#89 - "What are you? The son of an Apostle?"😆(1/27/25)

Bus

Fala Galera!!! Mais uma semana passou e para descansar, estamos pescando... tipo, literalmente pescando aqui numa chácara de um membro da igreja! [Hey guys!!! Another week has passed and to rest, we are fishing... like, literally fishing here on a church member's farm!]

Mom package [Mom note: It's wonderful when Amazon Brazil actually works!
We decided to send one last package before he comes home.]

This last week was pretty chill for me. I just stayed in my area doing divisons with other missionarys while Elder Eyring went to other areas. But here is the run down for the week:

Monday - Basketball!!!..... with rain😆 JK, we tried to play basketball but with the rain it didn't work só.... we basically did nothing

1 reais!

Tuesday - Today I learned a little bit more about my friend César. He asked for a BOM from FBC and we almost stopped trying to enter in contact with him (bc when we went, he was taking a shower and couldn't answer) but after we found him and brought him to church, we started teaching him and preparing him for baptism. I found out that he makes flutes and knows how to play!!! He is awesome! Then Sadrak and Bruna (recent converts) invited us over and shared their life stories with us. I love talking to younger couples cause they have great stories!

Sax 

flutes

Wednesday - Division with Elder Aviz! He is a new missionary being trained by my former companion, Elder Mortenson. We went around working in my area and I showed him some techniques I use to work. Some highlights were finding some kids playing "angry birds" with slingshots and rocks (just like Teen Beach Movie😂) and participating in our missionary coordination meeting. We got a lot of support from the ward with our missionary work now!

Elder aviz and friends

Holding signs in the road

Thursday - Divison with Elder Campbell! First things first, THIS DUDE IS AWESOME! You wanna know why?? HE COUNTRY SWING DANCES🤩🤩 He showed me some moves he does called "the parrot" and a dip doing the "triple threat" (okay now I can stop geeking about swing dancing!) It was really cool working with him. We actually ended up asking to eat lunch at a less active member family after we bought some bread, cheese, and meat and we talked about life. We also found our friend Gabriel. Gabriel is a little autistic and we didn't know it at the time but when we found his Sisters, she said that both of them are looking for a church and being closer to God! Miracles from a simple contact!

Elder Campbell and Gabriel

Friday - Early morning temple trip and Zone Conference! At zone conference we talked a lot about the technicals of working with FBC and how we grow our faith through obediance, good works, and confidence. I feel that I truly have see the truth of this. I feel more confident now to talk about Christ and invite people to act in faith weather it be to go to church or be baptized! Later that day we went to the cartório to get the documents for our friends João and Andressa.... we need to wait 1 more week for them to arrive... yeah marriage is difficult to do sometimes😅

Zona at temple

Me and Elder eyring at temple

Saturday - And now, the title of this email. We went to have lunch with some members and when we arrived, we saw this one member playing Call of Duty. We were talking to him about it and Elder Eyring commented how he couldn't play those types of games as a kids because his parents didn't allow him to. The member then said, "WHAT?! What are you? The son of an Apostle?". We kinda started laughing because Elder Eyring is (but we didn't tell the member that😅) Later that night we had the baptism for our friend César. Funny note, we had filled the fonte earlier and someone had emptied the fonte so... all the members started filling up buckets of water and throwing it in to fill the font faster🪣

Group bap Pic

 

César, Eyring and I

Sunday - I gave a talk today about missionary work and I shared a few experiences I had growing up and here on the mish and how I learned that we should: 1. Always follow and search for the Holy Ghost 2. Forget about yourself in the work 3. Do the Lords will. Afterwards we went home and made "lunch" with rice, potatos, and dry meat. 10/10. That night we ended the night having dinner with our friend Joseph, one of the members here.

Joseph dinner

It really is an incredible experience to serve. Not only do you learn life skills, but you have the privilege to bring joy to everyone, a gift that is better than any other that only Jesus Christ offers.

Dog

Amo vocês!

Até semana que vem!

