Christmas, Baptisms And Anacondas.

So now it's no secret... I no longer speak engish... But at least I can still type it!

We spent Christmas at Salete and Marcelo's house. President let us stay up until 11pm! woah there. Pretty late for a missionary! Here in Brazil everyone stays up until midnight and we open all the presents, party and then go to bed. haha. Much better right?

We did the thing where everyone picks a name to buy a present for someone in the family. I got Elder Caetano... You can bet it was pretty hard to do it without him knowing. In the end I convinced him that the scripture cases were for me, even though I already had some. I think he was still suprised when he got them on christmas. haha.

Christmas eve was also very special because we had the wedding of Geraldino and Fernanda! It was great. Elder Caetano was so excited to go to their farmhouse afterwards. He kept saying "this is the good life" when we were there, and after we got back he proudly told me like three times (pointing to his shoes ) "today these shoes stepped on the farm"!

The baptism was, as we say here, uma correria! The school were we normally baptize was closed, so we had planned to do it in a resevoir. When our investigators got there, they told us the resevoir was contaminated and you might glow in the dark if you get baptized there from all the chemicals. 

We were all decided that we would drive an hour to do the baptism in Uberlândia, when Geraldino told  us there was a river on his cousins farm where we could do it. Geraldino's dream to be baptized in a river was realized. haha. 

After taking two carfulls of members and investigators through some tough off-roading, crossing a stream and almost getting our other investigator's car stuck, we got to the river. His cousin and his family where washing the truck, and I thought maybe Geraldino would be a little embarrassed to show up in his white jumpsuit. But he was the first to go up and say "today we're having a baptism!" haha. 

I know the more we sacrificed to make the baptism happen, the better we felt afterwards. It was a miracle.

Love you all!

Elder Wallace

Fernanda's Family's farm!

I Ate Huh

Hey Family!

This week was good. We found some awesome families, many accepted a baptismal date! Unfortunately this week was FATHER'S DAY!!! agh. Happy brazilian father's day dad! haha. But a lot of people went to visit good ol' dad and make a special lunch for him. 

We have a family I'm really excited to teach. One of them has already prayed and received an answer, so I'm certain they'll be baptized.

The good news is that we are lots of the Less-actives we've been visiting come back to church! Two of them that are 20-22 years old. Marcia, that gave us Ivone's reference (who was baptized) saw her son come back to church for the first time in 4 years. You can imagine how happy she must have been! We were very happy for her too.

It was pretty funny, some people are a little embarassed to come back to the church, but Alencar (the other guy that came back) walked around with a huge smile on his face, just excited to be back in church. It was funny to see all the old ladies reactions, some almost cried, some hit him, but all of them hugged him. haha.

This week president took us to a eat Rã (Huh). It's a specie of frog. In Goias there's something called "Espetinho" It's a barbaque on skewers. Pretty tasty and there's one on every corner at night. This was the only one I've seen that also has "Rã". It's a specie of frog, it's got a fishy taste with the texture of chicken. to tell the truth is wasn't bad. 

I also ate cow heart this week. Heart isn't too bad either.

Love you all and I know this is the Lord's work. I've learned satan tries real hard to get us down. Especially the missionaries. I read an awesome talk this week called the 4th missionary. by Lawrance Corbrige. This talk has made a difference for me these past 5 months. 

I know the only thing we can give the Lord that isn't already his to take is our Heart and Will, and if I leave the mission with these already given to him, my mission has been a great success. 

Thanks for all your love and support.

The Last E-mail...

So this'll be the last email as a full-time missionary.

The decision for the branch Hasn't arrived yet!!! noooo... haha. I'll have to wait to know.

I'm really excited to see all of you! At the same time it feels like I am leaving home, and going to a strange land. haha. It's hard to imagine life different than it is now.

I made such good friends and saw so many miracles here in Brazil. This week we visited lot's of families that thanked me for all the visits, annoying phone calls to wake them up Sunday morning that I ALWAYS make haha, and for not giving up on them. We had a family night and the members here gave me a brazil shirt that they had all signed with things like "we'll miss you" and "come back soon". The best part of the family night was that one of our investigator's kids announced that she had decided to be baptized before I left!  I found out later she didn't want to be baptized before because she thought it was wrong to date in our religion... haha. Luckily the Group Leader's wife Salete cleared that up for her.

