Throwing Out Your Back
Good week.
Man we are finding and teaching some good people. I've gotten back into that same swing I had with Elder Da Hora in the beginning of my time here in Jangurussu, just working hard and not letting too much keep me from doing my best. Elder Cusick is a good comp.
During proselyting one day it was 6:00 and we were walking to the next appointment and he collapsed on the road. For some reason his back muscles just seized up on him, we had no idea what was happening. After recuperating we started walking again and after thirty seconds he had to sit down again. For whatever reason the fact his back was just pulverized meant he could barely walk. We ended up cancelling our other three appointments and walking slowly back home, walking for thirty seconds and then sitting on the curb for another four or five minutes. Elder Cusick was going through some serious pain. It kind of blew my mind how bad it got, and just so suddenly. The members think he got some tropical virus. We got home early and he drank some juice and went to sleep for about 16 hours. When he got up the next morning it was about completely gone. At one point I called Sister Batt and told her we might have to go to the hospital and I was thinking: "One more time my companion goes down because of a tropical disease, this has got to be a cosmic joke." But luckily he got better super fast.
We had a ten year old kid come up to us in the streeta, his name is Raphael. He asked us:
"What do I have to do to be converted into your church?"
We were surprised and said,
"You have to be baptized."
He asked,
"How do I get baptized?"
We told him we'd have to pass by his house and share a message with his family and then he'd have to go to church two times and after the second visit we could baptize him.
Then he said,
"Well, let's go to my house then!"
We went to his house and talked to his Dad and shared a short message, invited him to church. I guess he had some member friends that lived on the same road. They took him to church yesterday for the first time and he was super excited. Looks like we're marking his baptism for next week, just as fast as Raphael wants it. Where's the Easy Button? Ceara is crazy. :P
We are also teaching a fifteen-year old professional football player for the junior league here, named Mateus, he's a stud, really bright kid, went to church and is reading a lot of the Book of Mormon. Can't wait for him to serve the sacrament in this ward, he has so much potential.
Still good news from Eduardo and Raquelle, they are getting stronger and stronger, just waiting for the wedding to go through to be baptized. Eduardo hasn't drank for a month straight, which means since our first lesson on the Word of Wisdom he hasn't touched alcohol. Yay!
Good, strong future members.
Nery got confirmed today, he's awesome tooa, but Claudia got called to work all Sunday long and could go to church. She has got a tough job, they really are slavedrivers to her, I don't know why she stays at that supermarket there's got to be better opportunities somewhere. She's got a special spirit.
We've got three completely different Elders now. Weird... I've seen twelve other Elders pass through this house in the time I've been here. Everyone but me from the Hotel California days has been transferred out.
But, our district is awesome. Elder Ojopi, Elder Cusick, Elder McDonald and I are all from the same group. The others have a lot of time as well. We've got a cool "veteran missionary" district this transfer which is really cool, probably the funnest district I've had so far on the mission.
Sorry about the pictures... I pass by this guys house more than two times every week to get my camera working. It came back from the shop he took it to and when we turned everything on, same problem, so it went back to the shop. At least I'm getting it done free, and Alessandro has already gotten me a new cable. Now we just gotta take the virus off once and for all from the memory card. What is crazy annoying is that Elder Cusick's camera got a virus like two weeks ago and now it can't send pictures either! What's up with NONE of my companions having the ability to send pictures, Elder Pili, Elder Mauricio, Elder Deffense and now Elder Cusick. Just nothing is going right with cameras and pictures.
My feet got way better for a few weeks since I got that antifungal stuff from you guys, but it has started up recently again because of wet socks during the day. Still a battle.
Wow, no more news really. I'm doing great, can't complain much. I'm trying to get back on top of journal writing lately, I've let that slide quite a bit for the last few months. I guess that's it!!
Oh wait, Nick is going to be leaving this week, right? Oh man, I can't believe it's already here! Wish him luck for me! Don't be nervous Nick you're going to be in the field before you know it, teaching with the Spirit and being an awesome confident new greeny. I love you man!
I really do hope everything is good back home. I'm praying for you and know the Lord will direct us in the right path. Just keep the faith. I'm good with anything you guys decide about the Brazil trip.
KIA KAHA!
I love you guys so much! Have a great week!
Your bro and son and more,
Elder Brendon
1-24-2011 Letter Home
Poor Feet!
I am super happy! We just got back down from the center of Fortaleza, Elder Cusick and I, we didn't have new comps but we just wanted to see everybody. I saw Elder Carvalho, my trainer, for the last time! He's finally going back home to Sao Paulo. Elder Reis, one of my best friends, is already leaving this next transfer and it probably was the last time I'd see him.
