Hey everyone,
The first picture was taken Monday at a meeting in campinas. It is me and the two missionaries that went with me through the MTC. Elder Christensen and Sister Forsythe. Our district in the MTC was 33E and that is us making the 33E logo (Idea from Elder Christensen). I was scratching my head a lot that day and my hair is lookin´ lumpy in the photo.
Picture number 2 was taken today. I went exchanges with Elder Pezzin and this was taken as we ended the division in our apartment this morning. Elder Pezzin, Elder Rodrigues, Elder Luciano, and me.
Well, it was a good long week. Elder Luciano was sick a lot and we didn´t get to work as much as I would have liked. Then, because of the meeting on Monday, I had to leave my area Sunday during church so we missed another day of work. But, we are meeting a teaching great families who are ready to hear the message of the restoration.
The members here in Jaú are helping so much. We received so many great referrals this last week and members are going out with us to teach the people. It´s amazing and it makes everything so much easier.
About seven weeks ago as we were walking in the street a man came up to me and asked me if I was from a church. I said yes and then he continued asking me in a very loud and straight forward way which church I was from. I told him that I was from ´´A Igreja de Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias``.
´´Oh, os mórmons´´ he responded.
He then told me of how he had no job and no food to feed his wife and 1 and a half year old baby girl and that he was desperate. He begged me for money or food. I had none. I read him that famous verse that everyone knows from Matthew 11 ´´Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden....´´ and I told him that we could help him in the church. He didn´t listen and just walked away.
A week later he came to us again and asked for the same help. I read him the same scripture and told him that I had no money to give. I told him where the church was and when it started. He said he would try to pass by. He was so annoyed by the fact that I walked around in my nice shirt and tie with slacks and polished shoes... and yet I had no money to give him. Yet, I bore my testimony and promised that the church would help him, and he was gone.
Weeks went by. I had forgotten about him. It had never even passed my mind that maybe he would come to church.
Yet, as my companion and I were in the front of the church building waiting for a few investigators to arrive, he came in. Almost crying. He was extremely sad and irritated. He felt like a failure that he could not provide for his family, that they were starving and him too. He told me ``please, just the smallest little bit of money will help me. I am an embarrassment, look at me.´´
He had grown even more thin and he was easy to tell that the lack of food had taken a toll on his body. His face reflected grief and sadness, but after a long time the sadness and grief turned to anger and malice. He felt rejected by all and he had nothing left.
He told me that this Saturday he had met a man that said Sunday morning he would meet him at a park to give him milk and rice to eat. He was fixed on getting the food. When he arrived at the park on Sunday, the man was nowhere to be found. He had promised that food to his family, and now he would have nothing. Then he remembered me.
He went to the church hoping that it would still be occupied by us and I WAS THE FIRST PERSON HE SAW. I remembered immediately, but I had forgotten the scripture that I had shared with him six weeks earlier, but without knowing O opened up Matthew 11 and read it again. He stopped me and then finished the verse himself and told me that I already said that two times. I didn´t want to make any promises about financial help and put the branch president in a sticky situation, but I promised him that Presidente Paulo was a man that would help him. They talked and President Paulo went to his car and grabbed 5 reais. The man became so happy and Presidente Paulo said that we will do more to help.
With determination the man promised to us ´´I´ll come back, I promise``
Half way through sacrament meeting he appeared in the door with a bags of fruits and other foods that he bought. He had a big smile on and he said ´´I was telling the truth I bought food, see!``
Then two days ago Presidente Paulo and ´´Irmão``, Brother, Amilker his counselor went to visit the man. He explained about the church and brought more food and other things for them. Paulo explained about the missionaries. The man, whose name is Luiz, said ´´That annoying kid just talked about Jesus to me when I had a baby and a wife without food. I couldn´t handle that, he was ignorant.´´
Then Amilker explained how we are young men who pay to leave our homes and families to work all day teaching the gospel to others, we don´t receive pay, and the food we eat we almost always get from the church members. And we do it for two years.
Luiz´s expression changed, he felt terrible for having thought that about me and he wanted to thank me personally for having talked with him. Then as they were leaving his two room house he asked if Amilker could buy him some alcohol. Amilker asked why. The man then explained that they don´t have a stove, so to cook he takes a empty can, puts alcohol in it and then puts bricks around the can and puts the pan on top to cook the food.
