Rain, Rain, Go Away!

SEGUNDA (Monday):  man I love P-day.  Today was great!  2 packages in the mail!!  THANK YOU!!  I also today bought Christmas presents for you guys and mailed them.  It was a really fast thing, so I didn’t have time to write letters.  I’ll send those later.  It’s about the same price to send you guy’s stuff as it is for you to send me stuff.  So that’s cool.  Also, thanks for the making postcards.  Good idea.  You guys sure are good at good ideas.             

            So, after p-day, we were going to leave the house and at the gate Elder Santos Melo picked a white rose off a tree, smelled it, and said in English, “For You.”  I jumped through the gate and he started laughing.  No idea where that came from,  but his English was good.

            With Albertinha, we are preparing her for the baptism this Saturday!  Her interview is on Quarta feira.  YEA!!!  Man, I am so excited.  And in the lesson, her two daughters, who are older with kids, were there, like always.  They’re an awesome family, but the daughters aren’t married, so they can’t be baptized yet.  But Santos Melo just said to Albertinha, almost in a teasing way, “But you’re just the first baptism in the family. The rest will follow.”  And then both the daughters started nodding!  They really have a desire to be baptized.  Man, it’s awesome.  Albertinha went to General Conference, and she said that Elder Nelson made her cry.  I really wish I could watch all the talks in English, but my house doesn’t have a DVD player with a pen-drive slot.  But we should be getting one next p-day.  I have all the talks on my pen-drive, just so I’m ready.

            Also, Carlinhos, the inactive who is returning to church and quitting smoking so he can baptize his daughter went to General Conference with his family, and fasted for strength.  YES!

            Then, to cap off this awesome day, we went to the house of Elindro for churrasco!  Elindro is an investigator of much time, because he’s living with one girl (they are flippen adorable together) and he is waiting for separation papers because he is married legally to a different women, then he will get marriage papers for this woman and be baptized.  His girlfriend now is already a member.  But he is always at church, activities, helping.  He’s just waiting on the Brazilian government.  Today at dinner we talked about temples a little and Santos Melo explained how the keys of the priesthood work.  Elindro said, “Not much time and I’ll understand how the temple recommend process works, and I’ll have those keys.”  Ha-ha. He is awesome.  He asked a question one time, and Santos Melo said, “The book of Abraham answers that.”  And Elindro said, “OK”.  Next time we passed by, he had read the book of Abraham.  We really treat him like a recent convert, passing about once a week with a message and answering questions he has.  Today is day 90 in my mission.

TERCA (Tuesday):  13 Samanas na missao. (13 of the same in mission) 13/104.  That’s 12.5%.  Today was really good. Also I need new batteries for my head lamp.  We had a zone meeting today, and they asked me to share with everyone a cool experience from the mission.  So I shared about how about a month ago we were walking, looking for the house of a contact we had made in the street.  We couldn’t find the house, but we saw a woman sitting just in front of her house, so we asked her, “Oi! Do you know where Mateus’s house is?”  She said, “Oh yea!  About 5 houses that way.”  “Thank you very much, nina.  We’re missionaries.  We have this message.  Can we pass by some other time and share it with you?”  (That was very abbreviated; we had a little more explanation).  “Oh yes, come again.”  So we did.  Had a good lesson, then after went to the house of Mateus.  After the first lesson, Mateus wanted nothing more to do with us.  But the woman that just happened to be outside at that time, as were struggling to find a house that is very easy to find, was Albertinha, who has her baptismal interview tomorrow.  Her two daughters, who I have certainty will be baptized, one day soon, they just need marriage.  The ‘husband’ of one of them has quit coffee, and him and Denise (his ‘wife’) talked about decided they will start going to church with Albertinha every week.  They have 2 kids, one of which told me that he’s wanted a church to go to (he is 6 year old).  Today in the lesson with Albertinha, we taught her the last thing she needed to learn, which was  “Obra Missionaria”, how members are missionaries too.  I explained that her baptism will set a huge example for her family, and she will be a key part in the missionary work to bring the rest of her family closer to Christ.  And I have no doubts that they will.  Also, in the lesson we talked a little about how we will one day leave, and how important it is to be firm in testimony and the church.  We both promised to write letters and to return to visit her.  She started crying.  Then, Santos Melo said, “One thing very interesting, we hold the authority to baptize, as you know, and so, if it is ok with you, Elder McKee will be the one to baptize you”.  Then she started crying again, with a huge smile, and said, “Yes, of course.”  Ha-ha.  From the first visit she said she thought I could be her son, and that now she actually see’s me as her son.  I actually started to tear up!

            Another thing that has happened because of Albertinha is Sandra and Carlinhos returning to active members.  My 2^nd or 3^rd day in the mission, we did a Noite Familiar at the house of Sandra 3 Carlinhos.  I just found out today that that was the 3^rd time Santos Melo had visited them, and that for years before us they have been visited as less actives, then inactive, by the missionaries.  Carlinhos smoked a lot.  Now, he has quit, they’re returned to church, and he will baptize his daughter next Saturday.  I’ve mentioned before that they are friends with Albertinha.  So, they helped get Albertinha to church, which also brought them to church.  YES!!  Tonight, we had a Noite Familiar at the house of Sandra 3 Carlinhos, with Albertinha, her daughter Denise, and Maricio, husband of Denise.  We talked about conference, because some of them had gone, then totally ditched our original plan of teaching about prayer and watched expressions of Love, a Mormon message.  Then talked about the importance of women, and then about families being sealed for eternity in the temple.  It was VERY spiritual.  Albertinha’s husband died some years ago, so I think that part is very special for her.  Everyone was crying.  Then after, we had the best chocolate cake of my life.  No idea what they did to it.

