July 30, 2008

so this last week we went proselyting on Friday as you all know, and i bet you are just dying to find out how it went. Right? well here you go we were released in a different area this time, I felt a lot more confident in attempting to communicate with people, there was even one guy who spoke with us for about 10 minutes, gladly accepted the BOM and our message and even hugged me when i was done. but as we know there is opposition in all things, if there is a man that nice in Sao Paulo there has got to be another on the other end of the spectrum. i don't know if there has to be but there is, some old, seemingly kind, fellow was so eager to get his hands on o livro de Mormon that he didn't even have time to listen to the message. still cool though that he was interested enough to take one, he walked about 20 steps and threw it into the road. I know that's just a small taste of the rejection I'll be getting in the field, and they tell us not to worry about it but i worry, cause of you mom, on Sunday during church I began to think about that guy, and i felt so bad for him. I hope that someday, someone can touch him and soften his heart, or at least get him to stop ripping books out of peoples hands haha well that was the best and the worst of what happened on Friday everyone else was in between, it was such a good experience. I know the MTC like the back of my hand, I'm getting excited to get out of here on the 19th even though i have so much to learn still, that will be hard but so worth it.
Mom thanks for the email and all the support you show me I love you very much, don't worry about Lauren too much, she'll be fine tell brad I'm happy for his decision to follow his heart. Lauren thanks for your email, I can't go to your blog but thanks for telling me all about it, Ryan! good to hear from you, I'm glad all is well thanks for putting me at the top of your list. Tawny thanks thanks for the quick line i hope you are doing so good. I love and miss you all.
bye

Hi There!

this last week we taught the first lesson in Portuguese in companionships to members of the church, just as practice, but it was a pretty big deal, and tough we did well though and it was another marker on how much we have learned and need to learn humbling yet uplifting i guess you could say. On Sunday I spoke about Knowledge I want to share a quote from it well from Dallin H. Oaks he is explaining how we can know the church is true. "while not capable of scientific proof, it is still important. The idea that all important knowledge is based on scientific evidence is simply untrue." I think that is rather enlightening I always have to have facts, to explain everything, but I am learning more and more each day that feelings are a way of KNOWING something I know i love my family, I know this church is true and I´m almost out of time that can be proven, bad example , but it´s true I have to head out. I love you mom I got your package the one with lotion and cornuts haha, Lauren I want to hear about the trek and your testimony will you write it out for me? Lisa the picture didn´t work keep trying and thanks for the email and your support tell ace that i say I'm just in Brazil, and easton give him a love for me. Tawny! i got your package too! thanks for the rings, what on earth! so nice I will give the ring to a good man, I'm so glad the trip was a bast fill me in on what exactly is going on! The mail strike is over you are right! so that's good so good so were the emails you can be expecting letters who do you think I am? . I love you all! I go proselyting this Friday again just so you know I will tell you what happens.
Elder Williams

One Month Out

They do go by thats for sure, so this last week i went to a train station in downtown São Paulo. not door knocking. just walking in a busy area. We were let go for like 2 to 3 hours and we were just supposed to meet people on the street and give them a short lesson. this was last friday, morning when we went. the same white van that they brought us here from the airport,drove us to the station and let us go out with our companion. stopping people on the street is kind of out of my personality but I didn't feel like it was so strange, I definitely feel like I have a good reason to stop them. So the first man elder Peck and I approached was Probably about 60 or more and I told him That I had a something to share with him, kindly he listened and was patient with me and my Portuguese but i got the message across and he seemed very interested, he took the book of MOrmon and flipped through it as he walked away, not a huge deal, who knows what will happen to him, this was just an exersise to get comfortable talking with people in the language but it certainly was a good feeling, having somebody listen. elder Peck got the next guy and wasn't so lucky we switched off giving the message and after a lot of rejection we gave out two more Books of Mormon its hard work, but It was so much better than sitting in class all day, but also it´s so humbling cause we all have so far to go until we can speak the language. Guess what! I forgot to tell you last week, one of the guys in my district, his name is Elder Duke, is best friends with Landon Finter, we discovered that probably two weeks in and thought it was so funny, Landon had told him about me a few times and do you remember how we were going to get together before we left, but it never worked out? Because either one of us always had something come up, well Elder Duke would´ve been with him and I would've known him before I came. neat huh? I want you all to know that I´m learning alot and i love you all, I'm obedient and im doing my best. and yes I do get to play a little piano every once in a while and we all mess around elder Howard the one i told you reminded me of Kirby, he is teaching me a little bit more about the piano which is sweet of him, he is so funny. i love everyone in my district, we have the biggest one here, and we are all cramped in a little room all day and surprisingly we all get along so well and there aren't really any fights sometimes a little contention but what can you do. Mom I miss you very much and i love you, Dad thanks for the advise, keep it coming I love it, and i love you , Lisa way to go on the baby! i already knew but that's pretty stinking exciting, She or he better know who i am when i get back. Lauren, your teeth look great, have fun at the trek.
Tawny, I hope you are doing good! I don't get letters and i don't know if mine are going out cause the Brazilian Mailmen are nutso but I´m sending them I really hope you are getting them, they keep saying they are on strike. but Have fun on your trip! I don't know when exactly you are going but tell me all about it, and you can email me i just cant write back. so if that is ever easier feel free. well i love you all talk to you next week

Hey

I don't know how much time i have so this might be cut short and the computer is being weird. you asked about my companion. . .Elder Peck lets just say he is from the smallest town in Idaho, 13 kids in his graduating class and he hasn't had too much social contact. he is a good kid though i like him, but when you are with someone you aren't used to and the only thing you have in common is that you left on a mission the same day it can get hard but I'm sure it's hard for him to get along with me too, it's just kinda awkward sometimes because he doesn't ever get my jokes. Like for example, I'll say something like, "how about we skip class today and go out for a night on the town. . ." response, "i don't think we should do that elder." i don't know. I love him.

I'm learning a ton! everyday they just cram more and more into you. I went to the Campinas temple today, so pretty. The language is tough, I'm understanding it but there is quite a process to it, hmmm I was blessed with a really cool district though all the kids i came with said they met you at the airport mom, did you go a little crazy? I bet you did, but they were happy to meet you, elder plazier is in my district but he was only my flight companion, he is super funny once he opens up to you . I love the Brazilians, They are close talkers and always want to have a good time, i'll send some pictures. one of the boys in my room is from the amazon, he and his mom were just recently converted and they are working on the rest of his family.

well mom, i would absolutely love my i pod and those speakers and a charger. leave mine and Steven's music on it and if you could maybe give it to tawny and she could put some church music on there, and just leave anything else that's pretty on there ok? I love you all so much. sorry this is kinda short i got wasted on internet time but you are all in my prayers. thanks for all the support. thanks for the stories Lauren, I'm glad the wedding was wonderful. sorry i couldn't help move> the Christensen's were so sweet to help tell them I'm grateful. Dad i expect another letter, i love you. I'll fill you in more next week.
Elder Williams
ps these shirts aren't wrinkle free, and i really miss your cooking mom. as Linda would say peace love and chill