We also had Claudia, about 20-years-old as well, that was baptized at night. She has a cool story. She was the grocery store check out girl and I think it was my second transfer here with Elder Da Hora that I recognized that every time I went to that one grocery store, she would check out all my items. I felt the spirit tell me I should talk to her and see if we could teach her a lesson but I totally let the ball drop and didn't make contact. I think there were three other times I saw her working at the grocery store and I didn't say anything cuz we had an appointment or something, but finally with Elder Mauricio I talked to her while checking one day and I chatted a bit with her and got her address. We went there and taught her the first lesson and she told us she would read the Book of Mormon and go to church on Sunday. Two weeks passed, holidays, and her church visit fell through every Sunday. We finally got her to Church, and she was SUPER shy, scared to even enter the chapel, really really timid. But we got another member to befriend her and take her to Relief Society and everything and at the end of the meetings she said she loved every bit of it. Elder Cusick and I, at this point, thought: "Hmmm, you think maybe she could be baptized next week? She is saying she 'loved' the church visit, so why not ask?"
We really quickly taught all of the commandments and then asked the commitment questions:
Yeah it is pretty rainy here. It doesn't feel like 80 degrees, more like mid-70s not too bad. It's been raining like crazy. I've heard that it's flooding again in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo... is it getting pretty bad? Man, Brazil is getting a lot of rain lately.
We were in the center of Fortaleza today seeing other missionaries just for fun and to get to the Burger King there, the bus dropped us off at the nearest bus stop to the chapel where we would meet the other missionaries... but dropped us off in a foot of water! My shoes are still way soaked because there was just no way to prevent it from happening. But, it wasn't terrible, you know? Just outlandish. We had to take off shoes and socks to wade through a flooded street. Hope I didn't get any diseases, my feet are already badly treated!! Poor feet!
Hey, I love you guys! Shoot, internet time goes so fast! Anything more to tell you... oh, hey, about the trip to Ceara and Rio Grande. Look, I trust you guys to make good decisions, right? I won't be torn up to not go on a Brazil trip. I'd love to show you guys this world that I've grown to love, that I live in every day, but really, if you've got to make hard choices, go ahead. I am hungry to see home any way and the rest of the family. We can always come back here for the World Cup in 2014 I've heard there are going to be a lot of awesome travel opportunities, and there will be games in Fortaleza to watch. Just telling you that I wouldn't hate my life if we didn't do a Grand Mission Tour.
Love love love!!
- Brendon
I am super happy! We just got back down from the center of Fortaleza, Elder Cusick and I, we didn't have new comps but we just wanted to see everybody. I saw Elder Carvalho, my trainer, for the last time! He's finally going back home to Sao Paulo. Elder Reis, one of my best friends, is already leaving this next transfer and it probably was the last time I'd see him.
Guess what, I'm staying for one more transfer in Jangurussu!!! Crazy, huh?
I must STILL have elect people waiting for me even though I've combed every single street for them, what the heck, where are they hiding?!
I love this ward, the people in the neighborhood, it is seriously going to be THE ward I remember when I think of my mission, and the one we'll spend the most time in if you guys come to get us.
Elder Cusick is cool, I'm getting along great with him, we're a companionship of two seniors which means we're on fire with the work, I've been feeling great lately.
So, I think I told you in the last e-mail about Neres, right? We found him one day as a reference of a member, and it turns out that he had already been taught by missionaries and had been going to church in his girlfriend's ward. We scheduled the interview as soon as we could for him to get baptized. The day before his baptism we figured out he hadn't been taught some key stuff like the Plan of Salvation and eternal marriage, baptisms for the dead and all so we got some time to actually do some teaching. He's only four days older than me and has been a preacher at the Assembly of God for a little while, reads the scriptures like the maniac. He knows SO much of the Bible, he now works at a technology school as a teacher. Awesome guy. We bonded very quickly. Yesterday he was baptized at 2:00 PM! When he came out of the water he smiled at me and gave me a big wet hug and told me thank you.
Elder Cusick is cool, I'm getting along great with him, we're a companionship of two seniors which means we're on fire with the work, I've been feeling great lately.
So, I think I told you in the last e-mail about Neres, right? We found him one day as a reference of a member, and it turns out that he had already been taught by missionaries and had been going to church in his girlfriend's ward. We scheduled the interview as soon as we could for him to get baptized. The day before his baptism we figured out he hadn't been taught some key stuff like the Plan of Salvation and eternal marriage, baptisms for the dead and all so we got some time to actually do some teaching. He's only four days older than me and has been a preacher at the Assembly of God for a little while, reads the scriptures like the maniac. He knows SO much of the Bible, he now works at a technology school as a teacher. Awesome guy. We bonded very quickly. Yesterday he was baptized at 2:00 PM! When he came out of the water he smiled at me and gave me a big wet hug and told me thank you.
Neres also said something funny like: "I've been baptized now, but Jeremias tells us that we were chosen before this life. I've already been anointed and chosen to be part of the Church of Jesus Christ!"
And I just agreed, "Yep, you are really really one of the Elect that is for sure!" Hehe. Way elect.
