Oct 17, 2016 - Elite and a Half

Well as you can tell the rain has finally started here in Portugal. But this week was still good!

We have an awesome future missionary in our branch. He's 15 and is so excited to baptize! He keeps saying how he wants to baptize other young men so that he's not alone at church. So we have been teaching his really good friend a lot and he actually wants to be baptized! He has been reading a little bit in the Book of Mormon and its been fun to see them both get excited about the church! Hopefully we will have a baptism date this week!

Amelia is doing great! We retaught her tithing and even though she doesn't have a job she was so eager to pay she was asking how she can do it asap and it was funny to have to explain to her that she doesn't have to! She's what we call elite. 

We taught our crazy most faithful member about dinosaurs most likely did not walk in this earth and how we didn't evolve from apes. His mind was blown. 

Love you guys! Have a great week!

Oct 10, 2016 - Breaking Into Your Own House

So because of Conference last week, Amelia got confirmed yesterday. It was an awesome experience! My comp did the ordinance and after she was crying and looked like she had gotten rid of a ton bricks on her back. It was awesome! The whole branch then proceeded to bear testimony (Fast Sunday because of conference) of how happy they are to have her and how great she is and it was a great Sunday!

She has her schizophrenic son who has been causing a lot of problems and she is feeling pretty desperate. She finally kicked him out of the house this week but towards the end of the month, they are sending him to Lisbon to a psych ward. So her receiving the Holy Ghost will help her so much in feeling peace and knowing how to deal with him. I'm so grateful for the Holy Ghost and the priceless help he offers me and every one of us.

But like I said they kicked him out of the house. But when we went over there to teach this week, he decided he wanted to come back in. So he started ringing the doorbell a bunch, trying to open the window, walking all around outside to try to get in. It was pretty intense. My comp and I were getting ready for this guy to break in to his own house or something! He finally left and we all breathed a sigh of relief. Haha weird.... 

Well everyone have a splendid week and whatever you do don't listen to the European election coverage. #Trump2016 

This is the view from the roof of our house....

Oct 3, 2016 - Conference Weekend!

Well this week wasnt too special, except for Conference!

Our recent convert, Amelia, came to conference and watched the Saturday morning session. She said she loved it! It was really good for her and for the branch! But conference was really good. It was pretty hard to see President Monson so weak and frail but just a stronger testimony that he truly is a prophet of God and won't stop testifying about the truth until he literally can't. 

Our only young man in this little branch told us after the baptism that he wants another young man in our branch! So he gave us his friend to start teaching! It was really cool. I love the members here! It really is like a little family here! 

"The fact that we can repent is the good news of the Gospel." Elder Dale G. Renlund

Sep 26, 2016 - Baptisms and Beaches!!!

Well this week was legendary!

We had the first baptism in this area in 2 years! I found Amelia with my last comp just before he left but Elder Law and I have done most of the teaching. On our first lesson together we marked her for the 1 of Oct then the next lesson we decided that was too far away so we changed it to the 25th and she accepted! During one of our last lessons before sunday she was saying how she had some doubts and didnt know if she wanted to get baptized but we calmed her fears and half way through the lesson she just burst into tears saying how she just knows this is right. She just feels every time shes with the Elders or at church that this right. Such a cool experience. 

So sunday we get her in the white clothes and headed off to the beach! Quick miracle. A couple from lisbon was on vacation and decided to come to church and they stayed for the baptism but we didnt have enough seats in cars for everyone. So they had 2 extra and it all worked out perfectly! Miracle!

But it was an awesome experience! The first time I've been in the ocean in far more than 2 years(; And the water wasnt even too bad! But it really pumped up the branch and we feel a lot more baptisms coming!

Then today we went to an island just off the coast of Peniche! It was so cool! By far the hidden gem of Portugal! We start off with a 45 minute boat ride out there followed by a giant Castle and some hikes and some caves a private beach! See pics below.

I love this work and I love the Lord. When you stop focusing on the little things and just remember to love people and do and be the good, you will be blessed. I hope you all have a question this week to be answered during conference! Have a great week!

Sep 26, 2016 - Wish you were here!

Sep 19, 2016 - Rockin in Peniche

Well transfers came this week and I am staying here in the beautiful area of Peniche for 6 more weeks! I am here with Elder Law now and it has been a riot! I have known him for about 9 months now and he's basically my best friend in the mission. We lived together in my last area for 2 transfers and it so it has been so fun to catch up with him! 

This week started off with the transfer call on Tuesday then I showed him around the area and to all the members and all that good stuff. We then had a really cool lesson with Amelia who is actually progressing really well! She accepted baptism on Oct. 1 and she came to church and everything! It was really cool! This little branch is getting really excited after not seeing too much success in the past couple years (yes years) so we are pumped to finally get some fire back in here.

We knocked into a really cool family too! The classic Dad, Mom and 10 year old son! Very rare here in portugal and they just the us in no problem! They have talked with the elders but it's been about 10 years they said but still had the Book of Mormon! It was really cool. We had a great first lesson and they loved us! Miracles happen every day ladies and gentlemen. 

These pictures are of some cool stuff we did this week and today. This area is insane! Love you all! 

I Spy Me

Sep 12 - We Saw A Miracle This Week!...And I ate snails :D

Well we really did see a miracle yesterday!

This week in our mission Olympics was who could bring the most investigators to church. So we had a huge focus on inviting anyone and everyone. We called everyone we know. We were fasting. We left the house early on sunday to go knock on investigators' doors and we got to church and nobody had shown up yet. BUT then 3 minutes before sacrament meeting Amelia showed up!! She is that lady that has the schizophrenic son. She had said that she wanted to go but she had another thing planned during church. But lo and behold she just showed up by herself! It was really cool. The Stake president was there and gave a really good non member friendly talk and it really excited the whole branch! And our zone got the gold medal for the 2nd week in a row!

Elder Zwick of the 70 visited our mission and he is a stud! He told us stories of how he built the first chapel in Bolivia with his own hands on his mission! And how he baptized 500 people and basically is a legend. His message was about foundations. He is a construction guru and said that the foundation is the most important part. He said how some buildings have 2 or 3 times as much cement in the foundation than in the rest of the building combined. And how nobody can see the foundation. It was a really good reminder of how we need our foundation to be in Christ and we need to be doing everything we can behind the scenes where nobody can see to have a strong foundation that can with hold anything. 

And I hate snails this week! They were really good! See pictures for more awesomness!

Seeya next transfer!