September 15, 2014

Alma 48:11-13 teaches us what a “real man” is like. Elder Hortêncio and I have joked a lot about being a man. When we drink chimarrão (we make it really hot and shout "SOU HOMEM" when it gets really hot in our mouth) but to be a real man, we don't have to drink something that is hot, we don’t have to play football well or be attractive. A real man is one who develops these attributes. (And becomes like Christ)

Well along with my memory card deleting my pictures, my camera isn't charging very well. Luckily my companion helped me out. With the pictures this week. I'm hoping to fix it this week so I can get back to normal.

Anyway, this week started with us having lunch with Álberson and his family. His mom, Patrícia was baptized this week. She's been invited us forever to do lunch at her house, so we decided to do it on Pday. Elder Hortêncio and I bought ingredients to make macaroni and cheese (which for them we called an "American specialty") and Álberson made pork and rice. It was fun!

our "American speciality" dish!

We visited them a bunch this week (even though they live in the Pine Village which is pretty far away from everyone) to help Patrícia feel really prepared to be baptized. She used to smoke a lot. Ever since we found them and Álberson was baptized, we've tried to help her stop smoking but nothing worked. We made goals, plans, talked about alternatives and everything, but she couldn't quit. But last week she just stopped.

She told us that one day she got up and gave her pack of cigarettes to her nephew and just stopped. She says that this is a response to her prayers and it certainly is! Ever since then, she hasn't had desire to smoke. Instead, she's had desire to be baptized! We taught her about real repentance and helped her prepare for the wonderful baptismal service we had on Sunday! I have baptized about 10 members of this family until now and it's awesome to see how they are all growing together in the gospel.

Patrícia's baptism

Patrícia's baptism with her family

Saturday night we got a phone call from Jean. He was baptized with his mom and grandmother (they are both widows) last month. He invited us over to his house because his aunt and cousins were there and he wanted them to hear our message! What a good missionary! He and his family are some of my favorite converts here. They are really fun! We passed Sunday afternoon with them, talking about the importance of a prophet. We're hoping to be able to help the rest of the family (Lurdes' other daughter, her husband and their children) be baptized too! The gospel is a wonderful thing for families.

It's been raining a lot recently and Elder Hortêncio have gone through 4 umbrellas this month. They break a lot because the rain comes with a crazy fierce wind! We almost went flying like Mary Poppins last week! I guess it's a good thing that the umbrella broke because if it hadn't, we might have ended up on the other side of Brazil!

I'm so grateful that I was raised with my family in the church I know that the gospel changes our lives!

Elder Jasperson

jaqueline's baptism (with her brother cassiano)