A Tough One!

Osasco

This week was a tough one. With little success and lots of time in the street -  it is always good to have these weeks. It humbles you. It makes you stronger and you learn a lot. 

The week was filled with teaching a few people and sadly finding no one. And the week was capped off with a surprise talk that Elder Iverson had to give. I got a call 8:15 that I was needed to talk :) good to know that it was only a few min :) I gave my talk on Love. And that we need to have a love for Christ. He offers everything to us. Are we willing to use what he has for us? What can we give to the Lord? We can only give him our love and how do we do that? Being Obedient. :) strive to be more obedient :)

What I learned this week was great. While reading the BoM I learned more and more about how the Atonement can move our lives. While reading the story of Amon and Lamoni of course it tells us how sweet Amon was in cutting all the arms off. But while reading I caught something interesting. Lamoni. He was brutal. We read in ch 17 that he did a few things with the Nephites that entered his land. Killed them. Put them in prison, or kick them out of the land. But something interesting happened when Amon went there. We read that when Amon said he wanted to live in the Lamonite land, Lamoni was miraculously touched. (v24) And as we tell his story we learn that everything Amon did he was more and more touched. But why was he touched. We read in v2-3 that Amon wasn’t a normal Nephite. He was prepared and had the Holy Ghost as a guide. We don’t need to say much, the spirit will say everything important. We read in ch 18 v 2, then 10, then 18 that Lamoni was more and more amazed with Amon. The dude just didn’t seem to mess up. So much that Lamoni was like "Crap! this dude has got to be a god!" We then read in chp 19 that he was taught and converted to such a point that in v31 he started to preach to the people with out stopping. WHAT A story. We read later that he stood up against his dad. Freed religion to all the people and was a huge part of why the Lamanites were converted. 

Question: Is the gospel is as sweet to us as it is to the converts? Do we have the same desire to let our brothers and sisters experience the same change that we have felt in our lives? 

The Atonement changed the lives of so many people. Are you willing to let it change yours?

With love 

Elder Iverson

ps. "oops..... 1 yr :)

That is Elder Paixão. We were playying around, don't worry I am still alive. :) 

P-Day Fun

We got to have a Pday with pres today. We went to Parque Vila Lobos. A huge park in SP :) I got to play basketball :) good fun.

Spreading the LOVE in the Favela!

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Well life is all good here in Vila Menk. We are having a blast teaching and finding.

But to start of we had a great week, that was pretty tough. We are low on investigators, and so its been a little difficult. But don't worry, the Lord always has a plan for us. 

We had a great day with Bishop. He went on many mini visits with us. It was a great success. Unfortunately, the greatest difficulty here is teaching so the people understand. They have a really hard time, and we find people that don’t know how to read, and it is difficult. But if there is one thing that I learned this week is that the Lord is always here to help us, and all of our problems have a solution. And if we are praying, and trying our best, we will be able to overcome all of the problems that we have in our lives.

And that would be the favela :) good times. It is a lot of apostasy that happens but we stear well clear :) 

I thought a lot this week, that I am spoiled rotten. My life is incredible. God gave me a great great great present by giving me the family that I have, the friends that I have, the talents, and everything. Life is something that we have to make the best of what we got. Everyone, and I mean everyone, has a chance to make our lives better, no matter how good or bad we got it, the Atonement of Christ is there to purify and make our lives better. Don’t waste your chance to use it!! 

The Church is True and the mission is great. Look for moments everyday to give a little of what we have to others. Love everyone. And don’t judge anyone, everyone has a chance to get better.

I love you all. 

Elder Iverson over and out :) 

ps its like next week I will do 1 year as Elder.... weird. 

The grafiti of Love. It is in a lot of places here :) 

Temple Day

Baptism in Rochadale

What a sweet week for the crew here in Rochadale. :) The week passed quickly as ever. There were a few things that caught my attention this week. 

First we had a baptism :) sweet :) The guy is Claudinei. He is 20 and a stud. 

He had some serious problems in the past. For example he went to the Universal (a church) and was baptized, and turned wacko.... Like he would get really angry and do weird things. His mom was very concerned. When the elders started to teach him he improved a lot. 

When we were teaching him this week he showed some doubt; and his mom, which loves him, didn’t want him to be baptized. She was like he already was. And so what do you do. I talked to her for 10 min. And said the phrase "This is why Claudinei chose to be baptized" like 30 times. I didn’t give him the chance to back out. And he loved it. And all went well. 

(Quick side story. Pedro and Dayane who are Claudinei's neighbors gave the reference to the elders. So I thought that it would be a good idea to have Pedro, member of 4 years, baptize Claudinei. SO I told Claudinei that Pedro wanted to baptize him. And when we told Pedro. Oh My Word. He was so happy, he gave a jump, and was like a child on Christmas. IT was incredible the happiness that he showed) 

On the day of the baptism Claudinei and Pedro were nervous. Pedro was practicing the prayer, and when he got into the water he got even more nervous, and forgot the prayer. So Elder Guamangallo (or Guama for short) said the prayer and he repeated :) and after three times they got it down. Claudinei loved it, he said "I am baptized, I felt it, it is awesome." What a neat guy.

Another story of the week is Franceli. She is a contact that Guama did the other day. When we went there for the first time the house was a mess, not physically but emotionally. Since we have visited her, her life took a 180 degree spin. And she is happier then ever. She said at first "When I have time, I will got to your church" but on Friday she said. "I will be at the church on Sunday" and she went and absolutely loved it. She said she felt a peace and was awesome. We visited her yesterday and she said I know that the Book of Mormon is true and the church is true, and we just sat there with our mouths open like "What?" this doesn't happen everyday. She is incredible. She stopped smoking alone last week, what? This woman is incredible. Look forward to another baptism in Aug. :) 

We are having a great time here in Vila Menk. We have to walk a lot, more than whatever area that I have been in, but it is good. We live on top of a hill, so every night we climb up :) haha 

I love you all, life is good, and be ready for everything that life throws at you. Who knows, maybe a Japanese kid will take your spot in your family. :)

The church is true, God lives, and life is meant to be lived. Do what you know is right, follow the spirit and love everyone. We have a power that we don't fully realize :)

Until next week :) 

c amor 

Elder Iverson :) 

Taste's of Osasco

A banana cake that I made, (yes from scratch) my comp gave me a 10 :) 

We got candy apples from one of our investagators :) Tasty.

PIzza :) - Even Osasco has my favorite mission food

 

President Interviews

Interviews with Pres. :) Photo of the Zone!!  - Elder Hurd is in my zone!