Gaia 4/17/17

Aloha Família!

So, this week has been absolutely, crazy. Literally every day an adventure, but I'm just loving life and learning from it haha.

At the train station, helping everyone
get to where they need to be

Transfer day was pretty hectic. Almost didn't make the train with all the baggage. Then helping other missionaries and stuff to catch their respective trains and then finally meeting up with my comp, left me dripping with sweat, but everyone got to their areas safely.

Elder Kim and Elder Meza

Got to take Elder Meza (who trained Elder Kim) to the training meeting and spend one more night with him. I love him!!! Also, I have a "brother" named Elder Patterson from Canada!!! (Whom Elder Meza is now training.)

One of our investigators "came out of the closet" in the middle of the lesson.....#awkward. Apparently, he just likes Elder Wanlass and things escalated quickly and we had to run from the chapel. Hahaha!!

My birthday was pretty normal. Didn't really feel like anything special. We just worked hard, and Elder Meza called me that night wishing me a happy birthday. The sisters got me ice cream but left it at the chapel, so I still haven't gotten it, haha. Maybe I'll get me something nice today haha, but probably not....maybe next week haha. Oh yeah we also ate feijoada  (portuguese bean soup) at this one members house, was pretty good.

Being with Elder Wanlass again has been really fun. (They were companions in the MTC) We've been literally talking to everyone, like normal, but with his energy and enthusiasm it gets really funny. His heart is in the right place and he really wants to do and be better, so were doing great. He's got this crazy diet and work out thing though, but I'm like....nah, hahaha. Also, improving my house maintenance skills so the house looks good. It's actually really big (the house).

Gaia is a really big city. We live right next to the end of the metro, and tons of people are always walking around. The ward is actually really big, and is supposed to be like  "the best ward of the mish", vamos lá ver (we'll see) haha. I'm excited. Also, the weather is not bad, pretty moderate actually, even a little chilly at night.

From right to left: Elder Meza, (who trained) Elder Kim, (who trained) Elder Nunes,
(who trained) Elder Halvorsen and Elder Quaresma
No word on the identity of the photo bomber who appears at waist level

Anyway family, I love you guys, keep up the great work! Really like the paint job; good job with the palapalas, but hey you guys gotta get that NANI NAWAHI!!!! Go big or go home! Also liked the eggs you guys made, very cool! The board with the missionaries is funny cuz I'm the only one in Europe....haha. Jonah your lei hulu looks great! Good job! Sam good job with the 8ft pole jump! Seta and Haili keep it up with the soccer, you guys are animals! Mom go get um with your classes! Dad keep up the great work at work, but no get hurt! Família I love you guys and have a great week!

Vos amo!

 Élder Kim

Transferências Coimbra 4/9/2017

Aloha Família,

It's been a rather crazy week.

We had Zone Conference with Presidente. Was cool to be able to see everyone, have a nice lunch, and learn about how we can be better missionaries.

Élder Kim & Élder Nunes.
Take note of the tie :)

We had divisions with Elder Nunes guys right after that. Was super cool to go work with Elder Nunes in Viseu. Made me so happy to see the progress he's made, and all the good work they're doing. He even still has the tie I gave him! haha

We also had divisions with Elder Meza guys! I went with Elder Meza and we had a crazy division. We helped this lady move houses, taught an atheist, found some people, did tons of contacts, and ate lunch with bishop. Was great! I am so grateful for Elder Meza and all that he's taught me. I honestly love him a lot.

Élder Meza & Élder Kim

Élder Meza will train another élder this transfer.

I'm gonna be a "big brother!"

 Transfers came and I have been commanded to leave Coimbra 1A and to go to Vila Nova de Gaia 1A, "the promised land," with Elder Wanlass, my old MTC comp!!! The zone will be 25 people big, with four districts. I'm sad to leave Coimbra and grateful for all I've learned here, but I'm excited to go to Gaia! Everybody who goes there loves it.