So saturday we had a baptism. It's always a relief to have a baptism when President is in the Area!!! haha. Her mom cried, her Aunt cried, her uncle almost cried, and she cried. haha. We almost didn't have to use the hose to fill up the pool in the backyard, we could have used their tears!

Sunday I was full of expectations! We got to the Hotel early (we did the meeting in the hotel because there wouldn't be room in the school, left our suits and bags and went to go get people for church. Everyone bailed on us but in the end one family came, and that made it all worth it. So we walked to church with them. Then another family's car pulled up. Then another. We were so blessed this week! We did what we always have done, work hard and pray harder. But this week the Lord blessed us even more and we had 21 investigators at church! That made attendance a whopping 65 for our group, our new record!

President gave an AWESOME talk about the book of mormon and gave a powerful testimony, I'm pretty sure all 21 of those investigators will get baptized just because of the talk! haha. It was great, I was sitting in the front row with a family of 7, and the dad was RIGHT in front of president. He sat on the edge of his seat, eyes wide the whole time.

The best news is that the Elder That will come to take my place is Elder Tenório. I was his Zone Leader in Rio Verde. In my opinion he is one the most excited and hardest working elders in the mission! It was a huge load off my back to be able to rest at ease knowing that he will take good care of the people here in Catalão that we are working with. 

Love you all and I'll see you in approx.. 4 days.

Tchau!

Elder Wallace

PLANO DE VOO INTERNACIONAL.

Don't get too trunky, family!

The Next To The Last E-mail...

So.. 

I'm pretty excited to see you all, but I'm super excited for the Group Conference this weekend! haha. We're all praying that the Area presidency will approve the branch before the conference. That way president Kuceki will be able to choose a branch president when he comes.

This week we worked hard. As usual... haha. I don't think I will change much in the way I'm working, just maintain the spirit I have and the determination that's mine. I'll be going to Goiânia Tuesday, and I fly out Thursday I think. So that leaves me a couple days to think about home. Right now I can keep focused and know I'll have that time here in a week.

This week we'll keep working with the families that are coming to church. Excited to see the results that we're having in reactivation, for sure there will be some baptisms from it.

Found out that a woman I taught in Goiânia got baptized. We always taught the husband when she wasn't home, trying to help him progress. In the end it looks like she seperated from him, and at the baptism she cried because she was so happy, despite the sacrifices.

Eduardo came to church for the second time, brought his wife with him! We found out that since the day he talked with us on the street and found out that the church is here in Catalão, he stopped drinking. He used to drink everyday, his wife was shocked. This last lesson he committed to stop smoking, and soon we will ordain him a priest. His wife loved the church and said she had almost given up on God, because all the churches she went to didn't make any difference, but she LOVED the relief society lesson, that was about being happy during trials.

Love youAll!

Elder Wallace

Seven Brides For Seven Brethren!

This week we went to city hall twice to mark the weddings of two families that are preparing for baptism! We have a whopping total of Seven Families that will get married so that they can be baptized. In most of these families either the husband or wife is already a member, and the spouse is preparing for baptism. 

In the mission, we've been taught to really look for people that are ready for baptism, that are already married or that are single. But these investigators have been coming to church every week, so we've starting focusing on them more and more. We were able to mark a wedding this week for February 20th. The rest of the families have either asked their relatives to send them the documents necessary, or are waiting for the documents to arrive.

When we went to mark one of the weddings, we had planned to be the testimonies, (Elder Caetano and I). I thought it would all work out, because in Barra do Garças Elder Winkel was a testimony for Erica and Tiago to get married. Little did I know. Since then Brazil has changed it's laws. We called another investigator that lives nearby, and pulled a stranger from the street to sign the paper. Our investigators were happy that it all worked out in the end, and the stranger was happy to oblige.

We'll have the Group conference on February 1st. They've rented an activity room in a hotel to be able to fit everyone, also so we won't be sweating it out because we'll have air conditioning! 

This week we'll go after the rest of the records that we need and work hard to be able to have a bunch of people visiting the day president comes.

This week we also had a few miracles. Eduardo, A member of the church that was baptized in another state, found us while we were knocking on doors. He was going to deliver medicine to an address in that same street.

Love you all!

Elder Wallace

Hey Family!

So this week we had a record of attendance at church, 51 people!!!!