- Elder Fisher

#88 - "Marriage is what brings us together TODAY!" 💍 (1/20/25)

Chama galera!!! Como vocês estão? Vocês ainda têm neve Nos Estados Unidos? Nós temos um monte de chuva aqui esses dias. Estou aqui do lado de minhas botas que estão secando de ontem ainda!😆[Call guys!!! How are you? Do you still have snow in the United States? We have a lot of rain here these days. I'm here next to my boots that are still drying from yesterday!]

The elders

HEY GUYS!!!! How are you all?? I feel like I'm in Winter here if Brazil got rain like how the USA get snow cause it has been raining for 3 days in a row😅

All in all, the Lord has provided many miracles for us this week and helped us to work even with all the difficulties and the climate. Here are some I want to relate with you all:

Monday - TRANSFERS! My former companion Elder Christakis is now serving in Vila Oficinas and now I am serving with Elder Eyring!! (Yes, he is the grandchild of President Eyring). To think that I first did a division with him about a year and a half ago and now, we are companions!

In the cartório... waiting

Tuesday - Day 1 of working with Elder Eyring and let me say, it's gonna be an awesome transfers! We participated in district counsel in the morning and then went to lunch with members. The funny part was when they got a key lime pie, put it on the table, and just started cutting it! We freaked out cause we didn't see the tray the pie was on so we thought they were cutting the table! Until they showed us the tray. 😅 We went around visiting recent converts and one of them gave us some popcorn. We ended up giving it to a dog and teaching him tricks until an uber arrived. And this uber, was weird. First, I may have broken the door🤫 and second, the driver didn't know how to drive stick. But it all worked out!

Wednesday - Saving a dog 🐕. While visiting people and knocking doors, we found a dog STUCK in the fence! Immediately I ran over to help and tried to lift the dog. We also got a stump so the dog could get some ground to push himself out. Eventually he got out but when I looked to my hands, I had blood on my hands. And for all the people who know me, I don't do well with blood. So we rushed over to a recent converts house close by, I washed my hands, and then almost passed out on a chair! The good thing, the dog is okay. (Preach the word to every creature right?😉) We also went over to the Sisters and helped them with a baptism, Luis Carlos!

 

The Sisters and Baptism of Luis Carlos

Thursday - FIRST IN-PERSON CLM (Misson leader council). We woke up early to go all the way to Curitiba. We talked about ways to improve the mission, topics for zone conference, and how to help the missionaries. One of my take aways was a question President gave us to ask investigators: "What blessings do you think that Jesus Christ wants to give you?"

Friday - Rain pt. 1. Today was actually incredible bc of the experience with my friend Vinícius. The first time we met him, we found out that he was the son in law of our mission coordination President. He told us that he attended another church and had a lot of Faith in Christ. We ended up talking with him and teaching the Restoration. After we taught, we left him with a BOM and an invite to pray and ask God if our message is true. He did so that very same night and messaged us saying, "I felt something I've never felt before. I know you speak the truth." From that day on, he searched and acted with faith. He came to church, we taught him, he read and prayed, we got him married to his wife. But, he also faced opposition. He saw some wrong things in his church and some of his friends are fought with him for wanting to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We knew of his situation so when we passed by this night, we new he needed to receive the Holy Ghost. We spoke with him and when I felt it was right, I invited him to be baptized for the second time and he said... I'm ready. He had recieved more confirmations from his family, us, and above all, the people who fought with told him they are just happy if he is so....

The elders and Cris

Saturday - VINÍCIUS GOT MARRIED AND BAPTIZED! It is incredible to see how much the Gospel truly changed him. Another story with today, the Sisters in Jardim Europa were going to marry a couple and baptism them but the couple wasn't so sure about baptism yet. The sisters asked if we could talk to them. I talked to them real quick bc we were at the notary for the weddings. I wasn't able to help them mark a date but I did get them thinking about it. The Sisters then passed by later and talked with them and... THEY GOT BAPTIZED ALSO!! Before we went back home we visited a reference, Cesar, who is looking for forgiveness and already knew a bit about the church so we invited him to go with us and...

Vinicius and Crisliane marriage

After the baptism of Vinicius

Sunday - CESAR WENT TO CHURCH. Rain pt 2 also. We didn't have too many people at church but we were happy to have César with us. After church and lunch, we went to talk with the Stake President about bringing Recent converts to the temple and guess what... WE ARE GONNA GET A CARAVAN TO THE TEMPLE🚚 then to end the night, Vinicius invited us over and surprised us with a churrasco!!! Yum!

