Christmas!

Feliz Natal e Feliz ano novo.

Christmas was great because I got to talk to my family on Skype.

But in all reality it was my first Christmas away from home and for that reason it was the worse. What Christmas could be better than spending it with your family?

It is summer time here in Rio Grande do Sul and it truly is getting hot.

My companion Elder Nunes is used to the heat because from where he is from they don't have winter. He is progressing as a missionary just is a little timid at times to speak but he teaches well and has a desire to get better. It’s also his birthday on the 2nd.

I am so thankfully for being born in the Church; I don’t know what I did to deserve that.

Elder Willard

First Week

My new missionary is a little bit shy which I think is perfectly normal. I'm encouraging him to make contacts with people and the start our lessons with investigators. He’s from Macapá, Amapá. That's were Brazil starts in the North; his accent is a little hard to get used to...

We are doing a lot of finding this last week with lots of teaching opportunities. We have come across a lot of crazy people this last week...like one who seemed to be drinking garlic sauce while drooling it out of his mouth and screaming about how he loves saints. I gave him a Book of Mormon and was very grateful.

It just doesn’t feel like Christmas when it’s so flippin’ hot. But it looks like I will be able to talk to the fam using skype. Rio Grande is pretty wealthy at some parts.

Sinto que o Espirito do Senhor está me dirigindo para os eleitos. Parece que os jovens daqui são mais receptivos para ouvir nossa mensagem mas não me importo, Nós só precisamos um momento para testificar para que Eles possam sentir o Espirito e saibam que nossa mensagem é verdadeira.

[I feel the Spirit of the Lord is directing me to the elect. It seems that young people here are more receptive to hearing our message, but do not care. We just need a moment to testify so that they can feel the Spirit and know that our message is true.

Until Christmas,]

Até Natal,
Elder Willard

New Companion

Final transfers have arrived and well I will be training a new missionary from the MTC. I’m super excited and I just hope my language is good enough. I have to go back to Porto Alegre to pick up my companion and do some training.

This week was really cool. Elder Lazarte and I decided to go out and teach a lot of lessons in one day like 11, when this area had been doing 3 per day. We went out praying in our hearts all day long that we would find the elect and invite everyone to be baptized. By the time we got home we had taught 11 lessons. I'm starting to understand what Christ said about faith, that you can move a mountain with your words. If you truly believe that you can do anything. You are a child of our Heavenly Father who has eternal potential. You just have to exercise your faith and work and miracles will happen.

Eu sou grato pelo oportunidade a trabalhar como representante de meu Salvador, Jesus Cristo, e fazer as coisas que Ele faria.

Papai Noel é legal, mas Natal é chamado por Jesus Cristo.

[I am grateful for the opportunity to work as a representative of my Savior, Jesus Christ, and do the things that He would.

Santa Claus is cool, but Christmas is called by Jesus Christ.]

Also I watched a church video in Spanish and understood like half of it. HA!!

Elder Willard

Finally Moved

President Castro called me on Tuesday at about 3 o´clock and said, “Elder Willard you are going to be transferred to Rio Grande (5 hours away by bus).” I said that was really cool, but when? He said, “Tomorrow...” Regular transfers are not until the 11th of December. A missionary in my area was having some problems and was emergency transferred to my area and we switched areas. I had been in that area for 7 ½  months, so in less than 24 hours I was on my way, with all my stuff to a brand new area at the very bottom of Brazil. I was forced to buy a very expensive bus ticket with my own money (sorry Dad). The thing that bums me out the most is I have a baptism this Saturday and I won’t be there. But the president needed my help and he seems to trust me. The other missionaries think I will start training at the beginning of the next transfer.

My new area is called Cidade Nova and it’s tiny. You could walk from one side to the other in 15 minutes: a huge difference in that my last area was 3 ½ hours on foot. My new companion (for only a week) is Elder Lazarte from Nebraska and he’s half Bolivian. I'm helping him with grammar rules and speaking with more fluency. The area doesn’t have much going on in it with a tiny ward of 30 active members. We are going to get to work right away to get some people baptized. Elder Gull, from my last area said that he has baptisms marked for the 8th and 15th and 22th of this month. If anyone is willing to serve the Lord and work hard you can qualify for miracles.

Eu sou grato pela oportunidade a servir meu mestre e levar as pessoas para as aguas do batismo. Compartilhem o evangelho com todo mundo. Eu amo vocês.
[I am grateful for the opportunity to serve my master and getting people to the waters of baptism. Share the gospel with everyone. I love you.]

Elder Willard

Another Miracle

So this Sunday we had a few investigators come to church, but all hope of  having a baptism this transfer kinda fell through. But at the last moment an old investigator popped up and said she wanted to be baptized, so we marked her baptism for the 8th of December!!

Honestly me and my companion have been working hard and have had a little success, but finally our labors have qualified for a miracle!!!!

Things that happened:

I saw a giant tarantula just walking on the sidewalk.

Got terribly sick on Wednesday with a fever of 101 degrees and vomited; got a priesthood blessing and was totally better the next day.

Found several cockroaches in our apartment and promptly destroyed them.

I am super excited for Frazier to go to Brazil. You will learn to love America, not to say Brazil is terrible, but we are so blessed to have been born in America. Learning another language has been the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, but you know Spanish so it should be a bit easier. Also read preach my gospel in English first to get the lessons down.

Anyway, I’m excited to talk to my family on Christmas, hopefully through Skype, but we still have some time. I hope Thanksgiving was awesome. That is not a holiday here...so I just worked. I miss berry delight...and orange rolls.

Eu Amo Voces,
Elder Willard

Mission Changes

New changes to all missions in Brazil.

-We can not play basketball or soccer or football.
-We can not be with other missionaries on P-day.
-We can not have Zone activities.

We don’t really know what to do on p-days now...we can have staring contests in the apartment.
Other news! Frazier got his mission call to Manaus Brazil!!! I also made pancakes today because we found some mix in a random store. Of course it’s a Great Value brand, Oh Walmart....

I sure am enjoying the work, being a missionary and teaching o evangelho restaurado!
até agora, foi maravilhoso, aprendi bastante. Mas agora chega a hora a trabalhar bastante
e batizar todo mundo. Eu gosto de ver pessoas mudando vidas deles para preparar-se ser
batizado na igreja de Cristo. (the restored gospel! Until now, it was wonderful, I learned a lot. But now it's time to work hard and baptize everyone. I like to see people changing their lives to be prepared for baptism in the church of Christ.)

I have never been so tired in my life. I'm getting a better understanding of what exercising faith truly means, and going the extra mile. And what it means to love your companion on the mission. People weren't lying when they say you become a better husband, father, brother, etc, serving a mission. It’s just natural after seeing literally thousands of families and their relationships, what works and what doesn’t work.

Eu sei que a igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Ùltimos Dias é verdadeira.
(I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true.)

Elder Willard

Missionary Angels

We are already listening to Christmas music! Which is great! Thanksgiving does not really exist in Brazil so we are just gonna skip it and go to Christmas. Something cool happened yesterday. My companion and I went to an investigator’s house and as we came in we saw that the family was watching American football! Let me remind you that Futebol Americano is not popular at all. It is nearly impossible to find the football channel, let alone people that are interested in it. But lo and behold, I saw my beloved Seahawks playing the Jets!

