Week 48...Paulina, Brazil

Hey, sorry I haven´t wrote you guys a good letter in a little bit. There is always something going on. This week we are in the house of the billionare again. I love this place. We played a good game of basketball this morning and after that we ate Apple Jacks. It´s funny how much things are changing. I didn´t really like it that much and my stomach is killing me now. I think it will be a little rough when I go back and eat there. It´s crazy to think how much things have changed in one year.

Other than that things are going pretty good. We are going to have a baptism this week and in 16 days a family of four will be getting married and will baptize. We are super excited for them and they are doing so well. I remember so much of dad when I talk with them. I love it too because he works on cars as a hobby so I always have someone to talk to. Also, I have learned how to say almost all the names of the car parts in Portuguese. It is funny because my companion gets lost the same way as mom gets lost when we start talking. I knew that the Saueressigness would come in handy at sometime. Other than that things are going great here in the south. The weather is getting cooler. Love you guys a tons and take care.

Love,

Elder Zachary

P.S. I don´t know if you guys already sent the box but you guys could send a kansas state tie if you wanted. I'm needing a little more purple in my blood.

Week 47...Paulina, Brazil

Today we went to the temple!! That is why I´m emailing super late and on Tuesday. Things are going really good here. This transfer is flying by but it is full of success.(sorry I don´t have too much time to email.) Yesterday we marked three baptisms. One for this week, one for the next, and then one for the week after that. We are super stoked about this and the future is looking pretty good for this area. I think I am really lucky because I literally got put in the best area in the mission. The members are super good and the city we are in is super rich. There is an oil refinery right next to where we live so they make a ton of money of them. Actually our city is the 2nd richest in Brazil. I feel like I´m at McDonalds because I am lovin' it. Anyways, that's about all that I have to say for this week. I love you guys a ton.

Love

Elder Zachary

Week 46...Paulina Brazil

This week went by super quick. It is really starting to get crazy how fast time is passing. This next month I will make 1 year on my mission and then it will just be downhill from there. It is really tough because it is already going by sooo quick, I can´t imagine what it will be like after that. We had a leadership meeting this week, that´s why I´m emailing on Tuesday. We have leadership meetings every Monday, on the first week of the month. Just for future reference.

This week was really tough for our work. We are in trio now but one of the missionaries will receive his companion in this next week. It is really tough because we are trying to keep two areas going. We are using the members alot to help him but this leaves us without the help of members. We have been really blessed with our efforts but still it has taken a toll on us and our results.Things are all good though. We have a family that we are working with and they are planning to get married. It is so cool to see them change. The father reminds me alot of my dad. He is really stuborn and doesn´t want to change but he has set his mind that he will change. Although things aren´t the best in his situation right now he is going to do what it takes to get baptized. I also told him that I´m stuborn and that I won´t leave till I see him get baptized. That family is sooo great and I´m looking forward to see him enter into the temple. 

We are also meeting alot of cool people going to Campinas all the time. We met this 7' tall guy that was super cool and I also talked with this guy that was born in Africa, played basketball in Europe, speaks English, French, Italian, Arabic, and Portuguese. To say the least he was super interesting to talk to. The only bad thing is that he lives outside of our area so we can´t visit him. Things are going really good here. I love you guys a ton.

Love,

Elder Zachary

Week 45...Paulina, Brazil

Just to start things off, if I spell a lot of things wrong it's because I am using an IPad. Yeah, that's right. Our mission just got released to use iPads and since I am zone leader they gave them to us first. No I'm just kidding we are sending emails in a billionaires house today. We are having a huge barbecue in his house today. It is crazy to get in we had to go through security and he has an Austin Martin in front of his house. It is literally something out of a magazine.

Outside of that this week has been really good. To start things off we almost had two baptisms this week but in the end we only had one. She is super awesome and it was the first time that I got to enter into the waters of baptism. Her name is Maria de Fatima. We found her from a contact on the street. I don't have too much time because there is a lot of food and stuff to do. I love you guys soo much.

This week has been busier than ever. This week was the best week that I think I have had on my mission. I am really happy with my situation right now. Sometimes it´s hard because we have to focus on the zone a lot but the Lord is literally raining blessings from heaven. This week we had a baptism of Aparecida. She was a reference from a member and was really elite. She had already been reading the Book of Mormon and the only thing is she had to stop drinking coffee. She stopped super quick though and we had her baptism last Sunday. It was super special. She had all her family there and her brother baptized her. I was also super excited because all her family aren´t members and I gave a talk last Sunday and they left it open so I got to explain a little more about the gospel. The week before we didn´t have any investigators in the church and last week we had seven. Things are really getting better. We had a family show up that we invited to come Thursday and they just showed up. It´s a little tough because it´s three teenage girls and their mom so we don´t really know their intentions but at least they showed up.

This week is the start of a new transfer. I am super happy because I will stay in the same area with the same companion. He has helped me learn so much and made the transition so much easier. We are working really good together now and this next week I wouldn´t be surprised if we had four baptisms. Our only problem this week is one family that is really good. They say all the right things. They have so much potential, it´s just that they are a little bit prideful and won´t come to church. If you guys would pray for Renato and his family this week, I think that would really help us out. I´m sure that the Lord is preparing him it´s just that we need a lot more patience. I love you guys a ton.

