Brazil

Monday, March 26, 2012 by Sora Jay

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



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.


Posted in: | 0 comments | |  

8 Sundays

Monday, March 19, 2012 by Sora Jay

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!






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.


Posted in: | 0 comments | |  

FROM THE DESK OF MR. ABDUL AZIZ AHMED,

Saturday, March 17, 2012 by Sora Jay



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.


Posted in: | 0 comments | |  

brazil

Thursday, March 1, 2012 by Sora Jay

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



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.


Posted in: | 0 comments | |  

Brazil

Monday, February 20, 2012 by Sora Jay

Querida família,

I'll give a run down of the week:

Monday was P-day and we ate lunch with the Petries. I never appreciated peanut-butter and jam sanwiches as much as I did on Monday. The Petries have peanut-butter that their children sent to them and they found some "Great Value" jam in Campina Grande. They also made a ham and cheese sanwiches and a chicken salad sandwich for each of us. I don't remember what we did the rest of P-day, but I know I didn't sleep. It has been a long time since I took a nap. At night we visited Juvenilton and Janina and their 5-year-old daughter Emille(Emily). After we taught them they gave us some grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. Then we went to get our stuff so we could go to João Pessoa again and the Petries came by and gave us a pizza to cook and some cookies to eat while we traveled. We got in the bus at 11:10 and went to João Pessoa.

Tuesday we had a Leadership training with all the zone leaders and district leaders. It went from 7:15 until 1:00 and from 1:45 until 3:00. It is really hard to stay awake during these meetings when you have to travel through the night. I was on the front bench and tried my best to keep my eyes open. After the meeting we went to the mission office to gets some more money to pay the way back. Four of us from Sousa went and I think we had about ten reais in total. We got a bus at 6:00 pm and got home about 2:00 in the morning.

Wednesday we taught a lady named Miriam whose son is a member, but is less-active. She passed 7 years in the Jehovah's Witness, but was never baptized. We marked her baptism for the 26th. We also taught Juvenilton and another family that is really, really good, Edjailton e Karol, they will get married on the 8th of March and be baptized on the 10th. We also taught Ivoneide, the most famous radio host in Sousa.

Thursday we taught a lot, but there wasn't really anything special. We found a lot of people that like to talk. There are quit a few people here that can have a conversation with themselves. They start talking and change the subject a lot, but never stop. Sometimes they even say things that make themselves get mad.

On Friday we walked a lot but most everything fell through. Around 8:30 at night a drunk stopped on his motorcycle and said that he had already talked with missionaries in São Paulo and that he needed religion in his life. He was really wasted and we were worried that he would fall of his motorcycle so we walked home with him. We met his wife/girlfriend, she is a nurse. We need to talk with that guy again when he isn't drunk to see if he really wants something with his life. Friday is also the beginning of Carnaval, so it started to rain at night. Also all the young-men and young-women went on a campout during Carnaval. Lots of the adults went as well supposedley to chaparone, but they really just want to play.

On Saturday it rained like crazy all afternoon and into the night. There was lots of lightning and thunder too that made so the people couldn't stay in the road drinking and listening to really loud music. Lots of the roads turned into rivers and we had water up to our knees in some places. At night we had the baptismal interview for Juvenilton and Janaina. They passed, but Janaina is afraid of her familiy's reaction.

Sunday there were about 25 people at church becuase everyone was camping. All of the district presidency and branch presidency went to the campout and the left the branch abondened. All of the professors also went. We taught both of the classes, gave talks, blessed the sacrament in Sousa branch, and passed the sacrament in Estação branch. Juvenilton and Janaina weren't baptized yet. Juvenilton really wants too, and they both have testimonies, but Janaina is afraid of her family. It rained all day again. They must be suffering on the campout with all this rain. Serves them right.

Gotta go,
Elder Jay




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.


Posted in: | 0 comments | |  

Brazil

Monday, February 13, 2012 by Sora Jay

Querida família,
 
This was a really busy week. The following is the story of my travels:
 
Monday at 11:40 pm we took a bus to João Pessoa and got there at 5:30 am and then we had the zone leader council. The only good things about going to the Zon leader counsel are that you get to see your mission buddies and here all the stories, and you get to eat in President Hall's house. Sister Hall made chicken enchiladas and other mexican food that was really good, and açai.
 
