Last week in Aguas Claras

Well the family that was baptized didn't get confirmed on Sunday. Apparently Dad had to work but we learned later that the wife Danny had visited some anti-Mormon sites on the Internet...we don't really know what happened but will do are best to get them confirmed on Sunday.

We didn't have much success this week, but it’s part of the work. Well, that's great that Frazier is going back to the mission field in Florida speaking Portuguese.

Halloween is not celebrated in Brazil.

They have a holiday to visit cemeteries to see passed away family members.

I think it’s my last week here in this area. I’ll be transferred for sure. Even though I asked to stay. Vamos ver.

Only 2 more transfers and it’s all over, and no way to go back.

Thanks for the help and support,

Elder Willard

Lost Kittens

The family got baptized and everyone is happy; they are excited to get started with everything as members of the church. They just need to build a house on the property that they bought recently in Aguas Claras.

All Sunday morning we had a thunder storm with lots of rain and when we woke up we heard a baby kitten crying outside on the neighbor’s property. My companion jumped the wall and grabbed him; he was completely drenched and very little. We grabbed a rag and wrapped him up with the heater on. We left him on my bed because we had to go to church. 

After church, the baptism and lunch, we got home and we heard the kitten crying again, and two more baby kittens we at our doorstep as well, his brothers. It appeared that mom had brought them to the front door to keep all of her kids together. We opened the door, picked up the kitten and his brothers and we tried to give them milk.

A few minutes afterwards, mom showed up wanting her kids back and of course we gave them back.

Mom grabbed each of them, one by one, by their necks and carried them home. Very cool.

We are really excited to be here serving the Lord and to help people come unto Christ to be happy and to have eternal life.

 It’s getting difficult to write, talk and think in English.

 All is well here.

 Elder Willard

Miracle

Yesterday at conference, a family that has been investigating the church told me the 19th of this month is no good. I got confused, “What do you mean, 19th?” and they said, “Oh for our baptism, isn't it marked for the 19^th?”

We had invited the family last week to be baptized but they didn't accept. But now they have accepted and want to be baptized this week on Saturday. It’s a conference miracle.

Beyond that super miracle, this week was normal. Conference was great, but on Sunday I got frustrated because we showed up an hour late.

On Sunday we went to lunch a little earlier than normal to be able to get to church before 1 o´clock. When we got to lunch we learned that the family´s car had two flat tires. And the last bus to conference left right when we got to their house. No bus, no ride, no way to get to conference on time. So we walked to the nearest bus stop and got a bus. When we got off the bus an older women got off too walking with a cane. It was irmã Maria, she saw us and got excited and asked if we were going to conference. We said yes and she said, “Oh good because I’m always scared to cross the street alone. Can you guys help me?”

I think the Lord made us late to help her cross the street.

But it’s all good here, we are excited for the baptisms and a new week.

Elder Willard

Worst week of the Mission (so far)

It has been the worst week of the mission because we didn't teach anybody, really nobody. I got a migraine which was terrible, and stayed home for 2 days, then we worked in another area for a day, then a service project. Then we passed 2 days trying to contact all of our investigators but nobody was home or was busy.

It was pretty sad but we are happy; it’s part of the work. I got the package a few days ago, THANKS MOM YOU ARE SUPER FLY.

I´m having some problems with my companion. It seems like everything has to be done his way which is tiring me out. I just let him make all the decision and I don't say anything. If I critique him, he shuts down and stops talking. But it will get better...I hope.

Yesterday I shared some of my peanut butter (that came in the package) with Marlene. She said, “Que delicia.” Brazil doesn’t have peanut butter (that´s good and cheap). They have some kind of peanut butter that is terrible and expensive.

I´m learning new things every day, and I’m learning that I don’t know almost anything.

Go back to the mission field Frazier

Elder Willard

Semana Farropilha

Rain, rain, rain.

This week was a holiday here in Rio Grande do Sul.

Apparently a long time ago, the south of Brazil, Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul wanted to separate from the rest of Brazil and be their own country, much like Texas. And apparently had a little mini war. But they ended up staying with Brazil. This holiday is called Semana Farropilha. Everybody walks around in their tradition `Gaúcho` clothes, eat barbecue, riding on horseback, dancing traditional `Gaúcho` music, and drinking Chimarrão.

But the rain pretty much destroyed the merriment.

Emerson was confirmed and received the Priesthood yesterday but it looks like he´ll get married and will move back to Canoas with his ex-girlfriend and be a member there. It’s great that he´ll be happy and get married and keep the commandments but...sad that he´s leaving.

We had the opportunity to work in another area last Friday and while we were knocking doors, we found a little old lady, who will turn 80 next month. She offered us food and shelter from the rain. She revealed to us that much of her family are members of the church and that she isn't. She also was very sad about her son-in-law who is dying of bone cancer. We shared with her how our families can live together forever and the importance of baptism. She readily accepted the invitation to be baptized and said that she would call a relative to baptize her.

It’s neat how the gospel cures us emotional and spiritual, if we let it.

I love you all.

Eat your vegetables,

Elder Willard

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