Love,

Elder Zachary

 

Week 42...

Well this week is going to be transfers. I am super excited and super nervous about this next transfer. I personally think that President is going a little crazy or maybe the smog in Campinas has a little too much smoke in it. President called me Sunday and said that he had something very serious to say to me. He said that he wants me to stay in Mogi Mirim eight more months. I´m really excited to see how much I can grow. It will definantly be tough but I think I can do it. Just kidding, but President really did call me and asked me if I would be willing to be Zone Leader. I accepted and I will learn today where I will go and who will suffer in my zone. I just think it is crazy that he would choose me. I have never trained or been a leader on my mission.

 

Outside of that, my week was pretty normal and really good. I figured that I would be leaving and prepared all my good byes. As always though things threw me for a loop. We have an older lady in our Ward that is 75 years old. She always helps us out a ton, always giving references. This week she was in the hospital for an infection in her leg and pneunomia. She isn´t looking too good. Also, our relief society president´s daughter in law was pregnant and her baby died. She was just one month away from giving birth. It was really tough to see them go through this. It´s crazy how tight we can get after just a little bit of time together.

Also this week I was preparing everything for my companion to take over the area. We left everything ready. We prepared the house and President bought a new refridgerator, washing machine, oven, and microwave. Then we learned last night that my companion would be leaving too. So that means that Sisters will be going to our house and be enjoying that lovely house that I worked 7 months for. I really hope they enjoy it. I´m sure that they´ll do fine with all the members there. I will really miss that Ward. Anyways love you guys a ton.

Love

Elder Zachary

P.S. I don´t think I´ll ever have to buy clothes again.

Week 40...Mogi Mirum

It´s crazy that I´ve hit 40 weeks. Time is still flying by like always. Especially since it super nervous for next week. Next week is transfers and I am feeling that I will be transfered. Actually, I am hoping to be transfered. I don´t know if that is bad of me but 7 months in one area is a little tough.

This week I was really trying to focus on the simple things that I think I was really starting to slip on. I noticed that I was letting people pass by and not talking to everyone that I see(which is still tough.) I also noticed that there were rules that I wasn´t obeying exactly. The thing I love most about the gospel is that the atonement is for everyone. Not just for my investigators or for my family back home but also for me too. It was a really good week for reflection and seeing where my mission is going. I think we all need to do that every now and then. Just sit back and think about anything and everything. I really am grateful for everything that I have and this oppurtunity to grow and be the person my Heavenly Father and my mom wants me to be. 

After this I really started to see the difference that I have made here and how much people I have had the oppurtunity to help. There are some people that I think I will cry leaving them behind. I also was able to see many blessings this week. We made one contact and he actually came to church. I think that is the first time that this actually happened. We also got a house in Mogi Mirim. We picked up the keys Friday and I think we are going to move there Wendsday. Also we had the biggest miracle. We went to Walmart and found Reeses!!! I bought more than ten packages because they were only R$.98 or about $.50. I gave about 6 of them away, so don´t worry to much mom. Anyways, I love you guys a tons and thanks for all the prayers.

Love,

Elder Zachary

 

Week 44...Paulina, Brazil

Well, this week I got over the shock and it was time to get to work. This week, I think I have grown more than almost all my mission. I feel like I say that everyweek but I think that is just part of the mission now. We all grow a ton(some in the waistband) and the time always passes by way to fast. I have actually been think about that alot recently. How in 6 weeks I´ll be halfway done with my mission. I have set some personal goals and am planning to grow so much more. I realized this week that I am really blessed when I learned that 6 Elders from my group will come here this week, including Elder Todd my companion from the MTC. I can´t imagine how they are feeling and how it will be. I feel like it took me 6 months before I could start to really understand and just now is when I feel comfortable giving talks and teaching in another language. Actually, this week, I think there was 4-5 times that they didn´t think I was from the United States. The only thing that they thought was different is that I was white but there are alot of German people in the South. That made me feel pretty good.

This week the growth but also the stress is starting to set in. I have learned that those two always go together. We will not learn when we are comfortable, sitting back, eating cheetos in our over stuffed sofa. I have learned to love my companion super quick and right now we are working super well together. It is funny because we have to correct people alot of times and I have a problem because I´m not very nice on the people that are here on a mission but that don´t want to work. My companion loves everyone and tries to make everyone feel good. So, to learn, we switched up our roles. Right now he gets to be the "bad cop" then I come in with all the mooshy, gooshy, feel good words, to help them know that we are trying to help. I feel like it is so much easier to rip them apart but I learned that the Savior isn´t always that way. I have been learning alot how to correct with love and that I need to love the missionaries more than the problems. Also, I learned that all people can change and we need to "let people repent" as Elder Holland said. 

This week I also had the oppurtunity to learn from the Assistants. We had splits with them last Tuesday and I learned so much from him. I had many questions about why the Lord chose me to lead 26 Elders and Sisters in the best zone in Campinas. He said that is because our mission is full of pride and the fact that I´m asking the question shows that I don´t have pride. Then, General Conference came and reapproved everything that I learned. Lastly, to put the cherry on the cake, we had a leadership meeting yesterday and President left nothing doubting in my mind of my purpose and what I need to help those around me. I have really been humbled this week as I´ve seen the Lord put words into my mouth, show me the people I need to talk to, and the Elders/Sisters that are going through problems.

