February 25, 2013

This week was a pretty rough one, but in the end the Lord blessed us with yet another baptism and one for next week that we weren't expecting whatsoever. Its amazing how the Lord helps us in this work. The whole week was difficult on us and we were just teaching a bunch of people that weren't interested and we got very few addresses and we were pretty down, not gonna lie. And we were supposed to have 3 baptisms this last weekend but for one of them the parents didn't authorize the baptism and the other girl said she wasn't ready yet even though she passed the baptismal interview. So out of the 3 siblings only the oldest Stefanny was baptized. She's really awesome and has a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon. And at least her whole family was there for the baptism. Who knows, maybe them being there will help the parents feel more open to let the younger brother be baptized as well. And I think it helped the girl who said she wasn't ready yet feel a little more prepared. We´ll see what happens this week with her. Especially because this is the last Saturday of the transfer and we want to baptize them before hand. We don't know what will happen with the transfers but we both want to be here for all these baptisms.
Also, yesterday the Lord blessed us with our baptism for next week that we weren't expecting whatsoever. Yesterday we went by a guy who we've taught a few times already and he's been to church twice as well but always said he wasn't ready to be baptized and that he wanted to keep going before this decision. Yesterday we went by his girlfriends house, who is a recent convert, and he said that now he's ready and has accepted to be baptized this coming Saturday. We were kind of takin aback and we tried to figure out how we would get it all done in time for Saturday. So we left their house and taught another person that we had a commitment with and then went back like an hour later and taught the 10 commandments and he agreed to live all of them and understood it very well. So this Tuesday he's going to be interviewed and then on Saturday he´ll be baptized. And hopefully we can help these 2 other siblings of Stefanny be baptized this week as well and we´ll have 3 to end the transfer.
So we're pretty happy with all this stuff that's happening even through all the tough days that we've been having. The Lord is blessing us for our efforts. Oh and the baptism from last week, Luan is super strong. He's inviting everybody to come to church that he sees to "be saved" as he says. Tonight we're going with him to one of his friends houses. SO awesome to see our recent converts strong with testimonies.

Eu Te Amo
Elder Gleason

 

P.S. 3 Nep 30:2; Mormon 2:13-14; 3:2, 22 and Isa 29:14; 32:17; 40:5, 31; 41:9-10

Baptism of Luan from last week

 Baptism of Stefanny from this week

February 18, 2013

Well this week was another crazy one with a fantastic ending. During the week we had to run all around with some problems we had in the zone which made it a little tough on us. On Thursday we had our interviews with President and it was another good one, it was really simple but I learned a lot like always. Then that same night we ended up having some problems with one of the areas and a whole mess of things ended up happening. Luckily now everything has been resolved and is all set in place with a couple of changes in the zone now. One of the parts of being a Zone Leader, gotta deal with these types of things.
However, this weekend we had a baptism! It was Luan which I've talked about a few times in my last few emails. He is so awesome and really firm with his decision. He was telling everybody about his baptism and inviting all his friends. He's 24 years old and had his birthday yesterday on the day he was confirmed a member of Christ´s true church on the earth! We told him it was the best present he could receive for his birthday and he agreed really quickly. So on Saturday he was baptized and then on Sunday when we were waiting in the front for everybody to show up and everything how does he get there? In a full blown suit. So sick. Elder Ahmed baptized him on Saturday and then I confirmed him on Sunday. And he's already thinking about serving a mission as well.
Also we have 3 more marked for next week but they're all underaged so they have to have parents permission. We're still working with the parents and it looks like it could be a bit of a battle right up until Saturday but they're all super awesome. They're going to church, reading the scriptures, praying and everything. Now all thats left is to get the parents signature. But I have faith that the Lord will help us and bless us so that it happens.
We're working really hard still and its crazy how time is going by, we've already passed more than the half way point of this transfer because it's only a 5 week transfer this time and its already coming to a close. Time flies by in the work of the Lord.

Eu Te Amo
Elder Gleason

P.S. 3 Nep 27:16, 19-20, 29, 33: 28:11, 34 and Isa 17:7; 18:3; 25:9; 26:2-4, 19

February 11, 2013

Well this week we were supposed to have the baptism of the guy that stopped us in the car, Luan, but we ended up moving it to next week because this week was Carnaval and there were pretty much no members at church. During Carnaval all the youth go camping along with pretty much all the leaders as well. And all the Single Adults have a camping place as well so it was empty this week. But he was already interviewed and passed and is really excited for the baptism next week, he's even going to make a Facebook event about it. Yesterday we ate lunch with him and his family. His mom, who is really catholic, asked if there was a problem with him being baptized and we didn't even have to respond, he responded for us and said to her "I'm not being baptized again, I'm being baptized in the right way". It was crazy. I looked to Elder Ahmed with a shocked face, thats for sure haha.

