Week #37 Fasting Works!

Hazzit hazzit!

     Yes someone is making me a cake!  One of our investigators, Davie and Jessica, we're going over to their house Friday - -  it should be good.

     I baptized this week!!!  The drought has finally ended!  It is amazing what prayer and fasting can do.  His name is Celso, he is 10.  We were eating lunch at a member's house, and he was there.  Celso is their nephew, so I started talking to him and it turned out he had been to church before.  He thought it was okay, so we set up an appointment with him.  We taught him everything in about a week, and he progressed super fast - - he read everything we gave him.  He developed a testimony of the Book of Mormon.  We then asked him if he would be baptized and he said yes!  Originally I was going to baptize him, but then we remembered his Uncle had just gotten the priesthood, like 2 months ago (his Uncle is a recent convert in our ward).  So we invited the Uncle to baptize him.  So Celso was baptized by his Uncle and now has set a goal to serve a mission.  So proud of that kid, he is definitely a special one. 

Celso and His Uncle at the baptism.

     It's super crazy too because the first time we talked to him during that lunch 2 weeks ago, I didn't really think he was interested.  Then we fasted that Saturday, just for 1 baptism - - we just wanted a baptism, our Heavenly Father came through!  

    We have this new family that we found this past week that is absolutely terrific!  They're married by the law (extremley rare) they have three kids, they don't smoke or drink (again, extremley rare) and they're progressing!  The way we met them was through their son Kyle.  We were walking on the street and then like out of no where this group of kids like 15-17 years olds, start yelling behind us cuss words in English.  People in this area are kind of familiar with the missionaries and know that a majority of them are American.  They know all the cuss words from music or video games and that type of thing.  So when I heard them cussing I got super excited!  It's an oppurtunity to get to know them  - - you know?  So I turned around and went up to them and in English said,  "Oh you guys speak English?", and all of them looked at me like, "Oh this guy really is from the states!".   None of them said anything, then I asked them, "Who wants to learn English?".  (in Portuguese)  3 of them said me - - me - - me!  One of them was Kyle!  So I set up times to go pass all of  their houses.    2 other kids weren't home when we went to visit - -  but Kyle was!  So yeah - - what a way to meet the youth!  He's super cool!
    
     This week was a good one!  We are planning on baptizing this Sunday again!   Keep praying for our families - - we are working hard!  Love you guys.  Thank you for the Birthday wishes!  Please remind the family if they send a box it has to be valued at less than $50 or I have to pay a tariff to pick it up.  I have a box sitting for pick up - - I have to pay $52 Real (Real is Brazilian Currency).

Love you - - Elder Akina

Week #36 Elder Rodriguez

Hazzit! 
    
     I'm super happy for Keapo! 

     That couple has not gotten married yet - - we are still working on details.  We are still teaching Davie and Jessica.  We found a new family Thursday.   We were on the street and it was pouring!  I was searching for a particular address on this one street and this street had like every single number except the one we needed!  So I thought lets go back up the street I probably missed it!   We went up and down 3 times and couldn't find it!   It was pouring rain, so finally me and my companion just like found this tin roof thing and stood there to wait out the rain.  Then this voice from across the street goes,  "Hey, you guys want to come in or you wanna keep walking up and down this street like weirdo's?" (in Portuguese).  So we ran over to his door and he let us in!  We taught him and his wife and they loved it!  We are going back tonight!  Oh yeah and they are married!!  Which is like super rare here!

      My new companion is cool, Elder Rodriguez.  He's from Brasilia.  We work good together.  

Elder Rodriguez, new companion June 2015

     I'll send pics right now.  I'm about to faint in front of this computer - -  this is the third time we've fasted in like 10 days - - ha - - ha!   

Okay tchau - - love you more Mama!  

P.S.  Hey Dad!  Happy belated Father's Day!  Thank you for everything you have done for Me, Carlie, Keapo and Anna and continue to do for us, Love You Pops!

Back in the day!  Happy Father's Day Pops! 

Week #35 Transfers

Hey Mom, 
     We have transfers tomorrow, Elder Nunez is leaving :/  He's going to Piracicaba 2b. I'm getting a new companion,  Elder Rodriguez he's a newbie - - he just finished his training.
    

Elder Nunez - - been a great companion!

     Our family did not get married, they were out of town this whole week visiting family.   They are home now and I'm praying we can get them married.  *&%#@ has stopped smoking completley and theyre super ready to be baptized!  
      
