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Nice foto for mom |
Boa tarde tudo mundo! Como que tá? Está esquentando lá em Os Estados Unidos porque está chovendo bastante aqui em Brazil. Eu ficava molhado praticamente esta semana inteira! Espero que vocês não ficavam assim
[Good afternoon everyone! How are you? It's getting hot there in the United States because it's raining a lot here in Brazil. I was wet practically this entire week! I hope you didn't end up like this😆]
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| [Mom note: Elder Fisher hits his 9 month mark this week and this is the state of one pair of shoes.] |
Heys guys! How goes it? Whats new in the US, Chile, Canada, Japan, and whichever place you dwell in right now? We got some new stuff going on here in Palmeira. Here's the recap:
Monday - Elder Salmon and Elder Abreu had to leave to Curitiba today so I got to spend P-day with Elder Zamarron! He showed me a Guaraná fruit which is very common here with Brazils iconic Guaraná soda. Ngl... it looks like and apple😅 Elder Zamarron and I also went to The Secret of Chicken for dinner and man is it good!
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| Guaraná fruit |
Tuesday - While getting ready this morning, I was cooking my breakfast and I saw from the corner of my eye a bird or something fly in the kitchen. I looked around and couldn't find anything but I am pretty sure "Fisher" the bird is stalking us. I ended up doing a Division with Elder Zamarron for a bit and it was awesome to see another missionary work. We ended up meeting this guy who kept talking and talking and Elder Zamarron looked at each other and couldn't help but smile with how much this person would talk and cut us off. We also tried to visit our friend Jose who went to church the Sunday before but when we got their, this man told us he was home but that we should come on Saturday so when I tried to ask how he was he kept saying, "COME BACK ON SATURDAY", so we just thanked him for his time and came back on Saturday (to find they weren't there😆) Then Elder Salmon and I got a free mini pizza with these coupons we had been saving. It was really good!
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| The boys with Cris! |
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| Pão de quejo! |
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| Zone conference |
Thursday - ZONE CONFERENCE! I was asked to play the piano and also help with a role play practice where our Zone Leaders taught us how to a company someone. The first practice but a bad one where the Elders were on their phones and not helping me (the investigator) progress. The second was an awesome practice where they found my need and truly focus on my. They also focused on the idea of being "firm" but "loving" with our teaching and invites and planning the next contact. To plan for the next possible moment they are available to feel more of the spirit. After the zone conference we had a churrasco with our Branch President and it was the first one Elder Salmon had! We then went to work in a Sisters area called "Nova Esperanca" (New Hope = Star wars anyone?😆) As District leader I will do "divisions" or "splits" where I will help other missionaries in their areas. Elder Salmon and I found some frogs, new people, and met a former missionary Shane and his Brother Gabriel who helped us out a bit. At the end of the day, I found out that I used our preach my gospel app wrong to mark the lessons and things we did so sadly, they didn't save... my bad sisters! At least I had taken screenshots!
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| Churrasco with Prez |
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| Division with Shane and Gabriel |
Friday - DIVISION WITH MY FELLOW CHICAGOAN: ELDER CHILD!! The AP's came to do a division with us and it was awesome seeing how they work! Elder Child and I had a lot of lessons, gave out like 8 Book of Mormons (we ran out fast), and marked 2 people on date! The Funniest part was when we had lunch at this one restaurant and the salad was free so I made a salad. I put this leaf things on my plate thinking it was spinach but Elder Clawson told me they were spicy. With my natural curosity, I ate it.... 5 seconds later I wanted to throw up so bad! It was spicy and nasty! I ended up using the soda we bought as mouth wash!🤮🤣 But I honestly had a great day working with Elder Child and learned a lot like how he was the one who found Rosa and her family first and then I got to help them get baptized! Its cool to see how these things happen!
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| ELDER CHILD! |
Saturday - Woke up this morning and found Fisher! Sadly though, he wasn't breathing and passed away before we could help him. Rest in peace Fisher. Speaking of animals, today while confirming people for church Elder Salmon and I found a random goat and turkey! Idk why but they were just outside! We also visited the family of one of our recent converts and they gave us half a watermelon! We weren't able to eat it all so we ended up carrying this watermelon with us for like 5 hours until we got home😅
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| My boy Cauan! |
Sunday - Today was probably one of the lowest days on my mission. All the people that we confirmed for church fell through and we only had 3 recent converts out of 17. Church was really small. We also recieved 2 messages from people we were teaching saying they admire the work we do and thanked us for the time they spent with us but they don't want to recieve any more lessons or messages. I was honestly stunned yesterday and was placed with a choice to let these things linger in my mind, or continue to press forward. I was reminded of something the CTM told us: if you feel worried or depressed, read Alma 26:27-31. Reading the first verse, "now when our hearts wer depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amogst they brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with PATIENCE thine afflictions, and I will give unto you SUCCESS." After I read this and verse 30 (my mission scripture) and 31, I knew I had no reason to be sad or give into these thoughts for the Lord has brought me thus far and has already used me to help those of his children. And actually, later that day, we marked 2 dates with our friend Ari and his wife! We just have to trust in God's word.
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| Carmel the dog |
I think we all have that personal trial of faith where we begin to question whether God truly is carrying our burdens and blessing us. If you are going through this right now, I ask you to remember the good things God has done for you, for there are many, this I know. God loves you and will show his miracles after you show your faith (Ether 12:12)
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| Goat |
Continue to press forward with faith! Continue to have charity and love for one another and above all, remember who you are as a child of God and a child of the Covenant. Love you all! Ate o proximo!
-Elder Fisher
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| [Mom note: There's a man in Brazil who offers a type of delivery service to missionaries. I asked him to create an all GREEN St. Patrick's Day box] |
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| Giant Easter eggs in Brazil |