"Continue To Do Your Best"

Week of Feb.29 thru March 6^th, 2016

(29) SEGUNDA (Monday):  Today was a FANTASTIC P-Day.  At 6 when we left, we found a new investigator, which is a great way to start the week.  Her name is Juliana, a young single mother living with her parents.  She paid attention very closely to the restoration, and after we bore testimony she was asking where the church is and if we could return Saturday.  Man she has a lot of potential.  That lesson had a very strong spirit and I know she was able to feel it, too.

            Then we went to Welerson, too.  We watched the restoration with him, and he was feeling the spirit, too.  He described it as a warm feeling that filled his arms and legs.  He committed to start reading the Book of Mormon, at least one page, every day, then to pray and wait for the spirit.  We are working and praying to baptize him on the 12^th.  When I asked him if he had something we could do to help him, he said, “Just come back on Thursday, explain more to me.” 

            Also, while we were watching the restoration, I felt something on my hand.  I looked down and it was a HUGE spider!  Like an inch and a half in diameter.  I FLIPPED!  I thought it was gone, so I sat back down, (Yes, I jumped out of the chair), and when I looked down, IT WAS STILL ON MY LEG!  I smashed the bugger as I jumped, but then we had to rewind the video to understand.  But it’s all-good.  I’m still alive.  Today was day 237 of my mission.

(1) TERCA (Tuesday):  Today was a division, Elder Alvarenga with me.  It went great, until our two commitments to have lessons with a member fell through.  Fabiano, who was an investigator progressing very well, we passed by and he left for work for 2 MONTHS!  So, we’ll just be leaving him in the area book for future missionaries.  Eduardo called and cancelled, too.  But we had good lessons, and found some good new investigators.  And the other elders had a great lesson with an investigator that they have.  They are super excited about.  He’s progressing a lot.

            We also went and knocked a few doors, and at one when the woman saw us, she FLIPPED.  She was so excited.  It was obvious she was a less active because she was calling us “Elders” and talking about missionaries.  She immediately made us sandwiches and juice, and passion fruit pudding stuff that was super good.  She left the church because she didn’t receive a recommend to the Manaus temple dedication because she doesn’t believe in the Book of Mormon.  She was active for 20 years and the missionaries lived in her backyard.  Man, she never stopped talking.  She kept apologizing for her simple, humble house, but it was the neatest, cleanest house I’ve seen here in Brazil, I think.

            Then!  At another house, it’s an old man who we stop by sometimes when we have nothing to do.  We entered and sat down. Talked with him a little, and he brought up tithing.  He talked about he blessings of giving tithing, and Elder Alvarenga said, “Yea, 10%, right.”  And the guy FLIPPED!  “Show me where it’s written 10%! Grab my bible and show me! Why are you still in my house? Go work!  I’m not going to give you anything!” Elder Alveranga said, “No Irmao, Nobody’s asking for money.”  “We’re done!  Get out of my house.”  He got up and left us, going to the other room.  No idea why he got so mad, but it’s all good.  We got up and left.  Today was day 238 of my mission.

(2) QUARTA (Wednesday):  Not going to lie, today was difficult for me.  Every plan and commitment we had fell through.  I have the zone leaders on my tail because we have few lessons with members.  Yesterday I arranged for 2 and they fell through at the last minute.  Today, I had for 4, and none went right.  And it was raining all day.  Hard!  Nobody in the street, nobody answering doors, nobody letting us in, but I still am managing to stay happy.  If what they say about working through the rain and sun brings you a prettier wife is true, then I’m all set! 

            Elder Martins and I, walking in the street with our umbrellas, which are hardly keeping our heads dry, singing hymns, “There is sunshine in my soul today, “ was my favorite to sing.

            Tomorrow we have good commitments with good investigators, and I’m praying they don’t fall through.  Today was day 239 of my mission.

(3) QUINTA (Thursday):  Today had its ups and downs, but was a very good day.  I’ll go in order, of the events worthy of note.

