I am soooooo very happy right know and it doesn't bother me not to see them get married I wrote to her already and I said get married and soon as possible I am more certain now that When I get back I will visit everyone in Utah And that Will be great. It is just neat how much blessing we can receive really the windows of heaven are open and they are stuck open.
We too here in Avaré are seeing many great blessing and miracles happen here. These past few weeks we haven't seen the most success but, it was a test of our faith and this week we are helping 3 or4 people get ready to be baptized in these next weeks all of which are friends our family of members. This week too we are getting a new Mission president, President Tanner will end his mission here on Saturday, we were all a little sad but we also are excited for this new President, he has been the institute director for Brazil ad he just sound like a great guy. The lord is Will us helping all of us and as we are faithful we will receive all of the blessing the Lord has in store for us.
The shoes I got are great, the rubber sole is light and comfortable and I will be using them a lot this next year.
Tchau
Love,
Elder Sands
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Yeahhhhhh I am so happy that Karyl. It is so cool to see the blessings flooding it to our lives, the windows are open and it is a hurricane of blessings. And if her guys really served in Campinas let me know, I would have been 15 years ago but It would be cool to see the growth of the church.
Here too we have some great blessings, it seems that for our hard work we are seeing that the Lord is putting people in our path so that we can help them come closer to him, some weren't those really elect people that will be baptized this week but it is helping us keep our faith strong and strength to work. We are teaching some references of members who have a great chance to prepare to be baptized here in a few weeks. We are also having a great success with the inactive members we are working with I can see how the spirit that we bring into their homes helps a lot I fell that we are doing our part and it up to them and the Lord to change their hearts and use there agency to receive the blessings of the gospel again by coming back into activity. We are helping a young man, Richard a brother of a really active young woman, to be baptized either this week or next we just have to find the time to teach him.
Thanks a lot for the letters and keep me updated.
Love,
Elder Sands
Here too we have some great blessings, it seems that for our hard work we are seeing that the Lord is putting people in our path so that we can help them come closer to him, some weren't those really elect people that will be baptized this week but it is helping us keep our faith strong and strength to work. We are teaching some references of members who have a great chance to prepare to be baptized here in a few weeks. We are also having a great success with the inactive members we are working with I can see how the spirit that we bring into their homes helps a lot I fell that we are doing our part and it up to them and the Lord to change their hearts and use there agency to receive the blessings of the gospel again by coming back into activity. We are helping a young man, Richard a brother of a really active young woman, to be baptized either this week or next we just have to find the time to teach him.
Thanks a lot for the letters and keep me updated.
Love,
Elder Sands
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
I am glad that up there in the states it is nice and toasty. This last week has been really cold with 40-50 degrees F, the Brazilian winter has come a lot sooner than we all expected.
Here in Avaré we are really seeing our blessings, this last week it has been filled with teaching and finding as we build up our teaching pool, and where we are seeing who can be baptized here in the next few weeks and how we can help them find the answer and feel of the truthfulness of the restored gospel. Dad we too had the same Revelation of rescuing the people that have become inactive in the church and the gospel. We have been working with and teaching these great people helping their struggling testimony so that they can receive the blessings. we are really working with Paulo and his wife Alcione who haven't been to Church in years, she went to church out of the blue and has been making great progress, but her husband has been feeling discourage, but with our help and the help of the Lord and the spirit they will be sealed in the temple here in a little bit.
In the past my faith really has been tested to really have the success that we are striving to active, my favorite Scripture has really helped me always trust in the Lord "I will go and do what the Lord hath commanded for I know that the Lord giveth no amendment unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them, to accomplish All things he hath commanded them." 1 Nephi 3:7. This work is real and together we will build of the kingdom of the Lord.
Tchau, Tchau
Elder Sands
Here in Avaré we are really seeing our blessings, this last week it has been filled with teaching and finding as we build up our teaching pool, and where we are seeing who can be baptized here in the next few weeks and how we can help them find the answer and feel of the truthfulness of the restored gospel. Dad we too had the same Revelation of rescuing the people that have become inactive in the church and the gospel. We have been working with and teaching these great people helping their struggling testimony so that they can receive the blessings. we are really working with Paulo and his wife Alcione who haven't been to Church in years, she went to church out of the blue and has been making great progress, but her husband has been feeling discourage, but with our help and the help of the Lord and the spirit they will be sealed in the temple here in a little bit.
In the past my faith really has been tested to really have the success that we are striving to active, my favorite Scripture has really helped me always trust in the Lord "I will go and do what the Lord hath commanded for I know that the Lord giveth no amendment unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them, to accomplish All things he hath commanded them." 1 Nephi 3:7. This work is real and together we will build of the kingdom of the Lord.
