Aveiro - Post 2

Aloha Family!!! Ola!!!

Just finished my first full week here in Portugal!!! YAY!!! It has been a long one haha! For all of those who have emailed me, I am sooo grateful for the emails! I may not respond promptly, but I will try.

I’m happy to hear that everyone is ok. I’m soooo stoked for Kuʻilua!!!! New Zealand!!! So awesome!!! Jonah, right on with the Eagle Project haha. I know you probably don’t want to, but it’s so worth it to be able to say you’re an Eagle. Thank you, mom for getting on him :) Sam, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! You’re 14yrs old!!! yay!!!! Sam, I love you, and I’m so proud of you. I’m not able to be there right now, but know that if I could be there, I would be. Ima try get you something small to send over.

As for me, I really don’t know what to say haha. We’ve been walking all over, knocking on doors and contacting people on the street. (No bike or car, it's been great. The shoes are working out fine. Also, I’m so grateful for being able to shine um cuz that makes um waterproof-ish haha.) We also started working with the members this week, and have gotten quite a few referrals we are working on. We started off the week with one investigator, whose name was Didiana. We ended up getting dropped by her. We’ve since found 6 more investigators. First is Afonso, who’s a college student and a practicing Catholic, but is interested in finding out more about religion. We’ve soft committed him to baptism, and have given him a Book of Mormon to read. We have a group of three college girls, who we taught the first lesson, and have a follow up scheduled for this upcoming week. We hope to commit, or soft commit, them to baptism. We also have Imaculada and Bruno, also college students. Imaculada is from from Indonesia, and Bruno is from Cape Veirde. We taught them the first lesson, and left them with a Book of Mormon to read. We found all these people thru street contacts and knocking on doors. I hope we’re able to get all of these people to church this Sunday. Oh yeah, and we have one more. Her name is Rulanda and we found her as a referral thru her brother who’s a member. We taught her the 2nd lesson and have her marked to be baptized on the 19th!!! I hope we’re able to have the baptism on that date. We’re gonna have a tough lesson with the word of wisdom with her....

Here in Aveiro, it’s been cool. It’s been under 15 degrees celcius (59˚ F) the whole time. Rain hasn’t been uncommon, and the wind is pretty crazy at times haha. It’s been good though. I’m staying warm. Thank goodness for coats and long johns!!! haha

The language has been tough. Understanding has really been frustrating. I can kinda follow when people are talking and stuff, but when they talk to me, it just flies over my head. Thank goodness for my companion who understands haha. It’s coming though. I’m able to communicate my thoughts, and people are able to understand, so that’s good. It’ll take some time, but I’m sure, with God’s help, I can get it.

Something interesting I learned is that fear can be a type of pride. I kinda have this fear of talking to people because I’m afraid to look dumb, but what I need to do, is just put myself out there and do it. Easier said than done haha. That’s something I’ll be working on though.

Something cool I noticed here is that all the sidewalks are cobbled. I don’t think I’ve seen a paved one yet! They are beautiful, but a lot of work to make and repair. Also, I tried Fracezina the other day. Basically it’s a sandwich with like, 7 different kinds of meat, and is covered in gravy. I’m so sorry I didn’t take a pict! It was sooo good! Sadly, no bacalhau yet haha. We are being fed by members, but that’s like 2-3 times a week. We do most our own cooking. Recipes would be awesome!!! Please send some simple ones haha. I know I so “pua ting” haha.

Anyway family, I love you!!! Thank you for emailing me. I’m sorry I’m not able to respond to all your emails, but know that I do read them, and I appreciate them a lot! I love you, mom! I love you, dad! I love you, family! Thank you for your support.

Ate proximo vez minha familia, eu amo voces,

Elder Kim

PS - Mom I can’t send pictures thru this computer. I’m sooo sorry.

(Elder Kimʻs mailing address in Aveiro. We had to take a picture of it in order to get the correct markings in Portuguese.)

Aveiro!!!! I am in Aveiro!!

Aloha Kakou e Ka Ohana!!!

ESTOU EM PORTUGAL!!!!! I’m in Portugal!!!! So sorry for not writing last week, it’s been a crazy past week or so.

The flight over was super long but kinda nice. Salt Lake City to Chicago went smoothly. I sat next to an inactive member and was able to talk to her for a while about her family and stuff, and invited her to go back to church after sharing a few scriptures. It was cool, and I hope that she does decide to go back. We waited in Chicago for a while, and I was able to call home. I must say it was ssooooo nice to be able to hear you guys, Mom and Dad. Even though I know I have not heard your voice in like 2 months, it felt like I had just talk to you guys yesterday. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to talk longer. I guess since I was calling for Hawaii it cost more per minute. I’m grateful though that I was able to hear your voices. I was a crying wreck for a little while after though.

Chicago to Germany was super cool. The plane we went on had two stories!!! Super nuts!!! We flew premium economy and it was super comfortable. They served us food as well which was awesome. Sadly we couldn’t watch any of the free movies or listen to the free music, but I was able to sleep. Thank goodness!!! 

Germany was weird. I don’t know why, it just was. It felt weird. I know that sounds weird that it felt weird, but it did. Apparently though, I wasn’t the only one who felt like that. Kinda felt like everyone was gonna mug me or something. Thankfully nothing happened though and we were able to board our plane no problem. I learned that in Europe they don’t have water fountains!!! What’s with that??

