Elder Clay Green

Elder Clay Green

Monday, September 26, 2016

Week 60 - Getting Referrals in Marambaia!

Clay posing with Seminary students after making a presentation




Meal Appointments in Marambaia

Hello!!

So this was a good week. We have been having trouble receiving referels from members here, so last week we went to the ward counsel meeting and basically told everybody that we are tired of knocking doors and we want more referels. The bishop is a returned missionary and he also help. But really, we are representatives of Christ. Christ always had people to teach. If you can show me 1 scripture where Christ was knocking doors on the street I will spend the rest of my mission knocking doors all day everyday. Sure we have to knock doors, but there is a much better way to find people. In Christs time, His followers would bring their friends to hear His teachings. Thats how missionary work should be! Members have to help the missionaries!! So our average was about 2 referels per week... The rest of the week knocking doors. But this past week we recieved 16!!!!! It was such a more successful week. Now everyone in the ward is excited about missionary work and we are recieving a lot of help.

We asked the bishops wife to make a tree. A fake tree out of paper or some kind of material. And the tree would have no leaves, just branches. She had it ready and it was in the hallway at church this Sunday. Our ward missionaries were at the doors handing everyone who walked in a little cut ou leaf. They have to put their name and the name of someone they would like to come to church. Lets just say we got a TON of referels!! Our ward mission leader is still sorting them out and putting them on a list to give us this week. Also, we will start doing an english class at the church every Wednesday. There are flyers everywhere advertising and everyone has to bring a friend. So we are expecting a lot of people. Lets see how it goes. We are both from the south so we dont even speak correct english much less teach it!! But we will do our best.

We taught a kid yesterday that is super good. He is a youth and went to mutal last week and church on Sunday. He is super inteligente and really liked the church meeting. We are going to work a lot with him. We were praying and fasting a lot to find someone who was ready to recieve the gospel, and this kid showed up at church! Blessings.

I have sad news. I lost my planner. Yeah that really cool planner with the picture of Christ walking on water that took me forever to do. An appointment fell through on Thursday so we stopped on the side of the road to plan what else we would do. I forgot my planner on the ground and we left. After a few hours I noticed and we went back but it was gone. We asked a bunch of people around there if they saw it but no one could help us. I was pretty depressed. All of our investigators and referels and everything was in there. So with the Lords help, I was able to remember all our marked appointments and referels. But it was still sad.

We are SO excited about conference this weekend. We are planning on watching it in english. Its just something about hearing their actual voices that makes it way better. We will probably be in our own little room to watch it so we will stock up on snacks and what not. But I have been really ecxited for this conference. We are going to prepare ourselves this week spiritually to have an uplifting experience.

Is that Dad wearing a brown suit in that picture from Uncle Rick's funeral? I'm diggin that! 

Who are yall voting for in the election? We don't know what's going on in the states so we always ask people here. It's funny because they say the US is in a mess but at least our government isnt completely corrupt like the one in Brazil stealing everyone's money - haha!

Can I make a request? I would really love some gatorade. I dont know if they make 'Cool Blue' powdered gatorade but if they do can you please send me some in the next package?

Do you think I look different after one year in the mission? (Comparison pictures he sent are below)

Well thats about it for this week. Love Yall! HAve a good week!!


ELDER GREEN
MISSÃO BRASIL BELÉM
MISSÃO DE MACHO. NEM O VENTO É FRESCO.


 Comparison picture - beginning of mission
Comparison Picture - 1 year on mission

Monday, September 19, 2016

Week 59 - More Time in Marambaia!



Michael's Baptism 9-17-16

Hello!!

So this week was transfers and I will stay in Marambaia. When I made my planner cover I put a picture of Jesus walking on water and I wrote a few scriptures about miracles inside. This transfer will be full of miracles and this past week we had a big miracle.

WE HAD A BAPTISM LAST WEEK! So Tuesday we went to Michael´s house just to talk to them. They already made it clear that he wants to wait a few weeks to be baptized. After we talked to him and his sister and his mom for a little bit and didnt even talk about baptism. As we were getting ready to leave I just said to Michaels mom, "I am pretty sad because I know Michael wants to be baptized this Saturday but yall wont let him". She said if he wants to be baptized he can, just have to talk to his dad. So he got all excited and we all said a prayer. We left and he stayed up waiting for his dad to get home. We called him the next day and he said his dad said ok! So we planned everything and had a really good meeting. 41 people showed up Saturday night and it was one of the best baptism meetings I have ever been to. So that was very special.

We are excited to stay here one more transfer. There is a lot of work to be done here and we are excited to work. 

Thats about it for this week! Love Yall!

Elder Green 
ELDER GREEN
MISSÃO BRASIL BELÉM
MISSÃO DE MACHO. NEM O VENTO É FRESCO.

Exchange in Mosqueiro




 Air Conditioner in apartment in Mosqueiro

Clay amazed by air conditioner in Mosqueiro!

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Week 58 - Activity, Exchange, and Conference in Marambaia



 Somebody said something hilarious...


 Sign to welcome old folks as they got off the bus.

 American Elders preparing to teach the old folks to dance.

 Clay with other missionaries dancing at old folks activity.

Blurry action shot!


Clay and his zone perform David and Goliath


He always seems to know where the camera is...

