December 25, 2016 - Ribeirão das Neves

I see a Belo Horizonte

This week was rather good and we were able to work quite a bit.

First off, My leg is doing better and I don´t need to use crutches any more. I don´t know if this trail was harder for me or elder Andrade as he had to get used to walking quite a bit slower than normal. He´s getting to learn a different kind of patience now.

We are teaching a Seventh-day Adventist couple that was preparing to get married and we got to go to their wedding. It was a different event and they all started singing "their hymns." Some of the old ladies were shocked when I started to sing along without a hymn book, some of them were disappointed too, as they thought they were the only group that knew these hymns. They sang 'How Great Thou Art' and 'Love at Home'. It was a little different as they repeated the frase "sabado santo"or sacred Saturday a lot.

For Christmas eve we had a dinner with an investigators family and he made a traditional Brasilian dinner with Pão de queijo(Cheese bread), a bunch of food, ice cream and cake. It´s good to have investigators that like you.

On Christmas eve and Christmas we mostly just caroled. We visited one retirement home and some of our investigators and members. I was a little timid to sing at first, but soon we were doing rather well. Just imagine two sweaty young adults with strange accents singing Christmas songs for you.

On Sunday we went to church and we were able to talk to family. It was good to see them and talk a little, but the time they give us passes by rather fast. But, the time on the mission passes by fast too. In no time at all I will be calling them again and going home. Just a reminder to use my time to the fullest.

Elder Quain

December 19, 2016 - Ribeirão das Neves

I see a Belo Horizonte

Well this week started out with a bang....it was rather loud.

This Tuesday my companion and I had headed out to do a visit in the morning and we were heading to lunch, when we stopped to let a bus pass to cross the road. All the roads here are made of rocks, and one of the rocks had broken loose. When the bus passed it picked up the rock and threw it at my knee(that was the bang), it hurt a lot. We were given a ride to the hospital by a friendly neighbor and I took an x- ray to see if anything broke. Nothing broke, but I stayed in bed one day and I am using crutches right now.

The next day was zone conference. So, this means that we had to go to Belo Horizonte. We tried to catch the bus, but the highway closed off due to a 15 meter hole that opened up. We decided to try catching a different route and we were spotted by a member that gave us a ride to the station. We were able to get there, but we came a little late and missed a talk by Sister Fernandes. We had panetone for breakfast and a few other talks and practice. We then had pizza and açaí for lunch. I also got to talk with a lot of missionaries from my old district and even two old companions. It feels funny knowing so many people. I remember when I came to the mission and knew almost nobody.

This is Christmas week. I hope that everyone is having a good time, is with family, and remembering the birth and life of our savior Jesus Christ.

Elder Quain

December 12, 2016 - Ribeirão das Neves

I see a Belo Horizonte

Well this week started out traveling to BH and picking up the new companion. Everybody that was training received a short training session and lunch at a restaurant that was pretty good. I ate a lot of french fries. After that we were told to make contact while we waited for the newbies. I paired up with Elder Karren and Bustamante (two elders that started the mission with me) and we made quite a few contacts, until we passed by an açaí shop and all bought smoothies. After that, we met our new companions. My new companion is Elder Andrade. He is from Fortaleza, Ceara. He is actually from the same stake as the Elder that trained me and that Elder is married now!!

We caught the bus home and started working. He is really excited and ready to work. A lot of the time he has more energy then me and it is really good. We work well together and I just want to make sure that I prepare him well for the mission and to be able to overcome the difficulties that he will encounter.

We had the special opportunity to hear from Elder Holland this Sunday. There was a special conference for Brasil and he talked to us about a lot of different topics, but what caught my attention the most was when he talked about the importance of having a living prophet to be a special testimony of Christ. Almost all the speakers tried to speak Portuguese at some point and there was normal Portuguese, Portuguese with an American accent and Portuguese with a Spanish accent.

Random:

 * This week we had a Christmas party and some Americans were visiting from Idaho. It was funny as I now hear how those who talk in English  have a really strong accent.

