The city of Santarém is situated on a plateau, located on the right bank of the Tagus River, 65 km (40 miles) northeast of Lisbon. The economy of the city remains mainly dedicated to the production of agricultural goods.

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

YOU (almost but not quite) GOT IT! 9/26/16

Boas!

Patch of the Coat of Arms for
Povoa de Varzim
This has been the first kinda normal week. It's been great training Elder Dias, and just working. We've definitely been seeing little miracles along the way. I gotta say, I'm sooo grateful for the opportunities we have to talk to everyone, and play a small part in making peoples' lives better and helping them onto the path of CELESTIAL GLORY!!!! FOR GLORY MY CHILDREN!!! BLOOD AND GLORY!!! Oh wait, what am I saying here, hahaha.

We were able to meet up with Américo and Edoarda this week. Notice the "and Edoarda" part. I was sooo happy! It was the first time we were able to meet with both of them since the first few times we talked with them. Sadly, the member who scheduled to come with us canceled :( but we went and shared the 20 minute First Vision film with them, and the Spirit was so strong. Then we talked about and bore testimony of prayers and the importance of prayers. It was great!!! I really think Edoarda is opening up to it all, and I hope I can be here to help them be baptized.

We were also able to teach Maria dos Santos who came to church last Sunday. We planned to teach her the plan of salvation, but we showed up and we started talking with her, and I was like "no" to 2nd lesson. So when we started teaching her it was the restoration and it went great!!! She committed to read and pray about it, and even accepted baptism but not a date. We're excited for her, especially cuz it seems like she has a lot of desire to learn more. Sadly, she couldn't come to church but all good. We'll get her this week.

On Thursday we had a cool experience. We passed by some potentials, and some investigators and nobody was available. So we were just talking with everyone on the street, then I decided that we'd pass this person we hadn't planned to pass. So we went; she wasn't available; so we started knocking doors. As we were knocking doors, Elder Dias points out this guy and he's like we gotta talk to him. I was like "rajah dat bu, lead the way". So we went over, contacted him and he let us teach him right there on a bench. It was a great lesson!!!! He was asking questions, and was really involved! In the end he accepted the invitation to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. We're really excited for him. I'm so grateful that we are entitled to the promptings of the Spirit, cuz He knows who's ready, and He's trying to help us reach them.

Something I always say to my comps is, I hope they read and pray like they say they will. Many don't, and that's why they don't progress, but I know that if they had they woulda known that ALL THIS STUFF IS TRUE!!!!! Its soooo frustrating that they have in their hands and in their mind, the capacity to receive DIVINE REVELATION, and answers FROM GOD, BUT THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING AND SO THEY DON'T KNOW!!! I know that we are all capable of receiving an answer from God if we do our part. Like Elder Nunes used to say, "you gotta put your foot out first, after God will put the ground". Something like that, haha.

Elder Dias and Elder Kim got caught in a rain storm on the
way home. If you click on the picture, you can see the
layer of water covering their smiling faces and clothes.
We found a lady last week that we were able to teach a quick lesson too, and she said that we could come back and talk to her and her husband another day. So we went over on Friday night, and they were ready and waiting for us!!! We taught them the restoration and it went down great!!! Elder Dias is getting better every lesson. Like always I hope they read and pray like they said they will. They said they can't come church this Sunday but we're hoping that next Sunday they can. They have three young children, so were really pumped to be teaching them.

The family we taught last week, the Silvas, we were able to teach again!!! They were all there, all participated, it was great!!!They have sooo much potential. We taught them the plan of salvation and it was great! I taught most of the lesson, since Elder Dias didn't really know the lesson that well. It took a while, and they expressed some doubts and some other ideas, but I was able to respond and help them see why we believe in the things we do and why it just makes more sense. They didn't read or pray :( but they said they would this week, and they also said they'd come to church. We're really stoked for them!

Sunday was super busy, and kinda bitter sweet. Cool but not AWESOME. We were planning and working to have 10 people in church but sadly despite all our efforts, it didn't work out....The Silvas cancelled on us at the last minute and broke my heart, Americo and Edoarda also didn't show up, and an investigator who we were supposed to walk to church with also didn't show....but it was still good cuz Manuel came to church again. 3rd time in a row, but we still haven't been able to teach him since his first time cuz he's NEVER HOME. We also had Rosemeire, who me and Elder Nunes found my first week here and who had told us she'd go to church numerous times but never did until yesterday!!!

We are working hard and were loving it. It's the roughest two years, but hey they're the best.

Funny thoughts:

Before Haircut!
After Haircut!
I cut the hair of Elder Dias this morning with a buzzer he brought from home. After he saw himself he was super happy! He really liked it!!! He told me that I needed to marry an African now so that when I have sons with African hair like his I can cut it and make it look awesome haha. So I guess we'll see how that goes, haha.

We met a ton of Jehovah Witnesses yesterday and that was funny, almost got heated a couple times but no blows were thrown, so all good.

