Week of July 4th-10, 2016
(4) SEGUNDA (Monday): Normal P-day, except today I made
cookies! The same recipe as mom. They came out fat, and a totally different
taste, but they were good. Elder Jesus
Santos loved them.
So, listen
to this story. We went to the house of
Nayara, who is a 16 year old girl we met.
We worked today to go met with her and her family. She had cousins and her grandpa over, so of
course we talked to them all. The
grandpa was already a member! Just
inactive for years. Her uncle, Luciano,
was a super cool guy who had already studied a little of the Book of
Mormon. They had a lot of questions for
us. Principally about the Book of
Mormon. We answered them all, and it was
a great lesson. We explained a lot about
the church and how it works. They asked
about tithing and offerings. But here’s
the craziest part? After these 3
separate families planned a family night, for Sunday, and told us to come for
Churrasco. I had mentioned that I had
made apple pies before the mission, when they asked me about apple pies. I meant I had made 2 or 3! But this Luciano said, “Come at 6, and you’ll
make us an apple pie!” Ha-ha, until them
it’s all good. Then he said, “I’ve
worked as a baker for 25 years. I always
made desserts, but I want to try an American Apple Pie.” Now the pressure is on! I came home and made the crust. Tomorrow morning I’ll make the filling to
practice. Ha-ha. But it’s cool. They liked our message and asked a lot of
questions and wanted more. It should be
good Sunday. If it comes out good, maybe
I’ll try and schedule a FHE with the ward and investigators and make apple pie
and cookies. That would be awesome.
I’m super
happy with today. I'm hoping those
people will understand our purpose and not just think we are 2 cool young men
to hang out with. Today was day 363 of
my mission.
(5) TERCA (Tuesday): Today we had dinner with Simara, which was
good. They went to see the things on the
marriage and now it’s just waiting 4 days to see if the birth certificate will
be sent or not. I also asked Simara if
she’s going to go to church this week. I
said, “I know you’re not a member, but Simara, You’re turning less
active.” She thought that was funny.
I also
tried a practice apple pie. The filling
was good, but the crust came out crumbly.
That won’t do. So, I’ll have to
try again. Elder Jesus Santos likes all
my practicing. Today was day 364 of my
mission.
(6) QUARTA (Wednesday): Sadly, our churrasco family night fell
though. But, we got churrasco at
lunch. So, all is well. I don’t really have anything to report. Today was day 365 of my mission.
(7) QUINTA
(Thursday): Today we were in the
church all day for the conference.
President and Sister Louza are amazing!
They are so cool and so excited to work with us.
Also,
Marcos went to institute! He has the age
to go for one more year, and he went and liked it a lot.
I took a
lot of notes in the conference, all in the other notebook. The transfers came today, and we both will
stay for one more transfer at least together.
So, I think I’ll be able to see Simara and Marcos baptized! Today was day 366 of my mission.
(8) SEXTA (Friday): ONE YEAR IN THE MISSION!! That is CRAZY!! One whole year of being a missionary, and a
year to go. In the last year I learned
Portuguese, read the Book of Mormon in English and Portuguese numerous times,
read Jesus the Christ in English and now half way in Portuguese, walked I don’t
even know how many miles, destroyed one pair of shoes, torn and sewn all of my
pants, made a lot of new friends, written 2 books in journal entries, used 13
pens, seen miracles, had 2 Presidents now, turned down many marriage proposals. I came to know my Savior and His gospel. I’m still starting to understand His
atonement and the sacrifice that he made for us. It’s amazing to me, looking back now, how far
I’ve come. Every time I start to think I
understand I find a new scripture that starts a new line of questions. I know that He lives and that He loves and
knows me. I know that one day I’ll be
presented before my Heavenly Father, I imagine with Christ at my side with his
arm around my shoulder. My biggest fear
is that now in this life I’ll do something to not be worthy to pass into His
kingdom together with my family. I came
to know real sadness when someone you know has divine potential does as Esau
and sells their birthright for a bowl of pottage, choosing not to be baptized
because they don’t want to leave the alcohol, or the parties. I get so frustrated sometimes because these
people who say they have faith understand NOTHING of their Savior. Especially if they come to the knowledge of
His gospel and afterwards RETURN to their old lives. Just as Lots’ wife, they’re looking back
without understand what the Lord is putting in front of them. God promises eternal life, eternal happiness,
and exaltation and we sometimes trade that for the world’s pathetic promise of
popularity, money, or pleasure. I think
that trade is worse than the trade Esau made in Genesis 25:29-36 because at
least Esau was dying of hunger. They
have beer cans on the table cigarette butts on the ground, and the sign, “Jesus
is my shepherd” on the wall. The weak
that want an easy solution. T hey don’t’ understand the atonement. I’ve met too
many of these kid of people in the last year.
But, I’ve also brought some of them to see the error of their ways and
come unto Christ. That was when I came
to know real happiness.