So, summed up, here’s the story:

1)   One day, we got lost

2)   We asked a random lady for directions

3)   We taught said random lady, set up a date to return

4)   Taught all the lessons, slowly including her family

5)   Needed help getting her to church, involved her friends, who are inactive

6)   Family of Albertinha slowly started going to church too

7)   Inactive friends now active again and progressing

8)   Albertinha will be baptized on Saturday

9)   Her family will follow soon there after

All I can say is I’m grateful for Mateus, because even though right now he isn’t prepared for these things, he indirectly led us to those who are.  I think I already mentioned, but Bishop said for years they’ve been trying to get Carlinhos and Sandra back, because they are a huge family.  11 kids, but no progression at all.  Then in a month, almost 2, we got him to quit smoking, and on track to baptize his daughter, and they are coming to church again.  I gave Carlinhos one of my short sleeve white shirts so he’d have something nice to wear.  But I take no credit for their progression other then being the tool yielded by the Lord, and I find immense joy in this privilege.  Today is day 91 of my mission.

QUARTA (Wednesday):  Rain Rain, go away!  Come again another day.  But today was good anyway.  Great, actually.  We did another divisor so that the zone leader could come here and do the baptism interview for Albertinha.  Which went great!  And after, we practiced how the baptism would go.  AHH, I’m so excited!!

            Lesson with Irma Edi, and she grabbed her two bibles from her room to show us how much she studies them. They were huge.  She put one on my lap, one on the lap of Elder Garcia, and then I made the mistake of opening the cover.  Bugs went crawling in every direction from the spine of the book.

            Another cool thing I learned today, that will help me for the rest of my mission is that my bag is NOT waterproof.  And I also learned that when you wring water out of a Book of Mormon, the gold edging on the pages goes everywhere.  Yep, like glitter.  I took some pictures of the storm, but you won’t understand it until you watch the videos I took.  That still won’t do it justice.  All the storms at Powell, I have never seen rain like this.  Except at the Payson Temple Cultural Celebration. W e stopped trying to avoid puddles that were mid shin deep because no point.  2 things didn’t get wet, my photos and the baptismal record of Albertinha.  Both of which were in plastic coverings, thank goodness.

            Lesson with Nino, and he was very drunk and suddenly had a huge desire to learn English.  But I didn’t speak any with him, because it wouldn’t have helped the situation.  It’s so sad.  He also kissed my hand 3 times.  Never want to repeat that.

            The language is really starting to click.  I’m still far from perfect, and from being fluent, but I can understand so much better now.  And I speak very good, compared to where I was.  The gift of tongues is so legit.

            Also, next week, Terezinha and Luis Carlos are going to Centro to do the marriage papers!  Then, it’s about a month of waiting and they’ll be legally married, and then baptized!  WOOT WOOT!  Man, I’m flippen thrilled!!

            I don’t really have much to talk about today.  It was just a good day and I’m content with today's work.  Today is day 92-da missao.

QUINTA (Thursday):  Well, less rain today, but my feet were still wet.  You know the rain is bad when President sends out a message saying to use caution, but when the storm gets bad to return to your house to take shelter or the house of an investigator/member.  And everyone I’ve asked has said rain like this is normal in the summer.  Good think I love rain.  Which made today a good day for me.

            So, one thing that I’ve developed here is, and I don’t know why, but I find GREAT satisfaction in eating every single piece of rice that is put on my plate, which is hard to do when the people here dish me more food every time my plate runs low.  But don’t worry, I don’t give up when they give me more.  Man can the people here make good food.

            Noite Famliar la na casa de Albertinha.  We watched ‘The Other Side of Heaven’. It was good.  Laura, 9 year old girl who has her baptism on the 17^th, her birthday, said after the movie that she doesn’t want us to leave one day.  Sandra and Carlinhos, like I’ve said, have had missionaries at their house for years.  Carlinhos, when I promised I’d return, said, “they all say that, but none have yet returned.”  Ha-ha, but the difference between the others and me is I will return.  One year after my mission I want to go back to all my converts and friends.  Maybe 2 years, I don’t know.  I’m not too worried about it right now.  Albertinhas is very excited about her baptism.  When we told her that the heater for the water broke so she would be baptized in cold water, she said, “No, that’s not even a problem!”  7:00 on Saturday, that’s 4:00 for you guys.  AHHH!!!  So excited!  And I’m excited for next Saturday when Carlinhos will baptize his daughter, Laura.  She is super excited, too.

            So, I’m really good at making friends with kids.  One of which, Aurtor, who has 5 years, asked me today why I talk funny.  I had been feeling fairly confident with my accent, but that was a slap to the face.  Ha-ha.  I said it was because I’m American and I don’t speak Portuguese yet.  He was very surprised at that.  Aurtor is the grandson of Albertinha.

            So today, on our way to the house of Alberitnha we stopped by the store to buy treats for the movie (I bought enough to feed like 15 people with 7 US dollars worth of money) and we saw Luise, the 10 year old daughter of Sandra and Carlos, by herself.  Think of giving Andy some money and saying, run to fast gas and get me a Pepsi.  (I miss Pepsi).  That’s about the equivalent.  I don’t’ know what it is, but all the kids here act so much older, and are treated so much older then they are.  I think it’s the early exposure to the world.  No idea.  Or maybe I was just sheltered in Salem, Utah.  I think that’s it.  Today is day 93 na missao.

SEXTA (Friday):  Whoo!  Today was a great day!  You know why?  Because it’s baptism day EVE!  WOOT WOOT!  Party all day.  Not really.  Also, didn’t stop raining for a second today, but I managed to keep my feet dry all day.  That’s a tender mercy if I’ve ever seen one.

