So...P-Day switched to Monday...
Yeah, so P-Day is now on Monday- how weird is that? How weird is the fact that its 2012?!?!?!?!?!? I feel like it was yesterday that it was 2010 and you guys were throwing me on a plane or dropping me off at the MTC. Man, time really flies. I'll be kinda honest, at the start of 2011 it was kinda rough for me to think that in the whole year I would never see my family. And now, its already 2012 and its really weird to think that I'll be coming home this year. (No trunky, I still have lots of time and people that need to be baptized. Did you ever see Predator? Well, there's a guy who says, "I ain't got time to bleed". I changed it: "I ain't got time to be trunky."). But yeah, time really flies.
So this week was pretty chill. It was kinda hard because it was New Years and everyone is traveling. But now, they're all coming back and we'll go crazy this week. We actually went to Ponta Grossa to play soccer with the zones and I got to see a lot of old friends. I realized I'm kinda doing a repeat tour of the first part of my mission.
I started in:
- Pilarzinho (the São Lourenço/Boa Vista zone)
- Then Uvaranas (Ponta Grossa)
- Then Eucaliptos (Zone São Boqueirão)
- Then Matinhos (Zone Paranaguá)
- Then Colombo (coming back to São Lourenço/Boa Vista)
- Then Castro (coming back to Ponta Grossa)
Are you seeing a pattern here? I feel like I'm doing a repeat tour of my mission. It was really cool seeing the differences in where I was serving a year ago and now. Maybe I'll get transferred back to São Boqueirão to end up my mission lol. Who knows, but its really cool to see how things change. One ward where I served has already split into 2, another has young men who did splits with me and are now on their own missions. Times change, elders change, but the wards remain.
Anyhoo... leaving the sentimentality... So we also had another cool experience last night. So, I was in a division with another elder in another area, and we went to teach a family... So, we go in and the spirit was really strong and the guy told us why he wouldn't be baptized. We were the first elders in more than 3 years of missionaries that he shared this with. It wasn't us, it was the Spirit that made the difference. It just built my testimony about what a difference the spirit makes in our work and when we're worthy to have Him with us, it makes all the difference. The guy told us his life story, and he's had an extremely difficult life. I won't tell you what he told us and break that trust, but let's just say he's had a really difficult life. We then had the opportunity to testify of the Atonement and how he was never alone in all of this. Christ passed through every moment of his life in Gethsemane. My testimony of the Atonement grew that moment, and I could feel how much Christ and Heavenly Father love that man. For a second I could imagine how much God really loves him and how He really does know each and every one of his Children. Christ really passed through every moment of every one of our lives- and because of that, he can help us overcome everything. It was a very powerful experience. Its all true. It really is.
So, this week we're going to work our tails off, teach everyone, and just teach and preach and work like missionaries do. I sure do love all you guys and I hope you all have a wonderful start to 2012. Have fun, because the world's going to end in December, right? Just kidding.
Love you all!!!!!!!!!!
-Elder Marx
Hey!!!
Well hey ya'll. How's life? Well, seeing as how I talked with you all on Sunday, I'll keep this short and sweet because I've got to write a decently-long letter to President. So, here we go...
-Elder Marx
- Well, Christmas was good. Do you guys remember me telling you about how much Churrasco (Brazilian Barbeque) I ate? Well, I ate Churrasco 5 times in 3 days, then on Monday morning I woke up sicker than a dog. My stomach was NOT happy with me. Go figure, with all the meat I ate. So, the only problem was I was running regularly to the bathroom but we had to take a bus for an hour and a half back to Castro. So I just prayed that everything would be alright, we got on the bus, and went. There wasn't any room to sit so I kinda just passed out on the floor of the bus until someone took pity on me and let me sit down in a real chair. I was pretty sick for a couple days but I'm feeling better now. Lesson learned? Yup. Churrasco's good but you can't eat that much of it without any problems.
- Have I mentioned that it was great to talk with you guys on Sunday? (Especially see Bronson). Its still kinda weird to think that Phil and Janel have a KID. Just saying...
