A Sad/Happy Week

Week of June 20-26, 2016

(20) SEGUNDA (Monday):  Today was amazing. First off, I gave Thiago his scriptures and he LOVED them.  They were beautiful.  I was actually a little jealous.  We ate lunch with Simara and Marcos, played a card game with them.  It was great. 

 

Also, I got a ton of other stuff in the boxes from home.  I noticed I’m now receiving ‘reduced fat’ peanut butter.  Thanks mom, I can take a hint!  (Mom:  I didn’t mean too.  Total mis-buy!)

            After P-day we went to a few contacts we made the other day, and nothing was going right.  So, we went to the house of Vilmar.  He isn’t a member, but his wife, to the which he is not married, is a member that goes every week.  He’s a very cool guy, who has known the church for a very long time.  He’s staring to go with her sometimes to sacrament meeting, which gives us a lot of hope.  Today was day 349 of mission.

(21) TERCA (Tuesday):  Today was a division, I was with the zone leader in his area, and the other zone leader went to my area to do the interview for Mateus and Nathaniel.

            This morning I got a call from a lady in the ward saying that Nathaniel’s mom, who was in the hospital very sick, had died.  I called Nathaniel to give a little comfort and see what we could do, and I didn’t say anything about the baptism, but then he said, “And we marked the interview at 6, right?”  I said, “Yes, but if you need to remark it don’t worry about it.  We’re here to help you.”  He said, “I’m going to busy my mom at 4:30.  At 6 I’ll be home waiting for you guys.”  He lost the only family he has, and still wants to be firm in the church.    The interview ended up falling through because he was with his family, and he remarked it for tomorrow, because he wants to be baptized on Thursday.  Be yea, it’s difficult.  Today was day 350 of my mission.

(22) QUARTA (Wednesday):  The interview went well with Nathaniel.  When we went there he said now he just needs to stay firm in the church.  It’s inspiring to see his faith and how he isn’t letting this trial shake him.

            We me ta lot of new people today.  One was named Carmen, who’s 68 and looks like she’s 45, and her husband is 49 and looks like he’s 70.  But she was very happy to receive us and wants to go to church with us.  Her husband is a punk who just drinks and lives off her money, and she said the only reason she’s still with him is because she doesn’t have the money to hire a moving van.  

            We went to the chapel today to start filling the font, and we discovered the bishop had forgotten to empty it on Sunday.  So, we’ll save a LOT of time tomorrow, and we are now able to plan a normal day and not a full day in the church.  WOOT WOOT!  I’m so excited for the baptism tomorrow.  It’s going to be super spiritual I think for Nathaniel. We’re trying to plan it all so that it all goes very smooth.

            Igor went with us in the night to do visits with us.  So, of course everything fell through.  But he took us to his cousin’s house, who he hasn’t seen in 3 years, and it was a very good lesson.

            Today after we got home, I put on my pajamas to take a picture with the pizza we bought and I stopped for a second looking at myself thinking about how much I’ve changed in the last year, and how much I still have in front of me.  I’m a bit chubbier, and I have glasses, but I also thought about all the progress I’ve made spiritually.  My testimony that I now share daily is one I never imagined I’d have.  I almost surprised myself today when I told Carmen “I know this is the true church of Jesus Christ” with such confidence that I realized I really DO know it’s true.  I don’t know when it changed from “I think” to “I believe” to “I know”.  But I know that I have no doubt about it now.  It took me a year in the mission to realize I have a testimony but I really do.  It isn’t always easy to stand by your testimony of the Book of Mormon when the Jehovah Witnesses are trying to show you every proof that it’s false or to tell someone who’s drank coffee for 80 years they need to stop because it’s against the Word of Wisdom.  But somewhere along the way my fear of doing this kind of thing has melted away, because I know that every thing I teach and stand for is true.  I know that no one can be saved in ignorance, and these people need to know the truth.