We also saw Lynch score a touchdown! It was pretty difficult to teach a lesson compared to just sitting and watching something other than soccer.

On a more spiritual note, we found a family pretty far from our home and the Grandmother, Olinda, told us that just the previous day she had been praying for an angel to come and see her. Then she said, “And then two angels came walking down the road to my house.” Hopefully we can get her to come to church and get baptized.

Also a little advice about dating or having a relationship:
Get married to your husband or wife legally and don't live together until you are married. Being legally married strengthens every single aspect about your relationship with your spouse and your future children. If someone truly loves you, they will want to marry you legally because they don’t want a light relationship or “no strings attached.” They are in it for the long haul, for good or for bad. Too many people here in Brazil just start dating someone and then start living together because it’s fun and easy. But down the line they realize that they don't truly love each other, and at the first sign of trouble they want to split and unfortunately the children suffer.

Eu sei que Cristo sofreu tudo por nós e podemos aplicar a Expiação de Jesus Cristo em nossas vidas incluindo casamento.
Vivem vidas certas e nunca esquecem oração pode dar muitos respostas para todas as perguntas. Eu Amo Vocês!

[I know that Christ suffered for us all and we can apply the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives including marriage. Live certain lives and never forget prayer can give many answers to all questions. I Love You!]

Élder Willard

Prayer Works

Being senior is pretty awesome, but an aspect that I'm trying to watch out for is listening to my companion and allowing him to do his part. He can receive revelation about the work just as much as I can.

Estamos falando portuguese na rua e a gente tem mutia coisa a melhorar, ainda. Mas, estamos ensinando muito e, pela nossa fé, vamos batizar!

{We are speaking Portuguese in the street and we have a lot to improve still. But we are teaching very much and, by our faith, we baptize!}
We are going to the temple today, which is why I didn't write on Monday.

But one quick experience: yesterday we went about working with almost no success which was very bothersome and frustrating. As we walked and worked I was praying to Heavenly Father for guidance or direction to help us find someone to teach. We had a dinner with a less active family, so I had given up in finding anyone for the day. But it wasn't until the end of the dinner that the family’s 10-year-old daughter asked to be baptized!! YEAH! Prayer works everybody!!

I am thankful for all the blessings that I have received on the mission and in my life.

Elder Willard

New Companion!

I have been made senior companion. I am also staying in my area another transfer; it’s already been 6 months here. But I will never get an older missionary than me from here on out...I don’t think. Elder Gull will be my companion, an American from Utah.

Eu não tenho muito tempo mas eu tenho que falar portuguese mais para ser fluente. Estou animado servir como sênior e crescer mais espiritualmente e aprender mais de um outro companheiro. Eu amo vocês, Obrigado por tudo.

{I do not have much time but I have to speak Portuguese to be more fluent. I am excited to serve as senior companion and grow spiritually and learn more from another companion. I love you, thanks for everything.}

Elder Willard

If Ye Love Me

Pouring down rain today, which is much better than the heat. My companion is going home this next week which is great because I need to forget about home and just learn Portuguese and work. This transfer has been the hardest of my mission, thus far. I love my companion, but we could have and should work more.

Things that I’ve learned from my companion:

1 You have to love everybody

2 Don't get distracted while you work

3 Love as much as you can about the country (even though it’s a 3rd world country...and doesn't have dryers or carpet)

4 Go to bed on time and get up on time

5 Study everyday

6 Work with no regrets

7 Don't be rebellious about the little rules, just do them.

You must consecrate your life to be a successful missionary. To be honest I’ve been upset with myself and the progress in the area and have been blaming it on the members, my companion, the people, the climate etc. But I have no excuse for my laziness here. I’m not saying that I’ve been at home doing nothing for the past few weeks, but my heart and desire have not been in it. I have some repenting to do. If I love the Lord, you better be showing it, John 14:15, ‘If ye love me, keep my commandments.’ I must try to be perfect just as Christ asks.

Eu sei que A Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Últimos Dias é única igreja da face da terra que é verdadeira. Jesus Cristo vive e O Pai dele me ama e te e todo mundo. Se a gente quiser voltar e viver com Ele de novo,  Nós precisamos fazer nossa parte e viver como Cristo, sendo perfeito. Eu amo vocês, guardam os mandamentos.

{I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only church on earth that is true. Jesus Christ lives, and his Father loves me and you and everyone. If we want to go back and live with him again, we need to do our part and live as Christ, being perfect. I love you, keep the commandments.}

Élder Willard

A little Basketball

The work here is kind of slowing down, which is frustrating; it will be almost 6 months that I have worked in this one area and almost 8 months on the mission on the 29th of this month. To find people right now is based only on references and inspiration. No one is progressing and our numbers of lessons are really low. But everything is great, trying to work hard everyday; you only need to be responsible to yourself and to Heavenly Father. You know if you are doing your best so keep doing it. You have a whole lifetime to look back on your mission, and I don’t want to feel like I wasted my time.

Personal struggle: getting up on time...yeah. Something to improve on this week.

Today for the first time ever, part of our district is going to play basketball which is a huge deal. It took me like 4 months to find a court and people that are willing to play and to find a ball which was super difficult in a country where everyone plays soccer and volleyball. So I guess we will see how that turns out.

I would like to get some covers for my scriptures, but everything I’m finding is kind of expensive. There is a member that makes leather cases and burns famous church art into them. But they are 50 reals per cover. I’d like to get some cool covers from the mission in Brazil, but what do you think I should do, Mom?

I’m a little scatter-brained right now and I don’t have much to write. But I love you guys.

Elder Willard

Conference Weekend

Well they changed the age of eligibility to serve a mission for men from 19 to 18 and women from 21 to 19. So Frazier, go as fast as you can. Get a call to Brazil and not England (that's where all the pansies go;-)

Unfortunately, I didn't understand too much of conference (in Portuguese) which was frustrating, but I got some golden nuggets for me personally, plus I was drinking Chimarrão during the Sunday afternoon session. Just a little Rio Grande Do Sul culture.

We have a little girl on the way to baptism, a girl to less active members who really wants to be baptized. It’s just difficult to bring them to church because they live kinda far away in the most dangerous part of our area.

My companion is killing me. I love him, don’t get me wrong, but he is going home on the 30 of October and he is super excited, so he talks about home a lot, which makes me realize how much longer I have left and it’s a little overwhelming. What I need to do is think about the work and nothing else.

It isn’t as hard as people think, but I get distracted by my companion who will sometimes make a list of things that he will do when he gets home or the food he misses or his family or friends.

But I know that I can do it, its just hard right now.

Mom, could you have Frazier email me again, or could I get his email? Zach, what are you and your wife doing? David, can I get some photos of you and your wife via email? Elder Huff, what is the field like?

The field is white already to harvest.

Elder Willard

Welcome to October

It makes 7 months that I have been on the mission. Many days it feels like the mission is impossible, but I do know that it’s more important than my selfish needs or desires. I need to do this service for my Heavenly Father.

We had a confirmation of one of our investigators, which was terrific; a member did it and not us. I want all members to be involved in all aspects of the work, even when we are ‘treated like dogs’ (words of my trainer). A member threatened to strike me in the head with a stick because we missed an appointment because I was at home with a fever. But the members’ testimonies are great at lessons.