When Amilker and Paulo heard that, they rushed to their warehouse where they work and took the stove from there and gave it to Luiz.
I am extremely impressed with my branch president here and his counseler. I know that they are changing the eternity of this man who had lost all hope, and to think that my invite to him played a small pert in this brings me great happiness. I invite you al to seek to serve and you too will see miracles. People will see Christ in you and that will give them the desire to have what you have.
``Ye are the light of the world, a city that is set upon a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men leight a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.`` Matthew 5:14-16
If we take this scripture apart we find the greatest tool of missionary work.
``and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.``
What is the Glory of God?
´´For behold, this is my work and my glory- to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man´´ Moses 1:39
We cannot have eternal life if we are not baptized by immersion by a holder of the preisthood.
Therefore, if we show our light to men, serve others, make an honest effort daily to be the light of the world, others will see our works and this will give glory to God, or in other words, help others to follow the first principles and oradenances of the gospel: ´faith, repentence, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and enduring to the end.
´´And again, believe that ye must arepent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in bsincerity of heart that he would cforgive you; and now, if you dbelieve all these things see that ye edo them.´´ Mosiah 4:10
-Elder Nothum
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Dear Family and Friends,
It has been almost a year since I have started this journey and I didn´t have any new pictures to send so I sent an oldie but a goodie. This is the shot taken when I arrived at the front door of the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. A place that I knew very well after my unexpected 3 month stay. The Elder on the far right is serving in the Saint Louis Missouri Mission, his name is Elder Markarian, good guy, maybe you will see him.
Last week in our Zone Conference Elder Ulyssis Soares of the Seventy came to speak with us. As missionaries we use the term ``quemar`` or ´´burn`` to refer when someone calls you to repentance or proves you wrong or reproves you intensely. As a missionary at the end of his speech, I felt very ``burned``. Yet, it wasn´t a in your face do this, this, and this repent you sinner kind of burn. He just stated so blatantly so many things that we need to better as missionaries. I have been trying my best to apply it all and it is working out amazingly. He gave us an ´´Apostolic Blessing´´ that if we did what he said we will see more miracles and have much greater success in our missions, and I have already seen that fulfilled.
This week Elder Luciano has been throwing up a ton. I taught him the word ´´barf´´ in English and he has put it to good use this week. We had to stay at home for almost a whole day one time and then the next day I organized with a few members so that he could stay inn their home during the day with a member and I could go out and work with another member. Because of the sickness of Elder Luciano and the two meetings we had in Campinas our week was looking very bleak and we had not come close to any of our goals. We planned one night I remembered that Elder Soares promised us that if we fill in every single hour of the day with a plan A and a plan B we will show our desire to the Lord and he will bless us with spiritual direction. I wanted to see if that was true. It took almost over an hour to plan our day, but we did it. The next day I went out with a member and in one day we taught ten lessons. So we should pay attention when General Authorities are giving us promises inn their Conference talks.
Also, on Sunday we were doing contacts in the courtyard of a giant catholic church here in Jaú, as we are acustomed to, and I spoke with a certain woman who was seated on a bench with her three children. Her name is Leila and her children are Leticia, Cadu, and Kaiki. Normally my contacts are pretty basic, the good old ´´We are missionaries from the church of ...... we have a message that testifies........ I testify that......... do you live here in Jaú?......can we write down your address so that.... thanks bye.´´ Yet when I began to talk to this family I felt strongly that I just needed to converse with them. They were very interested in what I was doing and they asked a ton of questions and in the end of the contact she said
``yea, pass by any night!´´
I was very impressed with the family, yet I was extremely irritated when I saw where they lived. It is extremely far from where we are currently working and I was bummed. Then we planned to go on splits with two members, one of them being a car owner. So, I planned on going there that night, which was last night. The member who was with me is Brother Robison. He is a great strong member with a firm testimony and he loves to talk to people. We finally went to teach the family and when we arrived Leila wasn´t home, but everyone else was, including her husband, Marinhô. When he came to the front gate to speak with us he appeared to be a stern man and Brother Robison and I became a little worried that he would just reject our message. Yet, i told him of how we had talked with his family on Sunday and his wife had told us to pass by. He let us in and shortly after Leila arrived.
