Week 37 - Miracles Continue in Cabanagem

        Clay drinking 'Mr. Green' soda.

Clay and Elder Steindorf celebrating their baptism with pizza and more soda - but without electricity (and it doesn't look like he's doing too well with cutting down on soft drinks!)

Hello!!

So this week was good. We have seen lots of miracles lately and had more this week. 

SO we have been praying real hard to find people to teach that are prepared to receive the gospel and be baptized. There are always people prepared to receive the Gospel and be baptized. Sometimes they just don't know it until they hear it. That is why we have to talk with everyone. 

So Tuesday we were walking down the street thinking about some slight possibilities for baptism on the 23rd. We started teaching a woman and during the lesson a member passed by and asked us to come to her house when we were through. So after the lesson we went to her house and she took us to this kid who has 17 years. He went to general conference and our last baptism meeting... We taught the Restoration and challenged him to be baptized. He accepted and is very excited for his baptism on the 23rd! It was crazy that as we were trying to find these prepared people, this reference dropped out of the sky. We truly are seeing blessings!!

So we did another exchange this week. I went back and stayed with Elder Gann for a day and a half. He is super cool but we speak lots of English and it is hard for me to switch back and forth between languages. But we had lots of fun.

So a few weeks ago a lady came by our house and left 4 papers talking about light bills we haven't paid. Two of them were from October and November. We weren't even here then - the other missionaries that were here didn't pay it. We sent them to the mission office but somehow they weren't paid and Friday our electricity got shut off.. So this weekend was quite the experience. Hopefully they will turn it on today or sometime this week.

We had a baptism this week. The lady we have been teaching who didn't want to change churches but changed her mind after General Conference was baptized. Her son got to baptize her and it was a very special meeting. It was was almost a disaster because we got to the church to clean the font and what not, and when we went to turn on the water nothing came out... We got real nervous real quick. But there is a solution for everything. So we ran the emergency fire hose into the room and filled up the font like that. It was pretty sweet. 

We like to celebrate all of our baptisms. So we bought some good pizza Saturday night and ate it in our dark, hot house. But we still enjoyed it a lot!!

It is quite difficult to walk in these roads because there is a lot of construction going on. All of the roads are dirt with lots of pot holes and now they will put asphalt down. But as they are preparing to do that, the roads are terrible. And it rains everyday so it is just mud. We were walking down the road one day and had to avoid this huge hole in the middle of the road. So I went on one side of the road and my companion went on the other side. As I was about to get through all the bad mud, my companion screamed for me to help him. So I had to go back around this hole to help him get out of this mud. He took a wrong step and sunk in about to his shin in mud.. I had to pull him out, which was even more difficult because I was laughing so hard. So that was fun!!

That's about it for this week. We are seeing tons of blessings in our work. I know this is the Lord's work and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Love yall!

Elder Green

There is a solution for everything - Clay filling the baptismal font with the emergency fire hose...

Clay and Elder Steindorf with their baptism and her son!

Clay and his 'signature drink' with Sister Anunciacao

Clay and Elder Gann

Elder Steindorf dealing with the mud.

Week 36 - The work goes on in Cabanagem

Clay and Elder Steindorf at their baptism last Saturday!

"Aqui tem Milagre!" means Here's the miracle!!

Hello!

So we found out about transfers yesterday and me and my companion are staying here! We were happy to hear that because we are just starting to get things rolling in the area.

We had a really good zone meeting on Wednesday. We talked a lot about the importance of spiritual experiences. Since that meeting me and my companion have recognized at least 1 experience every day! They are always happening, we just have to look for them.

After the meeting, we did an exchange so our district leader could interview our 2 people who were going to be baptized. So he stayed with Elder Steindorf and I got to go to his area for a day and a half. His companion is American and just arrived in the mission so he doesn't speak much Portuguese. But he sure loved having me there so we could talk in English. I haven't had a real conversation in English in quite a while so that was fun. I enjoyed staying with him. I learned a lot and I think I was able to help him some too. 

So we have been teaching this lady for a while. Her son is a member but she was very firm in her other church and didn't have any desire to change. But we have been working with her and little things have been happening to help her receive an answer about the church. She finally decided to be baptized, but wasn't very firm. Her husband doesn't want her to be baptized because he wants her to go to church with him. But we took her to conference last week and afterward she said that she will be baptized on the 16th no matter what. She said, "I already made my decision. I know this church is true and I can't deny the answer I received. I won't change my mind." That was a really special moment for us. The same woman who just a few days ago couldn't commit is now willing to be baptized into the true church! But we don't want to cause trouble with her husband so we will start teaching him and baptize him too! :) So that was one cool experience we had this week.