The bishop asked me to pray in sacrament meeting, but not directly. He had a clipboard and a piece of paper with my name next to the words ‘primeiro orador’. The word oração is prayer, so I thought I would give the first prayer, but little did I know that orador really means ‘speaker’ like the English word orator. So I was called to speak with nothing prepared and no time to prepare...in another language!! But truly the Lord will put into your mouth the things you must say, in the exact moment.

The biggest lie about religion is that everyone needs to find their own way to worship/believe/practice their religions. “All roads lead back to God.” Wrong. “All you have to do is believe.” Wrong. “God will accept whatever form of worship you do, just do what YOU think is right.” Wrong. Heavenly Father gives us all the rules and gives them all equally to all of his children. If it were not so, he would be unjust and a liar. God is merciful, but we must do exactly what he wants us to do if we want eternal life. If your religion is want you think it should be, you’re doing what you want to do, so in reality you are worshiping yourself. It’s only through Christ that we can gain Eternal life. So do exactly what he told us to do. BE PERFECT!

The church is true, we have a really prophet like Noah or Moses, so we must hearken unto their counsel just as if God himself was talking to us. Because literally, the words of the Prophet are the words of God.

Elder Willard

New Companion

Well, my new companion is Elder Higdon, from Idaho Falls, Idaho. My first companion ever was from there also.

Unfortunate this past week has been really crappy. Having to remember everything about your area is harder than I thought after 4 and a half months of being here. I got yelled at by a member because I missed an appointment with a friend of his because I was at home on Friday with a 101.3 fever. That same day we had to go to the mission offices to renew some visa stuff so the whole day was just terrible.

Anyway we have hopes that things will pick up this week, and we won't get harassed by the members. My new companion only has a transfer left, so he´s fluent in the language and is a good teacher, but he´s just a little bit trunky to go home. He served in the states for 6 months waiting for his visa. Also it's difficult just to speak Portuguese with him because it's so much easier to speak English.

Many people in the ward still don't know what my name is. It's a little frustrating, especially when I know their names and have taught lessons with them to their friends who were baptised.

Anyway all is well, just super tired all the time.

Elder Willard

Transfers

My companion is going home tomorrow, after 2 years (and 30 days, he loves to remind people about that). He is going back to Natal, Rio Grande do Norte. (Natal means Christmas in Portuguese.) My new companion is unconfirmed, but reports from my Zone Leaders is that it’s an American....which could be a problem for my language. My companion told me that I speak better than him....and he has 1 year and 8 months. But we will see; you will receive a better report tomorrow.

It’s been nothing but rain for the last few days. I'm not used to the lightning just yet; I flinch every time the road I'm walking in is filled with purple light. I love it except it’s almost impossible to make contacts in the street and more difficult to make contacts at the door when you have to yell over the sound of thunder.

We baptized a young man on Saturday and had a killer stake conference with an Elder Costa from the seventy. Talking about temples, I would recommend reading some of his stuff but...it’s probably in Portuguese.

I'm pretty nervous about the transfer. Like remembering all the people we taught and the members and where people live...it’s a little crazy. Oh, I'm super excited to get the package that was sent to me. It will be the first mail that I will get in Brazil. That's not a shot at anybody for not writing me, because I haven't written anyone.

I cannot believe that it is the middle of flippin September! That will make about 4 and half months that I have been in Brazil.

Anyway, Eu Amo vocês e quero que vocês comiam cereal para mim, tá? (I love you and eat some cereal from me, OK?)

Elder Willard

Busy September

It’s raining...really hard. Which makes it really difficult to make street contacts because Brazilians don’t like the rain and hide inside.

Our mission has set a goal to baptize 110 people for the month of September and make 4200 contacts per zone. Our companionship has two baptisms with another one on the way this Saturday!! He is eight-years-old and has a testimony and is extremely smart.

By inspiration we found a killer family last night, the mother is Batuque (a weird espiritism religion that does animal sacrifices and would be considered a cult in the states--we find lots of their sacrifices in the streets with mutilated chickens and sometimes cats), but by the end of the lesson, we asked her to pray and she said, Heavenly Father, thank you for the peace the missionaries have brought me, and when we said Amen, her son, Diego, was crying. We didn’t ask why but I think it was the spirit. I’m super excited to see them again.

It’s weird to think that I will get another companion soon, after almost 4 months with the same one. I’m afraid my new companion won’t want to work, or that I will become senior companion, or that I will move to a new area, or that I will train. So really, the end of this transfer has me with a lot of doubts and fears, but that’s what a mission is for.

Stress + time = Growth....I think...

This picture I have attached is the wonderful married couple we baptized and the President of the mission who randomly showed up..
 
The Church is true everybody! I know it is! The evidence is everywhere on my mission. It’s in the lives of those we baptize. Eat some barbeque sauce and do something American for me.
Eu Amo Você!
Elder Willard

Weddings and Baptisms

Tudo Bem!!!
Well crazy stuff happened this last week.

We had a wedding on Saturday with tons of non-members, which got me a little uncomfortable because it was in the chapel, and the husband-to-be´s friends
were kinda drinkers. But all was well except for the fireworks that went off right in front of the chapel with super loud worldly music, and some kind of laser show.

But the following day we baptized them at the end of all the church meetings. We baptized a family! They were super happy and excited. It was kinda funny,
we had gotten them changed into their jumpsuits and they were just waiting in front of the baptismal font doors and kept asking, “Can we go now? Come on let’s go!”
And the president of the mission just showed up for the baptism, which was a little unnerving. A couple weeks ago he pulled me into his office with my companion and said, “Don’t be surprised if I make you senior this next transfer or the following. Your companion is one of the best missionaries we got and you have been with him for almost 3 transfers. I expect to see some good things from you.” How am I supposed to be a senior companion?! I’ve been freaking out a little bit these last couple weeks, he also said I could start training!!

Other then those things, everything is good. Just trying to work hard. My biggest weakness is still the language.

I love you all
Elder Willard

The Power is on!

Saturday we did not have a baptism, after preparing and inviting every single person we could think of, our candidate called and cancelled 3 hours before. And thus we sat in the bishop’s office, calling our invites and said the baptism had been postponed. We will see about that. My companion said that has never happened to him before on his mission, which made me think that I was bad luck. But the good news from Saturday is the power came back on....after 8 days!

Another issue is I cannot seem to keep my white shirts white. I need to find some sort of chemical that can get stains out in Brazil. I bet I could find something not cleared by the FDA, HA! HA!

On the upside, I have my first wedding, Antonio and Nadir, on 1st and on the 15th, and two baptisms. They are already self sufficient, visiting church every Sunday for all the 3 hours. It’s just so amazing how simple it is to have a change of heart by doing the basics. Studying the scriptures, praying, attending church.

The last two days have just been terribly cold, and the 3 days before that were terribly hot. It’s a little frustrating, but I sure do prefer the rain to the heat.

The Temple was just terrific and it was different with another language, but it just strengthens my testimony that the church is true because everything is exactly the same in the temple. The church is true all over the world.

I happy to declare that I think I'm losing weight, but has yet to be proven scientifically.

Thanks for everything, I hope the spelling is better... Sabrina..(how can I sabotage your relationship now?)

Elder Willard

Temple Trip

We are going to the temple today, the Porto Alegre Templo, so our p-day is today. But the power is out at our apartment since Friday, so freezing cold showers, no washing of clothes, no refrigerator, no light, and lots of candles.