Anyways I love you, family!!! Keep up the great work!!! Jonah stay strong despite the work load! Sam keep running! Seth and sister keep getting along, keep swimming and have fun with Yugioh!!! Shout out to Aunty Morgan, CONGRATS!!! Mom and Dad stay safe in Utah!

com amor,
Elder Kim


Monday, September 19, 2016

Povoa de Varzim 09/19/16

Boa tarde e ka ohana!!!

This week, like a true transfer week has been an absolute rollercoaster.

L to R: Sis Araujo, Elder Nunes, Elder Kim, Sis Cook
Last District Meeting Together
So last Tuesday we had district meeting, and then we had transfers. And so it was that the Sisters stayed as they were, Elder Nunes was transferred to Guimarães, and I am staying and I'M TRAINING AGAIN....I had been feeling for the last few days that it would go down like this but I didn't know for sure. But hey, transfers never lie.

So me and Elder Nunes rushed home, he packed his bags, I packed a small suitcase, and then we were off to Porto. We caught the metro in, and I took him to the São Bento Train Station where he'd catch the train to his new area. As we were waiting in line I went to take a selfie with Elder Nunes and this guy offers to take the pic for us. Keep in mind now there are tons of people there. But I was like sure, and then he's like oh by the way me and my brother here are members!!! We're like what?!?! Turns out one is an active member here in Porto, and the other is active, but lives and works in Switzerland. How cool is that?!?! 
Last Picture with Elder Nunes, at
train station in Porto

It was hard to say good bye to Elder Nunes, but I know that God places us in the path that will help us learn and grow the most. I'm grateful for the time I had with him and for all I learned from him.

"Flying Solo" after leaving
Elder Nunes
After I dropped him off, I set off solo (that's right family, solo, no comp, which was rather weird and kinda scary) to go find the Elders who I was supposed to be with for the afternoon. Turns out it was my old MTC comp Elder Wanlass and his current comp Elder Short. I end up finding them at Pizza Hut with their recent convert and grinding food together. I thought it was their recent convert and asked how he liked his baptism, but they were like no he hasn't been baptized yet, I was like oh shoot. Then the recent convert, Aleh, was like ok teach me, so I was like ok and started to teach him and it went really good, haha. They told me after he was a recent convert and I was like wow, very funny. But after Aleh told me that my Portuguese was really good, and that even though I had an English accent little bit, it sounded like I had been living here for a while. So that's cool. Aleh is super cool!!!

I stayed with Elder Wanlass and Elder Short for the afternoon and then they dropped me off at the hotel. When I walked in I was like wow, flash backs from when I first got here, super crazy!!! It's amazing how things have come full circle.

I went to the greenie mtc and received my son, Elder Dias.(Mission lingo for a new elder who is going to be trained by a 'seasoned' one) He is 25 years old, a recent convert of 2 years, is from São Tomé e Principe, and has lived the last 6 years in Lisboa. Oh yeah, he doesn't speak English either!!! Loving the Portuguêse!!! He's super cool, and is just super pumped to work. He's a funny guy. Every day I'm reminded why trainers are called dads, cuz we're almost literally raising our greenies, haha. Shout out to my trainer Elder Meza, and to my parents!!!

"New" Dynamic Duo - Elder Dias and Elder Kim
On Friday night we went over to Viana do Castello and I did a baptismal interview for one of the sister's investigators, Isabe. She passed!!! Sadly though, because of how things worked out, and because of her schedule, we had to catch a taxi back to Póvoa, which was super expensive, and we arrived at home at like 11:15pm which is WAY late. so yeah....

On a good note, we had Américo and Edoarda to church!!! We've been meeting with them with more members and Edoarda is really opening up. They came to the baptism, and then they both came to church!!!

Maria dos Santos, that I mentioned a while back, she was a reference that asked for a Book of Mormon, also came to church. Me and Elder Nunes hadn't been able to meet up with her but I thought to pass by and she was home!!! She has tons of questions and so we're going back this upcoming week!

Manuel also came to church again!!!

Oh yeah....WE FOUND A COMPLETE FAMILY!!!! I'M SOOOOO HAPPY!!! A mom, dad, daughter, and son. Me and Elder Nunes and Nathanael, a member, knocked their door the other week and they said that we could come back. So me and Elder Dias went over, they were all home, they gathered themselves together and we taught them The Restoration (caught that Vaea?). They ALL said they'd read and pray about the Book of Mormon, and would think about coming to church. So excited for them. They have a lot of questions about the Plan of Salvation (Vaea?) so we're definitely coming back.

Milagres!!! I'm soo grateful that I have this opportunity to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord here in Portugal. I know that as we live the gospel, that we are holding up our light unto the world, and great opportunities to share the gospel with our beloved brothers and sisters will happen. I invite all of you to go out with the missionaries, or bring somebody to church this week, not only to help the missionaries out, but also to help and build your faith!!!

Family, I love you guys!!! Seta, go get um with Yugioh, and congrats on the victory. Keep up the great work bros and sis!! Mom, Dad I love you!!! Tenham uma boa semana e até próxima!!!

com amor,
Élder Kim



New cover for planner
"Son" Elder Dias, "Father" Elder Kim