Winter and Protests

The family got confirmed and they are all going to church strong, how cool is that? The ward needs more families, the ward deserves it. We also have been having a lot of protests in Porto Alegre and Viamão, but nothing to be concerned about. We work in a very rural area and there is not much that goes on around here. It’s starting to get really cold around and dark; it has finally become winter in Rio Grande do Sul. I'm really starting to like the culture, the food, the clothes, the costumes, even the different handshakes the Brazilians have here.

I´m getting along really good with my companion, unfortunately he´s been very sick, for weeks. He wasn’t able to take the flu shot like I did and is suffering for it.

It’s really incredible how the gospel changes people’s lives, they put their lives in harmony with Heavenly Father´s will. All because of the Holy Ghost which slowly molds the hearts of willing people.

Joseph Smith foi um Profeta de Deus, Ele O viu, Deus e o Filho dele falaram com Joseph. E por meio dele

a igreja de Cristo foi restaurada, não tenho duvida disso. Por favor, Orem, se tiverem. Perguntem a Deus com

fé se é. Ele os revelará pelo poder do Espirito Santo.

Guardem os Mandamentos e sejam felizes.

Elder Willard  

More Baptisms

We got to baptize another family here in Aguas Claras.

Cesar, Christiane, Alexya and Andrey. Andrey didn't want to be baptized with his family yesterday because he thought it was too soon, and so we challenged him to pray and asked Heavenly Father if he should be baptized. Yesterday he told us that he prayed and that he had a dream where his how family was baptized and that he was left behind, and so he asked to be baptized just a few hours before the baptism. Isn't that awesome!

We also had a great training with the Apostles and the Prophet about missionary work and how the members really need to help us out. We spend too much time look instead of teaching.

Eu espero que Vocês estejam ajudando os missionários nas tuas área e estejam levando pessoas à igreja. Testifiquem e compartilhem teus testemunhos para elas. A Igreja é verdadeira. Eu amo vocês.

[I hope that you are helping the missionaries in your area and are bringing people to church. Testify and share your testimonies for them. The Church is true. I love you.]

Até mais,

Elder Willard

New District Leader

The weeks are passing by really fast, it is surprising. Unfortunately, P-days are not, there is nothing to do on P-day here.

A family went to church yesterday, thanks to a member family and we will staring teaching them soon. They seem to be ready to get baptized.

Everyone in our ward goes to the temple which is great, but we can’t still... :(

I feel happy and care-free almost all the time. At college, I wasn’t and at high school, not as much. Truly the best thing a person can do is dedicate himself to the Lord and forget everything else. I also feel things that would have bothered me before don’t anymore. Don’t make problems and you won’t get problems.

The one thing that really bothers me here is people talk bad about other people behind their backs. No one can or should do that; you never know all the facts or how a person really feels. So just help, less complaining and more problem solving.

I love you all,

Elder Willard

Getting cold

Looks like Elder Willard (the one in Manaus) is killing it out there.

This week has been terrific with lots of success and we are find a lot of new people that seem really interesting. We are also getting into a really good teaching rhythm. It doesn't matter the number of people that you teach, it’s how effective you teach. We have to teach really, really simply because our message is a little complicated and the people are a little more humble here.

It’s been freezing cold here at night but so members gave us some blankets so it’s getting better.

I'm really starting to love the people here in Brazil, these people can´t not help. The people here offer everything that they have to us. And we don't even ask for anything. We pass by a member’s house and they decide to make dinner for us without notice, and are happy to do so. I hope I can emulate those attributes to better serve Christ.

This ward is really focused in missionary work, we are have a lot of success, thanks to the members.

I hope summer time is coming fast for you guys because it’s getting really cold around here.

Elder Willard

Family Baptisms

Eraldo, Leia, Natalia and Vitoria were baptized and confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Our bishop, stake president and the mission president were there. The baptism was terrific with a lot of people there; it’s the first baptism of the ward here, Aguas Claras (clear water). The area is very similar to home; it’s very rural, lots of trees and very few people. The problem is we can’t go knocking on doors because everyone lives in apartment complexes and we are not permitted to knock. So we have to work with the members and without referrals we can’t work.

My companion is Elder Marcato. He´s from São Paulo and is the only member of his family that is a member. Elder Marcato is a stud. Tem que ser feliz semper, cara!

But right now we got to find a lot more people. The family we baptized were like the only people we were teaching. But we have some investigators that are progressing.

It’s starting to get cold around here. We are moving to a new house in our area and I had to spend a lot of money to things for the house, plates, silverware, pots and pans, cleaning supplies, a shower light bulbs etc. The church is going to reimburse me.

So, yeah that’s what’s up.

amo vocês

Elder Willard

In Aguas Claras

I got transferred. Right now I’m in Viamão, it’s a city near Porto Alegre in the north part of the mission. I’m with Elder Marcato,  he´s from São Paulo and has 3 months on the mission and a convert to the church. He works hard and likes to mess with the Zone leaders.

                    

Right now I’m in a brand new ward called Águas Claras (Clear Water). The area is huge and is basically divided by bus stops every kilometer. Our area starts at bus stop 60 and goes until like 140, so 80 kilometers. Also we can’t use bikes...it’s a rule in Brazil. We are living with some other missionaries in Viamão so we have to catch a bus every day to get to our area but thankfully we are going to move to a new house in our area this week. Presidente came up and bought a bunch of new furniture for our new place.

We are going to baptize a family this week with mom, dad, and two daughters. Which is terrific. We were teaching them last week and Dad told us that he didn’t feel ready so we marked the baptism for the 25th. Presidente, when he came down, wanted to visit them. Presidente challenged them to be baptized the following day, last Saturday. The family decided to pray that night. Dad got an answered that he need to be baptized but he wanted the Bishop to be at the baptism. Unfortunately he is traveling and so, they will be baptized on Saturday the 25th. 

Aguas Claras reminds me a lot of the Island. It’s very rural, the house are spread out and the people are nice...more or less.

But we are hanging in there. It’s getting very cold around here, and the only thing we have to heat are new house is an electric fan.

Thanks a bunch.

Elder Willard

Progress

This week has been good, we have been focusing in visiting people with members of the church to make the lessons more comfortable and help them feel like all of this is possible.

We have a lot of people that are progressing and that I hope will be baptized this month. Hopefully this week. Its finally getting cool  here which is a greet blessing, after all its Fall.

Its really cool to see when we work with members stuff just happens right. We go and visit people and when we arrive they tell us that they have been wanted to talk with us that they have been needing help. Its really cool to see how we are being guided to talk to certain people.

Elder Willard