This week was another good one! We found out that Elder Nelson (President of the Quorum of the Twelve) is coming to our mission next week! So that will be really cool to see.
I got my Zone leaders coming down to Poços to interview Lindalva (our investigator that will be baptized this week) since I can't do the interview since she is our investigator. Please pray for her, that this week she can hang in there until her baptism day. This is the time that Satan puts in overtime to try and not let Gods children enter into His church. So all prayers are invited!! She is ready.
This is my last week in the mission field, next week Monday I'm going to Piracicaba for training that missionaries receive when they go home. Can you believe it? I'm giving a talk this Sunday in church.
We're going to play basketball at this park by our house right now. My companion is actually pretty good, he just shoots with two hands - - so were going work on that today. But It's going good! Sun, Guarana, and the Gospel, I can't complain.
Love you guys. Working hard until the end! Elder Akina
*Elder Akina's Mom: Fingers crossed we get an email next week - - just two weeks to go, we have officially allowed ourselves to GET EXCITED! He is going to be home before we know it!
Elder Akina
Monday, August 29, 2016
Monday, August 22, 2016
Week #97 Time to Step it Up!
Haawzit Everyone,
This week was super rewarding. We are going all out or as Daddy Kanani says, "*&%$#@!" (not a cuss word!), Lol I don't think that will make the blog but it's alright - - ha ha! We have a baptism marked!!! Her name is Lindalva, she is about 35ish and just got divorced. She has a son that is 4, his name is João. When we found Lindalva (about 3 weeks ago) she was in a really dark place and when we taught her the Restoration her face just lit up. The next week she went to church and this past Sunday was her second time attending. I showed her the baptismal font and invited her right there, she accepted, and she will be baptized on the 4th of September. Her son loves Primary!
We are dividing with a lot of the young men in the ward. Our ward mission leader is 17 years old so he cant help us much because he is in school. This past Sunday we woke up at 5 in the morning to go to our Ward Council that started at 7 a.m. Our chapel is kinda far, which is fine that's part of it - - but when we get there there is no one there - - well that is kind of a bummer.
So like IDK it's hard to do by yourself, but we're going to keep doing our part. My companion is doing awesome. The District is doing really good too! I'm interviewing like 2 times a week, really good investigators that our Sisters are finding.
Love you guys. Elder Akina
* There is a large section in the middle of Elder Akina's letter where he shares some struggles the missionaries face when members don't do their part to support their efforts. It is a little reminder for us to follow up through with our callings if the Elders find people in our auxiliaries. Time to step it up!
This week was super rewarding. We are going all out or as Daddy Kanani says, "*&%$#@!" (not a cuss word!), Lol I don't think that will make the blog but it's alright - - ha ha! We have a baptism marked!!! Her name is Lindalva, she is about 35ish and just got divorced. She has a son that is 4, his name is João. When we found Lindalva (about 3 weeks ago) she was in a really dark place and when we taught her the Restoration her face just lit up. The next week she went to church and this past Sunday was her second time attending. I showed her the baptismal font and invited her right there, she accepted, and she will be baptized on the 4th of September. Her son loves Primary!
We are dividing with a lot of the young men in the ward. Our ward mission leader is 17 years old so he cant help us much because he is in school. This past Sunday we woke up at 5 in the morning to go to our Ward Council that started at 7 a.m. Our chapel is kinda far, which is fine that's part of it - - but when we get there there is no one there - - well that is kind of a bummer.
So like IDK it's hard to do by yourself, but we're going to keep doing our part. My companion is doing awesome. The District is doing really good too! I'm interviewing like 2 times a week, really good investigators that our Sisters are finding.
Love you guys. Elder Akina
* There is a large section in the middle of Elder Akina's letter where he shares some struggles the missionaries face when members don't do their part to support their efforts. It is a little reminder for us to follow up through with our callings if the Elders find people in our auxiliaries. Time to step it up!
Monday, August 15, 2016
Week #96 Rewarding Week
Heeeyyy,
So this week was really rewarding, we had new investigators at church. We are teaching a bunch, talking with everyone and being obedient!!!
My companion Elder F. Silva is really improving his teaching skills. He is starting to teach the investigators and not the lessons, which has been our goal these past weeks. We focus on the person we are teaching - - ask them inspired questions to discover their needs - - discern from the Holy Ghost which direction we should take it; then teach doctrine. This is something that I can honestly say that takes practice! Lots and lots of practice - - but it really is the only way we can become Preach My gospel Missionaries. Teaching people the same way our Savior taught when He was here - - Simply, Powerfully, and always by the spirit.
I love the people I teach. All of the times that I have felt inadequate, like I didn't have what it took to make someone understand, as if I wasn't good enough to teach something - - I just think about them, and how God loves them. For some reason whenever I have done that, it just always works out and Heavenly Father puts in my mind what His child needs to hear. There are no words to describe what that is like, seeing someone who has felt alone his/her whole life and them coming to know that they have a Savior and a Father in Heaven who loves them.
This work is so real, and I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to play a role in it. Love you guys Elder Akina
So this week was really rewarding, we had new investigators at church. We are teaching a bunch, talking with everyone and being obedient!!!