            We stopped by Albertinha’s to try out her baptism clothes and give a final thought on enduring to the end.  She told us that every time she studies or learns she knows this is the truth more and more.  She said, and she started crying right here, that Maricio, the ‘husband’ of her daughter Denise, sat down and had a talk with Denise, and after this Sunday he’s going to get work off on Sundays so they can go to church, and that he wants to quit drinking coffee for good, and that he wants to start papers so they can be married.  Albertinha is SO happy about this.  It’s like Maricio saying, “I want to stay, and I’m going to make these changes so I can stay with you.”  AHHH!!  I’m so happy!
            Also Luis Carlos and Terreinha will go to get their marriage stuff this week that’s coming!  And Vanessa and Paulo are working towards it and are close.  Ha-ha, so I’m good friends with Aurtor and Jose now, the 5 and 6 year old cousins, grandsons of Albertinha.  I showed them how to use my camera.  I’ll include some of the pictures they took.  Ha-ha, you’ll see us looking at albums of Albertinha’s familia in the background.

            I also today took a picture of what I eat for breakfast again, and then my dinner, and my IRONING MY BAPTISM PANTS!!  In the pictures of the kids, the white one is Aurtor and the brown one is Jose.

            One down thing about today was, on our way to the house of Sergio to see how he is doing with quitting smoking, we ran into him in the street and he hurried and flicked his cigarette down a storm drain.  It’s our fault really.  His goal with the other elders was to quit completely on the 4^th and we, in the time since then, haven’t passed by once.  Our focus was more on preparing Albertinha and he lives on the other side of our area, but our focus will definitely shift to him more, because he needs our help and I feel like I’ve failed him thus far.  No, I haven’t’ failed.  I just haven’t yet succeeded.

            Ha-ha, I asked little Jose when his birthday was, and he said in February, and then started dancing saying I was invited to his party.  It was funny and sad at the same time.

            The next transfer is in 3 and half weeks.  I don’t want to leave this area, to be honest.  I do want the other area to reopen, which the weekly news letter said many areas will reopen, because I feel like we have our efforts so spread out, it’s hard to really show everyone the focus they need.  This next week, we have Laura’s baptism on Saturday, and so we will be at her house a lot.  And our house is really quiet with just 2 people.  I don’t want to leave this area, but yet I kind of do.  I want a fresh start.  I guess I’ll be happy with either.  Wherever the Lord needs me that’s where I’ll be happily serving.  Today is day 94 in the mission.

SABADO (Saturday):  Today was my best day yet.  The pictures will be enough to show why.  Man, I don’t even know what to write really.  My first baptism,  First of many, I hope.  I made videos right before and right after, but they’re too big to email, so I’ll upload them to the site with the other videos I’ve been making while here.  And for Christmas You’ll get the site, username, and password.  WHOO, Am I brilliant or what!!?!

            So, I baptized Albertinha, and she came up crying.  The spirit was so strong for me.  Then she exited the font, and they shut the big doors, so I was alone in the font.  I bowed my head and said a prayer.  AHHHH!!! Ha-ha.  I am so truly happy right now I don’t even know what to write!  I want every Saturday to be called Baptism day.  Next Saturday we have Laura.

            Also good today, we made a new goal to quit smoking with Sergio.  Let me rephrase that.  We aren’t smoking with Sergio.  We made a new goal to help Sergio quite smoking. He’s a good guy.  I’m excited for his baptism one day soon.

            Today was an amazing day, and I’m happier now then I can ever remember being.  If I go the rest of my mission with nothing, I will remember this day, and consider my mission a success.  I included more in the videos.  I feel like I’ve just gotten a taste of this happiness, and I want more.  I want to talk to EVERYONE, because only God knows where the other people like Albertinha are, and if I make an effort to talk to everyone, I’ll be guided to them. 

            I also learned today, Monday is a huge holiday and EVERYTHING shuts down.  No mail, and maybe no emails, but we will try.  I’ll find a way. I will be very mad if I don’t get to share these pictures with my family, but then I’ll get over it, because I’m on the Lord’s errand.  Today is day 95 in the mission.

DOMINGO (Sunday):  Today was a great day.  We visited Albertinha, and her daughter Denise said that her and Maricio want to be married so they can get baptized.  YES!!  A whole family!  Jose, her 6-year-old son, said he wants me to baptize him when he turns 8.  Then he told me all about his first time in primary today and asked if he could give the first prayer of the lesson.  There’s a picture of the two of us I included.  As we were leaving, he yelled, “I adore Elder Mickey!” (Everyone calls me Mickey, like Mickey Mouse, some even add the mouse to the end of my name) ha-ha.  It was awesome.  But I explained to him that his dad would be able to baptize him by then.  There’s another kid I don’t yet have a picture of with 2 years name Miguel.  He’s so cute, and he’s just starting to stop being shy when we come.  He’ll tell me about whatever’s on his mind now.  It’s nice to talk to someone about on my same speaking level.

            Albertinha was confirmed and received the Holy Ghost today, and I was able to be part of the circle of 3.  So amazing.  She’s great.  Definitely someone I’ll visit after the mission.

            We also stopped by a clothing drive thing they had to help sort clothes.  A bunch of people form the ward went as well.  One of the young men came up to me and said, “Elder Macky (I also get called Macky a lot), I have found your tie.”  I’ll include a picture of the Mickey Mouse tie he gave me.  Ha-ha. Everyone was laughing.

            We also stopped by the house of Sandra and Carlinhos to go over the baptism interview questions with Laura.  One funny thing was I asked Camila, 16 year old daughter of Sandra e Carlinhos, if she remembered the name of the missionary who baptized her.  She thought for a minute, then said, “No, I don’t remember any of my baptism.  Pai!  What’s the name of the Elder who baptized me?”  He thought, then said, “I don’t even remember your baptism…Sandra!”  Sandra also couldn’t remember.  Then all the sudden everyone’s yelling at once.  Camila, “I WASN’T BAPTIZED!?”  Carlinhos, “That’s why we have pictures of everyone’s baptism but hers.”  Sandra, “No, I swear she was baptized, give me a second.”  Everyone else is laughing.  Everyone settles down, and I say to Santos Melo, “We have a new investigator.”  And then turn to Camila, “We have a message about the restoration of the gospel we would like to share with you.”  Everyone started laughing again.  Ha-ha.  We are going to ask Bispo about it tomorrow.  But yea, that was pretty funny.

