WHAT A WEEK!!
To start off this week was a blast. Loving my comp Elder Rojas. It´s he first time being Zone Leader and he is super nervous and exited. It makes the best type of companion because they are willing to work hard and learn. It was awesome to talk about new ideas, what has worked in the pass and what we want for the future. Also getting to know someone new is always fun. The current questions about the other ones life or crazy story help makes our bond stronger.
As a zone we are doing weekly goals to help get everyone motivate. This week was to find 15 new investigators. As leaders we can´t ask other people to do something if were not doing. So this week we focused on listening to the Holy Ghost and finding the Lords elects. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday was a disaster. It was as if nobody cared at all about what we had to say. It was difficult because we were really needing new people to teach. Then on Thursday it felt like everything went right. Every door we knock or every contact we did, it felt like the Lord put them in our path. They would say ´´Come in, I always wanted to hear what you had to say`` or ´´I was visiting your church where I lived and then I moved, I loved it there`` It was one of the most inspiring days here on the mission field. The Lord truly lifted us up that day and for the rest of the week.
We are starting to visit less actives that have fallen away from the Church. We know that they have a testimony about these things but they have a problem. We are visiting this less actives to help them with these problems. As a result they are returning to church and they are bringing their wives, kids, ect who aren´t members yet. This way we can help them return to church and find new people to teach.
I´m really excited to see the results of this transfer. We have alot of young missionaries in the zone that are willing to work hard and do what is right.
Through this the Lord will bless us. I know that being here in Brazil has a purpose in my life and the lives of the people i´m meeting. I loving the constant challenge we have everyday to work hard and say ´´I did everything I could`.
Thank you everyone for the emails and support. I pray often for you guys. Remember what ever problem you have your Heavenly Father is one prayer away from you, get on your knees and talk to him.
Com Amor,
Elder Seth
Sadly Elder Xavier was transferred today. I was really sad because we were literally best friends. We lived together for 3 Months but it flew by so fast. He was called to be Assistant to the President! He really deserved it because of his example as a missionary and leadership. I´m going to miss him alot. We have already planned to hang out after the mission so it´s gonig to be alright.
The members had a party for Elder Xavier, it was great to see all the lives he helped. Then we went around and said what we like about Xavier and half of the people we crying. He had a huge affect on the people of Gama.
But I´m really excited because of my new Comp. Elder Rojas. He is from Argentina and has a year and a few months on the mission. He was a District Leader for our Zone and had alot of success. He is really obedient and is always happy. I´m excited to learn from him and to become a better missionary. I don´t know everything about him yet but I know that he was baptized when he was 14. He was play soccer professionally but he decided to serve mission. His Dad was so furious that he hasn´t talked to him since. This just proves that he is a missionary who is here because he wants to. I´ll tell you guys more abut him next week when I know more.
This week we had a family go to church! It was a reference from a member. They are awesome. They loved the church and they have a 1 year old kid. They don´t drink, smoke and best of all legally married(what a miracle). The only problem is they are really hesitant about Churches because the last Church they went to stole their money. We are going to teach them this week about the Church of Jesus Christ and about how this is a only church with all the truths.
Nina, who was baptized a month and half ago, gave her first talk is sacrament meeting. Sure baptizing someone is an amazing experience but seeing your baptism progressing is the gospel is one of the best feelings. You can see the huge difference that Christ has made in their lives. I like to think about what will be different in their lives because of this church in 20 years. Mission, married in the temple, kids, free of drugs, ect. This church has such a powerful power to change people for the better. This is why I´m here. To help people use this power to better their lives. Not only their lives here on the earth but for eternity.
I love my time here in Brasil, at times it´s painful when people don´t accept something that will make them more happy but the pains are taken away when someone finally accepts.
Thank you family and Friends for the emails and prayers. I miss you guys!
Com Amor,
Elder Seth
First off, Congrats Dad on TAP. You earned it. Also thank you everyone for the emails this week, I was really needing it even though this week flew by.
Here on the mission my hate for Satan has risen. We found some really great people these past few weeks. We taught them for the first few times and they really felt the spirit. They were reading and asking questions. Elder Xavier and I were getting super excited with the progress that we were having. But... with the help of Satan they started to lose interesting for what ever reason. Friends didn´t approve, Mother heard something bad a able the church, ect. We were feeling really sad because we know of the truthfulness of this Gospel and the changes that they will have in there life if they applied it. Sadly we can´t force them to do anything. Just do our part of leaving our phone number and prayers. World keeps spinning.