I love you guys so much and thank you so much for all you guys do for me. 

Love,

Elder Zachary

Week 43...Paulina, Brazil

Well, this week was definantly a tough one. It´s a big change from worrying just about you, your companion, and your area to about 10 areas and 20 missionaries. I´m just grateful that our mission president likes small zones. I am in Paulinia right now. We are living with another group of Elders in our house. I am living with 3 other Americans. It is alot different going from living with only Brazilians to Americans. I lost alot of phrases that I used before my mission and it´s pretty funny to hear them again. Our area is super nice and our zone is the richest in the mission. We will have a zone activity at the house of a billionare. I love our new area because it is rich but also the people are really open and we are having alot of success. Right now we are trying to find new people to teach. I think my mom wouldn´t recognize me. My companion and I are talking with literally every person that passes in the street. I am that annoying missionary that everyone in the street is scared of. It is really hard to change but I´m sure one day it will almost feel normal.

I think the Lord knew what he was doing when he put me with my companion. His name is Elder Lee. He is a really good missionary and has the same desires to work and be obedient that I have. He has a little more than a year on his mission now. So we are two newbies leading our Zone. The only problem that is frustrating is that some missionaries have pride in our zone and they don´t want to accept the counsel from two new comers. The thing I love about our zone is that the Assistants are in our zone so if they don´t listen to us, when it comes time for Zone conference they will hear it from them. Our mission changed alot of the leadership this last transfer. They took out 6 Zone Leaders and put us in. They said that the leadership was old and they weren´t wanting to do anything. I love our mission now. It is so full of energy and I have a feeling that our mission will be changing soon.

We also heard some good news and bad news. Tbe Elders that were waiting for visas in the United States will have to stay two weeks now in the MTC if they serve one or more transfers there. I heard my companion from the MTC is waiting in São Paulo. I´m super excited to talk to him. That´s basically my week with alot of stress and sleeping at 11 or 11:30. It´s all good though because some times we need to sacrifice a little bit. I love you guys tons

Love,

Elder Zachary

Week 39...Mogi Mirum

This week was crazy. I only had two days out of the entire week to work in my area. It was really hard to let that happen. I heard a bunch of good news but I´m super nervous about what is going to happen this next transfer. I feel like whenever I am comfortable at all that is when things always change.

To start things off, we are going to have a house in Mogi Mirim. For more than 6 months now we have been living in Mogi Guaçu and riding the bus everyday to Mogi Mirim(which I think is where half of my stories came from.) We had to walk 30 minutes everyday to go to the bus stop and then wait 10-15 minutes for the bus to pass. So at the end of the day we were losing about 2 hours of working time. I am really excited to see how it will be living in our area. Also with almost 7 months in the same area, I feel like I will be leaving this next transfer. So I´ll have the privilege of working super hard to find a house and finally when we get it, I will get to go to another area. It is lovely how things work out sometimes.

 

Also I was invited to attend a leadership meeting this last week. I was super nervous why but one missionary said that they were going to invite one missionary from all the zones to attend(I think he was just jealous because he wanted to go). I went with another Elder that I live with who is the District Leader. I thought it was for all the leaders of our mission but when I got there it was only Zone Leaders. There was 5 other people that were invited and I was the only one there that wasn´t a leader of any kind. Also when we had practices the assistants were listening especially to me. I am really nervous about what the Lord has planned for me. It´s cool to see that he trusts me but I feel super disqualified. That was pretty much my week. We taught some people but the rest of the weeks was literally all meetings and my companion being sick. Anyways I love you guys a ton and if you guys would pray for me and Ashley (our investigator that is scared of water) this week.

 

Love,

Elder Zachary

P.S. We decided to explore the chapel a little bit. With a ladder almost all things are possible.

 

Week 38....Mogi Mirum

Time is flying by. I only have 12 more weeks till I am halfway done with my mission. I also got some good news. My companion from the MTC has been waiting for his visa and he just got his visa. It would definantly be ironic if I were to train him. I am super excited to see him and any others that could be coming to the wonderful and great country Brazil.

I am really starting to love this place. I feel totally comfortable speaking the language and with the culture here. I also love the people and after 6 months knowing the same people, I feel like they are my family. I love to look at how much I have grown and have gotten better. To think that 6 months ago I could say very little and 9 months ago I didn´t know anything in Portuguese. Right now it is almost hard to speak in English and I am forgetting words. Actually, the other day we had a meeting with Elder Evans and I went to ask a question but I couldn´t remember how to say commitments. Then the translator that was translating helped me remember. It was a little embarasing.

 

We are expecting the baptism of Ashley this week. I have been saying that for almost 3 weeks but we are going to have her interview this week. Also this week was the start of carnaval so it was a little crazy. I saw alot of things that I really didn´t need to see but that is part of carnaval. I think the closest thing to it back home would be fake patty´s day and country stampede. This week we are returning back to our house at 7 till the end of carnaval.