            This week was a good week. It passed a little bit shower then any of the others, and I’ll be honest I struggled a bit to stay positive, but it sure ended great and made everything worth it.  I’m still learning how to be a missionary, and plan to continue learning until the day I’m released.

            I love you all, and I feel your prayers everyday.  They push me up the huge hill I have to walk everyday to my investigators.  Thank you for those prayers.  You guys are amazing.  Today is day 96 of the mission.

Love, Elder McKee

We Love Pictures!

Zone Conference.  

Jake is in the Middle on the left side of the Sister in the Torquoise.

 

 Jake and a group of missionaries that he talked to before his mission.  They are all Brazilian and they had a group text message going.  Jake didn't really understand any of it, but they all remembered him when they finally got together again.

 

 

 

 Looking for new pictures to draw.

 A new planner...He was very excited about this.

 "This bike is RJ´s next project!! These things are EVERYWHERE!! This is one of the nicer ones I've seen. ha-ha its so funny. They drive them, or pedal them around. :)"

 LOVE THIS PICTURE!

 

 Breakfast? 

A little bit from Jake's letter to us:

Scriptures are great. I've started starting my personal studies as fast as i can to read and study. Here's my morning. 6:30 I get up, pray, go and make some orange juice with 2 oranges, eat 2 bananas, then do a bunch of pushups, a couple situps, then shower. Then, it's like 7:00, and I get dressed and start studying. Personal study doesn't start until 8:00, so I get a bunch of extra time!! I'm working on memorizing the 100 seminary scripture masteries!! More about that in the journal. I explained conference in the journal, but it was very hard to understand. But I understood enough to get the gist, and then think about it. :) So most of what I learned was by the spirit. I heard a totally different conference than everyone else because I understood it one way, but that way wasn't right, but it was still good and Ii learned a lot. I'm going to download them in English to my pendrive right now. 

Today I got two packages!! From September 9 and the 13. The Halloween package and the one with the baby Books of Mormon. Thanks so much!! And the talks from Brad Wilcox were a great idea!!! I was seriously thinking yesterday I wanted to download his talk "His Grace is Sufficient,"  but then it came in the mail today!! woot woot!! :) Thanks!! Thanks Janet!!

Mama asked him about a water Filter and this was his answer: Tell that mom NOT TO BUY A WATER FILTER. I'm pretty sure they do this at Sao Paulo too, but in the MTC I recieve a really nice one. Some missionaries drank pee through it. No joke, I saw the video. and I haven't even used it since being here. You get so used to floaties in your water you don't even think about it, and it really isn't even a big deal. :) But if he wants one, by all means. I haven't seen anyone who uses them.

I love you, mom!!! I love you all!! I hope you guys have another great week!!!

It's A Good Day!

SEGUNDA (Monday):  Today was a great day, because I got to talk to all you amazing people back at home!  I love you guys.  We also got a random call around lunchtime.  Probably the best call of my life, except my mission call, because it went something like this:

“Oi Irmao Fort, Tudo Bem?” (Hi Brother Fort, Alright?)

“Tudo Bem, Elders.  I have a bunch of churrasco sitting here if you guys haven’t eaten yet”.  Phone disconnects, we break down his door.  Ha-ha.  No, just kidding, but we basically ran there.  Man, it’s good.

            Then finished P-day.  My pride took a punch to the face when I lost best of 3 in chess to Santos Melo.  That puts the score at 1 for him about 12 for me.  In my defense, I was looking through Liahonas for a new picture of Christ to draw.  I liked that.  But it made him happy, so it’s fine.

            Then we did splits and he went with Elder Pompeu to learn their area a little before he leaves tomorrow and I went with Elder Muniz.  He was cool, but he’s also leader of the zone until tomorrow, so he was in charge of cleaning the chapel for our zone conference in 2 days.  (It’s HUGE!  Like…HUGE mesmo!!)  So, we went to clean for what we thought would be one hour at 6.  It’s about 6 and we are almost there after walking for 25 minutes, and we get a call saying to come at 7 instead.  So, not thinking, we return to the house area to teach a quick lesson and return.  25 minutes later, we get to our area and have 25 minutes to be to the church.  Haha, so we turned around and walked back.  It’s fine.  Then, 2 hours cleaning the very dirty bathrooms, and chapel (they sweep the carpet…very ineffective), and mopping the hallways.  Then we returned to the house at about 9:28.  But it was good to have something simple to do that required elbow grease.  And Elder Muniz is of Sao Paulo, and he talks very clear and more slow, and I could understand everything he said.  So I liked talking with him.  I’ve realized that everywhere in Brazil, except where I’m at, pretty much speaks correct, clear, understandable Portuguese.  But when I’m fluent I’ll be able to talk so flippen fast!  Woot Woot!  Coisa Bom.

            Irmao Fort today also said, at lunch, that he is very impressed with how well I understand and talk already, and he said that I must be very intelligent.  Ha-ha.  That made me happy because I realized the other day that people here honestly think I’m stupid because I speak weird and can’t keep up with conversations nor speak what I want to sometimes.  I’m being serious.  It’s true.  I don’t like that they think that.  I PROMISE I’M NOT DUMB!!  I’m actually of average, if not slightly above average, intelligence!  Anyways, that made me happy that someone actually understand my barrier I have at the moment with language.  But my language is getting so much better!

            These past few days I’ve just felt happy.  For no reason other than I’m breathing.  I’m walking the streets, and I can’t help but smile.  It’s happiness like I’ve never felt before except maybe laughing gas at the dentist!  I want everyone to feel like I feel, and I know it comes from the spirit, a constant reminder to me that I’m doing what I’m suppose to, a reminder of the blessings I have to know the true gospel of Jesus Christ. 