We have a baptism on Saturday and a wedding soon. The language is coming; my number one problem is understanding what is being said to me directly. When it’s a conversation with many different people, I understand almost everything, but when someone asks me a question directly, I don’t know what’s happening.

I don’t have much time because we have to go visit the senior missionaries to get power, which is pretty frustrating.

Eu Amo Vocês

Elder Willard

Visiting Parents

Some parents of a missionary who was going home this week came down to visit him for about a week. The elder took his parents to meet converts he had baptized, eat native food and see some sights. I don't think my parents would do that. I got to have dinner with them on one occasion and they came to visit our ward. On Sunday the American Mother called after, Help! I need someone who speaks English!! I was quite impressed that I was able to translate nearly everything being said for them. Can you imagine coming to a foreign land that you are not familiar with and spend a week there not understanding anything being said? But who knows. Maybe Dad would like to visit me or Sister Willard in our countries. I think Mom would go for sure.

 

All is well here. I'm just tired all the time. I never seem to catch up with sleep.

 

I love you all,

Elder Willard

Another Transfer

I never want to miss a family reunion. The only excuse I can think of is being on a mission. BUT, that’s awesome; was the reunion in Sequim?

Anyway, I’m staying with my trainer for another transfer which is great because after working this area a little bit, we are starting to pick the fruits of our labor. We have a guestimation of 6-7 baptisms this transfer alone. People are just coming out of the woodwork. We were teaching a gal who seems very interested in the message; she told us of an experience last week:

“I was going to work on my bike (motorcycle) and as I came to a traffic light, I had a choice of two different lanes. Something told me to stop in the right lane and so I did. Another bike behind me picked the left. After a few moments of waiting at the light, the bike in the left lane was struck by a car. I thought to myself what the missionaries had said to me, ‘As you come to know that our message is true, you will face trials, but God will help you.’”

Satan knows who needs our message and knows who the missionaries are talking to and he will do everything in his power to stop the work from progressing. Heavenly Father’s elect are out there and are prepared; we just need to find them and teach them with power.

Eu sei que a Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Utimos Dias é verdadeira, e que Joseph Smith foi chamado por Deus. A Igreja tem a autoridade de Deus para realizar batismo, recebendo o dom do Espirito Santo e muitos milagres. Nós podemos voltar e viver com Pai Celestial si nós vivemos o evangelho de Jesus Cristo.

Eu Amo você!!!

Elder Willard

Ask for Yourself

Well, we have another baptism this Saturday, a sweet 10 year old gal. So we are all super excited. Yesterday was pretty sweet, one of our investigators called us and said that she had gotten an answer about the Book of Mormon.

When she prayed she felt a light and a terrific feeling come upon her, said it was hard to describe, but then she started to read the Book of Mormon to her `bed-ridden´ mother and she said that she felt something, a feeling of great joy and peace surrounded her. It’s pretty amazing how much faith people have here in Brazil.

A lot of people here seem to get an answer in the very first prayer, asking Heavenly Father if the Book of Mormon is true. The people here have no doubts about the reality and divinity of Jesus Christ.

My trainer is staying one extra transfer on the mission and I think he will stay with me, which is awesome. I have a feeling we are going to baptize a lot of people next transfer. After working with some people for 3 months, getting them married, getting answers from God, resolving doubts, the fruits of our labors are ready to be harvested. Oh yesterday I had been out on the mission for 5 months exactly. I don’t know if it was a long time or very fast.

We just keep ‘finding’ people. This last week we found 14 new investigators. And I’m realizing that coincidences on the mission don’t happen.

Wow, it is nearly impossible to remember what happens during the week to tell you guys about it. But all is well and the mission is terrific and the hardest thing I’ve ever done, that’s for sure.

I love you guys,

Elder Willard

Joining a Soccer Team

Tudo Bem, Todo Mundo!!

I have officially chosen a soccer team to be a member of; I even bought a jersey.

The team is Grêmio. In the states there’s only like one Pro team per state. But it’s a little

different in Brazil. To put it simply there are two teams out of Rio Grande Do Sul:

Internacional and Grêmio. Eu sou Grêmista. But all is well and tranquilo here in Brazil. The language is coming slowing but surely...oops, a dog just ran under my desk. It’s Brazil. I’ve been trying to think of something that I need or would like from the states....and it’s Betty Crocker brownie mix (if that’s even possible).

You know what is really hard? Going on splits with a member when you don’t speak the language very well or understand anything that is spoken, and try to teach people.

Yesterday, Fabricio, a member, and I went out without a senior companion or any kind if safety net to keep us out of trouble.

But the problem was, as we went to find and teach our investigators, no one was home or was busy. So the whole day about 8 hours was spent looking and finding nothing, but we were able to just teach one lesson. At the end of that lesson the investigator said no to our message. Really just a sad day for the work.

Frazier, how is work? Marnie, what are you going to do this summer that will prepare you for school? Jackson, I want you to email me everything you did this last week.  Alex, how is the field, stud? Brandon, have you seen a play with Amelia yet? Amelia, have you had a summer adventure yet? Zach, will you name you future son (who could be on the way) Calvin? Sabrina, is my previous comment true? Dad, can you take some pictures of the pole barn and send them too me...if it’s done? Mom, are you liking the Iphone?

I love you all and have some rice and beans for me.

Elder Willard

Teaching about Marriage

We had a baptism on Saturday...I think I already said that...

Anyway, all is well here in Porto Alegre, but is a bit chilly...which is a dream come true.

We have several, I believe 3 couples, with wives that want to get baptized because they know the church is true, but cant because they aren’t married to their husbands. And the husbands aren’t interested in religion and more interested in money or alcohol or how no believe in God or don’t see the importance of being married or the importance of the family.

It’s so frustrating to see these poor women suffer, knowing what they need but completely stuck. It’s going to take a lot of fasting and prayers and inviting, but I know those husbands will receive an answer from Heavenly Father.

You know what’s hard...learning another language. Even with an easy Latin based language like Portuguese, it is still frustrating and difficult. It is for sure serving a mission is the hardest this I have ever done, but by far the best.

Yesterday we were teaching a member’s sister. She basically grew up in the church but has never been baptized. I thought it went well but has the member drove us home he chewed us out, bitter and upset about the lesson. `´She just needs to feel the spirit, have a spiritual experience to get baptized and I felt nothing!! You didn’t teach with the spirit`. I felt awful for a long time. I thought, Am I not doing my job correctly, Am I not teaching by or with the Spirit? What is wrong with me? I will never talk to any missionaries the way he did to us. But nothing makes you feel better than just straight out praying and found comfort in talking with Heavenly Father.

I love you all you and my companion also, he is incredible and the hardest working guy I know.

Read the scriptures and pray every single day! Tá bom!!

Te Amo

Elder Willard

Brazilian Pizza

We have another baptism this Saturday. She is the mother of 3 converts who is the last one to get on the band wagon because of just plain bad luck and poor choices by leaders in the zone. Her children are all less active and one has a problem with smoking, but I have a good feeling that mom is going to whip them into shape. Her testimony is amazing; there is no doubt in her mind that this is the Church of Jesus Christ. She will be baptized this Saturday!!!