I´m short on this week so I´ll cut to the goods. We had the division of the stake and it was awesome. We heard some inspiring talks that really got me motivated to work harder. They also talked about keeping that Sabbath Day Holy. They said that we should do everything possible to take the sacrament every Sunday. Through this we can renew our convenient that we made when we were baptized. Also how God has given us everything in our lives. He asked that we use one day to worship him and leave behind the things of the world to spend time with our family. I loved ever second of it. I hopé I can share this powerful message with my investagators. I was able to see all the member from Jardim Ingá(my first area in Brasil) I love them so much.
This week fly by super fast and I´m not remembering anything that happened. I promise next week will be more detailed.
If the mission was easy and perfect everyone would do it. Loving my time here. At times I'm frustrated with the difficulties but after i´m always grateful for them and the things I learned. In life we work hard to earn a good life. But the things we learned through that hard work is more valuable to us.
Love you guys. Pray often for your health, safe, and happiness.
Com Amor,
Elder Seth
Sthela was baptized this week! We were really happy and surprised of her progress. When Thainá first introduced us we thought that it would take awhile for her to get baptized. She has 3 tattoos, had nose rings, ect.When we first marked a date with her she said ´´Sure if everything goes perfect i´ll be baptized on this day, but I probably won´t be´´. But step by step she started to run. The magic was the gospel and the Holy Ghost. She was reading the scriptures, praying, going to church, and seminary. She truly was changed.
When we visited her the day before her baptism, her Mom was telling us how she was so grateful for what we had done. She said that Sthela was lost. She started to cry because she was to happy for her daughter.
After she was baptized on Saturday I had the privilege to give her the Holy ghost and to confirm her a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was a super spiritual experience to know that she has changed her life to follow the example of Jesus Christ.
The work this week in terms of find new people and teaching was alittle difficult because it was a Holiday here. Alot of our investagators were traveling or have alot of people in there house. But everything will be normal this week so i´m excited to get back in the groove.
Our stake is dividing this Sunday! The first time in 20 years. President Mazzagardi is coming to the dividing and will give a talk! Everyone is super excited for this historical event in the Stake.
Sadly, Karol wasn´t baptized. She was doing everything right, passed the interview but the day before she got cold feet and wasn´t sure if she wanted to. We are praying that she changes her mind because she really need the gospel in her life. She lives in a really rough house where they are doing really bad things. Unfortunately as missionaries we can´t force her to do anything, she has her free agency.
All in all this week was really great, although everything didn´t go perfectly I'm counting my blesses here on the mission. I´m glad that I have great President and comp that are helping me be a better person, and a better follower of Christ. I can´t believe that I only have 2 more weeks with Elder Xavier, he has taught me so much.
Hope everyone is doing well! Miss you guys
Com Amor,
Elder Seth
Well this week was great. The Ward that I am serving had two Elders that finished there 2 year missions. It was interesting to see the end product of these missionaries. From what the members told us, they changed alot. They change to be better people. This is why I´m loving the mission, it´s 2 years of changing yourself for the better and helping other be better through Christ.
I was so happy so see Grandma and Grandpa this week! Thank you so much for visiting me. It was great to see them even if it was just for lunch. I loved hearing there voices and there recent adventures. It also helped me alot to know that they are ok with there health, I´v been super worried because of the recent health scares. They were practically skipping around when I saw them! Thanks for tnking the time to see me, Love you guys.
This week we found a lot of people that were waiting to know about the gospel. We found Luana when we were search for a new apartment. She was really interested in why we were here in Brasil for 2 years. Eventually she invited us to her house to share a message. She is awesome. she has been looking for a church that ´´makes sense´´. She is super nice and she will help the church alot once she gets baptized. I´ll let you know what happens with her.
In Gama we usually don´t have time to do contacts on the street because our week is usually booked before its starts. We were racing to one of our visits and my comp said ´´We should talk to her.´´ I responded ´´I was feeling the same thing´´. And it ended up that she wanted to talk to us to, but she was to nervous to start a conversation. Jessica has already lived in the USA, received a Book of Mormon and has stopped going to her church for 2 years.(and wanting to return) I´m so grateful for the Holy Ghost and the impact it has on us. All 3 of us felt the same thing. I´v learned that missionary work without the spirit is worthless. Without out the Spirit of God we have nothing.
We are expect to have 2 baptisms this week. Sthela and Karol! They went to Church this Sunday with a few other investigators and there interviews are marked and ready to go. This Saturday they will be the newest members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They were both in doubt but we challenged them to ask God if they should be baptized. Of course God gave them the answer they needed! It´s a win win if they asked God with faith, because it´s the right way.
