11.29.11 A Good Week in Timon

Good morning!
This week was pretty good. Neither of us know the area so we are just working on that. We are focusing on getting to know the members here to get their trust and help. My other companion fought with the bishop the day I showed up and so I haven´t ever had a good relationship with him, just because I was companions with my companion.. haha. But the first day of the transfer we went and found the bishop and talked and so now everyone is on good terms.

We got a list of recent converts from the church yesterday, so we are going to go and visit them this week to invite them to an activity and see if people in their families are ready to hear the gospel. I have had some sucess doing that before... Speaking of that, Fernando (from my first area Sobral) went to the temple last week! I don´t know if you remember but we found him because his wife was less active and he was just ready to go. I don´t know if I talked about him before because I was transferred 5 days before his baptism.. but now he went to the temple and I am pretty sure he got sealed with his wife. He is a stud.

My new companion is awesome. We already get a long great. He is from Curitiba... my second companion from there... He was born into the church. He doesn´t know his biological dad because his dad didn´t want anything to do with a baby, so he left and never came back. But when he was 3 his mom met a guy in the temple that was perfect for her and he adopted my companion and gave him his last name and a little bit after they were all sealed together. My companion is a really really good teacher. He knows how to connect with people and make them feel important. I am going to learn a lot from him.

For Thanksgiving we had Zone Conference. (not because it was thanksgiving, but because of coincidence) So we got a bigger lunch than normal so that was good. There are a couple of Americans in the zone, so we wished each other happy thanksgiving... and moved on haha. I got my package too! It was great. I didn´t want to wait till christmas... Thank you for everything! I am sure my brazilian friends will like the presents. You send two pairs of shorts so I gave one to Elder Cunha who asked for them, and the other to my companion, because I didn´t need more.. I hope that is ok. And everyone is loving the candy. The ensigns are great and the book by Elder Holland is awesome. I love the quotes in there.

I like to give things to the people I live with, but it isn´t me who is buying the stuff. The elder I live with now wants that umbrella and a yankees hat, but he doesn´t need them. I get the feeling that he is just taking advantage of an american haha. Because the first day here he just started asking for things... i didn´t even know him at all ha... I just told him I will see what I can do. So don´t feel like you need to send those things. if you want to you can though.

And I see elder Smoot and Elder Plewe every now and again. I have seen Smoot more often. I only saw Elder Plewe the day Elder Bednar was here because the entire mission was here. He has been in São Luis his entire mission and that is really far away from all the areas I have been in. The last time I saw him before that meeting was in Portland when the assistents there dropped him off in his area.. haha. He is doing good though.

And the last question.. I am still junior. I am happy with that though. I don´t want to be a leader or anything. I like just helpin out ha. It is better.
Thank you for everything you guys have done, and continue to do! .

I love you all very much!
Love Isaac

11.21.11 Transfers

So I just got called and I am staying here in Timon, but my companion got transferred. My new companion will be Elder Veloso. He will get here tomorrow at 8 at night. i am excited! I wasn´t sure how I was going to live with Elder Bezerra for very much longer... haha. But it is all good now. I also got to know Elder Veloso in Parnaíba. He is a good missionary and knows how to work. It will be good.

11.21.11

Good morning!
This week was ok. We had a baptism on Saturday! so that was good. Her name is Bianca. She is 13 years old. Her 2 older brothers were baptized pretty recently. I don´t know exactly when, but she wasn´t ready at the same time as her brothers I guess. The youth here are amazing and got her to come to church every week, and she was atending seminary everyday. She was basically a member already. We call these types of people ´´dry members´´ ha. But now she is really happy. Her mom came to the baptism and church the next day... so I hope that she will be baptized too.

It sounds like your week is going to be busy. That is good. When you see Dane say this to him... Isaac mandou um abraço. And tell everyone else hello and that I love them. This is my last Thanksgiving on the mission... next year I will be home to celebrate with you guys. They don´t have thanksgiving here. They know what it is because of american movies and stuff, but it isn´t a holiday here. The closest thing to Thanksgiving is Christmas. On Christmas all of the family gets together and has a big dinner. But I hope you all have a great holiday and eat a little extra for me. (I will probably be eating rice, beans and chicken.)

