Ola’ Pessoal

Hey!!!

Its been a pretty good week!  right now I’m sitting here and I’m super wet because we got off the bus right as a huge rain storm started and we were running through the street trying to find cover and there was super loud thunder and lightning! That never happens so it was pretty cool. 

So i got transferred BUT i didn’t end up going to the area that they told me i was going to go to.  I got transferred to this area that’s watching over 2 areas.  Prazeres and Cajueiro Seco.  I only have 2 weeks to get to know both areas because my comp is going home this transfer so i got lots of work to do but i really like the areas!  They are super cool.  Lots of cool people also.  So we actually had a baptism marked this week for this kid named Ricardo and we ended up marking his brother also for Sunday so we were super stoked for that and finally Sunday came and after church and lunch we got the font all ready and nobody showed up!!!!  so we called this member and she told us that the ward secretary called everyone saying that nobody from the bishopric would be there so he called it off but we never got that memo so that was super annoying but were going to have it this week. 

There’s a girl were teaching also named Giselly and she’s really cool!  She really wants to get baptized and likes the church a lot but the only thing that’s holding her back is her uncle because she lives with him so we went and talked to him yesterday at his house to try and get him to sign the form because she’s 17 but he wouldn’t do it because he said he doesn’t accept our doctrine and doesn’t like our church and all this stuff and we explained to him that he doesn’t need to accept our doctrine and it was really dumb because he wont let her get baptized just because he doesn’t like our church and its so frustrating!  But were praying hard that we will somehow get the signature.

I’m really looking forward to May.  Got lots of stuff happening so it will be super busy.  I’m stoked I’m in this area now though.  We should have lots of success.  There’s this little neighborhood in our area and there’s like 35 members that live in it which is really cool. I’ve never seen that here.  Our church building is super nice also!!!  Its got A/C and its updated so that’s really cool also.  So everything is going good here!  I’m excited! 

Love you guys!  have a good week!  Talk to you all soon!

Love Elder Erickson

Some updates

what’s up everyone!

This week has been pretty sweet.  Lots of stuff went down so hopefully i remember everything.  I heard about the attacks in Boston.  Crazy stuff. i heard something today about an attack in Texas? Good thing the people here keep us Americans pretty updated haha.  Not very reliable as far as information goes though haha. 

So we spent part of the week with another missionary in our group and he got transferred on Wednesday which was a relief because it got pretty complicated with 3 people, especially 5 people in our little apartment so I’m happy about that.  Church was really good yesterday too.  We met a bunch of teenagers who live close to us and we have been talking to them a bunch and they are all really cool and fun to talk to.

Yesterday i got a call from one of the assistants and he told me that there was a bunch of confusion with 2 other elders in another area so they are splitting them up and he said I’m getting transferred and i will be with one of them so that really caught me off guard because i was thinking i was going to stay here till the end of the transfer but its all good.  So I’m getting transferred tomorrow and I’m going back to my last zone but a different area so that will be interesting.  I’m taking the district leaders spot there i guess but it will be cool because i know the zone pretty well and some of the missionaries there.

But the coolest thing happened this week!!!!  So 2 elders in my district called me and said they have a baptism this week but they aren’t sure if the guy wants to get baptized yet but they wanted to do the interview anyway so we marked it for Saturday and we went over that day and before the interview we talked with them a little about the guy and his name is Daví and he’s 43 and likes the church a lot and the teachings but there were a few things that happened in his past that are pretty serious so we had our mission president call and talk to him real quick then we talked to the President and he said the guy can go ahead and get baptized if he wants to after i went and did the interview with him and we ended up talking for almost 2 hours!!!!!!!!!!  it was one of the coolest experiences out here on my mission though.  There was a really really strong spirit as we talked and i could feel the spirit working through me as i talked to him.  At points it felt like i couldn’t control my mouth but it was so cool. He’s a really sincere guy and i read to him chapter 2 in Acts  at the end of the interview and long story short he said he would get baptized the next day!!!!!! it seemed like a miracle and i couldn’t believe it but he ended up getting baptized and confirmed yesterday so i was really happy about that.  Its hard to explain the whole situation over email but it was super awesome!!!!  It was one of those moments that really increased my testimony and love for the mission and the importance of missionary work. 