A lot
happened this last year, with a lot more I’m sure this next year to come. My first year wasn’t perfect, but I gave my
best and I know that God accepted my work.
Today I had
a baptism interview in Palmeiros, Which is 2 hours away. We left at 2:20, and got back at 11:00 at night. There aren’t too many busses. One of the interviews was with a 10-year-old
girl named Elana. I will never forget
that interview. It was super cool
because at the end I asked if she had any questions. She said, No, and then I waited a little, and
she said, “Actually, yes. A lot of
people say that God doesn’t exist. That
nobody has ever seen him. Does God
exist?” It was such a simple, yet
sincere question. She was actually
confused and wanted to know. So, I was
then able to explain that, yes, He exists, and that He knows her and loves
her. That she is His daughter. Elana got a huge smile on her face. Then we talked about prayer. I told her about how I was far from my
family. I talked a little about them to
her. Then I asked her, “How do you think
they would feel if one week I decided not to write to them?” She said, “Very sad.” Then I explained that it’s the same with
God. He’s our father and wants us to
talk to him, and becomes sad when we decide not to pray. Then I asked her to say the prayer. Here’s what she said, “Dad, my Heavenly
Father, I’m here with one more prayer. I
know I don’t always pray, but from now on I will. Amen.”
It really
was so good to interview her and her mom.
That was the only thing I did today but I sat thinking about her simple
question, and how trusting she was in my answer.
After I
bought a pizza to commemorate one year in the mission, then we ran to catch our
bus home. Today was day 367 of my
mission.
(Family celebrated, too!)
(9) SABADO
(Saturday): I just made ANOTHER
apple pie, and by the taste of the dough, filling, and the smell, I FINALLY got
it right. It’s still cooking, now, but
wow, it is good.
Today went
very well. We went to Maiara’s house,
who’s 14. She’s very good and accepted
to be baptized on the 30th, but where she’s younger it might have to
wait a little more. We’ll see. Her parents had to leave in the middle of the
lesson, but her uncle was in the house too, so we finished the lesson with
Maiara. At the end, Elder Jesus Santos
went to use the bathroom and I explained again how she should pray for an
answer. I showed her Galatas 5:22 and
when I opened to the scripture she came over and got REAL close to read the
scripture. I already took a step back,
still explaining, then Elder Jesus Santos came back and she said, “Can I ask
you guys something?” We said sure, and
then she said, “Did you have girlfriends before the mission?” Ha-ha, she was looking directly at me, and
then she seemed to notice and turned to Jesus.
He answered, then me. I said,
“Yes!” She asked if she was waiting for
me, and I said, “I don’t really know.
Missionaries don’t date nor flirt in the mission.” And I said it in a way to cut the topic, and
I was already shaking her hand and walking out the door. After, Jesus Santos said, “I got scared that
she was going to ask you out!”
The rest of
today was full of good lessons as well.
And Marcos called me, asking if I had a tie I could lend him tomorrow
for church! WOOT WOOT!! This is the man who said that he would never
go in a shirt and tie. They’ll go Monday
to see everything with the marriage. It’ll
be good. Today was day 368 of my
mission.
(10) DOMINGO (Sunday): Simara and Marcos went to church
together! A lot of good things happened today. I’ll just tell you about the churrasco and
apple pies. I think an angel descended
from heaven and touched my 2 pies with his finger, because they came out SO
good. WOOT WOOT! We created a huge friendship with everyone,
especially Luciano who is the manager of Wal-Mart here. It was a very good FHE! So, he's the Walmart manager, and Walmart took all the managers to the USA for a training, then showed them a bunch of the sites. He went to a baseball game, some big league. and HE CAUGHT A BALL!!! But where he doesn't understand a word of English, he didnt know why everyone was cheering, and he GAVE THE BALL BACK!! hahahahaha He said that is his biggest regret in life. So will you send me a few baseballs, because they are impossible to find in Brazil. But yea, he´s a way cool guy and he´s going to go to church next Sunday with us, with his son named Filipe who´s nine and I used his help to make the pie so we´re good friends. 
Felipe and Jake
Churrasco
We also
found another family. We went to teach
someone with whom we had done a street contact.
When we got there, there was a TON of people, all family. One of them was a young man named Joao Pedro,
who has been going to seminary for a long while. He immediately invited us in. So we sat talking with the whole family. A few were Christian, some didn’t believe in
anything, others in black magic. That
was an interesting lesson, because I’d make a question, and receive a wide
variety of answers.
This
week went very well, and we found a lot of new investigators with a lot of
interest. Today was day 369 of my
mission.
Love you all, Elder McKee
Extra pictures from Pamela from Facebook:
Elder Jesus Santos and Jake playing with playdoe
Extra pictures from Pamela from Facebook:
Elder Jesus Santos and Jake playing with playdoe
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