Tchau, Tchau
Elder Sands
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
These past few days have been a little crazy. On Sunday we had a wonderful baptism of Bruna who is a sister of a wonderful member in the ward, she was taught one year ago but didn't what to get baptized, but with Elder Peitz and I we were able to help her recognize her desire to get baptized every time she went to church.
After we started our journey to Campinas because Elder Peitz was to go home that Monday, that Monday we went to the office and I said good bye as he went off to get an interview with President Tanner, I was hooked up with Elder Dyes for that day. I went to go pay for my package, it was a lot to spend but I am glad I got it, and the Butterfingers were really good and the shoes will work out fine; thank you a lot. Then I had to go get my visa renewed because I was walking around illegal in the country but now it was all taken care of.
Tuesday I meet up with my new companion Elder Permann who just has 3 months in the field, but he is a good guy and we are going to work good together.
We arrived today from Campinas and haven't gotten to do much but I will keep you posted and this Sunday we will watch the temple dedication for the Manaus temple which ended construction which will be very exciting.
Tchau
Elder Sands
After we started our journey to Campinas because Elder Peitz was to go home that Monday, that Monday we went to the office and I said good bye as he went off to get an interview with President Tanner, I was hooked up with Elder Dyes for that day. I went to go pay for my package, it was a lot to spend but I am glad I got it, and the Butterfingers were really good and the shoes will work out fine; thank you a lot. Then I had to go get my visa renewed because I was walking around illegal in the country but now it was all taken care of.
Tuesday I meet up with my new companion Elder Permann who just has 3 months in the field, but he is a good guy and we are going to work good together.
We arrived today from Campinas and haven't gotten to do much but I will keep you posted and this Sunday we will watch the temple dedication for the Manaus temple which ended construction which will be very exciting.
Tchau
Elder Sands
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
I got my shoes well there here in Campinas but there is a little problem, I have to go in and pay a tax of 80 dollars to get the package, what did you guys declare on the package? I heard that if you declared that what is in side is more than a certain price they put on a tax but I will find out everything this next week when I get my package and let you all know how to avoid the extra tax.
These last week went very well, Gustavo a young man that we were teaching was baptized and we just need to baptize his dad to completely have everyone in the family baptized it will happen very soon I hope. This is the last week of Elder Pietz here in the mission, and we are trying our very hardest to do our very best to go out with a bang to help as many people as we can. We are helping a young woman stop smoking this week so that she can be baptized this Sunday, she feels she needs to get baptize but we just need to help her overcome this obstacle.
The mission is very great a great blessing to serve the lord and learn and Grow.
Talk to you later
Love
Elder Sands
These last week went very well, Gustavo a young man that we were teaching was baptized and we just need to baptize his dad to completely have everyone in the family baptized it will happen very soon I hope. This is the last week of Elder Pietz here in the mission, and we are trying our very hardest to do our very best to go out with a bang to help as many people as we can. We are helping a young woman stop smoking this week so that she can be baptized this Sunday, she feels she needs to get baptize but we just need to help her overcome this obstacle.
The mission is very great a great blessing to serve the lord and learn and Grow.
Talk to you later
Love
Elder Sands
Thursday, May 24, 2012
I can't believe that Brother Osborn passed away?
It sometimes is so hard to see people that you know end their mortal existence and going to the spirit world but I have a Peace and comfort that they are doing a wonderful work and that they fulfill their purpose here on the earth.
Sorry I didn't right to you guy yesterday Elder Pietz and I went to the temple for all of the missionaries going home this transfer, it was wonderful, it was the first time in the Campinas temple but I loved the sweet spirit there at the temple. After that we went to do a little shopping. We went to a tie shop where they sell really good cheap ties like the ones Karyl got for us. There wasn't enough time yesterday to write.
Thank you for that good lesson on obedience which is really true and I will do better to be exactly obedient in all that I do.
This week we are planning two baptisms for a young man whose entire family are member except for his dad, and a woman who we have been helping quite smoking.
This is a great work and there isn't another place I rather be to really help everyone receive the restored gospel being baptized with the authority of God.
I love you all
Elder Sands
It sometimes is so hard to see people that you know end their mortal existence and going to the spirit world but I have a Peace and comfort that they are doing a wonderful work and that they fulfill their purpose here on the earth.
Sorry I didn't right to you guy yesterday Elder Pietz and I went to the temple for all of the missionaries going home this transfer, it was wonderful, it was the first time in the Campinas temple but I loved the sweet spirit there at the temple. After that we went to do a little shopping. We went to a tie shop where they sell really good cheap ties like the ones Karyl got for us. There wasn't enough time yesterday to write.
Thank you for that good lesson on obedience which is really true and I will do better to be exactly obedient in all that I do.
This week we are planning two baptisms for a young man whose entire family are member except for his dad, and a woman who we have been helping quite smoking.
This is a great work and there isn't another place I rather be to really help everyone receive the restored gospel being baptized with the authority of God.