Things are kinda rocky right now. One of the elders that works here in Timon went home because of his knees, and so now we are in 3. It is annoying. And the other elder that we are with now got his wisdom teeth taken out, and so he isn´t able to leave the house. And my companion is a little difficult. He doesn´t like to be forced to obey the rules, so if he doesn´t want to obey, he won´t.. haha. So what I have to do is just show him that I want to obey without saying anything because if I say something he will feel like I am forcing him and he will do exactly the opposite of that thing. (I learned this when I got to know him in Parnaíba.) So it is annoying, but we get a long and laugh and talk a lot. So that is good.

There isn´t very much more news down here... There will be a transfer today... but I am sure I am staying here haha. There are a lot of good missionaries going home today. But hopefullly the other elder gets transferred so we are just in 2, or he gets another companion.

I hope you all have a great week in Wyoming! I am sad to miss it, but have a great thanksgiving! I love you all very much. Oh, and tell Kay Grandma thanks for the letter, and also the Kuhn family thanks for their letters. I will write them back, but it will be slow because it looks like the mail system is on strike again. (your package should be here though, so that won´t be a problem)

But I love you all so much. And thank you for everything!
Love Isaac
ps, i would send pictures, but the stupid computers here are full of virus and my memory card got a virus. I have to find a place to fix it now... sorry...

11.14.11 Pictures

A cool Flower

The Whole Mission in Teresina to be taught by Elder Bednar.

the river between teresina and Timon... if you can zoom in on the tiny island in the middle, you will see someone´s tent... i think someone lives there... haha. I am thinkin about tying to teach him.

Limes - they are pretty big

Acerola. One of my favorite fruits here. In this little fruit there is more vitamin C than a big orange. It is about the size of an acorn.

And we found a caju. The stem of this fruit is what you guys know as cashews. I don´t know if you know this.. I am sure dad does, but a cashew isn´t a nut. It is a stem of this fruit.

11.14.11 Elder Bednar visits

Hey family!

Haha Mom, not even I am counting the days. But that is good to know i have 500 days on the mission... It doesn´t feel like it. It is going by way to fast.

My new area is alright. It is huge. and we walk a ton when we walk. We don´t get out too much, because my companion has knee problems...But he doesn´t want to tell anyone because then the presidents wife will be annoying to him. At least that is what he says... haha. and it is a little true. I am not sure why I keep gettin put with these kind of companions, but whatev. I guess there is something I still haven´t learned haha.

And yes, I lived with Elder Sessions in Tianguá. he is a really good guy. When I started there I lived with all Brazilians, but when I got my new companion there, on of the other brazilias was transferred too and elder Sessions filled his spot. Right now I am living with all brazilians again. I like it. It is harder for me to speak in english now than it is in portugues.

My house is kinda big. It fits 4 people well. There is a big room right when you walk in, that would normally be used to park a car, but we use it to hang up clothes to dry. Then you go in more to the kitchen which is pretty small. And there is a long hallway that goes back to the bathrooms and bedrooms. The houses aren´t very wide, but are pretty long. There are 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, one study room for the other 2 elders. My room is big so me and my comp study in our bedroom. It is a good house.

So, the big news of the week is Elder Bednar came here this weekend!! It was awesome. On Saturday we went to Teresina, which is like 10 minutes away. (it is just on the other side of the river... if you look at a map). All of the missionaries were there this time. that never has happened before. I will send a pic of the whole mission together.
But when elder Bednar walked in the atmosphere in that chapel changed. It was amazing. He is such a great teacher. He taught us the same way he did when I was in Oregon. But I ended up learning different things because he knows how to let the Spirit guide the lesson and so I learned a lot more this time. He is truly an apostle of the Savior. I know he is called of God.

We will have a baptism this coming saturday of a girl named Bianca. She is the sister of two other young men who were baptized not too long ago. She is way excited and loves the church. I won´t be surprised if their mom gets baptized soon too. She is progressing...

