Baptizing in a Swimming Pool

We had a baptism in a swimming pool, I´ll send the pictures next week. His name is Emerson and he’s progressing a lot.

We had stake conference and 3 of our converts received the Melchezidek priesthood, which was awesome to see that the ward is helping out a lot.

We miraculously found a less active who has been trying to find the church who was asking everyone she knows if they have heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But no luck until we knocked on her door. She went to conference yesterday and is becoming active again.

We had transfers today and I will stay with Elder Murilo, so I will stay here for 6 weeks. I would like to stay here for the rest of my mission but I don’t know if it will happen.

I AM SUPER HUNGRY.

We had a lesson yesterday with a family that is having lots of problems with a rich aunt. The aunt claims that the dad of the family beat her. And without evidence, he has to go to jail for 90 days. Dad didn’t do anything and is terrified to go to jail and ran away, which makes matters worse because innocent people don’t run.

So we counseled the wife that we should keep the law of the land and that the dad should turn himself in. And after the truth come out, justice will be served. Apparently there are a lot of witness and evidence to support that the aunt is lying. It´s super crazy to tell an innocent person that they should go to jail.

The gospel was made to bless everyone, we just have to live it.

Get better mom,

Elder Willard

Monkeys!

I saw monkeys!!!!

He was on the side of the road eating leaves in this tree with 3 other monkeys.

We are teaching a man who was forced to leave his wife (really girlfriend, not married) because of problems with respect and disagreement in priorities.

The wife works too much and the husband wants time to be together. Emerson, the husband, is now leaving with his Aunt and Uncle and we are teaching him. He discovered for himself that the church is true because his whole life he has had doubts about the bible and lots of questions that no one could answer. But he told us that all of his questions are being answered through the Book of Mormon and now he wants to be baptized.

Emerson has also been struggling to know want to do about his wife; should he go back and try to live the gospel and marry her or get baptized and start over here. He told us yesterday that he is going to stay because he won’t be able to follow Heavenly Father and keep the commandments with his wife, because she doesn’t want too.  Truly a huge sacrifice on his part to keep the commandments.

The word of Heavenly Father helps us change, if we let it.

I’m very grateful to see the changes in the lives of the people we teach, and to see them become even happier.

Elder Willard

Success

Saturday night as we were walking home we found a young man that we were teaching and he said he wanted to talk to us, but didn't have time, that we would talk the following day at church. At church he told us that every time that he reads the Book of Mormon and prays about it, his heart starts beating fast and he feels at peace. 

He told us that he wants to get baptized. So we got super excited! We are excited and working hard for a baptism to happen this Wednesday. He has some challenges but we are confident that everything will be alright.

Elder Murilo is learning the guitar and I have almost mastered a Rubix Cube. What a huge waste of time.

It’s my companion’s birthday on Sunday. I´ll have to do something cool.

Anyway all is well in Zion.

Love you guys,

Elder Willard

Pictures are: 

1) Yerba mate plant used to make the drink Chimarrao

2) Windmills at the beach

3) Elder Murilo drinking Chimarrao from an ox foot

Frosted Flakes

We had a baptism on Saturday which was great, like frosted flakes. Marica and Cristian were baptized and are excited to get involved. Also Everton is going to get baptized on the 28th which is a miracle. Elder Murilo is doing great and learning quickly, and his birthday is coming up on the first of September, I think I’ll try to make some sort of dessert, which will be difficult without him knowing...because he´s always flippin´ with me!

We are finding lots of people to teach in areas we have visited before. I think I have the flu.

The summer is coming to an end for you guys and the winter is become a little more tolerable.

Every single day I learn a little more that the church is true and that if I keep the commandments I will have eternal life.

I love you all,

Elder Willard

Father's Day

Well the week went by super slow, but I think that’s because I got a new companion, Elder Murilo from Santa Catarina; he is super cool, kinda shy, but teaches well and is very funny. He´ll be a great companion and is helping me a lot.

We had another miracle in our area. There is an investigator, Everton, who has been visiting the ward for almost 2 years yet never wanted to be baptized. He told us yesterday that he wants to be baptized now on the 28th of August. His wife and son are members and have been for years and are really excited.

Yesterday here in Brazil was Father´s Day. Everton´s son, Daniel who is 11 years old, learned that his Dad wanted to get baptized. During the priesthood session between classes, the bishop put his arm around him and said, “All of us Dads got some really great gifts today, but Daniel got the best gift of all.” Then the bishop looked at Daniel and he started to cry and could barely say, “meu Pai vai se batizar.” The mission President wants to be there.

Well we are all happy and working hard and hope that you guys are too,

Elder Willard

Another Transfer Shakeup

Today Elder Jensen and I have 1 year and 5 months out on the mission. We are becoming some of the oldest elders because of the growth of the mission. Well we had transfers and my companion has been transferred...to another area inside the same city.

I will stay and train a new missionary. We have no idea who he is, but I’m hoping he will be an American. But will probably be a Brazilian, which is fine too.

We have a baptism all marked up this week on Saturday and we are super excited. My new companion is gonna be super happy about that.

I didn't go to church on Sunday because I was throwing up during the morning...which was brutal. And everyone got freaked out and wanted to know where the missionaries were. A member family came by the house and dropped off a huge amount of food and soda. And we are really thankful for them.

This same family took us to the beach and bought us milkshakes and lunch. The beach is amazing on the Atlantic Ocean.

But I’m all stoked to get started again in this area with a new companion and we are gonna tear it up.

I only have 4 transfers left...or 6 months, so I’m gonna make them count.

I love you guys,

Elder Willard

The last bit of Aguas Claras

In the past few months the majority of the missionaries are new. And everyone that has my time on the mission are in leadership positions. Some new investigators told us this week that they want to get baptized, which is great. They will get baptized on the 10th of August. Transfers is next week and I don’t know if I will stay or go. If I stay I might stay here for 3 more months or train or who knows what.

But this area is terrific; my companion and I are loving it. We are getting along super good. It looks like the other Elder Willard is kicking butt!!!

Time is passing by really slowly for some reason, but that’s alright.

I love you guys,

Elder Willard