Day of Service

Week of September 5-11^th, 2016

(5) SEGUNDA (Monday):  I really do have the best friends and family ever.  Today I had a ton of emails to help me out and make me laugh. Everyone helps me so much, especially mom. J

            I made 2 apple pies today, which were good, but the crust came out weird.  I also traded some dollars for a new watch, a really nice watch that I’ll only use on Sundays and in meetings.  We ate apple pie, watched 17 miracles, while playing a card game.  Then we left to walk a ton to go to a meeting with the ward mission leader to return and that was our day.

            In my personal study I study the Book of Mormon in Spanish, with a little dictionary.  It’s super cool.

            To be honest, Things are pretty hard for me right now.  There is NOTHING here as far as investigators.  But, today we got some good referrals to go to, families, and I have high hopes for them.  I had some time today and I sat thinking.  One thing that I felt I was beginning to lack was the quality of my prayers.  I made some plans and goals to improve my proximity to God through my prayers.  From that, I know that everything else will improve.  One of my biggest desires is to have the surety of testimony I see that other missionaries have. Where they speak and you feel the spirit testifying.  I realized that to have that spirit more in my testimony, I need that spirit more in my life and it come through prayers and study.

            I am happy to be there and to be a missionary.  I’m happy to have this new challenge.  Sometimes Elder Marcelino says, “Elder McKee, I’m sorry about the state of our area.  It must be hard for you to watch others baptizing the people you taught.”  But I tell him really it isn’t a big deal. We’ll just work hard to get other people in the church. 

            But I need the prayers of everyone!  Today was day 425 of my mission.

(6) TERCA (Tuesday):  I spent all day sneezing so hard tears were coming out of my eyes.  My companion passed me the cold he had.  After lunch we returned home because I was in no condition to teach.  I drank 3 cups of tea with honey and took some medicine.  Then we left to work because I refuse to sit in the house all day.

            At the house of one of our investigators, we found an inactive woman who lives in my old area.  I know her and her family well.  Our investigator is her sister.  That was cool.

            One cool thing today…a few days ago I read a talk “ What do I lack” or something like that in English. A rich Jovem (youth) who asked Christ what more he could do.  The answer wasn’t simple, ‘see everything he had’.  I began to think about the courage it takes to ask the lord that question, what else do I lack. Today in my prayer, I made this question. Before I asked, I began to think of all my faults and imperfections and things I do wrong that He could answer to me.  I asked anyways, and a thought I hadn’t even thought about came to my mind.  “Smile More”.  Everything that I lack, and the Lord gave me the council to smile.  I’ve been working hard, but forgetting to do so with Joy.  That is the point the Lord told me to improve in.  

Today was day 426 of my mission.

(7)QUARTA (Wednesday): Today was great! There’s this thing in the Church called “Maos Que Ajudam” or Hands that Help.  They do a bunch of service projects. Today was a holiday in all of Brazil, and we here in Cruz Alta did two service projects, and our pictures came out on the facebook page for all of Brazil to see!

            The first was that we went in the morning to paint a school.  I was painting a wall when someone said “Someone here knows how to use a brush?”  At least I thought he said brush.  What he really said paintgun.  I said “I know” and he handed me the gun and told me to paint the doors, haha.  I said that I know how with such confidence that he wanted to watch me set it up to learn.  I’VE NEVER USED ONE OF THESE IN MY LIFE!” So I said, “just let me see how much I have to thin this type of paint for the gun” and I pulled out the manual , read it all quickly, looking at the pictures and then just went for it.  HaHa, all came out very well and now everyone thinks I’m a professional painters.

 Elder Levita must have borrowed Jake's shirt.

            The next is we went to an old people place where a ton of oldies live.  We sang hymns, played guitar,  Elder Levita and I cut their hair and the sisters did women’s nails.  It was these pictures that got on the page.  The olds loved it.  HaHa, super cool.  We talked about the church and their families, which was interesting because it was a catholic retirement home and we were surrounded by saints and stuff.  One woman was blind but knew all the catholic hymns which we have a lot in our book so 3 of us sat with her singing very loud.  It was so much fun.  

After my comp and I and the 2 other Elders in our house were super hungry and it was too late for it to be worth it to walk to our area which takes about an hour, teach someone, and come back.  So we went home, ordered a huge hamburger and closed the day.

            Today was day 427 of my mission.

(8) QUINTA (Thursday): Today everything went so well, except for I got stabbed, in the thumb, with a metal spike thing, and I did it to myself.  I was adjusting Marcelinos watch trying to take out the pin.  I didn’t see that the pin was fixed and doesn’t come out.  I was pushing super hard and the spike slipped, passing through the pad of my thumb and then entering my pointer finger, that hurt!

            A member had given us a referral and today we went to talk to her.  It’s a family, mom, dad, 10 year od son and 5 year old daughter.  It was a super good lesson and they practically live next to the church so they will go this Sunday. 

            I made a very good trade with Elder Rapuzzi.  I traded my watch which actually is a nice watch, and a perfume that I don’t like very much for a coat.  A super warm coat which I’ve been wanting for a ling time.

            Today we worked hard and today was very good.  Today was day 428 of my mission.

(9) SEXTA (Friday): All of the whole mission went to Santa Maria today.  Neil L Anderson will come tomorrow to give us a training.  Everyone is super excited.  I realized just how old I am in the mission because I knew very few people.  It seems like everyone is new and just getting started.  A lot of missionaries that I’ve never seen nor even heard of came up to me and “Elder McKee how’s it going?” Like we’ve been BFFs for years.  Andressa came to the chapel to visit me and to take a picture.  It was cool.

 
Jake looking like he needs some sleep, and Elder Santos Melo.
 

            I’m excited for tomorrow.  I’ve been praying for the last 2 weeks for answers and to be prepared for when he comes. 

            Today was day 429 of my mission.

(10) Sabado (Saturday): I received every answer I was looking for.  Sometimes Elder Anderson would speak Portuguese and other times English with his translator.  Elder Costa from the area presidency was also there. We were able to shake their hands.  I felt a very strong good feeling as he seemed to answer each of my doubts and each of my questions.  Today was day 430 of my mission.

Sister and Elder Anderson, President and Sister Louza, and ____________.

Picture of Elder Anderson with missionaries and the youth.

(11) Domingo (Sunday): Lunch today was a huge churrasco WOOT WOOT!  A young man who is the only active member in his family brought his mom and sister to church today.  He was so excited and happy.  We marked a day to go and speak with them in their house.

            The family of Giovanna also came to visit me. HaHa.  This week was difficult but its getting better, I’m ready to work and we are making some serious progress.

            Today was day 431 of my mission.

I love you all!

Elder McKee