April 8th letter

Hello everyone!

Yeah, what an awesome general conference! That was the fastest one I have ever watched in my entire life! When I was younger the session would start and then after forever I'd look at the clock "Aw man, there's still an hour and a half". It was a task to sit through the whole thing. But it must be a growing up thing because this time it flew by. Some conference talks I liked were from Elder L. Tom Perry (man I felt my hair catch fire in that one), Pres. Uchtdorf, and Pres. Monson in the Priesthood session. There were a few others but I don't have my notes with me.

I was able to get all the names down of the speakers (thank goodness they show them three times) but for some speakers that was all I wrote down because they finished their talk before I knew it. I was wanting to rewind it at several points. I ended up watching 3 sessions in English and 2 in Portuguese. Watching it in Portuguese, I can understand 98% of the words they use, but I have to pay a lot of attention. I noticed that immediately when the translator said a phrase or word I didn't know, if I wasn't trying hard my attention got lost and I started to think about other things. I wrote down a big list of new words. I liked watching it in English a lot more because I didn't have to pay as much attention to the language - I could pay more attention to the Spirit and my learning. But I watched the ones in Portuguese because for one session we didn't have English hooked up, and for the other we had a very special pesquisador [person we're teaching] come.

We actually had a lot of pesquisadores who promised to come to the church to watch conference, but I don't know why I was fooling myself in thinking that all would come because that's never happened in one year of experience! But it doesn't hurt to have faith! I know I should be patient and do what Christ would do. Also, we don't have very many people to teach anyways!

The training of Elder Zacheu is going fine. We're getting used to each other still. He's a bit critical of me, more like with my messy desk and my clothes seeing as our washing machine broke again and we have to wash everything by hand. I believe we will call someone today to have a look at it. I'm wanting to train him certinho [just right], but there always seems to be something blocking us from doing it. Sometimes the other missionaries we're boarding with sit down wanting to talk to us during study. I also have a hard time with getting out the door on time. So many things to improve! But the other missionaries are still super cool. The other day they complimented me for some habits I have shown during the last few weeks.

I haven't heard anything more about the mission boundary change. It's right around the corner! I have a feeling I will be going to the new mission, but it's just a hunch. I could stay here for all I know. I have so much more to write but Presidente restricted us to 2 hours for email. Tudo bem!

Eu amo vocês muuuuiiiiiiiito! [I love you much!] Have an awesome week!
Elder Bradford

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We had pizza to celebrate my 1-year mission mark
(actually, a church member by chance bought us a pizza and we used it as our celebration)

Priesthood pizza thing! (just that here in Brasil, it happens before the conference sessions)

We went out to eat sorvete com salada de frutas [ice cream with fruit salad] with Brandão, the ward mission leader
(left), his wife, and our good friend Fransisco. Hopefully I'll have time to talk about him next week

April 1st letter (1-year mark)

One year older and wiser too!

So my one year mark is this Thursday! Wooo! It hasn't felt like a year. It's felt like 6 months. I feel like I know a bunch of stuff but still I'm learning new things everyday. I told Presidente that I've learned more about the doctrine and about Christ than about how to baptize (meaning how to find and prepare people for baptism).

I've been thinking about what I've given to the Lord this last year. In our mission there's a lot of emphasis on baptism = success. I do believe that the Presidente has the right to revelation and he told us that a companionship doing all that they can will baptize weekly in our mission. I've witnessed 9 people baptized in the 43 weeks I've been in the mission field. Yes I know it isn't about numbers, it's about how hard I worked and how I have grown, and blessing others lives. I know there are missionaries in other parts of the world who don't experience a baptism during their entire mission, but I trust that our President as well as any other has the right to set the bar for us as missionaries in his respective mission. So, I feel like I haven't reached the bar just yet. I've worked really hard, I can honestly say that without a doubt, but I haven't reached this bar. So this next year I'm going to try really hard to reach this bar, meaning I will continue to work hard but in a different way, more effectively.

Sorry for the super short and lame email, our Líderes de Zona [zone leaders] just called saying that we have a meeting tomorrow in Bragança, meaning we have to take the bus in an hour.

Have an awesome week! Next week's email will be gooder!
Elder Bradford

March 25th letter

Hallo!

