Week #48 New Area - - Getting to work!

Oi,
     My new area is pretty sweet, the ward is super small - - maybe 25 or 30 people.  Yesterday I gave a talk, the counselor came up to me 5 minutes before Sacrament meeting asking me to speak.  I was the first slot, the 5 minute one - - so I wasn't stressing too hard.   I talked about the Priesthood.  After church  we attended a funeral, the wife was a less active member and the husband was not a member.  My companion dedicated the grave and I left the message.  I literally almost died of heat at the burial, it was so dang hot and the strongest sun I've felt in a while.  I am not up north anymore!   We got 2 new investigators at the funeral.  The funeral was a really spiritual experience.
     We helped paint a house like all day long Saturday, and since I'm always the tallest - -  ha - - ha, I do the ceilings, because I don't need a ladder!   My neck and shoulders are still sore from that day - -  it was a long project.  The family we did it for is super cool  - - so we were happy to help.   We have an intergration night Wednesday at the church, so we need to plan that.  
     Elder Andrade is from Natal,  Brasil.   He's short and I am tall - -  ha - - ha, but he has one of the most powerful testimonies I have seen on my mission.  He teaches really well and is very well organized.  In my new area the food here is pretty much the same rice,  beans, chicken and juice.  The area we work is much larger than my assignment in Aracy.  Excited to see it all and work!     This week we are about to destroy with contacts and finding new people to teach!  Please keep praying that we can find others in this area - - we are working hard.   I miss Elysse too, that dude was the man ;/  A bunch of my stuff is still in Piracicaba.  I miss my Bible and my livro de mormon ;/  It's not the same teaching people with someone elses books - -  like i got really used to mine - -  the texture of the pages, the size of the letters, the text, it's just not the same :/  I need my bag back!  I don't recommend packing in the dark for a transfer - -ha - -ha!  I am still not be able to send pictures this week, no one has a card reader!
     Thank you for everything.  I love you lots and miss everyone.  Elder Akina

Week #47 Transfered and Baked Clothes

Hazzit, 

     I got transfered to Guanabara Hortolândia.   I didn't want to leave Aracy, I could have stayed my whole mission there.  I loved the area, the people, I really am going to miss them.  I got to talk to my converts before I left, it was super hard saying goodbye to Maria Eduarda and Victor.  They both told us they were going to serve missions, super proud of them.   I left my suit in Aracy, I forgot it ;/  Its' still hanging up in the closet :/  I left one of my bags in the bus station and my yoga mat there too, I forgot a bunch of stuff.   Some other missionaries that are in my zone have them, I just don't know when I'm going to get them, or my suit.  

     The day I found out I was leaving I washed all my clothes but in the last load the power went out  - - so the wash was just sitting in the water and by the time the electricity turned  back on it was night time  - - so I new I was in deep Kim Chee because I was leaving the next morning - - at like 5 a.m.!   The clothes weren't going to be dry, so I ironed all of them when they came out of the dryer  - - but they were still super moist so - -  we fired up the oven and I baked my clothes!  Iit worked pretty good!  I got like 2 and a half hours of sleep. Then when I left I went up to Piracicaba, then to Hortolândia - - it was like 2 hours of bus time.  When I got here this huge storm hit, it was like a hurricane!  Like it blew over all of me and this other American's suit cases and it poured.  It was the strongest rain I have ever seen in my life!   The wind was super strong, the entire city's power went out.   When I finally made it to the house it was dark - - I couldn't see anything.   I  just fell on the bed and went to sleep from like 7:30 p.m. at night till 6:30 a.m. the next morning, most sleep I've gotten on the mission  - - ha ha.  

      My new companion is Elder Andrade, he is from Natal, Brasil.   He seems pretty cool, and our house is the nicest house I've been in here.  

     Yes I got your box!   The pants fit perfectly, thank you!   I use the jump rope everyday.  I gave one of the peanut butters away to a member, the other I still have.   Thank you I really like it.   I got the Pilimai letters from the reunion and the shirt from Dad.  I really liked them!  I loved Sedrick's letter,  I cracked up for 10 minutes straight!   I have A TON of pictures to send but my adapter is in the bag that I left in the bus station  - - soo I don't know how much time I have to wait to get it back.  I'll send as soon as I can.   I got all your letters and the one with the Snickers in the envelope - - loved them!  Please keep sending letters in the mail, I read them when I get home at night.

     Tell John that there are people in Alabama specifically for him - - he'll love it!  Braxton is so close to heading out!