We're so excited for how fast Catalão is growing. But that means LOTS of work for me and my companion. We're the only two missionaries, and there isn't really a visiting teaching or home teaching program. But we're working together with the other members to be sure that everyone that needs visits is getting them. 

I've been working a lot and got sick a few times, but everytime I left home to work, even being sick, I didn't feel the least bit sick the whole day. I know that the Lord blesses me. It's because of the blessings of the temple and living the word of wisdom that I can walk all day long for two years!!! haha. 

The best news of all is that President Kuceki will come visit here January 31st. If everything works out with the Area Presidency he will call THE NEW BRANCH PRESIDENT!!! 

So for these two weeks We'll be running around and collecting information from the less-actives, to get their member records here to show we have all the members nessesary (on top of everything else!) haha. But I've never been busier or happier.

Love you all!

Elder Wallace

Só milagres em Catalão!!!

So this week was another week full of miracles.

We were kind of worried about the attendance at church because Marcelo and Salete went to the temple. But we worked really hard and it payed off. We had 44 people at church and we had 13 investigators!!!

The branch is really close to becoming a reality! we're really excited for all the good things happening in our area. One of the tender mercies we had this week is that another family of members moved to Catalão!!! Salete almost cried from happiness because it's not easy being the only super active family here. 

Another Miracle was that we were talking to the guy who takes your money on the bus, and found out he is a member!!! We gave him a book of mormon and he said "I never forgot that this is the true church" It was so cool and he showed up on sunday really early to help us set up chairs!!! 

Our recent converts both had testimony building experiences this week. It was so cool to see how the Holy Ghost is helping them now that they are baptized.

I'll tell more next week because my time's up! haha

Love you all!

Elder Wallace

The Xburger has:

Bread

Meat

Ham

Bacon

Corn

Tomatoe

Lettuce

Pineapple

A hot Dog

Cheese

Very delicious.

And a pic of the couple that fed us on new year's eve. Eli and Cleide. Cleide is pres. Claudio Costa's (area president) sister.

Very Merry Christmas, and a Holly Jolly one too.

Wow, what a week!

We took the bus to Goiânia.. 4 hours by car, 7 by bus!!! Because the bus stops in every little town between here and there. Ipameri, Vaniapolis, Silvania, Bonfinopolis, Pires do Rio... All the little towns that we didn't know existed and will some day have missionaries. They call that bus the "pinga pinga" because he stops so much.

The christmas conference was awesome. The Talent show took FOREVER. 2 and a half hours of Talents... I'm glad I hid my talent in the ground. haha. There were some pretty funny songs about missionary work. And one missionary played the harmonica with his nose.

My new companion is Elder Caetano! he's AFRICAN! how cool is that? His family was baptized while he was in the mission too! More blessings all the time.

My time is up but I'll call you guys 4 o clock my time, 11 your time ok?

Merry christmas and 

I know that Our redeemer lives.

Elder Wallace

Holly Jolly Fotos:  
Natal in Salete's house

Family night when Elder Badu was Transfered

Elder Moffit, My comp from the MTC

Elder Caetano, My new greenie from Moçambique!!!

On the first day of christmas: A toucan in a Mango Tree!

This week it rained miracles.

It also rained rain. REALLY HARD! I forgot to take pictures but it was the kind of rain that even though we walked with umbrellas, we got soaked! haha. Catalão's sewage system almost couldn't take it. A major pipe broke and some people didn't have water for a couple days. Fortunately our water tank didn't run out before they fixed the pipe.

This week attendance at church was a bit weaker, but lots of people we have been working with came. We had some awesome experiences.

One day we talked to a 18 year old and marked to come back another day to talk to the whole family. As we walked away I think the Lord wanted us to go back to his house because all of sudden it started raining SUPER HARD! we were getting wet even with our umbrellas (which we now carry with us constantly) so we went back to his house to get out of the rain. 

While we were there he told us about how a few people he was close to passed away, and how he thinks that we won't remember this life after death. We shared a short message using scriptures from the book of Mormon to show that since the purpose of this life is to learn and grow, it wouldn't make sense for us to forget all that. He was very interested in the Book of Mormon.  

       The next day we saw him and he told us about how he stayed up until 5am reading the Book of Mormon. He said he is halfway through!

Another time we went to teach a referal and she wasn't too interested. But her friend came and sat in the room. After the message we were about to say the prayer and her friend asked about the preperation to be baptized. She said she wants to be baptized change her life. We'll visit her this week!!!

