Week #44 Victor's Baptism

Hazzit Everyone,

    This week was super good - - we baptized yesterday!!!  His name is Victor (the second Victor I have baptized here in Brazil), he is the sister of Maria Eduarda (the girl we baptized last week).  Victor is 13 years old and an awesome kid!  Super smart, funny - -  just really fun to be a around.  I confirmed Maria yesterday in Sacrament meeting.  We will baptized their Mom this Saturday - - so we got that coming up.

Victor Eduarda's Baptism, August 16, 2015.

     We've been working pretty hard, I'm super tired.  1 more pair of my pants ripped this week.  I need that box that is waiting at the mission office with my new pants!  Our ward is big, it has about 110 people (which is big for here).  There are some areas in our mission that have branches with like 8 members, so I've been really lucky to be in wards.  I'm super pumped about that kid Larry (New convert in our ward), I hope he's still at home when I get back so I can meet him.

    In our home we have my district leader, Elder Farnsworth, from Mesa, Arizona.  He is the companion of Elder Beaton - -  from Atlanta, Georgia.  They're Aracy A & we are Aracy B.



Elder Farnsworth our District Leader

     As far as my hump day box goes, I could use new ties & peanut butter.   I would love more teaching tools like object lessons.  Oh pens, like good pens, like clicky pens, because the ones with the caps when I put them in my shirt the caps come off when were walking and end up marking my shirt.
     Mission tour picture is of this is half of our mission.  See if you can find me, Elder Costa is right next to the president.  I'm in the left corner by the stage opening.        Not a lot of interesting stuff happened this week, just worked, taught, and exercised - - that's pretty much it.  Keep the faith!

 

Love you guys!  Your favorite Elder.

 

P.S. President Canuto sent me this awesome message in his weekly e-mail!  I am pumped!

Te amo Elder Akina sei que és um grande missionario
e penso que está na hora de você ajudar mais essa Missão!! Esteja pronto

 

Love you Elder Akina, I know you're a great missionary
and I think it's time for you to help this Mission!  Be ready!

 

 

Week #43 Maria Eduarda & Elder Costa

Hi Mama,
     We baptized Maria Eduarda this week, she is eleven (the same age you were, when you got baptized) and she was such a blessing.  Her family will be baptized this week, she is a great example to them.  She was a referral, from a member.  We messed up big time yesterday though - - we got to church early to fill up the font.  By the end of the second hour of church it was full - - so my companion shut it off, but he didn't turn the nob all the way.  When we came out of priesthood, the girls bathroom was flooded, and part of the hallway.... good thing it's all tile. 

Maria Eduarda Baptism August 9, 2015

     I did not get your box;/ it is sitting in the mission office :/  It has been paid for and everything, it should've been there at the mission tour, but President didn't want any mail there because President Costa was there and all that. No distractions.
     Mission tour was sick!  President Costa has the most time in the First Quorum of the Seventy, everyone says he is going to be the next Apostle. He talked for 4 hours straight.  He had prepared something but he got to the pulpit and said the spirit was telling him he needed to talk about something else.  So he talked the 4 hours not using anything, like a paper or anything!  He was walking around the whole chapel, even in between the pews, it was super good!  He talked about contacts, how to mark Family Home Evenings with people, like a bunch of stuff.  
     My companion was one of the 5 missionaries in our mission that got chosen to be interviewed by him.  He didn't tell me what happened - - all I know is that he changed, a lot. He's working hard, being more obedient, and because of that we were blessed with a baptism. It was a good week.
     I am super pumped for Braxton!  I have to wait until next week to find out where he is going - - painful!
     Oh I got the in country shipped box, I didn't know where Sister Jackson lived.  It said it came from Florianópolis, that's like one of the sickest places in Brazil!  Thank you for the new shoes - - much needed.   I loved the new ties, I had to fight my whole district off of them.  

Elder Beaton teaching English class.

We're ready to hit it hard this week again. Love you guys - - Elder Akina

Week #42 Mission Tour & Vitor

Hazzit Hazzit,
     The mission tour got cancelled, we got there and Elder Costa had some emergency so he couldn't come.  It has been rescheduled for this Friday, were going up to Rio Claro for it.          I did not get your box, but I will probably get it this Friday at the mission tour meeting.  Me and the Secretary are "boys", so he said he got me ;)  Holding the box. 



Working hard!