            We had a lesson with Stefani.  We had taught the 10 commandments to her last time.  Today we reviewed a little and talked some more.  She’s already said that she’s received an answer.  She isn’t married to Juliano, but they’ve already looked into it in the past, and this next week she’ll go to look at the options to be married.  We reviewed the Word of Wisdom and she has no problem with ANY OF THEM!  (Just killed my 10^th pen).  We talked about baptism and confirmation and what they mean.  I believe that she is VERY ready to be baptized.  She has a lot of faith, was already prepared by the Lord, and knows the Book of Mormon is true.  She’ll go to church this week, and then we’ll mark a Family Home Evening with her and some members.

            Next item of note:  A new investigator named Thais that we found during the division. W e passed by her house, and she had read the pamphlet and watched the film of the restoration, and had prayed.  She said she hasn’t received an answer.  We presented the Book of Mormon to her, and marked a part for her to read and pray again.  It was a very good lesson.  She said that she’ll go to church this Sunday, and that she really wants to know if the message is true.

            Then, so the mom of Marcele had told me that Marcele gets home from Seminary at 8:00.  So logically, I thought it started at 7:00 every night Tuesday to Friday.  So at 6:30 we went to the house of Welerson (6:30 in the evening) and he was sleeping, but I really wanted him to go to seminary, so we knocked on his window and whispered his name until he woke up.  Ha-ha.  His mom loves us because we’re getting her son to stop sleeping so much and follow the church standards.  He got ready and we went to the church.  Nobody was there.  I even gave Welerson my old Bible I got in the MTC that I don’t use, because they are studying the Old Testament.  Finally I called the ward secretary, and he explained that it starts at 5:40 and goes until 6:20 Tuesday to Friday.  So we had a lesson with Welerson in the chapel.  Talked about baptism, and we were trying to figure out if he was really ready for day 12 and if he was being baptized for the right seasons.   He opened up to us, and he has a lot of doubts about if God even exists, and about the church.  I don’t know. He has a desire to believe, but doesn’t yet.  Which is fine.  But I don’t know if he’s ready or not.  And where he has 15 years, he needs to be active for 3 months before his baptism to show that he will stay firm.  I don’t want to baptize someone who doesn’t at least have the base of a testimony.  He’ll go to church Sunday, and we’ll pass again and see where he is at and decide on a plan for him.  I really want to baptize him, but I want him to be baptized because he wants to and  he believes, not because he feels pressured and doesn’t want to disappoint the missionaries.  Today was day 240 of my mission.

(4) SEXTA (Friday):  Today was the third day in a row we had Pizza for dinner and I am not proud of that fact.

            In one house today, it was a man and his wife.  They had already spoken with the missionaries before. T he man ONLY wanted to argue the bible with us, and he didn’t even know anything.  Ha-ha, he was crazy.  Then he pointed at our Book of Mormon, and said, “I read the beginning of that book. It said that you worship Joseph Smith as a God, and he was born in Columbia.”  I looked at him for a second and said, “no, that’s not true at all.”  Him, “Yes it is!  I read it!”  It was just stuff like that, that he would say.  His wife was so embarrassed.  She would ask a question and he would start to answer.  Finally, she said to him, “No! You don’t know anything!  I’m asking him!”  Everything we said, he would try and show that he already knew it and that he knows a little more.  We didn’t even argue with him at all.  Ha-ha, his wife said to him like 5 times, “How can you expect to argue with them?  They study and teach everyday, and you don’t even go to church.”  Ha-ha, oh man.