Working on his photo-bombing skills.

Clay with Elders Simoes, Gaspar, Borges, Valverde

Elder Gann, Iasmin and Clay at church on Sunday (it was her birthday)

Hello!!

So this was a good week. Lots of activities and traveling. First off, last wednesday we had a huge activity with a bunch of old people that live in Belèm. 4 Zones were invited to go and help with it. We started off with a hymn and the national anthem of Brazil. Then talked all about the church, what we believe and what not. Then we all started doing fun stuff. They did yoga with the old people which I was not capable of doing. Then we played a game and I was invited to participate and I beat everyone. Then they wanted to teach the old people how to dance, so 4 Americans were invited to go to the stage thing and do a dance that the old people would have to follow along with. Of course I was invited to participate in that. But it was super fun. Then we played a highly intense game of bingo with all the old people and then each zone performed a skit. Ours wasn't prepared very well but we did David and Goliath. I was David and a shorter missionary was Goliath (trying to be funny) When I went out to say my part, I did it in a feminine voice trying to be funny, but one old man that was visiting yelled "GAYYYY!!" right in the middle of the skit!! Everyone thought that was funny.... But it was a really good activity. All the old people were asking afterward what they need to do to learn more about the church. Lot of fun. 

Thursday after our zone meeting, we did an exchange and I got to go to Mosqueiro. It is super far out and reminded me of Óbidos. But there is a lot of beaches and it is a beautiful place. When everyone was out of school in July, they all went to Mosqueiro and now I know why. I liked it a lot. SO that was quite the adventure. Also, I got to eat something new. BULL TOUNGE!! It was the first time I ate it but I must say, I liked it a lot. I ate a bunch.

We also had our mission tour yesterday with Elder Antunes. He is an area seventy and he talked to us almost all day. It was one of the best meetings I have ever been to! I could hardly sleep yesterday thinking about all the stuff he said and what I learned. It was a great meeting and a good opportunity to see a bunch of other missionaries. 

This Sunday is transfers. Not sure if I will stay or go. But I will be happy either way.

Funny experience: Me and my companion were talking one day about the movie 'The Ring'. He said he would always get scared watching it before the mission and what not. That same week, we were leaving the bishops house and there is a pool in his apartment complex. We were looking at the pool wishing we could get in because it was super hot. No one was in the pool. Empty. But as we walked past it a women came up slowly out of the water with her black hair in front of her face. ill admit, i got a little scared at first, but I heard my companion take a huge breath and he started to fall down he got so scared. But then she threw her hair back and looked at us like we were crazy, but it was a very scary/funny experience we had.

Love Yall

Elder Green



ELDER GREEN
MISSÃO BRASIL BELÉM
MISSÃO DE MACHO. NEM O VENTO É FRESCO.


More Pictures of Old Folks Activity
Escorting the old folks from the bus into the building.












 Come Come Ye Saints skit
Yoga instructors.

Monday, September 5, 2016

Week 57 - Sickness in Marambaia




Hello!!

So this week was difficult. Well to start things off, Wednesday night I got sick. I had a really messed up stomach and I had a fever. I was up ALL NIGHT. The headache and fever went away but even now my stomach is messed up. So the second half of the week was tough. A member took me to get some medicine and helped a little bit, but whatever.

Also, our baptism fell through... Friday night as we were walking to Micheals house to take him to the church to be interviewed, his sister called us and siad he didn't feel ready for baptism yet and what not, but in the pouring down rain we went there to talk to him. My companion worked some magic and changed Micheals mind. So we took him all the way to the church to be interviewed, he passed the interview and was SUPER excited about his baptism. I have literally never seen a baptism so well planned. We already had people prepared to give little talks and a seminary choir that was prepared to sing and food and everything!! But when we got back to his house Friday night, his dad said that he didn't know about the baptism (we told him last week about the baptism and his wife signed the ficha so he definitely knew) and he wasn't going to be able to see it because he had to leave the house Saturday. So he didn't allow the baptism. So we had to tell everyone and cancel EVERYTHING we had planned. It was very disappointing. But we will try really hard this week to baptize him on Saturday.

I dont know if I told yall that we got a new bishop. He was the mission  presidente second counselor for 2 years but now he is our bishop. He is GREAT! He served a mission and is only 32. He is super excited and visits people with us every week. He has tons of plans and is going to change a lot here.

We also got a new Ward Mission Leader. It is also a new thing for me because I havent had much experience working with a ward mission leader yet in my mission, but he has some really good plans that will help us a lot.

Also we had some sad news about Valeska. She really liked church last Sunday and she would loved to be baptized, but her son lost his job and now she has to work extra, so she will start a job where she works every Sunday morning selling breakfast and stuff. So she said she will never be able to go to church on Sunday. We got real sad. But we wont give up. We are going to teach the Sabbath Day super intense and spiritual for her and try to help her.

I love my mission. I am learning so much. The mission is literally the hardest thing I have ever done. I have never felt so stressed and at times, sad, but then again I have never felt so happy and close to the Lord in the whole life. I know this is where the Lord wants me to be. 

Love yall!
ELDER GREEN
MISSÃO BRASIL BELÉM
MISSÃO DE MACHO. NEM O VENTO É FRESCO.