March 24, 2014

Familia!  Eu amo vocês!

Holy moly... this week was WONDERFUL!!  Remember that girl we baptized last Sunday, but couldn't baptize her parents because they weren't married yet?  Well...  we went to visit them on Tuesday, and they were all gone except the dad... Turns out the mother took the kids and the rent money, and went back to her hometown in search of drugs... Naé, the dad, was super sad, and super discouraged.  But.... WE HAD THE BEST LESSON EVER WITH HIM.  Holy cow.... The Spirit was SO STRONG.  I was having a hard time understanding him, and when Elder Astudillo turned the time over to me, I wasn't quite sure what to say... But I just opened my mouth and started talking, and it was filled.  It was one of the most special experiences of my mission so far.  I just talked!  And then Naé started to cry... then I started to cry... it was just... perfect. Such a tender mercy of the Lord that made all of the "awkward" moments and struggles worth it, because Iknew in that instant, Heavenly Father was using me, as a tool in His hands to touch the heart of one of His sons.   Because his girlfriend left, he was no longer breaking any commandments, and wanted to be baptized this past Sunday!  Just about EVERYTHING during our time with him went wrong, or seemed to (girlfriend left; Crazy lessons at church; The water in our city got shut off, so he had to get baptized sitting down; etc), but really, he is just a true elect of Heavenly Father and has such a desire to follow Christ, so none of the "bad" things even registered with him.

I'm having a wonderful time making fun contacts on doors, and in the streets.. Hahaha people are RIDICULOUS HERE!  I got a liiiiittle snappy with an old lady who told me in response to my asking her if she wanted a message about God said, "I NEVER LIKED GOD!"... WHOA, SISTER! She was the first person I've met here who didn't like God.  :)

I can't believe it has already been over a MONTH since I've been in Brazil!  It has FLOWN by... Next week is transfer meeting, and there's a good chance I'll be getting a new companion.

I sure love my family!  The gospel is TRUE.  I love love love going to church here because it is such a testament to me that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the same everywhere, and moreover, the Spirit is the same in every tongue.

Have a SUPER week! 

Love, 

Jason

Another White Week! -- March 17, 2014

Oi Familia! I hope all is well in America and that this letter finds you safe and happy!

What a week!  Things are still going quite well here.  I still love the area, Ponta Grossa, and I really love the other missionaries I live with.  They're kind to help me with my Portuguese!

Holy cow.  I really love Brazil!  Everyday, I can feel Heavenly Father help me understand what people are saying, and help me remember the words I study.  It is going to be SO MARVELOUS when I can speak Portuguese.  Literally, it will be so FUN once I don't have this handicap.

Super news!  We had a baptism this weekend!  The super elect family that we found about 2 weeks ago has been coming to church and having us over a lot. They are SO faithful, and love the Book of Mormon.  They aren't legally married yet (a major problem here in Brazil - everyone lives together because getting married by law costs a lot), but they are working towards a date to be married, and then be  baptized.  Nathali, their 10 year old daughter, was baptized yesterday!  She is super cool, and super smart.  It has been so fun working with this family and seeing their faith in Christ grow, and their desire to adopt the Gospel increase.  It keeps blowing my mind how here in Brazil, everyone (mostly everyone) is SO accepting.  For example, the first week this family came to church, they got there 30 minutes early, Sacrament meeting started 20 minutes late, and Priesthood "lesson" was an argument over how to give a blessing.... The whole time, I was just thinking, "Noooooooo.... we are going to lose them!"  Then, when we went to visit them the following Tuesday and asked how they liked church, they both said they loved it!  They said it was exactly what they have been searching for.  WHAT?!  It was such a testimony to me that the truly humble and elect of Heavenly Father will only see the good; that they'll be able to know through the Holy Ghost what is right, and won't notice what appears amiss to us.  M-i-r-a-c-l-e.

The faith people have here goes both ways though.  They are VERY believing, so when we commit someone to come to church, and a family member or friend or pastor tells them that they shouldn't, they won't!  We had a few of those happen this week, but we know Heavenly Father will help us find the elect, like Nathali and her family, if we keep trying!

Haha it's so fun here, because you can stop and talk to ANYone, and they'll almost always talk with you!  I've point- blank just asked people on the street if they'd like to be baptized, and it starts a good conversation (that I have to turn over to my companion ;)).  Haha like yesterday before church started, we went out and street contacted people, inviting them to come to church with us RIGHT THEN!  It was so fun!  No one said yes... but still, I don't think you could do that in America.

