União da Vitória Week 14

So this week has been really cool, and really strange at the same time. So basically what I am learning is that when you are a District Leader in the middle of nowhere, and that even one pair of missionaries in your district is one and a half hours away, it is a little difficult to have a normal week, when you can work the whole week in your area. This week we were Tuesday and Thursday traveling to and from different cities. On Tuesday we went to do a baptismal interview for the Elders in Canoinhas, a city that is about an hour and a half bus ride there, if you can get a direct route. On Thursday (Thanksgiving) we went to Guarapuava, which is about a 5 hour bus ride there, for divisions with the zone leaders. So it was a little hard to keep checking up on all the people we are teaching, but we are making it work.

I don´t have a lot of time to email this week, but thank you all for the support. Hope you all had a good Thanksgiving, because even though I was with an American on divisions on Thursday, I completely and thoroughly forgot.

-- Élder Pettingill

Pizza with the Zone Leaders

União da Vitória Week 13

So this week was good and bad at the same time. We have been preparing Ana to be baptized, but she has a problem with coming to church. She has trouble finding motivation to come to church. So we have been pushing her baptismal date back so that she can go to church a second time before she is baptized. Something good this week was that a family that we have been teaching came to church! We have been teaching João Maria, Jacira, Maria Eduarda, e Edson for about a few weeks already. This was the first time that they said that they would come to church and they actually came. It was really good, but the only problem is that they have a child who is very little and likes to make a mess, so it was hard for them to concentrate during Sacrament meeting with the him making a lot of noise, and doing things that children do. We are hoping to help them to really make changes in their lives, and feel the blessings of the gospel.

Well the rest of the week was pretty normal. Walking a lot, and teaching a lot of people. I am continuing to learn a lot, and doing my best to finish up my mission working as hard as I can.

Anyway, thank you all for the support, and have a great week.

-- Élder Pettingill

I Found Peanut Butter in Brazil!!!!!

 Pictures from the New Missionary Training:

União Da Vitória Week 12

So this week was really weird. We only worked 3 of the 7 days completely in our area. On Monday we only worked after 6 because of P-day. On Tuesday we worked normally and we had the District Council, On Wednesday we had to leave at 5 pm to go to Curitiba for a District Leader Council, so we only worked until about 3-4 pm so that we could prep to catch the bus. On Thursday we had the District Leader Council, and we had to wait to catch a bus to a city called Canoinhas where I would do a baptismal interview, and we would do a division with the Elders in that area. Then on Friday we had the division, and the interview, and only got back in our area in União da Vitória with time to go to bed. We worked Saturday and Sunday normally.

We are working a lot with Ana so that she can be baptized on November 24th. We are going to help her to get to know the members and to be able to go to church.

I am learning a lot here, and I am very excited to work for these last transfers and help people come unto Christ especially in this Christmas season that is almost here.

Thank you all for the support

-- Élder Pettingill

-Zone Conference
-p-day at the King Christ hill
-Pizza on the division
-Temple

União da Vitória Week 11

This week was good, but I don´t have a lot of time to write. We had divisions on Monday, and we worked a lot this week. Ana is preparing to be baptized on Nov 17th so pray for her. She went to church. We had transfers, and I will be here with Elder Lima for another 6 weeks. The transfer was only 5 weeks. The next one will be 6, and then my last one will be 7. I will be transferred the next time, I think.

So to answer your question about the temple, we were there from 6:30am-4:30pm. Elder Lima and I were only able to do 1 session, because he got his patriarchal blessing there, so we weren´t able to make more than one session, but a lot of missionaries were able to do 2.

I got my travel itinerary today as well. To me it is just really weird. I already had gotten a call about where is the airport closest to my house. I will come home on February 6.

I am learning a lot, and I am trying to make the most of my last two transfers on the mission.

Thank you all and have a good week.

-- Élder Pettingill