Not One Card

Mom,


So here everything is amazing.  We just go out everyday and teach the Gospel. I'm with Elder Ercek.  Its been a blast, its really funny because he thinks he is a profesional comedian.   So every night he does stand up routines for us.   It's pretty wonderful.  We are seeing improvements with the langauge (his).   I feel like this transfer I'm working my hardest.  I definately feel good about life right now.  Like all pistons are running 100%.   Just gotta teach and work with the spirit and all things will work out for my good.   So one bit of sad news.  Last week we had a training with President and I didn't ONE CARD!!!   This is trhe first time on my mission I didn't get ONE CARD.  Do you know what that means? people have forgotten about me.  I thought that would never happen to me, but as it happens to all, it happened to me.  Haha but at least I had an email from you,  dad, and Owen!!!!! Probably the best p-day of my life today.   I dont think its ever happened that I got an email from all three of you on the same day.  I feel good Mom,  I feel like everything is just working out how it should.  I know the Lord has got it all covered.   Can you believe I turn 21 in two weeks?! Man my life has just passed by way too fast. No... its passed by at JUST THE RIGHT speed. I'm happy! No, I'm more than happy with my life! Thanks Mom. have a great week!!!

Love,


Mitch

Mother's Day Call

Sunday was Mother's Day and that means we were able to talk to Mitch, in Brazil...this was the first time we have been able to use Skype and that was just a technological wonder!  I did a couple of dry runs with some friends since I've only used Skype once or twice before the big day.   We also bought a little connector so that we could view the call on the big screen.   How is that for cool?

The kids all came to the house and we all got the chance to talk to Mitch.  Nothing is as fun as listening to your grown kids talk and laugh together!    The video element of Skype allowed for lots of interaction that just isn't possible on the phone.   Of course Adelynne and her interactions with an Uncle that she only knows (and remembers) from photos was just too cute for words.   I wonder how she will do when she actually gets to meet again in person!

I loved listening to everyone plan what we would do as a family when Mitch comes home.....knowing he will be here for such a short time before heading off to school.   I am so happy that we have a family vacation planned for December and knowing that trip will be at a bit more relaxing pace!

Easter

On Easter we had family and friends to dinner at the house, 

before dinner Adelynne came over for a small egg hunt at Grandma's house.   

Grandpa hid eggs all over the house and most of them were hidden in plain sight 

but it was still alot of fun!   

(Adelynne also looked for eggs when she came to visit on Mother's Day)

 Here is one in the bowl!

 And another on the couch!

My full haul of eggs!

 The table set for dinner!

 Dinner with Family and friends!

Three in ONE!

29 March 2011

Hello all!!!

What a crazy couple of weeks. Lets start off with two weeks ago. We had a party for two of our investigators where I made two cakes and bought soda we filled up balloons and had a sweet little get together at the church it went really well and was a lot of fun and then on that Saturday was their baptism!! His name is William and her name is Sandra they are two of the most special people I have ever met.  He told me the on that Sunday that he would serve a mission in New York. It was a very fun day. 

   One night as my comp and I were walking home we found a stray kitten in the road and you know me! We couldn’t leave him in the road so we picked it up took it home gave it a bath and food.  We kept it in our house for the next few days as we found a new home for her. It was the a ton of fun to watch this little kitten learn and grow. Lucky for us, she has a wonderful new home and is quite happy. 

  This last Saturday we had the chance to go out to a farm and do a service project building a new house but the farmers here are so nice they just want to go around feeding you and showing their fruits that we didn’t really get a TON of work done at the house... ha-ha I had to tell him about a hundred times "irmao we are here to work on the house what can we do to help?"  And he always said shut up and eats this fruit. Ha-ha I got to eat cocoa…. did you know it was a fruit? I didn’t... java, sugar cane, coconut, tangerines, oranges, banana and a bunch of other fruits that I don’t even remember the names but it was a very fun day and I learned a lot about a loving people I’m pretty sure they would give away all their fruit and end up with nothing to sell...