- Well, The work this week is kinda being difficult, everybody's on a vacation NOBODY's at home or in the streets. Its kinda difficult because we still have to work and teach, but nobody's around. Oh well, we'll get it to work.
- Can you believe that its almost 2012? Like, the world's going to end next year, right? (The greenies get pretty peeved when the older missionaries tell them that the world will end before they get home. I don't say it, others do, but its still pretty funny lol)
- So, what will you guys do for new years? I personally would be fine just sleeping in bed (I'm boring- wait didn't I call Phil and Janel boring before the mission when all they wanted to do was sleep. What's happening to me?????!!!!!)
- Oh, and my last two packages finally got here, I'll be picking them up on Friday when I go back to Ponta Grossa. It just took almost three months for them to get here- no biggie, right? Was there anything in them that could go bad?
- hmm... what else? Well, I can't really think of anything, but it was great to talk to ya'll!!!!!
-Elder Marx
Well... novidades...
Well... some craziness has happened since last week. Seriously, I think that this last week has been one of the craziest of my mission. So let's start off...
So do you remember how I talked about how we were going to baptize that family? Well, as you know, a person has to be interviewed before they're baptized... I went to his area to do a baptismal interview and he came to my area. So, we did this division starting Thursday afternoon, and then we get a call from them back in my area. They tell me that the landlord of J (who we baptized) like hardcore freaked out and kicked them off the property and said that he would call the cops if they every came back. It turns out he's macumbeiro- a vodoo worshiper, (its fairly common down here) and that's why he didn't want us there... So anyways, they call us and say that the only time that we can do the interviews would be Saturday afternoon... we had to keep the division going for 3 days. So, I stayed in the other for three days. No big deal, except for I had no change of clothes so I was walking around for 3 days in the same Gs, Shirt, pants, tie socks, etc. in the wonderful Brazilian sun. I was pretty smelly at the end. Actually, I smelled like I did back when I finished up football practice. It was pretty rank. But it all worked out in the end and they were all interviewed and we ended up in the division Saturday night and I had a much-needed shower, shave, and change of clothes. Then, Sunday came along and we had the baptismal service and everything worked out wonderfully. The branch was really supportive and it was all wonderful. Actually, the daughter that I baptized was scared of the water and she kept popping her foot out of the water and had to be baptized again. So finally I pushed her down to the bottom of the font so that she would be fully immersed and she freaked out and just about did a back-flip while in the water! It was pretty funny. So then, we finish up the rest of the day and I get the rest of the district's numbers and call the zone leaders. The zone leaders then tell me that the assistants just called and I was getting emergency transferred!!! I was told at 10:00 at night to be at the bus station at 8 the next morning. Well, that rather perturbed me, I was being sent without any warning and couldn't say goodbye to anyone and all my clothes were dirty and and and... But, after staying up the WHOLE night packing my things, I got on the bus and off I went. Missionary work on less than 3 hours of sleep: not fun.
Oh, where am I now do you ask? Actually its a sweet area called Castro. Its about in the middle of nowhere. Its this little tiny city out in the interior of Paraná. Its an hour and a half bus ride from all other missionaries and we're all alone here. We have this little tiny branch and we're going to work out tails off and baptize like crazy. It also means that I'll probably be finishing up my mission here. There are worse places to "die". My comp's name is Elder Lopez. He's American and he's actually from Yakima, WA. He doesn't know Grandma and Grandpa... But anyways, small world, huh?
So, about the Skype dealie-o: I logged into my skype and she's still working fine... I still don't know about when I'll be able to get on because it looks like we're going to have to spend Christmas in Ponta Grossa (the nearest elders) and use the webcam there. So, we're still working out the details and I'll get on super quick on Friday and send ya'll an email about exactly when I'll be getting on. I'm doing my best to get it all organized and I'll let ya'll know.
So, I also got 3 packages for Christmas. The box and envelope and 1 envelope from BoB and Drl. I squealed like a little girl when I saw the Buffalo Wild Wings Sauce. No joke. Like a little girl. Elder Thorpe and Bezerra thought I was nuts. The ties are all super sweet and the Reeses are rapidly disappearing. I kinda doubt they'll actually reach Natal. But thanks SSSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MMMMMMMMMMMMMUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
Well, that's about it and if I forget anything I'll just tell you on Sunday!!!! Love you all!!!! Até Domingo!!!!!!
