My first area, Feitoria, is pretty amazing. Second day in the
field, we had a marriage and then their baptism and I baptized Bruna, the wife,
while Elder Favoretti baptized Renan, the husband. They have three children, only one
that is over 8- Edwardo who is 12, but already baptized.
My companion Elder Favoretti is from Brasil, I can´t remember
where right now, somewhere somewhat near Sao Paulo. He only got baptized a
couple years ago & is just over halfway through his mission. He has a goal
of baptizing 70 people on his mission and has baptized almost 40. Apparently
I´m already at 2. Elder Favoretti doesn´t speak any English which is hard but good
for me because all I wanna do is speak English. I think Favoretti likes me a
lot. Apparently we’ve already obtained more contacts than he did in two
transfers in this same area. I like Favoretti too. He
played professional soccer from 14-17 but his mom didn´t like him being away so
much so she didn´t renew his contract. He is the only member in his family. Our
apartment is over this pharmacy, I like it.
We took a train from the mission home and then a bus to our
area, we are close enough to Porto Alegre that we get to go to the temple
whenever that is. Also, we didn´t get a
night at the mission home. After some training/meeting Elder Favoretti, we
travelled home, unpacked, and went to bed because it was time. Then I got right
to work. Already have some serious blisters on my feet, but no pain no gain am I right?
September 20 is like this sort of Independence day for Rio
Grande do Sul, the state I´m in, when they tried to leave Brasil but failed,
but they celebrate it every year, so Friday and Saturday we had activities at
the church for this which was pretty fun. Met a lot of people whose names I
don´t remember. We eat lunch at a different member´s house everyday.
Lots of investigators/nonmembers were at the activities that we
went to, so Bishop Varken (maybe Warken but they all say Varken) is pretty
happy with us. He also made me give a talk on Sunday, I´m glad he told me
Thursday so I was able to prepare. I talked about How the Atonement isn´t just
for sins, but also for our weaknesses, using Alma 7:11-13 and Ether 12:27. Feitoria
is the name of our ward too. Anyways, we brought an investigator (Gabriel) to
church that we met knocking on doors my very first day.
I think the language is coming. I understood the less actives
who we ate dinner with last night a lot better than I understood the member who
we ate lunch with my first day. I enjoy talking with kids more than adults
because kids like to try and teach me Portuguese and test me. Sunday after
church (which starts at 8:30 here and for some reason there was no power in the
whole church) we ate lunch with this family. Lasagna, but not as good as yours.
We also played a lot of Uno which it took me a while to start winning, but I
won like 5 times. The only person who didn´t win was Favoretti.
Also at church we had 3 confirmations - Renan and Bruna who were
baptized Thursday, and Roberto who was baptized last Saturday, before my time.
I didn´t even try to do that, I definitely don´t have the vocabulary for that. During
the other two hours of church and really the other speakers I only got very
tiny bits, but I still felt the Spirit. I have to focus with all of my mind and
strength to even understand a little and I can’t not focus for a bit so I’m
exhausted and tired of Portuguese by the end of every day.
This mission is hard, but also not that hard because it is so
good. There is a lot of pain and aches, but the strength of the Spirit that I
felt after I pulled Bruna out of the water was like I had just been baptized
again. I think we both had tears in our eyes, she actually started crying.
The most challenging thing is definitely Portuguese, because
like, I can think the word but it won´t come out of my mouth
correctly/smoothly, like I know how it supposed to be said but for whatever
reason my mouth fails to move that way. It is way more naisly than English, Portuguese
is.
I think we´re about to give service. Favoretti can´t get too in-depth
with me, or at least, I don´t understand what he is saying when he is
explaining, but I think we´re going to help a member move apartments. Also it
rains a lot here. It´s raining right now. I think this is a good summary of my
week, very nonchronological.
Love you,
Elder Mangum
PS: Everyone complemented me on my talk and my firm voice- there
was no microphone because there was no power in the church. After my talk, I felt
the Spirit strongly testify that don´t worry, it´ll come. Your weaknesses will
become strengths. I may have started tearing up a bit. Love y’all!
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| Wedding before the baptisms |
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