We also had Claudia, about 20-years-old as well, that was baptized at night. She has a cool story. She was the grocery store check out girl and I think it was my second transfer here with Elder Da Hora that I recognized that every time I went to that one grocery store, she would check out all my items. I felt the spirit tell me I should talk to her and see if we could teach her a lesson but I totally let the ball drop and didn't make contact. I think there were three other times I saw her working at the grocery store and I didn't say anything cuz we had an appointment or something, but finally with Elder Mauricio I talked to her while checking one day and I chatted a bit with her and got her address. We went there and taught her the first lesson and she told us she would read the Book of Mormon and go to church on Sunday. Two weeks passed, holidays, and her church visit fell through every Sunday. We finally got her to Church, and she was SUPER shy, scared to even enter the chapel, really really timid. But we got another member to befriend her and take her to Relief Society and everything and at the end of the meetings she said she loved every bit of it. Elder Cusick and I, at this point, thought: "Hmmm, you think maybe she could be baptized next week? She is saying she 'loved' the church visit, so why not ask?"
We really quickly taught all of the commandments and then asked the commitment questions:
Her answers:
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Well, Claudia, you are telling us you want to do everything that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints do, make all the promises that we have all made. Will you also make the final decision to be baptized with the holy priesthood of God this next Sunday night?"
"Yes! I'll be baptized!"
Seriously, it was like straight from the Liahona, we just all felt the Spirit and she accepted, on the spot, all the commitments that comes from entering the Church. We were dumbfounded because usually people need time to absorb info and make life decisions, but Claudia was so awesome she knew it was all true and she decided to act. And she's like one of the shyest Brazilians I've met! I'm baffled that she even got in front of everyone to get into the baptismal font but she did it! Wow, Claudia is an awesome person.
I. Wish. I. Had. Freaking. Pictures!!!! :(
Seriously, it was like straight from the Liahona, we just all felt the Spirit and she accepted, on the spot, all the commitments that comes from entering the Church. We were dumbfounded because usually people need time to absorb info and make life decisions, but Claudia was so awesome she knew it was all true and she decided to act. And she's like one of the shyest Brazilians I've met! I'm baffled that she even got in front of everyone to get into the baptismal font but she did it! Wow, Claudia is an awesome person.
I. Wish. I. Had. Freaking. Pictures!!!! :(
Yeah it is pretty rainy here. It doesn't feel like 80 degrees, more like mid-70s not too bad. It's been raining like crazy. I've heard that it's flooding again in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo... is it getting pretty bad? Man, Brazil is getting a lot of rain lately.
We were in the center of Fortaleza today seeing other missionaries just for fun and to get to the Burger King there, the bus dropped us off at the nearest bus stop to the chapel where we would meet the other missionaries... but dropped us off in a foot of water! My shoes are still way soaked because there was just no way to prevent it from happening. But, it wasn't terrible, you know? Just outlandish. We had to take off shoes and socks to wade through a flooded street. Hope I didn't get any diseases, my feet are already badly treated!! Poor feet!
Hey, I love you guys! Shoot, internet time goes so fast! Anything more to tell you... oh, hey, about the trip to Ceara and Rio Grande. Look, I trust you guys to make good decisions, right? I won't be torn up to not go on a Brazil trip. I'd love to show you guys this world that I've grown to love, that I live in every day, but really, if you've got to make hard choices, go ahead. I am hungry to see home any way and the rest of the family. We can always come back here for the World Cup in 2014 I've heard there are going to be a lot of awesome travel opportunities, and there will be games in Fortaleza to watch. Just telling you that I wouldn't hate my life if we didn't do a Grand Mission Tour.
Love love love!!
- Brendon
1-17-2011 Letter Home
Miracle Max
What's up everybody! Man, not too much time today, might not be a huge letter, sorry. :(
Elder Bryan was transferred to a city called Caucaia on the outskirts of Fortaleza. I am now companions with Elder Cusick! Woah! Cool! He's from my group, we both have a year and four months on the mission, so I guess we are both senior companions! He's a fun guy and we're getting along great together.
This week we followed a reference to this small school for technology, we go in and ask for a guy named Neres and I was thinking that one of the students would come into the office and tell us about a friend or something he has in the church,
but who gets there... like one of the main teachers of the school, 27 or so, in a sharp suit, and he shakes our hands excitedly and tells us that his girlfriend is a member and that he's gone to church several times in another ward and has been reading the Book of Mormon for weeks and he wants to get baptized as soon as possible. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. Whaaaaatttt??
We quickly taught him a few things in the little time we had and scheduled with him to pass by Sunday morning to go to church in our ward and meet everybody. We go Sunday morning to accompany him to Church and he was already out the door with his girlfriend with the scriptures in his hand. He had a great time at Church and told us he wants to get through the lessons as soon as possible to get baptized on Saturday, and from what we've heard he doesn't drink or smoke or drink coffee, Sweeeeeeeeeet!!!