So I know that the Lord guides us to the people that need to hear our message. Without a doubt he know who is ready to receive the missionaries and when we do all we can we will be constantly guided by his hand. 

We're really excited for christmas because of the WEDDING!!! haha. Geraldino and Fernanda, a couple that have been coming to church for about a month now. So much is changing in their life since they started to live the Gospel. It's amazing to see how much better things got for them.

My companion Elder Badu was transfered! The members loved him a lot, he and his old companion were the first missionaries to get here in Catalão. I'll find out who my new companion will be at the Christmas Conference in Goiânia. We take the bus for 7 hours tomorrow, and the conference will be wednesday.

Love you all and a very merry Christmas to you!

Elder Wallace

Always Follow The Promptings Immediately!

This week was fantastic!

Taking away the sink I broke in our apartment last monday... So I went to put up the 20 liter jug of water and the support fell.. Our fiberglass sink and the dishes on it.... "Já era!" it was nice to have a sink while it lasted... Anyways I've contracted our investigator that's going to get married to help us fix it. It'll actually be pretty cheap to fix after I buy another cheap fiberglass sink!

Church was awesome... haha. we ended early (which nobody will complain about right? haha) because it was fast and testimony meeting. Very spiritual. We had a grand total of 8 members and 23 VISITORS!!! 14 that can be baptized. The investigators were like, "where are the members?" haha. We even had some come early and the left because they thought they were mistaken about the address!!! There wasn't anyone to welcome them at the door because the members were setting up the chairs still. :( but we'll talk to them this week. It's pretty easy to get people to church. the hard part for us has been to get them to progress towards baptism.

Also this week we were walking to an appointment and we were a bit early. I stopped and looked at a corner store for a bit... Then I went in to invite the cashier to church. There was a guy drinking a coke at a table but I didn't pay much attention to him. Then he called us over. He told us he had felt an amazing calm the moment we walked in, a peace that was incredible. He asked if we could visit his house and we were happy to oblige!

When we went to his house he said he had been watching a clip of Jesus walking with the apostles, and he thought about us and said he knew we were true representatives of Jesus Christ.

His name is Fausto and his wife has a great desire to be baptized. We'll challenge them to get married so they can be baptized together.

It was amazing to see the difference that the spirit makes in our lessons. We've been trying hard to convert people and not just baptize them. It's tough but I know it will make the difference here in Catalão in a few years.

Love you all! Merry Christmas! (I know we've still got a while haha.)

Elder Wallace

Natal. Christmas Countdown

Hey Fam!

This week was just as good if not better than the last week. The time flies by so fast and it seems like there's not enough time to get everything done! but like it says in Ecclesiastes, there's time for everything.

It doesn't help that we somehow managed to find great people to teach in the four corners of the city. A member Referal and Less-actives by our house, A baptismal date and less-active family on the edge of the city (you can see the fields and jungle) and another person with a baptismal date by the church. We walk about an hour to get to the church. and then another 30 minutes to get to the edge of the city.  

We've also got people coming to church from the part of the city that's on the other side of the highway! (an hour and a half in the OTHER direction!) 

The greatest blessing we had this week was the attendance at church, we hit 46! This week was the most we've had in Catalão yet since it opened in August. Elder Badu and I are doing our part bringing back the less actives and bringing 13 new investigators to church this week! I don't know what I did to deserve being transfered here. There are other areas where the difficulty is getting people to church, but this isn't one of them. I'm always suprised with who comes. Sometimes the people who we were sure would come don't show up, but a person we invited on the street without teaching does! It's amazing.

Finally got a few complete families to church. There's a family of 4 we're teaching and praying for. Trying to get the husband to get in the boat so they can all get baptized together!

We've got two baptisms marked for this weekend. It's hard to find them at home to teach them. That's our biggest worry. We've got 4 more people that are also preparing to be bapized this month!

The thing I love the most about Catalão is that I know all the members and less-actives. Every week I make a list of who came to church and who didn't come this week. It's so good to know each and every one of them personally, and we've been able to visit all of them quite a few times.

I love the scriptures and I love having an hour of study time every day. If you don't feel that hunger for the scriptures yet, set a time apart to read and pray to heavenly Father asking him to give you a love of the scriptures. Even if we just have the desire to love the scriptures that's enough! 

