Greetings Brasil, We Have NEWS

This week has been a struggle to relearn the principle of love and charity. That has been an ugly little struggle this last while, however I have managed to reapply the feelings and that has helped a lot.

I have remained here for quite a while and it'll be likely in the next...4 weeks to be on my way to a new location. But as I'm still working here: We have 2 dates marked for a baptism, however, one has some relationship and personal issues to work out. We are hunting investigators that have potential to be baptized soon! We have this wonderful family that are less-actives (That would be, 2 actives, one more or less, one that is in a state of rebellion, and the other isn't baptized yet). Playing cards with them is entertaining while we talk about what we can do to help the others get to church. And then we have the age-old investigators that are... dealing with issues. Hopefully this will be changing here soon.

As for stories of the week, we had a lot of sun, I'm dark for the first time in my life. MEANING that it's going to be an absolute pain to go back to the same color. And I got burned... a lot. Then in the last 3 days RAIN!!! Hallelujah! So the stories are these: we went to the house of one of our investigators and found the sleeping kitties in the photos below. They aren't the same in race or parents so the fact that they are putting up with each other is quite nice. The one thing that we got a kick out of was what happened when they were fighting. The grey one, despite being smaller beats on the black one and he just gets grumpy and then he gets beat more. The grey one only practices with him.

Have a good week, take care, pray always!

Elder Joel A. Smith

#Bronap

Lunch with Sister Luciana

Selfie in tree with Elder Ibarra

 

Brasileiros, Cachorros e Este Negocio Aí... [Brazilians, Dogs ?lost translation? …]

Olá! Bem Vindo semana dois de transferência... Nem sei mais. [Hello! Welcome week two transfer ... I do not know more.]

Here's the story of my life for the week:

So now that everyone knows me here now as the missionary of the desert (I had to explain the definition for a few) I had a few odd questions asked. [People ask me what] odd foods [I have eaten], for example, crickets, ants, wasps, scorpion and for some snake. But that said, people here are trying to figure out who I really am. I'm practically a part of the branch. But still I'm quite removed only because I'm a missionary and not a resident.

Alright, we finally were able to mark a date[for baptism] with one of our investigators. Here in about 3 weeks. We'll be trying to accompany that as close as we can. The deal is he travels a lot. That may be a problem latter, but for now he is alright.

This last week about killed us from the amount of heat the sun wanted to give us. It was made only worse when the wind stopped. And then we had a nasty food surprise when we both ate something that did not agree with us, that resulted in a rather sad day of taking turns. Fortunately for us, we have rain in the coming days to look forward to. That should cool us down a bit.

Sabido, we were walking down the street when suddenly: PUPPY! which was bad! The amount of animals abandoned is a sad number here, and this puppy was just following us. We were walking along the main road and that is a kill-zone for dogs here, so we led him to a side road and when he got there he started following a recycler, at which point we tried to escape, only to have the miserable animal run behind us again. As a missionary you can't do much.

Beyond that, we are having fun finding people, I'm 'relearning' to teach. I'm hoping that this time I'll be able to apply better what I know. That's the trick to all this: application.

This caught my eye this week, Mosiah 3, happy study! Send me what you all find. If you find what in this chapter called my attention, you'll get a brownie point in the next email!

That's all for this week, have a good one!

Elder Joel A. Smith

Brasileiro Samurai Jack!

 From January 18, 2016

Good day! Unfortunately, I did not take pictures this week. It was a busy one and really I don't want to carry my camera where it could be a license to be mugged. But we have some fun stories for the week.

In our many adventures of the area, we went to the home an investigator that is taking forever to baptize! And while there, her daughter was on the computer. Get this, she likes Anime. So while we were there helping and teaching we introduced Samurai Jack. And she started watching. You know, it was like 2005 when that program was taken off the air. I feel old. Beyond introducing it, we couldn't participate in the battles of Jack. Sad day, all will be rewarded in the end.

Ninja, I forgot about that. We have been teaching that funny hand slapping game to the adolescent in our area. Elder Verissimo has not let me win since I started with him. And so that has been fun as we get to the houses, teach a lesson then slap each other’s hands.

This week I had the sad experience to arrive in the home of an inactive member that has family that aren't members that have been disappointed with the experience. The members that have gone inactive have done so because of insensitive remarks about how they have been dressed. The non-members were under intense pressure of the missionaries that worked with them and as they were unable to complete their goals, they gave up. I ask this in humble and pleading note: Please don't cause this to happen wherever you are. Missionaries or member, be sensitive and patient. These people are humble and good. They have their challenges, but instead of doing as these people have done, help me help them. Be an example of the believers and a friend to the humble.

Have a great week! Stay happy, stay firm!

Elder Joel A. Smith

Week 5 Brasil

From Jan 11, 2016

 

It's been a fun week here in Guarapuava. We had some tense moments, some sad moments and a lot of cool cars. (See the photos below)

I worked and worked and now we're coming to another close of the transfers of the mission. So I'm working with a great house. They are very good a willing to help, and they want to baptize. (as the phrase of the MTC Brasil says "nosso proposito como missionário é BATIZAR!!") I still am convinced that that phrase is still the same in the PMG hand book. (INVITE all to come unto Christ...)

As the adventure in the house continues, we actually managed to launch a small soccer ball out the window, into the back yard of, what could be better, the local bar. It wasn't that hard really, we just were putting around in the house when suddenly.... We discovered the window was open. It's funny to think as Elder Grabski was kind of right in front of the window, the ball still passed by him and into the air. We recovered it, but after two days the ball was in a sad state.

We also have been teaching some fun families. Luis and his family have been less-active since I arrived in Guarapuava, we have been working little by little and at least his oldest daughter has been returning strong, her brother is very excited for a mission the daughter OF THE daughter is STILL running from us. So, I decided to put on a Sasse hat and make her stick around. (Again, photo below.)

Have a good week, stay out of trouble! Until next week!

Chevy SS

Elder A Sasse with Luis

Ford Maverick