Brazil week 5

What up,

This week has been pretty long and packed. Things are going slow with our investigators. Fabio doesn’t want to quit it with the ladies or smoking so he is out. All the others one way or another backed out on us so we started fresh this week. Again. It is all cool though.

Sorry no pictures again this week...sorry

So some interesting things about Brazil- Apparently the fanny pack has come back in to style? Not just in general, but like the ´´gangsters´´... it’s hilarious haha Seeing some Brazilian gangster walk down the street, and then reach into his fanny pack to pull out his cell phone- sometimes I just have to chuckle to myself! And then we have the Christmas season here in Brazil- only a very few people have put up Christmas lights, and some of them have these little ´´gremlin Santa’s´´ as I like to call them. Little Santa’s that they place in random places that are climbing up the walls of their houses or their balconies It’s really funny, I’ll have to get a picture of it here soon haha.

Ok, so I realized something this week about faith. Amidst all of our trying in this life to have faith, I was asking myself one day why I didn’t feel in that moments the feelings of confirmation that I’ve had before about my testimony of the gospel. Then it hit me (about 2 days later haha- Faith isn’t those feelings or confirmations that we get that tell us the church is true or that the Book of Mormon is true. Faith is our ability or willingness to believe when we can’t see the end result and to act on that belief. Those feelings and knowledge that come are confirmations after the trial of our faith! Ether 12:6 As we choose to act and believe when we aren’t quite sure of the result or don’t have that burning feeling of confirmation, only after we have that faith can we receive the confirmation. Those confirmations then help us to strengthen our ability to believe and ability to have faith. It’s so simple, yet in many instances is so hard- I’m still learning to do it, I really feel how weak my faith is! I have a testimony of this gospel, but sometimes when doubts or worries come, I worry ´´Where’d my testimony go?? Where’d my faith go?´´ It didn’t go anywhere, in that moment is when you demonstrate your faith to believe when you don’t know the result! Anyway, just wanted to share that, and man, I really need to work on it!

Anyway, I got to go do groceries for the week, but I know this church is true, and that it truly is guided by revelation through a living prophet today, President Thomas S Monson. God is really our Loving Heavenly Father, and He wants us to have happiness not just in this life but for eternity with our families!

Till next week

Love,

Elder Merrick Reynolds

We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become

                                   - Elder Richard G. Scott

Brazil week 4

oi,
     
     Life is going pretty good here in Brazil, the work is picking up and I’m loving it. It was sort of interesting, after last weeks struggle to find people to teach, the days following my email, we found and taught some really good people. It was the end of the transfer here and we got some new missionaries and such but Elder Augusto and me will stay here in Campo Limpo. We met a ton of people to teach this week. All of our investigators didn’t go to church but a guy named Fabio showed up out of nowhere! His son was just recently baptized in the Sao Paulo south mission and then they moved here. He is one of the most sincere people I’ve ever met, he never lies to us, and treats us like family. It’s hard sometimes, because we get along so well as friends, that we have to make sure we set the time to teach him. But, this last time, he was actually the one to ask us about what we were going to teach or talk about that day. He’s great! I had a really cool experience this last time; we left a message after church with him. We talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the things we need to do in our lives to receive the blessings of Christ’s Atonement. At one point, I felt a deep concern and love for him- and a desire for him to accept baptism. It was crazy, I desired more than anything for him to have a testimony of the BOM and to be baptized. That’s never really happened for me before, a real desire for somebody to make that covenant with Heavenly Father. Anyway, I’m excited and hopeful for him and his progress. The problem we’re seeing is he has a problem with the word of wisdom. I’m praying and fasting that he’ll be able to find a way to change that, and we’ll see! We set him with the 27th as a baptismal goal.

Yesterday was pretty spiritual. We made a contact on the street with this guy named Samuel, got his address and such. Then yesterday we headed to his house, he wasnt home but his mother and little sister were there. We starting teaching them the first lesson and as we were at the first vision part, the sun came out and shone through the window and the birds were singing and they were crying. It was crazy cool especially because when we teach people, the most spiritual parts generally a dog starts to bark or a car with loud rap drives by. Oh plus it was raining all day and that was the only time the sun came out. Anyway they are coming to church and commited to baptism on the 27th. Pretty neat.

President Tanner gave an AWESOME lesson on goals- making and setting goals. He went really in depth and I really enjoyed it, and have been trying to work on it for myself. When you really learn how to set and work to achieve goals, it’s such a good tool for a mission but also for the rest of your life for sure. Anyway, I’ve been working on goals, like learning the language. I have a specific schedule of what I’ll study and when, with at least 5 questions to my companion about slang or other words, and learn at least 5 words on the street. Along with other things and reading the whole Book of Mormon in Portuguese, at the end of the day, I account to see how well I did. It really helps, and I think that as I put forth the work to improve, I can continue to receive blessings from the Lord. I really have been blessed here on a mission, my ears have been opened and I know that the Spirit has loosened my tongue to be able to testify of the gospel. Just two days ago, as we were doing contacts, one lady accepted to hear our message, but just wanted a quick 3 minute clip. It was really lucky that we had had a zone meeting where we practiced giving the 1st lesson in 3 to 5 minutes that day huh? haha funny how we can be prepared in random ways! Anyway, I gave the message and testified. It was smooth fluent and I felt good about it. She didn’t want to continue anymore with us but really respected the work we do.

