We are representatives of Jesus Christ

Another week down only 60 more weeks to go, ha but who’s even counting?

This week was pretty long and mentally exhausting.  Now that I have been out here for a month people assume I am fluent, and if I don’t know what they are saying they seem disappointed, so that’s pretty frustrating.  But we did get a baptism and I got to baptize her.  That was super spiritual.  That was the spiritual high of the week.  

There was another spiritual moment that I would like to talk about.  We were walking down the street at about 7:30, it’s pitch black cause by the way I am right on the equator so the sun rises at 5 and sets at 5 every single day.  So me and my companion are going to the last house to teach and we see some of our investigators out drinking.  That’s frustrating too, but whatever, so we stopped and talked to them for a little while.  By the way I am really good at talking to drunk Brazilians for some reason.  But one of them asked us if we wanted a drink and another one answered in a mocking way saying we can’t cause we are representatives of Jesus Christ.  When I heard that I was so proud to be called that.  Even though he was mocking that was the best compliment you could ever give me.  So ya, that was a cool experience.  

The lunches here are still the bomb every day.  It’s crazy we go to some huge houses here for lunch like I am not kidding, they are mansions.  It’s crazy how you can go from a really, really poor area to a gated community in the matter of seconds here.  

I have something else that is pretty weird about me that I didn’t know.  I crave reading out here.  Every chance I get I read.  Right now I am reading this book called “Our Search for Happiness”.  It’s amazing.  I recommend it to anyone who is doubting their faith to read it.  It is sooo good.  Ensigns are also amazing.  The mission is turning me into a weird man.  More mature, but weird.  It’s funny to watch myself change.  I still make dirty jokes, but just not as dirty anymore.  And I almost told a pretty girl in our ward that I am free after the mission, but it literally took my everything to not say it.  It would have been funny, but then I remembered I am on a mission.  “Eu eston livre depois men missão” is what I would have said.  But hey, I am changing so that’s good.  

I miss everyone so much.  Give my family a hug for me.

Imagine Rodizio Grill, but on steroids

Oi  meu amigos e minha familia, tudo Bom. Eu sou fluent dente.  Eu amo voces.  A igreja de Jesus Cristo dos santos dos ultimos dias e verdadeiro.  Eu sei que Jose Smith e verdadeiro profets chamado de Deus.  There is a little taste of my horrible Portuguese.  

This week was pretty good.  The language is coming a little better but definitely not good.  I’ve gained some weight here.  Everyone tells me that the city I am in has the best lunches and I completely believe that.  Imagine Rodizio Grill but on steroids.  That is what every single lunch out here is like, and they don’t stop feeding you.  Like today for lunch we had unlimited churraso at this member’s house.  We ate for literally 2 hours straight.  I will tell you what gives me complete chills and so much love for the people here is when some of our investigators have close to nothing but they will feed us till they have nothing left.  It gets me.  It’s crazy how little someone can have yet be so willing to give.  Makes me have a whole other perspective on life.  I wanna tell you about this family we are teaching that have already been baptized but we are still teaching them.  The mom’s name is Dannelle, the dad’s name is Geraldo.  They have three kids named Secily, Angnus and Miguel.  They were baptized the week before I got here.  I was told that their house burnt down and they were a complete mess before we met them.  Now they are members of the Church.  The dad Geraldo got the priesthood today and they already converted one of their friends.  And Geraldo is going to baptize her next week.  The amount of change and happiness that has occurred in 3 weeks time is amazing.  All because they decided to come unto Christ.  They have stronger testimonies of the Church than I do.  With their happiness it makes me have that much more faith.  Sometimes when I start thinking too deep about like how there are 8 billion people in the world and only 15 million members it just doesn’t seem right.  But what I realize is that a majority just haven’t heard the truth.  One more thing I love out here.  I love prayer.  Before my mission I would go months without praying.  Here I pray an average of 10 times a day.  Literally I feel God’s presence by me every time I do.  I love it.  Take advantage of it people, you’re only talking to God.  And man, love your family.  I would do anything to be with them right now.  