            I know the mission isn’t easy and many times a day I’m tempted to think about home, or school, or life before/after the mission, or scuba diving, or driving a car, or hanging out with girls, or sleeping in, or Netflix.  One of the main things I’ve learned on the mission is how to control my thoughts.  One time I had a comp ask me why I ALWAYS whistle hymns.  I said “It’s what I do when my thoughts start to leave the mission field” I know that after the mission I’ll look back and miss the times I’m in right now, so I’m taking advantage of my time as a called representative of Jesus Christ.  I haven’t mastered the skill yet, but I am learning to keep my focus and my thoughts where I want them.  After the mission I’ll have time to do all those things I mentioned (Especially hang out with girls!)  But for now I’m a missionary in Brazil. 

            I didn’t’ really mean for that to turn into a rant about my life…But it’s all good.  I’m doing good.  I’m happy, healthy, and we have 2 baptisms tomorrow.  Life’s great.  Today was day 351 of my mission.

(23) QUINTA (Thursday):  Today Nathaniel and Mateus were baptized!  We went to the church at 10:30 to turn on the water heater, because the water comes out COLD!  At about 2ish we returned to find the cold water still ice cold.  The church didn’t have any gas.  Bishop is out of town, so we couldn’t get a hold of him to call for more.  We went running from one side to the other trying to figure it out.  Finally I was able to call fro someone in Santa Maria who was able to authorize it and we got the heater going, but by then it was 4:00 and didn’t have time for it to heat up.  So, in the kitchen we were boiling water and throwing it in the font, for 2 and half hours, and the water was luke warm for the baptism.

            Everything went well, and a LOT of people came that aren’t members.  We had food after and cake.  Samuel was very nervous to baptize his brother Mateus, and he had to do it 2 times.  One the second, he held him under for about 7 seconds to make sure he went all the way under.  Ha-ha,  It was pretty good.  Then, all the young men and friends that had come changed into shorts and played soccer.

            Today was a very good day.  Any day that has 2 baptisms is a good day.  They’re great young men who I’m hoping and praying go on missions.

            We talked with all of Nathaniel’s family that went and we’re going to mark a family home evening with everyone.  But we’ll wait a little for things to calm down.  Today was day 352 of my mission.

 Nathaniel, Igor, Samuel, Mateus

Igor baptized Nathaniel, and Samuel baptized Mateus

 Elder Jesus Santos, Mateus, Nathaniel, Jake

(24) SEXTA (Friday):  Today had a set of miracles.  First off, the only thing that was in the way of Simara and Marcos getting married was that she needed a new birth certificate, which she has to get from her city of birth.  This city is very far away and she has no contact with the people there.  We’ve been praying a lot for help with this.  Yesterday at lunch with a less active member, she told us about her active brother who lives in this city, and who will come visit in a few weeks.  Today I got his number and we went running to the house of Simara.  We had a very spiritual message, reading a story from the Book of Mormon.  At the end she was very excited.  She told us that she had been loosing hope, and was worried that she would remain for years as a visitor in the church, never really being a part of the family.  She got super excited.  We made goals with her, and starting tomorrow she will smoke only one cigarette per day for the next 4 days.  Then she will never smoke again.  She said that she wants me to be here for her baptism.  I would LOVE to be here, but I have a feeling that I will be transferred in a few weeks.

            The other miracle, which may seem simple, but there was a powerful spirit, was at our little FHE with an inactive woman and her daughter.  We shared the message, then Elder Jesus Santos said to turn on a video I have on my thumb drive of vocal point singing “Nearer my God to Thee.” So, we did, and it’s beautiful.  Both the woman and her daughter started crying.  This woman, who’s 50ish, is the daughter of the stakes 1^st councilor, who’s also in our ward.  (She is also the sister of the man who will get us Simara’s birth certificate).  She said her mom used to always sing this song for them, then for the grandchildren.  She loved this hymn.  4ish years ago she died, and the whole family sang the hymn “Nearer my God to Thee” at the funeral.  She said that was the last time she heard that hymn until now.  I’m hoping she felt the same spirit that I was feeling.  Then we ate and ate and ate.  Way too much food in my stomach right now.

            The other miracle is that I got soap.  Ha-ha, just kidding.  That’s not a miracle, I already had some, but Elder Jesus Santos gave me new soap as a present.  I don’t know if I stink or something, but I accepted the gift.  Today was day 353 of my mission.