Elder Zacheu and AJ

My new companion is Elder Zacheu (za-KEU) from Florianópolis, Brasil. I think I hardly could have asked for a easier missionary to train. Before being assigned to a companion I was worried about being put with a newbie who didn't want to follow the rules or talk with people on the street or do what I say. But he's doing really well. He talks with everyone on the street. He even can kind of joke around with people to make them feel more comfortable. It's kind of weird because I don't do this easily. He's teaching me a bit more than I'm teaching him. If only my Portuguese was perfect, and I understood the Brasilian culture completely! I've always wanted to be that super awesome companion that is remembered forever. I'm trying to be a good companion but I think I can do better. The training is at least going well. I'm worried about running out of things to teach him! And about constantly being an example.

So this week we did indeed work super hard, but we actually had less pesquisadores [people we're teaching] at church than last week. We marked 8 appointments this last Saturday and EVERY one fell through. One of them was "taking a shower". One was leaving to go to her church meeting. One of them was busy. The rest weren't home. I'm not exaggerating, a lot of people mark an appointment with us for an hour when they know they will not be at home. It's really frustrating. But we'll just keep on working. Even though this happened, I feel still kind of good because we did our best to be on time to every appointment. We did our part. But sometimes I get stressed because even though we did our part, we don't have much to show for it.

To respond to your questions...unfortunately, I haven't seen many referrals from new church converts. Here in Vinhedo we haven't had any. Well, actually the family we had the family activity night with invited a bunch of people but only those two cousins came, so we need to follow up with them. We also need to emphasize this with our recent converts - thank you for reminding me about this. The other missionaries didn't change in our house. Que bênção [what a blessing]. In regard to cooking, I don't do as much as in the past. It's hard to find time, and usually we don't have the money to buy a bunch of stuff. Other than pasta or hot dogs or cake, I haven't cooked anything here in Vinhedo. Oh wait, I made pancakes one time with that delicious buttermilk syrup. But that's all. Hahaha, I think by the end of my mission I will have used 5 of the 30 or so recipes that you've sent me! But who knows, I may have the opportunity to make something fancy at some point in my mission.

Ok, this week's email was a little brief...not much happened. Well, we were walking by a bar and some drunk guys were playing with fireworks, pointing them at other people, but we managed to walk by without incident. THANK YOU FOR THE PRAYERS.

Boa semana! Eu amo vocês MUUUUITO! Feliz Páscoa! [Have a nice week! I love you soooo! happy Easter]
Elder Bradford!!!!!!!!!!

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So on Páscoa [Easter] here it's tradition here to get a gigantic chocolate egg.
It's a pretty good idea! We received one from a church member and then devoured it.

Spider Man Pizza! (you won't see this in the US)

March 18th letter

HELLO!

Wow, I completely forgot about Saint Patrick's Day. That means I am losing myself in the work! Actually this week was kind of a downer. I mean, we had another baptism! YEAH! But we didn't work hard as hard as we could with finding more people to teach. Right now we have no one with a baptismal date. To be successful you have to be always finding and teaching at the same time so that your teaching pool never gets small. We focused a lot in getting Léia ready for the baptism and neglected to find more people to teach. So this week we'll be bater muitas portas [knocking many doors]!

So Léia is Diógenes' sister. Last Sunday when Diógenes was baptised, it was the first time she went to church. Before then, she had received a response, a very clear response, that the Livro de Mórmon [Book of Mormon] is true and that we were true servants of God and that this was the path she was looking for. She was wanting to be baptized, but was still a little uneasy about it and had some doubts still. We talked with her on Tuesday and she was still unsure, she presented us with her doubts. This has happened a few times on my mission already...someone receives a response from God about everything, but they are unsure or unwilling to follow the response. I can be frustrating. Usually as a missionary when this happens I try to use the scriptures and show them that God expects them to follow the response he has given and to be baptized. But this Tuesday, it didn't work out that way. I don't know why. I ended up inviting her to read and pray everyday during the week to get an assurance from God. I usually don't like to do this because I see it as testing God. I don't know if I was inspired by the Spirit to say it, or I just didn't feel like reemphasizing about following the response she'd already received, but I instead decided to convey something else.

Baptismo de Léia

We came back on Wednesday, and when we sat down she said "I made a decision! I'm going to be baptized!" She had reserved the whole day to meditate about the subject, and she received another response from God that she should be baptized! That was a super faith builder for me. Want to know something interesting? The first response she received about the validity of the Church was from the Book of Mormon, but the second about the baptism was from the Bible! I still need to ask her how exactly she got the response. I want to know if she read something that could potentially help touch other people who have the same hesitation. But anyway, she and Diógenes are both super happy and seeing a lot of blessings come in their lives.

