Povoa 10/24/16

Bom Dia Alegria!

Well its official. My 6th transfer is over, and I am now in my 7th transfer. This has literally been the fastest transfer ever, and I'm still in denial that its past already! Time is whipping by for real kine haha.

We had a rough start this week, but it got better as the week went on. These are some of the highlights:

We were able to meet with João Barros this guy who just showed up to church (last week) on his own basically last week. It was super cool to see him, cuz the last time we taught him, it was me and Elder Nunes like 2 or 3 months ago. We had a really good lesson, and Elder Dias bore a really great testimony, and we were able to help him understand that God wants to help him and bless him. He just has to let God into his life, and one of those ways is through baptism! He accepted the 5th of November as his baptismal date, so we're gonna be helping him meet that goal! Sadly, we don't know why he wasn't able to make it to church but we're working on it.

We found a lady a few days ago that told us that she had talked to the elders in the past, and had actually been the one to cut their hair when they needed hair cuts......32 years ago!!! I was like wow, that's soo cool! I don't know why, but right before I told her that even though she had never cut our hair, that I was grateful for her service and all she had done for the elders. I don't know why, but I just felt so grateful for her, and for all the people who help out the elders, for those people who feed us and stuff. THANK YOU!!!

We had a great family home evening with Carolina and Bruno, parents of a young family. We took Ricardo and Debora with us (we just helped them move), and we had a great lesson about the importance of the family and talked about the proclamation to the world. They said they'd like to see how it was at church, but some family stuff came up and they weren't able to make it. We are gonna keep working with them so their family can be ETERNAL!!!

We were playing with some kids in the park, when an inactive member contacted us. We were like HEY!! So we asked her if we could share a thought with her and she said yes; so we sat ourselves down on a bench, and started to talk to her. Then I invited the kids to hear, and we all sat ourselves around the inactive member, and we talked about faith with the inactive member and then the inactive member started to bear her testimony to us but especially to the kids. It was great! Sadly, without the permission of the parents we can't teach the kids anything, but maybe in the future we can teach them AND their families!

We've been working with Bishop this week and we were able to get 12 references from him!!! I'm super excited to be working better with our ward, and hope that this can be the start of a better relationship with Bishop. He gave us a few families to pass by and we're super excited to see how this goes.

At the end of the night we were just talking to everyone, like normal, and I ended up contacting this guy named Dunato. He's 35 years old, speaks English, is from Povoa, works in England as a car designer for Jaguar, and has TONS of questions. We started talking to him and it was great!!! During the conversation he told us that he had just come from doing something bad; idk what it was thank goodness; and that by "chance" two guys from God (missionaries), us, end up talking to him, and that was the only reason he kept talking to us. I was like wow!!! I thought it was sooo cool that we could be instruments in His hands and talk to this guy. We set up an appointment, and we'll be meeting with him later in the week. I was blown away when he said in essence "I would love to believe like you guys but I can't, cuz I need proof. But if you guys can show me how your way is better than my way, and can answer my questions, I will change my life." I was like "WOW, right on bu, lets do this, hit me with your best shot" haha. Joking but I'm super excited to talk to this guy cuz it seems like he has a lot of real intent and curiosity. I know that if he'll follow our invitation, and ask God, that God WILL show him this is the right way.

Anyway, that's it for me family. Looks like you guys are all doing well! Dad, loving the beard haha. Mom, safe travels!!! Bros and sis, keep up the good work!!! I love you guys!!! Fiquem fixe!

com amor,

Elder Kim

*Sorry, no pictures this week* 

"Sky Black" 10/17/16

Boas!

The sky is still black when we wake up.

So this week has been rather rough, haha. It is definitely not summer anymore! It's been wet and cold, and all that good stuff. I'm loving the thick jacket I got. The quote I used for the theme was actually Elder Dias. He was like "Elder, Elder, olha!" and I was like " o que? (what) and he's like "sky black" and I couldn't help but laugh, cuz he was right haha. Gotta say though, I've kinda missed the rain.

Even though it was a rough week we still worked hard and had some great times.

We passed our house inspection!!!!

But the sun does slowly rise.....

We were able to meet up with an inactive member named Vitor. Me and Elder Nunes actually found him a while back. He's 24 and was baptized 10yrs ago in Viseu, and is from Lisboa. We were finally able to meet up with him and share a message. I was sooo happy! He still doesn't want to go back to church, but I can tell he's got a great testimony still, and we're hoping to continue working with him. What was cool was during the lesson, he went and grabbed his scriptures, and man they were all marked up! I was like wow, this guy is awesome!!!

The weather has been getting colder
with foggy days.

We talked to this guy, and started talking to him about his faith and stuff. In the end he was like "no, I don't want to hear your message". We were like "ok then, here's a card, call us" and then started walking away. As we walked away, he called after and told us "Fé é que nos move" (Its faith that moves us) and I was like "ISSO È VERDADE" (that is true). I don't know why, but when he said that it just like hit me, I was like wow, that is sooooo true!!!!

We had a great lesson with Manuel this week. We read some scriptures with him and started to ask about what was keeping him back from baptism. We bore our testimonies that this work is true, and that baptism was true, and the Spirit was just super intense! Elder Dias invited him to be baptized on the 22 (that's my boy!) and he didn't say anything for the longest time then was like "at what time?"; we were like "any time you like"; then he kept thinking, then he was like "no I'm not ready." We were like "no, you are", and bore more testimony and responded to his doubts and the Spirit was testifying that it was all true but he kept saying no. I know that he knows it's all true. Now I just hope that he acts on that knowledge and follows what the Spirit is telling him. Even though he said no, I'm super grateful for that lesson and the companionship of the Spirit, and the opportunity I have to help Manuel.