I love you all
Elder Sands
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Thanks a lot for making the order for the shoes, I figured I will take a little bit of time to get them but that will be worth the wait. My other shoes are getting worn but they are fine and I think they will last until the end of my mission.
For Mother's day I will be using Skype because it is a lot easier and cheaper and to tell you the truth I don't know how to call, and Skype is a lot better. I think that I will have to do it the day before that Sunday to use the Lan house but I will tell you the time and day the week of Mother's day.
To tell you all a little bit more about my new area of Avaré, this is a city a little bit bigger than Perdoes and is a Branch too. The members are really good. They are willing to work, they are excited and they share their love with the people visiting, the only problem that I know about is the fact that a lot of people have become inactive because of past problems which is hard for people to forgive. Elder Peitz and I are teaching some of the best people I have seen of my mission so far. We are teaching a man, named Roberto, that is like that kind of investigator we find in the Ensign who has a strong testimony and is willing to sacrifice anything to live the Gospel. Another, named Carlos, is a English teacher that knows the Book of Mormon is true and likes the Book of Mormon so much that he painted one verse in 3 Nephi on is wall. We are also helping a lady who is overcoming her addiction to smoking so that she can be baptized.
For the first time in my mission I am really starting to see the vast blessings arrive, and the diligence and hard work has really paid off.
I will talk to you all later.
Love Elder Sands
For Mother's day I will be using Skype because it is a lot easier and cheaper and to tell you the truth I don't know how to call, and Skype is a lot better. I think that I will have to do it the day before that Sunday to use the Lan house but I will tell you the time and day the week of Mother's day.
To tell you all a little bit more about my new area of Avaré, this is a city a little bit bigger than Perdoes and is a Branch too. The members are really good. They are willing to work, they are excited and they share their love with the people visiting, the only problem that I know about is the fact that a lot of people have become inactive because of past problems which is hard for people to forgive. Elder Peitz and I are teaching some of the best people I have seen of my mission so far. We are teaching a man, named Roberto, that is like that kind of investigator we find in the Ensign who has a strong testimony and is willing to sacrifice anything to live the Gospel. Another, named Carlos, is a English teacher that knows the Book of Mormon is true and likes the Book of Mormon so much that he painted one verse in 3 Nephi on is wall. We are also helping a lady who is overcoming her addiction to smoking so that she can be baptized.
For the first time in my mission I am really starting to see the vast blessings arrive, and the diligence and hard work has really paid off.
I will talk to you all later.
Love Elder Sands
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
One of my pairs of shoes are pretty much worn out and I will take a picture and send it maybe tomorrow but this week for sure, and the socks I will tell you that it is better to send them there because, first it is almost impossible to find pure black socks and they are really bad, many things in Brazil are very low quality and it would be good if you could send 8-10 black sporting socks, they are thicker but aren't that hot, thinner socks don't last very long in a mission in Brazil.
I was transferred and I went to the other side of the mission in the area of Avaré and my companion is Elder Peatz another American, I arrive today and the first thing I am doing is writing to you all it was a five hour trip. This is a good area where there are two people that are ready to be baptized this week or the next and what the missionaries have been doing in the past is to working with a lot of less active members to help the Branch grow and be strengthened.
That is wonderful that Ryne going to Reno Nevada how exciting, when will he go to the MTC? And Ben is going in the 9th of May is that correct? That is wonderful to see the wonderful things that are happening back home. I will talk with all of you with Skype again it is much easier and much cheaper but I think I might do it a day or two before mother's day but I don't know for sure.
I will send the picture as fast as I can.
Love
Elder Sands
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
That is great that everyone is doing great. I didn't know that Julie played the piano or organ that is pretty cool.
Well I am in a bit of need, I didn't want to spend my mission asking for things but this time I need some help. Can you send my 1 or two pairs of good insoles, my shoes are going and my feet are hurting and it is very difficult to find and very expensive to buy. also can you send at least 10 pairs of good thick black socks, all of mine have great gaping holes in them and you can't buy socks with quality here in Brazil, the faster the better please, thank you so much.
This is the last week of the transfer, I didn't know but this transfer only has 5 weeks rather than the normal 6 weeks. We are also trying to go after two baptisms we are planning for Sunday. I prayed to know how and who we can baptize this week and after I received an answer of two people. One is a son of a active member that returned to the church after being inactive for many years, and another is the brother of Tais the young woman we baptized in march. It is going great and with our faith and effort they both will be baptized.
It is also looking like I will leave Perdoes on Tuesday; it has been 6 mouths of learning and changing. I am more confidant in the Lord and his power to help us work miracles and to fulfill the will of the Lord, but only after we do our part. I am thinking of all of the things I will do differently in a new area to find the people that are prepared to accept the Gospel.
I will see you all here in a few weeks for Mother's Day. I will talk more about it in a few weeks; what time, what day and everything so that I can talk to all of you.