Brother Robison just started talking away and he talked about family and then Marinhô also began to talk of his family. He stated his worries and doubts about the world and what it teaches young people these days. He said he has moved to Jaú, because it is a smaller and better environment for young people to grow and learn. I was very impressed with his thoughts and desires for his family and I felt the spirit tell me exactly what I needed to say. I can´t even remember it all, but I just remember that they were all looking at me nodding their heads with everything that I said. They are truly an elect family and Brother Robison was so enthused with the way they received the message he marked to visit them again on Thursday and this time he will bring his wife. I am so excited and happy about them.
The Lord is blessing us with so many great families right now and the work is prospering here.
In other news Elder Christensen, my mtc comp, broke the record for most contacts in a week in the mission with 801. He only went to 801 because it is the Utah Valley area code. Funny guy, and a hard worker too.
I love you all and I am thankful for everything that you do for me: Packages, letters, emails, and all encouraging too.
Since Christmas is quickly approaching and it takes a while to send packages, I thought I would give you all a wish list of things they don´t have here that I want to share with the Brazilian Elders.
- Jiffy Pop Popcorn
- Macaroni and cheese
- Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper
- Sour Patch Kids
- Mike and Ikes
- Red Vines
- Andy Caps Hot Fries
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal
- Captain Crunch
- COOKIES
- BROWNIE MIX
- Zebra Pens
thats a good list I think.
Love you all,
Elder Stephen Nothum
It has been almost a year since I have started this journey and I didn´t have any new pictures to send so I sent an oldie but a goodie. This is the shot taken when I arrived at the front door of the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. A place that I knew very well after my unexpected 3 month stay. The Elder on the far right is serving in the Saint Louis Missouri Mission, his name is Elder Markarian, good guy, maybe you will see him.
Last week in our Zone Conference Elder Ulyssis Soares of the Seventy came to speak with us. As missionaries we use the term ``quemar`` or ´´burn`` to refer when someone calls you to repentance or proves you wrong or reproves you intensely. As a missionary at the end of his speech, I felt very ``burned``. Yet, it wasn´t a in your face do this, this, and this repent you sinner kind of burn. He just stated so blatantly so many things that we need to better as missionaries. I have been trying my best to apply it all and it is working out amazingly. He gave us an ´´Apostolic Blessing´´ that if we did what he said we will see more miracles and have much greater success in our missions, and I have already seen that fulfilled.
This week Elder Luciano has been throwing up a ton. I taught him the word ´´barf´´ in English and he has put it to good use this week. We had to stay at home for almost a whole day one time and then the next day I organized with a few members so that he could stay inn their home during the day with a member and I could go out and work with another member. Because of the sickness of Elder Luciano and the two meetings we had in Campinas our week was looking very bleak and we had not come close to any of our goals. We planned one night I remembered that Elder Soares promised us that if we fill in every single hour of the day with a plan A and a plan B we will show our desire to the Lord and he will bless us with spiritual direction. I wanted to see if that was true. It took almost over an hour to plan our day, but we did it. The next day I went out with a member and in one day we taught ten lessons. So we should pay attention when General Authorities are giving us promises inn their Conference talks.
Also, on Sunday we were doing contacts in the courtyard of a giant catholic church here in Jaú, as we are acustomed to, and I spoke with a certain woman who was seated on a bench with her three children. Her name is Leila and her children are Leticia, Cadu, and Kaiki. Normally my contacts are pretty basic, the good old ´´We are missionaries from the church of ...... we have a message that testifies........ I testify that......... do you live here in Jaú?......can we write down your address so that.... thanks bye.´´ Yet when I began to talk to this family I felt strongly that I just needed to converse with them. They were very interested in what I was doing and they asked a ton of questions and in the end of the contact she said
``yea, pass by any night!´´
I was very impressed with the family, yet I was extremely irritated when I saw where they lived. It is extremely far from where we are currently working and I was bummed. Then we planned to go on splits with two members, one of them being a car owner. So, I planned on going there that night, which was last night. The member who was with me is Brother Robison. He is a great strong member with a firm testimony and he loves to talk to people. We finally went to teach the family and when we arrived Leila wasn´t home, but everyone else was, including her husband, Marinhô. When he came to the front gate to speak with us he appeared to be a stern man and Brother Robison and I became a little worried that he would just reject our message. Yet, i told him of how we had talked with his family on Sunday and his wife had told us to pass by. He let us in and shortly after Leila arrived.