    This week we had the baptism of irmao Dina she is the mother of a member and she was also baptized with her other son. It was amazing to see their baptism after we spent so much time teaching them.  They are so special.  The son Eder, won a modeling contest this week... he is 10! Ha-ha I’m so grateful foot the chance I had to serve is Santo Antonio de Jesus because well... it ended.  Today was transfers and I got moved to Barbalho a neighborhood in Salvador. Which should be really interesting. It has a ton of hills and is kind of like the ghetto of Salvador.  I’m excited to serve here since I’ve spent my whole mission in the interior. My new companion is Elder Gross, he is from Idaho!  Yep an American. This will sure be am interesting transfer. Well last night we had to take a bus from our area to Salvador at 2:30 in the morning... well it broke dawn at 3:30 and we had to wait on the highway another hour for the second bus then another bus broke down and we had to wait another two hours to help the second bus that was broken down.  That turned our two-hour bus ride into a 6-hour bus ride and for some crazy reason they decided to not turn on the air conditioning, which normally isn’t a problem, but this bus didn’t have windows that you could open up!!!!! How lame is that. I’m pretty sure I lost about 5 kilos in sweat on the bus ride but hey I guess that’s a good start on my new years resolution huh? 

   Well people I’m super duper excited for conference this week and I hope you are too! It isn’t everyday that we get to hear the words of living prophet.  Take advantage of it and don’t fall asleep like I used to do!!! You miss so much!! Have a great week I love you guy’s tons thank you so much for the support.  I hope to get letters out next week folks so hopefully here un 3 or four weeks you’ll get some cards.  te ammo

Love,

Elder Mender

5 April 2011

Hello all!!!

Well I just want to let you all know I think my area is CRAZY. I swear there is some parts of my area that is worse then rock climbing.  So let me explain real quickly how they built Salvador they took an area of steep hills and built houses on them.... crazy huh? So there are some parts where you literally feel like you are rock climbing.  It’s an adventure. The good news is my legs are getting way strong. I'm quite proud of them. 

   But the good news is we have a pizza place in our area that if you buy ten pizzas you get one free!  So our district has become addicted to pizza I don’t know what it is about missionaries but we love free stuff!

    This last week was general conference and it was amazing. We got to watch the four normal sessions with investigators.  It was just amazing.  I love listening to the words of the Prophets.  It was a lot of fun because I understood everything! I remember my first conference when I didn’t understand anything.  It truly is a miracle to think that now I can kind of speak Portuguese or at least enough to get through teaching people.  Speaking of teaching people we have amazing people that we are teaching here.  We have a man called Luciano who is joining the marines but preparing for baptism this week he is just a complete stud. We have a member named Ceju and his wife that are preparing to get married next month and then they will be baptized. I love teaching people here.  It’s the only time in my life when I know exactly what to say and how to help people.  I’m so grateful for my chance to be a missionary and I love the chance that I have to testify of Jesus Christ ever day.  I know that he is our Redeemer.  I testify that He loves us and is here to help us we just have to go to him.  I love you all hope you have a great week!!  Hopefully next week I can write more. 

Love,

Elder Mender

12 April 2011

Hello all,

Well it’s been another amazing week her in Salvador.   The new area is kicking my trash but I think ill get used to it.  For example one night we were hiking up Mount Everest and when I got to the top I was out of breath ….  for real its crazy! And for a sign the woman that were at the top said, "look at the big one he is dying!!"  I just stopped looked at them and said "yep its true" and we laughed but its not really that funny.  I’m sure I’m going to lose a ton of weight here but I guess that’s a good thing.  Since we heard this week from our President that we are supposed to get married in less than year after my mission.  So I guess now is the time to start that LGN diet. 