If you can work on the package that would be MOST wonderful and I love all of you!
Tchau
Elder Sands
Well I am in a bit of need, I didn't want to spend my mission asking for things but this time I need some help. Can you send my 1 or two pairs of good insoles, my shoes are going and my feet are hurting and it is very difficult to find and very expensive to buy. also can you send at least 10 pairs of good thick black socks, all of mine have great gaping holes in them and you can't buy socks with quality here in Brazil, the faster the better please, thank you so much.
This is the last week of the transfer, I didn't know but this transfer only has 5 weeks rather than the normal 6 weeks. We are also trying to go after two baptisms we are planning for Sunday. I prayed to know how and who we can baptize this week and after I received an answer of two people. One is a son of a active member that returned to the church after being inactive for many years, and another is the brother of Tais the young woman we baptized in march. It is going great and with our faith and effort they both will be baptized.
It is also looking like I will leave Perdoes on Tuesday; it has been 6 mouths of learning and changing. I am more confidant in the Lord and his power to help us work miracles and to fulfill the will of the Lord, but only after we do our part. I am thinking of all of the things I will do differently in a new area to find the people that are prepared to accept the Gospel.
I will see you all here in a few weeks for Mother's Day. I will talk more about it in a few weeks; what time, what day and everything so that I can talk to all of you.
If you can work on the package that would be MOST wonderful and I love all of you!
Tchau
Elder Sands
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
This week was wonderful. We are doing better at growing our teaching pool. This last Thursday we received extensive training on this principle. The reason why missionaries baptize a lot of people is that they are teaching a lot of people, so if one person is not interested there could be one that is willing to accept, at least one person can be baptized every week. We are helping a few families visit the church so that they can be baptized as soon as possible but with a little planning and faith, miracles will happen.
We are getting a lot of help from the members here is Perdoes and we are running into a good problem that many members are willing and wanting to teach with us, so we need a better system to plan every one. I think we will start using a calendar to plan every one, and we are receiving much more references. Some didn't pan out and we will be teaching a reference tonight and hopefully we can teach them so that they can be baptized here in a few weeks. Missionary work here is really great.
Is Acea teaching with the missionaries, if not I would encourage him at least once a month helping them out, it doesn't really help you practice in teaching or working as a missionary, because he will go to a mission that is completely different in every way, but it will help straighten his desire and testimony.
How is Ryne doing, has he received his mission call already, and is Ben on his mission yet.
Tchau, I love you all
Elder Sands
We are getting a lot of help from the members here is Perdoes and we are running into a good problem that many members are willing and wanting to teach with us, so we need a better system to plan every one. I think we will start using a calendar to plan every one, and we are receiving much more references. Some didn't pan out and we will be teaching a reference tonight and hopefully we can teach them so that they can be baptized here in a few weeks. Missionary work here is really great.
Is Acea teaching with the missionaries, if not I would encourage him at least once a month helping them out, it doesn't really help you practice in teaching or working as a missionary, because he will go to a mission that is completely different in every way, but it will help straighten his desire and testimony.
How is Ryne doing, has he received his mission call already, and is Ben on his mission yet.
Tchau, I love you all
Elder Sands
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
I loved conference! Last time I listened to it in Portuguese but this time I listened to about half of it in English. I always love the talk of Elder Holland and one of the talks of President Uchtdorf about don't judge and if we do, stop it and the bumper sticker that said "don't judge me because I sin differently than you do."
This week was great we were running to invite everyone to general conference. It was a little difficult because we watched it in another city close by and the investigators that went had a great experience and I believe that it answered to some of the doubts and needs of the people we are teaching. We found my good people to teach and helping them progress and increasing our teaching pool.
These past few transfers I have been learning a lot how to work and teach better and to help people fulfill their commitments and helping them prepare for baptism. I now know how to do many things better, like find people, teaching them in an effective manner and with the spirit, now I need to learn how to help them progress and feel the importance of keeping their commitments.
Thank you for the words of wisdom and it is true that I have been call of God to preach the Gospel and with my time and experience I am capable of doing great things with the help of the Lord. I with My companion Elder Legrande, we will do great things,
Love Elder Sands
This week was great we were running to invite everyone to general conference. It was a little difficult because we watched it in another city close by and the investigators that went had a great experience and I believe that it answered to some of the doubts and needs of the people we are teaching. We found my good people to teach and helping them progress and increasing our teaching pool.
These past few transfers I have been learning a lot how to work and teach better and to help people fulfill their commitments and helping them prepare for baptism. I now know how to do many things better, like find people, teaching them in an effective manner and with the spirit, now I need to learn how to help them progress and feel the importance of keeping their commitments.
