Coimbra 12/26/16

Aloha kākou e ka ʻohana!

Elder Kim, Elder Bortolo, Elder Maloy,
and Elder Bates, eating pizza at the mall.

Last P-day we went to the mall, and WAS CRAZY!!! I don’t know what I was thinking when I said I wanted to go check it out. It didn’t even occur to me that it’d be crazy because of Christmas, until you know, we got there, haha.

That night our one investigator, Eduardo, called us up and said he couldn’t meet with us the next day but could like right then. So we ran over and we had a lesson with him. At the end of the lesson he told us he wanted our help to drop smoking, and we were like yeah!!! So we’re helping him drop smoking and he’s doing great! We’re excited for him.

"I can't believe I ate so much pizza!"

We did a division with the Elders of Coimbra 1C. I ended up staying in my area with Elder Hirchi who just started his mission and we had a great day. We talked to tons of people, invited a couple to be baptized; we found a really cool family, did a kneeling prayer with them at the end; and we were able to pass in Leonel and Lucinda. Sadly, L&L are super closed off and don’t want to progress even though they KNOW ITS ALL TRUE!!! It’s kinda sad, but hey everyone has a choice right?

We gave a blessing to Irmão Gil’s (Gilbreto who emailed you guys) uncle at the hospital. I’m sooo grateful for the opportunity I have to be able to bless the lives of others in His name. Reminded me of when I use to go with Dad or the uncles to give sacrament and stuff. It really is a privilege to serve.

On Thursday was our Christmas conference with the Coimbra and Santarem zones. It was great!!! Presidente and Sister Amorim were there and it was great. President talked about some changes that would be happening in the upcoming years, showed us a video he and the office had made of photos we had sent in, and gave some great thoughts about Christmas. We also ate real good!!! There was bacalhau and I loved it! During the conference, I couldn’t help but realize and think that there is no gift better than that of the gospel, and that we have an opportunity to give everyone that gift every day. Me and Elder Bortolo worked real hard to set up and take down, but it was all worth it to see everyone happy there.

Caroling with the missionaries
stationed in Coimbra!

We went caroling with our district and the other district of Coimbra. It was real fun, even though at the time there wasn’t as many people as we would’ve hoped.

We were finally able to get into the jail this week, and it was a lot better than I thought it’d be. Elder Bortolo was talking it up that it was real bad, but wasn’t. Pedro Miguel, who we went to visit, is super cool! Really, the only thing that is holding him back from being baptized is being in jail. We’re gonna continue to help him be ready to be baptized when he gets out, which we’re praying and fasting to be soon, if it is God’s will.

Elder Bortolo, Miguel, Elder Maloy, Elder Bates, and Irmã Maria do Carmo
We had bachalau and it was AWESOME!!

We also ate dinner with Irmã Maria do Carmo on Christmas Eve. She’s real nice and the food was really good as well. I felt real classy cuz as we ate, she had like classical music playing, haha.

Nice to be talking to you guys, fam! It was real cool to see and talk to you guys yesterday, but at the same time kinda weird, cuz I dont know. It’s kinda been a while now, haha. 

I love you guys, family! I hope you guys had a great Christmas! Keep up the great work!

com amor,

Elder Kim

FELIZ NATAL 2016!!

A Christmas shoutout to everyone from Elder Kim!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv9KIKCGbZ4

Coimbra 12/19/16

Plastic cup snowman in Coimbra

Mele Kalikimaka!!!

Well it's been getting cada vez mais frio (getting colder) here and so we've been keeping warm as we (sometimes literally) run around Coimbra doing the Lord's errand.

It was funny reading that Irmão Castro has family from Leiria seeing as we passed thru Leiria on Tuesday. We went down to visit the district meeting and see how things are going. Sadly, we had to wake up at 6am to make it which was a bummer.... but, it was a really good meeting, and Leiria is super beautiful! Was also super cold when we got there haha. After the meeting, Elder Cardenuto and his comp., Elder Blackmore, treated us to pizza, so was all worth it, right?! haha

A huge candle made out of
pallets in Leiria.

That afternoon, as we worked, we ran out of marked appointments and we had a few options, but we didn't have a clear path in mind. We took the matter to the Lord in prayer and asked for His will. We decided to stay, as we felt impressed to stay, and we were led to this Brazilian named Eduardo!!!! He's 18 years old and is super cool!!! We taught the message, and he accepted. He was really excited to read the Book of Mormon. I don't know if he really understood the restoration or the apostasy though, so we're gonna be working with him on that.

We had Leadership meeting again, and it took ALL DAY!!! But it was really good. I liked it a lot. We talked and discussed about how we want the mission to progress, how to implement our plans, and during the whole time, I couldn't help but agree with and be amazed by the plans, insights and suggestions that Presidente had. I'm super excited for the upcoming year! Another cool fact is that me and Elder Bortolo have our own phones now haha. I mean, it's basically an enhanced rock, but it makes talking to the zone easier, that's for sure. Also, we have the Christmas zone conferences, that should be cool!

Giant candle with Leiria's
castle in the background.

We did a division with our district leader, Elder Maloy, and it was really good. I ended up going with his comp., Elder Bates, who has about a week on the mish now, and we had a great time talking to everyone! We passed by Ema and Emersons house, and Ema told us that her son Emerson is recovering good, that her other son was coming in that day from Moçambique. She wants us to meet him and pass by as soon as Emerson can. Super cool!

The Christmas party with Coimbra 1 and 2 wards was not terrible, I guess you could say haha. The Bishop of Coimbra basically didn't use the program we made, and did his own.....so yeah. The first half was really good. We watched the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional, but after, during the "funner part," things were kinda out of control.....so yeah....but I guess the wards liked it and so did the investigators, so all good, I guess. Also, many of our members brought friends, so we're excited with that!!!!

Elder Kim, in Leiria

On Sunday, Claudia, an investigator of the sister's, was baptized. Elder Bortolo is the one that baptized her. It's super cool cuz she is the girlfriend of one of the members. After seeing the baptism of Mario a few weeks ago, she went up to the sisters and was like, "I wanna be baptized!" MILAGRES!!! (MIRACLES!!!)

Family, happy to hear you guys are all doing good. Please strive to keep Christ as the center of this great season. I know that He is our redeemer and king. I know that He is the Son of God, and though He might've been more than any other man in that aspect, He descended below the world and suffered it all, according to the flesh. He knows exactly how to help us, and will help us, if we are humble and patient enough to accept His help. Be of good cheer. He has overcome the world! 

Love you fam! Mele Kalikimaka!

com amor,

Elder Kim in (one of) the homelands KKKKKKK

Elder Bortolo, standing in front of a little kiosk.
Translated, the sign says "Kiosk, the Ugly One"

Leiria

Elder Kim on a wallking bridge in Leiria

Elder Kim and Elder Blackmore, from Idaho.
Elder Blackmore has only been out 1 week in the mission.

Train station in Coimbra before leaving for
leadership meeting in Porto. It was POURING rain!!