6-28-2010 Letter Home

Well there's a lot to say and not a lot of time to do it.

Thanks for all the e-mails everybody! I feel very loved! Nossa (dang), can you believe that the day after I wrote, during our District Meeting, the Zone Leaders came in with a big stack of letters for me from the family? I got the package with the chocolates and the letters from before my transfer. I got all the letters from you guys and from Connor. Dang it if I knew all of Connor's e-mails were coming to me in hard-copy I wouldn't have used all my time last P-Day reading them on the Internet. Well, awesome.

Got my package, huh? Great! I want to send a new one soon with some other foodstuffs of Brazil. Didn't find anything on the Internet for the grains I sent? Puxa, I'll have to get some directions from an irma here on how to prepare it, its not extremely good (maybe just cause I eat it every day its getting old) but its something new. 
Real cool! Glad you are enjoying my journal, discovering my challenges and my achievements. Argh, I gave up writing every day, it was getting too difficult, so in the Mission Record of Elder Brendon Carpenter, June is going to be kinda spotty, but I'm going to pick it up again here soon. Can you believe this transfer flew by without one e-mail describing how it went? Well, I'll write ya a summary real quick.

Veneza was a good ward, with awesome members. In the beginning of the transfer our Ward Missionary Leader moved to another neighborhood so it was kind of hard without someone with this calling. I told a bit of this story in my second letter, but there was a seventeen-year old girl named Clarissa that had been taught the previous transfer, but her mother wouldn't let her her be baptized. We had a powerful spiritual experience in which we prayed a lot that in our next visit we would convince her mother to sign the papers necessary and when we got in the house, something just climbed into me (the Spirit) and I became testifying machine. That night her mother agreed to let Clarissa get baptized, and afterward she was, and we built a great friendship with her and her family. For the rest of the transfer it was work work work, finding new people, dealing with some difficulties in the ward, and teaching people. In the end we were able to teach more than 50 people for the entire transfer. We had five investigators that were really showing progress and of which we believe will be baptized this next transfer...

BUT. I am no longer in Veneza. I've been transferred to Mondubim! It's even deeper into Fortaleza and in a poorer area, so it could be very interesting. I've only heard good things about the area and the ward. What's weirder still... Elder Reis is still my companion! We were both transferred to an area on the other side of the city. That doesn't happen very often. I am extremely glad, Elder Reis and I just have this same wavelength kinda thing going on, we work really well together. When we teach people we know exactly what the other one will say and... he's the best companion I've had. We have a great synergy ya know. I guess the Lord recognized this, and, well, why change something that's working, heh? So we're going to bring our energy and good attitudes to a new area and do some reaping and sowing. We left Veneza to my good friend Elder R. Pereira who I lived with in Juazeiro, so we can be sure he'll take good care of our investigators that we've come to know and love.

I've had a good deal of spiritual experiences this transfer. We found some awesome people, and its crazy that everyone of them started with some little act of faith on our part to start a conversation with them. We taught a professional breeder of German Shepherds, and his wife, (he knows five languages and travels a lot to exhibitions, his house is like a dog colony there's so many of them, but he's a really cool, organized guy).  We taught a drummer in a band and his wife and got to bless their tour, they'll return in a week and they are very excited to go to church. We taught a very humble family of four, one of which is a six-year old daughter who suffers from cerebral palsy, they live in a small one-room apartment that has just enough room for a bed, a hammock, a TV and a refrigerator and oven, and several other people that grew very close to my heart.

Otherwise, I am speaking the language like a madman and I'll be living with three Brazilians this transfer, which should continue to help me out. I've had quite a few Bible Bashes lately (this term is used to describe debates that usually occur over scriptural meanings - missionaries are counseled to try to avoid that situation or anything that may bring contention, rather than a spirit of love that should prevail when discussing scripture and relying on the Spirit).  I'm not saying it's always the right thing to do, but it does happen sometimes and it is necessary sometimes to do as well. I've surprised myself by how much I actually know, how all of our doctrines are supported Biblically, and how to show people that, all in Portuguese. I'm feeling the Spirit more than I ever have... that's what is really important. This transfer I have received a strong personal witness that the Holy Spirit is real and can help us know what to say, what to do, where to go... the whispers of the Spirit are very important, if we don't pay attention to them and follow them, it gets harder and harder to hear them, until we repent and really fight for the privilege again.