(25) SABADO (Saturday):  Today was a big holiday, and the church had a party. T here were a ton of non-members that went. Simara went and took a cake.  And she only smoked one cigarette today.  WOOT WOOT!  The activity was a lot of fun, with a lot of good food and new contacts.  They did an activity where they were in couples dancing, but they had to hold an orange in between their foreheads.  It was so funny, but I had to just sit and watch because I’m with a missionary nametag, which doesn’t let me dance.  Especially with girls.  Especially with an orange on our foreheads. 

But I thought it was awesome.  Then Look at how I was thinking….”Everyone should do it with a dollar in-between their foreheads and whoever stays the longest gets all the dollars. 

            So, this holiday is also the cause of a huge party they do every year at this bar in front of our house.  Very loud music, and it’s terrible, these people do NOT know how to sing.  And I don’t think it will end any time soon.  Today was day 354 of my mission.

(26) DOMINGO (Sunday):  Nathaniel and Matheus were today confirmed!  WOOT WOOT!!  But I’m also feeling down because Nathaniel said that he might be moving to another city to live with his aunt, and this city doesn’t have a church.  I’m praying that he can stay here where he can stay in the church with all his friends.  But I know the Lord knows what’s best, and what’s meant to happen, will.

            Also, remember that miracle about getting the number of the guy for Simara?  Well, it got even better today. T he wife of the bishop and another woman in the ward work with that kind of thing, and on Wednesday they’ll be able to just call the place directly, and get it faxed the same day.  Simara and Marcos are meant to be baptized.  I just hope I’m here to see it.  In my mission so far I’ve had my share of baptisms.  But it isn’t every time that I actually feel like I played a vital role in changing their lives.  Where I was present and active in their conversion.  Simara and Marcos are two I feel like I was blessed to be the instrument used to shape them and push them in the right direction. 

            I’m super happy with this week.  A lot of success, and people are starting to present more referrals to us.  That’s a good sign that the confidence they have in us is growing.  Today was day 355 of my mission.

Times up!! I love you guys!!! Until next week! 

Elder McKee

Jake and Elder Jesus Santos room.  Jake said a past missionary broke the window and he fixed it by putting plastic over it.  

 

 Elder Jesus Santos got a package from mom/dad.  And tried on his 4th of July socks.  

The sign says... " Mrs. McKee Thank you for everythings.  You are the best!! :)

 Enjoying their ice cream cones

2 Weeks of Journals

Week of June 6-12, 2016

(6): SEGUNDA (Monday):  I believe that a Leatherman should be standard issue for all missionaries.  So, it’s cold.  Our water comes from a tank, which is full of very cold water.  Our showerhead is electric and heats the water.  I went to take a shower at the end of  P-day, and the part inside that heats the water is so old that it burned up the terminal.  So, I pulled the showerhead apart, pulled out this part that heats the water, grabbed my Leatherman, and started messing around with the wires.  Long story short, I fixed it enough to get us through one more night of a warm shower.

            We had a lesson with Vilmar today.  We went and talked for a bit, then he asked, “Alright, Elder, what message do you have for me today?”  So, we started teaching the restoration.  We got the end, and Vilmar said, “You still haven’t answered my questions.  What is your message?  This pamphlet on the restoration, and all the others, I’ve listened to a dozen times.  I already know all of this.  I want you to grab this bible, open to a scripture, and share something new that will touch my heart.”  That is a lot of pressure!  But I said a little prayer, grabbed the bible, and sat thinking for about 20 seconds.  Nothing was coming to mind, then I remembered one scripture.  John 17:13.  I had a good feeling, so I opened to it.  I read it for him, and then told him that this scripture explains the WHY.  Why we do what we do.  Why the church is important.  Why we need to follow the commandments. It’s all to come to know God, and his son Jesus Christ.  I felt like the spirit was actually speaking through me.  Vilmar then grabbed a pen, marked the verse, then the page, then set it aside to read again later.  I know that he will be baptized, but I just don’t know when.  Today was day 335 of my mission.