I'm excited for Christmas because I KNOW that Christ exists, is alive, and does not sleep. Strong spiritual experiences are few, special and sacred, but one of these experiences I had is proof to me that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that he loves us all.

Love you all and I'm excited to talk to you on Christmas!

Elder Wallace

2nd Week in Catalão

This week was great!

Last week after sending emails we walked to the bank that's in the ''downtown'' of Catalão. I've been wearing the shoes out this week because we live an hour away from the school where we have meetings. We proselyte close to the school so that means an hour walking to and from our house every day. It's amazing to think you can walk across a city in an hour. haha.

So anyway, we were walking to the bank and a lady crossed the street to talk to us. She said "Hey! I'm from this church." She was baptized 12 years ago in Belem and didn't know that the church existed here in Catalão. We're excited to visit her and invite the rest of the family to be baptized and join our group here in Catalão. 

The rest of the week we visited Bety, who was going to get baptized this Saturday. I say was becaus on the day of the baptism she got cold feet and hid. haha. She's in her 60's. On the day of the baptism she left home and didn't come back until 8 o clock... We were pretty suprised until we found out her neighbor had told her if she got baptized she would have to always use a skirt and couldn't watch TV anymore.... 

We also had a miracle where a student we had taught left the pamphlet we gave him at college. Another student found it and she called us asking us to visit her and her husband who are having some problems at home. They both came to church sunday so we are excited to teach them this week.

After all the running around during the week, teaching 28 lessons, calling everyone saturday, and the baptism falling through, we were pretty tired saturday night. But it was worth it. Sunday we had 10 investigators at church. Two couples that are married and a few part member families. The best part was that the less active men that we are working with to start the branch came too! We asked one to help us set up chairs and another to give a ride to our investigator. It worked! they all came. 

We need two more melchezidek priesthood holders to start the branch. Sunday we had 3 Less actives that can receive the Melchezidek priesthood here in a bit, and 2 more investigators that are candidates as well!

We've been doing service for the members too. Straightening up the yards of one that had a surgery these past few weeks and a lady in a wheelchair that has a bunch of dogs. It's been great because they always treat us super well, always giving the best lunch they can and everything.

Super excited to keep the work going this week. Hoping to see some more baptisms here in a bit. Catalão is super cool because we keep finding families that didn't know the church is here now, and other families that are less active but are coming back. It's so cool to see how God is leading us to find all of them and them to find us!

Have a great week and hope you all had a good THANKSGIVING!!! (yep, guess who forgot again) I remembered Sunday that it was this week. Haha. But I did eat a roast chicken on Sunday, so I guess that counts right?

Love y'all

Elder Wallace

Telegram from Catalão

Hello Family!

I'm loving the new area! Catalão is everthing I ever hoped for in an area. It's a town that we can cross walking fast in an hour and a half (which we do about twice a day to get to where we work, close to the church) The Group Leader, Marcelo, and his wife Salete are super members. They're from Santa Catarina (the south) And Salete reminds me a bit of Sister Willard. She makes friends quickly with any investigators, and blows up the Relief society with awesome lessons. Of the four days I've been here, we've eaten lunch there twice and they also invited us to dinner but we had other appointments. Super nice family.

For now we have 3 Melquezedek priesthood holders, we need two more to become a branch. This week a member named Gotardo was ordained to the Aaronic priesthood. We've got an investigator that will get married and baptized here in a little bit. An investigator that will be baptized this Saturday and a recent convert's friend that we want to baptize this week also.  

As a group, we're kind of on our own out here. The members are meeting in a school until we become a branch and can rent a house. In my opinion the school is even better, it fits more people. We had 31 people at sacrament meeting 5 investigators. So attendance here is already going really well! To baptize people we either use a pool in a private school, or the resevoir in the middle of the city. I'm excited to get things going, we have a lot of potential here.

It's so good to be in an area where the people are anxious for the church to grow! People here are really receptive, it's easy to get in and teach. I think the Lord blesses the city because of the members.

My companion is from São Paulo, Elder Eric Badu. He's from the same ward as Elder Silva, This is his third transfer so he just finished being trained. He's super excited and has a lot of faith. I'm learning to understand the slang they use in the capital haha. 

Besides this I'm just happy and excited to be here. I feel like Amon when he said, "yea, I desire to dwell among this people for a time, perhaps until the day I die"

haha.

We're so close to being a branch!!! Just need a few more priesthood men to step up and do their part!