My companion Elder F. Silva is really improving his teaching skills. He is starting to teach the investigators and not the lessons, which has been our goal these past weeks. We focus on the person we are teaching - - ask them inspired questions to discover their needs - - discern from the Holy Ghost which direction we should take it; then teach doctrine. This is something that I can honestly say that takes practice! Lots and lots of practice - - but it really is the only way we can become Preach My gospel Missionaries. Teaching people the same way our Savior taught when He was here - - Simply, Powerfully, and always by the spirit.
I love the people I teach. All of the times that I have felt inadequate, like I didn't have what it took to make someone understand, as if I wasn't good enough to teach something - - I just think about them, and how God loves them. For some reason whenever I have done that, it just always works out and Heavenly Father puts in my mind what His child needs to hear. There are no words to describe what that is like, seeing someone who has felt alone his/her whole life and them coming to know that they have a Savior and a Father in Heaven who loves them.
This work is so real, and I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to play a role in it. Love you guys Elder Akina
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| You know this is a real monkey, right? There were about 20 of them and one tried to steal my camera! |
Monday, August 8, 2016
Week #95 Poco de Caldas - - Lovin' It!
Haazit,
This week has been sooo good! I am training Elder F. Silva from Fortaleza Ceara - - he's dooope. He is learning really fast, we are teaching a lot. Every house we knock we are trying to get in to teach and we are having success. We only had 3 days to work in our area this week because of the transfer, however we had 3 people at church on Sunday! One is a couple that we found knocking doors Saturday night right before we were going home. We got into their house and taught the Restoration, killed it! They wanted to know more and they were at church yesterday!
We are working closely with the Bishop so that we can have a family with us the next time we teach on Tuesday. We are talking with everyone! We do not let anyone pass us without talking to them and trying to get there address to teach. Our focus this week is getting people to church!! I want at least 8 investigators at church on this Sunday. Everyone were teaching will be visited Friday and Saturday to go to church, if they don't go, were cutting them - - we cant waste any time with people that won't progress.
We went on splits these past 2 days in a row, so the ward is getting very involved with our work and getting to know a lot of these new investigators we are finding. I want Elder Silva to know how much better the work is when we work with the ward! It's so much easier and effective. We are also teaching a lot of less actives that haven't been visited in like 5-10 years that were buried in our area book. I have to give the missionaries credit that were here before, the area book was very well organized and it made it that much easier for us to hit the ground running here - - despite not knowing anything/one.
Elder Silva is learning really fast, his teaching is improving, his contacting too. We are studying really effectively, he memorizing the topics and scriptures for everything and I am doing it with him since I've been in the office for 9 months. Extra practice cannot hurt me - - Lol.
My District is good, they're all sisters - - but they are such a good example to me. I feel like I'm the one that's learning from them. I'll take a pic tomorrow of our District in District meeting for you guys. Mahalos. Love your Elder Akina
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| President Bangerter - - Zone while at the office. |
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| Transfers - - at the bus station headed out! |
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| Elder Christensen from Mesa, Arizona - - this is for his Mom who reads the blog! |
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| Elder Silva - - my new companion |
Monday, August 1, 2016
Week #94 Last Transfer - - heading out of the office!
Hey Mom,
My prayers have been answered!! I am getting transferred! I got called as a District Leader - - I'm going to train too. I'm going to Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais. It's in a different state, outside of Sao Paulo. It's soooo far away by bus - - like it will literally take me a full day to get there. This area is new - - my companion and I will be opening it up. We will be the farthest away and in the coldest region of the mission! I'm super excited for this opportunity - - this last transfer we are gonna get after it! My shoes are trashed - - we are hot gluing them today before I leave. Don't worry about sending me anything before I come home - - I won't get it in time to use it!
Our English class is having a going away party for me today. I have had 5 baptisms from this class - - these people are very close to me. Saying good bye will not be easy.
I love you all - - very excited for this new opportunity in front of me! Love you - - Elder Akina
* Elder Akina wrote us a wonderful email about his interview with President Bangerter as he leaves his office assignment. He has asked us not to post it as it is personal, we know you understand. We want to thank you for your prayers - - Elder Akina has felt them as he served in the office with such a great responsibility on his shoulders. Now off he goes to make a difference on the streets in a country he has grown to love and call home.
My prayers have been answered!! I am getting transferred! I got called as a District Leader - - I'm going to train too. I'm going to Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais. It's in a different state, outside of Sao Paulo. It's soooo far away by bus - - like it will literally take me a full day to get there. This area is new - - my companion and I will be opening it up. We will be the farthest away and in the coldest region of the mission! I'm super excited for this opportunity - - this last transfer we are gonna get after it! My shoes are trashed - - we are hot gluing them today before I leave. Don't worry about sending me anything before I come home - - I won't get it in time to use it!
Our English class is having a going away party for me today. I have had 5 baptisms from this class - - these people are very close to me. Saying good bye will not be easy.
I love you all - - very excited for this new opportunity in front of me! Love you - - Elder Akina
* Elder Akina wrote us a wonderful email about his interview with President Bangerter as he leaves his office assignment. He has asked us not to post it as it is personal, we know you understand. We want to thank you for your prayers - - Elder Akina has felt them as he served in the office with such a great responsibility on his shoulders. Now off he goes to make a difference on the streets in a country he has grown to love and call home.
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| Pocos de Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil |
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