     The highlight of the week was definitely Thursday.  Wednesday night we were doing contacts on a street and I was talking to a lady and I got her address and everything.  Then I see this kid sitting on the hood of his car just chilling.  I got a super strong impression that I needed to talk with him, so I went over - - he said his name was Vitor.   I got his address and marked to stop by Thursday morning like around 10.  The next day we go to his house and clapped, but no one came out to the front.  We stayed there like five minutes clapping, and I was kinda bummed because I really felt like this kid had potential.  So we left Vitor's house and were going to visit someone else.  They weren't there either, so this day was not starting off very well.  
     I told my companion that we had to say a prayer, a prayer that we would find someone to teach that morning.  We proceeded to pray on the street, and where we were was like a good 20 minutes away from that kids house.  We started walking trying to feel the spirit on where to go  -  -  and then I see this guy sitting in front of his house on his phone with head phones in.  Again - - I received a super strong feeling that I needed to talk to this guy, but like I really didn't want to because people on their phones don't really pay attention to us.  I went anyway - - talked to him, he took his head phones out started to talk to me!  I told him that we had a message that we wanted to share with him and his family, so we invited us in.  When we got inside, who do we see sitting on the couch? . . . . Vitor! The kid that we contacted the day before.... ha - - ha, it was crazy.  I asked the guy who was sitting outside on the phone (his name is Marcos),"Dude why were you sitting outside ?  It's like super hot." He responded, "Dude I dont know!  I never go outside, but like about 5 minutes ago I was on my phone here on the couch and something just told me that I needed to be outside, so I went.  You guys showed up minutes later."  It was super cool - - we taught that whole family the first lesson it was super good.
     We are finding a lot of good families.  We have two possibles for this week (baptisms). The work is moving. I had something made for you here in Aracy, it is super cool. I mailed it home to you.  Happy Birthday Mom!  You're going to love it!

Love you guys.  Elder Akina  



Elder Akina remembered his Mama's Birthday!  Love this boy!

Week #41 Missionario De Excelencia

Hey Mom,

    I'm good, feeling so much better!  I got Dad's box - - it was really heavy!  It was super good - - oatmeal!   Aunty Buffy's box had a little mini basketball hoop - - love it!  So we hold competitions to see who will wash the dishes that day. . . so yeah, I never wash dishes - - LOL! 

     We had a Zone Conference, which was good.  We have mission tour this Friday, President Costa is coming, he's a 70.  I will be in Piracicaba. Transfers are tomorrow, I am staying with the same companion.  There's a new American coming, that's going live with us.  Our mission turned 2 years old about a week ago.  We´re about to baptize our house here in a little bit.   We're taking out all the funiture to do all the floors and scrub everything down.  
     We are teaching this super sweet family of 6.  We go back tonight to see how their prayer and response went.  They really liked our message.  It was super neat because the dad said that at the start of the week he started asking himself something he had never asked himself before.  It was, "Why are there so many churches out there?". He tried researching on the internet and it didn't make sense to him.   So he said a prayer that he could find the answer to this question he had.  That's when we showed up!   When we taught the apostasy to him, he got so excited he said that it just made sense.  He shared that we were like an answer to his prayer - - it was amazing!  Really good family. 
     I am surprised how many American Elders have not gotten there Eagle Scout - - ha - -ha!  I keep my Eagle card with me.    


Missionaries who earned the Award.

     Oh yeah,  I got my Missionário de Excelencia, you have to memorize a bunch of stuff in Portuguese.  Doctrine and Covenants 4, one scripture for every teaching topic, the lesson topics, Chapters in Preach My Gospel - - but I finally got it!  You have to pass it off to your Zone Leaders.


My certificate.

 

My Zone singing me happy Birthday!  We had cake!

Should be a good week this week,  Love you guys tchau   Elder Akina


Mom's motivational thought for the week.

Week #40 - - 10 Month Mark

Hazzit,

     I'm getting better, this week was rough.  I was sick for a big part of it - - we still worked through.   Working on some other struggles.  Let's just say work ethic is an issue in the field, it's a learning experience!

     The girl that we were super close to baptizing won't be getting baptize any time soon.  Her dad stopped letting her from coming to church and the activities.   So we went back there yesterday with "For The Strength of Youth" pamphlet.  We described all the good programs the church has and standads we set for our youth.   So it's a tough situation, but we're going to keep on praying.

     This week our District Leader Elder Ramon (who lives with us) is going home.  We've been messing with him this week.  2 days ago we put like 40 pounds of potatos in his bed. This guy was selling this cart full of potatos, so we bought the potatos and the cart for like 10 reals, like 3.50 $.  We took them back to the house - - papas for days!

The potatoes! 

     Hey - -  I heard Braxton sent his mission papers in!  Super excited for him, you have to let me know the moment he gets it.  Please send me Baylor's mission e-mail address, need write to him today!

Elder Beaton sitting on a very tired Elder Ramon

     I have to give $180 Reals for a box that is pending pick up.  I have to have the money in by tomorrow or it will be shipped back home - -  idk whose box it is.  I got the rice and we pounded spam musubi!  We made like 15 of them and ate them all!  The Elders loved them! 

Elder Beaton and I making Spam Musubi!  Thank you Aunty Tiare!

