Baptism, Easter, and Itinerario

it’s a very musical time of year now it seems. . .

that’s great that everyone is being so musical, it makes a difference in society as a whole, brazil isn’t very musical. . .every once in a while there won’t be anyone in the ward that plays piano so we sing a capella in sacrament meeting. It took some getting used to.

But that’s okay because we had a BATISMO!!!!!

The grandmother of the girl we baptized a few weeks ago was baptized and confirmed! Also Elder Petersen called me (he is president´s assistant now) and said that an older couple that we found and taught in Londrina third ward a few months ago was baptized too. That made me really happy.

i can really see the hand of the Lord in the every baptismal story, everyone gets baptized exactly when they open up their heart to accept the Lord´s will and not theirs. That couple i taught with Elder Petersen in the Londrina 3rd ward probably have been attending church for the last three months and when they had a spiritual experience, when the time was right, they made the right choice.

Well, I finally got my itinerary; I’m going from Londrina to Sao Paulo to Atlanta to Portland. It will be from 2 in the afternoon on Wednesday 24th of April to 12pm on Thursday the 25th, just lots of flying and layovers. que locura!

That’s okay that I’m signed up just for fall, I just don’t want to sit around doing nothing so if you guys could ask around the ward and stake to try to get me a job that will be nice.

Easter in Brazil is similar to that in the states, but the hunt for real eggs instead of chocolate eggs and only for like organized activities in elementary schools and stuff, never in house. But, the big thing that everyone does is buys really big, expensive hollow chocolate eggs with other chocolates inside. Every supermarket will have a ton hanging on racks from the ceiling to cover all the aisles. Look it up on google you will see the pictures.

I don’t have the courage to buy these eggs, they are always way overpriced.

Speaking of buying stuff, this week I gave in and bought a suit. It was expensive, so that means no more souvenirs for me. But it is good quality so I hope it lasts a long time. I also hope that I didn’t overcharge the card. But, at least I’ll come home looking pretty.

I love you all; I’m working hard as always!

-Elder Leete

Exciting things Happening!

New Rule that came from the missionary department from salt lake!!!!

I CAN WRITE AND RECIEVE EMAILS FROM ANYONE!!!!!! so hurry!! WRITE ME!!!

(If you want his email address, let me know- A. Leete)

 

some exciting things are happening on the mission, we recieve like 15 new americans who finally got their vistas, and like all of them and their trainers spent the week here in apucarana sleeping on the floor in the missionaries´ houses because they had to stay close to londrina to be registered with the Federal police and there was no space in londrina. so that was a big mess that me and my comp had to coordinate.

the mission is getting pretty big, we have 190 missionaries right now, some new cities are going to be opened, which is really cool. Elder Millet (who is the nephew or something of bishop Goodfellow) is going to open up a new city with his trainee (he slept on the floor in my house this week so it was cool to talk about the good old northwest).

no, saint patricks day doesnt exist in brazil.

i feel like i´m more homesick of my country than my family. (sorry family) i miss american houses and streets and cheap prices  in department stores and a bunch of little stuff like that. but when i get home i´ll miss the food here a lot.

anyway, thats about it. it´s weird, i dont feel like its my last transfer

but that is good, it means i´m not trunky
i love you all!
-Elder Leete

Last Transfer, New Companion, Secret to Success

Last transfer day!

I will receive a new companion, Elder M. He is in my same group so we will finish the mission at the same time in 6 weeks. It will be weird for the two of us to finish at the same time.

This week we didn’t have a baptism in our area, but we helped another area have one. There was a girl that went to church a couple of times that wanted to get baptized, but is really timid and shy. We did a split with the missionaries there, and my companion went to their house Sunday morning,  got the baptismal form singed by her dad and after church did the baptismal interview. She had a lot of questions and concerns so it lasted for an hour and a half. Later, at about 5:00 we went to her house again to talk with the family and everything, and after another hour and a half lesson/conversation she decided definitively to be baptized. We ran to the chapel, filled up the baptismal font at fast as we could (hose, buckets, and everything) and at 8:30 that night she was baptized. It was a miracle! It was really great too because it had been a while that that branch hadn´t baptized.

I’m on the last transfer, last 6 weeks. My goal is to have weekly baptisms here, and I know that with the Lord´s help I can do it!

Good luck Jamie on your mission! Go and baptize everybody!! The secret to being a good and successful missionary is just eating, sleeping, and dreaming baptisms. The Lord gives us according to our desires. So just go a little crazy and do everything you can to help a growing number of people come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Crist and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.


As for packages. . . .just some good old American candy. I miss it. And Brazilians love it.

I love you all!
-Elder Leete

Pray for Courage to make the Right Choice

BATISMO!!!

We taught a 12 year old girl last week and invited her to church, but when we got there we didn’t see her so we thought that she didn’t go. Turns out that when we visited her on Tuesday that she was there, just got the early, even before we did! She loved the meetings and wanted to get baptized, so yesterday we baptized her! It was as simple as that! Her uncle dropped her off at church, and he is our next target to teach, but he has kind of a crazy life. Also her parents aren´t legally married, but they will want to as they go to church so I hope the future missionaries will be able to baptize everyone.

Also we are teaching the girlfriend of the branch president´s son. She wants to get baptized, just is scared of offending her mom, who is catholic. I told her about my experience with Rebecca, and maybe I’ll find some good letters Rebecca wrote me with her testimony to show to this investigator. She could be baptized at any moment, she already lives the commandments and knows everything. Our first lesson with her wasn’t even a lesson, we just asked her a few questions, figured out her situation, and read the batismal invite in Alma 7. She accepted. We challenged her to be baptized on Sunday (we were teaching her Saturday night). She almost accepted, but on Sunday she said she wanted more time to talk it over with her mom. Pray for her to have the courage to make the right choice!

I’m starting to go a little crazy, I only have 7 more weeks on my mission, and I have to baptize 7 more people to reach my goal.
I think I can do it!!! I just got to go all out and confide in the Lord that he will put the elect in my path!!

Also for the past two years the mission has had a goal to baptize 200 people in one month. This is my last full month on the mission so this is the one where we will reach our goal!!!!

I love you all!
-Elder Leete