Borda do Campo Week 1

So for those who don´t know português, which is probably all of you, Borda do Campo means 'the edge of the field'. In this case it means city and mission. The area here is really big, but it is because it has two areas far away that are included in the area. We don´t go there because we have to focus on the branch that we have right now. Anyway with this area we have about 30 members in the branch, and about 3-4 times that in less actives. What happened is that the branch president right now somehow got a lot of people angry so they are waiting for him to be released to come back to church,. Also he moved to a different ward but is still the branch president. Anyway one of his counselors, and one of the counselors from the Elder´s Quorum are holding everything together here. All in all, we have a lot of work to do.

Anyway the living situation is good here. We have a very big house, and we live close to the church, and in the middle of our area so all that is good. Elder Curbelo is a good missionary. He is very excited to work, and he has a lot of faith. With that faith we have seen miracles this week. Being the senior companion hasn´t changed much, but instead of focusing on only improving my teaching and work, I focus on helping Elder Curbelo as well, more than I would as a junior. Also I feel that I have more help from the Lord to be a good missionary, and be an example to my companion.

So we have really been blessed this week. We have been looking for addresses of less actives with people in the family that aren´t members, here they are called NTMs. We didn´t find a whole lot of those people, but we did manage to find a good amount of novos (new investigators). We found one family when the sister of the mom moved to our branch, but didn´t know where the church was, so her sister (the mom of the family) waved us down in the street as we were looking for addresses. We talked with her, and we gave a message to her, and her daughter, then came back when the father was at home, and taught the rest of the family. It was a good experience, and we have had a few experiences like that this week. I feel like we really worked well this week, and I feel blessed. 

General Conference was really good. I got to listen to the first, and most of the second sessions in English, because they set a computer up for me. I really like the talks by Elder Stevenson, and by Elder Holland. I like some of the other talks as well, but I don´t have my notes, and I don´t know the names of the general authorities. Anyway I liked the talk by Elder Stevenson that talked about how we should never let anything, no matter how small, block our view of the Savior. I also really like from the talk given by Elder Holland about how we are not perfect, but  at least the Savior is, and so at least we know where our goal is.

I am so grateful in my life for all that the Savior does for me every day. I am also immensly grateful for his prophets and apostles that lead, and guide us every day, and for all the help that we get so that one day after this life we can live with God again. 

Thank you all for the support.

-- Élder Pettingill

I won´t send any pics this week because the computers here are a little weird, and won´t show my adapter.

Here is a picture a member from his last area posted just before he left last week, along with Elder Salazar who had finished his mission and was going home.