I got to thinking a lot about them. They were both really prepared. I think if any pair of missionaries were here in my place, they would still be baptized. I don't think it had anything, or very little, to do with my or Elder Alencar's ability. I just feel so blessed that God let me be here and be a part of their lives. It's a true tender mercy that God gave me.

So, this week is area transfers (this last transfer and the next are only 5 weeks long). Elder Alencar was transferred and will be a trainer already! Makes me think that I should have tried harder to teach him some techniques, but he's already a good missionary. He was freaking out a little yesterday when they announced the transfers. As for me, I will also train a greenie [a newbie to the mission]! Yaaaay! I've been imagining about this for quite some time. I'm excited! And also pretty nervous! A good part of this new missionary's success will depend on me. I'm hoping he'll be an American, but seeing as there are 3 americanos and about 12 brasileiros, I don't think that will happen. But we'll see. Whatever happens will have a reason. I'm going to give an extra effort to keep the rules and be a good example to him. Man I'm excited! Please pray for me that I can know what to do to help my little filhinho.

Obrigado por tudo!!! Continue orando por mim! Eu amo todos vocês! [Thanks for everything!! Keep praying for me! I love you all!]
Elder Bradford

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Missionaries serving in the Itatiba zone!

March 11th letter

BUN DINHA!!

We had a pretty big miracle here in Vinhedo. David, a member, brought his neighbor Diógenes (gee-AH-gen-ees) to visit church last Sunday. He loved it and we scheduled to visit him at his house the next evening. There we taught him and two of his sisters about the Restauração [gospel restoration], and they accepted to read the Livro de Mórmon [Book of Mormon] and pray. We passed by Wednesday and everyone had already read the part in 3 Nephi 11. Diógenes had read it twice, I think, and received a response. He was super excited and open to everything. I remember when we got to talking about baptism, we explained about it and I looked at him and said "Diógenes, I know you are prepared to be baptized this Sunday" and he gave a big grin while I heard his sisters gasping in astonishment. I invited him to be baptized the coming Sunday and he said 'Com certeza' [For sure]. He explained to us that he had received the impression from God that we were going to invite him to be baptized that night.

Baptism of Diógenes (on the left, he usually has a smile on),
and on the right is David who baptized him.

We passed by the next day and explained the commandments, all of which he already knew. Then the interview on Saturday and baptism on Sunday! I have never seen anyone so prepared for baptism. He was already searching for a church, and wanting to start a new life and be baptized BEFORE we met him. Usually, the people we teach that are ready don't have this desire until after sharing one or two lessons. This is one reason that referrals and member missionary work are so important. The work becomes so much more productive when not just the full-time missionaries but also the members are looking for people who need the gospel, because the finding part is the most difficult. Think of the ratio between missionaries and members in a ward. If every member spent a little time doing this, finding God's elect would be a snap.

So to answer your questions, I've passed and blessed the sacrament a few times on the mission. Two weeks ago I passed the sacrament because we have a group (practically a branch) growing in the Capela area and there aren't very many young men.

Also about your comment Mom, at times it is very humbling to see the Spirit work through us to touch people. When I see this I think "Holy cow, this is the real deal. These are real lives being affected here." Sometimes I take things lightly and forget that our work is of saving souls. We hold a lot more power and authority than we understand. One thing I'm trying to do when I talk with anyone is imagine what Christ would do and imagine what he would do to help this person receive salvation. It would be awesome if I could figure out exactly what every single person we meet needs. But the problem is, it's hard! You have to have the Spirit with you and have to be completely concentrated on the person and not on when and where is our next appointment, and man I'm thirsty, and I wonder what I should do next preparation day, and man I'm hungry, and wow that song I heard yesterday was pretty cool (things that pass through my head if you didn't know). I'm learning a lot here in Brasil and I hope to learn more how to control my thoughts and focus on the needs of the people I'm teaching.

Family Home Evening activity with recently baptized family

Regarding the picture I included, we had a Noite Familiar [Family Night] at the home of a recent convert family. We gave a message about helping others, and as the object lesson we taped a broom behind the shoulders of two volunteers and we asked them to eat ice cream by themselves, which gives no option other than just diving in. But then we allowed them to help each other and they figured out that one of them could grab the spoon and feed the other and it's a lot more efficient. They thought it was cool so it must have been a success!

That's all for today! Com todo o amor do mundo [With all the love in the world],
Elder Bradford