One of our other investigators, Claudia, went to Church for the first time. She's 22 and works in a super market. She was super timid and nervous at first, could hardly say a few words to overfriendly members, but she found a friend about her age and after Sacrament meeting and all the classes she was talking a lot about her life and smiling. We took her outside real quick to teach her some lessons, she doesn't have much time during the week you know, and we ended up teaching everything in like 30 minutes, about all the commandments and everything. At the very end we asked her if she wanted to be baptized next Sunday and she said she'd loved to. She said something like "Oh, I'm so glad I can be baptized soon! I thought I would have to wait a lot longer to be baptized like for months and months!" Freaking awesome!
We got two other families that are golden that are going to church as well. They just need to be married so we're off to the city center this next week to set up the weddings. If I stay here one more transfer I'll be able to see them married and then baptized, I'm hoping that President will leave me here one more even though I've already served for six months here in Jangurussu.
Lots of great stuff happening, I'm super happy and loving my mission right now. It's all about the people you serve and love and teach that makes the difference. That feeling keeps you motivated despite all the trials and difficulties.
I read all your e-mails and I thank you for all the words of support. I love you guys!
I'm super excited for Nick he's going to be leaving soon! Did I tell you Elder Bryan served in Nebraska for two transfers while he was waiting for his visa? Good news: it's a car mission! He said that the best Elders baptize 15-20 there in their whole mission... not the worst mission in the states. Nick is going to do great things there!
Keep chugging along with whatever difficulty or trial and stay true to the Lord, He will deliver us and provide for us I know He will!
Love,
Brendonman
What's up everybody! Man, not too much time today, might not be a huge letter, sorry. :(
Elder Bryan was transferred to a city called Caucaia on the outskirts of Fortaleza. I am now companions with Elder Cusick! Woah! Cool! He's from my group, we both have a year and four months on the mission, so I guess we are both senior companions! He's a fun guy and we're getting along great together.
This week we followed a reference to this small school for technology, we go in and ask for a guy named Neres and I was thinking that one of the students would come into the office and tell us about a friend or something he has in the church,
but who gets there... like one of the main teachers of the school, 27 or so, in a sharp suit, and he shakes our hands excitedly and tells us that his girlfriend is a member and that he's gone to church several times in another ward and has been reading the Book of Mormon for weeks and he wants to get baptized as soon as possible. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. Whaaaaatttt??
We quickly taught him a few things in the little time we had and scheduled with him to pass by Sunday morning to go to church in our ward and meet everybody. We go Sunday morning to accompany him to Church and he was already out the door with his girlfriend with the scriptures in his hand. He had a great time at Church and told us he wants to get through the lessons as soon as possible to get baptized on Saturday, and from what we've heard he doesn't drink or smoke or drink coffee, Sweeeeeeeeeet!!!
One of our other investigators, Claudia, went to Church for the first time. She's 22 and works in a super market. She was super timid and nervous at first, could hardly say a few words to overfriendly members, but she found a friend about her age and after Sacrament meeting and all the classes she was talking a lot about her life and smiling. We took her outside real quick to teach her some lessons, she doesn't have much time during the week you know, and we ended up teaching everything in like 30 minutes, about all the commandments and everything. At the very end we asked her if she wanted to be baptized next Sunday and she said she'd loved to. She said something like "Oh, I'm so glad I can be baptized soon! I thought I would have to wait a lot longer to be baptized like for months and months!" Freaking awesome!
We got two other families that are golden that are going to church as well. They just need to be married so we're off to the city center this next week to set up the weddings. If I stay here one more transfer I'll be able to see them married and then baptized, I'm hoping that President will leave me here one more even though I've already served for six months here in Jangurussu.
Lots of great stuff happening, I'm super happy and loving my mission right now. It's all about the people you serve and love and teach that makes the difference. That feeling keeps you motivated despite all the trials and difficulties.
I read all your e-mails and I thank you for all the words of support. I love you guys!
I'm super excited for Nick he's going to be leaving soon! Did I tell you Elder Bryan served in Nebraska for two transfers while he was waiting for his visa? Good news: it's a car mission! He said that the best Elders baptize 15-20 there in their whole mission... not the worst mission in the states. Nick is going to do great things there!
Keep chugging along with whatever difficulty or trial and stay true to the Lord, He will deliver us and provide for us I know He will!
Love,
Brendonman
1-10-11 Letter Home
Everything Just Works Out!
What's up yo! I'm at the mission office right now. Wow, lot's of things have happened lately where do I start? First of all, thanks for the nice letter and the prayers and everything it definitely helped.
My cough is almost completely gone. I've had it for a month and a half but it's definitely going away. I am feeling more energetic too and ready for a good week of work.