We saw many more miracles this week in Gama but time is short. Time is flying here on the mission. I don´t even like to know how much time has already passed. I know I have a purpose here in Brasil. I know that I need to do my part to help the Children of God know the truth. Até o próximo.
Com Amor,
Elder Seth
This week was great but difficult.
This week we were working really hard to find the Lord's elects. At the start of the transfer Elder Xavier and I were making goals for this transfer. I told him that I wanted to find a family to baptize. He asked me how many people in this family, the number 5 popped in my head. We wrote the goal down and that was the end of it. This Wednesday we were walking to an appointment and this guy made contact with us. He asked about the English class that we are teaching. We kept talking until he invited us to make a visit at his house. The next day when we entered his house we found our family of 5. Elder Xavier and I were completely shocked. The miracle was finding this family because the Dad said it has been 10 years since he has gone to church. He said that he has been feeling that he life is needing God. It´s not going to be easy to baptize this family because they have some difficulties, but if there was one thing I’ve learned on the mission, that nothing is impossible to change through Jesus Christ. I´ll keep you guys updated on them.
We are making some great progress with Sthela this week. She has a baptism date for June 6th. We asked her ´´If someone were to ask you what church you apart of, which one would it be?´´ She said ´´Eu sou Mórmon´´(I am a Mormon). I felt butterfly in my stomach when she said that. She´s so ready, we are just clearing up some things. She is also starting to date the Bishops Son(shhh). Sadly she was all set to go to church but her Grandma got super sick and she went to the hospital because it was an emergency.
We also found Karol(17 years old) this week. she went to our English class, the Church dance and church this Sunday. She will be baptized June 6th also! It crazy how the Lord is putting so many people is our path that are ready for the gospel. This mission is so much easier when you are working by the spirit.
One of the most sad parts of the mission is when people know that is the true Church but they choose not to follow it because of the commandments. They think that commandments are restrictions and they can´t have fun. But really the commandments are here to help us have lasting happiness. Sure doing these things are fun in the moment, but in 1 year, 10 years, 50 years will it bring happiness? I´m so grateful for this gospel and the high standards that the Lord has given me. Here on the mission I’ve seen both sides of the spectrum, the blessings and sadness of keeping and not keeping the commandments. This has strengthened my desire to always stay strong, knowing that happiness comes from faithfulness.
Only have this for this week. I can´t believe that I’m going to be a lone ranger down here in the mission field. Lauren is going home in a week. Can´t wait to see Grandma and Grandpa this week!!!
Com Amor,
Elder Seth
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This we was super busy for us. But it was really great.
This week Elder Xavier and I were focusing a lot on or recent converters and helping the ward out. It really hard to give the same type of attention to your recent converts as we gave before they were baptized. Its hard at times to time budget recent converts, less actives, and find new people to teach. For this reason, we are starting to help out members that are strong to gain that testimony of missionary work. It is making the biggest difference for us because we are able to work on finding new people and not worry about our recent baptisms getting the attention they need.
The members here are fantastic and are starting to getting the vision of missionary work. They are visiting people, inviting them to eat, etc. This is perfect for your recent converts because their testimonies are growing still, with a friend at there side. They will progress in the gospel at a fast rate. We can baptize every single person in the world, but if they don´t stay firm in the Church, it is just in vain.
Many of you remember Thainá who was baptized a few weeks ago. She is doing great and we are teaching her friends right now. One of her friends is Sthela. Sthela is awesome. She is 17 years old and some rough things have already happened in her life. Her Dad passed away 1 year ago and she was really close to him. We taught the Plan of Salvation and she was crying when we told her that she could see her Dad again. It was a really spiritual experience for everyone there. I loving testifying that our lives have a purpose and family are meant to be together forever. On the next visit we taught about baptism and we marked a date with her!!!! We thought she would not accept but the Spirit touched her heart.
The Stake President asked if our Zone could sing at a fireside last Saturday. I was really cool because it was about Religious Freedom. There was a lot of people for other Churches there. It was really beautiful and we have a new Sister that plays the Violin. It worked out perfectly. We wore pink ties(wasn´t my choice) But it turned out perfect.
Elder Xavier is the best. It´s sad that I only have 5 more weeks with him. I think my favorite part about him is that he has everything, but he is very humble. He is smart, kind, funny, etc I´m learning so much from him, the things he teaches me, and also through his example.
I´m loving my mission. I loving building the Kingdom of God here on the earth. This is where I need to be for these 2 years.
Shout out to one of my great friend and examples, Sterling who is leaving to serve a mission in Brasil. Congrats my Brother, your going to love every second, Bem-vindo aos Céus
Com Amor,
Elder Seth