Churrasco!!

As I reflect on Vinicius experience, I realize how much the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of change. Jesus Christ and God ask us to listen to them because they know better. They know the potential we have and the best version of ourselves. They want to help us become that person, but they can't force us so that's why we need to act in faith and allow them to change us little by little (Moroni 6:4)

I love you all and I know that Christ lives. This is his true church on the earth that was restored to bring happiness and Joy to ALL of God's children, including you.

Até o próximo!

- Elder Fisher

#87 - Cartório (Notary) 💍💒🤵‍♂👰‍♀ (1/13/25)

I love Ponta Grossa

Bom dia amigos, família, e pessoas eu amo. A fim da transferência finalmente chegou e agora estamos começando uma outra! Estou animado a ficar aqui em Paraíso. Infelizmente meu companheiro Elder Christakis foi transferido para Curitiba mas vou ficar aqui com o Elder Eyring!! [Good morning friends, family, and people I love. The end of the transfer has finally arrived and now we are starting another one! I'm excited to stay here in Paraíso. Unfortunately my companion Elder Christakis was transferred to Curitiba but I'm staying here with Elder Eyring!!]

"Hey boys and girls! Welcome to Primary! IT WAS A PRIMARY JAMBORY" (shoutout to anyone that knows that song😁)

THE BOYS

If my mom doesn't end up translating the first part, transfers have arrived and I will be staying here. My companion Elder Christakis got transferred so in his place I will recieve Elder Eyring (Elder Christakis trainer and yes, the nephew of the Apostle President Eyring!) I'm honestly pretty excited for this transfer and to see all the miracles that happen! 

This last week was actually pretty slow. A lot of the days this week we were actually resolving some problems with areas, companionships, and other things but here are the highlights of the week:

Baby shark?!

Monday - We went to Curitiba! Elder Christakis had some documents to renew so we went. While we were there, Elder Amaral invited us to get lunch with him as it was his last p-day on the mish. We went to a churrascaria that was top notch! We also went bowling a little afterwards and let me just say, bowling here is not the same. It is the same idea but the way the machines work and such is different. I still got 3 strikes though!😁

Recanto Gaúcho

Dining with the boys

The Zone leader boys

Recanto Gaúcho

Tuesday - Mini divison with Campus (they technically aren't in our zone but they needed help with a baptismal interview and we were a lot closer so, after permission from President we went). I got to work a little with Elder Ribeiro, a new mission. It was pretty cool to work with a new missionary for a bit. We ended up teaching a nice lesson on keeping the sabbath day. Then when going back to our area, WE FOUND LIGHTING MCQUEEN!! KACHHIGA!

Elder Ribeiro

LIGHTING MCQUEEN

Wednesday - Day 1 of the cartório. We went to a notary to find some documents and ended working on documents and waiting for 5 hours (we are helping with 3 marriages) 1 of which we had that day!

Sirene and Claudio

Marriage with judge

Thursday - Day 2 of the Cartório. This day was a scavenger hunt. We went to one Cartório to get a document and they said to go to another so we went. We arrived at the other and they told us to try another. And we did this about 4 times😅 until... we ended up going back to the first Cartório which was the right one 😂

Marriage documentos and the ring

Friday - Division w/Elder Rodrigues! He came to my area and we went around finding new people. We met this lady named Barbara that is wanting a change of life and we helped a lady carry her groceries to her house. It was a pretty normal day

Elder Rodrigues

Saturday - Today Elder Christakis and I went around confirming people for church and saying goodbye to recent converts. The highlight was using the bus and I'm 9/10 certain that the driver is crazy bc the ride was fast and crazy! (I almost fell 5 times)

Sunday - Last Sunday with Elder Christakis! We brought back to church a lady who was baptized a long time around but was less active. We also brought her daughter who had gone to church a few times but hadn't been baptized, Laiany. We had already marked a date with her for the next week but she felt the spirit so strong that she wanted to be baptized that same day! So, we did just that. The highlight was seeing Ana, Laianys mom, bare her testimony and pray, thanking God to see her daughter baptized.

