A new week and a new companion

We had a good first week of the transfer.  My new companion is pretty cool and he is from Uruguay which makes him my first hispanic companion but he lives 2 minutes from the boarder of Brasil so he speaks really good Portuguese.  He has been out for about 8 months and is ready to work hard.  I’m happy to be able to stay in the area.  We worked really hard this week and talked with a lot of people in the streets without too much success.  I know that the Lord is aware of our work and on Sunday there were two older ladies that showed up on there own and happened to run into our ward mission leader who brought them to church.  That’s just a small miracle, there really are miracles that happen every single day.  This week we have the chance to hear Elder Clayton from the Seventy speak to us and I’m really excited.  I’m focused on the work and I’m ready to make changes where I need to and to become better.  Thanks for the love and support.

Love Elder Visser

I can see the fruits of our labors

This week was awesome. I think I have said it every single transfer but the last week of transfers are always the best.  We were are able bring 8 people to church with us which was a huge blessing since we have been struggling with this the last couple weeks.  There was even a lady that I taught about 10 weeks ago who showed up to church.  We also had a less active member who called us on the phone last night saying he recieved a testimony of the church again and that he is super excited.  To end it we went to Outback Steakhouse for lunch today which was really cool.  Tomorrow will be transfer and I will be staying for another 5 weeks!  I am super happy and excited to stay a little longer here.  I have grown a ton in this area and I am excited to see what happens next.

Love Elder Visser

Time is Seriously Flying By

My foot is perfect and for now I am doing really great. 

Things are going great here.  We had a great week and found a lot of new people to teach.  One day we went on a division with Frank and his cousin, recent converts, to do contacts with people and that went really well.  We also had interviews with President and that was really good to be able to talk to him personally and  to get a little advice.  We have one more week of transfers and I think I will be staying for another 6 weeks.  I have made a lot of friends here and would like to stay.  So the other day I hit my 8 month mark in Brasil.  I have now served more time in Brasil than I had in Texas.  Its amazing to think that and the time has seriously flown by.  I really love it here in Brasil and everything that I have learned.  I have been so blessed and I am so happy to be here on my mission.

Love Elder Visser

I would not trade this time for anyting

I had another good week here in Ferraz, Sao Paulo Brasil.  I really enjoyed General Conference and it is a huge blessing to be able to hear the Prophet and Apostles give talks.  I was preparing the whole week to be able to receive revelation for me personally and for the area that I am working in.  It was amazing how specifically my prayer was answered.  During the priesthood session the Brazilian speaker who spoke in portuguese talked about an experience during his mission about a small branch that he served in.  I felt like as if he was talking directly to me.  We have another two weeks left in the transfer and I hope that I stay another six weeks.  I have really grown to love the members here and I dont want to leave quite yet.  We will have interviews with our president this week too which is always a good experience.  I would not trade this time that I have spent in the mission for anything.  I have learned and grown and have had some of the best times in my life.  I am ready to get to work this week and make a difference in this part of the Lords vineyard.

Love Elder Visser

General Conference is coming, Are you as excited as I am?

Hey sorry it took me a while to respond, we ended up going to 25 de março today to do some shopping but turned out that we just ended up eating burger king there.  This last week was a really difficult one.  We have been helping a less active with some of his problems and its been taking up a lot of time.  We are also trying to find new people to teach and its been a little challenging.  We did have one investigator who showed up to church though and in the middle of the gospel principles class a member invited her to be baptized, it was pretty cool and she accepted.  I’m super excited for general conference this Saturday and Sunday.  One because I will understand it this time and two because its a huge blessing to be able to hear a living Prophet and Apostles talk.  I know that there will be a talk that I need to hear specificly or something that will help me out right now.  Even though this last week was tough I know that the Lord will bless us for our hard work and I know that after trails come blessing.  Sorry I don’t have a whole lot of time but I will be sure to send pictures next week.

Love Elder Visser

We have had a busy week

We had a super busy week.  Busy weeks though are always a good thing.  We got invited to a birthday party on Friday and that was really fun.  I shared some american candy and a yo-yo that Brother Giese sent me.  We have been preparing 4 kids to be baptized for the past two weeks.  These kids are so awesome and really special.  3 of them are cousins of frank and the other one is a kid that is scared of the water but we helped  him out and everything turned out good.  We also helped them with a white shirt and tie and it was really awesome to see everyone with a white shirt and tie on Sunday.  After the baptism Saturday we got invited to a members house to eat pizza.  That was a great way to end a great day.  I also had the chance to give a talk in church with only about 5 minutes of a heads up.  It went well though,  I really love this branch I am in and it’s been a huge blessing to be in this area.  Thanks for the love and support!

Love Elder Visser

A new companion, and new adventures

This week has been really good. This first couple days with your new companion is always a little awkward but were already used to each other and he’s really cool. His name is Elder Valente and he’s super awesome. He will hit his year mark in a few weeks but he’s super excited and ready to work hard. We have had the chance to teach the cousins of Frank and helping them prepare to be baptized. They are super special along with Frank. Frank is the kid I baptized about a month ago and he super strong, he teaches with us and is going to seminary its awesome. He also passed the sacrament for the first time on Sunday and that was really really cool to see. Now he’s helping his cousins know the church and its really awesome. Our Branch President here has a great vision to help this Branch grow and I’m ready to back him up and do everything that I can. I went on an exchange and was looking through his photos before he was on the mission and turns out that Elder Hwang was in his ward in Fortaleza, its funny how small the world is at times. These next 6 weeks will be great and I’m really excited to work hard. Love Elder Visser

The photo with three people, the middle is my new companion and the one in front is friends with Elder Hwang. We also went to a park today which was really cool and I was relaxing on the hammock.