Eliza’s Question: I friended some people for you on Facebook.
One was named Maicovale Pingo. I saw that he had several photos of
you. I looked at them and it was nice to see you. We just couldn't
guess who this guy was. Was he your companion? (if so, he was breaking
some rules) or just some other dude who was stalking you two and posting all
your pictures.
Ben’s Response: So, Eliza, my comp was only a temporary
missionary. The mission expected a missionary from the Brazilian MTC that
didn’t actually come, so I have been the missionary to pick up the slack, working
with temps from the area. Elder Vale is Maicovale Pingo and he is at home
now. He also wasn’t an ordained missionary, so he didn’t have an email account
and just used Facebook.
I’m glad the mini-surgery went well
and that you are playing more music. I think that is the thing I miss the
most on the mission -- music, especially singing
in English and playing the guitar.
My new comp is Elder Tavares. He is an 18 year old from Vila Dos Cabanos, a
city close to Abaetetuba. Oh, and he
also dated Janaina, the first person I baptized here. I think it was my first or second week in the
field. So it was fun to work with him for a while. It was like
training because he didn’t know much about teaching. But today his cousin is going to trade places
with him because he needs to register with the army here.
Funny story. The bishop told my comp he was going to
speak for 20 minutes in Sacrament Meeting a few days ago, I think Wednesday.
I felt pretty safe so when we got to the church the first councilor pulled me
to the side and said that I was going to speak as well because the scheduled
speaker didn’t show up. He gave me 20 minutes to speak. So, I whipped
out a talk I gave in my last area about missionary work, modified it in
Sacrament Meeting, and ended up giving what I thought was a really good 15-20
minute talk in Sacrament Meeting. I think just to be safe I will write
another talk and carry it around with me so that when I get called to talk on
short notice it’s not a big deal.
Oh, can you accept Jordan Tavares
when he sends a friend invite on Facebook?
Thanks, Eliza. Love you!!!
-Ben
Hey, parents!
This week has been interesting. My comp, Elder Vale, finished his
mini-mission and went to the beach. I got another temp who is getting
replaced by his cousin today and I was made District Leader. The
District Leader thing is a bit funny because my comp from the MTC, Elder Childs,
is in my district, we share the same chapel [Ben was also the District Leader
when he was in the MTC with Elder Childs]. So, it’s been interesting to have
more responsibility. I think I work much harder when I have more
responsibility.
So the week has been OK. I had
a really cool experience with an investigator yesterday. Ademir is 49 (born in ‘63) and he is
living with his (I think it’s pretty funny here in Brazil because they often
refer to wives as “mulhers” being translated as “woman;” they say, ´”minha mulher” -- “my woman”) mulher
Ana (30’ish) and two sons about 3 and 5 years old. They have
been visiting the church with some other investigators we have and they were
really interested and skeptical at the same time. Ademir, in particular,
had a hard time understanding that the Book
of Mormon isn’t more important [to us] than the Bible. But after I explained to him about the
priesthood, and how they needed to know that the Book of Mormon was true to know that we had the
priesthood, after a while he understood.
And it was cool because I explained and the ideas were just flowing. I had never thought about the Book of Mormon in exactly the way I
explained it. The Spirit was working and
at the end Ademir understood and said that he needed to read the Book of Mormon. Then, yesterday we
taught him and Ana about the Word of Wisdom.
But when I started teaching I showed them a picture of the Joseph Smith
without really knowing why. I like to
explain about how Joseph Smith received the commandment from God, but I don’t
always show the picture of him. But this time I was prompted to show the
picture and Ademir ended up stopping the lesson and explained that when he was
19 he walked in front of one of the first chapels the Church built in Belém and
had a dream where Joseph Smith told him that he needed to help the church.
He accepted my invitation to be baptized by someone holding the priesthood
authority of God, and will try to get married. I think that missions are
great.
I’m out of time but I love you
guys! Oh, and thanks for the paper and insoles!!!!
Love, Ben
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