Anyway, working hard and loving the people. Goodness though, I love reading General Conference talks. Just this morning I was studying a talk by Elder Oaks about Desires- Here’s just two quotes from it that I really liked:

      ´´Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions´´

      ´´It is our actions and our desires that cause us to become something, whether a true friend, a gifted teacher, or one who has qualified for eternal life. ´´

There’s a special spirit about the general conference talks, I can’t wait for this next conference. It’s like these leaders are inspired or called of God or something... haha

Oh this will help if you want to help the missionaries at home.

"For everyone who wants to become a better member missionary and who wants to know how to support the missionaries, Preach My Gospel is full of powerful ideas and insights. We learn how we can help the missionaries find people to teach and how we as members can work hand in hand with the missionaries to help those who are investigating the Church. We learn to understand why strong invitations to act are helpful to increase faith in Jesus Christ and how we can stand with our nonmember friends who are moving through this wonderful, life-changing process of conversion.

"Along with studying the scriptures, missionaries study Preach My Gospel every day. They learn principles and skills, and they apply them. They especially learn how to use the guidance of the Spirit in their work. If we want to learn as missionaries do, we too must carefully study Preach My Gospel and observe the missionaries in their daily work."

oh and they always like Food as well.

Well gtg, loves.

Love, Elder Merrick Reynolds

Elder Reynolds' 2nd week in Brazil

            Elder Augusto and I have been working very hard. We planned really well, worked hard, and talked to a lot of people on the street... but we had little success. We had found a really great old couple- Clement and Roselina as we were walking home, and they live in a bairro WAY aways from our house. It´s about a 45 or 50 minute ´´walk´´, or rather a missionary walk which is about twice as fast as a normal paced walk. We have started working in theis area now since it has been promising. Anyway, we taught them Thursday night of last week and they were AWESOME! the Dad was excited to read the BOM and was practically asking to come to church. He played the Ocordian or what ever? It was way cool, I filmed him and his wife singing. We were so excited, but then when Sunday came around, even after we had checked with him, his family didn´t show up. Neither did ANY of the families or people who had said they would. We tried calling, but nothing. So anyway, these past 3 days we´ve tried to get a hold of them, and to no avail. All the plans we´ve been making from contacts- no one is home! cmon! haha Yet, I just want to keep going and keep working hard and see what the lesson to be learned is in all of this. We are really hoping and praying that today we will get a hold of them, because the people we have found are amazing people, and we know the gospel can really bless their lives.

I´ve been loving reading the book Our Heritage as a part of the missionary library. My goodness, the stories of those early Saints, especially the early missionaries really have inspired me to be better and work harder. Reading about Heber C Kimball and Brigham Young, who were called to serve in England, in the early early days of the church in this dispensation, is crazy. They accepted calls to serve, and as they were leaving their homes, they were so sick they could barely stand, and both of their wives were in the same condition. But as the reached the crest of a hill by their homes, Elder Kimball suggested they stand and yell back to their wives- they did so, struggling to stand, they shouted ´´Hurrah for Israel!´´ 3 times. They then saw their wives stand to see them off, and then they continued on in their journey, feeling blessed to have seen their wives stand in that condition. Gosh, the sacrifices and miracles of the Saints and early missionaries are amazing. The problems or struggles I have seem to cripple in comparison, and so, I´m working on trying to be more like them in pressing forward in faith.

Anyway, we gotta get going, so know that I know this church is true- I say that because of the testimony I have of a living prophet, a restoration of the eternal truths and nature of our God, and the Book of Mormon. It´s true, and we really do have a loving Heavenly Father who sent His Only Begotten Son to be our Savior and our Example. I testify of the love He has for each and everyone of us- it truly is amazing.

 Love, Elder Merrick

I really recommend watching ´´On the Lord´s Errand´´ about President Monson-that man is called of God, and has lived a truly exemplary life.

Elder Reynolds' 1st week in Brazil

Pennsylvania

Before leaving Lewisburg me and Elder Ivins had a few people set for baptism.

Yana: 19years olds, member referal. She is Russian and pretty cool. We started teaching her and she accepted everything pretty well, it was just hard to get her to read the Book of Mormon. She got married to a member before I left and was set for baptism the following week.

Ivy and Camile: While looking in the area book Elder Ivins decided to try out this one house. Ivy answered the door and was pretty nice, we ended up teaching her and her daughter while painting their window frames. After that we taught them more but it was hard to catch them both at home at the same time and Camile works every Sunday. Ivy is commited for baptism but not Camile.

