Portuguese Bean Soup for the Soul: Aveiro 5/2/2016

Aloha Fam!

I can’t believe it’s been a whole transfer!!! This is my last week as a greenie being trained! It’s crazy!!! Can’t believe it’s already been about 4 months since I left home! Man, time flies when you work hard and are having a good time!

Well, this past week we did divisions again. Instead of doing splits with the ZLs though, we did it with Elder Gabbitas and Elder Teixeira. (The housemates.) I ended up going with Elder Gabbitas in their area. It was weird cuz I knew I was still in Aveiro, but it felt like it wasn’t cuz we were working in a new area. We were super busy the whole time, contacting and teaching a lot of lessons. To fill time in between two lessons, we decided to go knock some doors. On the way to the nearest group of predios (apartment buildings), a car pulls over in front of us. As we pass by, a lady in the passenger seat asks where our church is. We were like, what??? Nobody asks us that haha. Turns out, she’s from Brazil, but had been baptized in Cabo Verde, but her husband (who was the driver of the car), had not been baptized yet. We asked if we could pass by some time to talk to them and they said we could pass by right now! We were like, SHOOTS!!! We walked to their house which was like down the street from where we were, helped them unload their groceries and stuff, and then taught a short lesson about the Book of Mormon. She liked it and he seemed pretty interested. Apparently, he reads the Bible every day, so he should love the Book of Mormon. That was such a cool experience!!! As servants of the Lord, we were in the right place, at the right time. A miracle in my book.

Elder Gabbitas and I during splits in his area.

Walking home. The sunsets are amazing.

"As servants of the Lord, we were in the right place, at the right time. A miracle in my book."

When we got home that night, Elder Meza and Elder Teixeira told me that they had marked the three college students we had been teaching for baptism!!! Amazing!!! I’m soo grateful to God for all his help.

Elder Meza and I have also found and taught this young Cabo Verdian family, and an exchange student from Romanian, who speaks English so-so. It’s sooo cool! What’s cool is that when I was in the MTC, we had the missionaries going to Romania in our zone too. They taught me a few phrases so I used um, and they worked!!! Was cool and funny! We were able to give her a Cartea Lui Mormon which we just so happened to have lying around our house. Man, God works in mysterious ways. I love it!!!

Our investigator, Ana, is sooo ready to be baptized this Sunday! It was supposed to be Saturday, but things aren’t gonna work out that way, so we’ll have it on Sunday. She’s decided to be baptized in the ocean!! I’m soooo excited cuz I’ve never seen that kind before. I know that you were baptized in the ocean, but I’ve never actually seen it myself, just pics and stories. She hasn’t decided who she wants to baptize her though. We’ll see.

This is from an activity. From left to right, Ana, Carlos, a member, and Elder Meza.

As far as weather goes, it’s been awesome! Sun has been out the whole week! It may have been overcast for one day, but for the most part, sun. I’m sooo happy! I finally get to wear short sleeve consistently again!!! I’ve had to wear jackets or sweaters this whole time cuz was snowing at the MTC, and was rainy when I got here, but it seems to finally be turning into summer here. Super happy.

I’ve been cooking baked chicken for my meals. It’s a hit! The cool thing is that here in Portugal, you can go to the butcher shop and buy any kine meat you like here fresh. So, I usually buy whatever meat Ima use right before I cook, then go make lunch. It’s super cool to watch them cut everything up. The knives are so sharp, and they cut soo smooth. I wouldn’t mind learning how for do dat kine. I’ve become a regular, and I’m friends with one of the butchers now haha.

A francesinha, a Portuguese sandwich originally from Porto, made with bread, wet-cured ham, linguiça, fresh sausage like chipolata, steak or roast meat and covered with melted cheese and a hot thick tomato and beer sauce served with french fries. (The alcohol burns off.) It's pretty good!

Soooo happy to hear that Uncle Hans got the priesthood!!!!! HOOMAIKAI!!! The ability to act in God’s name and bless the lives of others is an incredible blessing and responsibility. I’m soo happy that he now is able to more fully bless his family thru this sacred power he now has.

I wanna ask you guys to read a few talks by Elder Holland entitled "Feed My Sheep", and "The First Great Commandment". They’re soooo good!!!!

Well, I love you, family!!!! I look forward to Skyping with you guys next Sunday. Ima call you guys at around 7pm my time which is about 8am your time, I believe. Sorry to wake you guys soo early.

I love you guys! Take care of each other!!! Work hard!! Ficam bem!

Até Domingo (until Sunday),

Elder Kim

Posing by grafiti which reads "tudo o que é verdadeira, VOLTA!" which means, "everything that is true, RETURNS!". Hence us posing with the Book of Mormon haha. Restoration baby!!!