Yes, it has been getting colder here. But don’t worry about me keeping warm; we have for some odd reason 7 gigantic wool blankets in our apartment. The real problem is mosquitoes. 3 days ago I woke up with approximately 42 bug bites on my right arm with dozens more on my face and other arm. I got to lather up with bug spray every night.

Two days ago it rained all day; I thought I was so prepared. Thermal underwear, doubled up on socks made of wool, sweater, xequezão (fancy) rain coat, and giant umbrella. And all of the stuff in my back pack was put in plastic bags. And being a Washingtonian, I thought I could handle it. Unfortunately, my Achilles heel was my shoes. They have some many little holes in them that there was no way to keep my feet dry. Maybe I will buy some boots...

I have decided that pizza in Brazil is better than in the USA...that’s right, I said it. Especially when they put chocolate in the crust. It’s amazing!! Moderately priced here, but really cheap in the states. But on the other hand, the bread and cake here is terrible; you just can’t beat Oroweat. (This from a grandson of an Oroweat Engineer!)

Last night we taught a new investigator (Noli) with some other investigators (Atonio & Nadir) that we are trying to get married and baptized. Noli is a friend of theirs that lives nearby and as we were teaching each in turn bore powerful testimony of the divinity of the Book of Mormon and that Joseph Smith was a prophet and Noli was touched. They aren’t even members and they already want to share the gospel and bring others to Christ. I’m so excited to see them as full fledged members of the church.


Love you all, share the gospel with everyone you know.
Elder Willard

Moving to another 4th floor apartment

I have made a goal to baptize every single transfer. Have you ever heard the saying “Nothing is impossible between two people, as long as one of them is God”?

We recently moved to a new apartment, which was a pain because we lived on the fourth floor and our new apartment is also on the 4 floor. All the beds, refrigerator, stove, washing machine, bed frames, desks, supplies, my stuff.....and it was raining...and hot. Totally crazy.

We had 3 investigators at church, we have about 3 unmarried couples with children that we are in the process of getting married. That is a huge problem in Brazil. My companion has 23 brothers and sisters because his father couldn’t stay with one wife. We have two unmarried couples with a lot of problems with finances and fidelity because they aren’t married. It’s just easier to live with one another and not get married.

Once they are married they can be baptized!! We have a goal this transfer of like 7 people, so vamos lá!!!

Other than moving, things have been normal. OH! I’m teaching an English class to Brazilians for free at the church...simple stuff like verbs and phrases. But when they ask a question, I have to have them repeat it slowly every time. But it’s great: I learn Portuguese and they learn some English.

I have no idea how Sister Willard can type some much, it’s incredible. Every time I read about her success I want to one-up her and street-contact the world.

All is good!
vos amo

Elder Willard

P.S. My hand is not broken.

I Think I Broke my Hand

Mom's Note: Notwithstanding the ominous subject of this letter, he makes no reference to it in the body of his email.

Well, I had the chance to baptize for the first time ever and it was great. His name is Alvaro and he is 9-years-old and a stud! We baptized him on Saturday and the water heater tank did nothing for the temperature. It was the Puget Sound in that font.

There was another gal that was going to get baptized by her father. We went first; I said the right words in Portuguese for the ordinance, dunked Alvaro, and was shocked at how cold it was, but no complaints. We quickly left to change and continue the meeting.

I returned to the packed baptism room (maybe 60-70 people for a baptism) first and a little puzzled because I thought that Edwarda and her dad would be right behind me. I sat down and some little girls behind me said she was to be baptized again because Dad didn’t say the words right. No big problem, but when they opened the doors to the font, all I could see was dad in the water and poor Edwarda balling, just shrieking in fear. Apparently the water was so cool the first time that she just lost it. And when Dad said she had to do it again was mad and terrified. The poor little 8 year old girl just did not want to do it again. She screamed very loudly while in the font with 60-70 people watching, “I don’t want to! I don’t want to!” After 5 minutes of pleading with her, trying to get her baptized, she stopped screaming and consented. Dad said the words right and baptized her. The second she was pulled up out of the water, she shrieked again and leapt into her fathers arms.

I Love water heaters and America.

That was the best thing that has happened thus far for me in the mission, to bring someone to the waters of baptism, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and a remission of their sins.

I Love you

Elder Willard

Good Morning World and All Who Inhabit It

Well it looks like I have a cold...and its June!!!
It’s extremely wet and raining (which is awesome because it’s not blisteringly hot) I’m getting some good use out of my rain gear and Dads umbrella.

We are baptizing a 9 year old named Alvaro this Saturday!!! YEAH-the church is true!
I don’t know if I have said this yet, but there are dogs everywhere!! It’s normal to see one female dog sprinting through the street and to see about 10 male dogs running after her. Also, everyone in Brazil has gates around there homes because everyone is terrified of thieves. So we don’t knock on doors; we clap at the gate which is kinda lame because all the dogs in the yard run up to you and stick their heads through the fence and try to bite you, and they are super loud, just bark bark bark and its almost impossible to talk to the family that lives there.

What I need to do is write down everything that happens during the week before I email because I only get about an hour including emailing the Mission President.
Oh we are getting a new mission president, President Castro, and he doesn’t speak English. He is a lawyer which will be cool.

Oh dad! Getting cash back doesn’t exist in Brazil. We can use ATMs to get money, and it costs like 12 reias to pull money out.

While parabens para Frazier for graduating and the Eagle project! Have a good summer and wish Amelia James a Happy Birthday if you see her.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints is the True church of our Heavenly father

I love you all!

Elder Willard

The Cold of Winter

Olá de Porto Alegre Sul,

I realized recently that is super duper cold here both day and night, I was given an awesome wool coat (it’s got to be like 200 dollars) from another missionary. It reaches all the way down to about mid calf and it’s nice and toasty. Almost all the homes in Brazil are made of stone so keeping heat in is very difficult and keeping the cold out is harder. Super crazy, I recently had the chance to go on splits with an American missionary and it was great because for like the first time in 3 weeks I could communicate an idea and he understood everything I said. More importantly, I knew what he was saying. But the language is coming. Yesterday as we were walking down the street I realized that I was actually having a conversation in Portuguese. It was an awesome feeling. Unfortunately I am out of time. We are going to a member’s house for pizza and the pizza here is very weird. It has corn and beans and my fave: chicken hearts.

I love you all,
The mission is fantastic
Elder Willard

Exciting Days

I got a little bit of food poisoning, I think, right after a pretty fantastic lasagna (not really lasagna, it’s just meat and cheese) with guarana, which I’m starting to love. As we went to work I had terrible stomach pain and trying to say, “I have food poisoning” was a lot hard than I thought. So we knocked on a lady’s door who we didn’t know, if we could use the restroom. I cant imagine what she thought seeing me, a really big (in comparison to her; she might have been 80 pounds soaking wet and I was double her height) sweaty white guy, looking like I was going to lose the contents of my stomach right then and there. I don’t know what made her let us in. I get to the bathroom and heard my companion start teaching. She is not interested in the least. She also has poor hearing so my comp is yelling at her, “We are missionaries from the...” He stops when he hears a splash and gagging. He calls after me in broken English, “Are you ok?” I mumble something and get out.

We talked a little bit to the woman who helped us. She asks if she could bless me, I think, and then begins to yell to the heavens in prayer for about 5 minutes, saying things like em nome de Jesus! (in the name of Jesus) and Sai! Agora! (leave and now).