(7) TERCA (Tuesday):  We had a lot of good lessons today. One of the best was with a young girl of 15 years named Emily.  She is the niece of Simara, and was in her house whe we passed by.  I’d already met her before. Her dad, Simara’s brother, is a preacher for another church.  Emily had a lot of questions about prophets, so we answered them all, using the scriptures. She loved it, and accepted baptism just that there is no way her dad would.  Now, Emily is going to sleep over at Simara’s house Saturday to go to church on Sunday without her dad knowing.

            Then, we went to the house of Samuel and Mateus.  I really want to see Mateus baptized, so we shared a spiritual message with him.  At the end, the spirit was there strong, and we invited him to be baptized.  He happily accepted.  Then we invited him to be baptized on the 18.  He thought for a little then said he would think about it and get back to us with an answer.  We then talked about the importance of prayer, and he said he would pray about it. 

            Then we went to a house of a family we found.  There were 4 people and their 20-year-old daughter and her 19-year-old boyfriend who also lives there.  It was a very good lesson; though the old man is crazy. At the end, we went one by one, inviting them all to pray for an answer then be baptized.  When I get to the old man, I invited him to be baptized.  He looked at me, blinked, and then said, “I’ll tell you what, today I was looking through the channels on the TV and I found a movie about a dog."  Then he stopped talking!  His whole family started laughing, and his son-in-law said, “What’s that got to do with anything? We are talking about baptism!”  The old man said, “No, but it shows I’m emotional because I cried the whole movie.  It’s about a dog that looses its owner and can’t find him.  That’s an emotional thing.”  My comp then says, “Oh!  I think I’ve seen that movie.” I said, “You don’t even know which dog movie it is.”  He said, “No, but he described it.  The dog waiting for it’s owner.”    Now I’m getting frustrated because the spirit is leaving, comp isn’t helping, and I want to baptize!  So, I said, “Every dog movie is that.  The dog gets lost, spends the movie looking for his owner, and in the end finds him.”  The old man said, “You’ve seen it, too?”  I said, “They’re all the same movie!”  Then his son-in-law says, “No, it’s true, they really are.”  I wish I could say this conversation was a joke.  Today was day 336 of my mission.

(8) QUARTA (Wednesday):  Today after lunch we get on a bus for 2 and a half hours to go to Palmeiras for an interview, then we had to stay there until 8:45 when the bus left again to return.  But look, usually, the bus stops at a bus stop in front of the church. Every time I’ve used it, it has.  But, I guess this bus doesn’t because he just went flying passed.  So, now it’s 9:00 and we don’t have a ride home.  I wasn’t going to, at any cost, call to tell the zone leaders, because if President knew that I missed ANOTHER bus, he would probably cook me and eat me.  So, we’ll just sleep in the elders house and grab the bus at 6:00am, the next day.  We’ll get home, do our studies, all is normal.  Nothing is wrong.  Today was day 337 of my mission.

(9) QUINTA (Thursday):  The highlight for today was the lesson with Eduardo.  We filled out his baptism record and planned the baptism for next Saturday.  W00T  WOOT!  And the ward planned a dessert contest for after with the whole ward, so there will be a TON of people.

            Another sweet thing today was the lesson with a man named Gerson.  We met him last Saturday, and he showed a lot of interest and wanted to go to church with us.  When we passed on Sunday, nobody answered.  We passed again today.  It turns out he has this thing where every now and then he has something like a seizure, and looses control then his mind gets like reset and during the next week or so he gains everything back..  This happened Saturday night, so he didn’t get up to go with us.  But he showed us his computer and after we had left he had read a bunch of the Book of Mormon. Then looked stuff up on it online.  Luckily he only found Mormon.org.  He had saved a bunch of stuff to his computer and had read a lot of the articles.  He really liked it, and we talked a lot about the Book of Mormon.  He said there’s nothing that will stop him from going to church with us this Sunday.  Today was day 338 of my mission.

(10) SEXTA (Friday):  Today a member, less active that we are visiting, gave us 3 HUGE sacs FULL of oranges.  SOOO many oranges.  And they are so good.  I’m going to make a bunch of juice.

 Oranges and Pizza

            We also met a woman today who is a prophet.  She said my companion is full of the Holy Ghost, and she said our future is full of big blessings, that we will help people.  Ha-ha, I sure hope she is right.