Thank you for the words of wisdom and it is true that I have been call of God to preach the Gospel and with my time and experience I am capable of doing great things with the help of the Lord. I with My companion Elder Legrande, we will do great things,
Love Elder Sands
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
That's too bad that the missionaries are not there anymore. It is far better too have missionaries in a members home. I learned this last week that we almost lived above the ward mission leader who is really great and there family is wonderful, I saw the benefit of this but the missionaries refused to move there because they can't do anything they want without the members knowing a little bit. I liked the missionaries there in our house, the missionaries that were great, not perfect, but we didn't get on their tail hardly at all.
This week has been one of the best weeks here in Perdoes. Last week to tell you the truth I was feeling a bit unexcited and discouraged because we didn't have a lot of success the last transfer and our area of strength wasn't progressing and our investigators weren't progressing too. One thing we changed a lot was our work, I learned a lot how to really work this last transfer and at the end we were hitting almost all of the mission goals, we were doing our part. I knew that I needed to work on my faith and this week we are receiving the blessing with many good reference of the members, we found a family really good to teach and baptized and everything is looking up. My goal I want to reach is to be way more exciting in teaching, interaction with everyone and especially with the members to really get this work going here.
we are racing to plan rides for all of our investigators for general conference so that they can progress to baptism and help with their conversion and tonight we will have a great family home evening with the family of the ward mission leader to help Caio be baptized this week if we shoe forth our faith and do our part.
Thanks for all of the advice and council, it is always welcome!
Love you all
Elder Sands
This week has been one of the best weeks here in Perdoes. Last week to tell you the truth I was feeling a bit unexcited and discouraged because we didn't have a lot of success the last transfer and our area of strength wasn't progressing and our investigators weren't progressing too. One thing we changed a lot was our work, I learned a lot how to really work this last transfer and at the end we were hitting almost all of the mission goals, we were doing our part. I knew that I needed to work on my faith and this week we are receiving the blessing with many good reference of the members, we found a family really good to teach and baptized and everything is looking up. My goal I want to reach is to be way more exciting in teaching, interaction with everyone and especially with the members to really get this work going here.
we are racing to plan rides for all of our investigators for general conference so that they can progress to baptism and help with their conversion and tonight we will have a great family home evening with the family of the ward mission leader to help Caio be baptized this week if we shoe forth our faith and do our part.
Thanks for all of the advice and council, it is always welcome!
Love you all
Elder Sands
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
It sounds like everything is doing well at home, Acea is having a wonderful time and that Ryne has put in his papers, maybe he will join us in Brazil in one mission here, but let me know where he is going.
We had transfers yesterday, my companion left and went to the other side of the mission and I stayed here in Perdoes with Elder LeGrande an American from San Diego. He is great, a little quite but he has a desire to work and we will do many great things this transfer. We had the baptism of Tais last Saturday it went very well. we did it in a pool of a member , because the pool at the church building is falling apart and we asked for a new one but I think is will delay a bit.
What are the top blessings of serving a mission; I thought about it a bit and here are couple of things.
1. The greatest blessing I have received is the blessings my family has received. It started from day one with Levi's marriage I was jumping with joy to see how well the lord is taking care of my family. One thing I heard a General Authority say, when you are on your mission most of the blessings are received by your family, only after the mission is when you receive the personal blessings the Lord has promised for you.
2. The other greatest blessing I have received is helping people change their lives and to see how the gospel changes everything for the better. it is amazing to see how people change, it brings me great joy to see them progressing the gospel and receive these blessing and this is why we are out here to to help our brothers and sister return to our heavenly father through baptism and enduring to the end.
Thank you very much for your love and support
Love
Elder Sands
We had transfers yesterday, my companion left and went to the other side of the mission and I stayed here in Perdoes with Elder LeGrande an American from San Diego. He is great, a little quite but he has a desire to work and we will do many great things this transfer. We had the baptism of Tais last Saturday it went very well. we did it in a pool of a member , because the pool at the church building is falling apart and we asked for a new one but I think is will delay a bit.
What are the top blessings of serving a mission; I thought about it a bit and here are couple of things.
1. The greatest blessing I have received is the blessings my family has received. It started from day one with Levi's marriage I was jumping with joy to see how well the lord is taking care of my family. One thing I heard a General Authority say, when you are on your mission most of the blessings are received by your family, only after the mission is when you receive the personal blessings the Lord has promised for you.
2. The other greatest blessing I have received is helping people change their lives and to see how the gospel changes everything for the better. it is amazing to see how people change, it brings me great joy to see them progressing the gospel and receive these blessing and this is why we are out here to to help our brothers and sister return to our heavenly father through baptism and enduring to the end.
Thank you very much for your love and support
Love
Elder Sands
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
How are you all doing? I am glad that Acea had a lot of fun with this date. How is she related to us? And what is her name?
The work is coming along, it is truly amazing how much things we learn in such a short amount of time. I have learned many things with Elder Inácio who will leave to another part of the mission because his training is ending. I have seen everything I did well, and everything I didn't do well and with the help of the lord we learned together.