On Sunday all our investigators cancelled on us, but I called some people to see if we could get anyone to go with us, but nobody answered. So we went to church, and I had the strange calm feeling that somebody would show up. Sure enough, right after the sacrament was passed, João Barros shows up!!! (One of our contacts)

Funny stuff:

Fernanda and Elder Kim, walking to
church in 'beanie' weather

We were walking down the road and Elder Dias starts to practice English. He starts describing what I'm wearing and he's like "jacket black, shoes black, pants black, bag black....." and I interject "and skin black" and he's like "yeah! skin black". Then a confused look comes on his face and he's like "skin? hmmmmm....skin....skin?? No! you skin white! Me black!" It was soooooo funny!!!

It's been a rough week, and the people haven't really been too open with us, and my patience has really been tested, but I'm trying to do my best. I know that God recognizes our efforts and will bless us. I know that it is only though persevering to the end that we will gain those blessings!

Happy to hear you guys had a great week!!! Too funny to think that our relationship with the Ahloys and the Enos families started way back in summer camp with me and then called "hobo" Vaea. I love all you guys!! Have a great week!!!

com amor,

Elder Kim

New Haircut: YAAY!!

Late Post from 10/10/16

Aloha mai kakou e ka ohana!!!

Well I'm still alive and kicking here in Povoa de Varzim. Me and Elder Dias have been working hard and it's been going good. It has also been getting quite cold, haha, and of course Elder Dias didn't bring his warm clothes so he's using mine, haha. It's definitely been an adventure.

We've just been talking to everyone here on the streets, whether they want talk to us or not, on the way to and from lessons, just everywhere. And because of that we've just been finding all of these interesting people! I can honestly say that I am gaining a testimony of God's promises as I do my part.

Manuel seems to be making progress in his pursuit of the truth. We were able to talk to him this week and this time it seemed different. Normally when we talk with him he talks in a defensive manner, like he doesn't really want accept our message, but this time he seemed to talk in a more open manner. The spirit was super strong as we taught him and bore testimony of the truthfulness of our message.

We were also able to meet with Americo and Edoarda, the miracle couple. We talked with them about the importance of the priesthood and how it blesses our lives. We also taught about the importance of the priesthood in doing sacred ordinances, like sealing families, and how it directs the church. We then shared the video of President Monson's talk about the Word of Wisdom. The spirit was so strong, and I could just feel it testifying to them, especially Edoarda that this is the right way.

Church this past week was also really good. We were planning on having about 10 people at church, but 6 ended up not being able to make it. We did have though, Manuel, the parents of the Silva family, and also Andreia. The fast and testimony meeting started out kinda so-so, but then a visiting youth went up and bore a super simple powerful testimony of self-less service and of never wearing in good works. The spirit filled the room and stayed for the rest of the meeting. I hope that our investigators were able to feel it like I was able to feel it.

Andreia at church was a miracle. Apparently she was found a few years ago and hasn't been baptized. Me and Elder Nunes re-found her and started teaching her again, but she was unwilling to change and do her part. I honestly don't know how she managed to make it to the chapel, since she lives super far, but when I walked in I was blown away to see her there. It made me so happy to see her there, and I hope that this is a sign that she is ready to change and move forward.

Funny stuff:

We contacted this guy, and he starts trying to talk to me in English and it's just not making sense. So I tell him to speak Portuguese. So he starts speaking Portuguese, then starts switching in between the two and tells us the story how he recently got in a fight with some drugees and got stabbed in the arm. We invited him to church, and he said he'd come but he was unable to.

We were walking around this neighborhood looking for some people we talked to earlier and this lady calls to us from her window and tells us she has a lot of faith, haha. We're like "that's great", and she's like "yeah I have a lot" then points at her statue of Maria de Fatima. So we go up and talk to her and then she shows us this candle she got from the Catholic Church and the whole time I'm like, "wow the apostasy is true", haha.

Today was super hectic. We had to go to Porto this morning, and so we stopped at this mall in Porto so that Elder Dias could buy pants, since all his pants are too tight in the leg and are not approved. Then we went to the mission office and picked up some copies of the Book of Mormon and other materials cuz we don't have anymore, then we went to the mission home with Sister Amorim and Elder Dias got himself a jacket since he no more, and as we were doing that, Presidente Amorim shows up and I'm like "uh oh" but it turned out all good, haha. We caught the metro back to Povoa (the box of Book of Mormons was weighing a ton at that point), shopped for food, cleaned our house super good since we heard from a little bird that we're getting inspected tomorrow and only now got on to do emails, haha.

Family thank you for your emails. Sister, your writing like a champ!!! And great notes too!!! I definitely was not paying that much attention when I was 8 years old. Sam, looking good out there. Whose shoes are those? By the way did my card for the Nagaredas ever get there? Please if possible send the package to the mission office cuz it'll be simpler like that. Also I don't know if I could pick it up from the post office cuz last time in Aveiro I almost couldn't. Also, right on Aunty Mckenzie!!! Out of curiosity, why?

Ok love you family!!! Keep up the great work!!! Fiquem fixe!

com autoridade,

Elder Kim