Treinador!

Wow. Where to start.

So this week has been fantastic. Elder Castro's prayers were answered, and he was transfered on tuesday haha. There were two pairs of missionaries here in Planalto, but now it will be just me and my companion, Elder Ashby.

They don't come much greener, haha. He is fantastic, fresh from the US where he was waiting for his visa in Sandy, Utah. By the way, he is from sandy, Utah.... He served there for 1 transfer, kind of funny, but he didn't run in to anyone he knew really well.

I was suprised when I found out I will be training an american. I was super super excited but I was praying the whole day before I went to get him. I know I will need the Lord's help. A Lot. I trust in him completely, and I feel like we're going to have a lot of success because we'll be compelled to rely on the lord!

We met quite a few people this week and three of our investigators went to the church. We'll have two baptisms in the beginning of october, which is awesome because that will help Elder Ashby expect that we baptize every week (that's also my goal from now on).  I'm pushing him really fast. I already lived with someone training an american and they didn't let him do anything because they didn't think he could.
Elder Ashby is growing really fast because he will DO everything that he doesn't think he can do. haha. This is his first week, and he is talking to people in the street, teaching a little bit too. He even invited two people to be baptized, and we will mark a date with one of them this week!


I feel like a proud father... haha.
I'm really excited to be here in Planalto because now that there's just one pair of missionaries I'm teaching everyone that I was teaching with Elder Castro, AND all the people that Elder Peterson was teaching. pretty fantastic because I love having a planner jam packed. We're going to need a lot of help from the members to visit everybody.

Love you tons!
Elder Wallace

Cansado, Mas Feliz

If I could choose one word for this week it would be tiring. There are lots of days that I am tired, I've never slept so solidly in my life as I have during the mission. But this week I was WAY tired. We fast pretty often here and it's getting pretty hot outside! funny how the weather gets hotter in winter here.

I've been tired but always trying to be happy. Some highlights of my week are when Elder Castro and I are teaching and I can see when the person we are teaching doesn't understand and I used examples to help them understand. I've got some pretty awesome examples I like to use for the lessons. (do you remember Jilo? that nasty veggie? I like the parabola of the Jilo and cake to teach about the fall)

Another thing I love doing now is talking with people in the street. I've gotten way better at that, but this week I learned that I should listen to the spirit even in street contacts. For example usually a third of the people we talk to give their address to us, but when we go to their house they don't want anything. This week I learned that if I pay attention, the spirit helps me know who has real intent or not. This is awesome because we don't waste time chasing people that just give us an address and don't have desire to hear.

I've also been changing up the contacts I make, usually it's something about the restoration or gospel, but The plan of salvation is fun to talk to people about too. I'm amazed when I stop to make a contact and the words just flow. Really my prayers have been answered in this aspect.

This week we had Stake conference, held in our chapel. It wasn't made to hold that many people! haha. I wish I had my camera with me at the time, there wasn't a single empty seat.

Some cool things that our inspired president has done:
1. Established a goal of talking to 100 people per week in the street. (I got about 65 this week and I'm determined to get 100!)
2. removed the "Introductory lesson" So this was a lesson that you memorize almost word for word. We always used it in the first visit. It was great at the start of the mission because I could teach without knowing much portuguese. But I'm LOVING teaching more freely now. There are some missionaries that have taught this lesson their entire mission!

Anyway I'm doing great. Elder Castro is crazy to be transferred! haha he has 6 months here. I hope everyone is healthy and well and always looking to do more than we think is necessary.

This week I read alma 2, where alma leads the nephites to battle the wicked lamanites and anlicites. Alma finds himself fighting for his life against Anlici, and he starts to lose... He cries to lord, 'have mercy on me and spare my life, so that I can be an instrument in thy hands to bring this people to salvation'. And he is strengthened, slaying Anlici (name in portuguese)

We have times in our lives that we start to lose 'the battle'. I love when Book of Mormon heroes pray to be instruments in the lord's hands. I know that if we give our life to him he will make more out of us than we ever thought possible.

Love you all,
Elder Wallace

Fotos:
I spent last pday in division with Elder Daniel (from Sao paulo)
We made pizza
3. Elder Castro eats tons of eggs because he wants to get buff before he gets home. I doodled on them. Kinda weird, I know. haha.

 

We ate lunch at Carmens house, a member that has 19 exotic birds, very cool.

Pictures!

Wow, so a picture is worth a thousand words, that's why it takes so long to upload!
This week was great, I had splits with other missionaries two times, both of which I decided to go big and mark baptismal dates, I marked 4 for the 5th of October!

We met some people that have really been prepared by the Lord. It's amazing how different people can be but when they hear the message of the Restoration and the spirit touches their hearts. They don't know why but they want to know more.

Elder Castro (my companion) is pretty much fasting to be transferred, haha. He's been in this area for quite some time.

Love you all tons!
Elder Wallace

Cansado Mas Feliz!