This week has been great. We are trying our best to work to find, teach, and help our investigators prepare for baptism this week. We have seen a great increase in the work the members have been doing to invite people to church and helping their friends in their conversions, the work is progressing great. I have learned a lot this transfer with how we can work better and more effectively, and work with the members to share the Gospel. We will have the baptism of a reference a member gave to us whose name is Tais. She has a great desire to change her life for the better and a sister in the Branch has almost adapted her into her family. we will be using a pool in a members backyard because the pool in at the church building isn't very good.
Tchau tchau
Elder Sands
The work is coming along, it is truly amazing how much things we learn in such a short amount of time. I have learned many things with Elder Inácio who will leave to another part of the mission because his training is ending. I have seen everything I did well, and everything I didn't do well and with the help of the lord we learned together.
This week has been great. We are trying our best to work to find, teach, and help our investigators prepare for baptism this week. We have seen a great increase in the work the members have been doing to invite people to church and helping their friends in their conversions, the work is progressing great. I have learned a lot this transfer with how we can work better and more effectively, and work with the members to share the Gospel. We will have the baptism of a reference a member gave to us whose name is Tais. She has a great desire to change her life for the better and a sister in the Branch has almost adapted her into her family. we will be using a pool in a members backyard because the pool in at the church building isn't very good.
Tchau tchau
Elder Sands
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Dear family I am doing great
I am just having a wonderful time here in the wonderful country of Brazil. The days are hot but it gives us more excitement and energy to work. We are helping two people to be baptized this next week. One is a reference of a member her name is Tais and she will be baptized the 15 of March, she has been prepared for a long time now, it was a matter of inviting her to be baptized and she accepted the date of 15 which is her only day off. The other person is Caio I think I told you about him last week, he is wonderful, he loves the church and is reading and praying and the his baptism will be on the 18 which is that Sunday. We are very excited to have this kind of Success, we know that we have been doing our part and I know that the lord was strengthening our patients, ability to teach better, and strengthening our Faith to help preach the gospel.
This week President Tanner has been focusing on the Standard of Excellence for our mission which is 1 baptism per week, 6 baptisms marked, 10 investigator in the sacrament meeting, 20 new investigators, 15 lessons with members, 40 lessons in all. In the beginning we had some troubles with reaching this standard, but with the help of the lord and the leaders we are showing our offering to Christ with our work. Many people think that worrying about this is only worrying about numbers and not the people, but one thing that President Tanner has been teaching is that when we work our hardest and reach this standard the lord will put the people that are ready to hear the gospel n our way, and to reach our potential.
This is a wonderful work and we are the workers in the Field with just a little sacrifice and effort we will do miracles
Tchau, Tchau
Elder Sands
I am just having a wonderful time here in the wonderful country of Brazil. The days are hot but it gives us more excitement and energy to work. We are helping two people to be baptized this next week. One is a reference of a member her name is Tais and she will be baptized the 15 of March, she has been prepared for a long time now, it was a matter of inviting her to be baptized and she accepted the date of 15 which is her only day off. The other person is Caio I think I told you about him last week, he is wonderful, he loves the church and is reading and praying and the his baptism will be on the 18 which is that Sunday. We are very excited to have this kind of Success, we know that we have been doing our part and I know that the lord was strengthening our patients, ability to teach better, and strengthening our Faith to help preach the gospel.
This week President Tanner has been focusing on the Standard of Excellence for our mission which is 1 baptism per week, 6 baptisms marked, 10 investigator in the sacrament meeting, 20 new investigators, 15 lessons with members, 40 lessons in all. In the beginning we had some troubles with reaching this standard, but with the help of the lord and the leaders we are showing our offering to Christ with our work. Many people think that worrying about this is only worrying about numbers and not the people, but one thing that President Tanner has been teaching is that when we work our hardest and reach this standard the lord will put the people that are ready to hear the gospel n our way, and to reach our potential.
This is a wonderful work and we are the workers in the Field with just a little sacrifice and effort we will do miracles
Tchau, Tchau
Elder Sands
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Very clever Acea, Maybe a little cruel, but I know you would do something cool because you are very very creative and that is why you do so well creating music and other neat things, who will you go with, what is her name?
Well I have some terrible news, the whole mission is terribly sad because of this; we learned in a leadership meeting on Tuesday that President Tanner will end his mission at the end of two years which is this July. We only have 4 months with him before he goes home. If you didn't know, President Tanner has a disease that weakens his legs and other parts of is body, sometimes he can't walk very well because his is in a lot of pain. When Elder Ballard and Anderson came to the mission they noticed he didn't look very well and they spoke with President Monson and he will be released in July. We will get another president, President Perrotti a Brazilian, I think he will be good because his was the church director of seminary here in Brazil and loves working with youth.