Elder Quain

December 5, 2016 - Ribeirão das Neves

I see a belo horizonte

So sadly, this was my last week with Elder Sabino. He was a really good companion and I am grateful to have served with him. But, I have an exiting new adventure ahead of me. I have now been called to train a new missionary. I will find out who it is tomorrow. I am excited for this new opportunity to learn and grow. Wish me luck!

For some reason I am always the person in charge of the active parts of the activities now, during the ward activities and family home evenings. I´m running out of games to play, so pretty soon I will have to start to repeat the games. But, that´s good, because it means we are doing a lot of activities.

Last night we were shutting the chapel after an activity, when out of the rain an elderly lady entered, apparently lost. She kept asking for her son and asking for a ride. We don´t have a car, so a ride was out of the question. After that she just kept repeating an address. By this time we notices that she had a memory problem and she couldn´t remember her way home. Unfortunately, the address she was saying was at the end of our area. But, we decided that we couldn´t just leave her there and started walking her home. When we finally got her back to her house the family was shocked and the first question they asked was, why she was there? It turns out that she had escaped from here care home. They told us that she would jump the gate at times, she was 70 years old and jumping fences! We tried to talk about the church, but they weren´t interested, so this goes down as just one of those weird things that only happens in the mission.

Elder Quain

Elder Andrade, Elder Quain's new trainee :)

All the new missionaries with their trainers and President Fernandes

November 28, 2016 - Ribeirão das Neves

I see a Belo Horizonte

Well to start off, this week we baptized. We have been teaching a guy called Luiz for quite awhile and this week he finally decided that he wanted to be baptized. He even chose me to perform the ordinance. This Sunday he was confirmed a member of the Church and given the Gift of the Holy Ghost. He is now preparing to be a priest.

This week we did a split with the other elders in our District and I was with Elder Marques. We focused our efforts on finding more new people to teach and we were able to find quite a few people that are incredibly prepared.

This week I did my first baptismal interview and I had planned to take a list with the questions to ask the candidate. After we said the prayer, I noticed that I forgot the list, but decided to continue. I started asking the questions I could remember and in the end I remembered them all. I didn´t say them word for word, but in a way that the investigator could understand.

Elder Quain

 With Luiz after the interview

With Elder Sabino and Luiz before his baptism

November 21, 2016 - Ribeirão das Neves

I see a Belo Horizonte

Well this week we did a split with the Zone Leaders in their area. It went well and I was partnered up with Elder Volino. He´s a Brazilian, but he looks like he´s American. Quite a few people think that he is American. He speaks English well and we were switching between the two the entire day. We did quite a few visits and it was good and helped me identify some things that I can improve on. When we woke up in the morning we did exercises. They had a pull-up bar at the house so I decided to take advantage of the opportunity. Unfortunately, the bar gave up before I did and I ended up falling on my knees, but everything is good now.

We also had stake conference this week. President Fertnandes talked about listening to the promptings of the spirit and following them immediately. Elder Leal from the quorum of the seventy talked about the missionaries and how we are messengers, which means that we have a message. Our Message is the Restoration of the Gospel and Church of Christ. Our message is great and we need to become great like our message. He than asked and of the full time missionaries to stand up and asked why so few people were standing. He continued and stated the quote, "Every member a missionary" and had everyone stand up.

Lastly, my Christmas package came in and, as I was impatient, Christmas came early. I don´t know which was more exciting; chocolate, peanut butter, or socks.

Elder Quain

Oh, The packages came in this Sunday. Sorry, I don´t have very much patience and I already opened up them both. Muito Obrigado!!! Muchas Gracias! Thank you!!
Christmas came early this year, and my companion was rather excited.

We love the peanut butter. Elder Erazo

 

Doing splits: Elder Searle, Elder Valino, Elder Quain, Elder Sabino

 My new Christmas tie.