On monday night, after I sent you that letter, Elder ------- got back from the hospital and he told us that President had called him and SURPRISE! I would be quarantined with him and our companions would be transferred to new areas. So it was goodbye to my companion. Freak, I can't believe I didn't get one picture of him to you guys that's weird. Tuesday morning we were waiting for a taxi to take us to Aldeota, at the center of Fortaleza, (the two juniors would stay in the office and Elder ----- and I went to the hospital) and my companion and I go to cancel our lunch appointment. We went first to a members house to see if she could call our lunch appointment and tell them we weren't coming, but she wasn't there. I was really worried about lunch because the woman who would make lunch for us that day wasn't a member, she was an investigator and we did not want to let her down. I felt really bad and I knew I had to go tell her we'd be at the hospital the whole day. So after we discovered the member wasn't home, I start walking in the direction of the house we had lunch scheduled at and my companion starts to walk back in the other direction. I told him that we had to go cancel lunch and he just wagged his finger at me and said "No, no, no, we've walked too much already, just forget about it, we need to go wait for the taxi." I didn't get why he was complaining but I wasn't going to follow him, I needed to cancel lunch, it was really important, so I just wouldn't budge. When he discovered I wasn't following him, he sat down on a curb like a block away, still within my sight, and despite waving my arms he would not move. So I just waited for a good ten minutes, even though the house I needed to go to was just two minutes away. My companion refused, not wanting to walk two minutes to another house, despite being the junior companion and everything, and our taxi was coming. Can you imagine my frustration at this point, having all this other crap going on already? So I ditched him. I couldn't take it any longer. I ran to the house alone and talked with our investigator and told her we couldn't come that day, took two minutes to do so, then I walked straight back to our house. When I got there my companion was furious, trying to call President and tell him that I abandoned him. Whatever, he really made me mad. President Batt even called me up to see why my companion was complaining so much about me, but when I explained the situation he understood. But now we are split up with this hospital situation. You win some, you lose some.
In the end, Heavenly Father really blessed me this week. I stayed with Elder ---- until Saturday at hospitals and the mission office here, just getting exams and some needed rest from the last year and four months, trying to clear my head a bit and think about how I'm going to end my mission.
I did blood, spit and skin tests to see if I have tuberculoses and I also did X-Rays, looks like I got 0% chance of having it! That's super lucky after hanging out with Elder ------ for three months. He isn't doing much better though, he might have to be quarantined for longer. When President discovered I had a 0% chance of having TB, he sent me back to Fortaleza/Castelo with Elder -----'s old companion, Elder Bryan, who has 7 months on the mission, and we are currently taking care of four wards now, Fortaleza and Castelo, and also Palmeiras and Sitio Sao Joao, my area + Elder Deffense's old area. Woah! Lots of investigators, lots of stuff to do. But at least I'm feeling better, got a new companion and I got a little bit of a breather. Been doing a lot of thinking about my life and stuff I wanna do in the future, it was a good break.
Prayers worked out! The man I told you about last week who asked me for so much money came by my house and I told him that the money he needed didn't exist with me. I did have 200 reais I had been keeping in my reserve, and I told him about it and he asked if he could just borrow 200, it would help him a bunch in getting more time to get the money he needs. So there went 200 reais, and I am putting a lot of trust in the guy that he'll fulfill his promise and get me the money back in 20 days. He seemed happy about that and thanked me a lot, I hope everything goes well with his family and his house. I am putting a lot of trust in him.
As for the member who was blaming me for a lot of stuff... yeah, that ended well too. Just yesterday. We passed by his house, Elder Bryan and I, and I told him we needed to get to Aldeota again and he offered to drive us there, to my surprise. On the drive he apologized and told me he was doing better, told me that he was dating someone in the Church and that she was helping him a lot, and that some other things had happened to him and in the end it convinced him that God really did love him and that he shouldn't leave the Church and that I really didn't do anything to hurt him. Wow. I was pulling my hair out thinking about that guy, I sent him a ton of letters and stuff trying to apologize and help him with his testimony, but in the end, it wasn't me at all that put an end to that crisis, it was Heavenly Father and maybe my prayers and your prayers. Wow. Really cool. I was so happy to see him smiling and talking to me once more and being like he was before, it was the best thing that happened this week. I'm so glad I can have experiences like this.
To make this week even better, we had two unexpected baptisms!! Saturday night we passed by an investigator's house and I just felt like I should invite the two kids there to be baptized the next day. They had already been to church with the rest of the family but I hadn't been thinking that they could be baptized, because I was imagining the whole family could be baptized at the same time... but seeing that the parents would need some more time to get married and everything, it just felt right to get them both baptized as soon as possible, if that's what they wanted. They were really excited about it!! One phone call later, we got the Zone Leaders to our area in an hour, we interviewed them, they answered all the questions perfectly, and 20 hours later, they were in the water in white jumpsuits! An entire week without teaching a single lesson and it ended with a baptismal service. What a bunch of awesome miracles! When I come back to this area at the end of my mission, I can't wait to see their family happily united in the Gospel.