TERCA (Tuesday):  Exactly 3 months as a missionary.  Tomorrow is 3 months away from home.  1/8.  Ta Lovco Meus Amgios (That is crazy, friends).

So today, FOI UM BOM DIA!  (IT WAS A GOOD DAY)  First off, during lunch I only spoke English with Elder Santos Melo.  He really wants to learn.  Elder Pompue left today, which means the other bathroom is finally mine.  No more sharing with Santos Melo.  And I’ll miss Elder Pompue.   He’s a good friend, and I’m about 89% certain we’ll be companions one day during the mission.

            Lesson with Albertinha!  We taught the word of wisdom.  We said there are 5 things we shouldn’t use in our bodies, what do you think they are?  The first thing she said was coffee!  Ha-ha I was surprised, then smoking, then alcohol, then drugs.  Then we said tea.  Super easy to teach her because she already agreed with everything.  She said that she used to smoke and drink coffee daily years ago, but she didn’t like the way they made her body feel, so she quit both.  THEN!  We filled out her information on the baptismal record papers!  10^th of this month!  And I think I’ll baptize her.  Ha-ha.  She calls me her son because the first time she saw me she thought that I looked like I could be her child.  Then her daughter Denise, also on track for baptism, just needs marriage, said that she thought I could be one of her kids, too.  Ha-ha, so they both call me filho. (son)  They’re awesome investigators.  10^th of OCTOBER!  YES!  And we gave her a gospel principles book, and she’s been studying it, the bible, the Book of Mormon, and the pamphlets together every day.  Talked about a desire to come unto Christ.

            We left her house at about 4:30.  The lesson went a little long because it was going so good.  We had a commitment else where at 4, an older lady, less-active.  But we had made it a week before so we figured it would be fine.  She called us at 4:35, and asked us where we were.  We said we were on our way, and we got there and she let us in, and said wait here.  Then she disappeared in the house for about 5 minutes, and then let us in, and she had a whole picnic set up for us.  It was so cute.  She had made doughnut things that aren’t doughnuts, but really good, had cups of milk with chocolate powder next to them, bread, butter, lunch meat, jams, little plates.  Then she said, “I bought this all for you guys, so you need to eat it all.  The doctor said I couldn’t eat anything but granola with milk. “  ha-ha.  I had about a dozen doughnut things that aren’t doughnuts and 5 meat and cutter sandwiches, and all of the milk she had.  I’d put chocolate in my cup of milk, mix it, drink half, and set it down.  Then she would pick up my cup, and pour milk in to fill it, making weak chocolate milk.  Ha-ha.  She talked about her family, looked at pictures of mine, showed me pictures of hers, all the while never letting my cup of milk empty.

            Another really good experience today.  Remember Sandra and Carlinhos family with 11 kids?  Less active, good friends with Albertinha, and are slowly starting to come back to church because we told them we needed their help with Albertinha.  WORKED!  2 birds with one stone, baby.  Anyways, we stopped by their house, and Carlinhos was the only one home.  This was a blessing because we could freely talk.  He has an 8-year-old daughter, 9 on the 17^th, who isn’t baptized.  With our help and Bishops, this past week he’s been preparing to baptize his daughter on her birthday.  Problem, he’s smoked for years.  But, he’s working on it now and doing great.  He told us today he hasn’t smoked at all since we started the goal Saturday.  Yes, it’s only 3 days, but we had a flippen mini dance party.  No joke.  He said that he wants to quit, not only so he can baptize her, but also to be an example to her and the rest of his family, and he wants the Melchizedek Priesthood and to return to church. He asked me if I had a tie he could buy.  Ha-ha.  I said I have several he can chose from for free.  Then he asked us for a passage of scriptures about baptism he can read to help prepare him.  3 Nephi 11, it is so cool to see him finally recognize that they need this gospel in his life, and to see him working to provide it.  Bishop said that for years missionaries have worked with that family and now we got them to come to church again, and quit smoking.  But na verdade, I don’t think it was us at all.  They’ve been being prepared slowly, here a little, there a litte, until they are now ready for it all and understand it all.  Years of the spirit working through the missionaries and we just happen to be the ones here when they were fully prepared.  I really hope Calrinhos continues to stay strong.  I can’t even describe how happy it made me to see their kids in the primary program on Sunday singing.  Man, I love being a missionary.  Its like front row seats to watch miracles occur in people’s lives.

            You know that feeling you get on Christmas Eve, like that excitement that makes your stomach and chest tight and you feel like yelling. I usually rub my hands together really fast when I feel this way.  Well, na verdade, I feel this way EVERY NIGHT> don’t’ have any reason in particular.  I’m always excited for the next day while at the same time exhausted from the day I just completed. You know those nights when you have a ton of energy and just lay in your bed tossing and turning, thinking about the really deep stuff about life?  Yea, not a thing for me.  My head hits the pillow and I am OUT!  I tried praying laying down one time, and woke up the next morning and finished my prayer.  (Does that count as praying all night? Call me Enos!)  Yet, I also feel like I could run for miles.  WHOOO!!  Today is day 84 of the mission.

QUARTA (Wednesday):  Here’s a good quote I want to share with you all.  “Will my concern for his day not seem foolish ten years hence?”  Sometimes we get too caught up in the worries of now that we forget that in the perspective of eternity, or even just our life time, our worries are sometimes, most times, small, insignificant, and of little value.  What’s the point in worrying over stuff out of your control, or something that in a year, or even a week, will seem foolish and simple?  If you’re in high school, think of the worries you had in middle school.  College, think of high school.  Adult, think of college.  OLD adult, think of when you were a young adult.  Ha-ha.  Let’s only worry and stress over what is important, and in our control, and then do something about it.  Anyways today was a good day.