If I could choose one word for this week it would be tiring. There are lots of days that I am tired, I've never slept so solidly in my life as I have during the mission. But this week I was WAY tired. We fast pretty often here and it's getting pretty hot outside! funny how the weather gets hotter in winter here.

I've been tired but always trying to be happy. Some highlights of my week are when Elder Castro and I are teaching and I can see when the person we are teaching doesn't understand and I used examples to help them understand. I've got some pretty awesome examples I like to use for the lessons. (do you remember Jilo? that nasty veggie? I like the parabola of the Jilo and cake to teach about the fall)

Another thing I love doing now is talking with people in the street. I've gotten way better at that, but this week I learned that I should listen to the spirit even in street contacts. For example usually a third of the people we talk to give their address to us, but when we go to their house they don't want anything. This week I learned that if I pay attention, the spirit helps me know who has real intent or not. This is awesome because we don't waste time chasing people that just give us an address and don't have desire to hear.

I've also been changing up the contacts I make, usually it's something about the restoration or gospel, but The plan of salvation is fun to talk to people about too. I'm amazed when I stop to make a contact and the words just flow. Really my prayers have been answered in this aspect.

This week we had Stake conference, held in our chapel. It wasn't made to hold that many people! haha. I wish I had my camera with me at the time, there wasn't a single empty seat.

Some cool things that our inspired president has done:
1. Established a goal of talking to 100 people per week in the street. (I got about 65 this week and I'm determined to get 100!)
2. removed the "Introductory lesson" So this was a lesson that you memorize almost word for word. We always used it in the first visit. It was great at the start of the mission because I could teach without knowing much portuguese. But I'm LOVING teaching more freely now. There are some missionaries that have taught this lesson their entire mission!

Anyway I'm doing great. Elder Castro is crazy to be transferred! haha he has 6 months here. I hope everyone is healthy and well and always looking to do more than we think is necessary.

This week I read alma 2, where alma leads the nephites to battle the wicked lamanites and anlicites. Alma finds himself fighting for his life against Anlici, and he starts to lose... He cries to lord, 'have mercy on me and spare my life, so that I can be an instrument in thy hands to bring this people to salvation'. And he is strengthened, slaying Anlici (name in portuguese)

We have times in our lives that we start to lose 'the battle'. I love when Book of Mormon heroes pray to be instruments in the lord's hands. I know that if we give our life to him he will make more out of us than we ever thought possible.

Love you all,
Elder Wallace

Fotos:
I spent last pday in division with Elder Daniel (from Sao paulo)
We made pizza
3. Elder Castro eats tons of eggs because he wants to get buff before he gets home. I doodled on them. Kinda weird, I know. haha.

Fotos Of The "Gincana Das Cores"

We had a competition during four weeks every wednesday. We seperated four teams taught about the Gospel and restoration and had games.

The teams could gain points:
In the Games
Bringing non members
Bringing a friend to church
Other competitions (oldest liahona, biggest shoe)

It was really cool, this week was the finale so I brought my camera. Here we have the classic cracker on the forehead, who can make a beautiful sound with a horn? frisbee through (I was suprised to know that some people have never thrown a frisbee ever)

And we had food after (of course!)
It was really great to help our investigators and recent converts integrate with the ward, and we got a couple of referals!

It's really easy to gain weight because lots of us don't have time to really eat well. I weigh 175 now and I was 158 when I entered the MTC. I always eat a good breakfast, a couple eggs and banana smoothie. Lunch We always eat a TON because we don't eat again until 930 or ten o clock. Eating right before sleeping and all the rice is what makes me gain weight I think. Now I'm eating a little less at lunch and eating lots of fruits. Man the fruit here is awesome! Mangos are in season now.

Elder Wallace

 an owl.
Rai, a member that is awesome, helps us a ton with visits. He'll be serving a mission this year.
Cracker on the head
blowing the horn!

Whoo! Hello September!

One more month until General conference! President Kuceki also has informed us that two general authorities with do a mission tour here in October! Super Excited.

President came out and did interviews with the zone this week. I asked him for a blessing, and it was one of the most powerful blessings I have ever had. I know that he spoke by the power of the priesthood because he said many things that I won't share. It was a sacred experience for me. Basically Since the 30th of October, I've started the 2nd part of my mission, and it will be a lot better than the first.

I'm trying to think of ways  to talk to more people in less time.
A couple times we did an exposition in the market. That was pretty awesome.

Here are some of my ideas:
Make a giant Book of mormon, the size of a mattress, and set it up in an area with lots of people passing.

Make a questionaire that has questions that testify of the Restoration and give it out in the schools or do an activity with the ward distributing it in the neighborhood.

Get a big picture of someone being baptized, and set it up with scriptures (john 3:5) (Acts 2) and talk with people about baptism and how we need to be baptized.

Let me know what you think or if you have any ideas to get more referrals in less time!

Love you all and my time is short, Loved the pic of Jess and Tanner going to the game!

Love
Elder Wallace