Photos Compliments of Tarsis!

Valentines in April

Better late than never... Valentines made their way to Caucaia this week... no worries it's April!  Glad Elder Iverson got our Love notes anyway!  We Do LOVE him SO!

Some Fun on the Mish

The styling new tie that Tarsis (a member) gave me.;)

I found a packers fan in Bra!! haha That is Matheus who goes on splits with me a lot. He is a great kid, preping for his mission.

That is Elder Cleiton, and Elder Farias. They are the other two missionaries in my ward.

And that would be Elder Garcia. During our split he wasnt liking the sun :) haha

Me and Elder Andrelino. We started to play chess. :) I started out well, with 5-0 in the first 5 games vs Elder Castro, this morning I lost for the first time, but all is well :

) 

We started to play chess :) haha and I don't like to loose :) ....Its the iverson in me :) 

Caucaia Take 2

Here we go with transfer number 2 here in the lovely city of Caucaia. 

"And the jungle is the norm."

As for the news on the comp. I am still with Elder Castro. Pres called him and asked if he could stay one more. So he is here on a moments notice in the field. It is a short time mission. So he wasn't set apart as a missionary, and he didn't go to the CTM, but he is here in the field with me. And it is a great old time. He is a tall lengthy dude and goofy. He is very smart and is learning more and more about socializing. He had a few difficulties talking to people, but we are working through that. He is a great kid, and learning all about the mission. He is a thinker and at times complicates the problem, but all is well. It is a little different for me. I just want to go go go go. And not think a whole lot, and he wants to sit and think about it. Which is good, I need to learn more of that. :)

But for the week last p-day I made a mean chicken stroganoff. (which I learned to do last week) it turned out really well :) 

This week I had the opportunity to have an old lady run away from me. We did a contact with her in the city, she said "I'm catholic" and walked away. And when we were visiting a person she saw us, and ran in the other direction. And when I say ran. I mean, she did the old lady shuffle run away :) haha it was hilarious. 

Also close to our house there is a church that is funny. One day we were passing returning to our house and the Pastor was yelling "Glory to God Hallelujah" repeatedly. And in the middle of the "Glories" he would say stuff like "You that came to the house of God with a cell phone, turn it off" and back to "Glory to God" haha and then he said it again. "Turn off the cell phone, Glory to God :) " haha it was a good time. 

This week Caucaia had a blackout. We were walking in the street, heard a "Zuum" and all the lights went out. It stayed like that for 4 hours. And on top of that our water is running out, and it is rare to have water enough to take a shower. :) but we are taking a shower don’t worry. 

Yesterday I confirmed Flavia. She is such a sweet spirit and looking forward to the many Sundays of church in her future. 

As for the other investigators. We have Adriano and Maria and Eline. A family that is incredible. We got a reference from the temple for Adriano who is 23. We went there the first time and taught the Restoration.  The spirit was strong, and we were able to get our message across. When it came to the part to talk about the LdM. Adriano loved it. He took the LdM and said he would read.  We gave the introduction to read and left. This was Dom. on Saturday we returned, and oh my WORD!!. The lad had read until 1 nephi 8, watched the film Joseph Smith The prophet of the Restoration, and loved it. And not only that he started to explain to his mom (Maria) and sister (Eline) with a big grin on his face. He said that for sure he would be in church. And he came, and loved it!!. It is so neat to see someone that the Lord is preparing to receive the gospel. He is awesome!!!!!

Also we are teaching a guy named Cosmir. He is a stud. He is a 40 year old separated from his wife, and he loves the LdM and Bible. When we told him about it he loved it. He loves to follow along in the Bible, and the LdM he already started to mark the things that he liked :) he is incredible. 

We have a few more people that we are teaching, but that is the ups of the Caucaia area this week. And yes there will be more good news to come. Because Elder D Todd Christofferson will be in SP on the first!!!!!!!! and guess who gets to hear him speak!!!!! SP West!!!!!!! It will be awesome!!!!!! SO wait for the good things that will happen this week :) And it is crazy that it is already May. 