November 14, 2016 - Ribeirão das Neves

I see a Belo Horizonte.

Well, this week it started to rain again. So, things have gotten quite a bit colder. I'm enjoying it, but we run more of a risk of falling down. I haven´t fallen yet, but others have. I hope I didn´t curse myself.

We did another integration activity and had some investigators visit. They even brought refreshments for everyone. Everyone was grateful to eat some cake as it has been popcorn for the last three weeks, but I guess that´s what you get when the missionaries are in charge of the snack.

I decided to study the Book of Moses in the 'Pearl of Great Price' and I have really enjoyed the study. It explains really well the Plan of Salvation and each day I have received new insights. I think this also has to do with he fact that I have started keeping a study journal, which has really helped me focus my study and more importantly remember my study.

We were able to do a lot more visits with the members this week and visit their friends. This really helps the work move along. We have this great opportunity to be among the first to receive the gospel and as such it is our duty to share it. Why wouldn't we want to, if it makes people happier?

Randoms:

*  We talked with a mom of a member that wants to leave for a mission and we told her that it passes by fast and she responded, 'not for a mom.'

*Yesterday we were stopped by a drunk guy that wanted to talk English with us. He just kept repeating that My eyes were beautiful, but scared him. My companion and I got a good laugh about that afterwards.

Elder Quain

From last week's zone conference - can you find Elder Quain? (very back Elder)

November 7, 2016 - Ribeirão das Neves

I see a belo horizonte

This week we had a zone meeting. To get to the meeting we had to ride about 2 hours on a bus and we stood the entire way there and the entire two hours to get back. My legs felt like jelly after the two trips. Another thing that I discovered is that I get cold a lot easier now. I just sat there shivering throughout the entire meeting. My favorite training was about the conversion process. We talked about how a person has to act on their faith to really know that a principle is true, but also that they can´t make an action until they are presented with the principle. That is where we come in. We need to be the teachers and present the gospel truths in a direct and simple way that they can understand.

One night this week, I was sitting down and finishing up the day, when the other companionship walked through the door. Elder Erazo just looks at us and said,"I fell." His Companion starts to laugh and explained the rest. It turns out that he fell twice and had fallen on top of dirt and animal poop. That´s what we get for serving in a rural area.

Elder Quain

 Views of the are where I serve.

 The Missionaries as the "Avengers" - can you name them all?

Trying out Elder Erazo's glasses.

 After Elder Erazo fell.

Selfie time

October 31, 2016 - Ribeirão das Neves

I see a Belo Horizonte.

Theme of the Week: Do all that you can and God will do the rest.

Well, this week was rather busy. To start off, Elder Matamala was transferred and Elder Marques came. Also, as part of my new calling I have to plan the District Meetings. My first one this week went rather well. But I have to stand in front of groups more than I am accustomed to do. 

We also held our second noite de integração this week and we ended up watching the Restoration film, eating popcorn and playing a little game. We had an investigator come to the activity and really liked it. The activity is open to everyone, but it is mostly the youth that come to the activity. We tend to work more with the youth as they are more open to share the gospel with their friends. I think this is one of the ways that we need to become as a child.

This week we were working with two people to be baptized, Luiz and Riquelmi. They are both ready to be baptized, but haven´t made the decision yet. We spent the week working with them and we even passed a time with them avoiding us. As an act of faith we filled up the baptismal font and went to visit them on Saturday. We told them that the font was full and waiting for them to be baptized and if they felt that they should be baptized that they could come at 5 o´clock. 

We were left sitting there at 5 o´clock and didn´t have a baptism. But, I had the impressing that we didn´t fill up the baptismal font for nothing. I had my doubts, but just decided to keep working. We went to their house Sunday morning and walked to church with them. I was just sitting at church wondering why we had filled up the font. They said that they hadn´t receive a response yet. 