            ______________________

^^This part above the line I wrote this morning during my personal studies.  And right now I’m struggling to stay positive about how today went.  But I opened this journal and read what I had written, and I think I was inspired to write that this morning, without even realizing it, for myself.  I also read that I had already written and decided that today would be a good day.  And now I realize it was.  Here’s why.  Today I leaned the real reason they say missionary work is the hardest thing you’ll ever do.  It’s not all the walking.  It’s not learning a new language.  It’s not being with your companion 24/7.  It’s not even leaving your home and friends, and family.  It’s so hard because you grow to truly love these people, your investigators, and you get exited at every little improvement they make. You yell for joy when they actually read and pray.  You feel true happiness for them when they say they’ve received an answer. You watch and help them make sacrifices.  Then, they stop at the finish line, and say they want nothing more.  3 times today.  3 different investigators.  Moneco refuses to try to understand.  Paulo, an amazing investigator who has had all the lessons, wanted baptism, and was waiting for marriage papers.  We stopped by his house today and he wasn’t home, but his wife told us  he said he doesn’t want to be baptized anymore, and she thinks he’s going to leave her.  Then Rodrigo, we stopped by his house, but he wasn’t home from work yet, so we went to the neighbor’s house to talk about something’s.  Then Rodrigo came home and motioned to Rafael not to tell us he was home.  Paulo and Rodrigo have stated drinking again.  Moneco started smoking again.  This is what’s hard about missionary work.  Everything else I can deal with, annoying companions, 6:30 every morning, no contact with my family or friends.  But this is hard to watch.

            Let me go through today, because it was different, due to the zone conference.  Lots of missionaries from 10 in the morning until 6 at night.  But I got to talk to the new missionaries, 2 of which are American.  One of which I met through instagram before them mission. Ha-ha.  I asked her how she was feeling, and she said, “HOLY CRAP MAN!”  I totally understand.  One cool thing was while President Parrela was talking, at one point I went to ask Elder Santos Melo if he understood what President Parrela was saying.  Then I realized he wasn’t speaking English.  That made me happy.  I also included a picture of me and a bunch of random Brazilians.  That ‘s the texting group message I was in before the mission.  They all remembered me! Ha-ha

            Also, good news.  We’re getting a new mini DVD player in my house that has a pendrive spot!  That means I can watch the Mormon messages I have on my pendrive.  Woot Woot!

            Today I decided that I will not allow people to cut me off anymore.  If I am talking, and they start to say something else, I will continue talking.  I won’t raise my voice to be louder then theirs, nor will I stop saying what I believe to be true to hear them talk about something else.  Lots of people do this, but I’m done with it.  If everyone stops listening to me, I’ll continue talking because what I have to say is important.  It happens often in lessons.  I’ll be talking about a principle, or bearing testimony, and the person will interrupt and talk about something totally unrelated.  In this situation I will not stop bearing testimony and maybe the person will get the hint that really I don’t care at all about what food they have in their fridge.

            I feel really frustrated about today.  Today is not a day I want to repeat.  But I still feel excited right now, because tomorrow is a new day!!  Today is day 85 of my mission.

QUINTA (Thursday):  You know you had a good day when a little worm falls out of your hair in the shower and you aren’t even mad.  But lets start form the beginning.

            I woke up, and for the first time in my mission didn’t want to get out of bed.  That fact made me get out of bed all the faster.  I had a rough morning, still feeling down from yesterday.  But I forced myself to smile, and I decided to eat one of my limited supplies of mangos.  That helped.  Then during my personal studies, I really honestly was trying to forget myself.  I don’t’ study the scriptures for myself anymore.  I study for my investigators and less actives.  Is tat each study with a prayer and then think of all the people we will talk to that day, and their needs, then I read, watching for anything that could help any of them.  And I lean so much more studying this way.  President Parrela said that after lunch, we could take another hour to do personal study on 2 Nephi 26, 3 Nephi 11, or 3 Nephi 27.  Honestly, to me that sounds like an hour lost for working with investigators. It’s not a rule that we have to, but Santos Melo wanted to.  So we did.  Then we went to Everton.  He’s a less active AND a recent convert.  He’s the reason I promised myself to never baptize someone who doesn’t have a testimony.  He’s a great guy, but I don’t think he was ready for baptism.  He was baptized in January.  In the lesson, I told him that our testimonies are like muscles (this is an analogy that came to me on the spot).  The more we use it, then stronger it becomes.  If we just let it sit, it weakens.  Then I asked him what things we can do to strengthen our testimonies.  Here’s the conversation:

            “Everton, what are some things we can do to strengthen our testimonies?”

Him:“Um, Pray.” “Me: “Yes!  Pray!  (testimony and examples of prayer) Irmao Everton, do you pray every day?”  Him:  “No.”  Me: “Hmmm, ok, what else can we do?”  Him: “go to church.”  Me: “yes!  (testimony and experience with going to church) Irmao Everton, do you go to church every week?”  Him: “…no.”  Me:  “hmmm, ok.  What else can we do?”  Him: “read our scriptures.”  Me:  “yes!  (testimony and examples form my life” Irmao Everton, do you read the scriptures every day?”  Him:  “….no.”

            I think you can see the pattern. But it was a really good lesson, and I felt the spirit, and I think he’ll go to general conference this weekend!  That’s good.

            Next we went up to Cicima.  We found this old lady, walking in the street.  We talked to her a little, and then asked when a good time to talk with her about Jesus would be. She said, “Well, right now.  My house is right there with my husband sitting out in front.  But if we walk up together, he’ll send you two away.  So, I’ll wait here under this tree, you guys go talk to him and after he lets you in I’ll come by and we’ll act like we never met.”  So, that’s what we did.  Ha-ha.  And had an awesome lesson.  She cried about 5 times.  But I can’t remember their complex Brazilian names for the life of me. 

