Week of July 18-24, 2016
(18) SEGUNDA
(Monday): Today was P-day normal,
then a FHE with some members, less actives, and Simara and Marcos. We made mini pizzas, which were great, then
apple pies, which were also good. There
was a good message, and Simara met some women from the ward, which was super
good.
Also! Simara’s birth certificate came! They’ll go tomorrow to get it and grab
Marcos’ also, then they’ll get married and everyone is happy.
I also
bought new shoes today because mine were SPENT!
Then I printed a photo of the temple that I will give to Simara and
Marcos. Today was day 377 of my mission.
(19) TERCA (Tuesday): SIMARA GOT HER BIRTH CERTIFICATE! WOOT WOOT!!
On Friday they’ll be able to get Marcos’ then it’s just do the marriage
stuff, wait some 20ish days, and then they’ll be baptized.
Except for
she smoked 3 cigarettes yesterday. We
had to redo the goals, but she has a lot of desire to stop smoking. It’s just that she seems to lack the self-confidence
to stop. It’s frustrating and hard for
me to understand, but we’re helping her.
Yesterday I printed a very pretty picture of the temple for them that I
forgot to take, but I think it will help.
We found an
old lady, who showed no interest, but told us to pass by her daughter’s house. We went.
She couldn’t meet with us at the moment so we marked another day. We asked for a referral, and she sent us to
another neighbor, who also marked another day, and gave us another neighbor as
a referral. This neighbor didn’t want
anything but when we asked for yet another referral, she sent us to another
house. With whom we marked another visit.
Ha-ha, it was super funny and awesome.
We also
taught Irson, Luciano and their 11 year old daughter Tiane, the restoration.
They had A LOT of questions, about everything.
A few times, Elder Jesus Santos just stopped talking and looked at
me. And I don’t know how, because I’m
really not that smart, but I was able to answer their harder, more unique
questions. For example…. “Why did God
only give us the records of the Jews (in the bible) and the Americas (in the Book of Mormon) when there were many
other civilizations?” or, “Christ gave
the example in everything, including baptism.
Why doesn’t the bible speak of him being married, if everyone says it’s
so important?” I could feel the spirit
using me as a mouthpiece as we worked to explain the answers with out exposing
more confusing profound doctrine. Today
was good day and I’m happy with today’s lessons.
(20) QUARTA
(Wednesday): Today I got a big old
butter splash on the front of my big nice coat frying eggs for breakfast. Our kitchen and laundry room don’t have
water, so I had to fill a bucket with water in the bathroom and I’ll just leave
it soaking until we figure out why we don’t have water.
THEN! I found a Jehovah Witness bible in our house,
and I went studying it a little and found where it proves that Jehovah is Jesus
Christ! In their own bible! They believe that Jehovah is God, which isn’t
true.
The rest of
today also went well. But it was SUPER
cold, and remember I didn’t have my big coat.
But I was still all right. I’m
used to a lot colder. Today was day 379
of my mission.
(21) QUINTA
(Thursday): Today I went full ninja
mode, breaking into the neighbor’s apartment through the window. Complete
mission impossible. So, what happened is
as follows. In our apartment complex
there are 6 apartments, 2 on each floor.
The people who live in the apartment moved, so the apartment next to
ours, on the same floor is empty. When
they left, they turned off the water to their kitchen and washing room to take
the sink and washing machine. Only that
this also turned off our water in our kitchen and washing room. We stayed for a day and a half waiting to see
if it would be turned back on. Nothing! So, we saw that they had left the window
open, the window that goes to the stairs of the building. So, I jumped up, grabbed it, opened it a bit
more, and went in. Then I had to buy some plugs and go back to tape the holes
in the wall. But yea, that adventure was
exciting.
I think
it’s so cool when, in the lesson, the person is talking to you about their life
or their family, and then the exact scripture you know will help that person
comes to mind and when you share it you can tell that it was what they
needed. That’s when I feel like I’m
really teaching by the spirit.