            We learned today that Mateus had NOT stopped drinking coffee like we thought.  He’s progressing a lot, and on the way home I bought Cevada for him.  I’ll take it to him another day.  He is so close!  Then we bought a pizza. Today was day 339 of my mission.

(11) SABADO (Saturday):  Best lesson of the day went like this.  We went to Nathaniel’s house with Igor.  Igor is preparing to go on his mission.  Nathaniel is an investigator with 16 years.  We enter, sit down, and Igor says, “Nathaniel, it’s like this.  Are you going to be baptized or not?”  Nathaniel says, “I will”.  Igor says, “Then Let’s just mark a day, sign the paper, and I’ll baptize you.”  Nathaniel says, “Next week?”  Then I jump in and suggest in 2 weeks, so that he can go to church a few more times.  As we are talking, Nathaniels cousin comes in, followed by 2 young men that always go to seminary, but aren’t members.  We’ve never taught them, so this was the first time.  2 more of Nathaniels friends come in.  So now we have us, Igor, and 6 more people.  We talked about repentance, and you better believe I challenged them all to baptism.  We marked the baptism of Nathaniel for the 25, and then Leonardo, one of the young men who go to seminary said he wanted to be baptized as well.  So we marked a day to go to his house, and marked the 25 for him also.

            Later a member told us about a party the church will be having on the 25, so we thought it would be cool to do the baptism on the 23, during seminary where they have all their friends and then do a dinner after.  It’s going to be good.  Today was day 340 of my mission.

(12) DOMINGO (Sunday):  So today, I had a talk in church on temples.  It went good, but at one point I was talking about how Malena put on the jumpsuit backwards. In Portuguese, the word for jumpsuit is macacao.  The word for pasta is macarrao.  I always switch the two.  Everyone thought it hilarious when I said my sister put on her pasta backwards.  I quickly corrected that error. But the rest of the talk went very, very well. 

            We had a few lessons today, but the highlight was the devotional with Elder Grau of the 70.  His brother is the President of the Sao Paulo MTC.  Nossa Senhora that talk was incredible.

            This week went very, very good.  We are going to pray a lot, and if God is with us we’ll have 4 baptisms in the next 2 weeks.  We’re working very hard for this.  Today was day 341 of my mission.

Week of June 13-19, 2016

(13) SEGUNDA (Monday):  We grabbed a few of the young men today and went to the church to play basketball.  They like to play, and are the first Brazilians I’ve met that don’t like to play soccer.  I DESTROYED THEM!  Remember how before the mission I didn’t really play basketball that much because I wasn’t good? Yea, well, that hasn’t changed.  We played 21, I destroyed.  We played 2x2, I destroyed.  They kept saying, “Yea, but he’s American. He’s imported.”  Ha-ha, at the end they asked if they even compare with the people I sued to play with.  I told them that’s hard to say, because I didn’t’ play.  I didn’t play because I’m really not that good.  Ha-ha, so there’s that.  We also played chess, which I also cleaned up in.  I actually did play chess before the mission.

            So, my whole mission, until now, I’ve eaten this thing called Cookie pie.  It’s SUPER good.  They take like crackers that are sweet, and put a layer of them, then pudding, then cracker, then pudding, etc.  I love it. Yesterday, in a recent converts house, she was dishing it up for us, and I asked her how she makes it.  They wet the crackers before putting them in, this I knew.  But she says, “Oh you just wet the crackers in coffee.”  WHAT!?  She has a year as a member, and MANY times I ate this pie in her house.  AND IT HAS COFFEE!!  I said, “I’m sorry, but I can’t eat this.  I didn’t know it had coffee.”  She says, No, but you can’t even taste it, it’s just to wet the cookie.”  I didn’t eat it.   Today, eating in a restaurant in the which I’ve eaten a lot of this pie also, I grabbed some and take a bite, and remember the coffee.  I know that it’s not everyone who makes it like that, but now I’m afraid to eat any!  But it’s so good, but I won’t eat anymore.

            Eduardo passed his baptism interview.  He is going to be baptized on Saturday!  It’s going to be great!  He’s going to be a great help to the ward and he will stay firm afterwards.