Love you all and for sure next week I'll send some pics!

Elder Wallace

Catalão and freedom.

So let's start with the biggest news!

I was transfered! woohoo! President got back from his conference for Mission Presidents and changed basically the whole transfer he had already made. Now I'll stay this week to train my replacement, Elder Brooks. Friday I'm of to one of the areas I've been dying to go to; Catalão!

Catalão opened two transfers ago. I'll be the fourth missionary to go there. It's a city of about 150,000 people and just our companionship in the whole city. There isn't a branch or even a group. For now, they're meeting in a member's house. I'm super excited to get going and my new companion is from Elder Silva's ward: Elder Badu! He's pretty cool, from são Paulo.

During this week we worked up a storm, finding a few families and had some new investigators at church. Elder Brooks will get to see our investigators get married, I'll ask for fotos and will be a little sad to leave them now. But, I'll go where He wants me to go.

Last P-day we played with a football, and ping-pong in our building. One of E. Silva's recent converts, Ricardo, threw with us. Ricardo's birthday is November 6th, so he invited us over to eat cake with him. Ever since he was baptized he has been obsessed with all things "mormon". He's planned for me to adopt him and take him to live in salt lake. haha.

Saturday we had "Helping Hands" project in another city that hopefully will have a branch soon. We handed out flyers and invited people to come to the park where they learned about food storage, health, cut hair for free, and could get their documents cleared up by some lawyers that were there. It was cool to do something a bit different, certainly got the members that went excited.

Sunday we said good-bye to a family that has always helped us a ton with lunch and rides for our investigators; Paulo and Dilamar. 

This week I realized how important it is to make our will the same as the Lord's will. Many times in the mission I try to think "what is the secret to success" Like how many lessons, how many people I need to talk to, How many lessons with members. 

But really what makes the difference is giving the Lord my heart 100%. Giving all I've got to give. He makes up the rest.

Have a great week, 

Love you all.

So the pics are:

P-day football

Cake with Ricardo and William

Paulo's family; Dilamar, Talita, and Pamela.

"Helping Hands" in Senador Canedo.

Halloween in Brazil

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

To tanner and Jess!

So this week was good. We're starting a new program in the mission with a system of four levels of goals. Every week you can get to a certain level depending on your results. The goal is to be LEVEL FOUR haha. 

I guess we'll have cards that will help us keep track of what level we've gotten too.

So this week was very busy. Some disappointments with investigators that are having a hard time with keeping some commandments and not enough desire to keep trying. It's always hard to leave them, but we have to keep going with the people that have the desire to change. 

I love the scripture in Helaman
“Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name.“Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God.
“Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall … lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course …
“And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven.”  
^{https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/10/true-happiness-a-conscious-decision?lang=eng#1-}
Helaman 3:27-30

It all depends on our desire like alma says in 24:9

for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction.

On the bright side we have two investigators that are golden, that are going to get married! one of them to a less active that is coming back in full force to the church. I'm super excited for the wedding and baptism.

Halloween hardly showed his face here. haha. But I expiremented with some pineapple carving. I actually liked it a lot. You can eat the pineapple while you're carving it, and the smell of burnt pineapple isn't really to bad. 

Throw in 4 snickers that we found in a shop that sells them and presto: Halloween in our apartment.

Looks like my time is coming to an end in the office. President has almost finished the transfer and I think I will train a new historian.

Love you all!

Elder Wallace

More Mighty Miracles

So this week was full of miracles.

From monday to thursday we worked really hard, contacted about 30 families but not with many results. 

Friday we got a member reference of two people that need to get married (one is member already) and the wife really wants to get baptized and everything! They have an ice cream shop and you can bet all the elders in our house pass by there frequently.

Friday we also taught a woman that called us over from accross the street. I guess she was really needing some support. She accepted a baptismal date and everything! she really looked like a golden investigator.

Saturday night we were super tired and about to head home, but a lady called us from accross the street AGAIN! haha. It was a woman who had given us her address but we had never found the house. It was an awesome lesson, she told us about all the difficulties she had been passing and we taught about repentance and baptism. She accepted a date to be baptized too!

Sunday:

So the two people who accepted dates, one wasn't home and the other canceled with us... BUT at church the wife that needs to get married brought her friend and she LOVED the church. haha. 