During sacrament meeting the missionaries were sitting on the stand, as we were to participate in the Primary presentation, when Luiz called me down to talk with him. He said that he wanted to get baptized and now him and his brother and another one of his friends(Ricardo) are all preparing to be baptized this Saturday.

tema da semana: faz o possível, e entregue o resto na mão do senhor.( do what you can, and put the rest into the lord´s hand)

Elder Quain

October 24, 2016 - Ribeirão das Neves

I see a belo Horizonte

This week went rather well.

To start off we had a lesson with Douglas, Rodrigo and Márcia. They are a family that is super cool. They always read the Book of Mormon and have a bunch of questions. It's helpful that they are teachers and enjoy reading. While we were teaching the lesson it started to rain and we were pushing it really close on the time to get home. Luckily, we were offered a ride home which saved us from getting wet. When we arrived in the apartment the other elders looked at us in wonder and asked how we weren´t wet. Douglas, Rodrigo and Márcia also came to church this Sunday. Some of the youth came up and started talking to them. It turns out that they are their teachers! They seemed to enjoy it and confirmed our next visit.

This week we started up noite de integração again. This activity is always fun and is rather simple. It is an activity were the whole ward is invited and is a great opportunity for them to invite friends. The activity had a good attendance, at about 30 people. There were only two guys, but later on we noticed that they were playing soccer outside. Elder Sabino gave the message and I did the game with a snack of popcorn. Activities here don´t function unless you have a snack.

This was the week that my companion and I were able to bring the most people to church in this area out of the whole time I have been in this area. What we did differently is that we prayed individually for each investigator by name in every prayer. It really show that we need to ask the Lord for specific things and show him our desires.

Random:

* We got transfer calls last night and Elder Sabino & I  will be staying and I will now be the District Leader.

* Also this week Paulo, one of my investigators from Recanto da Serra, was baptized. Like with Màrcia, I would have liked to have been there, but knowing that I was able to help him is enough.​

Elder Quain

 After soccer on p-day

Me,Elder Matamala and Elder Sabino​

                me and Elder Erazo​

Paulo, one of my investigators from Recanto da Serra, was baptized

my work desk

Take-out hamburgers

October 17, 2016 - Ribeirão das Neves

I see a belo horizonte.

Well, first thing this week. Márcia got baptized! I got the notice from Elder Ribeiro and Gonçalves that this week she decided to take this step and be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was a little bummed to not be able to be there, but it was great to know that I was able to help her in her search.

Also, There was an activity to raise money for the young women to go to camp and we were invited to do a presentation. It turned out rather well and we sang two songs. The first was a us singing 'I Can Be a Missionary Now', and the second was the Primary song"My Heavenly Father Loves Me," but sung to the melody of 'Clocks' by Coldplay. From what we heard the people enjoyed it and we don´t sing to bad. I´ll try to send a video if it downloads fast enough.

Other than that we went to a chocolate store where we found chocolate tabs of different intensities of cocoa. So, naturally I had to buy one of each and try them all. I´m not sure which one a liked best, so I might have to buy them all again..haha.

Elder Quain

 Acai       Cherry Coke

  Chocolates

Jorge, Marcia, Elder Goncalves, Elder Ribeiro

Elder Ribeiro, Marcia, Jorge, Elder Goncalves

October 10, 2016 - Ribeirão das Neves

I see a Belo Horizonte

This just seemed like a pretty plain week. We worked just like normal.

This week we had interviews with President Fernades, so we had to go to Belo Horizonte. It´s about one and a half hours away by bus and is the closest that I have been to serving in Belo Horizonte. While we were there we decided to look and see what they had in their larger supermarket and we found a can of Cherry Coke. I know that doesn´t seem like much to you, but I haven´t seen one in over a year now. They are doing a special limited edition to see if it sells. Well, they sold two to a happy American missionary. Now I just need to find root beer and ginger ale.

We are teaching quite a few people right now and the work is moving well. We even had a investigator give us dinner. It made me think of something that Elder Ribeiro always said," You can tell that someone likes you when they start giving you food." The phrase is pretty true. My companion and I, being polite missionaries offered to help. This ended with grape juice spilled on my shirt and the investigator telling my companion to stop washing dishes. People here don´t let you wash dishes a whole lot. We always offer anyways.