She basically cast a spirit out of me.

We got home and I slept for 2 hours and went back to work feeling totally fine.

All is well, language is hard and I love you guys

Elder Willard

Adjusting to life if Porto Alegre

I never thought I would miss hamburgers so much. The only American business I have seen is McDonalds, a tiny shack that only sells sorvete (ice cream) and it just the same soft serve as home! I’m starting to like black beans and rice...because it’s safe. The Brazilians eat a lot of cartilage on chicken and cow. So when you dish up meat nothing should be left but bone. Oh, and we are not allowed to drink the Coca Cola...makes your hair fall out.

We had a surprise stake conference and the presidency was switched out and our bishop got called as the second counselor in the stake. That’s great because he is fantastic, but we need a bishop!

I miss the microwave...and they aren’t cheap: 300-400 reais. Everything is done on a propane stove and every liquid is bagged. Milk, juice, yogurt, it’s a tad difficult to store in the fridge without it falling over.

Because my companion is from the north, we eat a lot of Couscous, which is basically oatmeal of the corn family. It’s alright, but its driving me crazy how often we eat it.

We have a bunch of investigators!!!! Oh, it’s so great and we keep running into people that seem to be prepared. Most of the time the people we run into just refuse to pray and read the Book of Mormon. If the Book of Mormon is true than the church is 100% true as well and we have authority from God. Wouldn’t that been a good thing to know? Also a very interesting thing, in the Portuguese Bible in Exodus, when it’s listing the 10 commandments, instead of “Keep the Sabbath day holy,” it says “Sabado” which means Saturday. So everyone in Brazil thinks the Sabbath is on Saturday. A lot of people don’t go to church; they just hang out a home a read the bible.

We can’t get anyone to come to church yet, but we have a goal for 4 baptisms in the month of June and the temple dedication for Manaus is coming up, super cool. My companion wants to marry Sister Willard so he can be my brother-in-law (and get to the states somehow). He’s super cool and speaks a little English; you can teach him!!

Anyway all is well, the language is hard, the hills are steep, the people are nice, and my purpose is clear. Baptize.

Love,

Elder Willard

First Week in Brazil

My very first week here in O Brazil. It is poor!! Everyone told me, “Oh, Porto Alegre is so rich; it’s just like America.” No, it’s not! It is a third-world country for sure. But, it’s really nice, the members love the missionaries and are willing to do anything for them. (That could be totally off because I understand about 10% of the Portuguese that is spoken.) My companion, Elder Bezerra, can understand everything I say in English, but can’t speak it very well, which is kinda annoying. I can barely communicate which isn’t helpful in a lesson when you don’t know what is going on....Bleh!! I need to be patient.

Lunch is the biggest meal of the day. Basically, you wake up, don’t eat breakfast, study for 4 hours, go to lunch for two hours and eat the biggest meal of your life, work from about 2-9pm not eating anything, had some milk with Nesquick and go to bed. One giant meal a day. It’s going to take some getting use to. Lunch is typically beans, rice, meat and chimarrão (look that up on the internet, hard to explain). Oh and the best lasagna I have ever had.

I totally understand why that missionary in São Paulo got hit by a bus. People are crazy drivers and there are no cops at all. Cobblestone roads with only hatchbacks, buses and giant Mercedes trucks roaming the streets with thousands of dirtbikes weaving in and around traffic. I’m surprised I haven’t been hit yet.

I am tired all the time because we walk ever where, which is fantastic but hard on my feet on no existent sidewalks and cobblestone. But people are really nice, as far as I can tell. People think it’s cool that I’m an American and always say that I speak really well, but I’m not buying it because my companion sometimes laughs at my accent. We have a ton of potential investigators because everyone we walk into on the street says, “Sure we will listen to your lesson. Just come by the house another day.” We taught a man name Jorge about the restoration and we just saw him yesterday and he says that when he reads and prays about the Book of Mormon he feels joy! Batismo!!! My very first day and my very first lesson we committed a women to baptism in 3 weeks. Brazilian are really humble, that’s for sure.

Well, I hope all is well, have fun on your cruise mom and dad! And you being married Zach and Sabrina! And you Brandon finishing off another semester. I love you guys.

Elder Willard

On the way to Brasil

From Mom:

I chatted with Elder Willard on Sunday for Mother's Day, on Monday night after a 6-hour airport wait for a plane that never left the ground, and Tuesday from the Detroit airport. He and two elders were preparing to board a plane for the 12-hour flight to Sao Paolo. They arrived this morning at 7am and began the next flight to Porto Alegre. He is very excited to be in his new area, but with the new challenge comes a new language.

Busy Week

We have almost no time to do anything this week. We completed a bunch of service in our area, helping two families move, working at a different church giving food to the needy, giving blessings to members in the word and trying to do typical missionary work with 4 hours of study....sigh. It’s Great!

It looks like we get to Skype this Sunday, but I can’t remember when church gets out so let me know this week via email. Our trainers had a meeting up in Davenport (about two hours away) so they decided to leave me and another brand new missionary behind and Elder Klc (yes, that’s how it’s spelled, pronounced Kelch). So you can imagine my apprehension and fear with no trainer and no plan of what to do really.

So this is what we did...

We gave a blessing to an Australian CAT employee at a Hotel with mysterious pain in his face. When we left he said, "I feel better already."

I had the opportunity to teach my first two investigators this last week. We taught a 15-year-old guy and his girlfriend, who was a member. He agreed to read the Book of Mormon and take the lessons with parent permission. He is living literally in the hood of Peoria; it is pretty scary.

Also we taught a guy and his member wife the plan of salvation. He didn’t say much, but Elder Klc thought he was very interested. He had questions about authority because he has already been baptized a few times in a few different churches.

We had the car so we got lost a whole bunch in Peoria even with a GPS, a combination of several 6 way stops, and an un-updated GPS.

Had a friendly conversation with a Baptist preacher while he was working on his lawn. He didn’t curse at us or threaten us at all, which is plus.

All and all, our trainers were very proud of us and we got a lot done. Sometimes new missionaries don’t do anything when they are paired up, so they were glad we did so much.

Also I got to eat something very weird. There is a missionary in the ward who served in the Philippines and he invited the 6 missionaries serving in the ward to come over and eat something called Balut (ba-loot).

It’s a partially developed duck egg that has a fetus inside developing for about 14-18 days. You boil it for a while, crack the shell on your knuckle, maybe put some salt on it, and consume the bird and the yoke of the egg. As you chew, you feel bones and feathers of the duck fetus. I will let you know more on Sunday, plus there is a video of us eating them.

Anyway, Peoria, the mission, and the missionaries are all great, I love you and will see you soon.

Elder Willard

P.S. I got my visa.

It's May!

No news on the visa, but that is totally fine with me. I haven’t taught any investigators yet, lots of member visits. We have 1 or 2 recent convert visits a week, but other than that it’s just trying to get into people’s homes. If you live in Peoria, you work for CAT or you’re a doctor. So we have some pretty fantastically wealthy people here with beautiful communities, grand spacious homes, fancy luxury vehicles and are kind of rude to us. What can you do…

There were two interesting things that happened this week.

