February 3, 2014

Well this week started good on Pday when I went out to throw a football with Elder Soares (yes, he has a football). He played football professionally, before his mission, and was a starter on the National Champion Team of Brazil. Anyway, football isn't really normal here, so he had to get all dressed up to play it. He put on a jersey, high socks, and cleats … the whole deal. It's funny because for me, going out to play a game of catch is just a normal thing. Culture differences are fun :)

So I thought a lot this week, after playing football, about having more power. Because to be a football player, you have to be strong. For me, however, I thought more about spiritual power. Alma 17:2-3 has a nice bit about how we can have more spiritual power.

I also read up on the blessings that come from temples. There's some good stuff in D&C 109:13-15, 21-30, 38-39, and 55-57.

Transfers are tomorrow, and I'm leaving, so I don't know when I'll be able to go to the temple again. Maybe I'll go to a place that's still close by so I can visit the temple soon!

Anyway, Monday night, we did a FHE at Brother Nilvo's house. His daughter, Jessica, invited a friend, and we had a nice little lesson about prophets. It took me back to old times when I had parties at my house, because I used one of the same games that we used to use as an activity for FHE.

After Monday, things got complicated here in Porto Alegre because the buses went on strike. They're still on strike. It only affected us a little, but it helped us a lot because lot of people couldn't go to work and a lot more people were at home. It's a pretty bad strike though, because people aren't working, and aren't getting money. Stores are losing money too because people aren't going to Central anymore. The people on strike throw rocks at any bus that is operating, breaking the windows, and they also have burned several busses.

On Thursday, we had District Conference, so we had to get to a different zone of Porto Alegre. We tried to find a bus from a different company (there are some small companies too that are still working), but we couldn't catch a single bus. We ended up having to pay a taxi to go to the conference. To return, we went to a really rich zone called Chacaras das Pedras, where we'd heard we would be able to catch a bus. But we couldn't. We were stuck there for half the day until we got a Taxi to take us back to Sarandi (our zone). That was an adventure! I learned that Taxis are expensive!

But worse than that, the two marriages that we have been waiting for fell through! Katia moved (literally, moved. She took all of the stuff from the house and went) to the beach and won't answer our phone calls. Carlos doesn't have a phone. Tais (Katia's daughter) was still planning to get married, but since her husband works for the bus company, he didn't get his paycheck and they couldn't pay for the marriage. It's frustrating to see how Satan messes things up. It's also frustrating to see Katia running from the gospel. It's really sad to see a family that moved so much reject the very thing that changed them.

Despite that, we baptized Álisson this week. He's 13 years old and is pretty funny. He's still a little shy, but he's excited to be able to serve a mission. We were also really happy to see Liniker at church on Sunday with his wife, Camila. Their family too, is one that has moved because of the gospel.

Álisson's baptism

Lastly, I'm being transferred, and I'm really excited to get to know a new area. Elder Soares will be a trainer this transfer, so I'm excited for him too!

Have great weeks everyone!

Elder Jasperson