            We also had a noite familiar with Albertinha , her family, the family of Sandra e Carlinhos, Bishop and some others.  Bishop gave an excellent message, and everyone made excellent food.  Afterwards when everyone was talking and laughing, one of them gets in the middle of the group and was telling this story.  Everyone listening intently. Me, eating my sandwich, watching the bug on the desk to make sure it doesn’t get to close to me, while trying to understand.  Then, everyone starts LAUGHING!  I mean laughing until you can’t breath.  Bishop is crying, Albertinha is crying.  So I start laughing, too. I'm sure whatever we were laughing at was really funny.  Afterwards, Santos Melo told me again, and here’s the story, more of a joke:  “So I was on my way to my friends house, and in the apartment they have an escalator.  I was riding it up, when about half way, it stopped, and the lights went out.  Right then my friend called me, asking where I was.  I said I was standing on the escalator waiting or it to turn back on. She said, “Well, when it’s stopped, isn’t it like stairs?” I said yes it is.  Then she said, “Well then why don’t you sit down while you wait?”   I mean, yea, it’s a funny joke, but these people were crying and struggling to breath.  Haha.  It was awesome. 

            After all this, back in the house, I decided to make today really good, so I did 100 straight pushups.  Feeling good, I get in the shower, and a little worm thing falls out of my hair.  Don’t’ even know what it was.  But I wasn’t even mad.

            Today really was a genuinely good day, and I think it’s because I forced myself not to think of anyone I knew before the mission.  I need to separate the Jake McKee form the Elder Mckee, and that’s when I become effective and happy.  It’s hard to be happy in a lesson when I’m day dreaming about paninis or fishing with dad.  Separate Jake McKee from Elder McKee.  Working on that.  I’m really trying hard to loose myself in the work and today I feel like I’m starting to make progress on that.

            Tomorrow we venture into the unknown.  New area, new investigators, new pen, most likely, tembem.  This one is on its last straw.

            Below is a list of al the people I’ve taught lessons to that I can remember right now:  Driana, Mirian, Eversesto, Marcos, Rodrigo, Rafeal, Vanji, Romilda, Themires, Albertinha, Edi, Kevin, Talizme, Lunana, Fran, Erao, Santiago, Denise, Teretinhes, Rena, Brune, Mareco, Bruno, Frank, Paulo, Ailton, Partricio, Bri, Suele, Eliandro, Cluadio, Alex, Emmanuel, Mateus, Marcio, Everton, Ronddo, Sandra, Florinda, Andride, Terecha, Carlinhos, Learardo, Tatine, Luciano, Costro, Naeme, Cheber, Carlos, Cristko, Elton, Carmen (Sorry, I’m sure I got some of these wrong…I couldn’t make out all the letters)

            I know I’m missing some, but I remember these names and their stories and where they live right now.  I love this work.  I’ve never been one to just talk to people, but now I’m actually interested in what they have to say.  Today is day 86 in my mission.

SEXTA (Friday):  Well, let me tell you about today.  Today was a good day.  Really good.  We had  9 lessons today.  That is really good.  I’ll tell you about just one that was my favorites.

            So, we are walking down the street, in our new area, and there’s a guy just standing in front of his house.  These are my favorite types of contacts, because they can’t lie about their address or say they are in a hurry someplace.  Anyways, we talked with him and he was nice.  He seemed a little different because he never looked you in the eye, but I found out later that 2 years ago he got toxins in his eyes, and now can only see with one eye a little.  Anyways, we introduced ourselves, and learned that his name was Vablerer (yeah, I can’t pronounce it either).  He said “Yea, come on into my house.  Let’s talk about Jesus.”  So we entered his house, which we then learned doubled as a church where he was the pastor….haha, yep.  Let’s just say this guy knew the Bible.  Anyways, we taught the restoration.  And this guy was the “GOLDEN” investigator.  Ha-ha, before we started he said, “I have some questions for you guys.  Do you believe in God?”  “Yes, we do Senhor.  And Jesus Christ, too.”  “You believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God?”  “Yes, Senhor”  “Ok, you may continue…”  ha-ha.  Then he asked me if I have a hard time with Portuguese.  I said that now I can pretty much understand what I need to, and I explained the gift of tongues and that I can only speak and understand as well as I do because of the spirit helping me always.  This is when he said, “Amen.  So, why are there so many churches in the world when there is only one God?  Which is the true church?”  ha-ha…also worth mentioning we were sitting in the middle of his chapel place.  We taught the restoration.  Every time we introduced a new principle he would stop us and think about it, then nod his head, say amen, and tell us we could continue.  Here are the principles or topics of the restoration that we teach in the lesson.  1) God is our loving Heavenly Father, 2) Gospel blesses families, 3) God calls prophets to reveal his commandments, 4) Jesus Christ established his church, 5) the great apostasy, 6) the restoration through Joseph Smith, 7) Book of Mormon.  Keep these in mind as I write out how the lesson went with this guy.

            I explained God is our loving Heavenly Father, and that he gave us the gospel to bless our families.  He help up his hand to stop me, thought about it, nodded and said that makes sense.  Then asked, “How does he give his gospel to us?”  Santos Melo then explained prophets, using the Bible as a reference.  He Held up his hand, thought, nodded, then asked a few questions about our Bible, which is the same as his.  After that was settled, he then asked, “Do you guys believe Jesus called apostles? And for you, what is an apostle?”  I then explained how Christ established his church, with 12 apostles, which are followers of Christ, and how he gave them then priesthood, or power of God to teach and baptize.  Hand, Think, Nod. Then “What happened when he was crucified?  What happened to the church?”  You couldn’t plan a lesson to go smoother then this.  Great Apostasy explained.  Hand, Think, Nod.  Everything agreed with what he knew of the Bible.  Then, we shared the best part of the lesson, the restoration through Joseph Smith.  He didn’t stop us, he didn’t interrupt with questions.  He just sat as we told him about Joseph Smith and shared the first vision with him.  Then, we gave him a Book of Mormon to read with his wife and pray about to know if it is true.  He paused, and then said, I feel right now that it is.  HAHA!! YES!!  Man, it’s good to have the spirit on your side.  He’s maybe going to go to general conference tomorrow, which is awesome.    He told us he thinks that our dedication to the Lord, leaving our families, studies, and lives for 2 years to serve Him is beautiful.  I can’t even describe how happy I was after teaching this man.

