In a new area

I want to start off with a Happy Birthday to you mom and I hope the day goes really well for you!  If there's anything you want from Brasil let me know and I’ll get it to you in a little more than a year.  My new companion Elder Lamb is from Independence Missouri and is a huge baseball fan.  We had the chance to play catch today and that was very fun. 

As for my new area I really love it.  I live in a house with another set of missionaries.  I’m in a ward that is actually really big and the chapel here is really nice.  I’m more in the interior of the country but there is still a lot of people.  I also was asked to bare my testimony on Sunday but it went smoothly and wasn't very hard.  Conference next Sunday will be in Portuguese so I have one week to receive the gift of interpretations.  Honestly though I feel like I’m learning a lot faster and understanding a lot more.  I’m still very far from fluent but I’m happy here and really like my companion.  We share the ward with two other sets of missionaries; the zone leaders and a set of sisters and we do things a little different.  Everyday we trade areas so we all share investigators and baptism.  At first it was strange but I really like it and it works.  We also had a baptism Sunday which was awesome!  Originally just the mom was going to be baptized then we had a lesson and got their 8 year old son to commit and then the Sisters got the husband to commit a day before so it was really awesome to see the whole family get baptized.  Things are going really well here.  Thanks for all the love and support!

Love Elder Visser

 

Rain, rain, and more rain

My talk went well, I dont know how much sense it made but I shared my messege and bore my testimony.  The week went well and we had a lot of rain, it rained just about every day.  We also had a recent convert come out and teach with us and that was really fun.  We got transfer calls last night and with the new President there were a lot of changes.  I’ll be going to a new area with a new companion Elder Lamb who’s an American.  I’m excited and looking forward to this experience.  Elder Calixto was a great companion but I’m excited to have a new companion who is American.  I think I’ll be living with another set of missionaries which will be good and I’ll be able to practice my portuguese.  I’ll continue to work hard to do whatever the Lord asks of me.

 

Love Elder Visser

Working with a recent convert

Patience and Fatih

My companion is the only member in his family and has been a member for about 6 years.  You find that a lot here in Brasil there are a lot of recent converts of not too long and a lot of people are the only members in there family but I have a lot of respect for those people.  I think he lives about 10 hours away from here if you take a bus but only a couple hours by plane.  The language is not coming as quick as I would like but it is improving non the less.  I get to give a talk next Sunday in sacrament so that should be really interesting.  We had stake conference this last Sunday and it was really cool.  I may not have understood everything but I felt the spirit and thats whats important. I won’t lie some days are better than others here and Seth Malley would always say you experience your highest highs and your lowest lows on your mission.  Its just a matter of time and practice though and I’m looking forward to the day when I’m fluent and able to speak my mind.  I got an email from my last companion saying that one of our investigators that I had the chance to teach will be getting baptized this Saturday. I know the Lord is aware of us and Loves us.  Thanks for the support and love

 

Love Elder Visser

 

This is a picture of açai and its pretty amazing its a fruit that grows in Brasil and its in ice cream form

The weeks pass quickly in the Mission Field

Another week has come and gone and it went by pretty  quick.  We have been staying really busy and have the chance to contact and teach a lot of new people here.  The culture here is really different but its something I will have to get used to.  We had the chance to have a lesson with one of our investigators in a members home and we watched a couple church clips. One was where Elder Holland talked about difficulties in our life and in missionary work.  It was really interesting and true.  He talked about how the reason we have struggles and hard days is because salvation was not easy for the Savior,  there were times when he did not want to continue on but he had to.  I’ve learned a ton in just the two weeks I’ve been here.  I really appreciate you fasting for me and I know it will help.  The Lord is aware of us and our situations.  I got the letter from the haulwillers by the way, please tell them I said thank you!

 

 

Love Elder Visser

 

My mission office address, please send things here

Rua caa-açu,229 belenzinho

03171-020 sao paulo-sp Brasil

Patience is a virture

So it has not been quite yet a week here but it has been pretty awesome.  We walk everywhere we go so I’m always dead tired by the end of the day.  Things are definitley a whole lot different from my mission in Texas.  My companion is Elder Calixto and he is really cool.  He is very patient and knows english pretty well so when I don’t understand something he helps me out with it.  What I’ve been doing is usually say the prayer and give the spiritual thought then Elder Calixto explains what I was trying to say.  We are in a pretty ghetto area but I think its really cool and the people here are really nice and willing to help.  The church is really close to us and is pretty nice.  I did my best to talk to the people but I’m still having trouble understanding.  It will come with time though.  The apartment is a lot different and not what I’m used to back in the states but it works and gets the job done.  I love being here in Brazil and am so happy to be here.  The big meal here lunch and the members feed us very well.  If you have any questions please ask.   I’m not sure what my address is so if you have the mission offices address I would send stuff there just to be safe.  Thanks for all the support and love

Love Elder Visser

First Area in Brazil

Elder Visser and Elder Booth

Elder Visser and Elder Calixto