Because we teach almost solely out of the  Bible here (totally opposite of my mission in the States), I've been trying to read a lot!  It has been such a wonderful experience re-discovering the life of Christ in the New Testament.  It is so beautiful and plain.  I am so thankful for a loving Savior who came to Earth to set the perfect example for us, to die for us, and then  to rise again so that we too might one day return to live with our Father in Heaven and families for eternity.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is TRUE.  I love it!

Have a SUPER week!  The Church is TRUE!  Heavenly Father loves you!

Love forever,

Jason

Week 3 in BRASIL -- March 10, 2014

Olá, familia!  Tudo bom?

It's only been 4 days since my last email, so I'll keep this one brief and spare you :)

When it's not raining, it's HOT!  Holy cow... maybe it's just humid... but I always feel like my body is melting.  My 1oz tube of sunscreen is totally depleted and I think I might get skin cancer!  Hopefully I can find some Brazilian stuff to help!

EVERYTHING IS SO FOREIGN.  Haha the grocery stores here sell only milk (NOT like milk in America...), deli stuff, and junk food!  But it all tastes really good!  Everything in Brazil (or at least Ponta Grossa) seems 10-30 years behind the States.  For example, our phones are like those first Nokia cell phones we had in the late 90's, and all the cars and houses are just... different!  When I show people our family/house, they CANNOT believe that we live in a place like that.  No house has gas lines or water heaters, or dependable electricity.

ANYWAY... Yesterday I got to give a talk in sacrament meeting! HAHAHAHAHA I bet the Brazilians were CRINGING in their seats... Thankfully it was only a 5 minute talk.  The language is still a huge stumbling block, but slowly and surely I'm having more "A-ha!" moments and starting to understand better.

I LOVE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.  I love that no matter what language you speak or country you're in, it is the SAME, and you can always feel the Spirit.

We walk SO much here!  It's pretty great.  We eat only junk food because they don't believe in dinner here (only lunch!), but I'm pretty sure I've lost weight.

Sorry for the lack of pictures and info this week, but more will come!

I KNOW that this gospel is true.  I know that through Christ and His Atonement, we can ALL return to the glory and peace and presence of our loving Heavely Father.  This is a gospel of happy endings!

Com MUITO amor,

Elder Jason Allred

Week 2 in Brazil! -- March 5, 2014

Oi Familia!  Tudo bem?  This week has probably been one of the  most humbling, and most fulfilling weeks of my mission!

Haha first off, Heavenly Father is REALLY humbling me.... I thought... "Portuguese will come easily..."  NOPE!  Literally every day I wake up at 6am to study the language.  I botched a few first lessons when Elder Astudillo turned the time over to me, and it made me feel SO BAD!  Aaaaaaaahhh... Haha when the Brazilians don't understand, they'll squint their eyes and say, "...Oi?"  SO... I've been really trying hard to learn and study as much as I can in every spare moment!

As a miracle from Heavenly Father, I haven't gotten sick yet!  Every time I fill my water bottle, I pray that the water I'm drinking won't have parasites.. and so far, so good!  The food is DELISH here, too.  I thought that since it is a poorer area, that we would literally eat just rice and beans for each meal.  Don't get me wrong - we DO eat rice and beans at every meal, but it's so tasty and there's always this spaghetti-type stuff and strange vegetables of some sort to eat, too :)  I love it!

This week was a bit of a roller coaster because we were teaching a family of 8, and they were going to get baptized!  We taught them, and they got interviewed, and were ready to go, then the MORNING of the baptism, the Mom had a dream that someone came to her and told her not to get baptized.... Brazilians are VERY faithful/believing, so she took it as a sign from God that she shouldn't be baptized.  So sad!  

On a lighter note, we found a family of 4 that are WONDERFUL!  They let us right in, and the Mom said "When you guys were speaking, I felt this warmth all up and down my back" and the dad said, "When you came, I had a bad pain in my chest, but once you came in and taught us, it went completely away."  #miracle  We'll be going back again tomorrow to teach them.  

The past few days have been "Carnival" which is a week-long celebration similar to Mardi Gras.  So... Lots of drunkards all around!  Haha I was able to practice my teaching on them at the bus station and the streets.  It was fun!

Sorry this letter is so short!  we are out of time at the cafe.... I will write more next week!

Thanks for your prayers and love and support!

Love, Jason

PS - In Brazil, I like to make friends with the random stray animals I find in the streets.... like the 9458723947203 dogs and random horses and frogs!  :)

BRASIL E BATISMO!! -- Feb 24, 2014

FAMILIA!!!!  TUDO BOM?!  I´M IN BRAZIL!!!!!!!!
Holy cow these past few days have been INSANE!  Where do I even begin?