            Then! We had another lesson with an old investigator, and we went there with a member.  Biggest mistake of my mission yet, taking that member.  He’s a newer member and gets excited and talks very blunt. I thought the woman was going to punch him when he was pointing his finger at them saying, “Your church is not the true church!!”  The woman said, “but all the other churches today come from the Catholic Church, is that not true?”  The member said, “Even so, they aren’t true either.”  He just talked and talked and talked, so speaking apostasy.  “Mormon was the original prophet of the restoration, “ for example.  It was terrible.  Every time I tried to talk, he would talk louder.  When I would finally get a word in, trying to save the lesson, he would then say, “now Elder McKee is American so it’s hard to understand what he says.  What’s he’s trying to say is…..”  Finally when he was yelling some more I said, “hey!  Pardon me, but it’s my turn” Then I shared scriptures and tried to calm things down.  When he tried to talk again, I looked at him and shook my head no, and said; “now Elder Martins will talk.”  He shared his testimony.  Member again, But I cut him off saying, “Now we have a question for you, Adir (the investigator), why is baptism important for you?”  Member again tried to talk, and I said, “No, now we’ll just sit in silence for a second and let Brother Adir think about his answer.”  After a few seconds of beautiful silence, THE MEMBER STARTED AGAIN!  I cut him off again, because the investigators were NOT happy with anything, and I said, “This next topic has a lot of details.  Let’s wait until the next lesson, when it’s calmer and quieter to explain.  Member tried to continue.  Me, “Now Elder Martins will say the closing prayer.”  It’s insane how someone can be so thick in the head.  Ha-ha.  When I invited the investigator to go to church, he didn’t even hesitate, “No, not this week.”  Wasn’t even a surprise.  Today was day 241 of my mission.

(5) SABADO (Saturday):  Today was VERY hard.  Nothing went right, and we even had a member call us asking to go to lessons with us, which was a miracle and answers to prayers, but then the FOUR houses we passed had nobody. Nobody was answering.  Today was a very hard day for me.  Then I pulled out the box of letters from family and friends, opened the one Matt wrote, and cried laughing at his line, “If you get sick or have a bad day then look at the picture of me.”  Thanks, Matt.  Today was day 242 of my mission.  NOTE TO MOM:  I still have 15 letters left, one for every fast Sunday.

(6) DOMINGO (Sunday): Today was a good day.  Church went very well today.  Rodrigo, the investigators of the other elders who will be baptized this Saturday, went and is doing awesome.  He was the first to volunteer for the practices in the quorum of Elders.

            Welerson also went, but Elder Martins and I are feeling certain that he shouldn’t be baptized this Saturday.  Our biggest worry is that he’s agreeing to be baptized because he doesn’t want to disappoint us, and his mom is pushing for it a lot.  I don’t want to baptize any less actives on my mission.  I want him to be baptized because it’s something that he wants.  Right now he isn’t praying, and only reading sometimes.  Our commitments with him always flake. 

            Stefani also didn’t go today, and when we passed by her house nobody answered.  Nobody was answering the phone either.  Today was day 243 of my mission.

 A few things from his email to us:

            I got two more post cards today. The Brazilians (3 missionaries he lives with) make bets about how many ´cartinhas´ (little cards) I’ll have, but I think I got the last of them today. I have 30 now.

            I love the packages. The people here do, too. I took that blue magic thing with the red ball to the lunches that have kids, and to church too, and they LOVED IT, the adults, too. Ha-ha, the funny American doing magic for the kids, and the adults try and act like they’re in on it, but they always look twice when I make the ball appear again. :) Ha-ha. Also, today we all got our Easter packages!! The Brazilians FLIPPED!!! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha super funny. But, I’m making them wait until Easter Sunday! And the box of eggs was funny too! :) I love you, mom. I don’t think you even understand how much all the support and love helps me, and the prayers, too. I can certainly feel the prayers pushing me on everyday. 

            So, a spiritual experience I had the week that really helped me. During the sacrament, I was sitting there. Then I started to suddenly feel the spirit very strong. I don’t even know why. I wasn’t praying for anything in specific, just that the investigators that were in the meeting would feel the spirit and recognize Him. I started to wonder why I was feeling the spirit so strong, and the thought came to my mind ´The Lord is accepting your work. Continue to do your best´. I can’t even begin to explain the relief and peace that I felt at that moment. I’ve spent my whole mission until this point, and I’ll continue to do so, trying to do what the Lord would do if He were here. I’m trying my absolute best. I have confidence, and a clean conscience of that. This last week was more stressful than normal, trying to get members more involved and everything falling through. Investigators stopping  progress. I have a direct line with the leaders of the mission now, and I have a personal goal to never make excuses. I haven’t been feeling stress to be exact, because I know that everything is according to the Lords plan and I’m doing my best, but I’ve been working hard searching for that feeling that I’m doing a good work. And at this moment I felt that. The Lord has accepted, happily, my work until now, and I need to continue to give my all to Him. I love this work. I love my mission. I love my Savior and the help and support I receive every day from him. I know the spirit is real and is always with us, even when we are selves are shutting the door to Him. I’ll continue to dedicate my life to my Lord, and I only hope and pray that here in a year and a few months when I’m on a plane for the United States, I have that same feeling I had in church yesterday. That the Lord knows me, loves me, is with me, accepts my work, and most of all, and is happy with what I’ve done. 