            I also can’t even describe how flippen excited I am for GENERAL CONFERENCE!!  TOMORROW!  Yes!  Ha-ha, so cool.  So pumped.  3 new apostles.  If I was the man at the pulpit, here’s’ what I would do, just to give my friend a heart attack.  I’d say his name like this.  “We have 3 new apostles.  1^st, Elder_____, 2^nd, Elder_____, and 3^rd, Elder Zac Baker.”  Ha-ha, then pause for a second and say, “Oh!  Sorry, 3^rd, Elder _____.  Ha-ha, ok maybe I wouldn’t do that, but I think Zac would fall over and pass out.  AHHH, I’m so excited! 

            So, Here’s one thing I decided today I need to improve.  I need to get out of the habit of saying, “shoot”.  Because the Brazilians try and mimic me, and always say it wrong, and then everyone is swearing and that isn’t what I’m about. 

            Today was a very good day.  Today is day 87 in my mission!

SABADO (Saturday):  I don’t even need to say it, but I will to keep the streak going.  Today, my friend was a good day.  And not only because of general conference, which is much harder to understand in Portuguese.  So this morning, before lunch, we went to the house of Sergio.  He’s an investigator of the other elders, and he is AWESOME!  He is working hard to quit smoking.  The others have been working with him, and slowly he’s been quitting, not all at once.  Today was the last day e smoked his last cigarette.  If he can stay strong after tomorrow, he’ll be baptized on the 17^th!  Woot Woot!  In the lesson with him, we talked about the plan of salvation.  When we talked about enduring to the end, he said, “This is why I want to make sure I’m ready for baptism.  I don’t’ want to start down this path, then not endure to the end and go back to smoking and drinking.”  He totally understands that baptism isn’t’ all that we have to do.  He’s an awesome guy.  I think he’ll be baptized.

            Then, general conference.  I thought it was very interesting that with all the laws about gay marriage, the first session had a lot about keeping the Sabbath day holy.  Interesting.  Then the second session talked about love in home.  I’m going to download it in English onto a pendrive on Monday and watch it later.  So excited!  I wrote in my notebook 4 questions I wanted answered.  As I kept notes I wrote a number 1-4, corresponding with the questions I had numbered, next to every note I made as to which question it helped me with.  Muito Ben Legal. My Portuguese sure has come a long, long way.  Remember how I said the people here talk really fast?  During general conference, it was easier for me to understand the translators who spoke fast.  Ha-ha, Interesting. 

            Really, the only thing I would change about today is the fact I forgot to wear my fancy shoes that are freshly shined.  Today is day 88 in the mission.

DOMINGO (Sunday):  Here’s why today was good.  I couldn’t understand General Conference, but I could understand enough to know what they were talking about, and that was enough to make me think, and most of the things I wrote weren’t even close to what the speaker said, just stuff that came to my mind while listening to Portuguese.  But I’ll watch it again after tomorrow in English, so that’s good.  Priesthood session too, because President Parrela doesn’t let us watch it because it gets over at 11.  I have a lot of stuff I want to download tomorrow.

           Today, in-between the sessions, I did an assessment with the zone leader.  I’ve done a division with him and he’s way cool, from Sao Paulo.  But I passed, which was good.  It’s really easy.  Then, after I said the end prayer he said that I have hardly any accent.  He told me that of all the Americans that came with me, I speak the best and he hasn’t seen anyone that learns this fast.  Ha-ha.  So, that made me feel good, of course.  I’m really working hard on the language.  I only really use English on a normal day when I write in this book.  I’m going to memorize all the seminary scriptures masteries in Portuguese.  I found out at the Zone Conference that Sister Parrela has gifts for people who memorize certain numbers, and if you get all 100,  you get a scripture case.  They leave in 8 months, so I got to work.  Zone conference was on Quarta, or Wednesday.  Today, right now, I can from memory site the last 2 paragraphs of the introduction of the Livro De Mormon.  2 Nephi 2:25, 2:27, 9:28-29, and 28:7-9.  It’s a lot of work, but I really want all 100 memorized.  I want that scripture case. 

            It was a good week.  This week should be even better because we have Albertinha marked for baptism!  Her interview should be on Quarta.  YEA.  AHHH, I’m so excited and Laura will be baptized the next week, hopefully, by her dad.

            Ha-ha.   One funny thing is my notes from General Conference almost have as much Portuguese as English.  Like often, half a sentence is English and the other half is Portuguese.  Speaking with other Americans, usually we speak Portuguese, but sometimes we speak Portu-english.  It just switches back and forth; usually we don’t even notice it’s so much easier to talk fast in Portuguese!  I love it.  Another thing the zone leader said is after one year, I’ll have Portuguese down perfect and nobody will know I’m American. I want that so bad.

            I’m really working on staying positive.  Not with the mission.  I absolutely love it here.  Not with homesickness.  No offence, but I don’t’ feel homesick, nor a desire to return home at all.  Not with members.  They’re awesome.  Not with investigators, even though they sometimes make me wish missionaries could do  “enforced” agency.  Not with the language.  I love the language and I can see my improvement little by little.  There’s really only one thing I would change about the mission, and hopefully it will change its self in 5 weeks.  I’m really, really trying hard and it’s getting better.  Little by little.

            Really though I’m happier then I’ve ever been.  I love being a missionary, and being the “rich American” because I give away cookies that are like 50 cents a pack for me, but $2.00 for them. Expensive, if you just give them away.  Then, young men always go around selling stuff to earn money for their camps and I always buy what their selling.  I think all the American missionaries are like that.  That’s why we have the ‘Rich Rep.’  

            I love you guys!!  Ate Mais.  Today is day 89.

Elder McKee