bad, however the streets did look like rivers. Also, as we were finally headed home (on public transport buses) we saw some kids playing in the  river/ street. Our bus stopped right in front of them. They all turned to look at the bus at the exact same moment. Then, as if all of them shared some sort of brain-communication, they turned as one and attacked the bus with water! They soaked quite a few people. It was extremely hilarious. Then some lady on the bus started yelling out ´Dirty old putrid water! Dirty water! It got in my mouth!´ which just caused more laughing on the bus. Quite a fun experience, actually.

And that was the week!

Elder Bispo

P.S.- While contacting a street contact, some little dog came to the door and started barking ferociously. Then he proceeded to stand and walk (just a wee bit) on his back legs, while barking even louder. That dog is talented. 

LAST PACKAGE ARRIVED, but Hunter has to pay $50

Hey, my package has arrived, but unfortunately the Brazilian mail system has been very annoying lately. They are charging me more to recieve the package; about 50 bucks. I´m going to pick it up tomorrow.

Hello everyone! Last week we were super pressed for time, and this week is going to be even crazier! Three out of the five companionships of our district baptized last week (including us), and now it looks like this week four out of the five are going to baptize. Elder Castanho and I will have to run around eveywhere so I can interview all these wonderful people! If all the baptisms work out right, this will be the most productive week of any district I have presided over. I'm quite excited.

Sérgio and Luciane's wedding was great! However, before I talk about that, I would like to tell a little story that was pretty cool. 

A little time before the wedding started, I interviewed a few investigators of the Zone Leaders, which was cool. I interviewed a mom and her 26 year old son. The mom was very ready for baptism, and surely enough she got baptized the next day. However, the son had a few problems that will need to be resolved before his baptism. Though, I feel like I was able to really help him understand the joy of the gospel. Anyway, while I was interviewing the mom, the Zone Leaders discovered that Paulo Italo, Sérgio and Luciane's son, had turned eight just a few days ago. We had no idea! So they went ahead and interviewed him also, because he really wanted to be baptized along with his mom and dad. So it all worked out quite awesome.

So the wedding was very special. It was quite simple and short, but the feeling of love that Sergio and Luciane have for the Lord and eachother was very strong. The Bishop of our ward got special permission from the State of Ceará to act as judge. Everything went great, and directly after was their baptism. 

The baptism was quite spiritual. Sérgio and Luciane have fought so much to obey the Lord´s commandments, and everyone of the ward was so happy that they were able to enter in at the gate of the path of eternal life, by baptism. 

Also, one more testimony of this family´s dedication to serving the Lord. A few days before the baptism, Sérgio and Luciane went to visit the Bishop. They asked him about the baptism and all that, and then they made an amazing request. Sérgio and Luciane asked the Bishop if he could start praying to ask the Lord about what church calling they would be able to recieve. Even before the baptism, Sérgio and Luciane have sought to serve the Church, and with their knowledge of church callings, they are excited to officially serve God with all their might, mind, and strength.

And that´s the week. Tchau!

Elder Bispo

Another baptism!!!

Hey everyone! I loved our week! Carol was interviewed on friday, and baptized this last Saturday. Then everyone in the world had the chance to watch eight or more hours of pure revelation streaming from God´s Apostles and Prophets straight into their brains! So that was fun.

But seriously, Conference was a blast. Lots of inspired talks and wonderful stuff. I sure learned a thing or two! Also, I find it pretty funny how there´s probably a ton of trunky missionaries now that are now crazy about getting married. It appears that the Lord doesn´t want His returned missionaries to slack off. Challenge accepted!

 

Speaking of revelation and apostles, our mission this month is going to recieve a visit from another apostle. Whoo! I´m excited. 

And back to the week. Carol´s baptism  this past Saturday was very simple, but very spiritual. Not too many people came, however all the leaders of the ward were there to support Carol and her decision. Also, we filled the baptismal font up with a hose, because it´s a huge font. HUGE. Everything worked out real swell, and Carol is now very excited to recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost this next week. She is a prime example of those that faithfully fulfill the Lord´s commandments without hesitation. 

Also, this week is Sérgio and Luciane´s marraige! And then the next day is their baptism! And then the next day is their confirmation! This week is going to be really exciting. 

