Aveiro 4-18-2016

Olá minha família!!!! Como estão?!

Thanks for wishing me a happy birthday family!! I know I couldn’t be there in person, but I could definitely feel your love here in Aveiro. It’s pretty crazy for me to think that I turned 19 yrs. old this past Thursday. I feel like my 18th birthday in Hilo was just the other week or something, haha. People were asking how I felt, and I was like, I feel normal. In many ways I don’t feel 19 yet, but in many ways, I feel older than 19. I mean a “normal” 19-yr-old isn’t exactly calling people to repentance that’s why, haha. 

This week has been a great week. Heavenly Father has definitely been helping us out. For my birthday me and Elder Meza marked this Portuguesa, Ana, to be baptized on the 7th of May!!! I’m sooo stoked!!! We only found her a few days earlier too!!! She’s been reading and praying and everything. Sadly, she couldn’t make it to church on Sunday cuz she wasn’t able to get out of work, but she is working on making it possible. We're sooo happy for her!

Yesterday we were knocking doors, and Elder Meza thought it’d be a good idea to pass by this Brazilian couple, Fernande and Flavia, we had found a few weeks ago. We had been trying to teach them for the past few weeks, but they were never home. We had marked them to come today, so I was like hmmm?! But we went anyway, and they were home!!! We were able to teach a great first lesson, left them with a Book of Mormon, with a promise to come back. I guess Flavia had school finals and stuff this week so today definitely wouldn’t have worked out. I’m soo grateful we passed by. It was sooo humbling. We plan to pass by later this week. 

This whole week has kinda been like that. We’ve been finding these really awesome people. We’ve been able to teach and find all these people we’ve been trying to teach since we got here. It’s just been awesome! I’m sooooo grateful to God for His help, because we definitely can’t do it if He’s not helping us. I’m glad that we continued to work hard during these last few rough weeks, so that we can qualify for, and see the blessings he has in store for us. Sometimes it’s just hard to see the big picture when the going’s rough. 

Grandpa asked about how the church is organized here in Aveiro. Well, we do have a chapel, but it’s 45mins away from where we live by foot. It’s definitely a challenge to get investigators to church, let alone members. I really don’t know why it’s soo far away. Word on the street though is that were supposed to get a new place sometime in the near future, but at the same time, that’s been the word on the street for a while now. There’s about 50-60 people who come every week to church. We’re considered a ward. I guess it is one compared to some of the braches, which only have like, 7 people, basically a bishop and his family. I’m sooo grateful to have the opportunity to work with this ward! Our area is super big too!!!!

I was just thinking about Elder Miyasaki/Kaiawe the other day, how he should be home soon. It’s sooo good to hear that he came home safe and had a great mission!!!! I didn’t know him that well really, but I really look up to him for serving a full time mission and being awesome. I wish I coulda heard his homecoming talk!!!!! I’m also stoked to hear that ʻOhu Ishibashi got his call!!!!!!!! I’m soooo excited for him!!!!!!!!! 

I just want to express how grateful I am to my Heavenly Father for helping me reach my potential as a person these last 19 years. I’m soo grateful to my parents for having patience with me and helping me follow the path God has prepared for me. I’m soo grateful to the rest of my family and friends who have played with me, taught me, laughed with me, and cried with me. It’s been great. It’s amazing to see the growth in myself, and humbling to see how much I have to grow. I know that we all have a divine potential and thru following the gospel of Christ and using the atonement in our lives daily, and with Gods help, we can achieve it.

I love you guys!!! Thank you again for everything!

com amor,

Elder Kim

*Birthday Napoleans, compliments of Elder Meza.

Birthday tights from my house mates: From left to right: Me, Elder Meza, Elder Teixeira, and Elder Gabbitas. Elder Meza started it all cuz that’s what he wore to stay warm under his pants. So Elder Gabbitas started wearing um too. When Elder Teixeira came in, he was always cold, so he bought some too. I was the only one without, but they got me a pair for my birthday. Haha

I made some birthday brownies for everyone to share. (Our apartment is fairly modern.)

Street art: tiled/mosaic walls on the walk to the chapel in Coimbra about 40-45 mins walking distance.

*At the train station. The public transportation here is really good. The bus system is on time, and clean.

*From the bottom: Elder Meza, Elder Gabbitas, and Elder Texeira at a park near the chapel in Coimbra. We go every Tuesday for District meetings.

*Me, sitting with João De Deus, 1830-1896, (Poeta E Pedagogo) one of the greatest Portuguese poets of his generation, at the park near the chapel. 

Sporting a fresh haircut, with Elder Meza, Elder Gabbitas, and Elder Texeira at the local community center, where we email our families on Mondays.