Jardim Ipê Transferências e Semana 12

So this week was transfers. I was transfered, but it wasn´t very far. I was transfered to Borda do Campo which is in the same district as Jardim Ipê; in fact I had already done some divisions in the area. Elder Alvarado stayed in Jardim Ipê, and he's still my district leader. He will be training a greeny ou verdinho. I am in Borda do Campo with Elder Curbelo. Here are some things about him
-He is the only missionary from Uruguay in the mission.
-He knows how to play a lot of instruments
-He has more or less 6 months in the mission.
-He really likes music, and was in a band before the mission.
-He only has one transfer in the area

Some things about the area.
-It is the only branch in the stake.
-It is a big area that used to have two pairs of missionaries
-There are a lot of less actives
-The Branch President lives in a different ward now, and is waiting to be released.

Anyway this last week was good. We were able to find some people that seems like they will progress. I have learned more about Portuguese, and about missionary work. I have learned that when we are obedient in all things we are blessed. I have really felt blessed this week.

We visited the Pereira family for the last time, and Daniela (the mom) said that she will make ties for us. We told her what we wanted, and now she will make the ties. I will send a pic when they are done. She will give it to Elder Alvarado, and he will give it to me.

Thank you all for the support, and stay strong

--Élder Pettingill

There are some pics here from Familia Pereira, and also from Jackson, and the Vilma´s. Also from the wedding we went to, and the cake that Jackson made. There is also one of a bird that built a nest in the his backyard.

Jardim Ipê Week 11

Okay so this week was fun, but bad because we had a lot of things that took up our work time. We had the normal things for the week, but we also had a talent show, and a fireside. The talent show was good. I did a magic trick, and all the missionaries did a skit about missionary life. It was all good, but our things took up a lot of time. I have videos that I will send next week I think.

Anyway we found some people that I am excited to teach. We found one family that really accepted us because we talk about Christ, and we started teaching the daughter of a member that recently had a baby. It was really cool to be able to teach, and have people accept us. I hope that they will understand the importance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I don´t know if I have said this before or not, but being here in Brazil with all the different Christian faiths has made me realize something. There are a lot of ways that we can feel the Holy Ghost, and be happy. The problem is that in these other ways the happiness is only for this life. I like to use an analogy of the sun. There are a billion ways that we can go in the direction of the sun, and still feel the heat, and light of the sun, but there is only one way that we can take to really reach the sun. All the other ways will at one point lead us to darkness, and away from the sun, but if we really follow the right path we can reach the sun. This is how it is with Christ. If we are not following him in the ways that he taught, and in all the truths that his gospel teaches, then we will not reach him. We can feel the joy of his gospel, and we can feel happy, but if we don´t do things the way that Christ taught, one day that happiness will turn to darkness. This is explained in the third article of faith ```We believe that through the atonement of Christ all man kind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.`` ``for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.`` -Acts 4:12. I know this to be true, and that is why I am serving a mission.
I am immensely grateful for this opportunity to serve, and to teach about Christ. 

-- Élder Pettingill

 These are more photos from the parade last week:

Jardim Ipê Week 10

So this week was a good week. At the start of the week we had to cut some people because they weren´t progressing, or it was hard to find them at home. Anyway, one day at the beginning of the week I read in the bible somewhere about prayers. I read about how we should pray for everything; our jobs, our family, our interests, our problems, and any other thing we can think of. So I started to pray better. I started to really talk to God, and talk about my area, the help in the things that I would like help with, with my problems, and the things that I would like to work on. I saw a huge difference in my work, and with my sensitivity to the spirit. Heavenly Father helped me help other, find people to teach, he helped me learn, and he helped me in a bunch of different things. I really have felt the love that he has for me, and the love that he has for others, and I am sooooooooo grateful for the opportunity that I have to serve a mission, and to help people.

This week we had Nelson´s baptism. He has been investigating the church for a long time. The only thing that was impeding him was that he wasn´t married legally. He got married this week, and so he was baptized as well. It was so awesome to see a son of God making a covenant with him, and coming closer, as well. Now all we have to do is baptize his wife. ;) (Video of Elder Pettingill and the other missionaries in his apartment singing at the baptism). 

Anyway we also went to a parade for the independence day for Brazil. It was really cool, and I got to see Elder Porter, my companion in the CTM. We marched in the parade as part of the Helping Hands. The only bad part was that we had to wake up at 4am to get to the center of Curitiba for the parade at 7:30am. 

This next week will have a talent show that I will do magic in, and a fireside that the missionaries are organizing for the stake. I am really excited for everything, and I am so happy to be here in Brazil, speaking português, and serving the Lord. 

Thank you all for the Support. 

-- Élder Pettingill

Pictures: These are of the baptism, and my division with Elder Curbelo de Uraguay. Also one from the parade.

Jardim Ipê Week 9

So this week was good. We have been working with Nelson our investigator that will be baptised this week. He is really ready to be baptised, but he still needs to learn a few things. He came to church this week. Because of his work, it is hard for him to come to church sometimes, but we focused on the sabbath so that he understands what he is doing, and he is getting ready to be baptised.

We have been having difficulties with our other investigators, but we are trying to help them and we are trying to work with the ward to get things done. 

We had stake conference this week, and it was really good. There was a speaker that spoke about how we should think about who the Savior is to us, and about what he means to us. There was a different speaker that spoke about how we express our joy, and how we can try to recognize the joy that others have. It was a reallly good experience. 

This week we also have been visiting some of the recent converts here. I felt happy when one of them said that they are greatful for the visits of the missionaries. I am really happy that I can bring the joy of the gospel into the lives of so many great people. 

This week I read a scripture that I really like which is Alma 41:14 which says:

Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again.

I really like this scripture because it talks about the kind of person that we should be. We don´t have to be good at sports or math, or anything else; we just have to judge righteously, and do good continually, and if we do this then we will be blessed in our lives. I know this to be true, especially since I have started helping people. I love that as missionaries we are called to serve, and the best way that we can serve people is helping them connect with their Heavenly Father again, and know the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I love that I have the opportunity to serve here in Brazil, and I am grateful for all of your support. 

-- Élder Pettingill