We had two baptisms on Saturday. We have been teaching one lady for 3 months and finally she was baptized. The other lady was a reference that we taught for 2 weeks and she was ready to be baptized. It was a wonderful day for them and for us.

So another experience: We were walking down the street with a member last week and a man walked past us on the other side of the street. The member said, "That guy is really good, he was taught by the missionaries 4 years ago and really wanted to be baptized, but the missionary that taught him was transferred and after that his mom didn't allow the baptism. His name is John Baptist." Weird right. So we decided to pass by his house the next week and talk to him. But then on Sunday, a missionary that served here in 2011 returned to visit the ward. Guess who it was? The same missionary who taught John Baptist! So after church, we went to John's house and he wasn't  there, but his mom remembered the old missionary and was super excited! She said John still talks about the missionaries and he hasn't forgotten about the church. So we marked a day to go back this week and talk with them. It was super cool - the whole thing!

We have been studying a lot lately about faithful prayer. Prayer is essential in missionary work. If we don't pray right we won't have the Spirit, and if we don't have the Spirit then we won't convert and baptize people. Prayer is a conversation with the Lord. We are literally talking with a real person. The Creator of the universe. Prayer shouldn't be taken lightly. Prayer is something very sacred that we should prepare to do throughout the day. If we pray with faith, God will hear us and help us. Once me and my companion realized this and started praying more faithfully, we have had more experiences like the ones I have shared here. Prayer is a great privilege. So we should make the most of it!

That's all for this week!

Love yall!

Elder Green

Week 35 - Conference in Cabanagem/TEMPLO BRASIL BELEM!!!!!

Clay drinking that delicious Brazilian soda!

                          Serious in his suit...

Admiring his supplies from home

                     Clay and Elder Steindorf at a special baptism!

Hello!

So this was a good week. Tuesday we went to the mission office for interviews. My companion had 2 boxes and I had 1 so we have tons of stuff in our house! But the difficult part was returning to our area on a bus full of people with 3 big boxes!! But the interview with the president was really good. He always is looking for ways he can help us. 

Wednesday we went to our district meeting and no one had the right key to the chapel.. So the whole zone went to our chapel in Cabanagem and we had a super good meeting. This week was very special because the Prophet and the Apostles were going to speak to all of us. So we did a few practices on how we could invite people to conference in a contact on the road. The only problem here is that conference isn't broadcast to every chapel, only the Stake Center. So it is more difficult to take investigators to conference especially since none of our investigators have a car so we have to find a ride for them or they have to catch a bus!

This week me and my companion Elder Steindorf had a cool experience. We didn't have many investigators, so we decided to focus on that. We have a map of our area in our house. So we both said a prayer and picked 5 roads in our area and didn't show each other. After we both picked 5 roads we compared them and had 2 roads in common!! So we went to one of them that day and got 4 new investigators in one day! It was a cool experience for us and this next week we will go and hit the other road!

I greatly enjoyed conference. All the talks were really good and our investigators especially liked the music. I was excited to hear Elder Mazzagardi speak (Clay interviewed with him at a Zone Mtg in Santarem). We got to watch all of the sessions. When President Monson went to announce the new temples I had a feeling he was going to say Belém. And boy when he said Belém you should have seen that chapel. Everyone literally went nuts! Clapping and everything! But after about 2 seconds it was like we all realized that we were in church and got quiet. I got to thinking about it and they have a right to be excited. At home we have a temple 30 minutes away and people can visit every week - every day if they want to. The closest temple to the members here is days away by bus and it isn't easy or cheap to go. There are members here that have been very firm in the church for years and have only gone to the temple one time because of the distance and expense. They are SO happy to be getting a temple of their own that they can attend often. And I think they deserve it! I will definitely return here after my mission for the dedication!

We have a few good investigators we are working with. We are teaching this one lady and she is a little crazy but very excited about her baptism. She has a little problem with coffee, but we taught her the Word of Wisdom and bought some cevada for her. Then we did a trade. We gave her the cevada and she gave us all her coffee! So she is progressing. We also have 2 other women we are teaching. They all went to conference and are progressing well. 

So I hate to say this but I have started to develop a little gut. And to think that when I arrived here I had a 6 pack!! ;) I think it is because of all the soda the people drink here. The soda we have here is totally different than the soda in the U.S. and it is so good! But I have made a goal that I will only drink soda one day per week. And we will start running every morning. We ran for about 2 minutes today and we about died.. I literally have not run in 8 months. But we will stick with it and get better. Soon maybe we can make it 3 minutes.

The new shoes are good. We got rained on the other day so they are soaking wet but I left them in the house to dry.  You can send the brown shoes I left at home if you want and then I'll have an extra pair to rotate!

That's about it for this week. I will try to send some pictures later! Love yall!!

Elder Green

Week 34 - Looking Forward to Conference in Cabanagem!!

