Vila Bela Week 5 Transfers

So first off, if you haven´t heard, this week has started a nationwide trucker strike. Well how it works is that gasoline here is really expensive, and so the truckers weren´t making a living or at least a good one, so they decided to do a strike so that the government lowers the gas prices. What that means is that they are blocking the highways and aren´t letting anyone that is transporting anything, other than people, get through, until the government lowers the gas prices (they are high because of taxes, a lot of taxes). Anyway, the result is that factories, and other places that produce things can´t get their goods to the market, or other places. So basically no one has any gas, and transportation is very limited. They haven´t shut down the city buses in Curitiba yet, or the travel buses, but who knows how long that will last. Also the markets are running out of food. We as missionaries aren´t being that affected by it yet. There is still food, we were told to go and buy food, also there are still buses  sufficient for transfers, so so far everything has worked out.

Okay now about transfers. After one transfer in Vila Bela-Guarapuava, I was transferred to Xaxim (it is pronounced like shashing with emphasis on the ing). I was very surprised to be transferred, and sad to leave my area after such short time, but I have to trust that the Lord needs me here. So now I am in Curitiba for the second time officially, and I am ready to work, and make goals, and take what I learned from Elder Holland and put it to good use.

Also this week end we had the opportunity to hear from Elder Holland. 👏👏. I learned a lot from him. One of the things he said is that as a missionary I am an apostle with a lower case a, and he is an Apostle with a capital A. This is because as missionaries we work side by side with the Quorum of the Twelve in the salvation of souls. He made it very clear that the most important thing that someone can do in their life is serve a mission, because nothing is more important than a human soul. He also talked about how we don´t have power over the conversion of anybody, but ourselves, so we need to make sure that we are converted. It is okay if some sheep leave the fold, but we cannot lose a shepherd. Also He talked about how in this church it is always forward. No matter how much you have learned, no matter how good you are, or how much responsibility you have or have had, you have to keep on learning. It was an amazing experience to be able to hear an Apostle of the Lord. Also it was a very good reminder that everyone is human, and everyone has faults, and that we don´t have to be robots in life. While Elder Holland was talking, he joked a lot. It helped everyone keep a light mood, but still learn. I am thankful for the time that I had with him. Also it was good to see that even a truckers strike can´t stop the Lord. All the missionaries in the missions Curitiba and Curitiba sul were able to get there (I think), and were able to get back safely.

Elder Holland shared a poem which he said is french, but he shared it in English

``Come to the edge.´´
``No, I´ll fall. It´s hard.´´
``Come to the edge.´´
``No, it´s hard. I´ll fall.´´
``COME TO THE EDGE!´´
So I came to the edge, and he pushed me, and I flew.

I know that the work I am doing is of the highest importance, and I am very grateful to be able to be a part of this wonderful work.

Have a good week, and remember that you all can be a part as well.

-- Élder Pettingill

Pics:
-The over 60 cookies that I made with 4 types
-My new soccer shoes so that I can learn how to play soccer
-The fire that we made in the barbeque with a bunch of boxes that were in the appartment.
-My and Elder Londoño´s knew thor(his) hulk(mine) ragneroc fight cups
-My knew companion Elder Verdugo.

Vila Bela Week 4

So this week has been great. We have found a lot of new people to teach. We are really doing our best to help the work progress this week. Also we had a little miracle that happened on Sunday. Also on Tuesday we had a ``snack´´ with the district, but I forgot to take a pic.

So even though we have found a lot of new people to teach, we had almost no one to go to church this week. Elder Londoño and I were a little sad, but we prayed that Heavenly Father would bless us with someone. Anyway we had been teaching this young man Luan. He hadn´t been making a whole lot of progress. He wanted to be baptized, but he wasn´t fulfilling with the commitments that we left with him, like go to church, and he wouldn´t stop drinking coffee. So we decided that right now he wasn´t ready, and that we would drop him, and he would be ready for some other missionaries. Well that Sunday when we were sad, he appeared there, which made us very happy, and asked why we had stopped going to teach him. We explained to him, and asked about the coffee. He said that he had stopped. So we marked a visit with him later that day, then we marked a baptismal date for June 2nd. This experience really showed the love that Heavenly Father has for all his children. The love he has for me, and the love that he has for the people that I am teaching. I know that this is his work, and I am very grateful to be a part of it.

Thank you all for the support, and have good week.

-- Élder Pettingill

Pics:
-some pics I took on the bus ride to the District meeting
-the ``galera´´ after the District meeting
-more pics from the bus ride

Vila Bela Week 3

So this week was cool. So first off on Wednesday we had some interviews with President which was really cool, and helped me be motivated to work this week. Then we worked some more finding people and helping them. Then on Friday we had splits with the Zone Leaders. I went to the center with Elder Reid while Elder Londoño stayed in our area with Elder Lira. It was fun because we had to go out to this place in the middle of nowhere, and there was a parrot there, so that was cool. Also I did some baptismal interviews for them. We are preparing one person specifically for baptism, José. His only problem is that he is very forgetful, like he forgets things in the moment in which you say them, so pray for him. We are also working with some other families as well. Mother´s day was great, and it was really great to see my family, but it was a little weird because it was my last one, so I am really just waiting till I see everyone in person. Since I am serving in a branch, and because nobody here really knows anything about music, I am being called on to help the Primary prepare for the Primary program while I am here. So it looks like every Sunday I will be going into the Primary to help them learn the music.

Anyway it was a great week and I am learning a lot here in Brazil. It really is amazing to look back and see all the changes that have occurred.

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

-- Élder Pettingill

Vila Bela Week 2

So this week we worked and went to the temple. Also there were some complications with the district meeting because of holidays but that is just Brazil. Also we went to the temple on Saturday which was good, and we spent a lot of time there. I don´t have a lot of time to talk, but I know that sometimes when things are hard or don´t work out the way we want them to, it all has a reason, and we just have to put trust in our leaders. Also, Elder Holland will be coming to the mission on I think May 26 or something like that so that will be fun.

Thank you all for the support.

-- Élder Pettingill