Once again, I have read all of your messages and I am immensely grateful for them, but I must get out of this LANhouse. Thanks for all of your prayers and support!

Your son, brother, friend and relative of some kind,
Elder Brendon Carpenter

 Just one picture was able to get through, I don't even know which one it was. More later I guess.

Hey, do you think you guys could start working on making a present for me? Here's what I want, and this could help me in the missionary work here: a pedigree chart of how I received the Melchizedek Priesthood. Start with Heavenly Father, down to Jesus Christ, then Peter, James and John, then Joseph Smith, then on down to Dad and then me. This could help show people how the authority and power of God works and why we have the permission to baptize people. Couldja? Couldja?

Thanks in advance! As always, I love you and you'll get more cool news next Monday!

- Brendon
 

6-21-2010 Letter Home

 My companion Elder Reis.


Did you guys get my letters? Why didn't I get any letters for five weeks? 
Ah well, send me some e-mails for next week. I love you guys! 
Happy late Birthday Kaitlin! 
One of our investigators is in a band and they'll be going on tour this week, so they invited us to bless the trip tonight! That's going to be interesting. 

 

A scorpion we found in the bathroom. 

We burned it though Elder Reis wanted to capture it alive in a soda bottle.

The house next to our apartment caught fire two days ago. A kid was doing something unorthodox with the family's plasma TV and it exploded, and the next thing we knew there was black smoke rising up from the rooftop. We started filling pots and pans with water and doing our best to douse the flames from our window, two stories above the fire. The entire neighborhood started helping out, just tons of people with whatever container they could get their hands on, helping throw water on the flames. It actually worked! The freaking lame firefighters arrived thirty minutes after the fire went out. It was funny, at one point I threw I big potful of water out the window and the wind caught it, and the water sailed down and hit a guy down below, completely drenching him. A little bit of hilarity among the chaos. 

 Elder Holmes left for home this last Thursday, we lived in the same house for five weeks, he's a great missionary and a good friend. Had some problems in the fam so he had to go back, but he's still an Elder. He said he might call you guys.

I read all of Connor's letters this P-Day, so now we're back on track and the regular routine can start again. I've got some photos ready for next week as well. Did I tell you we had a baptism the? Really good story.

Clarissa's baptism day

Have a great week family! I love you!

6-7-2010 Special Letter for the Young Men in our Stake

Hello everybody!
I am not sure if I knew all of you before I left on my mission, so allow me to introduce myself. My first name is Brendon, but everyone here in Ceara, Brazil calls me Elder Carpenter. I left an awesome family behind in Cameron Park and I have an identical twin brother who is serving in Southern Brazil in a state called the Rio Grande do Sul. I am serving right now in Fortaleza, the biggest city and capitol of Ceara, and if I had to describe the area I am serving in one word I would say: “It’s way hot here”. Because it’s by the equator, in this area of the world there are no seasons, it’s just summer throughout the entire year. They don’t have air conditioning here either, so when I am in my house, studying or getting ready for the day, I am always sitting in front of a fan. You get used to the heat after awhile, don’t worry, after a few months it feels very normal to just sweat every hour of the day.

We do have fun as missionaries! At the right times, in the right places, we missionaries have a blast. Everyone loves soccer here in Brazil, so we spend a lot of our P-days on the field. You are with your companion 24/7, so you learn to become friends very quickly, and there are always a lot of jokes and stories to tell to keep you entertained while you are walking to your next appointment.

One time, my companion and I played a prank on the other companionship that lived in our apartment. We arrived a little earlier than them for the night and we threw some of their things on the floor, opened up their bags and left them open and disorganized, then took all of the cameras and electronics and hid them in the kitchen. We left the door unlocked and ajar. When they came home a little bit later, we were hiding in the kitchen and we heard them enter very cautiously. One of the Elders had only 3 months on the mission, and we heard him say, “Dude, I think someone broke into our house!”, in kind of a loud, scared whisper. They started looking through their things. His senior companion was a boxer; he was always talking about how he would take someone out if they tried to mug him (which happens here occasionally), just a big, strong, funny guy. He started panicking, “We gotta call the police!” I think I made a sound or something because the new missionary said “I think they are still in here!” They both booked it for the door. My companion and I came out of the house laughing. It was really hilarious; we joked about it for awhile and then helped them pick up everything we had disorganized.