Hello!

This week was good. It was a little crazy but we managed to get through it.

So at the beginning of this month I told you how we were helping a couple get married. We sent their papers to the place where they do marriages with all the money and everything. I called the guy afterward and confirmed that he received it. After 1 week they are married and in 15 days he sends a certificate that allows us to have a ceremony. So they planned this ceremony for the 26th of March. We sent the papers weeks before to make sure there would be enough time. But last Monday I didn't receive an email about the certificate so I called the guy to see what was going on. He said that he never received any papers from me and hasn't done anything for this wedding... So the president of the stake called and talked with him and he found the papers. But he said that he can't do the wedding unless he has the 2 original birth certificates. So Tuesday we got the original birth certificates and went to Belém and sent them to the guy. But he said they aren't married until 1 week after we send the papers and that they can't do the ceremony until next week.. So I had to call these people and tell them that this wedding they planned and sent out tons of invitations and what not for can't be done on the day they planned.. You can imagine how that went down. So the stake president had to talk to the guy again and apparently they worked something out so that they did have the wedding this past Saturday. I don't know what they did cause I didn't ask..  I was just glad my part in it was over. So that was one fun thing we got to deal with this past week!

We did a division last week. After the district meeting on Wednesday I went with our district leader to his area and one of our zone leaders stayed with my companion. It went well. Our district leader has been teaching a youth for a little while and he wanted to be baptized, the only problem was that his mom wouldn't sign the permission for baptism form. I guess I was his good luck charm or something because I was there for one day and she totally signed that baby. So they had a baptism this week!

We had planned to baptize one woman this week. That didn't happen but now we have started teaching her husband too and they both came to church on Sunday. It is a long story with him and I don't have time to tell it, but it was definitely a miracle that he is willing to listen to the missionaries and come to church!!!

We went to a member's house last night and did a little Easter egg hunt. Each person was only allowed to get one egg and they were very well hidden and very difficult to find. But they were big chocolate eggs and so when I found mine I was basically in heaven. Afterward we ate some good lasagna. It was a good Easter here.

I got my new shoes! I had to go to the post office and pay 40 reais taxes. I also got my Easter package. And I've been hearing a lot of crazy stuff about the politics back home. Everybody vote smart!!

Thanks for the photos! Banx's tie is at the perfect length! I love seeing everyone and the kids are so big!! Glad y'all had fun at Easter!!

I don't have any more time to write, but this was a good week! I am really excited for conference next week and so are our investigators.

Love y'all!

Elder Green

Clay's nephew Banx and his perfect length Easter tie!!

Week 33 - Speaking and Baptizing in Cabanagem!

Representing Paysandu Sports Club - a soccer club in Belem!

Still an Alabama Boy! Wearing his 2015 National Champions shirt, sleeping on his crimson sheets and houndstooth pillowcase! And snuggled under his Nauvoo blanket made with material from our City of Joseph costumes!

Special baptism five years in the making!

Hello!

This was a good week. We could have done better in a few areas but it was overall good.

I had the opportunity to do a lot of public speaking this week. Tuesday I was told that I would give the training in our district meeting on Wednesday morning. That didn't give me much time to prepare but it was ok I still brought the house down haha! Wednesday night a missionary from this Ward returned home. So we were invited to his house where they had a little welcome home party. During this little get together I was told that I will give a talk on Sunday. So I had some time to prepare for that one!

This week we passed by a little McDonalds stand that only sells ice cream. It is a little expensive here but I wanted to try it. So I bought a hot fudge sundae and it was literally the best thing I have ever eaten in my life. Besides açaí of course. But really, I almost cried because it was so good. So that was a highlight of my week. From now on I will start guarding 8 reais every week to by a hot fudge sundae. (Note from Betsy - obviously I will be putting a little money in his personal account each week as long as he is near this McDonalds so both Clay and his companion can get a sundae...)

The missionary who returned is super cool. His name is Ronan and he already received a calling in the ward to serve as assistant to the ward mission leader. He will help us a lot.

About the family we helped to arrange their marriage - it turns out that he lives in a different area and after the marriage they will move to a different ward... So we basically gave a great baptism to other elders. But that's ok. As long as he gets in the water I don't care who baptizes him!

We are teaching this one lady who is the mother of a member here in the ward. She has already read the book "Principles of the Gospel" and pretty much knows more about the Church than me. She is hesitant to be baptized because she has attended another church for many years and her husband won't change churches. She has a baptism set for this Saturday but it is not at all firm. But we will work with her this week and try to help her be committed. Please pray for her.

We are also teaching another woman. She understands everything about baptism and what not, but she has lots of doubts and questions about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. But she came to church on Sunday and liked it a lot. She even asked, "When is the next baptism you are planning?"! So we will work with her as well this week.