The work is progressing, this last Sabbath day we had many miracles happen. One is that we received a reference from a member and that she is very interested and we will plan to teach her and plan her baptism for the 11 of March. We taught a man whose name is Caio we found and we went to church, yesterday I was on a division with Elder Gilherme, the Zone leader, and we helped him mark the date 18 of March to be baptized. With our hard work the lord is giving us the blessings and we are seeing them in abundance. A few weeks ago I was not sure how we will succeed to baptize people this month but I knew it will work out and after the test of our faith we can see.
Thank you very much for the support and love
tchau
Elder Sands
Well I have some terrible news, the whole mission is terribly sad because of this; we learned in a leadership meeting on Tuesday that President Tanner will end his mission at the end of two years which is this July. We only have 4 months with him before he goes home. If you didn't know, President Tanner has a disease that weakens his legs and other parts of is body, sometimes he can't walk very well because his is in a lot of pain. When Elder Ballard and Anderson came to the mission they noticed he didn't look very well and they spoke with President Monson and he will be released in July. We will get another president, President Perrotti a Brazilian, I think he will be good because his was the church director of seminary here in Brazil and loves working with youth.
The work is progressing, this last Sabbath day we had many miracles happen. One is that we received a reference from a member and that she is very interested and we will plan to teach her and plan her baptism for the 11 of March. We taught a man whose name is Caio we found and we went to church, yesterday I was on a division with Elder Gilherme, the Zone leader, and we helped him mark the date 18 of March to be baptized. With our hard work the lord is giving us the blessings and we are seeing them in abundance. A few weeks ago I was not sure how we will succeed to baptize people this month but I knew it will work out and after the test of our faith we can see.
Thank you very much for the support and love
tchau
Elder Sands
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
The mission field is a wonderful thing, and to feel the spirit of this work is wonderful.
We have been working to find the elect here in Perdoes and to find families to teach and help them receive the blessings of baptism and other ordinances of the gospel. We have been working as much as we can and we have found people that are receptive, the only thing to do now is help them recognize an answer that the Book of Mormon is true and the necessity to follow this answer. We are working with a young Woman, Katia who is the granddaughter of a sister in the ward, we have been helping her receive a desire to really pray about the Book of Mormon and see the importance of baptism and we will go with another member to help her feel the desire to really know. We found a family who the mom gathered all of the kids and husband to hear our lesson, I have never seen this on my mission, they accepted baptism and everything, but when we were marking the date for the to be baptism they were with doubt because they were baptized in the Catholic church and so on, we taught that a baptism is valid only with age of accountability, immersion, and with authority of God, we gave them the Book of Mormon and to pray to see if they need to be baptized again by whom that has authority of God and they accepted to read pray and visit the church. We continue to do our part to preach the gospel and with a little faith they will receive this answer from the Spirit and will be baptized.
That is wonderful that Acea will go to Eastern and didn't even take a test, did the rules change? It would be good if you can send me some of Acea's music and some piano music of hymns of the church and other songs. And I would love to see some pictures from the Priest Laurel dinner Dance, and who will he go with and how did he ask?
Tchau Tchau
Elder Sands
We have been working to find the elect here in Perdoes and to find families to teach and help them receive the blessings of baptism and other ordinances of the gospel. We have been working as much as we can and we have found people that are receptive, the only thing to do now is help them recognize an answer that the Book of Mormon is true and the necessity to follow this answer. We are working with a young Woman, Katia who is the granddaughter of a sister in the ward, we have been helping her receive a desire to really pray about the Book of Mormon and see the importance of baptism and we will go with another member to help her feel the desire to really know. We found a family who the mom gathered all of the kids and husband to hear our lesson, I have never seen this on my mission, they accepted baptism and everything, but when we were marking the date for the to be baptism they were with doubt because they were baptized in the Catholic church and so on, we taught that a baptism is valid only with age of accountability, immersion, and with authority of God, we gave them the Book of Mormon and to pray to see if they need to be baptized again by whom that has authority of God and they accepted to read pray and visit the church. We continue to do our part to preach the gospel and with a little faith they will receive this answer from the Spirit and will be baptized.
That is wonderful that Acea will go to Eastern and didn't even take a test, did the rules change? It would be good if you can send me some of Acea's music and some piano music of hymns of the church and other songs. And I would love to see some pictures from the Priest Laurel dinner Dance, and who will he go with and how did he ask?
Tchau Tchau
Elder Sands
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
How are you all doing?
I heard about Karyl it is wonderful to hear that she is okay and that she will get a new car. I hope you Dad will get better, it is helps you here in Sao Paulo the weather has been about 90-95 degrees for many weeks and will start to get a little bit colder in a month or so.