1. We got a call from our Zone Leaders and said that a man at St. Francis hospital needed a blessing, so my companion and I drove down to find him. After searching through a humongous hospital, we found him with several bandages on his head and a few family members watching him. He had been in a car accident that morning and had gone through the windshield. Most of his scalp had been torn off his head, but had been stapled back onto his skull. Putting our hands on his head was out of the question. My companion anointed him and I sealed it, but during the blessing the man started to mock me. He jokingly talked to me as I was trying to listen to the spirit to see if he was going to live or die, to see what I should bless him with. Halfway through the blessing he began to snore loudly at me and got louder and louder. I wasn’t bitter or upset; the only feeling that I had for this man was sadness. He had come to know that the church was true and had fallen away. Now he began to mock the sacred ordinance that we were doing to help him. But as we left I felt great joy because I knew at least that he was going to be fine.

2. Before we ever leave to go knocking on doors, we kneel in front of the map and pray where we should go. On one such an experience, we kneeled down and I offered the prayer. I paused in the middle to listen and the words "Willow Lake" randomly popped into my head. I closed the prayer and waited for my companion to stand. I didn’t say anything at first because I was scared that I was wrong. As my companion looked at the map, I pointed at the street and said, "I want to go there." My companion, still looking at the map, just smiled and said, "I feel exactly the same way." When the spirit communicates to his servants, it is all the same.

Anyway, it’s hard work, but its good and I know I'm doing the Lord’s will.

I love you guys and will talk to you next week.

Elder Willard

Pictures from Peoria, Illinois

Howard with three Brazilian Missionaries temporarily reassigned to Des Moines. Elder Wilmore, on the far right, flew out of SeaTac with Howard on Feb 29th.

Howard and the wonderful Mission President and his wife.After his first day in Des Moines, he was assigned to Peoria, Illinois.

Trainer, Elder Brinkerhoff, with Howard on his first day.

Working in Peoria, Illinois

Entao, here I am in Peoria, Illinois, where it is beautiful every single day and we don’t have to wear suits if it’s over 70 degrees. I am on a reassignment to the Iowa Des Moines Mission for a minimum of a month. If my visa arrives tomorrow, I still will not leave until the next transfer. But I’m super excited and happy to serve here. There is a lot of church history in Iowa and Illinois and I don’t know if I will get to see the sights, but my trainer and I will try.

We have been whitewashed into our area. That means that neither of us have been here, so we don’t know the members, recent converts, less-actives, investigators, the area, the bishop or anything else about our district. Most of the time we are just trying to figure out where people live which is more challenging than I thought (with no iPhone 4). We trade a car every other week with our district leader, so starting today we have a car! (My butt is sore from the bikes we use.) It’s a gold Chevy Malibu. It’s also very weird to be carrying a cell phone again. I usually forget that I have one.

My trainer’s name is Elder Brinkerhoff from Idaho Falls, Idaho. He is a really nice guy, although I can’t seem to find his humorous side, but we both really like Chinese food. He is about 6-months-old and as they say here on the mission, He's my daddy. We haven’t taught anyone yet except from members at dinner. But I’m excited to get out there and find some investigators. Oh, if you ever see an Elder Fortuna, let me know, he is serving in the Everett Washington Mission and we are having dinner with the Fortuna family tonight. I spoke with Momma Fortuna and I told her I live in her son's mission, she then quickly got to the missionary meal calendar and signed us up for the very next day. We are excited. Everyone is pretty surprised that I live on an island. "There are islands in Washington?!" they say. Good stuff. I don’t think I want to go to Brazil now.

It’s hard to remember what happened over the week. I should bring my journal when I type out emails.

Well I love you all and I know I’m supposed to be here. There is someone that I need to talk to or something I need to learn. Maybe I won’t go to Brazil and that’s totally fine because the only thing that matters is that I’m serving the Lord.

Elder Willard

P.S. Oh, and the temple for our mission is Nauvoo.

Going to Des Moines!

Well, I have a temporary reassignment to Des Moines, Iowa until my visa arrives. I’m super excited to get to work; my district is going to Mesa, Arizona on reassignment. I leave on Wednesday at 4 in the morning, so if you’re planning on sending me something, wait till I can give you an address in the field. I hear they just had a lot of tornados there which could mean I’ll be doing service, maybe don a Mormon helping hands shirt. 

Elder Ballard came last night to the fireside, this last three weeks has been nuts with general authorities. He talked about the importance of the Book of Mormon. Recently I had an impression to get a Book of Mormon in English and the articles of faith on a card for the plane. I wonder what will happen.

I’m not supposed to trap anyone on the plane, if they don’t want to hear they can’t just walk away. I can engage if they ask me questions. The first and this last week have gone by really slowly; I just want to leave and get to work. I wish I had more time to write.

Eu vou comunicar com voces de novo, tarde. Eu amo voces!!

Elder Willard

Happy Easter!

My training here at the MTC is complete but...still no visa. I will just hangout here until I get it or get a reassignment.

I barely understand anything being said in portugues and I can only talk about gospel related things in portugues. If you asked me my favorite color or if I saw a certain movie I would have no idea what to say. But if you asked me what a profeta (prophet) is, you would be in good luck.

Pres. Packer came to the MTC yesterday for Easter and talked about the importance of the resurrection and how we could not have the Expiação (Atonement) without a punishment. Also the BYU Men’s Chorus sang for us at our weekly Sunday night fireside. Both were fantastic.

I met Elder Taylor, Sister Huff’s nephew, he looks a lot like her. He was a little upset when I told him about where Alex is going on his mission. He was expecting to hear from the family. But he is totally dope!!

There is a new infield training coisa (thing). In the past the greeny wouldn’t do anything; he would just follow the senior companion like a monkey. Typically you have an hour of personal study, companionship study and language study. Now, for the first 12 weeks of your mission, you have an extra hour of companionship study that focuses on getting the new missionary doing the normal responsibilities sooner. It’s apparently super effective. Super excited for that.

I didn’t get anything from Sister Willard. (She’ll write on Thursday due to transfers.)

Anyway, I love you guys and hope you had a Happy Easter!!

Elder Willard

Conference Edition

Well, I still do not have a visa; I feel like the emails are getting repetitive. This is officially my last week here at the MTC (and yes, I still don’t feel ready).  The language is coming along, but my one weakness is understanding when people are talking. We have about 4 fluent Spanish speakers that totally understand the language, which is a little discouraging.

After hearing Elder Holland’s talk about jealousy and "drinking a quart of pickle juice," I should be happy for their talents and abilities and be happy for my trials and challenges. I've been moved to a new district that is a week younger than me so I reviewed a lot of the same stuff last week. Good for me. My new companion looks like (not to be mean) Sloth from the Goonies...he has a very deep voice and an engineer’s mind. He understands what is being said in the lesson and I just talk.

If I don’t receive my visa this week, I will probably be here ‘til it shows up. There are some missionaries here that have been here for 14 weeks on a 9 week Spanish learning track just waiting for their visa to Argentina or Chile. I don’t want to be that guy. BUT I would be a boss at speaking the language.

Thanks Sister Huff for the DearElder letters, there were great. And could I get Alex's email?

I never can remember what happened over the last week until after the 30-minute time limit is up on the computer. Uhhhh...Sister Willard seems to be killing it in England. I was hoping she would be jumping up and down when she saw me and hope she picked up the line, "Good Scottish grit" from Saturday afternoon session.

