Progressing

Well this week was very normal. We taught a little, but have some success with a women named Nara. She is progressing and we believe is going to be baptized.

Today I bought 9 ties for 15 dollars. Hurray!!! I really don’t have much to say; really nothing is going on.

(Mom don’t send me a Christmas package or birthday package.)

Hopefully I will have some cool experience to share with you guys.

Elder Willard

Francisca Baptized

Francisca was baptized and confirmed, she´s really a stud. It looks like the other Elder Willard is kicking butt in Manaus.

All is good here but we don't really have any more investigators. They all got baptized, we need more references from the members to continue.

I feel like my mission is slowing down, the first year went by really quick but now it’s really slow...probably because of the area we don't have much to do. But the weeks go by quickly.

Please treat your missionaries like adults and don't chew them out for meaningless stuff like not answering the phone when it’s broken or going to appointments when you have a fever of 40 degrees Celsius.

I did get the package the ward sent me...I hope Frazier got the letter and sent him... and writes me back.

Peace, Girlscout

Elder Willard

Happy Fourth of July

Francisca said she wants to be baptized. She said she had a dream. In the dream she was standing next to a baptismal font full of water she then say a child that she had raised in the water. Francisca has a terrible fear of water and worried that he would drown. She called out to him but didn't want to leave the water and then dunked himself in the water. When he came back out he was very happy and said, "I want to be baptized again." Francisca understood that as an answer to her prayer that she should be baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. Her Baptism will be Friday. We are super excited.

We are extremely blessed with the help of the members here and hope you are doing the same.

Happy 4th of July and happy Birthday to the other Elder Willard

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