Brother Robison just started talking away and he talked about family and then Marinhô also began to talk of his family. He stated his worries and doubts about the world and what it teaches young people these days. He said he has moved to Jaú, because it is a smaller and better environment for young people to grow and learn. I was very impressed with his thoughts and desires for his family and I felt the spirit tell me exactly what I needed to say. I can´t even remember it all, but I just remember that they were all looking at me nodding their heads with everything that I said. They are truly an elect family and Brother Robison was so enthused with the way they received the message he marked to visit them again on Thursday and this time he will bring his wife. I am so excited and happy about them.
The Lord is blessing us with so many great families right now and the work is prospering here.
In other news Elder Christensen, my mtc comp, broke the record for most contacts in a week in the mission with 801. He only went to 801 because it is the Utah Valley area code. Funny guy, and a hard worker too.
I love you all and I am thankful for everything that you do for me: Packages, letters, emails, and all encouraging too.
Since Christmas is quickly approaching and it takes a while to send packages, I thought I would give you all a wish list of things they don´t have here that I want to share with the Brazilian Elders.
- Jiffy Pop Popcorn
- Macaroni and cheese
- Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper
- Sour Patch Kids
- Mike and Ikes
- Red Vines
- Andy Caps Hot Fries
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal
- Captain Crunch
- COOKIES
- BROWNIE MIX
- Zebra Pens
thats a good list I think.
Love you all,
Elder Stephen Nothum
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Hello there,
To start off, a few days ago I went studued an english book of mormon and while reading it I got a head ache because it seemed to make more sense in Portuguese. I´m not sure what that means but, I prefer to read it in Portuguese.
My companion is great. I remember when I was being trained by Elder Freitas. I always thought. ``He is not even teaching me anything, we just work.``
In my mind I said ´´When I am a trainer I will be blunt with the Elder, I will tell him like it is and I will tell him how to work.``
Now that I am here I see the wisdom in the way that Elder Freitas led me. It is extremely annoying to be corrected 24/7 and to be told what to do. I have changed a lot in this two weeks. In situations where usually I would say, ``Elder, that is not the way you do that`` or ´´it is written in the missionary manual that we must do this`` I simply wait for another oppurtunity to show an example without saying a single word. I am started to understand how Heavenly Father looks at our progress. If Heavenly Father looked at always pointed out what I do wrong and always told me a million things that I need to do better I would feel overwhelmed and I would give up on reaching his expectations.
Heavenly Father wants us to always get better and the type of progress he expects isn´t leaps and bounds, it is steady and firm and always getting better. We are always going to flaws and others will to, but if we love them like Heavenly Father loves them we will feel what we need to do. Follow the Holy Ghost in all of your relationships, if you don´t feel peace about something you are about to say, don´t say it.
The Lord blessed us to be able to bring a few more sheep into his fold. The picture of me with the girl is a young woman named Biatriz. When I got here in Jaú I had a meeting with the leaders. They mentioned Biatriz. She had been investigating the church for three years and still had not been baptized. Her boyfriend is a firm member of the church. She had been taught by loads of missionaries and she always said that she would not be baptized and that she wasn´t ready. She knew the missionaries lessons by heart.I decided that I would talk to her. After trying and trying and trying, we finally got the chance to teach her. We sat down and I started asking her questions about her testimony of the church and she has a strong one. She then spoke of all of the difficulties she is having at home and I felt hat she needed now more than ever the gift of the Holy Ghost and she agreed and two weeks later she was baptized.
The Older man and girl are Aldo and Joara. They are family of a member here in Jaú and they accepted the gospel ease. Joara loves the book of mormon and always reads the passages we give her.
The two little girls are Amanda e Ana Carolina. They are the daughters of a couple that we are teaching. They need to get married to be baptized and we have amrked a date for their marriage, but the girls were baptized this week because they couldn´t wait. Their Aunt Neia is a recent convert who loves the gospel and has a wonderful testiomony of the Book of Mormon.
I had a meeting in Campinas two days ago and I went there with another Zone Leader and good friend Elder Russo, a Brazilian. During our four hour ride home, he told me the detailed story of his conversion three years ago. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever heard and I have a great respect for that Elder.
As you can see from one photo here, it rained really hard in Jaú a few days ago. It looked like a missouri flash flood. A nice old man let us in his garage, but he smoked a cigarette and wasn´t to interested when we told him about the temple and eternal families, but at least we were dry. Jinezio was his name.
