A New "chapel" in Sao Pedro! October 2014

Elder Müller and I found a full family that we are starting to teach. It was a rainy day and it was the evening quickly turning into night. But we decided to clap hands in front of one of the houses close to where we are teaching another family. The kids of the family answered the door (we thought on of them was the parent) so we entered and started talking to them. Later their parents showed up and everybody was happy to talk about how because of Jesus Christ and the power of the Priesthood we can be with our families for forever.

This week was great, hmmm, such is life, every week is great! :)

With Irmão Dion we talked a little bit about family history and he got really excited so we showed him family search and he showed us a bunch of old records of his ancestors that he had saved. It was cool.

There was also one lesson that we gave a blessing afterwards. Always, I am amazed how the Lord takes the time to guide the words of blessings. It truly is the words of our Savior Jesus Christ and not my own words. With this same family we just happened to have bought flowers the same day that we gave to them; the little present made them really happy and we also talked about how the Book of Mormon and Bible word together as if they were one book (like is talks about in Ezekial 37).

On Sunday President and Sister Parrela came to our branch to announce the new chapel we are having; it was cool because they got to talk with the people that came to church with us and got everyone super excited about the open house for the new chapel next week.

This week was busy because we had the inauguration of a new building where we meet for church in São Pedro! During the week we had our Zone leaders and the assistants to the President and a pair of sister missionaries that all helped out with the open house and giving out invites.

During the week we gave out more than 1200 invites to people (had stuff on the radio, etc...) and I talked so much that I lost my voice. It was cool at the inauguration because the new chapel filled up with people. One of the talks at the inauguration is how we believe in Jesus Christ and just want to share his love with people so that everyone can be happy; how we do this is the Church of Jesus Christ is by making covenants (promises with God) that are done by the priesthood authority of God that was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith.

Irmã Sissi and João liked the inauguration and got to talk with President and Sister Parrela a little bit which was cool.

:)      :)    :)    :)    :)                 :)         :)             :)          :)                   :)

Also, we talked with Irmão Dion and Irmã Fran a little bit about how when people are married in the temple that it is for forever and not just for this life. It is cool to see how excited they are about everything.

At church on Sunday there was nearly double the normal amount of people which was also cool! :)

Com muitos sorrisos! :) :) :)

General Conference

October 6, 2014

General conference was wonderful as always! I thought is was really cool how some of the speakers gave their talks in other languages; it was especially neat when Elder Godoy gave his talk because it was in Portuguese and didn´t have a translator! Other talks I really liked were President Uchtdorf´s Sunday morning talk about how to get answers to prayers, Presidente Eyring´s talk Sunday morning about the work of salvation and the sealing power of the priesthood, and elder Bednar´s talk at the end addressing people who are not members of the church about why we share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

This week we focused on inviting everyone to go and see General conference! Actually for the past several weeks we have been focusing on the living prophet that talks with Jesus Christ face to face and how we have the opportunity to listen nad hear him and the apostles talk about what the Savior wants us to do with our lives.

The two families that came to conference really liked it! :)

Also this week we replaced the roofing of a members house and ate churrasco. Our district meeting was about how the Savior prayed with those that he taught, thus we should pray with those that we are inviting the spirit to teach.

Also we gave a blessing to an aged man between conference sessions and he passed awaythe next day; we only know that he passed awaybecasue I had a feeling we should call the man´s family to see how they were doing. I know that the Lord uses us to console peopel and answer prayers.

As always there is always more to the week than what I can write and I am super excited for everything! :)

Love ya family! Com muitos sorrisos! ;) :) :) :) :) :):) Sincerely, Elder Vernon :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

October 13, 2014

This week there was a zone conference so we went to Santa Maria one day for it. It was really cool because President Parrela taught us about how we should use the spirit of Elijah with the Book of Mormon and showed us the article in the new liahona magezine that Elder Bednar did.

Also Elder Müller and I found a full family that we are starting to teach. It was a rainy day and it was the evening quickly turning into night. But we decided to clap hands in front of one of the houses closeto where we are teachign another family. The kids of the family answered the door (we thought on of them was the parent) so we entered and started talking to them. Later their parents showed up and everybody was happy to talk about how becasue of Jesus Christ and the power of the Priesthood we can be with our families for forever.

