March 10, 2014- Cory has a new companion!

This week my first Brazilian Companion left and I got a new companion, he is from Texas and likes basketball and has been serving about a year. He’s been in Brazil 6 months and served in Missouri for 6 as well.

I think all the visa waiters are now going straight to the São Paolo Mission Training Center now when their Visas transfer through, I will not lie, a refresher on the basics of Portuguese would have made things easier, but I am grateful for all the experiences that I have had.

At church this week all 15+ people that we invited and said they would come to church all did not go to church, it was sad, but all we can do is invite and the rest is up to them.

One thing we did more of this week was teaching the restoration and inviting people to be baptized. :) :) :) :) :)

One guy we are starting to teach is fun to teach because he is excited to learn things and we have already invited him to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it; when we knocked on his house he ran out and set up a time for us to teach him again, it was cool! :)

We had a neat family home evening with some people too where we taught about the Holy Ghost, it was cool because people shared experiences of the Holy Ghost helping them out!

Com muitos sorrisos! :)

SIncerely, Élder Vernon

People are starting to understand me when I speak Portuguese!

February 17, 2014

Oi Meu Familia! :)

This week was awesome like every other week always is! :) Know what, I think every week is always awesome! :)

It rained some at the start of the week which was nice, it actually made it so it felt a little cool since I was wet all day. It is also a little cool at night and in the morning sometimes but normally it is hot and humid and sweaty like the rest of the day. :) Sometimes we walk from one end of the city and then back and then to the other end of the city and back again because we cover about half of the city so I think about 20,000 people are in our area where we proselyte.

One cool person that we met this week an older man who really likes gaúcho stuff; he came to church with us too which was cool; 

Also I gave a talk in sacrament meeting about the convincing power of God (3 Néfi 28:29). It was amazing! I talked about how when I broke my back it was an opportunity to learn and grow and also related how difficulties in life are actually blessings in disguise for our benefit and growth. I then talked about how we need to share the things that make us so happy and peaceful like the Book of Mormon and having a living Prophet and other cool stuff. I also talked about how doing little things daily are needed if we want to learn and grow consistently, just as we need food to be nourished physically we need spiritual nourishment too; and I did not even prepare to talk about that part when I prepared my talk! But then I went over my allotted time to speak so I had to bear my testimony and end early! Afterwards my companion and a bunch of other members and people told me parabens (congratulations) and that they understood everything I said and that I did not make mistakes in talking! I have only been in Brazil about 3 weeks so I know it definitely was the spirit and not me giving the talk! I love how the Lord always helps us out when we act in faith! Another funny thing is that before church the Sister missionaries called us and asked if I wanted to give a shorter talk, and I was like, NOOOOO, I want to give the longer talk, I need to open my mouth and invite the spirit more! Thus I gave the longer talk and was blessed like crazy doing it! :)

Tchau Tchau Pica-paus! Com muitos sorrisos! :) :) :) :) :)

Sincerely, Elder Vernon

A big bowl of popcorn that we had at a church activity.  

First full week in Brazil......I got my luggage back!

This week was awesome; although I do not understand very much I can sometimes understand things which I think is really cool and the spirit helping me out. :)

I was a little sick this week with a headache which did not feel very good but I kept working anyway; I think it is just adjusting to the hot weather; some members here said that one day was 48 degrees celcius. The Brazillians comment about how sweaty I am, I think they are impressed (if that is the right word for decribing it). :) It is funny because in the middle of the day when it is super hot we are like the only ones working while the people sleep or eat or work indoors.

I got my suitcase back too; it had flamin hot cheetohs in it so there was much rejoicing, as well as a bunch of other stuff.

The people here are really generous too! They always give you their best. 

Going to church we went on a  bus with a bunch of members and their friends.

One thing that is inspiring is my mission president down here in Brazil as a kid growing up would walk to another town (over a mile), take a bus (about an hour), and go to church every Sunday while his Dad stayed home and his Mom supported his father but worked extra to pay for their bus fare to church.

I bore my testimony in Portuguese during sacrament meeting and I think that the people actually understood me!

The food is really good too!

Com muitos sorrisos! :)

Sincerely,

Elder Vernon