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

União da Vitória Week 10

So this week was cool. On Monday we had P-day, and we made pizza with Irmã Claudete. On Tuesday we had the district meeting, then we worked for a little bit, but at 5pm we took a bus to Curitiba, for the new missionaries meeting on Wednesday. Because we live far away from the mission office, and because the meeting was in the morning, we had to go there a day early, then sleep in the mission secretaries´ house. On Wednesday we had the new missionaries meeting with all the missionaries that arrived this transfer, and we learned a lot about training, or being trained. After that we took another bus back to União da Vitória. On Thursday we had splits with the other elders in our apartment. On Friday we watched a devotional with Sister Franco, the primary general president, with the missionaries in the missions Curitiba and Curitiba Sul. Then today we went to the Temple, we are going to spend the day here, then we are going to go home. So that has been my week so far. We haven´t been able to work a lot, but we have learned a lot.

I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to be able to go to the temple while I am here on the mission. I love the house of the Lord, and everything that I learn there.

Anyway I don´t have a lot of time, but have a great week.

-- Élder Pettingill

Pictures:
-Temple
-Pizza with the secretaries
-Pizza with Claudete

União da Vitória Week 9

So this week was cool. We didn´t have any meetings, and we have been working a lot here. It is really good to work with Elder Lima. Helping him learn about being a missionary helps me to remember what I have to do to be a missionary. It is really good. We had the District Conference this week which was really good. We were able to hear President and Sister Cuvelier speak which was really good.

We are working with some really good people this week. Rosangela, and Ana. Rosangela is excited about family, because hers isn´t very united, but she hopes that the gospel will help with that. Ana has a hard time understanding things and got married two times, and both times her husband died, so she is a little depressed. We are helping her have the blessings of the gospel in her life.

Next week we will be doing a lot of traveling. On Tuesday we are going to Curitiba (+/- 4 1/2 hours), for a new missionaries meeting (Elder Lima). Then on Saturday we are going to the temple! So that means that we are going to leave here at 2:30am and not leave there until 4-5pm. It is going to be good, but my p-day will be on Saturday so I will email on Saturday.

Thank you all for the support!

-- Élder Pettingill

União da Vitória Week 8

Well this week was interesting. This week was the first week after Conferênce. We had Zone conference this week, and we learned a lot about focusing on baptisms, the importance of the area book, and about the importance of being diligent and happy, and working with the members. I learned a lot, and now I am just trying to apply all that I have learned during general conference, and the zone conference. This week we don´t have any meetings other than the district counsel, so I will have time to apply before the next bombardment of spiritual knowledge. I just will have to wait until next week for that.

Anyway, it is great being able to train a new missionary. Elder Lima is awesome. He tries so hard to talk with everyone, when I know that it is hard for him. Because of this we are finding a lot of new people to teach this week. We have a lot of people with a lot of potential now. Now we just have to focus on teaching these people while finding other people as well. I am really learning a lot that the Lord puts his children in our way so that we can find them at the right times to help them.

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

-- Élder Pettingill

Pics:
-Elder Silva, Elder Silva, Elder Lima, and I on the "morro da cruz"