            I also bought a new watch today, which was cool.  When we walked in with our nice clothes they pulled out all the nicest watches.  Hundreds and hundreds of dollars, which I don’t want to spend on a watch that will probably be stolen.

            Today was day 342 of my mission.

(14) TERCA (Tuesday):  Today I got a call at 7:00 AM, that I will leave my district meeting and go directly to Santa Maria to do something with my visa.  I call the zone leaders and tell them they will have to pick up my comp to stay in Cruz Alta.  I’m almost to Santa Maria, and I get another call that on one will be here to pick me up at the bus station, but I will need to grab another bus to go to center, then wait there.  I sat there for a long while and finally comes Elder Manaham and Elder Baker, 2 Americans who are companions, which is rare.  Now us 3 are in a trio for the rest of the day, which is also rare.  I THEN learned I wouldn’t be doing my visa stuff until TOMORROW, which means I will be sleeping here.  I didn’t bring anything.  It’s all-good.  We bought a HUGE pizza.  I slept in the house of the assistants, where these 2 American’s also live with them.  One of the assistants is Elder Wantland, who is also American.  Elder Dios, the only Brazilian of us 5 didn’t want pizza, so we ate it all. YEP.  Today was day 343 of my mission.

(15) QUARTA (Wednesday):  All went well with my visa, and I grabbed a bus and came back to Cruz Alta.  We visited Nathaniel to prepare him for his baptism next Thursday.  He has no problem with the word of wisdom and he is super ready to be baptized, it’s just with his mom in the hospital, his aunt needs to sign the baptism papers, and she doesn’t want to.  But after our lesson, Igor went to his aunt with Nat and explained it all.  We still don’t know what came of it, but I’ll call him tomorrow to ask.

            When we marked the 23^rd with Mateus, he had been nervous and unsure.  He said to mark it, but not tell anyone yet, incase he changes his mind.  This was last week.  The moment we left his house I called bishop, and we started telling everyone.  With my trip to Santa Maria we didn’t get to his house, but tonight I called him.  He is SUPER excited and ready.  We’re going to pass there tomorrow to talk out all the details. 

            Also we went to Gerson, who went to church on Sunday.  We taught him the Plan of Salvation, and he understood very well.  He’s reading the Book of Mormon and searching around on the church’s website.  Really progressing.

            Simara and Marcos are doing great with quitting smoking.  They are dying to be baptized, but they need to be married first.  To do that, they need birth documents that they received in the last 60 days, which they can only get in their place of birth.  Marcos was born in Cruz Alta, so it’s easy.  But Simara was born WAY on the other side of the state, and she’s only got contact with one person there who for 3 weeks now hasn’t replied to anything.  Simara says that she really wants to be baptized to finally be accepted by the members.  When there’s an activity I think she wants the members to invite them and not the missionaries.  We’ll start working more with the members on this to help people feel more accepted.  They’re watching all the church movies I passed them from my pendrive, and they love them.  Simara is inviting her friends who are passing through hard times and is really showing that she is a true convert.  She’s now smoking only 3 cigarettes per day, and on Friday it will be cut down to 2.  Little by little, she’s progressing.

            Today Simara and Marcos told us that until they are baptized they won’t take the sacrament. T hey said they don’t feel good taking it because they are living in sin, not being married and smoking and its purpose is to renew a covenant that they have not yet made.  They said it’s something sacred to be taken after preparation and with thought.  So, they will wait until after their baptisms to take it again.  I thought it incredible how well they understand the purpose of the sacrament, and how much more it will mean to them after baptism.  Today was day 344 of my mission.

(16) QUINTA (Thursday): So, last night at 11:00, Simara called.  She finally told her brother who is super strong in another church, that she will be baptized.  She said he asked for a Book of Mormon, and that he will read it and then he wants to debate with her.  He knows the Bible very well and he believes all sorts of lies about our church; that the Book of Mormon is to take the place of the Bible, that Joseph Smith is our Jesus Christ.  She asked us to pass by to help her prepare.  So, today we passed by real fast, and told her to just bare testimony.  He knows the scriptures better then her and us.  She just needs to bear testimony.  We left her a Book of Mormon to give him.

