October 27, 2014

Helaman 3:1- the Nephites didn't have any problems except one- pride. Well, we all know that pride was always their biggest problem. But I like how Mormon puts it here- that they didn't let the pride continue in the church. I see lots of people that let pride get in the way of their testimony and personal spiritual progress. Pride should never have anything to do with the church. The calling we have isn't because we are better or worse than anyone. It is because God needs our service in that place.

So this week we had the wonderful baptism of Jéssica! It was great. The pictures we took didn't turn out very well, but the meeting was good.

This week our ward did the same activity that we did back in Rio Pardo- the members came and we divided up into companionships to visit the inactive members of our ward. It turned out pretty well with a high frequency in sacrament meeting on Sunday.

So one of the best moments of my mission happened this week- we were walking in the street to our next appointment, talking with the people, and I made contact with a guy named Igor. I asked him if we could pass by his house another day. He invited us to pass by right then! So I didn't even bother to take down his address, we just went! Well he's really prepared for the gospel. He accepted everything that we taught on Tuesday, and then we taught him again on Thursday. On Tuesday we invited him to be baptized, and we marked November 2nd as his baptismal date. He liked it all so much that he came to church on Sunday to see how it was. Well he LOVED church. He told us that he felt like he was "coming home"!

After the meeting, he reminded us that we'd marked a baptismal date with him and asked us if he still could be baptized that day. We told him that of course he could! Sunday afternoon we taught him the Word of Wisdom and we're excited for this week. Maybe he won't be baptized on the 2nd, however, because the Ward Leadership wants to have the baptism next Saturday. We'll see! Igor has been visiting lots of churches but he told us that he never felt good in the places that he went. We told him that the way he felt in the church is how we feel always because of the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Anyway, ya know what the best part is? Igor is 20. And he can serve a mission one day!

Well that was the highlight of my week. Yesterday afternoon Elder Schiavoni and I did a division in the Feitoria area. The elders there were needing a little lift up and so we went to help them out. I worked with Elder Smith, who has a really cool story. Anyway, we planned on sleeping the night at their house and to our dismay, we found their house completely without food! Luckily, I'd thought in bringing potatoes and popcorn with me so we had a little mini party. They didn't have mattresses for us, so we spread a blanket on the ground which turned out pretty nice because it wasn't so hot down there. And the ground was actually a lot more comfortable than the mattress that I use here in São Leopoldo! (Elder Schiavoni didn't agree with me and is complaining about his back, but that's because he won the good bed when we pulled straws) We returned back here this morning.

I love ya'll! Happy Halloween!

Elder Jasperson

Photo of the week

October 20, 2014

A question that we often hear is "Why did ______ have to die. He was such a good person! Bad people all around are alive and he got sick (or something) and died?" Well I found the answer in Alma 60:3. I hope y'all can find it too!

This week was good! We had Ana's Baptism which was really spiritual. We sang a special musical number and it was really special. Ana asked that we presented a Hymn that we'd never heard. She liked its name "Deus é Amor" (God is Love) I don't know if that hymn exists in English, because I've never heard of it. [Editor Note: I found a hymn in the LDS hymnal called "God Is Love".... not sure if this is the same hymn.]

Ana's baptism

Other than the wonderful baptism, not much happened. It rained all week! Elder Schiavoni managed to fill up his shoes with water. The next day, he filled up my shoes with water. The next day, he filled up my boots with water. Then I stopped loaning him shoes. I gave a talk in the Sacrament meeting which was great. It was about the parable in Luke 14 and how we can help fill the Lord's Table (the celestial kingdom). The price is already paid, and the hour of the dinner has come. We just have to fill the table!

Elder Sciavoni and me

We're excited for this week because we'll have the baptism of Jessica! Pray for her so that she can be firm in this decision! There is a lot of opposition in this city!

Elder Jasperson

October 13, 2014

So the transfer happened and who can guess where I ended up? Passo Fundo, the farthest part of the mission? Gramdo, the most beautiful city in the south? Canoas, where the church is the strongest?

If you thought of one of those cities, you thought wrong. I ended up in São Leopoldo. Again. Which was different. I've never met anyone who repeated a city. But I did!

Anyway, it's been a cool week. My new companion is Elder Schivoni. He's from Argentina. This week we didn't have many experiences because of the transfer. Elder Schivoni was a little surprised that I already knew my way around the city.

Today we cleaned out the house and found an onion growing in the fridge! I'm glad that I like cleaning because we had a lot to do! But now our house is beautiful!

Our investigator Ana decided to stop smoking this week. That was really great! We'll have her baptism soon!

Elder Jasperson

tchau, rio par

Lurdes made some breeches for me
(Editor's Note: Google Translate version)

October 6, 2014

General Conference was cool, huh? I guess we all made history since it's the first time that the speakers used their own language. I made sure to write that in the diary just in case it becomes a historic document one day. I loved the talk of Elder Godoy. Elder Bednar also had a great talk.

I'm being transferred tomorrow, so I'll have to use all my time today to say bye to all of my friends here (and to pack my bags).

This week Tainã was baptized. She is 16 and is really opening up with the young woman! She was really shy when we started teaching her and now she's a lot more open! The young woman of the branch are awesome and really are helping her feel included.

I was in Santa Cruz on division this week and we knocked on an older lady's door. I was with Elder Fullmer who is American. He told her that we were Americans and asked if she'd ever heard of the US. She replied "Well, I've heard people talk about that but I don't believe it" I replied "You don't believe in the United States?" she affirmed that. So I had a wonderful moment to bear my testimony and testify of truth "I testify that the United States are true" I said. Elder Fullmer almost died laughing. I don't think I'll ever have the chance to bear my testimony of that again!

Also- this week we tried to make tereré with hot water and that is HORRIBLE! Luckily, we have a window in our house that is great for throwing things out... especially when your mouth is full of hot tereré!

Elder Jasperson

Photos of the Week

Um ovo de um ganso
(a goose egg)

Tainã baptism

Meu cisne de papel :)

my paper swan