-Elder Marx
So do you remember how I talked about how we were going to baptize that family? Well, as you know, a person has to be interviewed before they're baptized... I went to his area to do a baptismal interview and he came to my area. So, we did this division starting Thursday afternoon, and then we get a call from them back in my area. They tell me that the landlord of J (who we baptized) like hardcore freaked out and kicked them off the property and said that he would call the cops if they every came back. It turns out he's macumbeiro- a vodoo worshiper, (its fairly common down here) and that's why he didn't want us there... So anyways, they call us and say that the only time that we can do the interviews would be Saturday afternoon... we had to keep the division going for 3 days. So, I stayed in the other for three days. No big deal, except for I had no change of clothes so I was walking around for 3 days in the same Gs, Shirt, pants, tie socks, etc. in the wonderful Brazilian sun. I was pretty smelly at the end. Actually, I smelled like I did back when I finished up football practice. It was pretty rank. But it all worked out in the end and they were all interviewed and we ended up in the division Saturday night and I had a much-needed shower, shave, and change of clothes. Then, Sunday came along and we had the baptismal service and everything worked out wonderfully. The branch was really supportive and it was all wonderful. Actually, the daughter that I baptized was scared of the water and she kept popping her foot out of the water and had to be baptized again. So finally I pushed her down to the bottom of the font so that she would be fully immersed and she freaked out and just about did a back-flip while in the water! It was pretty funny. So then, we finish up the rest of the day and I get the rest of the district's numbers and call the zone leaders. The zone leaders then tell me that the assistants just called and I was getting emergency transferred!!! I was told at 10:00 at night to be at the bus station at 8 the next morning. Well, that rather perturbed me, I was being sent without any warning and couldn't say goodbye to anyone and all my clothes were dirty and and and... But, after staying up the WHOLE night packing my things, I got on the bus and off I went. Missionary work on less than 3 hours of sleep: not fun.
Oh, where am I now do you ask? Actually its a sweet area called Castro. Its about in the middle of nowhere. Its this little tiny city out in the interior of Paraná. Its an hour and a half bus ride from all other missionaries and we're all alone here. We have this little tiny branch and we're going to work out tails off and baptize like crazy. It also means that I'll probably be finishing up my mission here. There are worse places to "die". My comp's name is Elder Lopez. He's American and he's actually from Yakima, WA. He doesn't know Grandma and Grandpa... But anyways, small world, huh?
So, about the Skype dealie-o: I logged into my skype and she's still working fine... I still don't know about when I'll be able to get on because it looks like we're going to have to spend Christmas in Ponta Grossa (the nearest elders) and use the webcam there. So, we're still working out the details and I'll get on super quick on Friday and send ya'll an email about exactly when I'll be getting on. I'm doing my best to get it all organized and I'll let ya'll know.
So, I also got 3 packages for Christmas. The box and envelope and 1 envelope from BoB and Drl. I squealed like a little girl when I saw the Buffalo Wild Wings Sauce. No joke. Like a little girl. Elder Thorpe and Bezerra thought I was nuts. The ties are all super sweet and the Reeses are rapidly disappearing. I kinda doubt they'll actually reach Natal. But thanks SSSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MMMMMMMMMMMMMUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
Well, that's about it and if I forget anything I'll just tell you on Sunday!!!! Love you all!!!! Até Domingo!!!!!!
-Elder Marx
Hey!!!!
Well hey guys, how are ya'll? How's life? Things are going really well down here. Yesterday we had our Mission Christmas Conference, and we had a lot of fun and the whole mission got to see each other. It was a blast but unfortunately, I got no presents... yet. Oh well, here's to hoping that they get here next week. Actually, we had a bit of a... fun... experience coming back from the conference. Well, we had yet to recieve a closet for our house and we were just getting by without one. So, while we were at the mission office they gave us a closet to take back to our area and set up. Well, the sucker was HEAVY and the only way to get it home as to take it through the roller coaster known as the Curitiba bus system during the peak hour of activity. So, every time the bus hit a bump or took a turn the dang box went flying and either hit us or other people. We finally got it home, but I'm not anxious to repeat the experience.