     We have a new family we starting teaching, Davie and Jessica, - - they are super cool.  I met Davie at a members BBQ. I started to talk to him - - when he found out I was American he freaked out,! He was like, "Could you like come to my house and talk in English?" I was like, "Yeah dude,  I'll teach you English!"  So we went over Friday and Saturday - -  taught them a bunch of stuff.  They attended a baptism with us on Saturday.  During the baptism he was like, "Can I be baptized like that too?"  We were like well YAH!  Ha ha - -  that's kind of the point of you being here!  Super cool family - - we are going back tonight.
    
     The GA visit got moved to like 2 weeks from now.
    
     Yesterday like 20 minutes before Sacrament the 1st Counselor in our ward came up to me and said, "Elder Akina you know your the man, right?" I thought, "Oh he's assigning me to speak!"  Then he said, "What are you going to be doing in like 20 minutes,?" I replied, "I'm  going to be in Sacrament meeting with you."  He  quickly responded, "Oh you are? Well, since you are going to be there anyway,  you wouldn't mind speaking, would you?"  One of the youth didn't show up to church, so I spoke in that first 5 minutes slot.  I talked about the Holy Ghost and I shared the experience with you and us at the bank.  It was cool!  Then after church the Primary President came up to me and told me the kids all loved my talk.  Todays lesson was on the Holy Ghost in Primary and whenever she finished teaching something they would say "like Elder Akina's Mom!"  I laughed, it was awesome!

Flying Kites!

     Oh yeah - -  here in brazil everybody flies kites, but like competitively!  The string you use, has like fiber glass in it, so you can cut other peoples kites - -  its' super fun!   We flew kites last p day and we're doing it again today. 
 

Davie & Jessica + their Ohana.  Love this family!

 

Helping fix a members roof.

Pray for our families!  Will send pics, tchau. love u Elder Akina

Week #34 FHE was a Hit!

Oi, 
     I got the Peanut Butter and Jelly Box - -  thank you!  It's almost all gone  - -ha ha!  We went through 4 loaves of bread this week - - the Brazilian Elders love it too.
     Yes the documents came in Saturday - -  they will get married this week Wednesday. Then we can baptize the couple - - very happy for them.  What a process!
      The General Authority is coming next week.  This is the last week of the transfer, I think my companion an I are both staying where we are.  We have a lot of very good work going on here - - we want to see it through. 

Our District.  Aunty Jess, look at Elder Akina's tie!

     The best part of the week was Wednesday, we had a family home evening at a member's house.  We brought a family that we are teaching of 5 - - they have 3 kids. At the FHE the member family all bore their testimonies, the spirit was super strong; our investigator family loved it!  They were not able to come to church yesterday because 2 of the kids are sick,  they are progressing.

     Oh yeah - -  we provided service this entire week. We are helping build a house, it's sweet! We will work there again this week!

Love you guys.  Elder Akina 

P.S. Hey Dad,
     That is super cool you're going up for Girls Camp.  It's super weird how like the Young Men's program here doesn't have Scouting.  It really makes me appreciate you guys supporting me in Scouts and paying for me to go do all that cool stuff!  Also the awesome leaders that I had.  Love you lots.

Building a home with a member

    

Week #33 8 Months Out

Hi,
     We have our happy couple getting married this week, then we will baptize them!  The documents for marriage in Brazil are about 300 Reals, so about 100 dollars.  That is a lot of money here - - it holds a lot of people back from getting baptized. 
     Back in Portal Bordon, Elder Fernandez just baptized 5 people this week  with his new companion!  He baptized all of our old investigators - -  I was super happy to get that news!     
     This week was cool, I got to bless my first house - - freaky stuff.  It rained like crazy this past week.  Winter is on it's way.  The nights are in the 40's, it is wonderful to have the nights cool off.  Today we are going to watch "Meet the Mormons" with an investigator and her family, should be sweet!
      My new area with 3 Brazilian Elders is helping me increase my cooking skills with local ingredients.  I can make Tapioca - - not the pudding.   We make a warm drink every morning.  My breakfast consists of this drink - - 2 cups and a carrot!  I'm addicted to Farofa, it is like this stuff you put over rice and beans and chicken and stuff!  Google it.  I'm learning to make a lot of stuff. 

Well, glad to see he still has his hops!  Crazy Elder!

     Didn't take many pictures this week, it was very busy.  I'll try to take a few more this coming week. 

Love you, Elder Akina

Side Note: In Brazil, where Farofa is particularly popular, typical recipes call for raw cassava flour to be toasted with butter, salt, sausage, olives, onions, garlic, hard boiled eggs and/or bacon until golden brown. It is an essential accompaniment to feijoada^[1] and Brazilian barbecue. In Brazil, Farofa is also used in a stuffing for poultry and other dishes, usually containing raisins, nuts and/or finely chopped sweet fruits like apples and bananas.

Farofa