 

This week was a little tough. I am really feeling the stress of being Senior. It is tough because I try to let my companion help but when he doesn´t want to it makes it difficult. Also I have had alot of time in the same area so creativity in finding new people is starting to lack. I will continue doing what I know till I find something different that works better. Also, I am going to ask the rest of our Zone how they find new people. It is a little tough because the people in my city are super closed till you get to know them. In fact the only people that we have found making contacts are people from other areas. In my struggles, I have grown more and have to listen more. I don´t like trials but we don´t learn anything without them. I´ll just remember something that I heard from a family that I miss so much from Wamego. Fake it till you make it. I love you guys so much. Stay safe

Love,

Elder Zachary

P.S. If you want to hear some awesome brazilian music look up Gusttavo Lima, Fui Fiel. We hear a ton of music walking on the street and I think this is my favorite.

 

Week 37....Mogi Mirum

This week was definantly different than any other week that I have had on my mission. This week we had the oppurtunity to listen to Elder Evans and President Costa. They are both from the Seventy. It was pretty funny though. They called last Saturday saying that they would be coming to visit our mission Tuesday and they wanted everyone to be there at 9 in the morning, which means at the latest 8:30. It was a pretty hectic day. We left our house at 5 in the morning so we could ride the bus for almost 2 hours and then walk quite a ways to the conference but everything we did was worth it. It was funny because Elder Evans is American and needed a translator. So it took twice as long to say what he wanted to say but it was really emphasized because I got to hear everything twice. Elder Evans is the chairman of the missionary work and knew alot about missionary work but strangely he decided to talk about families. He talked more about eternal marriage than how to talk to people on the streets. I found it really interesting when he said, "If we hold true to what we believe, starting with the family, thousands and even millions will come to the Church of Jesus Christ." He said, "this is doctrine not theory." Also he said that, "if our investigators do not meet the qualifications in DC 20:37 then we have a commandment that we can not baptize." It answered a ton of questions that I had. Also he said that he was at a conference with Elder Nelson and he asked Elder Evans, "How long after your mission were you married?" He responded, "3 months." He said that Elder Nelson gave him a dissapointed look and said that he married 5 days after his mission. He just left it at that and said that we could guess what we need to do after our missions.

Other than that our week was strange. We went and visited an older sister(75 years young) because she always has references for us. When we visited her at first she seemed normal but after she almost collapsed. She took medicine for knee pain and then for low blood pressure and had a reaction with the two drugs. Her blood pressure would go super high and then drop. It wouldn´t stay still. We ended up calling the ambulence and it took two hours to show up. During that two hours there was alot of praying going on. Then when she was in the hospital it got better but the doctor said that it was because of her faith and the faith of her "friends" that she was saved. Also one of her references was confirmed this Sunday by an inactive that came back almost 6 months ago.

 

So this transfer will be 7 1/2 months in the same area. This week when I got to church I was adressed as Bispo Zachary and Patriarcha Zachary by several members. One member even offered to start building me a house here in the glorious town of Mogi Mirim for me and my future wife. Oh and we painted our house this week!

 

We are also having alot of Elders leave the mission and to think that I have less than 15 months till I come back is crazy. I feel like it is going by too quick. Also this fruit is called maracuja. I think Brother Chandler would recognize it. It is super strong and looks like frog eggs but makes a super good juice. Also believe me I am still loving it in Mogi Mirm because next week is Carnaval and if I were in any other city I would have to stay in my house all week but Mogi Mirim will just have house parties nothing like Recife or Rio de Janeiro. Also I am excited to see you guys moving in the direction the Lord wants and how you guys are so willing to obey. The only problem that I´m seeing is that if you think Wamego is hard, I can´t imagine serving in Burlington with 30 people every week. I´m sure it will be great there though.

 

Love,

Bispo Zachary

 

Week 36....Mogi Mirum

This week went by pretty slow. I think it will always be like this when I get a new companion. His name is Elder Matheus. He is pretty good but is still super new in the mission and learning a ton. He is from the south here in Brazil. He has a desire to be good and I think that´s all I can ask for. Also, now I´m Senior companion. Last transfer I was co-senior so we shared the responsibility but this transfer it´s all on me. It´s alright though because when we have challenges the Lord prepares us for them and during them.

We started off the transfer really well. We had a baptism Sunday and are planning to have a baptism Saturday. Our baptism this last week was a women named Michele. She is super awesome. We actually started teaching her almost 5 months ago with Elder Lukas. She was super receptive but she had problems keeping commitments. She had to work every Sunday and couldn´t go to church. So sadly we had to put her a side till she would be able to go to church. Then about a month ago we passed by there and figured out that she wasn´t working anymore and could go to church. We invited her to church and that Sunday she went! Then she got another job and while she could go to church it limited when we could teach her. We had two options teach her in the morning or at night and return home late. We decided it would be best to wake up at 5 in the morning so we could get there at 8. We did that several times but everytime something happened and we couldn´t teach her. Then Friday we were able to teach her, so we taught her all the lessons in less than 40 minutes and had an interview Saturday. Also we are planning on baptising her daughter this Saturday. Her daughter is amazing. She was born with a problem, so she can´t walk but she has such a desire to follow the plan that God has for her. I really want to be more like her.

 

Also, it was super hot here. It hadn´t rained for almost a month and in São Paulo they are cutting water because of a water shortage. They said it hasn´t been this hot in almost 50 years(just my luck.) This week we were truely blessed with rain. Although it always came at inconvenient times it was good to feel it again. The weather has been super crazy! Anyways I love you guys a ton and stay warm!

