Mr. Busy

Welp, there's no time to write the news down...but I DO have something worth saying. 

I love y'all! And because that's so, God's helping me to develop further. E. Ralph and I baptized three people this last week, and I'll be shooting photos in the mail soon, so you can post it to the blog. By the time you get the photos...we should be getting other people in the water on the 12th, namely the families of our converts and their referrals too!

Yeah. We baptized a couple that's been waiting a good long time for the marriage to come out - Fabiano and Adriana - and a young woman named Laís, whose family has gotten much more interested as religious tension has escalated because of her conversion. We're gonna be doing a lot of running about this week...interviews, zone meeting, General Conference (with a far-off group of the Church piggybacking the satellite here), oh my! It's going to be pretty chaotic. 

And...yeah. Time's up. I'll be doing some writing on the bus, it looks like! I hope the zone'll be getting lots of letters. :D

Don't forget to write!,

-Erich

ALRIGHTY GANG

 Welp, time's limited...there's a LOT of stuff that the ZL-A does that I had no idea about. The transfer came and went...and now I'm orienting a new American ZL named E. RALPH:

 Yup. There's speculation that THIS GUY will be my last companion. Cool, huh? He's interested in talking about scriptures, he's a lighthearted fellow who's got a lot of social intelligence. It's kind of strange to have a companion like that, since I've been taking a lot of serious ones lately - but hey, it's a welcome change. He's a easy guy to trust, and he's doing well as a new LZ. I'm excited for the training we'll be giving people next month, because we're gonna have to rock the zone with something awesome, and I bet with E. Ralph it's gonna be a blast.

 This last week I'm learning about the "armor" principle of obedience and humility. We have an investigator named Laís that's gonna be baptized this week (amongst others!!!) who's got a ton of relatives threatening her if she gets baptized. She REALLY wants to be baptized, and so we're going and encouraging her every day. As Dad says, she's got a case of Old Scratch working on her sometimes - but she knows what the Lord wants her to do. It's pretty darn cool to be her missionary, because she progresses very rapidly. In two weeks her life got completely turned around, and though everybody else in her family is falling out of the teaching group she clings to the Church and the friends she's made there. She's a determined girl. 

 SO. This week we're planning on getting three in the water. Fabiano and Adriana, our special couple that have been going to church for months, are finally getting married on the guy's birthday, and they just want to get baptized right after. I'm hoping a lot for the turnout, because all three of the people we'll baptize know plenty of people.

 Hmm....there's other things too. Zone challenges and time management are other fun things we've had to deal with. I'm learning to be a more organized adult, and to not try to do everything. I'm learning about how to help others recognize their strengths and positive points, which can only be discerned with love. This last week, I remember feeling a great love while we taught Laís's family, and thinking, "Well...if this is how I feel about this family, this is at least what Christ feels for me." I have a renewed joy in doing this holy work, and I'm really grateful that God still has so much to teach me even in my penultimate transfer.

Besides all that...just know that I love y'all. There's many things that I'm learning, but I'd have to spend a lifetime reviewing it all. I shall thoroughly enjoy rehashing it all. Be excited! Shawn, you'll be learning a ton on your mission too! Start preparing now! And that goes for all you friends that I have that still haven't gone. Really the blessings of a mission are excellent, and from my point of view I see how long-lasting they are. Go fill out them papers! You won't regret it! But for now...don't forget to write too.

 -Erich

Only 3 more possible transfers

Whoooooooooooooooo! Transfer's coming up!And...there's only 2 more. O_O
Whoa.
Anyway. This last transfer...really taught me a lot. I've learned a lot about how to love those I lead and those who need help. I learned a lot better how to depend upon God, and the things He expects me to do so that He can do His work through me. It's interesting how long it's taken to finally realize something...This attitude has done as I once described to investigators in my second area:
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is aeasy, and my burden is light."Matthew 11:29-30 
As E. Henrique and I have fasted, prayed, and really just knuckled under and forgotten ourselves, everything's getting done and we're barely realizing it - our efforts are no longer grueling, though still challenging because we must be in tune to His will. We are learning to depend more on God to do His work, and thus we were able to produce some of the best results I've seen on my entire mission this last week. The zone has gotten better too, and we're happy for their success. The feeling I've had this last week has been wonderful, and we saw several miracles happen. I cannot recount everything...but know that I'm doing my part on the best part of the ride.
Gratitude is a key part. Gratitude is when we remember what God has given us, and our reasons for having arrived until where we are. Gratitude has helped immensely with making the yoke easy. The burden becomes light as we think about how God shall not let His work fail, and how if we're doing our best we shan't fail in His eyes - even when things don't work out as we might not have envisioned them. I love having worked in the area I have with my companion...and I'm excited for the next guy coming up! It's likely he'll be my last. How strange to think! I'll find out who it is tomorrow...the only question: will he be Brazilian, or American?
Anyway. I love y'all. I've not much time to write the other things I wished to send, but I'm happy and healthy..
Tchau for now!

A better week

This last week was really, really good. We're trying our best to use the Spirit and it looks like we're succeeding. Last week was one of the happiest weeks I've had on my mission, and I think it was for my comp too - he went ahead and performed the ordinance in Tobias after I did the interview for the DL, and so he's juiced up now with some baptismal perspective. The awesome part was that he did it in a swimming pool, which is really rare here. It was a special moment for the branch members here.

 I continue to learn many things about the gospel through my studies and teaching. I have come to appreciate much better the Sermon on the Mount, and Christ's wisdom, especially in 3 Nephi 13. The focus he has on sincerity in our actions and worship is impressive to me. I'm getting close to finishing the Book of Mormon for the second time in my life, this time in another language. How cool is that? Dad, do you still have a German Book of Mormon? I wonder if I should learn another language after the mission. I wouldn't be able to have the same experience as Portuguese...but that will have to be according to planning and some good thinking.

 I'm feeling way better this week about how we're working, and the work itself is going great. We're finding people with the many ties that seem coincidental to the Church, and that know members really well...but for some reason, it's been years since the missionaries have seen them. We're hoping to get them to Church, because it seems that time has served to soften their hearts. We have a couple we'll be baptizing this week, Fabiano and Adriana, and then we'll get Fabiano's sister and her husband started with the marriage process. I'm excited! I hope to find more couples, because they're generally the firmest after you get them both on track! I can teach all the couple I want here without the state of mind, "Well, I'll set them up for the next Elders...", because I'm likely going to pass the next 3 months here. It'll be great to see them in the water...but it'll be according to our hard work! Pray for us!

 E. Henrique is a Paulista - he's a very patient guy, and I'd charactize him like a history professor. He likes to get to know things for their history, their background, the people involved - he's pretty nerdy, and a very spiritual person. He doesn't like getting on people's case, though he's a good example with being a good friend. I have to help him many times to be a true friend and not a pal (i.e., speaking the truth boldly when necessary), but that's the greater part of his challenges. He learns fast, and likes to think about what we can do to always do better. I trust him very much, and he's up there with E. Biddulph and E. Mechaileh in terms of companionship.

 Anyway. For now, the time's a-runnin', so I'm gonna have to get outta here. But thanks for all your love and support while I'm here on the best run of the mission yet. Don't forget to write! I love y'all

Erich at 21 years