10 August 2010 - letter

The following is from an email David sent on 10 August 2010:

Elder Rogers decided that this week he is going to be English fasting the entire week, as his companion that means that I have to as well...it's been...interesting. But I think that I am learning a lot!

I absolutely love Jesus the Christ (I only have 50ish pages left) and I can't wait to be able to study it more slowly with the scriptures. The goal that has fallen by the wayside is that of reading O Livro de Mormon; I need to get that started before the fowls of the air devour it (see Matt parable of sower). Wow! My sense of humor has totally gone bizzaro-scriptural. The other day I laughed really hard at a lame joke (loke) about Ammon that involved him "giving the king a hand"...yeah...I love you all.


Elder Page.

The following is from a letter David mailed on 8 August 2010 (he is set up to mail it to MissionTies in Brazil and they scan and email it to us - much faster):

This week was incredible! We went proselyting on Friday (6th) and we were given two copies of the Book of Mormon each and we were sent out the front doors. Elder Rogers and I quickly learned that our Portuguese is very limited. We talked to this great spiritualist woman and invited her to the open house. Later we met Sergio in the park. He had a friend who was a member and he showed such a huge interest that we gave him a Book of Mormon and an invitation to the open house (we also got his address). Then we hit a dead spot. No one would talk to us, not even to say "Good afternoon". I was starting to get down when Elder Rogers asked if we could say a prayer. We did and the next street we walked down we saw a group of people unloading a truck. As we walked past, I opened my mouth to say "Boa Tarde" and instead I said "Podemos ajudar?". When the woman I was talking to responded like she was confused, I said "Tudo bem. Tchou!". At least that's what I thought. Instead, I said "Podemos ajudar vocês con isso?". Next thing I knew, we were unloading huge rolls of vinyl tarping and asking them if they believed in God. When we finished, we asked if we could talk to them for a few minutes about a book. We ended up giving away all three of our copies of the Book of Mormon to them! I've gotten a strong testimony of D&C 84:85 (Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man).

Friday was the best day of the mission so far. I can only hope it goes up in the future!

Elder Page

Street scene in São Paulo (not taken by David)