Here’s one
of my favorite lines in a contact today.
The woman said, “no my child, I’m not interested. You’d be loosing your time on me. You need to search for those who want the
work of God in their lives.” And
another, “ Stay with Jesus and I’ll stay with him too.” Then he shut the door. It makes me wonder how many of these people
are searching for the truth, but because of rumors and lies, don’t let us
Mormons in. Today was day 380 of my
mission.
(22) SEXTA (Friday): Today we taught a young man named
Alison. He has 15 years, and is SUPER
Good. He’s only goes to seminary until
now, but he wants to go with us to church on Sunday. We taught him about the restoration, and he
really liked the message and he’s already read until 1 Nephi 5.
Eduardo,
the man we baptized a few weeks ago hasn’t stopped drinking coffee. Which made me super sad, but we’re praying a
lot for him.
My arms and
legs are sore today because yesterday an old member asked if we could help pick
her tangerines. I spent an hour and a
little in the tree, going all over the place to pick them all. But it was good, because we got a bunch of
delicious tangerines. Today was day 381
of my mission.
(23) SABADO (Saturday): This morning I grabbed a jar, filled it with
dirt, then planted some carrot seeds I bought in it. I’ll water it every day and take it with me
when I’m transferred. I also planted a
little farm of carrots outside, in rows and everything. When they grow, I’ll send pictures.
I also gave
the photo of the temple to Simara and Marcos, and they loved it. After, we had a lesson with Geovana. I don’t remember if I’ve already written
about her, but she has 14 years, her dad is an inactive returning. She wants super bad to be baptized. She wants to go to the temple with the rest
of the youth on the 18 of August, so she said she wants us to teach her
everything so she can be baptized on the 13th. We also have Gabriel, a young man we are
teaching who we want to baptize on the 6th if we can, but we still
have to talk with him. Today was day 382
of my mission.
(24) DOMINGO
(Sunday): Today was Great! We had a ton of investigators in church, a
few of which were new friends that the young men had brought. Simara didn’t go
because her daughter was coming to visit.
But from what Thiago is telling us I think she’s lying about her
progress with the cigarettes. I get
super sad and scared that I won’t be able to see her baptism, or that she won’t
even be baptized, because of these stupid cigarettes. If I could rid the world of any 2 things it
would be cigarettes and alcohol. These are the biggest traps Satan uses to lure
people from the Celestial Kingdom and I’m tired of them. I see people drinking or smoking and I feel
deep sadness and also anger.
This week
we had a lot of success, and a whole lot of progress. Geovana took her cousin with her to church
for the second time, whose name is Stefany.
Geovana is marked for baptism on the 13th of August and we want
to baptize Stefany on that same day, too.
But we’ll have to mark with her, too, because until now she’s only
received one lesson. AHHH, but I’m so
excited about them!
We also
have Gabriel who’s close, it’s just mark a date with him and baptize. Simara and Marcos who will marry, and
hopefully she can stop smoking. Alison,
whose a new investigator that went to church today with us and is super
good. There are a few others, too, but
these are our focus for now. Today was
day 383 of my mission.
Pieces of his Email
to Mom and Dad:
Look at what just came out in our weekly newsletter!!
BRAZILIAN FATHER'S DAY - SUNDAY, AUGUST 14 - MISSIONARIES HAVE
TO 30 MINUTES EACH TO SPEAK WITH HER/HIS FATHER AND FAMILY.
Yea!
Yes, I’m too far away to feel the effects of the Olympics. The torch passed through Cruz Alta here, but we couldn’t go see it. But yea it´ll be interesting. People always talk about the state of the government and stuff in brazil, and especially in Rio, and let me tell you I’m happy to be an American.
All is well. I’m happy. :) Love you guys!! Elder McKee
Cooking apple pies and mini pizzas over at Pamela's families house.
Jake is on the last row, 2nd in from the right.
3rd in from the right