Coimbra 1/30/17

Bom Dia Energia Família!

One more week, still alive, still working, life is good.

This week we’ve been finding people like crazy. Sooo many blessings!!! Of the people we found were a couple families as well!

On Wednesday, we had world training with the General Board of Missionary work or something like that; we got some training which was really good; and some changes were made. We only have 4 key indicators now to report, and the schedule was changed to give us a little more freedom to change up according to our needs, within reason. We will see what that means exactly this week.

Elder Gomes and Elder Kim

We did a division in Viseu. I actually stayed in Coimbra with Elder Gomes who is from Cabo Verde, and we had a good division. He’s super quiet, but he’s a really good teacher and I learned a lot from his example. We ended the division in Viseu and we ate lunch there, these things called lancerão which were really good, and then we went to catch our bus. Sadly, because of some miscommunications, we missed our bus not once, but twice and we had to wait like 3 hours. Was lame but we got home safe, haha. Also it seems like I lost my wallet during the division so pretty lame.....

A street in Coimbra

Of course, Saturday night at like 10pm as we got home from dinner with bishop, he lets me know that I’m giving a talk the next day #stressing. The next day we go to pick up our investigators and all of them don’t show. So, then we go to church without investigators, the Stake Presidente is there, and who else? none other than Presidente Amorim (the mission president) with his wife and mother in law. Perfect. My talk went well though, I ended up having to teach Gospel Principles (no I didn’t know that beforehand either) and then we got a training from Presidente, from the which I learned a lot. But of course, felt really bad to not have investigators...We also got to participate in the little meeting with the Stake Presidente and Presidente Amorim and it was really cool to see them counsel with each other, plan with each other and work together. They are great examples to me.  They make me wanna be a better leader.

Coimbra

That is about it for me family. Please pray for me to find my wallet. I love you all! Thank you again for all the cards, letters, support and love!!! Tenham uma boa semana!

com amor,

Élder Kim

ps. Elder Casper is teaching me some stuff on the piano and I think I wanna start learning more. Also, this one is for Jonah: I was messing around with the soccer ball today and now I can stall the ball on my back and do the Cristiano Ronaldo move and take off my shirt without it falling off ,so yeah, I guess I’m cool haha. Don’t worry, this was in our house so nobody saw me other than Elder Casper taking off my shirt. #awkward, haha!!

Coimbra 1/23/17

Aloha mai kākou, e ka ʻohana,

It’s probably been one of the fastest, most hectic weeks of the transfer but I’m still alive so that’s good, right?? haha.

Last district meeting with this group.

So, we had district meeting last week, and I really, loved it. We talked about what we had learned during the transfer, and I couldn’t help but be so grateful for this past transfer. Great comp, great district, great work. I will really, miss my time in Coimbra 2. 

Following the district meeting we ate lunch at the francesinha place, burgers covered in francesinha sauce (super good!), and after, transfers were put into effect. I helped carry Sister Braz and Elder Bortolo’s bags to the train station, and was “for real hard work”. The bags were pretty heavy, and after the wheels broke on the cobblestone, I had to lift them the rest of the way. #gettinghuge lol. I said goodbye to Elder Bortolo. I was sad. Then I went off to work with Elder Maloy and Elder Bates for the rest of the day. 

Moving on to other areas:
also pictured, the bags with broken
wheels.......

Elder Casper was supposed to come in that night at 11:30pm, super late, but after walking there through the very cold night, we find out that he missed the connecting stuffs to get here and wouldn’t be coming till the next day. Sooooo....we walked home thru the cold night to go home, and went to sleep after 1am only to wake up at 7am....lame....

New companion,
Elder Casper of Pleasant
Grove, UT

Elder Casper came in no prob the next day and we survived our way to our house and all that. We ended up helping the sisters of my old district prep the chapel for a baptism they’d be having that day, and then we went down to the train station to pick up the elders who’d be taking my spot. Of course, there was a mix up so they weren’t there, and we had to literally run to the other train station to see if they were there. They weren’t so we had to run back to the first one where they ended up showing up. In the midst of all that, we ended up seeing Sister Cook, I was with her in the MTC, and was her district leader when I was in Póvoa, and got to talk to her and her greenie and help them make it on to the right train, seeing as they were little bit lost. She was on her way more to the south to Santarem, same district as Elder Meza, haha. #thedestroyerhasenteredthegame

The next day we ended up having to show the other Elders my old area. I’m a little worried about it, but it’s in His hands now. So yeah this past week was crazy, and being ZL makes it even crazier, but hey loving being able to help everyone out. Servant leadership, ain’t no other way.

