Elder Aarone Cefalo

Oi Família

Well this was a pretty good week. I am enjoying it here in Bosque. We planned an activity here in the ward that is going to be alot of fun. It is like a game show. There is going to be alot of things that the members have to do like races and treasure hunts and quizzes and puzzles and etc. On wednesday we were searching for a recent converts house that was outside of our area, but has permission to go to our ward. While we were searching for his house a man about 23 years old offered to help us. While he was helping us he said we had to give him money because he was helping us. All i had was a 20 but he said we would go into the market and trade it. Well he ended up stealing the 20 reais because he kept saying the market would trade him. We tried to convince him to give it back but he wouldn´t. He didn´t even help us find the street we had to ask another man who helped us with his GPS. Then we didn´t have time to go there because we had an appointment so we had to take a bus to get back close to our appointment. Our appointment was with Terezinha and she ended up telling us she didn´t want to hear about the church anymore and also she said she wouldn´t go to church again because her husband doesn´t want to go. She said she knew the church was true but if her husband didn´t want to go then she wouldn´t either. Then we visited Vanda and we talked about preisthood blessing and we offered to give her one to help with the smoking habit and she said yes. She picked me to give it although my portuguese is still not the best. Then we had to go and help and brother in our ward, Paulo França, pick up a glass door and some windows. The door was huge and very heavy we needed 5 people to carry it and load it in the truck. Elder Nagliati ended up loosing his name tag and we went back but the family was no longer home. Then that night we had dinner with Mareci which was really good especially dessert. Luckily for Elder Nagliati his new name tags arrived the next day. Thursday not much happened and we were trying the whole day to get lessons but no one was home or didn´t have time. On thursday night i made pancake mix (homemade) and also made some homemade bread. We ate the bread that night and pancakes the next morning and they both were really good. On Friday we spent most of the day finding new people to teach. We found alot of people with potential. We also ended up going outside of our area without knowing because we don´t have a map of our area and all the areas in Passo Fundo are close. How we found out we were outside of our area is that while we were doing a contact with a family the son who answered the door asked us if our message talked about Joseph Smith seeing God and Jesus Christ and translating the Book of Mormon. We were shocked at first but then he laughed and told us the were members of another ward. The boys name was Joseph and his brothers name was Hyrum. It was funny. But their dad told us the boundaries between our ward and theirs. That night we ended up going back to the families house where Elder Nagliati lost his name tag and they had it and we asked to share a message. They were really interested when we were talking about the Book of Mormon and told us to come back. They are cousins of Paulo França. On saturday we were able to teach quite a few lessons and also Jussara who told us she didn´t want to hear more about the church let us teach her again and she said she received an answer that the Book of Mormon is true and she also wants to go to church this next week. We also found a less active member who was a Sister and served a mission in Brasil. She went less active because here husband doesn´t believe in any religious type thing. We were talking to her and her daughter, who is not a member, but the dad came home and wanted us to leave. On sunday sadly we had another week without investigators at church but a member brought 3 of her friends (all 14 and younger) and we set up times to visit them this week. We also got a new ward mission leader. I had to give my talk about the blessings of fasting. While i was giving my talk it got really hot because i was using a suit and it was a hot day. I was in the middle of my talk and i almost fainted so i hurried and bore my testimony and sat down. It was a bit embarrasing but at least i know have a good story about my first talk in portuguese. On monday we were able to find 3 new people to teach. At lunch the mother had to leave but asked that i give a blessing for her 3 year old daughter. In the middle of the blessing i forgot what the problem was and she wouldn´t stay still so i had to make iot quick but it went well. Then we met a friend of one of the members here and she said she would love to hear more and also that she is going to try to go to church this week with Mara (the member). One of the people we found to teach knew quite abit about the church because her ex-husband was a member and her son who lives with her parents-in-law goes to a different ward. We ended up teaching about the Plan of Salvation because she was asking all the questions that the Plan of Salvation answers. She really liked it and even cried. She asked us to give her a blessing because she was having heart problems. I had to give a blessing again because for some reason Elder Nagliati didn´t want to give the blessing. It was probably the best blessing i have given in portuguese altough it was only my 4th time. Yesterday we also got good news the Vanda finally want to go and visit church this sunday. She won´t be able to be baptized this month but it is still possible this transfer. Yesterday was raining alot but lately it is really hot here. I am having to use Sunscreen everday so i don´t get burned. Well this week seems like it will be another great week. All is going well here in Brasil and i am loving it here in Bosque. Love you all.

Love Elder Cefalo