Actually, we had an AMAZING experience this last week. So, last Wednesday, we went to a pizzaria to grab some pizza before we went home. While we were waiting for this pizza Elder Thorpe felt like he should talk to this one woman and her family. So he did, and taught her a lesson right there in the pizzaria. We marked a date to go by her house and teach her and when we got there we found out that she's pretty much the most elect woman ever. After she talked to us she went home to her abusive boyfriend and that night she prayed to the Lord that if He took the boyfriend out of her life she would repent and changer her life and follow Him. So, that night she had a dream where she talked with Christ and woke up the next morning and the boyfriend was gone. Also, by the time we got there, she had also quit smoking without us saying a word to her about it. She just said that she felt that it was what she needed to do. We challenged her to be baptized on Christmas but seeing that she won't be here for Christmas, we're going to baptize her this week. She went to church with her three kids and they all loved it. The members are helping them out and she said that she'll walk to church if she can't afford the bus (our area is REAAAALLLLLY far away from the chapel) Its great to see how the Lord is preparing his Elect in every situation and place and that miracles truly do happen! We've been working our tails off here and its all paying off now. I love missionary work!!!
So, I just got back from the temple. It rocks. 'Nuff said...
Can we do like a super Skype conference together? Lemme know
So I gotta run and write my letter to Prez, but I love you all and want you to know that the Gospel is true!
Love you all!!!!
-Elder MarxSo , I still haven't exactly figured out how I'm going to talk to ya'll but when I figure it out I'll let you know. Is there any way I can talk to everyone at the same time? Does everyone have Skype?
Actually, we had an AMAZING experience this last week. So, last Wednesday, we went to a pizzaria to grab some pizza before we went home. While we were waiting for this pizza Elder Thorpe felt like he should talk to this one woman and her family. So he did, and taught her a lesson right there in the pizzaria. We marked a date to go by her house and teach her and when we got there we found out that she's pretty much the most elect woman ever. After she talked to us she went home to her abusive boyfriend and that night she prayed to the Lord that if He took the boyfriend out of her life she would repent and changer her life and follow Him. So, that night she had a dream where she talked with Christ and woke up the next morning and the boyfriend was gone. Also, by the time we got there, she had also quit smoking without us saying a word to her about it. She just said that she felt that it was what she needed to do. We challenged her to be baptized on Christmas but seeing that she won't be here for Christmas, we're going to baptize her this week. She went to church with her three kids and they all loved it. The members are helping them out and she said that she'll walk to church if she can't afford the bus (our area is REAAAALLLLLY far away from the chapel) Its great to see how the Lord is preparing his Elect in every situation and place and that miracles truly do happen! We've been working our tails off here and its all paying off now. I love missionary work!!!
So, I just got back from the temple. It rocks. 'Nuff said...
Can we do like a super Skype conference together? Lemme know
So I gotta run and write my letter to Prez, but I love you all and want you to know that the Gospel is true!
Love you all!!!!
-Elder MarxSo , I still haven't exactly figured out how I'm going to talk to ya'll but when I figure it out I'll let you know. Is there any way I can talk to everyone at the same time? Does everyone have Skype?
Hi
Well hey there, how's everyone doing? Life here is going on as usual. I'm crazy busy trying to be "mom" of a troop of missionaries, trying to find people to baptize, and fight trunkiness all at the same time. So, things are going well. Can you all believe that its December already? Wow, time is flying!!! About the Christmas call home, I can use Skype to talk to you all, I just need to find someone who has a webcam and internet. But when I do, I'll be ready to talk to you guys. Will you guys be all together or split up for this Christmas? Can we do a conference call via Skype so I can talk to you all at the same time (and most importantly see my nephew...)? Lemme know...