Now when I pray, I pray that the Lord will give us miracles and help us do his will. I know it will always work out if we just do our part. He blesses us so much in our work and we have 3 people with baptismal dates now. Now it's just keep them on track and hopefully I'll have some awesome pics for y'all next week.

Love,

Your missionary 

Elder Wallace

Cold, Cold Showers!

This week we were pretty sure the earth was going to be baptized by fire and the second coming must be near, because it is super hot here! 

Because our house is one of the best of the mission, we have two bathrooms, and one of the shower head-water heater things broke. So basically the bathroom with the cold shower has been mine, all mine. The other elderes are still taking hot showers, I don't know how they stand it.

Some missionaries put a wet towell on the bed to sleep or even put ice cubes on the towell to try and get some sleep. But we're lucky, there are parts of brazil that are even Hotter. But here's probably one of the driest.

This week we worked really hard. We talked to everyone that passed us on the street, knocked a lot of doors, visited the members to get references, everything that we should do as missionaries. We even had an investigator get a testimony about the book of mormon and accept to be baptized, but she will move Monday... haha. When we got to saturday night I prayed and said Lord it's in your hands now. We need people to come to church so they can be baptized, if it be thy will bless us with a miracle.

Saturday to sunday was the Dreaded DAY LIGHT SAVINGSSSSS and we lost an hour. So all the families we had to bring to church slept or it didn't work out. The member that was with us to give them a ride was starting to get frustrated. We went to the last house and I was super happy to see that the mom already had all the kids dressed and up! But then I heard the yelling inside the house and knew that something was up. Turns out her brother got drunk early that morning and told her she wasn't going anywhere, she had to go to his house and make lunch for everyone.

I was pretty down because we sift through a lot of people to find the ones who are ready, if someone doesn't come to church the first or second week we almost never visit them again, because we have to move on to the people that are ready to come. It's something that I never understood before the mission, but now it's part of life.

We got to church pretty down.. But in the middle of Gospel Principles a member brought a visitor in: Maria moved here from the Bahia and has attended church for like 3 months already! She needs to get married but she wants to be baptized and said the whole family will come this next week! 

I thought the Lord chose an awesome miracle, seeing as our golden investigator moved to another state, a golden investigator moved here and came to church in the same week.

The church is true, this is the Lord's work. If we keep the commandments and do all the Lord asks of us, we can be happy and grateful NOW and will receive life Everlasting.

Thanks mom and dad for always keeping your covenants and raising me to the Lord.

Love you all,

Elder Wallace

Me elder Bruno and Elder Casafus, our DL. 

Pequi popsicle in the office.

Elder Wallace's Epistle to the Family in Roosevelt, Salt Lake, and the surrounding Areas.

Hey Family!

So how are you all doing? 

This week week we worked real hard. Almost died fasting because it's really hot Here! Serious I've heard stories of missionaries that walk into the shower with their clothes on, get soaked, and then leave to work because they get dry in a half-hour.

I wake up everyday at about 5:45 because the sun is already up and burning! The suns not supposed to be up until way later! I have to stay in bed though because it's a rule now to not wake up before 6:30. haha. I guess to many missionaries were waking up to study or to work out... wierd problem right?

I'm reading Jesus the Christ, I started a month ago and I'm halfway through now. Mostly because I would read it while I was waiting for Elder Almeida to come out of the shower. and he takes FOREVER in the shower! haha. 

Elder Bruno got an email today from his girlfriend that their sealing is marked for January 10th, 1:00 pm... Haha. We're seeing the symptoms of being a little trunky but he works super hard, I admire him for that. 

This week we had about 12 people that said they would go to church... Unfortunately it didn't work out for them I guess. It was also The second round of the presidential elections AND "children's Day" I guess it's like father's or mother's day. You give presents to the kids and make popcorn and popcorn with that pink sugar stuff, and cotton candy. Needless to say all the kids in the neighborhood were all hyped up on sugar, and our lessons had to be short.

We're finding lots of people, just need to find the ones that will baptize! Luckily everyone here is real open. When we get someone that is not receptive, we just treat them well or say a prayer with them. Instead of trying to teach or argue with them, I try to set them up for the next time they meet the missionaries.

Super Jealous you guys saw meet the Mormons. Even if people talk bad about it, it still gets the church's name out there. John Tanner was converted because he went to denounce the missionaries for an anti-poster he saw, and ended up being baptized!!! Are we related to him?

Have a great week, 

Love you all!

Elder Wallace