           

I love you all,

Elder McKee

Cameras, Rats, and Subway!

Week of Fevereiro 22-28, 2016

(22) SEGUNDA (Monday):  Today I did an eye exam and then bought glasses.  I’ve been thinking about it for months now, but it wasn’t until last week I set it up, and then today did it.  They’ll be ready Friday or Saturday.  They’re pretty cool.  We’ll see.  I got 2 letters and one post card today.  My camera should come next week!  WOOT WOOT!  This week I’ll be better about writing about each day.

            So, we spent a majority of today going to different glasses stores, looking at what they have and comparing prices.  I found a pair and it was my favorite, and the favorite of the other missionaries, and when we asked the price total of the glasses, lenses, and with a fancy thing that makes the lenses a little darker in the sun, it was the cheapest of the day!  All in all with the exam and final cost of the glasses, it was 620 reais, about $150.00.  But in the exam, when he was having me look thorough the stuff, HOLY COW I’m BLIND!!

            Then, nobody answered their door, just slowly hid their body from view.  I almost said, “I can still see you!” But nope, we’ll just find someone else ot teach today.  But their day light savings jumped back, so it gets dark super fast now, so there’s less people in the streets and in front of their houses sitting like normal.  But we managed a few lessons, with investigators, very soft.

            Today was still great though.  I love talking with my family, and also restocking my bananas.  Today was day 230 of my mission.

(23) TERCA (Tuesday):  So, today I learned that air freshener is called “bom or”, which literally means ‘good air”, ha-ha, I thought it was funny.

            Today was good.  The other elders called us, saying a woman had stopped them in the street asking if they could visit her husband and give him a blessing.  We went and this poor old man was on the bed, couldn’t even move.  His sister was there so we explained ourselves and she let us give him a blessing.

            We also had a good lesson with Stefani.  We taught about the 10 commandments.  Then she said, “Juliano found a book and he’s been reading it.”  Juliano works for the garbage truck.  When she brought it, it was “teachings of Jesus and his Apostles.”  A book of the church.  Inside had the name of the 1^st councilor to bishop, with the date of March 23, 1997.  Ha-ha, pretty cool that he found that book and is reading it.  Maybe because of that he will be converted.  I sure hope so!

            Something that I’m working on is being more humble, as much in thoughts as in actions.  I’ve already learned many times that here, nothing is done because of my own ability, but only when I’m trying to use the spirit.  I need to better in this, and always recognize God’s hand in my life.  Today was day 231 of my mission.

(24) QUARTA (Wednesday):  Today a lesson with Fabiano, we entered, it was the second lesson.  We talked a little bit at the start about prayer, and asked him if he asked with real intention.  He thought for a second and said, “Yes, I think so.”  Then we asked if he feels that he received an answer that the message of the restoration is true.  He didn’t’ hesitate, said, “Absolutely.”  Then we taught the gospel, and I was feeling the spirit so strong.  At the end, we invited him to say the closing prayer.  He thought, then said, “Ok, I’ll do it.”  Then bowed his head and we did too.  Then we sat and sat and sat.  5 MINUTES!  I was praying that Fabiano would feel the same spirit I was feeling.  We sat and sat and I prayed asking what I should do, and I felt this great peace, and I knew to just wait.  Then he started praying.  It was a very strong, heartfelt prayer.  Very simple, but sincere.  We left the lesson to return home for the day, and I didn’t say anything, I was trying to conserve the spirit that I was feeling. 

            Tomorrow I go to Santo Angelo for a division with the Zone Leaders.  We’ll be in trio, we’ll eat at Subway.  Life will be good.  Today was day 232 of my mission.

