Brazil

Querida família

This week we baptized a 12-year-old youngman named Álvaro. His mom and older sister are members, but he and wasn't and his dad, Claudio isn't yet. All of Claudio's family are also members except for him and his dad but both of them went to church yesterday to watch the baptism. It was a really special baptism and everyone got a little emocional and Álvaro's dad and grandpa hugged us and said thankyou. We baptized the son, now we need to baptize the dad and grandpa.

A couple we are teaching, Danilo e Cintia, also stayed to watch the baptism. We invited them earlier in the week to be baptized April 1st. Danilo wants to be baptized, but Cintia is afraid of her family and Danilo doesn't want to be baptized without his wife. They are great people and will definitley be leaders after their baptism, they have already told several time that they want their future son to be a missionary.

There is another man here named Gerson whose wife is the Relief Society President. He has had contact with the church for more than 20 years, but hasn't been baptized yet. He already knows alot about the church so on Friday we talked with him about temples and eternal families. His wife cried and told us how much she wanted to be sealed in the temple with her husband and daughter. We asked Gerson why he doesn't go to the temple and be sealed with his family and he said that only members can go to the temple and he isn't a member yet. He emphasized the yet. We also read a little from President Uchtdorf's talk "Your Privilege, Your Potential" and told him that is living way below his potential and invited him to be baptized on the 8th. He said he will think about it. It will take a miracle, but I really think he will be baptized soon. There are a lot of men here aren't members, but whose wives are members and weare working to baptize them. They are progressing slowly.

Anyway gotta go,

Elder Tom Jay

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8 Sundays

Querida família,

I don't want you to think that I am trunky, but I only have eight more Sundays on my mission. I have 8 more Sundays to baptize.

Anyway, Monday we had a family home evening with a member family and a couple of newlyweds, Danilo and Cinthia that came to Church with them and are already reading the Book of Mormon. We taught the about the Restoration. They are very intelligent and asked a lot of questions. The wife is a lawyer and the husband works the member in the financial department in a university. The presidente of this university is Elder Milton Camargo an area seventy. After the message we ate pizza and they a chocolate pizza with icecream for dessert. This is one of the richest areas in the mission, and I am liking it because the food is good:)

On Tuesday we did splits with one of the district leaders, I was with a greenie named Elder Shreeve and we ended up doing lots of contacts. I was trying to help him lose his shyness so we stopped a couple of times in the road and asked people if they wanted to be baptized right off the bat. It is actually pretty fun.

Wednesday was pretty uneventful, but on Thursday we taught Danilo and Cinthia again. They had a lot of questions about the Plan of Salvation, Where did we come from? Why are we here? What happens after death? They really want to find the answers, but the lessons take forever because they ask lots of questions, which is good. 

On Friday we taught a 17-year-old named Lucas. His family moved from Rio de Janeiro to Natal a year ago and the opened a sweets shop. A member who is also from Rio bought some candy there, talked with them and found out that the mom had been baptized as a teenager, but became inactive after turning 18. Now she is married had has two children and said it is time to come back. Lucas has been looking for a church, but hasn't found one that he called his atention. We took him to the chapel and showed him all the rooms then we taught him the Restoration using a chalkboard. The Spirit was very strong and you could see that everything clicked in his mind. I was saying, "This isn't just another church among many" But he cut me off and completed the phrase, "It's the Church of Jesus Christ." When we showed him the Book of Mormon he said, "I want that book. How do get a book like this?" We marked his baptism for the 25th. We also taught a family of four that were referrals from another member. They are really cool as well and gave us soccer jerseys and a dinner. My shirt is one of those old school ones that you tie up.

My times up, but on Sunday we confirmed Edileuza and we had a missionary fireside where the stake president and Elder Camargo of the seventy spoke.

Tchau!

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FROM THE DESK OF MR. ABDUL AZIZ AHMED,

FROM THE DESK OF MR. ABDUL AZIZ AHMED, AUDITS & ACCOUNTS DEPT AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO PRIVATE PHONE NUMBER (00226 75743541)                 Attention: Please   I am Mr. Abdul Aziz Ahmed, the manager Audit & Accounts dept. in the African Development Bank (A.D.B). I am writing to request your assistance to transfer the sum of $15, 000.000.00 [Fifteen million, United States dollars) into your accounts. The above sum belongs to our deceased customer late Mr. John korovo who died along with his entire family in the Benin plane crash 2004 and since then the fund has been in a suspense account.   After my further investigation, I discovered that Mr. John Korovo, died with his next of kin and according to the laws and constitution guiding this banking institution, it states that after the expiration of (8) Eight years, if no body or person comes for the claim as the next of kin, the fund will be transferred to national treasury as unclaimed fund.   Because of the static of this transaction I want you to stand as the next of kin so that our bank will accord you the recognition and have the fund transferred to your account.   The total sum will be shared as follows: 60% for me, 40% for you and all incidental expenses that may occur during the transfer process will be incurred by both of us.   The transfer is risk free on both sides hence you will follow my instructions till the fund get to your account.  More detailed information's with the official application form will be forwarded to you to explain more comprehensively what is required of you. You are free to call me through my private telephone number.   Your Full Name........................ Your Sex.................................. Your Age.................................. Your Country............................. Your Occupation........................ Your Personal Mobile Number.....   Thanks Best regards, Mr. Abdul Aziz Ahmed.

brazil

Querida familia,

This week we had transfers. I don't have much time to write this week so I will be fast.

On Saturday we baptized a really special family, Juvenilton and Janaina. I think they are some of the best baptisms since the church arrived in Sousa. They both graduated from college, have good jobs, have a car and are really inteligent. The Church needs leaders in Sousa. The other family Edjailton and Ana Carolina will get married on the 8th and be baptized on the 10th. Juvenilton will be the patriarch some day and Edjailton will be the stake president. I'm sad that I left before their baptism and that I won't be able to stay a little longer to help them get started as members.

On Sunday we baptized another lady, Miriam. She is super elect as well. She passed 7 and a half years in the Jehovah's Witness and already went to lots of other churches, but never felt the Spirit until she went to the true church.

I was transfered from Sousa to Natal. It is a pretty long journey. I got a bus at 7:40am in Sousa and got here in Natal around 8:30pm. I travelled alone the whole time and didn't see another missionary until I got here in Natal and waited in the bus station for about 15 minutes. My companion came with the stake president and they gave me a ride to our apartment. The stake president's daughter was Mia Well's companion until, small world.

My new companion is Elder Machado da Silva. They divided a zone and we are opening the new zone called Zona Ponta Negra. My area is Cidade Verde. It is really different from Sousa because the wards are strong, there are families that have been in the Church for generations, and it is a rich area with lots of apartments.

There is a guy at my side watching porn so I am going to leave.

Until next week.

Elder Jay

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