As for the Scriptures, I started the Bible and will read it cover to cover :) it is awesome all the stories that the bible has. I am learning a lot !!!

A good week for you all :) 

Much love :)

Elder Iverson.

Friends

This is Wesley, and Robert. They are also apart of this family. Robert was born without bones in his legs beneath the knees, and so he so has little legs. But he is hilarious, he is 3, and cruises around, and loves to play around. 

This family is the family of Whitney (with Ian in her arms) William, Thais, (William and Thais are getting married on the 20th of June so Thais can be baptized), Thais and William have a little baby called Richard, and the mom of the family is Neide. 

The Best of Times... The Worst of Times

What a week :) Elder Castro is learning a whole lot, and I am having a blast with the area.

First this week we had a surprise baptism. haha :) Flavia is a sweet lady that the other elders were teaching before I got here. A member of our ward asked what happened to her and I didn't know who it was. So we knocked on her door and talked to her. We started teaching her about baptism. I stop. Is there something stopping you from being baptized?. She said "no". So we went through the commandments, and she was living everything. SO I was like What is stopping you from being baptized this Sunday. And she said. Nothing!!!! :) boo-yah!!! :) so we had the great time to visit her the next day with elder Andrelino, and she passed her interview. We visited the next day with Bishop and it was a great time. And she was baptized on Sunday by Elder Castro!!!! 7 days in the field and the lad is already baptizing :) haha what a stud. It was a triple taker!!!! :) one because we had three baptisms, well the other elders did, and Flavia was dunked three times. The lovely Elder Castro was a little nervous and forgot Amen, and then said something else wrong, but don't worry we were able to baptize her!! :) Good times. 

"The baptism of Flavia, Dont worry she was happy :) "

This week we had a few of the best days, and a few of the worst days in the field. To start out we had 11 new investigators this week. Which was very good:) But to start out With Thursday. We visited some people with our Bishop. Which was a great experience. We visited Tais and William. Who are a couple that will be married in June, that we are helping her be baptized. He is a less active member. I will try to upload a picture of their family. If it uploads. William and Tais. The two on the right side. Wesley on the left is the brother of William. And The lad in Wesley's lap is Robert his nephew. 

Then we went searching for a few people.  WE found Rafael. He is 17 and really excited for his baptism on the 3rd of May. We taught him the word of wisdom, and he didn't have a problem with anything. and he is excited to be baptized. 

Then Friday. Friday was one of the worst days of the mish :) haha but it still wasn't that bad. We didn't enter one house, we walked around in the heat, and just got a whole lot of nothing. Then we went to visit a Reference of a member. This was an experience that I wont forget. We clapped and got a "I don't want anything to do with the Jehovah’s Witnesses”.  But we, "I don't want anything with the JWs" We are missionaries of the church of Jesus Christ. "the Mormons? ya same thing. You guys are all cool, and all but tchau"  And everything in that day climbed up. And I had my "I am still an 18-year-old with an attitude moment." haha :) I stomped my feet, and was real ticked. He came running out and was like, Why did you do that? :) hah I was just like "Sorry" haha :) Now I look back and laugh, but I was super angry and had to say a prayer that was very extended to calm down :) 

Then on Sunday we had a great day. We had the baptism and then we ate lunch. Dad have you seen the video that is really old that is a Italian Preacher that finds a BoM, and teaches his people from it? haha it is a great story. Then we were able to work hard and find more people to teach. 

This week I focused a lot on bringing the spirit when I was teaching. I hope that the people that I taught felt that and will have more desire to follow the gospel. :)

Funny story of the week. We taught a couple that was nice. But their son is crazy. He Saw the LdM and started to cry when it wasn't in his hands. He started to crumple it, and at one point eat the LdM and I was like.... oppa !!! I have never seen anyone start to eat the LdM before. And then he finally switched and started to eat a rag :) haha 

Other things. This week we had 2 children give the prayers in sacrament I have not seen that before.