(25) QUINTA (Thursday):  Today I left the little town of Sao Luiz Gonzaga to do a division with the zone leaders in Santo Angela.  I got here at about 12:00, and we went to lunch.  AT SUBWAY!  AHHH!  I got so excited.  I bought 4-foot longs, and ate 2 of them. There was a sale thing where what ever you buy you get another the same for free.  It was the first time I’d seen subway in 8 months. And it was exactly the same as American. Maybe I got carried away, but I don’t regret anything.  So that was a great start to the day.  Then I went with elder Souza Santos and we visited people in his area.  We had some great lessons, and one inactive lady who tried to convince us that the bishop should be paid like we are.  We tried to explain that we aren’t paid, but actually pay to do this, but she refused to understand.  Also we tried to explain about the attitude of service, and how bispo receives his payment in blessings.  She didn’t want any of that either. 

            The teaching style of Elder Souza Santos was very different from what I am used to.  I learned a lot of things that I’m going to apply in my teaching.  We weren’t in a trio like I thought.  Elder Manaheim went with the other elders to teach them.

            But today was a very good day.  It was nice to not walk and walk and walk to knock doors. Their teaching group is closer and better established, whereas ours is being built still.

            Today was very good.  Subway for lunch.  I have more to eat for dinner, and I’ll give you one guess to what my breakfast will be tomorrow!  Today was day 233 of my mission.

(26) SEXTA (Friday):  When I got home today, there were 5 boxes on my bed.  The other elders needed to mail something, so they grabbed the mail also.  MY CAMERA CAME!  And without tax! And it’s awesome! I’d forgotten what its like to have a working camera. Now I can actually take pictures! I already took a ton of pictures.  Everyone opened their box, very excited. They loved them! Ha-ha Thanks so much!!  And then we opened the M&M’s. 

And 8 movies! AHHH!  Everyone FLIPPED!  Ha-ha, only that 2 of the films I got are the standard we have to give to people, but meet the Mormons, testaments, and the others I am very excited to watch.  I seriously, without a doubt, have the best mom and the best family.  What other missionary can say he got a YODA ENVELOPE, handmade, from his sister?  NONE!  Ha-ha, I love my family.

Old and new camera.  FINALLY!

            Also, I’ll have my glasses here in a few days. When they were making my lenses this last week the machine broke, which they said is normal. The new one should be here today or tomorrow, then it’s only a short time and they’ll call me and I’ll be able to see.

We had a good lesson with Vinivius today.  His brother is the president of the young men.  Vinivius is not a member.  We talked about the gospel with I'm, and what we need to do in this life to qualify for eternal life to come.  It’s always interesting at his house because his girlfriend is ‘Espirita’, a religion I don’t know how to say in English.  They believe in reincarnation, and not in the bible.  She’s really good about not bible bashing, or arguing doctrine.  She’ll just say what she believes sometimes, and leave me wondering how the original truth could become so twisted.  They believe in Jesus Christ, but not that he paid for our sins.  Really anyone who believes in reincarnation rejects the atonement.  It’s through the atonement we are made clean, not another try at life.  Crazy, 100% against what I know to be true.  But Vinivius is very firm in his belief of the bible.  He likes to study and likes the missionaries.  With college starting again, it’s hard to get him to church, but we are trying hard.

            Welerson also called me today to say he’ll still be traveling tomorrow, so our commitment to pass fell through and that he can’t go to church on Sunday.  This all made me happy and sad at the same time. Sad because our commitment fell though, but he remarked for Monday.  Also, that he won’t be at church.  But happy because it shows he’s actually remembering our commitments and he things to alert us when things change.  He’s a great young man, and I really, really want to see him on a mission some day.  Today was day 234 of my mission.

(27)SABADO (Saturday):  Today was AWESOME!  We had a great lesson with Rosalino and his wife, Berenice and their friend about the plan of salvation. Even though it had been 2 weeks since we last passed, because they’re only home Saturdays, they remembered everything of the restoration.  They are great!  They ask questions and they read what we left and prayed.  Berenice said that she prays to know if the church they belong to now is the church of God, or if she needs to keep searching.  And they have a lot of kids.  But everyone is home only on Saturdays after 5, so that’s when we pass.