Baptism of Laiany

The more that I participate in the work of the Lord, the more I see his marvelous power and miracles he performs by way of our faith (Ether 12:12 & 18). I also understand more and more the importance of being able to stand strong and firm in your testimony and beliefs and growing that testimony each day. Faith isn't faith if not tested.

Amo vocês! Até o próximo!

- Elder Fisher

#86 - Italian Cream soda and snakes!🥤🐍 (1/6/25)

churros

Bom dia Galera!! Estamos indo a comemorar a missão de nosso amigo Elder Amaral! Vamos comemorar comendo numa restaurante tão chique 🤩!! [Good morning guys!! We are going to celebrate the mission of our friend Elder Amaral! Let's celebrate by eating in such a chic restaurant]

felt the spirit to enter and so we went to a Catholic church at Christmas

Hey guys!

  

Christmas lunch

I'm gonna make this email quick today because we got a lot to do to celebrate today so here is the week in review:

picnic after doing service

Monday - We went and got a couple we are helping to marry and went to the cartório to mark the wedding for the 8th of january!! While walking around during our p-day hours we also found SPIDERMAN!!🕸🕷

Spider man (homen aranha)

Tuesday - New years eve!! And with new years eve traditions.... comes random fireworks and bombs the entire day😆 We tried working but no one really attend to us so.... WE GOT DINNER WITH MEMBERS! AND by my surprise... ITALIAN CREME SODAS EXIST HERE!🤩🤩 Sadly they didn't have the cream but one of the members offered us Italian soda and it was delicious! Then to celebrate the new year, we had an orbee war with the elders 🔫

Orbee war

Orbee war with Chris

Wednesday - HAPPY NEW YEAR! The funniest part is that nothing is open on new years until the afternoon so literally NO ONE was outside the entire morning. I felt like we were in a deserted town😆 We ended up eating at a restaurant called "giraffes" (which was playing some interesting music in english that I had never heard before) The rest of day we did a divison with Dalcol and there was some really powerful rain that caused a lot of hours to be flooded so...

Giraffes restaurant 

Giraffe burger

Thursday - We did service today helping fix the roofs of some members and neighbors. And of course, we couldn't climb up the ladders to help out😅🛠 But we had a cool lesson visit with a member who us away from the church, Ana, with a daughter, Layane, who never knew the church. We talked with them, shared a brief scripture and invited them to our activity the next day and they went!

Service

Friday - Early morning temple trip! I was actually looking for some direction and comfort for some things on my mind about the mish and things afterwards and I was thinking I would get a scripture in my mind but actually, the Lord sent Sister Bikman to talk with me. It was incredible how she offered responses I was needing without even knowing. Afterwards, we went to McDonald's with some Elders and then brought people to our game night! It was great to see investigators connecting with members!

Zone @ temple

Mcdonalds

Saturday - Today we went around confirming people to church. While walking we passed by this poorer part of our area and I walked over a snake without even thinking about it. I knew it was some weird animal but it didn't even cross my mind it was a snake until someone passing by said, "ITS A SNAKE!!!". We then played a little soccer with an investigator at church and lost track of time BUT, the Lord blessed us with Elder Christakis parents. They needed a signature from Elder Christakis and they got permission to pass by and help us visit some people before we ran out of time!

Lucas and family

Sunday - We tried bringing our investigators and recent converts to church but a lot of them didn't answer the door 😕. It's okay though can we found some investigators that members brought. Afterwards we had some lunch with members and maybe tried out the electric guitar and drumset they have. We also had a lesson with João and Alessandra who having been going to church for a bit and we marked them on date for baptism for the 19th of January! Please pray for them and their son Caio!!

Baptism of sirlene and Claudio

The more that I serve and look for direction not only for the mish but for life, the more I realize the importance of the Holy Ghost. Not only the importance of recieving the Gift of the Holy Ghost after baptism but searching for him each day. He will show unto us everything we must do and speaks to us through certain feelings (2 Nephi 32:5 and Galatians 5:22)

Division with Elder Peterson and friends

I'm looking forward to seeing what 2025 brings and what the Lord is doing to hasten his work

Brazilian fruit

 Amo vocês! Até a semana que vem!

- Elder Fisher