   Our investigators are amazing.  Elder Gross and I are teaching like crazy. He is a spiritual power giant.   I love teaching with him.   Last night we taught a lesson to a man who didn’t want to get baptized because he didn’t want to give up relations before marriage and Elder Gross just started dropping what we call spirit bombs on him it was amazing. I'm learning a ton with him.  By the end of the lesson the man said he would prepare for baptism this Sunday! Always a good sign.  My favorite part of a new area is meeting the new members.   And boy do we have some great members here.  This week we ate lunch with a 75-year-old woman and she piled my plate a mile high with food and made of me when I couldn’t finish it!!  She is so funny.  Her husband lives in another state and I said oh that’s sad she said "nope its perfect I lived with him for 50 years if he doesn’t want to stay here now that’s fine with me!!!" it cracked me up hard core.

    Well I sure love you all I hope you have a great week.  And remember READ THE BOOK OF MORMON it’s the best thing in the world. 

Love,

Elder Mender

A Really Happy Week

BOM DIA!!!!

How is everyone doing today?  I'm doing great this last week was a really long week and a really happy week. This Sunday was the baptism of a young man named Crislam.  He plays soccer semi-professional.  He is such an amazing guy. I was so happy he decided to be baptized. He will be an amazing missionary.   We are preparing a man named William and his girlfriend Sandra to be baptized this Saturday. They are so special. I love teaching them they just soak up everything. William told us the other day how Sandra would have to wait for him because he wants to serve a mission. It was such a powerful lesson.  Im pretty sure we all cried.   I love this area when i got here we had a bad rap because the missionaries before us did some pretty bad things but i can tell the mood of the ward is changing and people are starting to trust us more.  I love this work and i can’t imagine a better thing to do with my time. 

   The past few weeks we have been working a ton with the members.  And man has it been helping.  Everyday we do a division with a young man or we do splits with the quorum of elders. And they bear powerful testimony.  They don’t always know how to teach perfectly but you can tell when they bear testimony that the investigator feels the spirit. I love this work. I love that we have to work closely with the spirit or nothing happens. We have to teach people how to gain a testimony of Christ.  I have to run but just to wrap up i want to say read the Book of Mormon. It should be an IMPORTANT part of our lives. Family and personal. We need to read it love it and use it.   I can’t stress it enough and we can’t stress it enough for our investigators.   I hope everyone is getting ready for general conference it will be a great few days when we can refill our spiritual batteries.  I sure love you guys. Have a great week.

Love,

Elder Mender

Updates from Brazil

Heloo everyone!!!

How are you all this week?  Well this week was amazing for us here in Santo Antonio de Jesus.  We had the baptism of a man who is amazing. His name is Rafael and is has 20 years old.   He told us this week how he started going to church because of a girl (see why its good to "flirt to convert"!!!)  But then he realized that Heavenly Father was using her to bring him into the church. Yesterday he went to a family night with us and bore an amazing testimony about the gospel of Jesus Christ.   We also had the baptism of Adriano he is the young man who has been going to church for over a year and his mom didn’t want him to be baptized.  This week he surprised us by saying he got the signature of his dad.  It was a complete miracle and the baptism service was one of my favorite services here on the mission.   They asked me to sing the music from EFY "one voice" in Portuguese and it went really well.   This Sunday they both received the priesthood and Adriano told me that in two years he would serve a mission.  It’s always nice to hear that your converts have an eternal perspective.   It seems like the Lord has been pouring out his blessings on our work the last few weeks.  It is an amazing time to be a missionary here.   

   We are teaching two families who are really amazing. One is a young man whose brother is already a member and he has a lot of problem with the commandments but has made a ton of promises to himself the lord and his family. It is the most amazing thing to see the changes that are happening in his life as he studies the Book of Mormon and is praying. I can really see his testimony growing.   The other family is a family from Argentina some of the family are members and others now.  It has been so much fun to teach this family. Sometimes i have no idea what they are saying but im grateful for the spirit that helps me know what to say!  We usually have really fun lessons full of laughter and the spirit.