So yeah everything is "new". New area, new comp, new ward, new district, new house. All "new" relatively speaking. My area is a lot smaller in comparison, but it seems like the population density is a little higher. My comps name is Elder Casper and it turns out we have the same amount of time out on the mish. He’s from Pleasant Grove, Utah, and was serving on Madeira right before here. He’s really into music too, it seems and plays really good piano. I’m missing having someone who only speaks Portuguese but I’ll survive, haha. Our house is...well...small, and not warm at all, haha. It’s really cold at night and in the morning, but its livable. The sisters who were in there kinda left it in a mess, but it’s all good now, you know according to Elders’ standards, haha. The ward seems cool as well. Was funny yesterday at church, I sat down with a member, and one of the first members I got to know from my last ward comes to sit down in front of me; I’m like wat?! I’m like "Irmã, what you doing here?", she’s like oh I’m visiting, what are you doing here? I’m like well....I got transferred here, haha. Was a funny moment. My district, they also seem cool, but there seems to be a lack of fogo (fire) but we’ll be working with that.

We’ve been working hard though and we’ve found some cool people. We’re literally starting from ground zero, but it has been good. I know that God loves us, and has prepared blessings for us here, predicated of course on our faith, work, diligence and obedience.

I love you guys, family!!! THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR THE PACKAGES!!! PLZ TELL THE FAMILY I GOT THEM AND THAT I SAID THANK YOU AND THAT IM GRATEFUL CUZ I AM!!! Love you guys! Thank you for all the emails!!!

Christmas finally arrived!!
Mahalo nui for thinking of me!!

me ke aloha,

Elder Kim do Hawaii (Elder Kim of Hawaii)

PS - the last few transfers I’ve been making sure to tell people I am from Hawaii, so yeah, haha

PPS - So one of the first things that one of the new elders said to me was "Are you an eagle?" and I responded "yes sir". Super proud to be able to say that. It was a lot of blood sweat and tears, but I’m sooo grateful for all the support I got from Mom, and Dad and the leaders. Its sooo worth it!!! haha. Mom, you can say I told you so, haha. Brothers, PLZ GET YOUR EAGLES!!!!

My new cover for my planner!
Mahalo nui Gramma Foley!

One last picture of Elder Bortolo and Elder Kim.
He will be missed!

Coimbra 1/16/17

Aloha mai kākou, e ka ʻohana!

Elder Kim, with his new, warm
jacket

One more week has gone by and here we are at the beginning of another transfer! My 9th to be exact. Time is flying by!

At the district meeting at the beginning of the week, we discussed the goals we had made the week previous for our district, which was 50 new investigators, and how we could do better. We also decided on what we would do to sacrifice more, to have more blessings, I guess you could say. We decided to wake up a half hour earlier, and cut lunch by 20 mins. I was super pumped.

Sadly, though, Elder Bortolo wasn’t completely healed yet so we were very limited in the amount of time we could work, and stayed at home most of the day, haha. I was able to study a lot, make my planner covers, which are awesome, and finish marking my Hawaiian Book of Mormon. All in all, I kinda got irritated cuz we weren’t working and meeting our goals, even though really, there wasn’t much more we could do.

A meal from Rei dos Frangos
(King of the Chickens), a
restaurant in Coimbra

Thursday, we got back to work, and Friday we were able to sort out our issues (repentance before blessings). Saturday we still didn’t have any news....but, we made good plans, prayed, started our weekly fast and went out and worked hard. God blessed us a lot and we were lead to 5 people who were open to hear our message. Then on Sunday after taking Jorge, the father of the Romanian family, to church, we were lead to 4 more investigators!!! Two of which are this super self-sufficient family (dad is doctor, mom is lawyer) who are super open to learn and try it out. Super happy!!!

I learned a lot this week from these experiences. I learned that When we do our best, sacrifice more, exercise faith and work hard, God WILL bless us and help us fulfill all righteous goals. I also learned that God is always preparing people for us. I also learned that I need to have more faith, and trust more in God.

Chapel of Olivais, near Coimbra

Transfers have come and gone, and I’m staying Zone Leader in Coimbra, but I’m moving from Coimbra 2A to Coimbra 1A. I was kinda sad and bitter at first cuz I had worked so hard in this area and we were beginning to see the blessings; but after praying to God explaining myself, and then being humble enough to accept His will, He blessed me to know that it was His will that I go, and that He would prepare the way for me in my new area as He had done in my other areas. I don’t know why we switched areas, but I’m trusting in God that He’s got it all worked out and that its going to be great. I’m super excited for this transfer. Btw Elder Bortolo will be going to Matosinhos to continue as a zone leader in the Porto Norte zone. He’s super excited.

That’s about it for me family. I love you guys! Super happy to hear you guys are all good, and that the bros got their patriarchal blessings!!! Remember to look at it once in a while. Helps us to remember what we’re capable of, where we’re going, and what God expects of us among many other things. Anyway, love you guys, have a great week!!!

com amor,

Élder Kim

A popular Brazilian all-you-can-eat buffet
restaurant. It is only $7 to get in. However,
if you don't eat all you take, you have to pay
 a penalty fee.

Elder Kim's plate from the buffet, the first of
three. He was able to eat all he took. He said
this place is his new favorite restaurant.