Also I am reading in the portuguese index to the Book of Mormon all of the references about our Savior Jesus Chrsit like President Boyk k. Packer recomended during general conference. I am just starting, but it is still amazing how much the scriptures tryuly bear witness that Jesus Christ is our Savior.

Com muitos sorrisos! :) :) :)

SIncerely,

Elder Vernon

Hello!

:) This week we had a family home evening where I made cookies and we shared the restoration with the pepper and water analogy that I learned in Utah to explain baptism and the priesthood. We also ate another dessert that is common in Brasil which is called Torta de bolacha (Cracker cake) it is made with crackers and whipping cream and other stuff and is yummy.

Also, with General Conference coming up we have been inviting everyone to go to General Conference like crazy. I am super excited to hear the Prophet and Apostles talk again. 

One cool lesson this week was we started talking with a guy and he began to talk about how important and awesome prayer is. We bore our testimonies and read James 1:5 about "If any lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not" with him and then shared the rest of what we know about Joseph Smith, the priesthood, and the Book of Mormon! He said he would pray and also prayed with us after we talked with each other.

Irmão Gabriel is doing well too and is excited for his baptism coming up, he says that there is a peace and happiness that he feels when he is in church and talking with the missionaries and because of these feelings he wants to be Mormon too by following Jesus Christ´s example. His mother made a really tasty lasagna for us too because Gabriel is doing better than before he started meeting with the missionaries.

Com muitos sorrisos! :) :) :)

Atentamente,  Élder Vernon

( Irmão significa Brother and Irmã means Sister.) 

Here is a note from Tina Cory's Mom.  Brent, Ellaina and I went to a ward in Nebraska and people were so friendly it was really wonderful.  The ward was near Chimney Rock so we got to see that too.  Here is what Cory wrote:

 I know that I have heard about chimney rock before, that is cool that the ward you visited talked to all of you. It really helps the missionary work when members take the initiative and talk to people that visit church. I use sunscreen everyday, but pretty soon it will be hot enough again that I sweat it all off and will get sunburns even though I use the sunscreen. 

Cory made cookie cake (it is extra thick) for his old Mission Training Center Companion who just arrived in Brazil.  It was Elder Hull's Birthday. 

Cory says his feet were wet but his feet look pretty sore, I know he walks alot.  Hopefully it doesn't feel as bad as it looks. 

September 22, 2014- He has been out a YEAR!

Ollo!

This week was Gaúcho week! So there were lots of people dressed in the traditional gaúcho clothes and lots of horses and even a parade. Also on Sunday we ate churrasco, in other words lots and lots of yumminess! :)

Irmão Vanderlei and his family did not go to church this week, but when we talked with them we shared our testimonies of the love that Jesus Christ has for them and us and how through the restored priesthood families can be and are together for forever. Afterwards we gave Irmã Elizete a blessing so that her eardrums will get better and the spirit was really strong. After the blessing we asked their son Wagner how things felt. He replied ´´certo´´ and a bit more or in other words that what happened was the right thing to do; he recognized the spirit and how the Lord always guides us even if we have other desires, what is hard is doing what our Heavenly Father wants and not just what we want.

With Irmão Laureni and Irmão Vanir (Nicker) we talked about the restoration of the priesthood and how crucial it is that those who follow the Lord need to follow him in the way that he has pre-established so that we can receive all of the promised blessings that he wants to bless us with. Irmão Reinaldo and Irmã Mari went with us to the lesson and bore their testimonies and invited them to visit church on Sunday. Irmão Vanir was sick and bedridden so with Irmão Reinaldo we gave him a blessing by the spirit and on Sunday he was up and walking and stayed through all of church. Irmã Laureni and Irmão Vanir liked what we talked about in church on Sunday because the lessons were about the temple, family history, and how Our Heavenly Father makes it possible for all of his children to receive the gospel with his authority even if they never had a chance in this life to accept or reject the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness.

:) Additionally I have now been out on the mission for over a year, the time passes by super fast.

Also we got transfer calls and I will be staying in Sião Pedro do Céu with Elder Müller Archilla.

Com muitos sorrisos! :) :) :)

Sincerely, Elder Vernon :)

Irmao means brother and Irma means sister in Portuguese.  