This week has been great, I feel that I am learning many things every day and it is great because this helps, in not only missionary work but also after my mission too. We are helping a great daughter of a member here in perdoes prepare to be baptized in the coming weeks, I feel that the lord is helping with our investigators and with our work, but I know that we need to work harder. Today I had the privilege to climb to the Top of pedra grande, about a 2 hour trip to the top in a pretty steep incline. It brought back the wonderful memories of the 50 miler and camping trip with the other young men in our ward, it gives my better feeling know that they are or preparing to serve missions and enter into this wonderful work.
Tchau
Elder Sands
I heard about Karyl it is wonderful to hear that she is okay and that she will get a new car. I hope you Dad will get better, it is helps you here in Sao Paulo the weather has been about 90-95 degrees for many weeks and will start to get a little bit colder in a month or so.
This week has been great, I feel that I am learning many things every day and it is great because this helps, in not only missionary work but also after my mission too. We are helping a great daughter of a member here in perdoes prepare to be baptized in the coming weeks, I feel that the lord is helping with our investigators and with our work, but I know that we need to work harder. Today I had the privilege to climb to the Top of pedra grande, about a 2 hour trip to the top in a pretty steep incline. It brought back the wonderful memories of the 50 miler and camping trip with the other young men in our ward, it gives my better feeling know that they are or preparing to serve missions and enter into this wonderful work.
Tchau
Elder Sands
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
We both stayed in Perdoes for at least one more transfer, I will finish the training of Elder Inácio and I think I will leave but anything could happen. This last weekend We had the baptism of Antonio who is the dad of Uriel who was baptized the 15 of January, it was truly a miracle because his wife wasn't very interested never went to the church with him and he seemed he was without destion, but we said how are you feeling about your baptism this week, because it was marked a few weeks ago, there was silence, and he said, what time will it be. I was utterly trilled and we hurried to plan a interview and planed the baptism. The baptism was wonderful and we Had seen the gospel changed his life.
This week we had decided to work in a neighborhood we haven't worked in, we didn't have any investigators in that area. When I arrived here 3 months ago there was nothing resent the Area book, we only had old investigators 8 months ago, and the people we had baptized had been references from the members and in other areas in the city. We both agreed to work there, it has been a little rough be we know that there are people waiting to hear the Gospel we just need to go find them. We are thinking of more ways to use the members and we are creating a atmosphere of success to help everyone in the Branch help. There is much work to do and with the lords help we will do it.
Tchau
Elder Sands
This week we had decided to work in a neighborhood we haven't worked in, we didn't have any investigators in that area. When I arrived here 3 months ago there was nothing resent the Area book, we only had old investigators 8 months ago, and the people we had baptized had been references from the members and in other areas in the city. We both agreed to work there, it has been a little rough be we know that there are people waiting to hear the Gospel we just need to go find them. We are thinking of more ways to use the members and we are creating a atmosphere of success to help everyone in the Branch help. There is much work to do and with the lords help we will do it.
Tchau
Elder Sands
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
This last week has really changed many things, one is that I have more energy and hope and faith to find the people that are prepared and waiting to be baptized. Last week was tough, but I look back now and see that Heavenly father was helping me learn many things with these hardships. We started out rough and end with not much success. Every appointment that we had fell through, 2 baptisms that were mark for this Sunday fell through, we only found 6 people, we had some days were we taught 2 people. I was thinking a lot what am I doing wrong, what do we need to do to find people ready to hear the gospel, how can we plan differently to be more effective, which neighborhood to work in, what do we need to do differently to receive revelation for our area, do I have faith to find these people? Then on Saturday we have the great privileged to learn from two apostles, President Jay Jenson, and other 70's. They spoke about the simple but powerful truth of the Restoration. They spoke about how we need to use the first vision to invite the spirit to change the hearts of people. For every person that has served a mission or has taught with the missionaries, when we retail the first vision of Joseph Smith you can fell the spirit stronger than the other parts of the lesson. Elder Ballard bore his testimony that is we trust in the spirit and share this experience with all the sincerity of our hearts, the spirit will enter and change the hearts of people. I felt hope and my faith grew knowing that we can find with the spirit and teach with the power of the spirit. We started this strong were we have found many great people, preparing to be baptized in a few weeks. 2 or 3 new investigators are good but our goal and our potential is to find 20 by the end of the week and help them prepare to enter the waters of baptism. we are helping the Dad of a young man we baptized a few weeks ago be baptized too and we are helping his mom enter the waters of baptism, what a wonderful work this is and how the lord helps us weak 19 year old boys do miracles and help our brothers and sisters return to the presence of our Father.
Thank you for the support and the love, I am very very excited that been has received his call to serve in West Virginia it will change his life, and really it doesn't matter where you serve but how you dedicate your mission to the Lord.
Tchau
Elder Sands
Thank you for the support and the love, I am very very excited that been has received his call to serve in West Virginia it will change his life, and really it doesn't matter where you serve but how you dedicate your mission to the Lord.
Tchau
Elder Sands
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