You will still be yourself on your mission and still have fun; it helps keep you sane. Don’t think that you’ll leave for the mission and become a robot, because what the mission is, is a holy, life-changing, personal experience, and you come out of it a better person, but still you. It’s the person you’ll be for the rest of your life, so make sure the person you become is someone you’d be proud of, someone our Heavenly Father would be proud of.

I was trying to think of a good spiritual experience to share and I kept on remembering this one night my companion and I went to teach this 17-year old girl and her mother. It’s not a huge miraculous story, but I felt impressed that it was the right one to write to you all about. I arrived in a new area with a new companion and on our first night; we started to plan our week. He had been in the area awhile already, so I asked him, “Elder, is there anyone ready that we can baptize this week?”

He got a discouraged look on his face and said that there was someone, this girl named Clarissa, who he had been teaching for a few weeks already. She had read part of the Book of Mormon, prayed about it, and received an answer to her prayers that not only was the book was true, but that the church we represented was the one she needed to join. She had attended church every Sunday since then and had started going to Seminary every day as well. Clarissa wanted to be baptized and was ready for it, but she had one problem that was preventing her: her mother, for whatever reason was doubtful about the church and reluctant to let her daughter get baptized. When I heard my companion explain this to me, in kind of a frustrated way, I just thought silently by myself for a minute and then I had this idea enter into my mind all of the sudden. I said, “Let’s pray right now for Clarissa.” We did so. When we finished, I said, once more, with thoughts entering my mind about these people I had never met,

“Let’s go to their house tomorrow and convince Clarissa’s mother to let her daughter get baptized.”

That night we prayed more, that we would say the right things and the Spirit would help us the next day. The next morning we prayed specifically that the encounter would be successful, and during our study time we planned and practiced what we would say to Clarissa’s mother. Before we left the house, we prayed again that her heart would be softened. By the time we arrived at our appointment with Clarissa and her mom, we felt prepared to do something miraculous. Still, as we sat down and began talking, we realized that we would have to be tested. Clarissa’s mother is a good woman, but she was doubtful about the church, hard-hearted and critical. At first, as we began to talk, it seemed she would never change her mind. She told us that Clarissa was not ready to make such a big decision and that she had other responsibilities in life that were more important. But, we began to teach her about baptism, we unfolded the scriptures and shared with her our testimonies about why we knew it was important. We spoke with the Spirit and power of God, and lovingly answered the questions that Clarissa’s mother had. I saw, at one point in this conversation, a different light turn on in the mother’s eyes. She felt the power of the Spirit, not because of her faith, but because Heavenly Father was answering our prayers and preparing a way for one of His elect to enter the waters of baptism. When the time came, we asked Clarissa’s mother for her authorization for Clarissa to be baptized and she told us she would sign whatever papers we would bring her.

That Saturday, Clarissa entered the baptismal font, dressed in white, and made a holy covenant with God that she would follow Him, and symbolized this by being baptized. Clarissa was elect, she has always had a special destiny that she would find and join this wonderful church. I see her often and she is happier now, because of the gospel.

These are the people you will have to find, they are waiting for you out there and Heavenly Father is doing His part, preparing and planning the circumstances in which you will meet. You will have to defend these people from the obstacles, temptations and distractions they will face. You will have to help them recognize the Spirit and receive blessings from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father needs you; He needs servants on Earth to act through.

Close your eyes for a few seconds and imagine yourself as if you were looking in the mirror. That person you see needs to become the servant of the Lord that will be worthy and able enough to help bring to pass the plans of our Heavenly Father. I’ve seen missionaries give up and go home. They gave up the plan that the Father had prepared for them. This can’t be your destiny. You’ve got be ready when you enter the mission, ready to learn, ready to change, ready to suffer a bit at times, but willing to follow the plan the Lord has for you right to the end. I know that if we’re willing to make whatever sacrifice to follow the Lord, He’ll lead us somewhere that’s worth it. We’ve just got to trust Him.

You might feel like you are not the smartest, you might feel like you aren’t a people person or the physical type that can walk in the sun for miles every day. But whatever weakness you have, as long as you trust in the Lord, follow what He says, your weaknesses will become strengths and you will become that powerful miracle-working missionary that you need to be. We all have that potential.

Go on a mission, guys. You’re going to see things and feel things you never imagined. You’re going to change, become a better you, think better, act better. It’s going to drastically help your life, as long as you trust in the Lord, follow Him, and let it.