     I am excited to learn my new area, yesterday was all one big wet blurrr - - will work hard this week.  Love you guys. Tchau  Your Elder

 

Elysses Baptism September 6, 2015 Cidade Aracy

Elysee é um dos refugiados do Haiti desde o desastre no ano de 2011. Encontramos ele no centro e ele disse que gostaria de conhecer a igreja. Durante o tempo que conversamos com ele,percebemos que ele era um eleito mas que teria dificuldade para entender a mensagem em Português,então demos um jeito para que ele pudesse aprender a mensagem principal em Francês. Elysse disse que por muitos anos procurou muitas igrejas mas nunca sentiu oque sentiu dentro da capela. Aceitou ser batizado desde o primeiro domingo que foi na igreja e cumpriu com todos os compromissos pois disse que sua vida precisava de uma restauração e que

Week #46 Meet Elysses

Sunday lunches are the best!  Member on far left then:
Elder Beaton, Elder Akina, Elder Farnsworth and Elder Rodrigues

Hazzit Everyone,

     Got some good new and some bad news.  Bad news is Jessica did not get baptized this week, good news is we have a baptism coming up this Sunday!!  His name is Elysses, he is from Haiti and we met him in the coolest way.  Last P-day we were in the center and Elder Beaton and I went to go get churros at like this little churro stand.  We were waiting for the churros and this guy calls us from behind and asks us, "Tell me about this church".  He went to church yesterday in a suit!  That is the first investigator I have ever had in church with a tie on, let alone a suit!  We invited him to be baptized yesterday and he accepted.  His baptism is Sunday after church.  

Elder Akina, Elysses and Elder Rodrigues

The next picture I take of Elysses - - he will be in all white.

     Yesterday I ran into one of Brandon Payne's old companions that served with him in Curitiba, he's super chill.  Elder Rodrigues is his name, he lives close to us.  I was talking to him in the car, he asked me where I was from.  I told him my family's from Hawaii but we've been up in El Paso for a while now, he was like El Paso?  Like El Paso - - Texas?  I was like yeah why?  He said I had a companion from there, Elder Payne.  I said, was his name Brandon?  He was like - - that's it!!  I was like - -  bro I know that kid!  Ha - - ha small world!  He ended up marrying a girl he met on his mission, his wife is super chill too.  I took a pic with him, so if you could get it to Brandon that would be cool.  Tell Brandon that he's doing good. 

Elder Rodrigues, Brandon Payne's companion!

     We're excited to baptize this week.   Wednesday can't come fast enough - - I get you box and any other mail that has been sent!  Love you guys.  Elder Akina

 

Cidade Aracy

Excerpt from Elder Akina's birthday letter to Mom!  His box and gift arrived last p-day.

 

     We have this poster of Thomas S. Monson in our room above my bed.  He has this very neutral look on his face.  After  a long day - - when we get back to our house, I go into our room and I look at this picture.  Some days his face tells me I could have talked to more people or used my time better.  Other days I look at him and I can just feel him saying, "Thank you Elder Akina, this day of work was accepted by the Lord."  That is one of the best feelings I have on my mission.  Thank you for everything you have done for me Mom.  I love you lots.  Tchau.  Elder Akina

Wood plaque made for Mama!

Week #45 Cleuza's Baptism

Hazzit Everybody,
     This week was good, we baptized Cleuza!  She is Maria & Victor's mom.  She is a really strong person - - her husband died a while back and she raised her family on her own.  When we taught her about the Word of Wisdom  - - that very same day she got all the coffee she had in her house and said "take it"!  We took all of it back to our house - -  so now we make coffe every morning, great way to start off the day - -  LoL.  Cleuza's baptism was super spiritual, one of the best I've witnessed.  
     We have another baptism coming up this Saturday, her name is Jessica, she is 18.  We've been teaching her for a while, but we have finally commited her to baptism.  It was right after the baptism of Cleuza,  Jessica felt the spirit super strongly there.  Please pray that we can baptize her this Saturday - - support is always needed.

Cleuza's Baptism August 23, 2015  Aracy

     We live across the street from a family of a mom and 3 boys.  3 nights ago we heard this sound at like 11 p.m. at night,  "Mom!! Mom! Mom!!"  For 45 minutes we heard this kid yelling his mom's name at the top of his lungs!  His mom would not let him in and she told him he better find a place to sleep because he would not be entering in the house.  So he knocks on our door and asks if he can crash at our place and at first we said no.   But then we talked it over and decide to give him one of the extra matresses that we had, so we put it outside on the road for him and he slept outside our house.  I felt bad for him, it was SUPER cold that night.  When we woke up the next morning and the matress was there chilling on the road in front of our house.  Super surprised no one stole it! 
     We taught English this past Saturday, to a bunch of kids and used the basketball hoop that Aunty Buffy sent me as one of the games.  They had to form a phrase and then make a basket, that type of stuff - - it was super effective! 

English class

     Did you get the box I sent it to the house?  I got jipped man.  The little box that I sent you was filled with a bunch of stuff - - like my old planners, pictures and Brazilian candy.  I got to the post office and they scaled it - - the lady told me the total was 160 Reals.  So I had to take a bunch of stuff out and redo it because I didn't have the money.  It's super expensive to send stuff here in Brazil.
     Transfers are in two weeks - - working hard to finish out these next two weeks!  Great week - - and were ready for another one. SÓ BATIZA

Love your favorite Elder 
 


59 weeks to go - - time is flying by!

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!