And that´s the week! Isso aí!

Elder Bispo

P.S.- Elder Imperador is now District Leader, and he is also training a new missionary. I´m a Grand-daddy!!!

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

ANOTHER GREAT WEEK

Good morning USA! Our week was awesome. We've got a very solid group of progressing investigators now, and we're really exciting to reap the results of our work.

Tereza, an older woman that we started teaching about three weeks ago, made it to church and is now super excited to be baptized in the church. However, she is going to have to resolve some problems with her spouse who is now working outside of the state of Ceara. Unfortunately, their relationship isn't going so swell. They are probably going to go their separate ways, even though they've been together about 20 years or so. So if you guys could all pray for them, that'd be great.

Carol, a young woman of 18 from a family that we started to teach two weeks ago, has committed to be baptized this week. We are really excited to follow up with her to make this happen! Hopefully she can be an example to her family, as no other member in her family has gone to church yet. However, the first week we taught the family, Carol was firm with her decision to visit church. She kept her promise. She also accepted our challenge to follow any impressions that she had in the church or felt through prayer, or gained through study of the Book of Mormon by being baptized. The ward has supported her very well, even though she has only been going to church two weeks. 

Sérgio and Luciane continue to progress, and they are very exited for their baptism. Yeah, they´re perfect. ´Nuff said.

Also, we are now in a missiony trio. Elder Toby is the third member of the Dias Macedo area. He´s a dog. I mean, he is literally a dog. There are a ton of stray dogs here in Fortaleza, and one random day Toby (that´s what Elder Castanho named him) just randomly decided that we would be his masters. He follows us around in our area everywhere. We don´t even feed the poor guy, because we don´t have any money (plus we´re missionaries, we can´t have pets). A few times he has tried to enter the houses of our investigators to teach lessons and stuff, although he´s kind of really dirty, so he doesn´t ever enter. Plus kids are scared of him. Not very good traits for a missionary dog, but he´s still a boss. His favorite part of the missionary work is contacting. His technique is a little strange, but effective. He usually just jumps on people. Then the people that he jumps on usually fall in love with him, and we´ll show up and be all like "Hey! You met our dog!" And then we contact the person. It's pretty awesome.

Anyway, the work presses on! Go team!

Elder Bispo

NEWS OF PACKAGE

I received this text today

I have been so excited thinking Elder Bishop might get the package BEFORE Easter, but who can predict what this means!!

TRANSFERS and Elder Bishop stays put!!

Today is transfers anypeople! Basically everyone in the District will stay, except two of the Sisters (one finished her mission, and the other was just transferred). Which means... I´ll be able to see Sérgio and Luciane´s wedding and baptism!!! WHOO!!!! This family is absolutely amazing!

This week also yielded amazing results in our area. We had a wonderful amount of our investigators who went to church! The record was broken for our area in the number of investigators that went to church. So that´s cool. It´s been extremely hard to get people to church from our area, but things are really starting to look swell.

Now our biggest problem is getting all these families married so they can keep the Law of Chastity in preparation to be baptized! MARRY LIKE THE WIND!!!

 

Thursday rained like crazy. From 3 ´o clock until 8 it rained super hard, nonstop. And I forgot my umbrella. Also Elder Castanho lost his in his last area. HOWEVER, one of our investigators that went to church, Luciano, randomly gave us an umbrella the size of a minivan, so we didn´t get too wet. Although my bible was absolutely destroyed. 

Another cool story about Sérgio and Luciane. Apparently, a lot of their past friends from the last church that they were going to have started to mock and persecute them about their decision to be baptized and confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. However, instead of shrinking and losing faith in their decision, Sérgio and Luciane have bourne their testimonies to all these people, and have even defended the Church in the front of the Pastor´s debilitating comments. I have a firm testimony that this strong conviction that they have of Christ´s True Church comes from their strong grasp on the iron rod, or the word of God. This family diligently reads the Book of Mormon and the Bible every single day. I also know that any person, man or woman, child or elderly, can gain this same testimony of Christ and His marvelous work by reading diligently the Book of Mormon, pondering about it´s message, and praying to ask God if it is true. Just like Moroni says.

That´s it! Tchau!

Elder Bispo

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.