Coral começou!

Hey all you chuckleheads,

 

Choir started up again! It was actually really good! We decided to organize it a little better than last time with a few changes: first, there will be section leaders which have already been called with the responsibility to maintain the quality, attendance and betterment of each section. Also, we had a "tryout" - basically, we wrote up a paper to explain musical experience, interest in singing in a small number, etc., and I tested each Elder´s range, tone, and assigned them to a specific part. It was actually really cool, and though it was tiring I got to know all the Elders and their voices. I wasn´t actually in the practice so I didn´t hear how it actually went, but I think that this next week we´ll start getting into the musical stuff - volume, how to breath, to not scream, etc. It´ll be a lot of fun, and it is seriously freaking me out that it is already almost Christmas! AHHHH@#&#&*%@(!!

 

Now, to copy my good friend Elder Brott the First, the bulletpoints:

- Lúcio, our best investigator, has a theory about why the churches have the big spires. He thinks that someday, at the Second Coming, Satan will be thrown and skewered on the top of each Mormon church. I really enjoyed that one. Anyone else have any ideas as to why? (pointing to God, not the cross, etc.?)

 - I was nearly kissed by a hot Brasilian moça. Lúcio´s daughter. She came in the door and I, who was seated in front of the door facing the other direction, turned to shake her hand. She then promptly grabbed my hand and came in to kiss me on the cheek. In the words of my companion, I nearly karate chopped her in the face, but didn´t, and she didn´t actually touch me - just left me terrified and my companion busting up laughing. Great. Welcome to the second year.

 

- I have a scripture for Peter that can be applied about your relationship with your older, more attractive brother  - Alma 39:10. That´s right, it´s even in the scriptures. Now get big and prepare for our rematch!

 

- Portuguese part, then the explanation:

Estamos, de novo, fazendo coisas de uma maneira diferente. Estamos servindo aos membros em maneiras simples - o outro dia, fomos à casa de Helverton a ensiná-lo um pouco de Inglês, e daí ele saiu conosco numa divisão, e encontramos 3 novas datas. Não há segredo - só use os membros! Estão aqui a servir, e depois que ganhar a confiança deles, o trabalho é muito mais façil.

 

We went to Helverton´s (an RM in our ward who´s been married about 7 months with someone he met in the mission - don´t worry, he´s clean) house to teach him some English to help him prepare for an upcoming interview. We read 1 Nephi 1 out loud and he started out our planning session with a prayer in English! He´s the man! We helped him correct pronunciation and then watched the Restoration - it was cool. We then took him with us for 4 hours and visited some of our investigators, some that he helped us to find. I learned a lot of new things that ne used while teaching and he expressed his gratitude to have, as he put it, Americanos que não são chatos (annoying, idiots, etc.). It was cool.

 

- I´m not sure if it´s against the rules, but my companion really wanted a Monster (energy drink) the whole last week. I couldn´t find it in the against the rules thing, and finally the curiosity killed me and I made him buy one. It was...not that powerful. I think my blood is more potent. Oh well - confessing your sins is the only way to be fully repented.

 

- my comp got sick last Saturday (as in throwing up, no energy, really sick. He´s a stud), and so I got to have a huuuuge study session. An hour and a half on the LM and PME, then lunch, then I cleaned our whole frickin house. It is sparkling. And our Area Book might just be the best in the world. And he´s better now. 

 

- we did a contact yesterday when it was reeeally windy. A lady walked up and I asked if she knew what the LM was. She said she always wanted to read one, and I said that we could give one to her for free. She got really excited and I explained to her a little about it. She then promptly opened it to Moroni 10:3-5 and started reading...and explaining...and reading more...in the street. It was awesome. I gave her a small challenge

 read the whole book by Saturday. She said she would, and we´ll visit her then. Woo!

 

- we found a family knocking doors and they´re awesome! Celso and Jamile! He was almost a professional soccer player but his evil Dad (from the Assembly of God) forbid him. So he´s not rich like he could´ve been. But he´s still cool.

 

- We taught several lessons with Lúcio that were awesome. First of all, a little about him: as I believe I said before, he has had a pretty crazy past (dad killed himself, he uses crack, etc.). He is also one of the most elect people I´ve seen and is already coming up on 2nd Nephi in the LM. The First Lesson that we left with him was extremely Spiritual, and they both (he and his wife Fabiana, equally awesome) accepted a baptismal date. Also, we left the 2nd lesson yesterday and it was equally special - the ambient was perfect for the Spirit. Fabiana also had a dream - she was in a big circus tent looking around for the true church. The ringmaster was Christ. There were many people with white t-shirts on that had their church´s name on it, but the only one that she could read was the one that said "Mormon". Mom, remember that sweatshirt I had from swim season? Yeah. Maybe that was it. Cool stuff!

 

The Church is true. I promise to make the most of this 2nd year, and to find/bring joy in/to every place that I go. Love you all.

 

Elder Brown