Well, this week we had a pretty hard experience actually. This Sunday was the Brazilian equivalent of the Super Bowl, and of course we worked as usual. So, we were standing on a street corner trying to find a street on our map just after the game finished and on the other side of the road we see this guy just drop like someone cut the strings. We ran over to him to try to help him but he was purple already, had no pulse, and was fading fast. We gave him a blessing and did everything we could to try to help him, but there wasn't anything we could do, and we watched him die in front of us, and in the hands of some of us. It was a pretty difficult experience, but at the same time I'm grateful that I know the Plan of Salvation and I know where he is now and that death isn't the end of life. We die spiritually to live physically, and we die physically to live spiritually again and return to the presence of our Father. The knowledge that we have made us completely different from the rest of the people that were there, especially his family when they arrived. I'm truly grateful for the gospel in my life and that I have this knowledge. Its made me re-double my efforts to help as many people as possible so that they can receive this knowledge and that they can return to the presence of God with a cleanliness, free from the spots of this world.
So, like I said, we're in a trio, which is pretty interesting. We actually finally got beds so I'm no longer sleeping on the ground (what a blessing!!), but we're still lacking several necessities, like a washing machin that works and a sink. But we make it work. We're have a few growing pains because we're not used to teaching in trio, but we're working it out. But its all lots of fun being in a group of more than just 2.
So, have I mentioned that its pretty stinking hot down here? In dad's words: "Disgusting!" Its nowhere as hot as Arizona, but in Arizona we have air conditioning...
So yeah, time's about up, so I'm gonna have to run. Hope you all have a wonderful week and in just a couple more weeks we can all have a nice, long, 45-minute long chat... I can't wait.
Love you all!!!!!
-Elder Marx
Well, this week we had a pretty hard experience actually. This Sunday was the Brazilian equivalent of the Super Bowl, and of course we worked as usual. So, we were standing on a street corner trying to find a street on our map just after the game finished and on the other side of the road we see this guy just drop like someone cut the strings. We ran over to him to try to help him but he was purple already, had no pulse, and was fading fast. We gave him a blessing and did everything we could to try to help him, but there wasn't anything we could do, and we watched him die in front of us, and in the hands of some of us. It was a pretty difficult experience, but at the same time I'm grateful that I know the Plan of Salvation and I know where he is now and that death isn't the end of life. We die spiritually to live physically, and we die physically to live spiritually again and return to the presence of our Father. The knowledge that we have made us completely different from the rest of the people that were there, especially his family when they arrived. I'm truly grateful for the gospel in my life and that I have this knowledge. Its made me re-double my efforts to help as many people as possible so that they can receive this knowledge and that they can return to the presence of God with a cleanliness, free from the spots of this world.
So, like I said, we're in a trio, which is pretty interesting. We actually finally got beds so I'm no longer sleeping on the ground (what a blessing!!), but we're still lacking several necessities, like a washing machin that works and a sink. But we make it work. We're have a few growing pains because we're not used to teaching in trio, but we're working it out. But its all lots of fun being in a group of more than just 2.
So, have I mentioned that its pretty stinking hot down here? In dad's words: "Disgusting!" Its nowhere as hot as Arizona, but in Arizona we have air conditioning...
So yeah, time's about up, so I'm gonna have to run. Hope you all have a wonderful week and in just a couple more weeks we can all have a nice, long, 45-minute long chat... I can't wait.
Love you all!!!!!
-Elder Marx
hey
Hey- so this email will be super short. Basically, we grabbed the wrong bus and we ended up´accidentally going to a completely different city and it took more than an hour longer to get to where we wanted to. I'm now hot, sweaty, frazzled, and I have very little time to send a quick email to ya'll and then we still have to take another bus to get back to our area where we have an appointment at 6. Yeah, things are kinda nuts. So really, really quick:
- life is good and we're working really hard and finding new people to teach (... but now we're knocking like crazy).
- So an Elder got sick and had to go home so we're now in a trio. There's me, Elder Thorpe, and now Elder Bezerra as well. He's from Recife, way up in the northeast. He's a good guy and we're all going to work our tails off. We just need the necessities in our house now, like another bed, a sink, closets, etc...
- Its getting pretty dang hot down here, be grateful for the cold.
- gotta run, the church is true. I'm alive... I'll talk to you next week. Buy ice cream for the missionaries. Its way hot down here
- love you all!!!!!
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