I think I was traveling for about 36 hours....On my flight to Atlanta from Ohio, I prayed that Heavenly Father would bless me with a seat companion on my flight to Brazil with whom I could share the Gospel with. The flight over to Brazil was just about 9 hours long... They fed us, and my prayer was answered!  I sat next to a SUPER lady from America (thank goodness!) and she was GOLDEN.  She said, "I don't know a lot about the Mormon Church.. .could you tell me about it?"  UM... YES!  We talked for a few HOURS about the Gospel, and it was a special experience to learn about her faith, share my testimony, and give a Book of Mormon away.  It was like a story out of the Ensign!  Haha I never thought it could actually happen.  Who knows what will happen, but she was very excited about the Book of Mormon and the church.

Next stop: BRAZIL....  in Atlanta I met up with about 10 other visa-waiters, which was fun :)  we were all TOTALLY drained and obviously very confused because we do NOT speak Portuguese (yet!).  Thank goodness for guides from the Church at the airport.  We received a few trainings from the Assistants, and the President, then took our stuff to the Assistant's apartment where we stayed for a few nights.  Haha my first night, the Secretaries took us new missionaries out to "street contact".... I had to go up to strangers and ask for an address so we could "pass by" another time.... That would NEVER work in America, but literally EVERY SINGLE PERSON was so nice and gave out their address and said we could come by.... #crazy!

The work here is 100% opposite of America.  In America, my mission president forbade us from tracting... here?  That is ALL we do because strangely... it is wildly successful!  We call it "Batendo portas" (beating doors, haha) and you stand outside a gate of a house, and clap your hands really loud, and the people come out!  Basically we clap, they come out, we ask to come in, they say yes, we share a message, invite them to church (and they come!  we had 20 investigators at church Sunday between the three companionship in our ward!), and the second Sunday they come, they are baptized.  YES. BAPTIZED.  The culture is so opposite of America because people are SO humble, faithful, and willing.  They already trust you, and despite being taught as few as 10 days, they stay!  I think I'm going to like it here! 

For example, Friday, we were batendo portas, and came across a man named José.  He is an ELECT!!  Unbeknown to us, he had attended church for a year, but didn't get baptized because his mom didn't want him to... now she's dead, and he told us that the day before we knocked him, he was praying to God to send the missionaries.  WHAT?!  So we re-capped the lessons, got him interviewed, and José got baptized yesterday!  And I got to perform the ordinance!  It was so special!

Woooo sorry for writing a novel... I'm so grateful to be a missionary.  It has been so frustrating not being able to speak what's on my mind in Portuguese, but I know the language will come.  I would send you pictures of my apartment, but... it is FILTHY.  There are 6 of us in it, and apparently the week before I got here there were maggots in the kitchen because NO ONE cleans.... Oh boy.... Anyhow... I really like the Elders I live with though, and my companion, Elder Astudillo from Chile is really funny, and a wonderful missionary. 

The Gospel is TRUE!  I love that it is the same wherever you are on the Earth... I know that Heavenly Father is preparing His elect EVERYWHERE to receive the gospel.  I KNOW it.  I'm so grateful to have served in America, and to now be serving in Brazil.  Looking forward to many more miracles! :)

Com MUITO amor,
Elder Jason Allred

PICTURES!

My travel group arriving in Brazil!

José before he got baptized!

View of part of "Ponta Grossa" (area where I'm serving - poorish/farms/wonderful!) from our balcony

Vices and Visas -- Feb 10, 2014

OI FAMILIA!!   Holy guacamole the time has finally come! (ALMOST).  Prayers have been answered, and my visa has COME!

These past 8 months (can you believe it's already been 8 months?!) have been full of the very best of times and some very trying times.   I have cried, I have laughed, and I have been carried by my Savior through it all.  I am SO thankful to my Heavenly Father for sending me here to the Ohio Cincinnati Mission before heading south.  My testimony has been tried and tested, but strengthened. I have learned how to be more patient, more loving, and more Christlike.  I have had to learn how to lead, and learn how to follow the will of Heavenly Father.  More than anything though, I've come to know that the Lord's timing is PERFECT. I haven't always been able to see how or why I've been "waiting", but I KNOW that it has been, and will be, for my good! It feels so surreal that my "American Mission" is barreling to a finish.

Thanks for the countless letters, packages, and prayers that have been coming my way!  THAT will be sad to see those stop... haha (I heard it's $50+ to send packages, so... don't worry about sending any!)