I think Pres is putting me with the tallest Elders on purpose :) haha 

I love you all :) 

Elder Iverson

A Week Without a Comp!

Well as some of you are aware, I was without a comp this whole week :)  A few days I stayed with the ZLs (Mon. and Wed.) While I was in their area, we ate waffles like you will see :) I loved that and helped a few people get ready for their baptism this week. 

One of our investigators made us waffles!!! With blueberry jam, And yes everything was homemade!! WOW!

These fine young men are Rafael on the left and João Vitor on the right. They were baptized on Sun. This is the same Rafael that asked us to be baptized, after some complications, he was finally able to be baptized.

But how I managed this week. We have a great group of young men in our ward. And I was able to do visits with Diego, Matheus, another Diego, Rogerio. They are all good guys with the intent to serve a mission here soon. 

This is Diego he is a lad in our ward, and he has being doing some splits with me this week. He visited people for 2 whole days with me :) 

In the world of investigators. We have a few.

Gustavo. He is a friend of Diego and has been helping in the church. He loves to play soccer, and that is why he first came to the church. Here soccer has a power to help people accept the gospel. We have taught him a few times, and he likes the church. His dad is a Catholic that doesn't practice but likes to Bible Bash (don't worry we don't Bible Bash in return, but it is difficult to not burn these people ;). :) haha so like everybody. And his mom is a sweet lady that is addicted to coffee. But all is good we will find a way to help this family :) 

Tais. She is "Married" to a less active member. She already received an answer the first time we visited. Which was way cool, she likes the LdM, and is doing her best to raise a 4 year old girl and a 1 month old boy. She needs to marry officially before she can be baptized, and William her mate, is working so that they can be married, it is expensive..

Diorge and his wife. (haha I forgot her name) They are a married folk, that didn’t like us to much when we showed up at their door. We talked to Diorge when he was entering his house one day. We visited and were able to enter. We shared a message and told them to read and pray. We left. The following days we saw Diorge in the street, and he said that he had read and prayed and felt good, we will visit him in the coming days and talk about the waters of baptism. :) 

And for now, that is our list, but we are in the process of finding more :) 

Today I left early for the mission house. Why you ask? To get my new comp. Elder Castro. He is a short time missionary. He lives in São Paulo and is going to be my comp for the next two weeks. He didn't pass through the CTM as this is what they call "curto prazo" I don't have a picture yet, but I promise to have a pic by next week. He is a sweet kid. Who is a little bit shy, but we will work that out of him :) 

And I got to see Elder Aguiar and Corrêa (who are comps) when I went to get my new comp this week :) I had to travel to the mission house, it was along journey : )

Much love to you all, the work is good here in Caucaia :) I love it!!! and will be moving into my house again :) yeah!! haha :) 

Love you all 

Elder Iverson 

Fun Photos from a Random Week!

We had a a great view of the love for soccer in our apartment. Or the apt I was sharing with the ZLs :) Elder de Araújo and Waters :) 

Next we have Elder Farias and Elder Cleiton we were waiting for the District Meeting to start. 

Because I am the smallest Elder I have the pleasure of riding in the back of the car :) 

haha good times. We are returning to home after our weekly lunch with irmão Godoy.

It is starting to get chilly here in SP.

(Elder Waters, Elder Ccanto, Elder Ahmad)

The beautiful area of Caucaia. 

This week we had interviews with Pres, great times. He helped me plan for my splits with the members until my companion gets here. 

Our church at night always has the YM playing soccer, and it is difficult not to play with them :) 

This is Diego he is a lad in our ward, and he has being doing some splits with me this week. He visited people for 2 whole days with me :) 

We have a train track in our area, and we walk the track when we need to get to places. (Don't worry mom, we are smart ) :) 

I received some presents from Elder Corrêa and Irmã Lourdes from Morumbi. :) what a blessing. I got the news that Maria and Lourdes and Nair went to the temple and all three did baptisms for their family members!! Yeah!!! :) 

Look closely and you can see Jace companionless under the Caucaia Heading!