Meet the Mormon's Article in Sao Pedro Newspaper

Here is the translation- Cory's Big Brother Aaron served in Brazil so was able to translate for us,  Cory is on the right in the picture, it is hard to tell.

"Meet “the Mormons”

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Ghost,” said Jesus Christ to his followers at the end of the book of Matthew chapter 28 in the Holy Bible. As representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the nickname of the Church is “the Mormons”) we do with power and authority what Jesus commanded; or rather, we teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we help people come unto Him through baptism.

We declare that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that He lives and guides His Church through a living Prophet. The first prophet in our days was Joseph Smith. He was called to be Prophet in the year 1820 when he prayed and God, the Eternal Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him. The Prophet today is President Thomas S. Monson.

With joy in our hearts we are called by the Prophet of God to be here in Sao Pedro do Sul and teach about Jesus Christ to the people here. But, we always ask that people ask God if what we say is true; for if you “ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ… with a sincere heart and real intent, having faith in Christ, He will manifest the truth [of all things] by the power of the Holy Ghost” (The Book of Mormon, Moroni 10:4, page 618).

Mormon.org explains more about the Church and how to learn more

Christmas Week

December 29, 2014

Ollo! :)

This week and last week were great. It was cool doing Skype with the family even though it did not work at the start.

Christmas was great; we ate churrasco (lots and lots of meat!), Skyped with the family, and saw puppies and a little lizard.

Also the family wants me to write more about my feelings-- well I am happy. :) Also the spirit guides us every day and I know that because of Jesus Christ it does not matter if some days I am puking my guts :P out, if it’s raining and below 0 degrees Celsius :), or if there is not a cloud in the sky with the sun beating down nearly 50 :) degrees Celsius, if rocks are thrown at us or if we are spat ;) on, etc... it is all a joy :D  to be a part of. Every once in a while the spirit testifies strongly when I bear testimony of how families are for forever or I am led to a place that I otherwise would not go, or there is a scripture that suddenly takes on new meaning; however, the most important feeling of the spirit is the calm assurance of the gift of the holy ghost that is constant and never falters. There is an assurance that I know Heavenly father is happy with me. :) :) :)

One cool thing is that this Sunday it was raining so we were searching out investigators before church in the morning. When it rains generally no one leaves their houses and it is just us walking on the street getting wet and getting blessings. Family after family either did not answer their door when we passed by their house or said that they would not go because of the rain. After we passed by everyone except for the last family that we would pass by it was still raining. Thus we started heading towards this last family who could go to church. As we started walking the bishop pulled up in his car and asked if we were searching for someone to go to church! We knocked on the family´s door and then two of them came to church and loved it! 

Com muitos sorrisos! :) :) :)

Atentamente, Élder Vernon :)

At the bridge where the other side is Argentina.

Family that fed us at Christmas and let us Skype.

Trying to Get Skype to work- it was hard but was totally worth it!

Skyping Elder Vernon

This is Cory's Mom. We had a hard time getting connected to get Skype to work in Brazil but it finally worked and the Vernon family got to talk to Cory.  It was wonderful!  What a great Christmas present!   Cory has a Brazilian accent.  He has been talking Portuguese so long that he had a bit of a hard time talking in English.  It was so wonderful to talk and see him. The people who let him Skype were so kind, it was neat to meet them.  Cory and his companion sang their mission song for us! 

He didn't get to write this week since he got to Skype and they moved Pday to Christmas. 

The pizza they ordered!

It is Summer here!

December 8, 2014
Hello, my companion decided that we should buy pizza this week so we did. It was tasty.

This week was cool in sacrament meeting because a bunch of people bore their testimonies and it was especially awesome because one family is going to go to the temple to be sealed and all of them bore their testimonies of how much the lord has helped them and their family in the past year that they all got baptized.

One lesson that I liked this week was that we decided to read in Nephi about how he and his brothers went and got the brass plates at the start of the Book of Mormon. I love how Nephi explains things so clearly and also shows us how if we trust in our savior everything will work out great and how it needs to be.

We got the conference issue of the ensign so I was finally able to read the priesthood session. Other than President Monson, Elder Quinton L. Cook´s talk seemed great because he talked about how what we decide we want to do is only part of what we need to do. For example to have the goal to serve a mission people need to prepare right now by studying the scriptures and doing little daily things like waking up early and not staying up too late.

It still is not summer yet but now when we leave the apartment I start sweating a bunch again; it just drips off of my nose my ears and everywhere else! :) I am grateful for snow and winter, but also for the sub and sunscreen.

Love ya family! :)

Sincerely,

Elder Cory Austin Vernon

Uruguaiana!

November 24, 2014

This week Elder Farias and I continued to work until the dust, ´´até o pó.´´ We are teaching a bunch of recent converts and also have some cool families that we are inviting the spirit to teach.

There was a great family home evening of the ward that one of the Brothers in the Ward began a tradition to give out a Book of Mórmon every week for one of the people in the ward to give to someone and to share their experience the next week at the next family home evening. Also it was funny talking with him because afterwards there was cake to eat. Thus I ate two pieces of cake but my companion ate 5; 

Also I nearly missed taking the sacrament because we confirmed with one of our investigators that we would wait for him to enter the chapel with him because he was running late. After waiting and waiting, right as the sacrament was starting he showed up and everything went well; it was very close though.

Presidente Parrela interviewed us too which is always cool because it gives me a chance to think about how I can best serve the Lord and serve him in the way that he wants me to serve that will help everybody in the best ways possible. A piece of advice that he gave was to remember that even though we want to baptize during our mission the most important soul that we will ´´convert´´ will be our own and that we need to be able to say ´´ I know that my redeemer Jesus Christ lives.´´

Com muitos sorrisos! ;) :) :)Elder Vernon :)

After waiting 4 months for his last package, he received his Christmas Package a month early.  We are just happy he got it and things weren't stale yet.  

Elder Vernon is being transferred to a new area!

Ollo Family! :)

This week was sad because both Elder Müller (he will serve in Rosário) and I are being transfered; I will be serving in Uruguaiana (close to Argentina; maybe I will be able to learn some Spanish!).

In sacrament meeting I talked about how we need to establish Zion where we are and that we can only doso if we have charity like our Savior Jesus Christ and if we give our will to the Lord by keeping his commandments and serving our neighbor.

During one lesson with Irmão Dion we read Mosiah 4:30 and he pointed out that it says we should observe the commandments of God and said how observing is more that just knowing about the commandments but it is searching to find out why we have the commandments and working hard to always be repenting. He and Irmã Fran are super excited and already want to go to the temple! :)

We bid farewell to everyone which is always sad but it is part of the mission and it helps people so that they only join the church when it is between them and the Lord and not just becasue they love the missionaries. Also in São Pedro there will only be one companionship of Elders now so we showed Elder Hull and Elder Alvarenga our half of the city.

There was one spiritual lesson with them where we talked about the work of salvation and how we need to have a bonding link that links us all together and back to our Savior and our Heavenly Father.

I also got a package that my Mom sent 4 months ago, but it finally arrived! It was fun to open!

Com muitos sorrisos! ;) :) :) :)

Sincerely,

Elder Vernon :)