I think my favorite talk was Elder Holland’s because it applies to me that most. This MTC experience, learning the language has been the hardest thing I have ever done so when I see people not struggling and bragging about how great they are, I go just a little livid. So for a few weeks now, I’ve been asking for charity and Christ-like love for everyone. So far so good. If I can’t learn to do that, how can I love my investigators?

Terrific conference weekend, I can’t wait till they make some of those into Mormon Messages. We have big Easter Sunday with 3 General Authorities coming, but they won’t say who.....but I have some ideas.

Anyway the Church is true, the Book of Mormon is the truest book on the face of the earth and will bring you closer to God than any other book.

I love you all and look forward to hearing from you.

Elder Willard

A Month in the MTC

Well my companion got his visa and is leaving tomorrow. So now I will be the only one in the district. From 7 missionaries to just me. My teachers will be teaching me solo, so I might get a cool solo sticker on my name tag. We had a missionary here for 12 weeks and a 9 week Portuguese learning track who finally got reassigned to Colorado. His Visa has been at the “ready for pick-up” stage for about 5 weeks (that is what my visa just got to). I may never leave the MTC; I might just serve my mission in the cafeteria at the MTC.

Elder Jensen emailed me and says he lost 10 pounds already. I’m super jealous!!!! GRRR! Our Zone leaders are leaving for Portugal tomorrow as well along with two elders and a sister so our zone is getting pretty small. The new zone leaders are just a week old here at the MTC so they ask a lot of questions and look up to the older guys, which is me now....weird. I’ve only been here for about a month.

I discovered recently that my preacher's license expires Feb. 4 and I started my mission Feb. 29. So my mission will be 23 months instead of 24. I GOT JIPPED!!! Super lame.

I got my patriarchal blessing on Friday and it was awesome. I will have to send mom and dad a copy; its pretty long. Growing up you always hear of the really interesting stuff in patriarchal blessings, but mine seems kinda...boring? Don’t get me wrong, I love it and it’s full of stuff that I needed to hear and study.

I saw Elder Zinkand and he seems to be doing fine. But I don’t know who got his blue suit; it’s flashy and kind reflective…he looks like a peacock. His mission president is probably going to tell him to burn it.

Anyway all is well, just struggling with the language and hoping to leave soon to O Brasil!

Love, Elder Willard

P.S. Watch the second session of conference very carefully... ;)    

Serven da Lord

Entáo (so), it’s hard to remember what happened this week. Our pesquisador (investigator) Monica agreed to be batizara (baptized), but was wondering why again because she had been baptized at a baby in the catolic (catholic) igreja (church). She asked this all in Portuguese; I have no idea how I understood her. Loco! We had to be bold and tell her straight up that it didn’t count because the Catolic Igreja didn’t have the correct Sacerdócio (priesthood) autoridade (authority). Didn’t think she wanted to see us again, but we expressed our love for her and she agreed to be baptized in trés semanas (3 weeks).

Sister Willard’s experiences get me excited to get into the field, but as of today I still do not have a visa, so I probably will be here for at least another week. It is totally fine because I still need to get my patriarchal blessing, and I’m getting it this Friday at 3. Super excited!!!

Classes are going pretty good when the whole district is just dois (2) pessoas (people). Between me and Elder Marley we have maybe 6 teachers that have no one else to teach por que (because) all the missionaries (missionarios) either go straight to Brasil or are only here for a few days. It’s good though; I’m not very good at the language so it’s nice to have the attention.

There was a reporter that came up from Sáo Paolo from a big newspaper and interviewed Elder Marley and myself and a few other Portuguese speakers at the MTC and she quoted me on some stuff I think. Entáo I might be in a newspaper somewhere!

Anyway it’s really tough but worth it. D&C 18:10 The worth of souls is great in the sight of God. Serven da Lord.

Elder Willard

Second Week at the MTC

So the language is getting super difficult; I feel like I'm not keeping up with the rest of the district which is lame. Elder Royster will be leaving the district to Brazil tomorrow because he got his visa in the mail. So out of the seven original members of the district, now it’s two--with me, as the senior companion, and Elder Marley who is the district leader. We will probably will receive our visas this Thursday and leave for Brazil next Tuesday.

I haven’t seen Elder Jensen for 9 days, it has officially been the longest we've been apart...for like 18 months. Weird.

I get to go to the temple every week on Monday but I keep forgetting to bring my names!! This morning I forgot my recommend!! But I'll figure it out.

If anyone has any address to friends or relatives and would like me to write to them please email them to me. Mom if you could have Frazier talk to Josh Klett about getting an address from Brandon that would be great. I will write him a letter today and send it to him when I get the address.

How’s the pole barn? How are my brothas? What’s Marnie been doing? Has Katie been using the fundamentals of missionary work?

Eu sei que o livro de Mormon e verdaderio, Eu sei que a ingreja e verdaderio. Jose Smith e profeta de Deus ao restorado ele ingreja em terra. Em nome de Jeus Cristo, amem.

Elder Willard

Welcome to the MTC!

Well the MTC is fantastic and the myldsmail account has very long functionality and I only have 30 minutes to send emails (which is tough) but here we go.

My Personal days are on Monday, which is the only day that I can write and send emails. If you want me to receive something quickly, use www.Dearelder.com because I can receive those everyday. Elder Jensen is my companion which is totally crazy, but he is leaving tomorrow for Brazil because he received his visa on Thursday. I have a fantastic district with very strong members of the church, but almost all of them are leaving for Brazil because they all got their visas on Thursday with Elder Jensen. So it will be a whopping 3 people in the whole district and all 3 of us will be companions. So I could be here for 2-3 more weeks which is totally fine. I really love the MTC and learning Portuguese extremely quickly. I can pray, testify, get to know someone and express my feelings to an investigator--all in Portuguese. On the first real day at the MTC they asked us to prepare a lesson from the Manual all in Portuguese!!!! It was extremely tough but we did it and it went fine. We have a fantastic language teacher, Irma (sister) Jacobs who is a native to Brazil and served her mission there, too.

It has been the longest 5 days of my life, but everyone says wait till Sunday and everything will speed up. 16 hour days are pretty tough. If you’re going on a mission be prepared to work, work, work, work, and work! But it’s extremely rewarding. I’ve never prayed more in my life, especially to learn the language...but there is a strong spirit in everything you do. I'm doing my best to think less of myself and dive into the work and put all my focus on the investigator. When you get dropped off at the curb a veteran missionary welcomes you and he is called your host. My host said that the MTC is the happiest place on earth and I'm starting to believe him. Everyday my testimony is reaffirmed and strengthened about the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know he lives and that the atonement is everlasting and infinite. I love my Pai Celestial e filho, Jesus Cristo.

Love,

Elder Willard

P.S. Mom, do you remember watching a youtube video with a Coldplay song and a black lead vocalist...he spoke last night at the fireside here at the MTC, Alex Boye!

He was amazing!!

From Mom: Megan Duckworth shared that video on facebook. Here is the link.He was in the news last week because he sang the National Anthem at his own Citizen Swearing-in Ceremony.

Update!

We were notified at the end of January that Calvin would be delayed due to MTC changes. They have reduced language training from 9 weeks to 6 weeks. So his February 8th report date was moved to February 29th. Then we found out yesterday that his visa still isn't coming in on time. This means he reports to the Provo MTC instead of Sao Paolo. But, things could still change!