I love my companion and I am loving the mission right now. It is rough and many times I feel overwhelmed and weak, but I never ever think about quiting. I love you all and I would like some new socks if it were possible.
Com Amor,
Elder Stephen Mathias Nothum
To start off, a few days ago I went studued an english book of mormon and while reading it I got a head ache because it seemed to make more sense in Portuguese. I´m not sure what that means but, I prefer to read it in Portuguese.
My companion is great. I remember when I was being trained by Elder Freitas. I always thought. ``He is not even teaching me anything, we just work.``
In my mind I said ´´When I am a trainer I will be blunt with the Elder, I will tell him like it is and I will tell him how to work.``
Now that I am here I see the wisdom in the way that Elder Freitas led me. It is extremely annoying to be corrected 24/7 and to be told what to do. I have changed a lot in this two weeks. In situations where usually I would say, ``Elder, that is not the way you do that`` or ´´it is written in the missionary manual that we must do this`` I simply wait for another oppurtunity to show an example without saying a single word. I am started to understand how Heavenly Father looks at our progress. If Heavenly Father looked at always pointed out what I do wrong and always told me a million things that I need to do better I would feel overwhelmed and I would give up on reaching his expectations.
Heavenly Father wants us to always get better and the type of progress he expects isn´t leaps and bounds, it is steady and firm and always getting better. We are always going to flaws and others will to, but if we love them like Heavenly Father loves them we will feel what we need to do. Follow the Holy Ghost in all of your relationships, if you don´t feel peace about something you are about to say, don´t say it.
The Lord blessed us to be able to bring a few more sheep into his fold. The picture of me with the girl is a young woman named Biatriz. When I got here in Jaú I had a meeting with the leaders. They mentioned Biatriz. She had been investigating the church for three years and still had not been baptized. Her boyfriend is a firm member of the church. She had been taught by loads of missionaries and she always said that she would not be baptized and that she wasn´t ready. She knew the missionaries lessons by heart.I decided that I would talk to her. After trying and trying and trying, we finally got the chance to teach her. We sat down and I started asking her questions about her testimony of the church and she has a strong one. She then spoke of all of the difficulties she is having at home and I felt hat she needed now more than ever the gift of the Holy Ghost and she agreed and two weeks later she was baptized.
The Older man and girl are Aldo and Joara. They are family of a member here in Jaú and they accepted the gospel ease. Joara loves the book of mormon and always reads the passages we give her.
The two little girls are Amanda e Ana Carolina. They are the daughters of a couple that we are teaching. They need to get married to be baptized and we have amrked a date for their marriage, but the girls were baptized this week because they couldn´t wait. Their Aunt Neia is a recent convert who loves the gospel and has a wonderful testiomony of the Book of Mormon.
I had a meeting in Campinas two days ago and I went there with another Zone Leader and good friend Elder Russo, a Brazilian. During our four hour ride home, he told me the detailed story of his conversion three years ago. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever heard and I have a great respect for that Elder.
As you can see from one photo here, it rained really hard in Jaú a few days ago. It looked like a missouri flash flood. A nice old man let us in his garage, but he smoked a cigarette and wasn´t to interested when we told him about the temple and eternal families, but at least we were dry. Jinezio was his name.
I love my companion and I am loving the mission right now. It is rough and many times I feel overwhelmed and weak, but I never ever think about quiting. I love you all and I would like some new socks if it were possible.
Com Amor,
Elder Stephen Mathias Nothum
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Hello Family and Friends.
It was a great week and General Conference was amazing. During the sessions of Conference I was on an exchange with Elder Long, my good buddy. We watch all of the sessions on a computer in the branch building so that we could watch it in English. It is just better to hear the real voice of the prophet and the apostles. They spoke a lot about how to use our agency and following the prophet, always.
I got a good half of the priesthood session and the MTC choir was amazing. Dad, when they sang ´´Hark All ye Nations``, it was so powerful. The talk that Russel M. Nelson gave about when he loaned the Book of Mormon to his friends was amazing. We always look and listen to the prophets, but never think of them as doing member missionary work. Because his faith and confidence in the Lord´s Gospel a family was baptized and now generations will be affected because he was not afraid to share the gospel and he had confidence in the Lord´s promises. I hope none of you are afraid to share the gospel with anyone. It is the most valuable gift that Heavenly Father has given us and if we do not share it with our brothers and sisters we will have to look Jesus Christ in the eyes in the last day and tell him why.