One thing amazing about Timon is the youth here. The youth of the church are something else. I haven´t ever seen anything like it, but these kids are sooo united. They do everything together. most of them except for a few are alone in the church... meaning their parents and other siblings aren´t members. But these youth are so strong and a really great example.

But I had better get goin. I need to write mom a special email just for her for her birthday.

I love you!. thank you all for the support and prayers. Oh, and how is miles doing? and the rest of the clarks?

Love Isaac

11.7.11 Surprise!

Hey fam, I have a surprise for you.. I was transferred. I don´t know exactly what happened, but the transfer call came at like 10:15 wednesday night and the assistants said I would be leaving the next day at 2:45pm. That was annoying. So I went to my room and just started packing up all my stuff so I would have time the next day to say goodbye to a few people. So now I am in Timon. It is right next to Teresina, just on the other side of a river. Timon is in the state of Maranhão. It is a huge city... compared to my other areas, and there are only 4 elders here in the city. So my area is enormous. My companion is Elder Bezerra. He is from Manaus. I got to know him in Parnaíba when I was there because his companion was also the district leader and so when our companions went to meetings in Teresina, we were companions for the week. He is a good guy... another test for me... but we get along haha. He started his mission because the girl he wanted to marry said he needed to go on a mission or else she wouldn´t think of marrying him... but then he got a dear john letter and now he has no reason to be on the mission. But he says he is a man of his word and he is too prideful to quit something he started. He is a really good teacher though. He teaches really boldly and explains things very clear. It helps the investigators know the importance. I know I will learn a lot from him. I knew that I shouldn´t have said anything about that family we found... I knew something would happen that wouldn´t let me teach them more... haha. Just kidding. I guess that is the life of a missionary.So Timon is really really hot. We have to walk a ton. For lunch yesterday we had to walk 4 kilometers just to get to the members house, and it was in the other elders area.... so we had to walk 4 kilometers back to our area. It is ridiculous... And the lunches aren´t even that good... I am greatful for the members and their charity to give lunch to us, but I don´t know if it is worth all the walking to get there haha. I am going to get way way way skinny in this area... I am already hoping that I don´t stay here for 6 months like my other area´s haha. But it will be ok. A big area means a LOT of people to teach. I am excited to work here. Other news is that Elder Bednar is coming here on Saturday! I am way excited for that. That will be great. This will be the second time I get to hear him while I am on my mission. Also, on Sunday there is going to be a stake conference with him for the Teresina stake, and Timon is part of the Teresina stake. So I will get to hear him again on Sunday! I got lucky to be transferred here at this time. Other than that, I don´t have very much news. I am just trying to get used to the new area. I am looking forward to this transfer. An elder that I live with asked me if you guys could send a hat for him... He wants an original new york yankees hat.. like the kind you buy at fanz in the mall.. the 35 dollar kind. I told him that i would ask you guys to look... If it isn´t a huge problem could you buy one and send it? the size of the hat would be 7 1/2. I didn´t guarantee anything... so you don´t have to. Also he wants a new umbrella haha. Some other american gave him his, but it broke, and he wants the exact same one. The brand is Shed Rain... it is small and has an open/close button... I told him I don´t know if they have that in my city so, again, i didn´t gurantee anything... i thought it was a little annoying that right when I got there he started asking for things, but if it isn´t a problem he would appreciate it I am sure. He said he would give me 30 reais for the hat too... Thanks for the scripture dad. I will look that one up too and study it a little more. I hadn´t ever payed much attention to that scripture before. But i liked it a lot! Thanks.It sounds like things are going well for you guys back home. I am glad to hear about Mom´s throat and that it isn´t looking like a huge problem. I have been thinking about you and praying for you. I am happy that my letter to Dad got there. I was going to write a letter to mom and send it to get there in time for her birthday, but things have been kinda busy so I didn´t have much time. I will write a special email to you when it is your birthday, and you can imagine that it is handwritten... ok? ha. Oh, and usually the release date for missionaries is revealed when the missionary has 6 months left on the mission. So, I, and you, should know in about another 2 months ish. Have a great day and an awesome week! I love you guys very much!love Isaac