 

Love

Elder Zachary

 

Week 35....Mogi Mirum

This week was pretty good but as always it went by super quick. The state where I´m serving, São Paulo, has been having really bad problems with heat recently. For all of you guys back home that would probably be nice for a little bit. It has been almost 100 degrees during the day and hasn´t rained in almost 2 weeks. This means that it is only getting hotter and hotter. It litterally feels like I´m walking into an oven when I step out of the shade. Also the sun is shining directly on our area because there is literally not a cloud in the sky. So it made it really dificult to work hard this week and my companion got sick this week too. Also this week we had Stake Conference. It was super good but we also lost alot of time with it.

 

The work is really moving forward here. We didn´t have a baptism last week but this week for sure we will be having one. Our investigator had a date marked for last Saturday but she was super sick the days before. We really didn´t think to call her. We figured out that after that she wanted to get a ride to Stake Conference to be baptized. She is super firm. Also her daughter has cerebral palsy so she can´t walk but she is super awesome and wants to be baptized. She just has a problem walking but she can think so we asked the Bishop and he said yes.

This week we will have transfers. I figured out yesterday that I will stay in the glorious, marvelous city of Mogi Mirim. At the end of my next transfer I will have 7 months in the same area. It is crazy to think that. Time is flying by so quick here. I was thinking that I would change cities and actually I had one suitcase packed and ready to go but I guess the Lord has other plans for me. Alot of other Elders think that I will be Bishop here or Patriarch if I stay a little bit longer. Also the Elders that I live with from Mogi Guaçu thought that I would leave too. So they decided to get all the pranks out before I left. This picture is them with my ties before they hid them all but luckily I can stay and teach them the meaning of the word revenge. One likes to steal our food from the refridgerator so I´m think that Laxatives in the orange juice or in the water sounds good (puts a new meaning to don´t drink the water.) Anyways love you guys a ton and stay warm (feels weird to say that.)

 

Love,

Elder Zachary

Week 34...Mogi Mirum, Brazil

Well, I don´t know if this week really could have gone any faster. I will reach the 8 month mark this week. I know, all weeks are the same amount of time but, this week really flew by.

I think that this week we received alot of the blessings at one time. This week we had a baptism(!!!!), taught 6 first lessons, and are now teaching and preparing over 14 people to be baptized this month. The work is really moving forward in Mogi Mirim.

This week was pretty awesome as we really did get to see the hand of the Lord in our work. Although, we didn´t walk as much as I felt I did with my last companion, I really feel exhausted. I think that really spiritual lessons take more of a toll on my body than walking 3-4 miles.

 

I remember one lesson that was super strong, I felt like I could´ve just slept on the ground after that. It is really cool how our investigators notice it too. We have one investigator and her name is Françisca. She is about 50 years old and really loves to talk. It was tough because my companion would say a couple things and then she would talk for 15 minutes or I would ask a question and she would talk 15 more minutes. I then felt I should bear my testimony to her. It felt like a weird time but I just started talking. As I was talking, I felt like I should say some things that I never thought of. Then when I ended she didn´t say anything. I thought I said something wrong but then she said that, "This brother is a spiritual giant, I know that you guys are messengers from God."

 

That really made me think. It is crazy to think that a 19 year old boy can say things in another language that can touch someone so much. It is really cool to see the Lord work through me and my companion.

 

This week we finally were able to baptize Isis. It was so good to see her be baptized and I know that she will be an awesome member. She is the second member in her family to be baptized. Now it is just her and her grandma that are members but we are working on the rest of her family alot. I feel with her family it just need one person to step forward and the rest will follow.

 

Also, we had lunch at a member´s house. The family there is partial. The dad isn´t a member but is super awesome. He was pretty high up in the government here and everyone knows him. It´s funny, when we talk with him in the street, everyone stops and talks to him too. I think we could just stay next to him all day and work more effectively. He always introduces us to everyone. He is also a runner and has traveled all over the world. He has so many trophies. I took a picture of part of them but he has several rooms full of just trophies.

 

Also we have another member that we were working with that recently just returned. Her son is super awesome. He is super good at soccer and will have the oppurtunity to play for Palmeiras. They are a big team here in Brazil, equal to playing for a NFL team in the US.

 

Transfers are coming up and I´m thinking my name is going to be on that list. Actually, I really don´t want to say it but I am hoping that I will be transfered. Almost 6 months is alot of time in the same area. I am hoping that I will go to Campinas. I want to be there during the World Cup. It will be cool to see Brazil go crazy when the United States wins the World Cup. Anyways, I love you guys a ton.

 

Love,

Elder Zachary

 

"Batizadores" = baptizers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 33.....Mogi Gauco, Brazil

Another week down and I just realized that I am 1/3 of the way done with my mission. It seems like every week is getting faster, easier, and alot better. I am really seeing the blessings being poured out on us. Sometimes the blessings even come as rose petals and are literally poured out on my bed by another Elder in our house.