I know the power of God is real, I know that man can only find it within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and I know that everyone of us has a holy and sacred destiny to accomplish in this life. I share this with you in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

5-31-2010 Letter Home

(from typed letter sent by regular mail)
Hey family!
Second P-day without email or contact from you guys. Hope you aren't sad or stressed about any of this, just a few more weeks or so. I am feeling kind of miffed about not getting any news from anyone, but it's just mildly annoying. I know that it's only going to be temporary. This week went well. Elder Reis and I are getting along great, we just have the same kind of vibe going and we are working hard. this area is a bit difficult, but better than Maracanau, at least we are teaching people. The problem we are having is finding new people to teach, which means we are knocking a lot of doors and teaching a lot of first lessons, which is great, that is my favorite part of the whole process. The Ward is great, it has about 110 active members rather than 60-70 like the last ward and they work hard and they are awesome, but it does seem like this area is rather worked over. We keep on hearing that the members have invited all of their friends and neighbors to Church and that all the people that the members know who may have accepted the Gospel have already had the missionaries over. Oh well, we are going to try other methods to find new people to teach. I am organizing an English class that will be held in our chapel every Saturday night and we are going to have the young adults in the ward talk about it at school and introduce the program to their English classes. If it goes off well, we might get a new batch of investigators every Saturday night. Elder Reis and I are throwing around some ideas.... we'll figure it out eventually.
I love working inside Fortaleza finally! It's much more modern, more people have cars and you can find more things at the grocery store. It's very comfortable. I'm excited to spend the next six months here and help this ward grow!
Unfortunately, the World Cup is going to start in less than two weeks, and it will last for more than a month, and that's going to frustrate things here. I've heard the whole country stops for a month during the World Cup, which is going to make finding and teaching people much more difficult.
Ah well, I am loving the challenges I'm having here, it's very edifying. The whole city starts to change for the World Cup... all the cars have Brazilian flags waving from the antennas, people are draping yellow and green banners over power lines, there are paintings of the Brazilian flag on the sidewalk and on the paved roads... there's just a lot of patriotism and excitement in the air, it's very cool. Well, I love you guys! Til next time!
Love,
Your son, Elder Brendon Carpenter

5-24-2010 Letter Home

(from letter received by regular mail)

Hey family! Kind of cool getting a printed letter, eh?

This area is awesome. I am doing very well with elder Reis. the house is great. We are working so hard and this time it is actually paying off! So many appointments are going through and we've found some interested people. We had the privilege of baptizing a 17 yea-old girl, Clarissa this last Saturday. It was kind of tough convincing her Mom to give her permission, but I testified about baptism and how the Gospel has helped my life and at the end she just changed her mind, after being very insistent before. The Holy Ghost was there so strong and I'm sure she felt it tell her that she needed to let her daughter get baptized. Awesome!

I'm living with some good Elders, having a great time. The mission is awesome. Have you gotten the package yet? I wanted to write a letter and get it in there, but I didn't have enough time. Cajuina, that juice you got in a bottle is very Cearanese. I hope you like it. You can make some good stuff with that faroufel, look up the ingredients on the internet and see what you can come up with. It will last a long time so you can keep it in the pantry until you know what to do with it. I'll send more letters about that. I sent a bag of dirt from Brazil, I thought it might be cool, and some leaves. I can't remember much else of what I sent.

Anyway, don't worry about me. I am doing great. As always, I love you guys and I am learning a lot here and doing good things.

Well, love you all! Have a great week! Hope this gets to you soon!

One of your missionaries in Brazil,
Brendon

(second hand-written note)

Hey parents! So I'm taking you up on your offer and sending you guys names you can place in the temple! Many times after a lesson or after a visit, we ask if there is anything we can do to help. Many times the response is "So oracao" or "just prayer!" Every time someone says that now, I ask them to write down their full names. So please enter these names in the temple next time you can.
(names withheld for privacy)
This is a family we are teaching. they are very poor and have a 3 year old child with cerebral palsy that is blind and can't move very well and another baby. You can imagine what they are going through, They have such a great need for the blessings of the Gospel.
Another family that are new converts, only 6 months in the church. The father is having trouble committing himself to the church, being baptized and attending on Sunday. They need help.
Thanks guys, I love you, thanks for your support and prayers. this is my best transfer and companion yet. Hope everything is great back home!! Love love love!
Your son,
Brendon