Another cool thing was that this return missionary from like 18 years ago passed by the chapel with his family as we were cleaning, and he took pics of us, and told us how it was back when he was there haha. Funny enough, he served in Gaia and Coimbra 1 as well.

Well, I love you family!!! Thanks for all the love and support! I'll let you guys know how my 20th bday goes down, along with my new area, next week! Love you guys!!!

-Élder Kim

 

Right after zone conference, waiting at McDonalds before we get on the bus to Viseu.

P-day fun at a nearby shopping complex. 

Finally got my Pūlama Mauli Ola shirt, 2 mos after the fact, but at least I got it ;)

Bro. H, a returned missionary from 18 years ago, took this picture of us as he was passing through Portugal. 

Last time, Coimbra 1A District pictured L to R: Élder Kim, Élder Casper,

Élder Nascimento, Élder Hirchi, Sister Shepard, Sister Bento

Pictures of Coimbra from Ceira, a city 5 km away, but we have to cross the Mondego River to get there. Everything is green and the days are definitely warming up. I will miss Coimbra!

Coimbra 4/3/2017

Aloha Família!

Thanks for all your guys love and support! Especially love the pics! Sam, you looking good in those spikes! Keep running! Seta and Sister, keep playing hard! Gotta say, looking at that picture of Sister, I thought she was gonna take one to the face... Jonah, I heard you're "moneybags," haha. Good on you man! Make sure you always trustworthy. Dad, thank you for provide for the family. Please take care of yourself! Mom, you da bomb! Hiki no!!! Keep running!

This week was a not bad week. Weather was not bad, short sleeve mostly. :)

Elder Holdsworth and I on a division. He is from Arizona.
We had a great division! Love his attitude and mindset.

We had a division with the elders of Leiria B. I went with Elder Holdsworth and we had a great division. He has a great attitude, and I really enjoyed myself with him. We taught this guy named António in his homemade wine cellar. I asked him if it's like for him and his family and he's says "no....just me and my friends," haha #mancave. But he actually read the pamphlet me and elder casper had given him. He was like, "I only got two questions, who's Joseph smith? and who is Moroni?" So, we answered his questions and explained about the Book of Mormon and he was like "hm... it makes sense. I have 2 conclusions. First conclusion: I need to buy the Book of Mormon. 2 conclusion: I need to go to church, what time is it?" We're like, 'wow super cool!' We gave him a FREE copy of the Book of Mormon, told him when church was, bore our testimonies, and we were on our way. He wasn't able to come to church, but we're gonna keep working with him.

We had dinner with this super cool investigator family! They fed us arroz de pato, rice of duck, a kind of fried rice with duck and chorizo sausages. It was really ono! They were gonna come to Conference, but then their water heater broke, flooding their house with scalding hot water. Thankfully all is well, and we're gonna keep passing by.

Investigator family and I eating arroz de pato. You can see
the chorizos on our rice. So ʻono!

 Conference was really good. We watched it in Português. It was cool to see the progression of my language skills from the first time I watched conference, and even from the last time I watched. Now, even my notes are in Português. Because of the time difference, we were at the chapel ALL DAY to attend General Conference. We watched the first session on Saturday night from 5:00pm-7:00p. On Sunday, we watched the Priesthood session from 10a-12pm, watched the second session from 1p-3p, had baptisms from 3-5p, watched the first session of Sunday from 5-7p, conducted mission zone business from 7-9p, and finished off the last session of conference from 9-11pm. We just camped out at the chapel, haha. We got home at like 11:30p. Cool fun fact: Elder U. Soares of the Seventy, who spoke on Saturday morning, was a mission presidente for Portugal, Porto mission.

Truly, God speaks through His servants, the prophets. I heard a lot of stuff I needed to hear, and I'll be trying better to do. It confirmed a lot about what I've been thinking about and studying about. Soo grateful for our loving Heavenly Father who leads and guides us in these latter days!

I think that's about it family! Please keep up the great work. Look for ways to apply what you've learned from conference in your lives! I love you guys!!!!

-Élder Kim