            We ended the day with a lesson with Eduardo.  It was our second lesson with him, too.  He had a lot of questions.  Since our last visit, he had watched the film, The Restoration, read what we left, talked to his wife about it, and when she asked to read it he had accidently unmarked it, so they read a different part.  He said of al the churches he’s gone to, he can always find something that is wrong according to the Bible.  But ours is the first that he’s felt a connection with.  He said he related a lot with the film, when Joseph couldn’t find the true church.  We answered all of his questions, and then explained more of the Book of Mormon, reading the first title page and parts of the introduction to answer questions and explain more.  We marked 3 Nephi 11, because he had a lot of interest with Jesus Cristo visiting the Americas.

            I don’t know how many of our investigators will be at church because everyone is traveling, but lets pray for a lot!  Today was day 235 of my mission.

(28) DOMINGO (Sunday):  So church today, none of our investigators came.  They’re all traveling.  We called for some of them, but nobody was answering.  We finally went and entered the church. THEN!!, Vinivius walked in!  ha-ha, and he really liked it.  He’s the brother of Wilker, who is president of the young men.  Man I became so excited.

            Then we found some good new investigators today and one that would NOT STOP TALKING!!  If I were talking she would talk over me.  If we tried to talk she would just continue.  Man, I had been thinking I’ve come a long way with my patience, but I almost snapped.  “Just be quiet and let me teach you how to receive salvation!!”  She said she likes to listen to the priests and she believes in the bible.  So I thought, “She needs to then realize I have something to offer.  Right now she just things I’m a youth with little knowledge.”  So, I stated quoting the bible.  We taught the first part of the restoration using the bible a lot.  Sometimes I didn’t even open it, just told her the reference and what it said.  Finally she started to pay attention.  But, we had run out of time and so we taught only the first part and left her and her son with the pamphlet to read and we’ll go back. 

            This week went well.  We really need to better our lessons with members, but we’ll do that this week.  Today was day 236 of my mission.

I’m getting a ton of post cards! :) I love them. And I like the Jake head pictures too. They make me laugh. :) Also, we have a rat in our house. The punk ate my bananas. So I bought a huge nasty mousetrap, but it didn’t kill the guy! Just left a bunch of blood! We have no idea where he’s living, but we'll get him.

Now my time is up. :) Love you mom!!! Next week I’ll find a way to send the pictures. Tell everyone there I love them!! Thanks for all the support!! I hope all is well with everyone!! And I hope everyone is happy!!!  até mais!

Love, Elder McKee

Jake and Elder Martins

 Huge, beautiful flower!

A Good Week!

Week of Feb. 15-21

(15) SEGUNDA (Monday):  So today was a very good P-day.  We went to the post office, Elder Alvarenga was hoping for a package.  It didn’t come, but I got 4 post cards and a letter!  Then we bought stuff to make lasagna and made our own lunch, which turned out very good!  I sent pictures today.  Then Elder Alvarenga said, “lets pass by the post office again and see if my package came in the last few hours.”  It hadn’t come, but my Valentine’s Day one did!  It’s crazy.  I totally forgot about Valentines Day.  Forgot that it existed.  But Peanut Butter from Hawaii and a bunch of Candy!  Woot Woot!  HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAH the jellybeans!!! So, I opened them, explained how they have the same look but taste different. The game is that some people get bad ones. They each tried one, and then threw all the boxes away. I almost threw up with the rotten egg. hahahahahahahahahahaha i died laughing while they were talking about the ´dumb Americans and their candy'.  I got the boxes out of the trash when they weren't looking and am going to give them to them again in a couple of weeks.  (Mom sent Jake a jellybean game.  You spin a spinner and it lands on a color.  The color could be one of two flavors..one good and one bad, like rotton egg and cotton candy.  Sounds like the boys weren’t too impressed. )

         Lesson with Welerson, the boy who accepted the 27^th for baptism.  We talked with his mom, and she was very supportive.  Then we had a lesson, the 10 commandments with the word of wisdom and law of chastity, with Welerson and his mom and his cousin who lives with them.  His mom loved it, because we’re teaching her son to not drink or smoke, or use drugs and to wait for marriage.  We let his mom keep the Book of Mormon, and then his cousin asked for one, too.  Anyways, it was a very good lesson. T hen only thing is that on the 27^th he will be traveling, the next Saturday his mom, who wants to watch, will be traveling.  So, I thin we will have to wait until 12 of March, almost a moth from now.  We’ll work with them and the ward and the Lord, and we’ll see what we can do.