Last week we had an investigator fall through but we marked her baptism for Tuesday this week. We helped her make invitations for people to her baptism. She is super excited and I´m excited to send you guys pictures of baptisms. It has been a long time since I have had the oppurtunity to do that. Also last night we were teaching a family that we haven´t been able to visit for almost over a month because they were on vacation. When we visited them we were expecting to have to start over but when it came time to share a message I felt like we should talk about something a little different. Normally, we teach the restoration first but I felt like they needed another lesson. I started teaching them about faith and then my companion got the hint and we taught about repentance, baptism, the Holy Ghost and then enduring to the end. Then after that we ended up marking baptisms for them on the 15th of February. Right now we have 8 people with baptisms marked for this and next month.

I am just worried that our area will be split soon or that I´ll leave and have to start all over again.

I am also noticing that I am growing and learning so much. I am no longer the Junior companion so now I have to break my tendency to not talk with people. I have been so blessed with this. As I have been testing my limits, I have seen the hand of the Lord in my life. When I don´t know what say, I always have words to say, sometimes using words that I have never used in my life.
 

Also the members seem to be liking me alot more and helping us alot more. Just to prove this I got another soccer jersey. It is a little old and faded but it is original(most of the jerseys here are just replicas) and it´s from the best team in all of Brasil.
 

Also in my house, I live with another American. He is just started on his mission and is just getting started on learning the language. Yesterday, he was super frustrated with the work and felt overwhelmed with the language. I had the oppurtunity to help him and really sit down and talk. It was so funny because he was feeling exactly how I was feeling the first transfer too. It is crazy to see how fast he is learning but it is super hard for him to see it.

Anyways that was my week for you guys. I love you guys a ton!

Love,

Elder Zachary

 

Week 32...Mogi Gauco, Brazil

Well, I have some good news now! Things are improving! Things are getting alot better with my companion and our area is definantly getting alot better. I have really seen when things are bad and when I feel like things are never going to get better that the sun will always rise and things always get better.

This week we had one baptism scheduled for Sunday but due to problems with her health we weren´t able to have it but we rescheduled it for next Sunday and I am pretty certain that it fall through again because normally this problem only happens for a couple days a month. She is really excited though for her baptism. We also are going to have a baptism on the 29th of January. She is right on track, the only problem that she has is she likes to smoke but she is going to stop.

 

This week something really cool happened. When I was with Elder Lukas we were teaching a women named Michele and she was super good but she had to work every Sunday so she couldn´t go to church. We had to put her in the area book because she couldn´t come to church. This week I felt like I should visit her just to check up on her. After talking with her a little more we figured out that she isn´t working anymore so she can go to church and last Sunday she was there with her daughter. Also she and her husband have been fighting recently but he drove her to church and while he says he isn´t interested he is always in the room and is listening. I think next time I´m going to ask him to say a prayer.

 

Also I have more good news. My companion is getting alot better. I had to be really firm with him and tell him that I don´t want to ruin my mission but he seems to respect that and I think he wants to get better too. It was really weird for me to do this because I normally like to just sit back and let him do what he wants but I just can´t do that anymore. We are reading the missionary handbook everyday and I make sure that he reads the parts that he has problems with. I am greatful for the prayers that I have been receiving because I know that this couldn´t have happened without your love and support.

 

Also this week I decided to not be super cheap and bought some stuff that I was desperately in need of. I now have 5 soccer jerseys. I now have jerseys from Brazil, Germany, São Paulo(best team in Brazil), Corinthians(worst team in Brazil), and Chelsea. Just for all those people out there that would ask why would I buy a jersey from the Corithians. I got it for free. Also the thing that I´m holding in the picture is something that the Elders in Mogi Guaçu found in the street and decided to give it to me and put it on my bed. I think it´s a pig but I´m not really sure. It really is amazing what you can find in the streets of Brazil. Anyways I love you guys tons

Love

Elder Zachary

 

Week 31....Mogi Gauco, Brazil

Wow, I don´t even know where to start this week. It was super tough, but I´m definantly learning a ton. I remember my last companion said that "I hope that your next companion is super tough and the area only gets tougher because then you will really learn(only in Portuguese)." Right now I´m not too happy with him because I think it´s coming true.

This week was really a week for reflection about why I´m serving a mission for me. I had one day that was particually tough. The day before my companion was doing and saying things that weren´t exactly right. He wasn´t being really bad, just little rules, but I know what those can lead up to, and I just kind of turned a blind eye to them. That night I was listening to a talk from Elder Holland and I felt really bad about that. I thought a lot about the goals that I had before my mission and if I thought what I was doing was right. The next day we had a good talk about the rules.

Other than that things are really moving in our area. Our numbers are definantly showing it right now too. We had 15 lessons with members present this week and because of this we will be having a baptism this week. We almost had the oppurtunity to have four people together this week but because of some things that happened we aren´t able to. I am super excited though about this. I think that our area is really moving forward and I know that when it really starts to take off that is when I´ll go to another area.

 

I am really happy that I have another American living with me. I am getting better at English and I can now switch between English and Portuguese alot faster. I think I was going a little crazy living with just Brazilians for 3 months. One of the Elders noticed too. He said, "when you talk in your sleep you now talk in English alot more." I also like that he knows alot of the things that I miss back home. It´s also really good to be able to teach Portuguese. I love teaching because when I´m teaching I´m not focusing on problems that I´m experiencing on the mission. Just don´t stress too much about me, just pray for me. I have confidence that things will be changing in a little bit with my companion. Also I think you guys will like how we practice basketball here. I also learned how to use my feet more and can almost play soccer as good as the 5 year olds here in Brazil. I think that they are literally born with soccer balls here because everyone can play. I love you guys tons.