     This is a mural on a church here in Aracy - - some churches believe that a sign that Jesus is coming will be when people start implanting chips in themselves for like i.d. purposes.  They painted this on their church.  There is also this other church that has this huge banner with there local pastor in the front an behind him are a bunch of crutches and wheelchairs.  The description reads,  "These are just some of the medical devices left behind by people after being cured by Pastor João"!  I ll take a picture and send it to you, it's super funny.

l will  send pics right now,


Love you Mama, Elder Akina 

Week #39 The Flu

Hazzit,

     I am super sick today.  I woke up this morning feeling like I got hit by an 18 wheeler.  I felt it coming on about 2 or 3 days ago.  I took EmergenC but it didn't really do anything.  I almost fainted on the bus,  you stand up a long time.  It's super hot and packed with people.

    We have this girl that has been coming to church with us for a while, her Dad is the trial.  We've given her 2 Books of Mormon  because her dad threw the first one away.   But she's been coming to church.  We took two girls from our ward to visit her with us, which was sweet.    We are teaching a bunch of sweet people. 

     We had interviews this week, with the President, that was good.  I got Aunty Buffy's box and Aunty Tiare's too!  Oh yeah - - mom how do I cook spam?  Can you send me the recipe for spam musubi?  Aunty Tiare sent me the mold thingy!  We have zone conference on the 21st, I think.  I should get the other boxes at that time. 

      Mmmm - - that's about it for the week, walking, rice, beans, then more walking.  Sorry I feel awful - - will write more next week.  Love you lots - - Elder Akina   



Ripped my hand open.  It's all good.

Week #38 Happy Birthday Elder Akina

This week was Sa - - Weet,

      This past Sunday I said a prayer, that for my birthday on my mission all I wanted to do was play basketball, at least once this week.  I have not played on my mission in the field because no one plays hoop, everyone plays soccer.  Well, this past Wednesday we were in the city for a stake meeting,and we were walking back to catch the bus.   We passed these courts and there were a bunch of dudes playing!   I was like this is my chance.... ha - - ha, then my companion was like do you wanna play?  I was like, "yeah!"  So my companion walks on to the court and stops the game, which I didn't think he would do;  and goes "WHO WANTS TO PLAY WITH THE AMERICAN" and everybody got super excited and so I got in the game.  Everyone tried to speak English with me and they got all surprised when they heard me respond in Portuguese!  Anyway - -  I shut down the court, i dropped like 60 points in like 15 minutes!  I had a mini dunk contest with these other two guys that could dunk - -  it was super sick!  
    
     The day of my birthday I woke up and the three Elders that I live with are tell me, "dude we have a service project to got to!"  So I get ready to go do service.  Then they call me out to the back and they were like, "Elder Akina did you see this dead rat that was back here?"  So, I go around the house to the back area and they were there waiting - -  with like 2 dozen eggs and my companion held me down!  They destroyed me with the eggs, then they got cake mix, poured it all over me, flour and milk next, and a bunch of stuff!   I guess in Brazil thats what they do here - - ha - -ha.  

Elder Akina and Elder Rodriguez

Happy Birthday Elder Akina

Adding a little Milk to the CAKE!

     Saturday, we were walking to one of our pesquisadores house, and there's like this huge graffiti skate park and that day there was an event going on - -  in the park.  There was  some local rapper there, and they had a bunch of kids skating and stuff.   They had a basketball court set up, and they were having a one on one tournament!   My companion saw, and was like, "you're going to play"!  I was like, "No I'm not - -  I can't play, they're having like an event thing."  Rodriguez started walking down to the event and talks to some guy behind the stage, turns our this was the guy that was running the show.  So the guy after talking with my companion, gets on the microphone and says, "Ooohh - -  ohhh we have an American in the house!!!!  He came down here to play some ball!"  I looked at my companion in shock.  The first guy on the court said, "I playing basketball with an American!!!"  My companion did about 55 contacts and we got about 20 addresses!  Let the follow up work begin!

    Elder Akina's thoughts on if Carlie should serve a mission:  Ha - - ha, part of me doesn't want her to go,  because I want her to be home when I get back.  However - -  if the mission affects her even half as much as it has affected me - - I think she needs to serve one!  There are things you learn and feel in the mission field that cannot be experienced anywhere else, and I think it would help her a ton.



Elder Bandeira and Elder Akina off to help a family move.

     This week was good, we are super close to a baptism with Tayna, she is this girl we've been teaching.  We are going to try and baptize her this week.  Working hard making contacts and following up on our lessons. This week did include a lot of hard work, not just birthday fun!  Will send pictures. 


Love you guys, Elder Akina

Happy Birthday Elder Akina & Carlie - - we love you the most! 
Twins 19th Birthday - - first one spent apart!