This week I've really been able to reflect on my own life, and on our purpose as missionaries and as children of God here on Earth.  I have been so let down by the vices our investigators face and succumb to, but I'm filled with hope and happiness knowing that EACH OF US here on Earth at one time decided to follow Christ.  EVERYONE here exercised their agency to follow His plan, whether they know that or not.  I can have the faith to know that as long as we do our part to share, uplift, encourage, and love our brothers and sisters, we can (with confidence) hand it to the Lord and trust in His saving grace.  "Are we not all beggars..?"  Do we not ALL sin? Do we not ALL fall short of the glory of God?  We can rejoice to know that we know the end from the beginning;  that goodness and righteousness ALWAYS triumphs over wickedness and evil.  There is HOPE for us all, through our Master and Redeemer Jesus Christ.  I love that.  I love Him.  I am so grateful that because He came, we can ALL return to live with our Father in Heaven; sealed together as eternal families.  I can't think of anything better, than to be with the ones I love and my God forever!  This Gospel is so wonderful!

Things are going pretty swell, here in Angola!  We started teaching a sweet 10 year girl named I___ who for some reason hasn't been baptized.  She has fetal alcohol syndrome, but is VERY high functioning and very bright.  She is so sweet!  We're still working closely with D____ (the 16 year old boy) and K____, and things are moving right along! :)

I will miss this branch so much!  The people here are so genuine and loving.  They feed us, they pray for us, they LOVE us, and I will miss them so much!  It hit me as I was singing a musical number yesterday in sacrament that I might not ever see these wonderful people again.  Then I remembered, "HELLOOOOOO!  They're your brothers and sisters, too!"  Hahaha thank goodness for Heavenly Father's plan!

I love this Gospel so much.  There is hope for all through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  His grace truly is sufficient for us.  I love you all, and will repent and send PICTURES next week. :) 

VIVA BRASIL!

Com MUITO amor, 

Elder Jason Allred

Feb 3, 2014

Oi Familia! Como vai? This week was pretty packed full of teaching and snow!  Are you freezing where you are?  I don't think it's been above 30 degrees here in a few months... Haha

This week was pretty great!  We were really able to see Heavenly Father's hand in the work here.

Satan has been working overtime with our sweet investigator, K___.  K____ is part of a less-active/part-member family that we randomly came across one day, and have been teaching for about 2 months now.  Financial strain, Word of Wisdom complexities, car problems, and just dumb bad luck have really been hitting this little family the past few weeks!  Ever since we set a baptismal date for him (his wife is a returning less-active member), hurdle after hurdle has been thrown in their path!  It's insane!  Thankfully though, they have such a WONDERFUL attitude and vision for the future of their family.  K____ LOVES coming to the little branch here because he feels welcome and accepted, and has such great faith!  They have both been unemployed for a while now, but were just able to secure a job and start working this week!  Their car was undrivable, but by some miracle now works, and so much more.  Isn't it funny how Satan will do everything in his power to deter good things from happening?  What a relief to know that good ALWAYS triumphs over evil.  With Heavenly Father on our side, we cannot fail.

D____, our 16 year old investigator came to church for the second time yesterday and had a good experience.  He has had such a hard life (living out of a car with an unstable mother/having to leave school, etc.), and since we've been teaching him, he's really made some positive changes.  Right after this, we're going to court to support D____ and his grandmother in his mother's hearing... She's facing up to three years in jail, so it has been a turbulent and scary time for D____.  We're praying for the best!

As a district leader, I get the opportunity of interview baptismal candidates in my district, and it is SUCH a neat experience!  On Friday, I interviewed the most humble, faithful 33 year old mom named L_____.  She has given up EVERYTHING to be baptized.  Her testimony is so strong, and her determination to overcome the challenges of life through Christ brought us both to tears during that interview.  I was so overwhelmed with LOVE for L_____.  It hit me during that interview as she was pouring out her heart and testimony of the Gospel that Heavenly Father loves L____ so much, despite her mistakes and shortcomings.  Then it hit me that Heavenly Father must love ME despite my weaknesses and mistakes, too.  It was such a beautiful experience. The Atonement is REAL.  This Gospel is TRUE.  I love it!

Haha during district meeting, I showed a video from "The District" (training videos for missionaries) and guess who was in the clip I showed....UNCLE BRAD!  Hahaha it was so funny seeing "Bishop Witt" out with the missionaries in San Diego! :)

This Gospel is true!  It is a gospel of love, and eternal happiness if we can swallow our pride pill and just do what we have covenanted to do.  Heavenly Father is just waiting to bless us!

I love you all!  Have a safe, WARM week! :)

Com amor para sempre, 

Elder Jason Allred