Love,

Elder Zachary

 

Week 30....Mogi Gaucu, Brazil

We were taking a lot of pictures on our last day here all together here in Mogi Guaçu. I noticed that there was a little blue ball on two parts of the river. I don´t know if it was the same or someone threw a lot of balls in the river.

I think this was the first slow week that I have had since the MTC. This week was pretty tough. To start off my companion left me and is now in the office. It was tough to see him go. After being with him for almost 4 months, I have grown to like that kid. He was really good and I learned a ton from him. Since my companion left that means that I need to get a new one. I was really thinking that I was going to train but I guess the Lord has other plans for me. I think with this path that I´m on I´ll learn a lot more than training an Elder.

I received an Elder Thursday and his name is Elder LaFont. He is from Chile and has one less transfer than me. I can tell that this transfer is going to be tough with him. I won´t go into detail but on Christmas he and his zone did somethings that weren´t too good. He doesn´t exactly like to obey the rules exactly and he likes to use a lot of slang that isn´t too appropriate for a missionary. I am grateful though that he wants to work though. He likes to talk with people and is really excited about the work.

I am still living with three other Elders. The other Elder, Elder Matos, stayed and his companion went to another area. Elder Matos is now training an American missionary. His name is Elder Johnson. He is pretty cool and I´ve got to know him pretty good in the last couple days. It is pretty cool to see how much I´ve grown talking to him. He is a good Elder and is really excited to learn. Last night we had an experience that was pretty funny. I think I have already told you guys but we have a drunk that lives next to us and he loves to play the guitar and sing. The only problem is that he doesn´t really know how to play and it´s pretty funny. I asked him if he wanted to go listen to him and take pictures with him and of course he said yes. I had to talk the guy into it a little and listen to him sing but we ended up getting pictures with him.

Also I got the letter that you guys sent in November the other week. Just to answer the questions. Yeah, it´s really hot here.

Thanks Cail for teaching me Portuguese. I think he knows more Portuguese than a lot of the new Elders here. I haven´t seen alot of strange animals here, I saw an armadillo and a tucan here but that´s about it. We eat rice and beans everyday and there is a ton of fruit. Also prayer is something that is really important and I too have learned a ton about it and am still learning. I think it was Caisen or Hunter that gave a scripture in Mathew, I love that verse and use it a lot. I just want to say thank you for the letters they help us like you can´t imagine. Dar um abraço para o todo mundo lá em Wamego para mim. abraços

 

This week alot of change is happening. I know that this transfer will be tough but I´m going to learn a ton. I love you guys tons.

 

Love,

Elder Zachary

 

Week 29...Mogi Mirum, Brazil

This week was another week that really flew by! This week was both really great but really tough.

First off, I got to talk to you guys through Skype. It was really good to see all of you guys again and it will only be a short time till we talk again. Time really is going by so fast. It is crazy to think that in the next week I will have seven months on the mission. Also the transfers are going by faster than ever. This week is transfers and I´m almost positive that my companion will leave. It will be insanely hard to see him go but I have to learn to change and I´m sure I´ll grow a ton the next transfer.

As for this week, it was pretty sweet with all the Christmas parties. We had one Christmas party that was super cool. The members that we were with are pretty rich and they had a house that was huge. The members really love missionaries. They gave us bags of candy and food. Also, they had food there that was super good. They had a type of meat that is over R$ 50,00 for 1 kilo of it. They bought at least 4-5  kilos and cooked it up for us and another family. I can just say one thing after that I really love Brazil and the food here. That was just the start of the Christmas parties. We had another one with a member that lives next to us. I am really grateful for the members care so much about us. 

 

This week besides the Christmas parties was really good but was full of opposition. I think all the normal people left our city this week and went to São Paulo or Campinas and left all the drunks in the streets. It was really tough but at the end of the week it got a lot better. Our ward has problems with unity.  of members don´t talk with each other or right after church they leave and don´t try to talk with anyone. Our bishop put an end to this after giving and hour lecture to our members on unity. Then at the end he made us stand up and he said, "look at these Elders, they are giving two years of their lives and who has helped them? Imagine if your kids are on a mission and they are being treated like these missionaries here." I really don´t think that our ward is too bad but apparently he was really frustrated. I am really excited to see if this made any difference and ready to get to work again.

I love you guys tons and have a Feliz Ano Novo!!

Love

Elder Zachary

Week 28....Mogi Mirum, Brazil

This week was a really good week. To start things off I got to have that churrasco (BBQ) that I´ve been waiting for, for so long. The ward here in Mogi Mirim had a Christmas party last Friday. I decided that I really love parties here in Brazil. The food here was so good. I think I literally ate 2-3 lbs. of just meat, rice and other things not included. I think this was almost as good as Texas Roadhouse.

It was also good to see all of our members there relaxing and talking with each other. We got to know some members really well and it was cool to see them open up to us. I think this will really help us with our work in the future. Santa Claus was also at the Ward Christmas party. I must have been really good this year because I received a huge present. It is filled with food, chocolate, and other good stuff. I really am grateful for the members here. When we told them thank you I said that this will really help us because we will be focusing on our stomachs and not our families.