Lindsey: A Bucknell student, member referal. She is dating a returned missionary in the ward and we started teaching her. She has a Catholic background but way cool to teach. She didnt have any problems and is set for baptism.

Greg and family: I talked to Greg one night outside of a icecream place. We got talking about religion...suprise suprise, and he was very interested in our Church. We started teaching him the next day, next thing we know this guy knows more about the bible than us and is actually confirming what we say with scripture references. He is married with 4 kids and set for baptism. Im not sure about his family, I would imagine they would follow suit.

Brasil

Oi!! Beleza?

Rapaz, eu amo este trabalho! É bem dificil as vezes, mais sempre o Senhor nos ajuda quando tentamos nosso melhor!

Translation: Hi! Beauty (fairness, loveliness, niceness, prettiness, comeliness, glamor, Grace). Boy, I love this work! It is very difficult at times, more always the Lord help us when we are trying our best!

One thing i want to start off and say is how much Ive been learning each day. I´ve learned how much I need to learn to focus on others. Not to say that ive been selfish, because Ive been working as hard as I can to help others and love them, but I know there´s so much more I need to learn.I have come to really see my weaknesses here on the mission, and how much i really do depend on the Lord. I testify that this truly is His work, and there is so much more that goes on than we really even recognize. 

         I´ve found a lot of joy in the basics of religion and this life. I think that that´s why missionaries come back from their missions so grateful and with a sure testimony of the gospel. You spend your time thinking, reading, teaching, preparing, and considering all of the most basic parts of the gospel. It´s like sports, or music, if you work on the fundamentals, your ability in all the other parts of the game seem to come together. The idea that we are children of God, and that He loves us, Literally, is the most foundational principle or idea of the gospel. Everything stems from this! We have the plan of Salvation BECAUSE we have a God who is a Loving Heavenly Father. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to pay the price for our sins so that we could return to live with Him, because He loves us and wants us to be happy. We learn how to return to His presence through the prophets that He has always called, so that we could know the Gospel of Jesus Christ and those essential steps we need to do to attain this- why? Because He loves us! It´s just so awesome to me, and these past couple of weeks have given me an immense appreciation for the reality and wonder that we have a living prophet today, who guides this church as did the prophets of old like Moses and Abraham! Sounds pretty crazy huh? But it´s true, our God is a God of truth, love and light. He has provided the Book of Mormon as a guide and proof of the truthfulness of the prophet Joseph Smith. Those who really seek truth will seek to know if the Book of Mormon is true, and you know what? I really do trust, believe, and even know that that book is true. Those who pursue the course of reading, pondering and sincerely praying about the Book of Mormon will come to know that God really does love us and wants us to return to live with Him, as evidenced even more by the Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in these latter days!

         So this week has been pretty sick. I have a new companion named Elder Augusto, He is from Curitiba Brazil. He speaks less english than my last companion which was very little to begin with. He is 24, served in the military, almost the same size as me, a little bigger. I believe he was just recently baptized, last 4 years. He seems really cool. We picked him up yesterday from a different area. He is my 7th companion already...Elder Elliott, Brown, Miller, Link, Ivins, Wolp Farias, and now Elder Augusto. I promise it is not because they hate me. I am still in a semi small town of Campo Limpo(clean field). A LAN house is a place with computers and internet and one has to pay to use the computers. No one in my district plays soccer well except Elder Peterson. We were disappointed. We met a lady at the bus terminal and she was pretaught the lessons and accepted baptism but moved here, so we will be baptizing her soon. People her are super nice and usually listen to what we have to say. It has been super cold that past few days and quite a bit of rain, it seems to warming up today however. Not sure what we are going to do with the rest of the day. I havent had any bowel problems that seem to wreck the lives of Americans for the first couple off weeks. My mission leader told us some funny stories about american missionaries he trained but said I should be home free now. Sorry still no pictures, it is a holiday here and we found that the only LAN house open was more ghetto than last week.

         Anyway, I´d like to share a quick quote from Elder Russell M Nelson, with regards to the problems we are having in our lives:

   ´While we know our mortal problems and pains, [Heavenly Father] knows our immortal progress and potential.´´

  I testify that our Heavenly Father truly loves us and sometimes that means He allows us to be stretched. We have weaknesses so that we can be humble, and put our trust in Him. As we put our trust in Him and realize our dependence on Him and the Atonement of Jesus Christ, He will give us the strength to be better and live up to our divine potential. He knows everything, He knows what is best for us and what will happen in the eternities to come. It´s really hard to realize that sometimes, but as we strive to maintain an eternal perspective on the things and problems happening in our lives right now, we will be able to submit our will to the will of our Heavenly Father. Submissiveness and Humility were exactly what our Savior demonstrated as He submitted His will to the will of God in the Atonement, and I am so eternally grateful for my Savior, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. I testify that He lives and knows each and every single one of us personally, he´s been there before!

Love, Elder Merrick

p.s. I had to change my name tag because not a soul here could say Reynolds. lol