SO there’s that!!!!  its been a good week.  Looking forward to some of the changes that are about to happen.  Miss you guys though! have a great week!  much love!!!

Elder Erickson

Here We Go

Olá!!!!!!!!!!!! what’s up!

This week was super busy!!!  we had lots of stuff throughout the week so we didn’t get a ton of time to go out and work.  But overall it was a super good week and lots of good stuff happened.  So to start out, we went to the temple on Wednesday and ate lunch there then attended the 2pm session and that i think was my favorite part of the week.  I hadn’t gone to the temple since August because the last time i had gotten sick so it seemed like forever.  But being inside always makes me feel good and kind of gives me a boost of spiritual energy.  Then afterwards we went (as always) to Burger King right across the street which was good.  Fast food is expensive so its just a once in a while thing.  Hopefully i can keep it to once in a while when i get back. 

We went to the stake building to watch General Conference Saturday and Sunday and watched all the sessions which was super awesome.  I have been anxious for a while to watch conference.  The talks were awesome.  Its crazy how much the missionary work is increasing!  Pretty sweet though!   I don’t really have a favorite talk because i liked them all.  I always look forward to Elder Holland’s words though. 

But being back here in my first area has been pretty weird but in a good way.  Its been nice to see the members again and talk with them and also with Jaucques and Patricia and their family.  They are getting sealed here pretty soon so I’m stoked to watch that.  We had a few days to go out and work which was nice and i met a bunch of cool people who we are teaching and its been really good!  I really like this area.  Its hard to find new people because of all the apartment buildings so we work a lot closer with ward members which i like a lot.  We share an apartment with another area also (RIO DOCE)  which is pretty fun.  The other elders are really cool and one of them is from my same group.  Its pretty cramped inside but not too bad.  I really enjoyed this week.  Its going to be a good month.  My comp is really cool.  He’s getting stoked to go home as he has 4 more weeks.  He’s funny though.  I’m learning a lot from him too.  He’s a cool guy.  But i also gave my first training at district meeting which was sweet!!!  Its cool to have an opportunity to serve and help the missionaries in my district.  But everything is going good here!!!  Hopefully the weather will get a little cooler here soon.  Miss you guys! have an awesome week! talk to you soon

Love Elder Erickson

Some New Stuff

Hello!!!!!!

Let me just start off by saying I’m exhausted!

My last week in Lagoa Encantada just came to an end! Yup, I got transferred but I was expecting it. So, last night I packed all my bags which took forever! It was sad having to say bye to Peixoto. I’m going to miss him. Our last week went pretty well. We had a baptism marked for this lady but it ended up falling through right at the last minute which sucked but I didn’t want to get down on it so i just kind of brushed it off and kept a good attitude. However, Easter was good! We ate tons and tons of chocolate. People are all about chocolate on Easter here. So I’m over chocolate for a while. But it was nice! We had a good day at church. Sergio got confirmed in sacrament meeting which was sweet.

So transfers were today so we went to the city where they do the transfers and i saw a bunch of people which was cool to talk with them again. My comp who i just finished training (Elder Peixoto) got called to train! Im excited for him and he seems pretty excited also so that will be cool. He will do a good job. So were all sitting there while they are calling out names of people being transferred and stuff and I was towards the end so i was waiting which seemed like a long time and i was excited because I was super stoked to head into my 3rd area. So finally they called my name to go back to....JD ATLÂNTICO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That’s the first area i passed in here! I couldn’t believe it when he said it. So basically I’m not going to my 3rd area, I’m going back to my 1st hahahaha. So here i am! Im excited to see the members again and stuff. Jacques and Patricia who I baptized almost a year ago are getting sealed May 11th which I’m excited for. My new comp is Elder Blend. He’s from São Paulo and he’s ending his mission in 5 weeks. They called me as the district leader in my zone which will be interesting. This transfer is 5 weeks. We’re going to the temple on Wednesday which I’m super excited for because last time my zone went is when i got sick so i wasn’t able to go.

So there are some updates with me! Im also looking forward to General Conference this week! It will be nice to hear the words from the prophet and apostles. Everything is going super good go. Im a little weirded out to be back in this area again but it’s all good! I love you guys! Hope all is well with everyone. Have a good week!

Much love Elder Erickson