I really feel like Heavenly Father is blessing me a lot lately. I'm so lucky that my trials pass so quickly and that God really shows up for me, I feel like I don't deserve it. That's the Gospel for you. It's made to make you happy. I am very grateful for it.
Good week, guys, I had a great week. Everything just works out!
I love you guys!!!
- Brendon
What's up yo! I'm at the mission office right now. Wow, lot's of things have happened lately where do I start? First of all, thanks for the nice letter and the prayers and everything it definitely helped.
My cough is almost completely gone. I've had it for a month and a half but it's definitely going away. I am feeling more energetic too and ready for a good week of work.
On monday night, after I sent you that letter, Elder ------- got back from the hospital and he told us that President had called him and SURPRISE! I would be quarantined with him and our companions would be transferred to new areas. So it was goodbye to my companion. Freak, I can't believe I didn't get one picture of him to you guys that's weird. Tuesday morning we were waiting for a taxi to take us to Aldeota, at the center of Fortaleza, (the two juniors would stay in the office and Elder ----- and I went to the hospital) and my companion and I go to cancel our lunch appointment. We went first to a members house to see if she could call our lunch appointment and tell them we weren't coming, but she wasn't there. I was really worried about lunch because the woman who would make lunch for us that day wasn't a member, she was an investigator and we did not want to let her down. I felt really bad and I knew I had to go tell her we'd be at the hospital the whole day. So after we discovered the member wasn't home, I start walking in the direction of the house we had lunch scheduled at and my companion starts to walk back in the other direction. I told him that we had to go cancel lunch and he just wagged his finger at me and said "No, no, no, we've walked too much already, just forget about it, we need to go wait for the taxi." I didn't get why he was complaining but I wasn't going to follow him, I needed to cancel lunch, it was really important, so I just wouldn't budge. When he discovered I wasn't following him, he sat down on a curb like a block away, still within my sight, and despite waving my arms he would not move. So I just waited for a good ten minutes, even though the house I needed to go to was just two minutes away. My companion refused, not wanting to walk two minutes to another house, despite being the junior companion and everything, and our taxi was coming. Can you imagine my frustration at this point, having all this other crap going on already? So I ditched him. I couldn't take it any longer. I ran to the house alone and talked with our investigator and told her we couldn't come that day, took two minutes to do so, then I walked straight back to our house. When I got there my companion was furious, trying to call President and tell him that I abandoned him. Whatever, he really made me mad. President Batt even called me up to see why my companion was complaining so much about me, but when I explained the situation he understood. But now we are split up with this hospital situation. You win some, you lose some.
In the end, Heavenly Father really blessed me this week. I stayed with Elder ---- until Saturday at hospitals and the mission office here, just getting exams and some needed rest from the last year and four months, trying to clear my head a bit and think about how I'm going to end my mission.
I did blood, spit and skin tests to see if I have tuberculoses and I also did X-Rays, looks like I got 0% chance of having it! That's super lucky after hanging out with Elder ------ for three months. He isn't doing much better though, he might have to be quarantined for longer. When President discovered I had a 0% chance of having TB, he sent me back to Fortaleza/Castelo with Elder -----'s old companion, Elder Bryan, who has 7 months on the mission, and we are currently taking care of four wards now, Fortaleza and Castelo, and also Palmeiras and Sitio Sao Joao, my area + Elder Deffense's old area. Woah! Lots of investigators, lots of stuff to do. But at least I'm feeling better, got a new companion and I got a little bit of a breather. Been doing a lot of thinking about my life and stuff I wanna do in the future, it was a good break.
Prayers worked out! The man I told you about last week who asked me for so much money came by my house and I told him that the money he needed didn't exist with me. I did have 200 reais I had been keeping in my reserve, and I told him about it and he asked if he could just borrow 200, it would help him a bunch in getting more time to get the money he needs. So there went 200 reais, and I am putting a lot of trust in the guy that he'll fulfill his promise and get me the money back in 20 days. He seemed happy about that and thanked me a lot, I hope everything goes well with his family and his house. I am putting a lot of trust in him.
As for the member who was blaming me for a lot of stuff... yeah, that ended well too. Just yesterday. We passed by his house, Elder Bryan and I, and I told him we needed to get to Aldeota again and he offered to drive us there, to my surprise. On the drive he apologized and told me he was doing better, told me that he was dating someone in the Church and that she was helping him a lot, and that some other things had happened to him and in the end it convinced him that God really did love him and that he shouldn't leave the Church and that I really didn't do anything to hurt him. Wow. I was pulling my hair out thinking about that guy, I sent him a ton of letters and stuff trying to apologize and help him with his testimony, but in the end, it wasn't me at all that put an end to that crisis, it was Heavenly Father and maybe my prayers and your prayers. Wow. Really cool. I was so happy to see him smiling and talking to me once more and being like he was before, it was the best thing that happened this week. I'm so glad I can have experiences like this.