We had a baptism on Saturday morning!!! The guy from the area book finally decided to be baptized! He is very smart and was very prepared for baptism. The return missionary Ronan baptized him because they were best friends before Ronan went on a mission so it worked out kinda perfect that he returned this week.

Well that is about it for this week. Me and my companion are doing good. He is learning really fast and the Lord is blessing us everyday. The time is literally flying but we are doing good work!

Love yall!!

Elder Green

It rained a lot one day and the roads were flooded, actually its like that everyday.

Week 32 - Lots of training in Cabanagem

Clay and Elder Steindorf eating pizza at the Multi-Zone Conference this week!

Hello!!

This week was good. We had a lot of stuff happen and it was very busy.

We helped send in the marriage papers for a less active member and her boyfriend and we are teaching him now. I never knew how complicated it is to do a marriage! But thankfully we got that out of the way now we just need to get him ready for baptism!!!

We had our first district meeting since the transfer on Wednesday. It was good. We had a good training and what not. I learned a lot. We also had the big conference on Friday with all the zones here in Belém. It was super good. President and Sister Stasevskas talked a bit about some essential parts of missionary work. I really learned a lot this week and we are trying to apply the things we learned to our work!

So I have been talking to y'all for a while about the investigator we found in the area book and have been teaching. He is super busy and almost doesn't have any time even to talk to us, but he is always at church and has a testimony. He is just very focused with his studies. So we prayed and prepared a special lesson for him. We read a chapter in the Book of Mormon talking about the importance of baptism. Then we read in 3 Nephi 13 where it talks about seeking first the kingdom of God and the other things in life will fall into place. Afterward we bore testimony and invited him to be baptized on the 19th. He accepted. So that was super cool. It was a lesson really spiritual. So we are very happy about that and will continue to help him during this week so he will be fully prepared on Saturday!

Me and my companion are doing good together. He is learning very fast and isn't as nervous to talk with people as he was at first. We practice every day in the morning and study preach my gospel. We are both learning and progressing.

We learned a lot this week about talking with everyone and the importance of talking with as many people as possible every day. That is one thing that I wasn't very good at when I started my mission but now I like to talk with people. I have a scripture that I have been reading and applying to my work. Mosiah 28:3:

"Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble."

This is the desire that everyone needs. I love these people in Brazil. I don't want any of them to miss out on the blessings that this gospel has to offer. 

Well that's it for this week!

Love yall!!

Elder Green

Week 31 - Primeira Semana Treinando (First Week Training) Cabanagem

    Clay with other trainers and new missionaries last week. 

  (I told  him next time try to get a little closer to the front!!!)

Hello!!!

So this week was good. Sorry my email was stinky last week. It was a very crazy 2 days. Monday I spent a lot of time in the mission office and then went to this big house where all the missionaries who are being transferred to a far away area stay. Or in my case waiting on a companion. I didn't have time to send an email Monday, and Tuesday I was in the mission office again for a while and then had to go get my companion, so I had very little time to email then either.

The group that arrived on Wednesday had 16 new missionaries. My companion is Elder Steindorf. He is from Curitiba and is 18 years old. He spent his senior year of high school in the United States and learned a little English, but we don't ever speak it! Training is a lot different for me and I am learning a lot while I am teaching. Our investigator group is a little small so we did a ton of contacts and looked for new investigators this week.

So we had a funny experience yesterday. We got in the house last night and the water wasn't working in the shower. The sink in the bathroom and kitchen still worked. My companion was worried about being able to take a shower. So we came up with a plan! We stopped up the drain in the bathroom sink and started the water running so we could use a cup and bail water out of the sink and pour it to take a shower. My companion went first and while he was taking his 'shower' the water in the sink stopped as well! So he gave up. But I realized that the sink in the kitchen was still working a little. So I got a blender, filled it with water from the kitchen, and took it to the bathroom and used it to take a shower. When I ran out of water I wrapped in a towel and ran back to the kitchen to fill it up again! It was quite the experience but I got clean! Then my companion was going to try the blender but the water in the kitchen ran out too so he didn't get to finish his shower. But there are guys at our house now fixing it.

So we had a baptism 2 weeks ago and our new convert already gave us a reference. We went with him on Saturday and taught his friend. He also received the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday!

Our zone changed a lot with transfers.We got 2 new zone leaders and 2 new district leaders. Our zone is really strong now and I hope we can have a lot of success.

We will have a big conference this week with multiple zones and the president, so I am excited about that. 

Sorry no pics this week. I didn't take any and my companion's camera doesn't have wifi like Elder B Silvas did...

I met lots of missionaries this week. Thanks for sending the packages. I am going to make the brownie mix at the bishops house after this!

Well that is about it for this week. Love yall!

Elder Green