This week we started using a great message that we call Noah´s ark. Noah was a prophet and was commanded to call repentance to the people and warn them of a coming flood. He was really trying to save them and invited them to enter into the ark. If we were Noah, who would we invite into the ark? As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints we are in the ark and we should invite all to know more about Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. As you do this you will see the blessing that will come and the people that will answer the call.

Elder Quain

October 3, 2016 - Ribeirão das Neves

I see a Belo Horizonte

Well, this week was pretty full. We had three days of conferences. If you thought two days wasn´t enough, think again. The conferences were great and I´ll give a little insight.

The first was Zone Conference with President Fernandes. He talked a lot about working with the members, but the part that stuck out the most for me was how we should teach. This was a good, better, best relation. He talked about the first lesson that we leave with our investigator where we introduce the ideas of living prophets, the Book of Mormon and baptism. He told us that this is what we need to teach so that people can know that the church is true. But, he invites us to teach along with this faith, repentance, and baptims.  The two paths will lead to baptism, but for different reasons. the first for the knowledge that the church is true and the second because of our love for Christ. When these two paths are brought together someone can truly be converted. The other part that stuck out to me was the pizza and açaí.

Second was the General Conference. It was a great opportunity to listen to a prophet, apostles and leaders in the church. I have really come to love conference and it passes very fast. Unfortunately, there are so many good things at once that many times I forget a lot of what was said. Because of this I find it very useful to study these messages individually afterwards. These are scripture for our days and we should treat them as such. One thought that I had that I will share comes from the priesthood session. The Prophet, Thomas S. Monson spoke for only about five minutes and spoke about the word of wisdom. Why with the short time and limited strength that he has would he choose to talk about a health code?

This week we had a really tough day, where we were not being able to teach anyone. At 8 o´clock at night we had ran out of plans and ideas, except for an investigator that we haven´t found at home the entire time I have been here. I was needing to teach and said a silent prayer that they would be at home and let us in. It was the first time that we found them at home and we were able to teach. It is great to know that Our Father in Heaven hears us, answers our prayers and imports with what is important to us.

Random:

*This week we decided to do something new... and we bought a giant tub a creme de açaí. I´m not sure if it was 10 liters or 10 kilos. But, we are getting close to the bottom already (with four elders).

*I arrived at general conference on Saturday and sat down to listen. In about a minute, I noticed that it was in English. One of the members came up to me and told me that the translation audio wasn´t working and asked me to translate. I did the best I could and luckily the translation started to work after doing this for only one speaker, but it was definitely a new experience.

Elder Quain

September 26, 2016 - Ribeirão das Neves

I see a Belo Horizonte

Well this is week two in my new area and the ward made a discovery... they know I can play piano. They don´t have anyone here that plays and this week was ward conference. So, I played piano for a choir piece, but only managed one and sang in another. They roped all the missionaries into singing in the choir and we made more than half the men singing. The director didn´t lead the music super dramatically, but I´m used to music professors and Brother Abbott. It´s hard to be more dramatic than them.

During the ward conference the stake president gave a talk and used a story where he was talking with a young man and asked him a question,"if you could be anywhere, where would you be?" The response he received was, at home. All of the elders started to laugh a little, because, first off, it is a little true at times, but we are on a mission and try not to be preoccupied by what is happening at home. Also, one of the elders was just like, "why´d he have to say that?" We all ended up laughing behind the pulpit during sacrament meeting.

We bought gas this week and I am back to eating eggs as they are the cheapest thing I can find. I will literally be perfect at making eggs when I get home. What style do you like; broken, over-easy, hard boiled, scrambled, or do you want an omelette? I´ve also learned how to make home-made pancakes in a blender, but I still haven´t learned how to cook beans.