To make this week even better, we had two unexpected baptisms!! Saturday night we passed by an investigator's house and I just felt like I should invite the two kids there to be baptized the next day. They had already been to church with the rest of the family but I hadn't been thinking that they could be baptized, because I was imagining the whole family could be baptized at the same time... but seeing that the parents would need some more time to get married and everything, it just felt right to get them both baptized as soon as possible, if that's what they wanted. They were really excited about it!! One phone call later, we got the Zone Leaders to our area in an hour, we interviewed them, they answered all the questions perfectly, and 20 hours later, they were in the water in white jumpsuits! An entire week without teaching a single lesson and it ended with a baptismal service. What a bunch of awesome miracles! When I come back to this area at the end of my mission, I can't wait to see their family happily united in the Gospel.
I really feel like Heavenly Father is blessing me a lot lately. I'm so lucky that my trials pass so quickly and that God really shows up for me, I feel like I don't deserve it. That's the Gospel for you. It's made to make you happy. I am very grateful for it.
Good week, guys, I had a great week. Everything just works out!
I love you guys!!!
- Brendon
1-03-2011 Letter Home
Getting Down With the Sickness!
Hey family, everybody! Hope everything is doing great up there and that you guys had a great New Years Day. Happy Birthday Lynsey!! I was thinking about you on your birthday and I wanted so badly to just zip in a LANhouse real quick and send you an e-mail.
I am still coughing pretty badly. I have been taking some Brazilian herbal remedies that are helping but not exactly curing the problem. It still looks like my friend Elder ------- has picked up a serious case of tuberculosis, I'm very worried about him, they sent him and his companion to a hotel near the hospital to pass the next few nights as they do more tests. They want to be absolutely sure that he has it. When they do discover it's a 100% chance case of TB, well, they probably will have me get checked as well. Why the heck am I coughing so badly but not showing other symptoms? I mean, I am fatigued but that could be just from walking so much every day. I might have a loss of appetite. But no other very visible symptoms. Hmmm...
On New Years' Day we got back to the house early because things get a little crazy in our neighborhood this time of year. We stayed up till midnight, playing cards and listening to music, all four of us. When it got down to the countdown for 2011, we ran outside to bang pots and pans (still inside our backyard). The people here lit off a bunch of fireworks, the whole neighborhood was going crazy because everyone was lighting as many fireworks as possible, wow it was really loud, very awesome. There was also a lot of loud Brazilian music being played. When we tried going to sleep afterwards it made it difficult to sleep. Oh yeah, almost forgot, I used that footbath mixture you sent and made myself a pail of hot water, soaked my feet, that's good stuff! It was a good night.
YEAH! I got your Christmas package! I cannot express how awesome it was. This definitely topped your last Christmas present you guys put a lot of thought into it and really outdid yourself. Man, I am so flippin happy about how awesome your presents were, the cards too and the pictures of everybody. I am loving the candy and the footcare stuff and I am so excited to make cookies and the other things you sent. Thank you so much! I am so so so happy I loved every bit of it that really made my week. I am so lucky to have a family like you guys, I am so blessed really, I love you guys so much. You are all super funny too I loved all the comedy you guys included like the picture of blue faces, the funny rhymes dad and the picture of Survivalist Mom and Lynsey's tall tales and Kaitlin's being a brace face hahahaha. I love you guys!!!!
I really don't know what I would have done without the package, really, because so many other things are going to crap around here, to be perfectly honest.
We are going to have to take over the other Elders' area because they are off at the hospital the whole week, which is going to cause problems for our investigators and theirs because we have such a huge area to manage and it's going to be hard to visit everyone who should be visited.
There is also a family here in the ward that I really grew to love that might lose their house soon, and the brother came to me in private saying that he prayed for guidance on what to do and he feels he got an answer that I'M supposed to help him pay their bills, about 700 dollars worth, and I have to tell him that there is just no way I can get the money, even if he does want to pay me back. Also one of the people we baptized here tried to commit suicide and while I feel it was a miracle from God that he wasn't able to do so, he is still very depressed and suicidal, and we have been passing letters back and forth and it seems that he blames me that he's not happy in the Gospel, as if I lied to him or wanted to treat him badly. It's so tough for me to love him and try to help him when he is attacking me and trying to blame me for all the problems he is having, it's nothing I ever experienced before. I really do love him and he's just hurting me so badly.
I am trying to keep all these things private, so my companion doesn't know, he is so new out here in the field. He seems to blame me too because he has been depressed lately and is really tired with the work. He thinks that I'm being a slacker or worse that I don't have a testimony and he's not exactly being supportive or helpful. I don't blame him, you know, because he doesn't know what is going on, and he's just trying to do what's right, but man, I feel everything is being pitted against me lately like I've got the world on my shoulders. We've been trying to help some inactive families recently and we've witnessed some family feuds and things going on. Freak! I don't know how I can continue with all this and keep pushing and try to lift everyone up I'm not superman, I've got weaknesses of my own!
