Hello,

     ´´Estou na boca do Jacaré``. That is our catch phrase here. The city where we work is called Jacaré, which is alligator. So we always say that we are in the mouth of the alligator. 

    We are getting to know the members and they are great. Our Bishop looked us in the eyes and told us straight up ´´Elders, you will baptize a lot here, because here, we do the work.`` That got me excited.

   I went on exchanges with an Elder Smith. We are good friends and he was expressing some of his challenges in the field and lots of things that were on his mind. He is a dedicated missionary who has a ton of desire, it is so fun to help people that want to learn.

   We work all day in a part of the area about 20 minutes walking from the chapel. At the end of everyday we have to up a fifteen minute hill walking, we call it the faith tester. You think you are finished with it and then you look around the corner and there is still more hill waiting for you.

   We are teaching a man right now named Sílvio. His wife has been a member for about 8 years, but he never wanted to accept the gospel. This was due to the fact that he was an ahlcoholic. Well things got so bad that his wife, who is the relief society president kicked him out of the house. He felt miserable and sought professional help. He cleaned up his act and has gone to church three Sundays now. He wants his family back and he wants his wife back, so he wants to be baptized and change. 

   He still has a big problem with smoking. We are trying our best to help him, but the addiction is strong, he has smoked since we was 17, he is currently 40something, so yeah, it´s been a while. We always give him tips on how to stop and things he can do but he pulls the ´´you´ve never had this addiction. you don´t know what it is like´´ card on us.

   He is right, I have never had that addiction, but I have been tempted, billions and bilions of times, by the same tempter and he uses the same tricks. But I told him, I have a firm testimony of when we pray with faith in the midst of temptation, the Lord gives us strength. I have seen it in my life.

   I like to imagine it this way. Let us imagine that you have a swimming pool in your back yard and you have a small child. You are inside the house and he falls into the water. If you hear your beloved child screaming surely you rush to his rescue in a heartbeat. But what if you were in the house and he fell in, but this time he didn´t scream for your help, he just struggled alone silently. You would not save him, not because you don´t desire it or because you don´t love him, but you can´´t hear him.

   When we are a in he midst of temptation we must called upon the Father, we will always rescue us. But if we don´t call upon him, we only have ourselves to blame.

   I think that example helped Sílvio understand prayer a little better and I hope he applies that.

I love you all and hope that things are going well.

 

Love,

     Elder Nothum

hey family,

    I heard about tons of tornados passing and then nobody writes me an email for two weeks in a row, so thanks for comfort and assurance.

   I am happy. We are working like crazy. I am learning a lot about how to serve other Elders and help them to reach there true potential. 

please write

-Elder Nothum

    Hey there!

  I was transferred... again!

 

     I am in Jundiaí again, where I started my mission, but I am in a different area. I am opening Jacaré ( or Crocodile). I am a zone leader again and my new companion is Elder Pinheiro. My fourth Brazil companion in a row, which means that my Portuguese is getting pretty spiffy. 

    Elder Pinheiro is quite a character and I already like him a lot. He is writing a book out here on his mission, a fantasy book about a universe called Snarlex where the dragon god Leviathan fell from the sky and destroyed the land now called Azura. In azuras there is only flames... green flames, and only glorified beings and enter into the land, but they must first cross the Gold mountains. Yep. He is a goofy kid, but he is an outstanding missionary. His testimony blows me away. He has been a member for only two and a half years and his parents aren´t members. He is a great missionary and I am learning a lot with him.

     He also listened to metal music before the mission and did over four years of Muay Thai, Taekwondo, Karaté, and Jujitsu. He is basically amazing. 

      Last night we got into our area late at night and we didn´t know anything about where to go or who to teach, so we just left the house and said a prayer asking for guidance. We found two great families that seemed to be interested in our message. We will teach one today and the other on Saturday.

        Does Missouri still exist, or has it been destroyed by tornadoes? Was anyone we know hurt or killed? What is the death toll? Has the church sent relief to help the victims there? What do they say that this is happening? Why are there so many tornadoes? Do you think that we are closer to the second coming than we know?

   I hope that you are all okay. I rarely get mail, except from sister Kruger and Aunt Casey. They don´t forget a single birthday or holiday. Give Casey a big hug from me and tell her I love her, she has been one of my most faithful writers and I don´t think I have sent one back. 

    Brother Waggeman wrote me!!!! I love that guy! He said that he came back to church, that is so great. Give him a big hug from me and that I love him and loved having him as my primary teacher, we was the best.

   I love you all so much and I know that this is the best two years of my life, I don´t want it to end so quick.

- Elder Stephen M. Nothum