Elder Vernon gets to train a brand new missionary from Guatamala

September 24, 2014

Ollo! :)

This week I went to Santa Maria to meet my new companion, his name is Elder Müller and he is from Guatamala, so he speaks Spanish! Also for the time being we are in a trio with Elder Carlos de Souza (he is from Paraíba, Brasil) until one more missionary arrives. They are both cool. It was funny getting to the stake center in Santa Maria because I did not know how to get there but I took a bus, saw the street sign where the chapel is and left the bus and walked the rest of the way! :) Hmmm, life is funny that way... :)

The training was cool and I saw 3 of my past companions. I like the training stuff because it is all of the basic stuff that invite the spirit to do the real teaching.

Also, one of the family’s that we are teaching went to church! There was also a really good lesson with them where, even though they did not read 3 Nephi chapter 11 that we left for them to read, we read the start of 3 Nephi chapter 11 with them. Explaining how faith in Jesus Christ comes before repentance and baptism and how the Lord is always trying to talk to us was what we talked about. I think it helped them see how even though we (missionaries) talk a bunch about baptism, what we really want is the eternal happiness of those we come into contact with.

Another cool lesson this week was we talked with a guy about how to pray. He listened attentively and then said something interesting at the end. He said that before he did not know that ´´amen´´ means that we agree with what was said and recognized how something small like that can be an opportunity to learn and grow. I say ´´amen´´ to that! :)

One lunch this week was churrasco! :) Meat is yummy, I ate too much, but it was worth it! My tummy was very satisfied with itself! :)

  Com muitos sorrisos! ;) :) :)- This means "with many smiles"

Elder Cory Vernon

:) Novo Líder Da Obra em São Pedro! :)

Ollo Family! :)

This week the branch in São Pedro called a branch mission leader! We are super excited because it is much easier to work with everybody when there is a branch or ward mission leader that organizes and directs things regardless of if missionaries are tranfered, etc...

Also, one funny thing this week was that I was a little bit sick and as such it was necessary to blow my nose and as a result of this I had a few bloddy noses. It was funny because my companion and the people we visited were super shocked and thoguht it was super strange to have a bloody nose. I guess people in Brasil do not have bloody noses very often becasue it is humid.

Another cool thing tis week is that last p-day I finished reading Isaiah! It was a slow process but it is really cool how Isaiah talks about practically everythign in the plan of salvation from the pre-existance, to Adam and Eve, to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the Gospel being taught after this life (and during this life), the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and more! ;) I liked it.

Additionally, we started teaching a family that had already visited the church at one of the chapels in Santa Maria and liked it. Thus it was cool that they were super excited to talk about the gospel of Jesus Christ and the restoration of it.

Com muitos sorrisos! :) :) :)

Sincerely,

Elder Vernon :)

 Flaming Hot Cheetos- Cory got these in his Birthday package!

Exotic food and 19th Birthday Celebration

July 28, 2014

Ollo! :)

This week a bunch of the members in our branch were traveling so there was only 25 people at church; my companion and I taught the Sunday school lesson about how good and bad leaders in the Bible effect the people. One thing   we talked about was how a good leader always has the courage and integrity to do what is right regardless of circumstances.

I also read Mathew chapters 5-7 verse by verse with 3 Nephi 12-14 which was cool. I like how together they show how Jesus Christ has showed us the way to be perfected through his grace and gospel. Together they talk a lot about faith, repentance, and baptism, while showing how all the wonderful things about the gospel are possible because of Jesus Christ.

One lunch this week was churrasco of sheep, sausage, and chicken meat! It was yummy. Also the daughter of one of the people we are teaching gave us about 10 avocados (in Brasil the people make juice with one avocado and 3 limes and sugar; they think it is strange when I tell them about guacamole). And we visited with one of the familys that we are teaching and they shared with us how the gospel is already helping them out a bunch in their life! It is cool to see the joy in their faces! :)

I also made beans with our pressure cooker, the pressure cookers here in Brasil are better because they actually work (I think it is because they have less safety stuff) it cooks the beans in about 10 minutes and then waiting 30 minutes..

Com muitos sorrisos! :) :) :)

Sincerely,

Elder Vernon :)

Cory Celebrating his 19th Birthday!