Elder Quain

September 19, 2016 - Ribeirão das Neves

I see a Belo Horizonte

Well I´ve passed my first week in the new area. Here in Ribeirão das Neves it is a little bit hotter than my last area, but not too bad. This area is a really good area and I´m excited to get going and work here. 

My new companion is Elder Sabino. He has about three months on the mission now and is the youngest companion I´ve had until now. He is the only companion that I´ve had that is younger than me, which is a little different as all my other companions were about one year older than me. He is excited to work and we are getting along fine. He is Brazilian, so that´s pretty normal for me. I think I´ll finish the mission without having an American companion in the field.

We live with two other elders; Elder Matamala, District leader, and Elder Erazo. They are both from Chile and are the only two elders from Chile in the mission. Elder Erazo is new on the mission. They both speak Portuguese very well, but because Spanish and Portuguese are similar they sometimes will say Spanish words. I can understand and it is just a little funny sounding.

I´m learning the area right now and from what I can tell is isn´t super big. We share the same area with the other elders. It can be a little funny when we knock on a door and the people say that they talked with the missionaries two weeks ago. We have to ask a few question to know if it was the other companionship or Jehovah witnesses.

Random

* They are in elections for mayor and here they can play music as advertisement. We are hearing a lot of music right now.

* We saw a toucan this week again, but I always forget my camera

Elder Quain

September 12, 2016 - Sete Lagoes

I see a Belo Horizonte.

Well this is my last week here in Recanto da Serra as I have been transferred to Servilha, Ribeirão das Neves. I'm heading there next week, so I should have some new things to write this next week. 

Sadly, I will probably not be here when my investigators are baptized, but it is great to know that I had the opportunity to help them come unto Christ a little bit more. The decision to be baptized is a big step to take and really is a commitment, but, when someone wants to follow the Savior it is their only choice. In 2Nephi 31, Nephi asks a great question. "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?" It is a great soul searching question that everyone needs to ask themselves at least once in there life if not many times. Christ was the only one to fulfill all of the commandments of God. We will not be perfect and God knows that, but that doesn´t mean that we have the excuse to stop trying. We actually have many things that we can become perfect at including; church attendance, daily study, tithing and baptism. God commands all to come unto Christ and be baptized. And when we have been baptized we have fulfilled this commandment perfectly.

This week we did have one miracle. I had an investigator with my last companion that we had stopped visiting simply because he told us that he wasn´t interested. I felt that it was time to return and visit him. We went to his house, knocked on his door and he opened it with a great big smile. He invited us in and told us that he had decided to read the Book of Mormon that morning. He is now reading the Book of Mormon, when last time it was only his Mom that was reading. It is really cool how the Lord has his own timing and knows how to move his work forward.

random

*Two of my past companions are now companions. Elder Ribeiro and Elder Gonçalves will now be companions in Recanto da Serra

*We were looking at a little snake swim through the water when a bird swooped down and ate it. It felt like the movies when you see a cute bunny and suddenly a bird carries it away.

Elder Quain

The street concert by my apartment

Our last district meeting

Carne BBQ

We had lunch at home one day and this is what I made.

The Brasilians had me teach them how to make onion rings afterwards.

September 5, 2016 - Sete Lagoes

I see a belo horizonte

This week was a pretty good week and had a few miracles.

The first miracle has to do with rain. So, it hasn´t rained for a long time here, but it decided to start pouring. We hid under an overhang and waited for the rain to pass. Unfortunately, I remembered that my bed is under a window that was entirely open. There was another Elder making jokes and saying that I would sleep with the fishes, but when we got home the only bed that was wet was his. He started a joke, but didn´t see that the joke was on him.

The second miracle is that Elder Ribeiro and I were having one of those days where everything falls though, when we had a guy wave us down. We were a little skeptical at first, but we talked with him and found out that he was an inactive member that we didn´t have on our area book as he had moved. He asked us where the church was as he wanted to return and feel the same spirit that he had felt before. We brought him to an activity and we are working with him now.