    Well this week is Carnival and luckily here in this city it doesn’t mess-up our work.   The only thing that happens is the city completely shuts down and the people who don’t leave to go to Salvador get really drunk but we still manage to find people to teach. Im loving the work.  Hope you all have a great week.   I’ll write more next week. Love you!  

Love, 

Elder Mender

I LOVE the Mission

Bom dia,

Well it’s been a crazy week here. It’s been a crazy transfer. Probably my favorite transfer on the mission. I have learned so much and am thankful for my time here in Santo Antonio de Jesus. You know I always thought that the best transfer on the mission would be when I baptised a million people and saw the numbers that prove that I was a good missionary. This transfer I didnt have any of that. We baptised one person and inspite of all our hard work had about 10 other baptisms fall through. I once heard a missionary say he wondered who was really winning the battle - Satan or us. Well this was one of those transfers were I had to stop and ask if we were really winning the battle. Is my work here in Brasil worth anything? If I’m not bringing people into the church what am I doing here? I’m not trying to be negative it is just a question that I used to analyze my work. Let it be known, I LOVE the mission, I LOVE this work, and I know that there is NO better place on for me on earth than this beautiful land called Bahia. This transfer I had the chance to really get to know the people here. I spent many hours talking to people I now call friends and learning about their pasts. I’ve heard things that I never thought possible that I never imagined was possible. Things in horror movies and tv shows.... but its real and its been a part of my life the past few weeks. I’ve seen peoples lives and families destroyed because of drugs, alcohol and abuse of all sorts. Many of our baptisms fell because families wouldn’t let or wouldn’t support them in their decisions. I often cried myself to sleep wondering how it was possible that our loving Heavenly Father could let things happen. Why a young man of 16 years couldn’t be baptized because his mom wouldn’t let him after more that a year of going to church, being more of a "priesthood holder" than the other young men. Why some of the most faithful saints I have ever seen had to be born into families that beat and abused them. Why loving moms have to live poorer that dirt because some drunk decided to abandon his family, why kids that when you look into their eyes you see the pure love of Christ have to be born to mothers who are drug addicts and can’t take care of them properly. I spent many, many hours struggling with this... of course the simple primary answers came to my head (because our Heavenly Father loves us and knows what he is doing/we have to learn from our trials/ the Lord doesn’t give us more than we can handle) You know, I would love to say that I found out the answer and I came to peace with this problem but the truth is I haven’t. I was told a quote from an apostle who said "sometimes in life we have to be like a stick and not a rock, when a rock is placed in a bucket of water it sinks. When a stick is placed in a bucket of water it floats. Being a stick or a rock you are in the water, a part of the problem but the difference is the rock becomes overcome by the problems while the stick manages to stay a float in the problems and help from the top" as a missionary I’ve had that struggle and I think I’m doing ok. I’m so grateful for the things I have learned and seen here. I know I will never forget my time here in Santo Antonio de Jesus.
Yesterday was transfers and.... drum roll please.... I’M STAYING!! I’m really excited to be staying. My companion, Elder Araujo was transferred and I have a new companion Elder Castro he is from Rio Grande do Sul. I’m pretty excited for this transfer and know that we will have a lot of success. We have been teaching some really good families and are excited to continue working with them. This week we found a woman who just moved here and is recently married she has always wondered why we don’t have prophets today and was really excited for the chance to read the Book of Mormon and pray about Joseph Smith. I know that my calling here is so much more important than a missionary but we are really just tools in the hands of the Lord delivering a message of the gospel. A message of eternal hope.
I sure love you guys hope you all are enjoying a winter with snow because the summer with sun is sure killing me! I don’t see why we cant just get a little snow here in Brasil. I don’t think I’m asking a lot! Remember to study the Book of Mormon EVERYDAY and pray EVERYDAY. It’s really important. It’s how we get the strength to continue on even when you don’t think you can. It’s how the Lord guides us in our day to day life and it’s how we show our love and respect for our Heavenly Father.
Have a great week!!

Love,

Elder Mender