September 11, 2017 -- Aeroporto (Vitoria Da Conquista)

i decided that this week i would write my weekly update first cuz i think its important cuz ive been kinda lazy about writing in my journal and i gotta remember my mission somehow hahahah. elder bitencourt is from parana also and hes pretty chill! hes got a little over a year in the mission and he reminds me a lot of carl from jimmy neutron (will send more pics) but i like him! he was pretty quiet for the first few days and didnt really open up to be more my friend until i asked him to help me with my portuguese and he started making fun of the way i talk so i think that made him feel a lot better hahah. hes sweet though!

Sam and Elder Bitencourt, his new companion

monday we had our last p day with our district and the sisters made lasagna for us then we took everyone to the bus station because everyone was goin to salvador for their new areas or to recieve training. i spent the night with elder high and a few other elders waiting to travel or recieve their comps. 

tuesday i spent the whole day with elder high waiting for our companions. it was really interesting to spend a whole day speaking english with an american but it was also kinda refreshing hahah we taught some lessons and helped challenge a family with a brand new baby to make goals to stop smoking cuz its gonna kill that kid hahah. doesnt sound too spiritual but i know that the spirit was there helping us. our comps showed up at night and we went our seperate ways

Lunch with Elder High, eating fejoada (rice and beans and meat)

wednesday i spent the day showing elder bitencourt our area and doing short visits with a good part of our investigators so he could get to know them better. we met and taught a family from the christian church of brazil or the church of the veil (all the women use veils) and it was interesting to talk with them and kinda discuss the restoratoin. we were able to testify to them about the restoration of the priesthood and how necessary it is to fulfill God´s plan! they got it pretty mixed up and tried to argue with us that the priesthood was really just the Holy Ghost but we whipped out some good scriptures and got it all cleared up for them. im not sure how happy they were about it but it was a way cool lesson!! and we got their daughter to pray without the veil so im pretty sure thats like illegal in their church oops hahaha

thursday we spent the day in the street contacting and teching then we had a super sweet meeting with our ward mission leader and got some good activities set up for he next few weeks that should really give some life to our ward and the members. people say too often that they know where our church is but they dont know why its always closed and empty during the week! gotta change that

friday we got to meet with leticia again after a couple weeks, she had gotten jus a little sick and they were doing construction at their home so they werent letting us come over hahha. we taught her about the importance of sunday then sunday she was at church again!!! it was so awesome to see her there because she had been a little wishy washy lately. we also are starting to think that she is delaying her baptism to be right before she has surgery. Shes discovered some minor heart problems lately and is really nervous about them so please keep her in your prayers!!

saturday we met with celeste who is a woman who has been distraught.. i think i spelled that write, for 4 years since the death of her son. we taught her the plan of salvation and she just went ballistic because the spirit was super strong there and we were able to explain how our families can be eternal but then she was just like yeah im not trynna go to church so BUZZKILL but she said she would be there next week so we are stoked.

it was a solid week and we are lookin forward to a good one with zone conference this week, and i should also finally get my package!! i love you guys

sam