3/25/13 Email From Vitória

This week we have been geeking out a lot, we were both sick for the whole week and well we had to stay at home for the whole week pretty much, it was pretty much just Sunday that we left the house other than to go to the pharmacy to get medicine. I had a fever of 101.8 and it got to about 102.1 at one point, not fun.   Being sick for the whole week was the worst and best part of the week. The worst part because we were stuck at home with nothing to do, the best part because we got to rest. 
I am actually still a little bit sick, but a lot better than I was.

This week we had a major rain fall and now part of our house is pretty much destroyed.  I took some pictures of the flooding that happened here.

The most spiritual part of the week was yesterday when we gave our investigator a Priesthood Blessing.  He wasn't at church so we went over to visit him and he was sick.  We gave him a blessing and it was just a really good experience.

I have not gotten my flight info yet, I don't know why, but if I don't receive it this week, I should get it this next p-day.  I will have to see what is going to happen with my flight schedule and all that because I will probably be traveling for about 24 hours to get back home and that is going to stink.

I really don't have too much more to say because we were at home for the whole week just resting and talking with each other.  We are working and we are trying to work smarter and not harder.  We do have a baptism for the 31st and that is really cool.  Oh, and I almost stepped on a dead pigeon this morning, that was pretty weird.  Miss you!

Elder McBarron
 

3/18/13 Email From Vitória

This week was one of those weeks where you evaluate the teaching pool.  We are trying to build up a new teaching pool, we are going to try and have a baptism this week but if not this week it will probably be the next week. He is a brother of a recent convert and his family has told us that he really likes us.  Our baptism that was lined up for this week fell through.

So what made this week fun was that I was able to just have fun really, me and my companion we have just been getting along really well and well that is just great.  It helps to have a companion that you can just have fun with them.

I did a contact in the street with a very beautiful girl and I have no idea how I did it.  The spirit was definitely guiding my words with that contact because I would normally have frozen.  My companion was a witness to all of that because afterwards I said, "how in the world did I do that?"  I had him write down what happened from his point of view.  That has to be part of the most spiritual experiences this week and the other part would be being able to watch "17 Miracles" this week for the first time on the mission.  The best thing that we did this week was having had lunch with Mauricio on Monday and we just relaxed.

I will probably be getting my travel info next week, so I will let you know what will be happening.
I don't know what else to tell you because that was all of the big stuff that happened this week that I can remember. Miss you.

Elder McBarron

 

3/11/13 Email From Vitória

So the transfers went very well, my new companion is Elder Powell, he is from the Tri-Cities.  He is really cool, he likes Star Wars and a lot of the same kind of stuff that I like and we are always talking about that kind of stuff and  it is really fun to geek out.  We both love to play sports but we both love nerdy things too, so that is pretty cool.  This will be one of the best transfers that I have had on the mission other that being with my trainer and with Elder Litchfield. 

Things are running great here now.  It is really hot here right now and it kind of stinks, I would love a smoothie right now.  We are working hard and everything is turning out fine.  We are working with the members.  We got to teach a few lessons this week, but it was mostly with recent converts and which were were the best lessons this week, the most spiritual lessons.  It has been cool to see that the Spirit actually guides your works and guides you to scriptures that you need to share with others.  We have been getting snacks and references from the members and that is turning out great.  We have a few references that we are going to work with them this week and that is going to be fine.

I won't be getting my travel information until probably next week or the week after.  I don't have anymore transfers left and I have 5 more weeks which is still a pretty long time.  That is going to be just enough time to get everything ready for a few more baptisms.  We are trying to get some baptisms set up and as we both really want to baptize this transfer.

My best experience was getting my new companion and it has been fun talking with him this whole week and just having fun with everything.   I don't really have too much more to say, but I will have a photo for you this next Monday and that I got a really good companion and this is going to be a really good transfer.  Miss you and love you .

Elder McBarron

3/4/13 Email From Vitória

I will be staying here in Vitoria and I am going to finish my mission here. I am going to have fun here in the area and the ward. I have no idea who will be my companion still, it will only be tomorrow that I will find out. It is weird thinking that this will be my last transfer here on the mission and then I will be coming home, it has gone by really fast.  I am glad, but a little sad, that this will be my last transfer. I am looking forward to getting a new companion and that I will be staying here in the area.

  

Dad, you asked me what the flavor of the week is and it is root beer.  It is the flavor of the week because that is something that I am missing.  We had a lot of lasagna at lunch with the bishop yesterday and I ate until I couldn't any more, that was fun. 

So you asked about p-days, if we played sports or went hunting.  We can't play soccer anymore, it has been prohibited by the Area Presidency, not sure why.  I would have liked to have gone hunting with a member but, they can't go hunting here in Brazil with guns.  The only people that are allowed to use guns are the military and the police here.

We have been getting some teaching in but at times it is hard because everyone here is usually busy. But we are finding people that we can visit.  We are visiting friends just to visit, which is fun, but also it counts as a lesson because they are less active. 

There is something funny about this mission that President pointed out this week.  This is the best mission in the world because it is the only mission that is in Espirito Santo (which means "the Holy Spirit"), that has the city of Gloria ("glory") and the city of Vitória ("victory") in it.  I thought that that was pretty cool.

 

I only have one picture for you today, it is of a family night that we had last night with some members of the ward and it was pretty fun.  I gave a message about courage.

 

So I am in my last transfer, that is going to be strange, but I will make every moment fun so that everything will go by faster and so I will have a good time.  I am trunky, but it is a good thing and I am going to have as much fun, or at least try to, as I work and I plan to work hard.  I only have 6 more weeks, so Mom you just have to wait 6 more weeks, okay and then I will be home, don't get too antsy.

 

Miss you.

Elder McBarron