Love,

 Elder Meyer

God is Always There

What's up yo!  I have been in Brasil for 2 months now.  Feels like it's been eternity and a half but hey you gotta love missionary work, we're only saving people's salvation.  This week was pretty good other than my struggle with the language.  3 pretty spiritual things happened this week.  First was we got a few more baptismal commitments for the next couple of weeks.  That's always spiritual.  2nd was me and my comp were at lunch at a members house.  The member was about 25 years old with 2 cute little kids.  After the awesome lunch and 3 bowls of acai later, the guy wanted us to give a lesson straight from our heart.  So my companion started in his fast Portuguese giving him a lesson from the heart.  Oh and by the way this guy knows a little English so that's super nice.  But my comp ended and then it was my turn.  I told the guy I was going to bare my testimony in Portuguese then in English and that's where it got real.  I told him how much I missed my family and how hard it was to leave them.  Then I told him the reason why I am still out serving is because of people like him.  I told him how much it meant to me to take me in like I was a part of his little family.  And then I said some other stuff that I do not remember because the spirit took complete control at that part.  At the end me and him were both teary eyed.  That was my second spiritual experience, and my 3rd one was last night.  We were out teaching and it was around 8 at night and we went to this lady's house we usually teach.  But all the lights were off so we decided to not knock on the door.  Then I had an immediate feeling we should knock on the door, so we went back and knocked on the door.  Well we actually clapped and yelled her name.  Anyways there was no answer, so we left and that wasted about a minute or so of our time, we were at the end of the street about to turn and then we heard a yell and it was her.  Then her 10 year old son came running down the street and gave me the biggest hug.  I know if we wouldn't have gone back to knock we wouldn't have seen them that day.  I know it wasn't a huge and life changing experience for them but for me it was a little life changing because it was such a simple prompting from God but it made me realize he is always there even in the most simple times in your life.  I love him for that.  

On a funny note, when I am super upset or frustrated I tell my companion that he likes little boys and he is an ugly chicken.  He doesn't understand it but he repeats it to me and it makes me laugh way hard.  

Love,

Elder Meyer

Natal, Week One!

Natal is a very cool city.  I am serving right in the city.  My area is called Cidade Verde.  There are very rich parts and very poor parts.  My companion's name is Elder Oliveria.  He is from Porte Allegra.  He is awesome.  He speaks no English, but that's fine I guess.  He loves eating as much as I do.  We wake up at 6:30, work out, eat left overs, listen to music, shower, then at 8:00 we have personal study, then companionship study.  And at around 11:00 we go walk to a member's house for lunch.  The members here spoil us.  Every single day we have a huge lunch and the food is amazing.  They keep feeding you till you can barely move.  And I don't even know how to say I am full, to they keep it coming.  Every time I have to give my companion this hand sign that means I have to use the bathroom.  It's funny but real 'cause they stuff you us so much you pretty much have to prairie dog it to the baneiro.  After lunch we go proselyting from about 3:00 to 8:45 every day.  But we don't proselyte because we have so many people already lined up to teach that we don't have time.  We teach amazing people.  I think we have 8 baptisms lined up for the next couple of weeks.  It's crazy how bad the people wanna learn about the truth.  I usually just bare my testimony then sometimes say the prayer.  Half the time I pray or talk they just laugh, but other times I think they feel the spirit.  My companion does all the teaching while I play with all the little kids.  They love me 'cause I draw them hearts on pieces of paper and say "eu amo voce" which means I love you.  And then they laugh at me 'cause I can't ever remember their dang names.  It's super cute.  They make me realize there is a lot more to life than having money and accessories.  And then after we teach we go get acai, acai here is amazing.  Ya, that's how my days go.  I forgot to add two things, we live with the A.P.'s, they are super dope.  We do a lot of stuff with them.  I honestly love them too.  And every day we walk for hours in the heat.  I love sweating--NOT!  Haha we walk so dang much.  It's funny, we have a little thing in the Natal mission called the A.B.C. of the mission.  A for acai, B for baptize, and C for Coca Cola.  That's the lifestyle out here for us missionaries.  

And on a spiritual note, my testimony of the Book of Mormon has grown so much.  I appreciate it so much more out here.  If you ever are down read the Book of Mormon and all your troubles will be washed away.  Whenever I am down I read it and then weep about how amazing the book is.  Everyone needs to read it.  Not just read it but dig deep into the book and get as much out of it as you can.  I took advantage of having the Book of Mormon in my life and never even cared for it before my mission.  I am telling you right now, this book is true.  

Love,

Elder Meyer

P.S.  I you want to donate white shirts to me, it's much needed because I sweat through a shirt a day and it's gross because they are getting yellow, and it's winter here!