Also this week we had lot´s of meetings with the leaders of the Ward. I love our leader of the missionary work. He really works hard and wants others to have the same vision of missionary work that our mission has. It is frustrating sometimes because some members of our Ward like to talk alot but only do a little. When we think that everything is set and they are going to help us, they back out at the last second.

This week we decided that our house needed to be better. We put pictures up all over our house. It is so cool because when we talk about what we studied in the morning we can say, "I studied this story and this story" and point to the pictures of what we studied.

 

This week was super short and went by insanely fast. I think it is because I´m super excited for Christmas. Oh and by the way we have Christmas dinners every night this week. I can tell you one thing, I will definantly be gaining some weight in the next week. I love you guys tons and FELIZ NATAL!!!!

Love,

Elder Zachary

 

Week 27...Mogi Mirum, Brazil

Sorry that I couldn´t write you guys on Monday. I had a good reason though. We were able to go to the temple and we had a Christmas party with the rest of our mission. It was really good. It was the first time in almost six months. It was pretty cool how everything was in Portuguese. Normally, they have workers that are from the United States too but the temple is closed right now and they are all visiting their families.

As for this week it was really awesome for our work. I remember one Elder was saying that our areas are good and our companions are bad or our areas are bad and our companions are good. I told my companion that I think we need to fight because I love my companion and our area is turning for the better right now. To start things off we have been working with one family a lot. The mom is our only baptism that we have had in our area. The son is a return missionary and has 31 years. He is single and has had problems with missionary work. The thing is that they love the missionaries and the son loves missionary work. He did some things in his past and hasn´t had a calling for two years. He had his final interview with the bishop this last week and received a calling. He is now our missionary work leader. It is so crazy to see his enthusiasm and at times I think he is more excited than me. He told the bishop when he was set apart that he will be annoying but the work will be hastened. He has done exactly that. I think in the last week he did more than our other leader did and he has only had the calling for over a week. 

 

This week we have really received blessings. Whatever you guys are doing, keep doing it. We have also been working with another family that just the Grandma is a member. She has lots of grandkids that go to church with her but the moms don´t want to give permission. This last week all the moms gave consent. It is funny because both my companion and I felt like we shouldn´t talk about baptism with the family but they knew our purpose. It was funny because when one of the moms was talking with the Grandma she said that, "I don´t know why but these missionaries are different." God has really been hearing our prayers. 

 

Other than that our week wasn´t too interesting. I have just seen a lot of blessings with my Portuguese and my knowledge of the gospel growing leaps and bounds. I love you guys so much and am super excited to talk with you guys on Christmas. Stay safe and don´t worry about how I´m gone. The members here are taking really good care of us and also we are planning on have a churrasco (BBQ). You can ask Tyler (Elder Newkirk, Zac's cousin also serving in Brazil) all about that.

 

I want you guys to know too that you guys help me so much. It brings me so much peace that I don´t have to worry about my family falling away from the church or weakening at all. It is really sad when Elders here don´t have families that love them the same amount that you guys love me (if that´s possible) I am looking forward to Christmas and am super excited to hear English without Portuguese influence again. It is funny because I have been trying to practice my English so much with my companion. I was trying to talk with some Americans that were in the MTC with me yesterday in English and I had to translate in my head. I am trying to develop the gift to switch languages really fast but my brain can´t do that yet. I will be praying that I can speak with you guys plainly and clearly.

 

Love,

Elder Saueressig 

P.S. I have lots of pictures to show you guys but I left my camera in the house and its a good distance to our house.

Week 26...Mogi Mirum, Brazil

It seems like I just emailed you guys yesterday, so there won´t be alot of new stories but these last couple days have definantly been interesting.

To start things I live with three Brazilians, which I think I have said a lot, but one of them is really new. He has just over 1 month on the mission. Today he went to Campinas to have an interview with President because he is thinking about returning home. It is tough because we try to help him but he doesn´t want to listen. This has been weighing on my mind a lot because I don´t want to see another Elder return to his house early.

Also this week was pretty crazy. We were going to a city that is about 1 1/2 hours away from our house. While we were riding in the car we noticed a car infront of us. He started to swerve to the middle of the road. He then went into the median and hit a concrete slab and the car flipped in the air and landed on the side. It was crazy to actually see it happen and I can see it over and over again in my mind. I think the man driving was sleeping because I didn´t notice break lights when he was heading into the median. We then stopped the car and went to see if they were alright. It was a couple and they both responded. The ambulance came about 5 minutes later and everything was alright but it made me reflect on my life and truely how fragile our lives are. It also made me question my testimony of the plan that God has for us. After this we went to do the interview and the man didn´t arrive because his son had problems with his wife. It seemed like everything we did had opposition that night. I am grateful for all the prayers that I receive and really saw that night that God is watching over me.

I am really excited though for Christmas. It is crazy here because the cites go all out for Christmas. The centers of the cities here are covered in Christmas lights and Santa Clauses. Also the Christams presents are starting to roll in from the members here. Anyways enough about me. Take care and I love you guys so much

Love,

Elder Zachary