The third miracle is that I slept at all Saturday night. Saturday morning we looked out the window and saw a mobile stage being set up. I just though, there´s a storm ahead. We returned that night and it had already started, a live concert in front of our house. They played MPB, Sertaneiga and worst of all, Funky. It took quite a while to fall asleep and my companion had a really hard time in ward counsel the next morning. I took a clip to send, but forgot my camera, So I will send it next week

Elder Quain

August 29, 2016 - Sete Lagoes

I see a Belo Horizonte

Well this week I will focus on two investigators; Márcia and Paulo.

Márcia is progressing really well and has the desire to be baptized!!! She has already been to church many times and is natural with the members. Before church starts we are out front inviting people to enter and almost every time we enter the chapel she is already there and we didn´t even see her walk in. This means that she´s arriving more than a half-hour early. Right now we are working with her to give up coffee so that she can be prepared to be baptized. We were explaining the Word of wisdom to her and her mom and the understood all of it, except the coffee. We explained that many members say it is because it has caffeine and is habit forming, but the real response is that we do not drink it because God asked us not to. In the scriptures God says, 'my thoughts are not your thoughts.' He knows better than us and wants to help us. Also, it is a test of obedience. To see if we will be obedient to God´s commandments even if we do not understand them.

The other is Paulo. He has been coming to church for about two months now and we were teaching him. When we came to baptism he told us that he didn´t know if God really exists. We asked him if he had been reading the book of Mormon. He responded one time per week. We invited him to read and pray everyday for an answer. He told us that he still doesn´t have a certainty, but he wants to believe. That is the first step, to have the desire. We are trying to help him see how his life has changed since he started coming to church.

Everyone passes through trials and doubts in this life, but we are not alone. When we turn to Christ we have a power that is beyond our own. It can help us overcome our weaknesses and face the unknown.....that rhymed....

Elder Quain

August 22, 2016 - Sete Lagoes

I see a Belo Horizonte

This week was pretty good.

To start off the week we had a family home evening with one of the investigator´s families in the second counselors house. We decided to watch the Restoration video with everyone. It made me remember when I used to watch it with English subtitles to try and learn Portuguese. Now I can understand it easily. The FHE went well and the investigators really liked it. It is a great tool to help the investigator gain friendships with the members and feel comfortable at church.

We went to teach a lesson to Márcia this week and her nephew was there. He was practicing guitar and started playing American music. He actually sang fairly clearly. I decided to sing along as he played some Ed Sheran and made them laugh when I tried falsetto. Márcia hummed along too. My companion sat there a little awkward and Márcia´s nephew decided to play a Portuguese song so he could sing along, but my companion declined.

We also had a recent convert receive his mission call this week. He will be serving a mission in Cuiabá. He is super excited and the missionaries that taught him are excited too. Knowing a little bit of what he will experience, I know that he will grow and enjoy the mission and helping other. He is a little shy, but will lose his timidness fast.

Teaching a lesson this week I had a shock. We have an investigator that has been coming to church for two months and has received all of the lessons. He had even accepted a date to be baptized, but during the lesson he told us that I doesn´t really believe that God exists. I had not been expecting that. My companion and I were lost for a moment until we thought of the story of Aaron and the King. We read it with him and invited him to act like the king and pray to know if God exists and be willing to give up all to know him. I really hope that he will act to be able to receive a testimony.

Randoms:

* We have a Mexican in our house that is teaching us to sing in Spanish. Baile tu cuerpo alegría   macarena.

* We had a week where another elder was pooped on by a bird and I wasn´t.

Elder Quain 

 FHE from last week at the Paixão family house

Juliano and his mission call

a monkey in the street. It´s fairly normal for me now, but I thought you would like to see it.

August 15, 2016 - Sete Lagoes

I see a belo Horizonte

This week, like many others has gone by really fast. I feel like I don´t have anything super interesting to say right now.