Also this week we did a division with Morro Doce and I went there and in English, morro means hill. Yeah the area is full of hills. And as we were walking down a staircase made of mud after just raining I slipped and fell, as it shows in the picture. I was talking to Elder Ahmed on the phone because he just had to talk to me in that moment and I wasn;t paying attention as much as I should have been and boom fell and got extremely muddy. It was pretty funny not gonna lie, and luckily I didn't get hurt whatsoever, just really dirty. We got lucky and we were close by a members house where I went and cleaned up and they gave me a different shirt to wear.

Also this week I got my "trunky letter" which comes when you have 6 months left on the mission asking about what airport and stuff like that. It was pretty weird to get after seeing so many other missionaries get them during my mission. The time is passing by really quickly.

Eu Te Amo

Elder Gleason

P.S. 3 Nep 26:5-6, 9-10; 27:5-9 and Isa 1:16-18; 5:20-23; 7:11-12

 

 The zone from last transfer

 J.R. and a turkey. He had never seen one as a pet before

J.R. after he slipped in the mud. He said, "Not the funnest thing that has ever happened."

February 4, 2013

So obviously transfers were last week as I had commented about... buttt me and Elder Ahmed stayed for another transfer together here in Jaraguá. However this transfer is only 5 weeks instead of 6 and 1 week of that has basically already passed. Pretty crazy. But we're both happy that we stayed here for another one together. The zone basically stayed the same as well with very little changes. Basically the only changes were the 2 elders that finished their missions, so obviously they left.

The week went pretty well and we had a few more great experiences, but at the same time unfortunately a few people that were interested have lost that interest quickly or literally don't have time to let us go over with work and college. (here the college year starts in February and ends in November). So it was a little tough on that side of it. However, this time we have been together here in Jaraguá has been filled with answers to peoples prayers, unfortunately some haven't followed those answers but others have. This week we went by an address that we had found of a member that we didn't know so we went by. When we were there towards the end of the visit she said she had prayed the day before asking for Heavenly Father to send angels to help her with what she was going through. And the next day we showed up. She also has a younger daughter who's 12 yrs old and hasn't been baptized yet and wants to be baptized so we're working with them. Also we went by a family that was taught 4 years ago by the missionaries and we had their address. We went by and the mom of the 2 kids that were being taught passed away recently. We taught them about the Plan of Salvation and it was extremely spiritual, it was an amazing experience. We're working with them as well to help them remember the stuff they were taught before. They're interested and it helps because their mom loved the missionaries so that will help a lot with the whole situation as well.

Well today we're going to 25 de Março which is basically like Chinatown in NYC, we're pretty excited. Neither of us has been there yet and its time to buy all the souvenirs of Brasil haha.

Eu Te Amo

Elder Gleason

P.S. 3 Nephi 23:1, 5; 24:8-10; 25:5-6 and Ecl 4:9-20; 8:12-13; 11:5

January 28, 2013

And another transfer has come and gone and tonight we wait to hear about the transfer calls and whats going to happen. We're hoping and I'm thinking that nothing will change with us, but you never know what could change. President has done some pretty crazy changes in the mission that we haven't expected so we´ll just have to wait and see.

This week we had the oppurtunity to have a Mission Conference for the 2nd time on my mission. It was really sweet to have the entire mission together at the same time instead of just seeing people here and there. Elder Christenson from the 70 Presidency came and visited our mission. It was a really great conference and I was able to learn a lot from the things that were talked about. Also the Sao Paulo Interlagos Mission was at the same conference which was pretty sweet because I knew a few of the elders from the CTM that were there as well. Its crazy how much time has gone by since we were there. It was fun to think back on some of the stuff that happened in the CTM.

As for the week it was pretty normal, unfortunately we didn't have a baptism this week because we haven't found too many people lately that were really interested. But this week we found some really awesome people. Including one young man who stopped us in his car and asked for some kind of paper that gave information about the church. We ended going up to his house the day after to teach him. He had a friend that served a mission in the US that invited him a ton of times to church but he never went and decided to stop us when he saw us that day. Long story short we marked a baptismal date with him and he's super excited and went to church yesterday and already made friends as well. Hes 23. So sweet. And we taught another lady who we talked to her son and ended up meeting her. Her husband died almost 2 years ago and she never knew what happens after this life and was confused by all the different churches telling her different things. But when we explained the Plan of Salvation she knew it was true. She's super happy to know she will see her husband again after this life and she's really excited to learn more. She even called us angels to some members that we brought to her house.

Well thats about it, the amazing experiences are continuing to happen here in Jaraguá with Elder Ahmed and we´re hoping that they dont stop and that we keep going for another transfer.