We ended up getting to Portugal safe and sound. I met with President Amorim that night, and we later ate dinner with him and his wife at the mission home. He seems like a good man. I must say he intimidates me. From what I’ve seen, he’s super passionate about missionary work, and is very strict. It’ll be an interesting two years to say the least.

The next day we had our New Missionary training meeting, where basically they explained the expectations they have for us as missionaries, and after we were separated to be with our new companions. My new companion is Elder Meza. He’s from Colorado. His Dad is from Peru and his mom is from Ecuador. He’s been out about 6 months, and he’s mostly fluent since he already speaks Spanish. People are always asking him if he’s Brazillian. He’s super cool though, and I like him. We’ve been assigned to open a new area called Aveiro. It’s a city and its very nice. It’s a pretty big area. We don’t really have any investigators so the majority of our time has been knocking on doors and contacting. I need to improve at being confident in myself. It’s been good though. 

We’re staying with two other Elders in our residence, Elder Cox and Elder Gabbitas. They seem okay. Apparently I’m being spoiled here cuz we are currently in the nicest residence in the mission.

Yesterday, we went to church for the first time. It was cool! I was able to understand basically what the people were talking about but nothing specific. I was given the opportunity to introduce myself and it went well. Afterward everyone was telling me my Portuguese is really good for only being here 4 days. I was so proud but I realize I got soooo much more to learn. I am improving though, yeah!

We visited a shut-ins home last night, and it reminded me so much of home. They decided to feed us some food, and as soon as we’d finish one of something they’d fill our hands with the next thing. They wouldn’t let us leave empty handed. Soo much like home!!! It makes me so grateful to the people who feed the Elders. There’s no way I can repay that sort of thing and so one day I’ll pay it forward cuz that’s all I can do. Mom, know that I am being fed. All the times of us feeding the Elders are coming back around. We’ve only had a few member meals, like two, but I’m still super grateful and humbled.

The weather here has been pretty rainy, but its sunny today. The food here is pretty cheap it seems so that’s good. In the house we got to work on making better food, and planning out our meals cuz we were running out the other day. Thank goodness for P-Day.

I’ll admit my first few days were really hard. I was feeling pretty homesick but it’s getting better now as I get settled. I know that as I open my mouth, and focus on the work, and not on myself, it’ll work out. Know though that I’m okay, and I love you guys ALOT. Eu voces amo muito!!!! I’m sorry I’m not able to put more in here. There’s just no way to put it all in with the time I have. I love you though!!!

Ate a proximo vez minha familia!!!

-Elder Kim

P.s. What’s cool about your PS mom is that I know what you were saying!!!! Super cool!!! Thank you aunty Marta!!! Mom, if you can, ask her to write me in Portuguese? That’d be sooo cool! 

Traveling this Week!!

*Aloha from da parents!
Elder Kim left the MTC on Monday, February 22, 2016, at 3:30am. He traveled from Salt Lake City to Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany and then to Porto, Portugal. While he was not able to send a regular email out this week due to the traveling, he was able to send some short notes and pictures prior to departure. We have included excerpts and the pictures below. We were also fortunate to be able to hear from him while he was in Chicago awaiting his connecting flight. The phone conversation, while necessarily brief, was very positive. He was barely able to contain his excitement, and the same can be said of the parents. We will resume posting his weekly email next week, when we expect to receive his first email since his arrival in Portugal. Mahalo nui for your prayers and aloha!!

Feb. 21, 2016

Always make goals. I've been doing that a lot more, and I wish I had started earlier. Goals are good. They help keep us focused, and moving forward. What I've learned is that you start off with a vision. That means, the end goal, what you eventually wanna do. After you list the things you need to accomplish, list the things that will help you accomplish this goal. Knowing your vision and the things you need to do, you then make weekly goals. These goals should be attainable, but also should be stretching you. From there you split your weekly goals into daily goals, so that you make it bite size and you’re able to progress steadily. This is what I've been trying to do with the language and stuff. What’s awesome is that if it’s not working out, you just reevaluate and change your plan to fit you.

I'm so grateful for the MTC. Its been up and down, but I've grown soo much. It’s cool to be able to see how far we've progressed, with His help, in the last 6-7 weeks

Tie draft last night. Everyone enters a tie and put their name tag in a bag. When your name gets pulled you have 5 seconds to choose a tie. The rule is, you have to wear the tie the next day on Sunday.

 Elder Kim w/ Irmao Machado  "Heʻs Super Cool"

 Elder Kim w/ Irmao Nor "Super Cool"

 Elder Kim w/ Irmao Staples, his teacher from Day 1 "I love him so much! Heʻs a great man."

 Elder Kim w/ Irmao Workman "Super Cool"

 Last class together with Irma Smith (front, middle center). She was also Elder Kimʻs teacher from Day 1 - "Sheʻs awesome, I love her!"

 Elder Kim, pointing to his home for the next 22+ months!

 Packing everything up and moving on out!

Elder Kim, just released as zone leader, in preparation for departure

 Elder Kim and Sister Kuamoʻo-Mendiola. Both proud products of Keaukaha Ward, which now has 6 missionaries out with more to come in the next few months.

The traveling group headed for Portugal. Due to extenuating circumstances, they were joined by two more missionaries in Chicago who were also headed to Portugal.