            Also, the aunt of Nathaniel will let him be baptized.  Igor went over and spoke with her.  He’ll be baptized on the 23^rd, together with Mateus.  Leonardo, we are still trying our best, and we will pass by again tomorrow to see if he can meet with us.  Today was day 345 of my mission.

(17) SEXTA (Friday):  The week is going very slow, but today went well. W e did the baptism record with Nathaniel, and his aunt signed it.  Nathaniel asked how many people he can invite to the baptism, and I replied “All of them.”  We also did a dinner with Mateus and his family.  He had a complete attitude change.  He’s now ready and excited for the baptism.  We grabbed him and Samuel, his brother who will baptize him, and practiced a few times.

            We also have the baptism of Eduardo tomorrow!  Woot Woot.  I am so excited!  He’s going to be a great man in the church.  Today I was calling people to plan all the talks and prayers.  It will be a super good day.  A slow day for numbers, but we will have a baptism so it’s all-good.

            Today Leonard fell through again, so he won’t be baptized on the 23^rd with Mateus and Nathaniel, unfortunately.  But he will be.  God put these young men in my path, and I’ll see them all baptized.

            We also need to hunt down some jumpsuits for the baptisms.  They always seem to disappear, but only in the hour that we need them.  Today was day 346 of my mission.

(18) SABADO (Saturday):  BAPTISM!  Eduardo was baptized, and it was SUPER good.  There’s a man in the ward, who is a member for about 30 years.  He’s a pioneer in Cruz Alta.  He has 3 daughters.  One, the oldest, married a non member who had no interest for years until one day about 5 years ago he decided to be baptized.  He’s now 1^st counselor to bishop.  This is a son-in-law of this older man.  Today, Eduardo, who is the other son-in-law of this man, was baptized by the other.  We took an awesome picture of the 3 of them.  Eduardo’s known the church for years and years.  I don’t know if it’s because of the birth of Melissa, his first daughter, but now he decided to be baptized.  He’s already an active member, he just lacked the baptism.  But it was a great baptism service.

Eduardo and his Brother in law, who baptized him.

 Eduardo, Father in law, and brother in law

 Eduardo's family and friends who came to baptism.

Ward dessert party after the baptism.

            So, on Thursday we were knocking doors, because all our plans fell through.  We met a girl who looked like she was about 17-18 named Estair.  She was home alone, so we didn’t go in, but we marked to pass by at 7:00 yesterday.  Yesterday we got caught up at the house of Mateus, and her house is WAY on the other side, so we didn’t end up being able to pass.  Which happens.  We went there today, and she wasn’t home, but her dad, Carlos came out.  He said, “Oh, Estair said you guys would come yesterday.  She was here waiting for you guys with us.”  WHAT!! Almost a year in my mission, and this is the first time a door contact who marked another day actually waiting for us to come and it’s on the day we weren’t able to go!  Carlos marked for Wednesday, which is when everyone will be home.  He was way cool about it all, but said Estair and been way interested and wanting to talk to us.  And she speaks English.  Hopefully we can bring the whole family to church.

            I just had to have Elder Jesus Santos stand on my back, and I think all of the cracking scared him.  It sounded like a firecracker, and all the pain I’d been having for the past weeks went away.  I still crack my neck every day.  After the mission, I’m going to do the following things:

            1) Go to the temple

            2) Go to the chiropractor

            3) Get a massage

            4) Sleep a few days.

After those 4 things, I don’t really have a plan yet.

Today was day 347 of my mission.

(19) DOMINGO (Sunday):  Eduardo was confirmed a member of the church and received the gift of the Holy Ghost today, and also the Aaronic Priesthood.  Woot Woot!  That’s what I’m talking about. 

            Today a whole ton of people went to church. Almost double the amount as last week.  All in all, this week went super well.  It’s always good to end a week with a baptism.  It was a slow week for finding new people, but we found some good people to go back to.  I’m super excited about the progress this area is making and our investigators, too.  Today was day 348 of my mission.
I love you.  Send hugs to everyone.  Love, Elder McKee
District Meeting