Tuesday at 5:00 pm we took a bus from João Pessoa back to Sousa and Got here at 1:00 am Wednesday, but this time we had boxes full of copies of the Book of Mormon and pamphlets and packages that we took home. At 2:00 am we called the district leaders just to wake them up and yell "BAPTISM!"
 
Wednesday we stayed here in Sousa and visited some people. I don't remember Wednesday very well.
 
Thursday morning we got in a van and went to Pau dos Ferros where they opened a new group and visited some people in a little town of 500 inhabitants. For some reason they are holding the meetings in this little town instead of in the city, but next week they will move to the city. We slept there in the little city, in the house that used to be used as a butcher shop, but now the cleaned it out. It is a lot better that way, no more dead pigs hanging from the cieling:)
 
Friday we got up at 3:30 am to go to the city and take the van back to Sousa. We ate lunch here then we went to Cajazeiras to do some baptismal interviews and an exchange. I stayed in Cajazeirs and Elder Rolim came back to Sousa.
 
Saturday I came back to Sousa and we ended the exchange, ate lunch then we went to Pombal to do another interview. We got back to Sousa and interviewed a family that the sisters are teaching. I interviewed the husband and it was a very good experience, we both felt the spirit very strongly. Finally went to visit our investigators to remind them about church.
 
Sunday morning we went to and Edjailton(future stake president) e Karol's house and the gave us buchada. Buchada is a ram's stomach filled with his intestines and who knows what else. You fill up the stomach, sow it shut and cook it. It was actually pretty good. Then we went to church and the meetings were actually really good this week. The second couselor of the mission came and gave a talk about being positive and Elder Petrie(the couple missionary) talked about temples. After church we went to the baptism of the sister's family, then left do visit. At night we were hungry, it was Sunday so we couldn't buy anything and we were broke anyway so we went to  a member 's hous the mom made some food for us. then we came home and slept.
 
Gotta go
Elder Jay



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.


Posted in: | 0 comments | |  

Brazil

Monday, February 6, 2012 by Sora Jay

Querida família,
 
This week was a little rough, but it ended really well. We have been working hard to help the branch and the district here and bring good people to church, but a lot of the time I feel the members don´t care about the growth of the church. We've suceeded in getting the district president and the branch president on our side, but most of the time I feel like we are working alone to baptize, reactivate and retain. This week in church I got a little frustrated because I want to do more to help, but I can't, it depends on the members. I was also really dissapointed because it has been a while since I baptized and the zone had a horrible month.
 
After church we went to visit one of our investigator families Edjailton e Karol. We had marked to pass by on Tuesday, but we wanted to see what they thought of church this week. They had told us that they wanted a Gospel Principles book, so we took one with us to use it as an excuse to go in. We got there and started talking with them. They told us that they had made the decision to get married and be baptized this month. It was the best thing I have heard this year! After all the work and struggles they finally got an answer and are going to be baptized! They are a great family and will be able to help the Church out a lot. Edjailton will be the first stake president here when the district turns into a stake.
 
Earlier in the week when we passed by there prayed with them to recieve an answer that the Book of Mormon is true. Karol got an answer that same night, but Edjailton wanted something more. We promissed him that he would recieve and answer at church, and he did. I also brought a little cardboard box full of coins that I have been saving for 7 or 8 months. I have about 240 reais. To get married here you have to pay 200 reais. Edjailton worked as a manager in a car dealership, but the owners closed the dealership and he is looking for another job. I offered to pay for their marriage because I thought they might need help. Karol started to cry and they said that they could pay for it. Edjailton will go to the cartório today to get the paper work going and they will be baptized this month. Família eleita!
 
We are teaching a couple other families as well. One of them is Juvenilton and Janaina. They are really inteligent and have been studying about the church on the internet and everything. They have asked some difficult questions, but we have been able to answer all of them and focus on a testimony of the Book of Mormon. The only problem is that Janaina works most Sundays, but I belive that they will be baptized this month as well. They just need to recieve and recognize answers to their prayers.
 
God has blessed us with some great families to teach, and we found all of them knocking on doors and talking with people in the street.
 
Gotta go,
 
Elder Jay brazil



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.


Posted in: | 0 comments | |  

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Blogger Templates by Blog Forum