Eu Te Amo

Elder Gleason

P.S. 3 Nephi 20:8, 39; 21:9-10 and Proverbs 28:5-6, 18; 30:5

January 21, 2013

And another baptism for the New York team haha. This week we baptized a young man named Igor who is the son of another lady that Elder Ahmed and I baptized a few weeks ago, like I explained in my email last week. Everything went really well for the baptism and he picked me to baptize him. It's definately one of the best feelings to be able to baptize someone. He is really happy and enjoying being a member of the church and him and his brother both have the full white shirt and tie combination. And their mom, Simone, is super strong and is so happy that now her whole family is a member of the church. She's already starting to help them prepare to serve their missions in the future! A really fantastic family. I'm so glad that I could be a part of 2 of the 3 baptisms.

As for the week it was decent but definitely not the best, unfortunately we have been finding a lot of people who aren't very interested and after going by once or twice we have to leave them behind to try and find others who will be baptized. We have had some great experiences though, that is for sure and we have seen people receive answers to their prayers and we have even been that answer a few times already. Unfortunately even receiving these answers a few people have chosen not to follow what God has showed them. But thats where the free agency comes in, we can't force anyone to do what they don't want, just help as much as we can so that they can realize how big the blessings that they could get from following christs true gospel.

Also, I called Elder Messias on Saturday night to see how things were and because it was the day that Tiago and Daniele had marked to get married. Everything went perfectly and they were married in the chapel in Itu and he said that everything was super organized. Next week theyre going to be baptizedddd. So awesome!! Unfortunately I will only be seeing it all by pictures but I know that this is all the Lords will. They also have another 4 baptisms marked for this week and another family that Elder Messias and I found are really animated and getting closer to baptism as well. Also, the lady that we baptized, Mari, is super strong! She visited the temple the other day. And her family found out that she was baptized and they told her she had to choose the church or them, theyre all Catholics, and she chose to continue following Christ and His church instead of her family. I can't even imagine how hard of a decision that must have been. But I know the Lord will bless her imensly for it.

Eu Te Amo

Elder Gleason

P.S. 3 Nephi 18:6-8, 11-12, 19-20 and Pro 22:2, 6; 23:17; 24:19-20

 Igor's baptism on January 19th

 

Some more cool graffiti that J.R. found. In the top one its hard to see but J.R. is making the same face that the soccer player behind him is making 

January 14, 2013

Last week on our pday we made a trip to the Pico do Jaraguá, which is one of the highest points in Sao Paulo, maybe even Brasil, not too positive which it is. But it was definately high up there. It was an amazing view from the top and you're able to see all of the Sao Paulo city which is ginormous. It was really sweet, it was also pretty crazy because from one side all it is is city and from the other side its all just hills and trees like the Adirondacks in New York. It was a pretty rough climb to get up there but in the end it was all worth it for the view we had. However, it also had its after affect seeing as I didn't put any sun screen on, not the best decision I made. Seeing as with my white shirt it covers more of my neck and with a regular everyday tshirt theres more neck showing the sun burned the crap out of my whiteness. Including my legs. The next few days after were full of a lot of aloe vera and pain walking in the streets haha. But it was for my own stupidness that it happened. Overall it was a pretty sweet pday and I included some pictures of our hike up there.

Also this week I went to the federal police to update my visa which has been expired for a few months now. So Wednesday night we went and slept at the mission office and then on Thursday morning way early we went to the federal police. It was cool to see so many people from all over the world that were there as well for visas. I even met one lady who was from Rochester, NY, what are the chances of that. It was a neat experience and I was able to talk about the church in English a little bit, which was ridiculously difficult and I'm not sure how it turned out haha.

However this week we also had an enormous disappointment. We had 5 weeks in a row baptizing and this week the streak stopped. Our baptism for this past week was super strong but then at the last minute fell. The guy that was preparing to be baptized was so amazing and already thinking about serving a mission but in the end his wholeee family starting persecuting him about the church. Even cousins that lived in Europe found out that he was going to church and were calling about it. He unfortunately couldnt handle it and didn't want to have to have his family divided and asked for some time to get things settled. It was extremely hard on us. He was an awesome young man and so strong but his family couldn't accept it and was rejecting him because of religion. Its so ridiculous. I was really aggravated yesterday night after he told us about all the stuff that was going on. People choose religions like its some kind of sports team and fight about it when you're thinking about changing. We're not bringing another church or another religion to people, we're bringing the Kingdom of God on the earth and salvation!

But one upside on the week, the son of Simone, that we baptized a couple weeks ago, decided to be baptized and will be baptized next week. It came out of nowhere. He was always leaving his house when we got there to get away from us and then we got a call this week saying that he wanted to be baptized. Trully a mircale.

Eu Te Amo

Elder Gleason

P.S. 3 Nephi 15:9, 16-18, 21-24 and Proverbs 9:10: 13:7, 9; 15:16, 29