         Today was day 223 of my mission.

(16) TERCA (Tuesday):  Everything that could fall through today, fell.  I won’t even talk about that, because I’m already annoyed enough by it.

         So, I’ll talk about the new family we found today.  Leandro and Diane, with their only son, Maurico, who has 10 months.  It was a great lesson, they understood everything and asked us to come back in 2 days. 

         Tomorrow will be a much better day, almost all commitments.  Today was day 224 of my mission.

(17) QUARTA (Wednesday):  Today I was going through the area book, and I found an old teaching record, starting in 2011.  Through the years, it showed progress, other times none.  The last entry was in 2014, years of missionaries, each helping a little, helping this man progress. He was finally baptized on 6^th of Feb, 2016.  His name is MARCO!  It was so cool to look at the teaching record and read the entries and realize just what a small part I actually played in his conversion.  5 years of small pushes and he finally moved.  Sometimes the spirit works in an instant, and other times at a rate that may seem VERY slow, but he’s always working.  Today was day 225 of my mission.

(18) QUINTA (Thursday):  I love it when investigators actually read and pray!  Today was a long day of walking, but we had good lessons and I learned a lot.  I have a few things I need to work on, I’ll write in my other journal.

         Also, I went to take a shower and the water was gone, so I’m sleeping dirty.  First thing tomorrow will be a nice cold shower.  Today was day 276 of my mission.

(19) SEXTA (Friday):  Today President paid us a visit, which went good.  Sister Parrela managed to find EVERYTHING we forgot to clean.  In her word’s “Some people are born clean, others have to learn to be clean. You need to learn to look at things and know if it’s clean or not.”  Ha-ha, but it’s all good.  Then she told me, “Elder McKee, sugar is bad for you, you know that right?”  I only eat bananas and apples!, In the house.  Then, she pointed to my stash of juice mix, about 30 packages of pineapple and lime.  I’m addicted.  Then she taught me how to overcome a Tang addiction.  HAHAHA

         We had good lessons today, and we found good new investigators. Things are progressing for sure.  Today was day 227 of my mission.

(20) SABADO (Saturday):  Today was AWESOME!  We had an activity or contest of Desserts, and 75 people went!  That, with the wards number in sacrament of 95-100, was incredible!  So many desserts!  I was in heaven.  We had 4 judges, 3 of whom were investigators; the other one was a less active.  AHHH!!  It was PERFECT!  The next activity is a talent show, I’m thinking of drawing something, then after is the night of M&M’s.  But this activity went AMAZING!  We had 6 investigators there!  AHHHH I am so happy.  We keep finding new investigators who have a lot of potential.  I love this ward and I love my mission!!  Today was day 228 of my mission.

(21) DOMINGO (Sunday):  Sunday’s are always like a huge relief to me.  I absolutely love going to church, and especially the sacrament.  Today was slow, because lunch was far away, then after we got home we had to make teaching records for the meeting we had later with Bishop.

         Also, I’m getting fat, and I’m really worried about it.  The 2 new missionaries make dinner every night. I need to go back to my fruit smoothie every night, that I used to eat.

         Welerson went to church today!  He was a judge at our activity yesterday, which he really liked.  I think he really has a lot of potential.  We’re working with him and he wants to be baptized. 

         This week went very good.  We had good lessons, and Elder Martins is learning a lot, very fast.  Today was day 229 of my mission.

Everything is going great. My district is only us 4, so no worries or stress. Just do what you’re supposed to and its all good. I love you guys! I hope all is well! Sorry the journals were shorter this week.

Love, Elder McKee