``I thought they would not except it. I thought that I would lose their friendship. I thought I might offend them.`` You should be worried about offending God. Fear not them which are able to kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)
I invite you all to pray for strength and arose your senses and realize how wicked the world is and how badly God needs YOU to spread the gospel. Don´t be afraid of what any man can say or do, rather be bold and faithful and true and confide in that God who created you.
Yes, I enjoyed conference quite a bit. As you can see from one shot, the re-transmission of the priesthood session wasn´t too popular in the branch. Just me and Elder Long... and Elder Richard G. Scott.
My son is doing good. He is a great Elder and a blessing to train. He has the will to work hard and do what his leaders and Heavenly Father expect of him. The Lord had blessed us with many great people to teach and this week Joara and Aldo, a Dad and daughter will be baptized as well as three other great people that the Lord has blessed us with. If you do your part and have faith, the Lord always does his.
I got a letter from Alex. He is doing good. He sent me two cd´s of classical music, which I am very thankful for.
I have written a bunch of cards and I haven´t sent a single one for over seven weeks. I´M WRITTING!!!!! just not sending. All of the areas in my zone right now are way far away from each other, so it is really expensive to go to meetings and do exchanges with the other missionaries, so I already used all of my personal money that I had and I am waiting on reimbursements.
I am almost out of money to use this computer so I will go ahead and send you guys this great email.
I love the work and I love my companion and this is going to be the best transfer of the mission yet!!!
Love,]
Elder Nothum
the video is the little boy of a recent convert. He is saying over and over again ´´YOU CAN GO TO CHURCH!!!`` His name is Kennedy and he is a really funny cute kid.
It was a great week and General Conference was amazing. During the sessions of Conference I was on an exchange with Elder Long, my good buddy. We watch all of the sessions on a computer in the branch building so that we could watch it in English. It is just better to hear the real voice of the prophet and the apostles. They spoke a lot about how to use our agency and following the prophet, always.
I got a good half of the priesthood session and the MTC choir was amazing. Dad, when they sang ´´Hark All ye Nations``, it was so powerful. The talk that Russel M. Nelson gave about when he loaned the Book of Mormon to his friends was amazing. We always look and listen to the prophets, but never think of them as doing member missionary work. Because his faith and confidence in the Lord´s Gospel a family was baptized and now generations will be affected because he was not afraid to share the gospel and he had confidence in the Lord´s promises. I hope none of you are afraid to share the gospel with anyone. It is the most valuable gift that Heavenly Father has given us and if we do not share it with our brothers and sisters we will have to look Jesus Christ in the eyes in the last day and tell him why.
``I thought they would not except it. I thought that I would lose their friendship. I thought I might offend them.`` You should be worried about offending God. Fear not them which are able to kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)
I invite you all to pray for strength and arose your senses and realize how wicked the world is and how badly God needs YOU to spread the gospel. Don´t be afraid of what any man can say or do, rather be bold and faithful and true and confide in that God who created you.
Yes, I enjoyed conference quite a bit. As you can see from one shot, the re-transmission of the priesthood session wasn´t too popular in the branch. Just me and Elder Long... and Elder Richard G. Scott.
My son is doing good. He is a great Elder and a blessing to train. He has the will to work hard and do what his leaders and Heavenly Father expect of him. The Lord had blessed us with many great people to teach and this week Joara and Aldo, a Dad and daughter will be baptized as well as three other great people that the Lord has blessed us with. If you do your part and have faith, the Lord always does his.
I got a letter from Alex. He is doing good. He sent me two cd´s of classical music, which I am very thankful for.
I have written a bunch of cards and I haven´t sent a single one for over seven weeks. I´M WRITTING!!!!! just not sending. All of the areas in my zone right now are way far away from each other, so it is really expensive to go to meetings and do exchanges with the other missionaries, so I already used all of my personal money that I had and I am waiting on reimbursements.
I am almost out of money to use this computer so I will go ahead and send you guys this great email.
I love the work and I love my companion and this is going to be the best transfer of the mission yet!!!
Love,]
Elder Nothum
the video is the little boy of a recent convert. He is saying over and over again ´´YOU CAN GO TO CHURCH!!!`` His name is Kennedy and he is a really funny cute kid.
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