One thing I am really going to take from all this is that Jesus passed through a lot more than we can imagine. I feel like I'm at the end of the line... imagine what kind of suffering He went through? I'm glad to know that He trusts me with all these problems and wants me to learn from them.
Thanks for being there for me guys I feel a lot better in being able to share all that with you, I know you already have a lot of your own problems but thanks anyway.
Time is ending! I love all of you all! Hugs and kisses!!!! Have a great week! So much love!!!
Brendon
(P.S. - Tune in for next weeks letter to see how this is all resolved!)
;)
Kay Lea
Hey family, everybody! Hope everything is doing great up there and that you guys had a great New Years Day. Happy Birthday Lynsey!! I was thinking about you on your birthday and I wanted so badly to just zip in a LANhouse real quick and send you an e-mail.
I am still coughing pretty badly. I have been taking some Brazilian herbal remedies that are helping but not exactly curing the problem. It still looks like my friend Elder ------- has picked up a serious case of tuberculosis, I'm very worried about him, they sent him and his companion to a hotel near the hospital to pass the next few nights as they do more tests. They want to be absolutely sure that he has it. When they do discover it's a 100% chance case of TB, well, they probably will have me get checked as well. Why the heck am I coughing so badly but not showing other symptoms? I mean, I am fatigued but that could be just from walking so much every day. I might have a loss of appetite. But no other very visible symptoms. Hmmm...
On New Years' Day we got back to the house early because things get a little crazy in our neighborhood this time of year. We stayed up till midnight, playing cards and listening to music, all four of us. When it got down to the countdown for 2011, we ran outside to bang pots and pans (still inside our backyard). The people here lit off a bunch of fireworks, the whole neighborhood was going crazy because everyone was lighting as many fireworks as possible, wow it was really loud, very awesome. There was also a lot of loud Brazilian music being played. When we tried going to sleep afterwards it made it difficult to sleep. Oh yeah, almost forgot, I used that footbath mixture you sent and made myself a pail of hot water, soaked my feet, that's good stuff! It was a good night.
YEAH! I got your Christmas package! I cannot express how awesome it was. This definitely topped your last Christmas present you guys put a lot of thought into it and really outdid yourself. Man, I am so flippin happy about how awesome your presents were, the cards too and the pictures of everybody. I am loving the candy and the footcare stuff and I am so excited to make cookies and the other things you sent. Thank you so much! I am so so so happy I loved every bit of it that really made my week. I am so lucky to have a family like you guys, I am so blessed really, I love you guys so much. You are all super funny too I loved all the comedy you guys included like the picture of blue faces, the funny rhymes dad and the picture of Survivalist Mom and Lynsey's tall tales and Kaitlin's being a brace face hahahaha. I love you guys!!!!
I really don't know what I would have done without the package, really, because so many other things are going to crap around here, to be perfectly honest.
We are going to have to take over the other Elders' area because they are off at the hospital the whole week, which is going to cause problems for our investigators and theirs because we have such a huge area to manage and it's going to be hard to visit everyone who should be visited.
There is also a family here in the ward that I really grew to love that might lose their house soon, and the brother came to me in private saying that he prayed for guidance on what to do and he feels he got an answer that I'M supposed to help him pay their bills, about 700 dollars worth, and I have to tell him that there is just no way I can get the money, even if he does want to pay me back. Also one of the people we baptized here tried to commit suicide and while I feel it was a miracle from God that he wasn't able to do so, he is still very depressed and suicidal, and we have been passing letters back and forth and it seems that he blames me that he's not happy in the Gospel, as if I lied to him or wanted to treat him badly. It's so tough for me to love him and try to help him when he is attacking me and trying to blame me for all the problems he is having, it's nothing I ever experienced before. I really do love him and he's just hurting me so badly.
I am trying to keep all these things private, so my companion doesn't know, he is so new out here in the field. He seems to blame me too because he has been depressed lately and is really tired with the work. He thinks that I'm being a slacker or worse that I don't have a testimony and he's not exactly being supportive or helpful. I don't blame him, you know, because he doesn't know what is going on, and he's just trying to do what's right, but man, I feel everything is being pitted against me lately like I've got the world on my shoulders. We've been trying to help some inactive families recently and we've witnessed some family feuds and things going on. Freak! I don't know how I can continue with all this and keep pushing and try to lift everyone up I'm not superman, I've got weaknesses of my own!
One thing I am really going to take from all this is that Jesus passed through a lot more than we can imagine. I feel like I'm at the end of the line... imagine what kind of suffering He went through? I'm glad to know that He trusts me with all these problems and wants me to learn from them.
Thanks for being there for me guys I feel a lot better in being able to share all that with you, I know you already have a lot of your own problems but thanks anyway.
Time is ending! I love all of you all! Hugs and kisses!!!! Have a great week! So much love!!!
Brendon
(P.S. - Tune in for next weeks letter to see how this is all resolved!)
;)
Kay Lea
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