This week we continued to work with Márcia and she has progressed a lot. We have taught her almost all of the lessons and she is learning rapidly. We were teaching her about temples and family history and she had her computer out. I decided to use the opportunity to set up a family search account for her. I realized that I really should use genealogy more as a tool to help my investigators feel the spirit. I also realized that I don´t have patience with computers. I have gained more patience with people, but I haven´t quite mastered slow Internet patience.

One of the great things about teaching there is that she gives us cake every lesson, and it is quite a bit better than the exploding cake that I make. She even sent us home with cake one time. 

This last week we did a family home evening and taught the plan of salvation. It was going well until one of the members decided to talk about deep doctrine and the lesson got derailed. I can talk fairly well in Portuguese, but I haven´t figured out how to stop members from saying things that will just cause confusion. It is just due to the fact that everything is new and we don´t want to overload people. Luckily, we finally gained control of the situation and finished the lesson, but it was about 30 minutes longer than expected.

Randoms:

• This Sunday was Father´s Day here in Brasil...parabéns pra você
• Everybody that sees me asks if I´m watching the Olympics
• Everybody tells me that America is stealing all of the Medals
• I drink Chá Matte here

Elder Quain

August 8, 2016 - Sete Lagoes

I see a Belo Horizonte.

This week our house dynamics changed a bit. Elder Buchanan, the other American moved and Elder Gutierrez moved in. He is from Mexico. This is my first time living with a Mexican, so it should be a good experience. During the mission we are able to have contact with many other cultures and see what is good in each of them.

We had a good week of missionary work. Unfortunately, we had one of our worst week in teaching lessons, but we had three investigators that came to church. They are all progressing very well and really enjoyed church. Last week we did a contact with a woman named Marcia and she came to church. She liked it so much that she made cake for us when we visited (if people make food for you that means they really like you). She also invited her mom, Laura, to listen to the lessons. They both came to church this week. After church we heard Laura say that she liked church so much that she will come every week. They are super prepared and responded rapidly to the Savior`s call to come to the fold.

The Lord prepares his elect that they might be ready to respond. The Lord calls to everyone, of all ages, color and class. It is our choice to make; if we will respond. The scriptures state that everyone that accepts Christ will be called by his name and if we are not called by Christ we will be called by another name. Let us be prepared when he calls.

Elder Quain

August 1, 2016 - Sete Lagoes

I see a Belo Horizonte

This week passed an important date on the mission. This last Friday marked one year since I left home for the MTC in Provo. This year has gone by real fast and quite a few things have changed for me.

This past year my spiritual knowledge has grown, but not as much as my faith. I was raised in the Church, so I knew quite a bit before coming on the mission, but during the mission I have really put it into practice for the first time. I have learned to trust in the Lord and the fact that he knows what is best for me. I have learned about the Atonement that he preformed for us and the power it gives us. The greatest power that it gives us is the power to change. To really change our lives, habits and attitudes. This is the process of repentance that we all need and I am grateful for this, because it is only through this process and baptism that we are able to return to live with Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and our family for eternity. The greatest gift he has for us.

It also gives us the ability to do things that would otherwise be impossible. One of these things for me was learning to speak another language. I always had the desire to learn another language, but never thought that I would be able to achieve that task. It took quite some time, study and prayer, but I finally started to adapt and talk. I really started to improve when I started to trust that I would be given what I needed to say.

So, do your best, read the scriptures, pray, go to church and trust in the Lord. He will make everything possible.

Elder Quain

I play piano almost every week for the baptismal reunions and I sing in the street, but I haven´t had a lot of time to play guitar.

4 months ago in Pedro Leopoldo

 Family Home Evening in Adailson's house

Family Home Evening in Bishop Abreu's house

 Family Home Evening in Joaquim's house

 Family Home Evening in Luiz and Rosa's house

Family Home Evening in Simone's house (leader of RS)

 Family Home Evening with Lucimario and family

Elder Ribeiro and me with Joaopaulo 

 Zone Conference

Zone Conference