Written November 17, 2014

Well the first week in this area was pretty good. Elder Fish has had a family here being taught the lessons and can't keep their goal to be baptized on a certain day, but they all have been to church at least once - some more than others. Anyway, the first night I got to meet them we gave them a date to be baptized.  It's a family of 4, two girls and the parents. The parents aren't married yet but the girls are marked for this coming Sunday after church. They are excited. The parents are expected to be married before the 27 of this month so they can be baptized on the 29 and all of them can be confirmed and receive the Holy Ghost the same day. That's our goal. I am praying it works out. It will be the first baptisms for Elder Fish, and we will complete a family which President is really strong about. Also we got a reference - that really never happens.  It's the son of one of the recent converts. He has heard bad things about this church and he just wants to know the truth. We have taught him the first and second lessons and he is reading the Book of Mormon and trying to figure out which is the best way to study it. He actually asked us that question. 

Written November 24, 2014

No baptisms. Those marcados were two daughters in a family. And they decided to be baptized as a whole family, but the father, we think, is getting annoyed with us. We really need the members help now, because the father needs to stop smoking and also get married, and he says we are pushing him. It's difficult. So we don't have any progressing investigators right now, but we definitely will next week. 

We ran out of milk Saturday and we didn't have time to buy more. So Sunday morning for breakfast we ate oatmeal with water.  It wasn't too bad but this morning we went earlier than usual to buy food for the week, and I still hadn't eaten breakfast.  When we got home, I was excited to eat, but they don't refrigerate the milk here (milk lasts about a year without being in the fridge). I poured my cereal and ate it with yogurt instead.

I am leaving here today to go to Lisbon to do residency, so now I won't be living here on a visa anymore. Wish me luck.

Love you all!

Thank you much!

Elder Lee

I have been transferred and assigned to Aviana do Castelo, the farthest area north.  I have heard it's the biggest area in the mission, so we will see how it goes. My companion is Elder Fish from Nevada. We were in the same house in Setúbal, so we already know each other. This is his 6th transfer and hasn't baptized anyone, so we are changing that this transfer. Also, this transfer is only 4 weeks.

In Benfica we had progress. Before I left we met a married older couple that came to church and to the night of movies at the church last night. It was great. Also a woman named Catia that just finished school. She loves to read the Book of Mormon with us, but hasn't been to church and she is leaving this coming weekend to Holland. But she has plans to attend church there already. Also, Vilma. she has a boyfriend and one little boy. She is ready and knows she needs to be baptized, but she lives so far from the church, and it's an hour ride by bus to her house. So it's pretty difficult, but we will see what happens. 

Being selfless is crazy difficult. It's a pride problem, if I haven't said that before. It's difficult because there are two sides to it. When you put everyone literally above yourself, its not good, but if you put yourself above everyone else, that's not good either. There is a scripture that says let others praise you, not yourself. It's fine if people start talking highly about you, or you about someone else, but if you talk about yourself so highly, then it becomes a problem. There is a point between being humble but also being confident. People say that Nephi was a little boastful because he says a couple times that "I am of large stature, full of strength, and preferred of the Lord." Its not boasting or being prideful, it is being truthful. It's very difficult and I don't know how to obtain it, except always pay attention to what I say and try not to win an argument, of who had the most beautiful goal, who writes faster, who wakes up earlier, or who studies more.

Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Preach My Gospel says, "quit comparing yourself to others." Its like track or cross country - it's all about you and your times. You are trying to improve YOUR time, not anyone else's. So in life, first look at where you started, then look at where you are now. Have you progressed? or have you stayed the same? It doesn't matter who else is better or worse than you. What matters is you.

Yesterday was stake conference. We have had just 1 normal Sunday here in Benfica and its already the 4th week of the transfer. Yesterday we had the best day yet.  We contacted a reference from the other missionaries.  She wasn't really interested but said the closing prayer. We will see if we can still continue with her. Just after that we encountered a man walking into his house and asked if we could share a little message. We started with the importance of prayer right after the opening prayer and lead to Joseph Smith.  They accepted the Book of Mormon and will read 2 Nephi 31.  They only have time to talk on Sunday's, so that's a bit of a downer. But we will live. Anyway, Sunday we ended up with 5 new investigators and 5 lessons. It was a good day.

The work in our area is good. We have 2 progressing investigators so far, but we encountered a family last Friday night.  They are considered investigators because we had a quick lesson but haven't been back yet, and we definitely will.

If you love rain, come to Portugal. There is rain every day. And if you think the weather changes fast in Utah, haha, it's not that fast, compared to Lisboa.

One thing I learned, Always Wash Your Hands. It had never occurred to me how dirty everything really is, especially public transportation. Yuck!  People are disgusting. 

Well, I don't know what more to say.  

Have a great week. 

In Portuguese we say, Boa semana

Learning a new language is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I have never had to study for a test, I have never had to practice non-stop, I've never had a problem with this kind of stuff. Well now it's biting my back. I don't know how to study, I don't know how to make a study plan, and I don't know how to learn a language. Luckily I have people to help me with that. But what if I didn't? What would I do? Well, let me tell you. There is someone who does know how to learn this language, there is someone who knows exactly who we are and exactly what we need. That picture of Christ standing at the door without a doorknob is not just a nice picture, it has lots of meaning to it.  So, what does it mean?

Christ is standing right next to the door and will never leave it. But he can't open it, all he can do is knock. And that knock is the voice of the Holy Ghost. But guess what? It's soft, it's hard to hear. If we are in our house (which is here on this earth), and we can't hear that knock, how easy is it for Christ to help us? It's impossible. Why do you always have your music in your ears, why do you always have to be talking to someone, why do you always have to be with your friends, why do you always have to be busy? Do you have priorities, or do you just have a jumble in your head of what needs to be done so you have no plan? Maybe once or twice a week you can plan out your week, and plan a time each day for a special time with Christ so He can help you. He wants to help you. He is standing there, always at the door. We need to have our days planned out, and a little slower, so we can hear that soft knock of the Savior in our lives, each and every day. And as Elder Ballard taught, when we are on the boat and the water is still, when we are bored, we want to jump out and have a little fun. But once we do that, we step that much closer to death, not just physical death, but Spritual death. Even when each day is going good, don't get too comfortable that you don't plan, that you don't keep listening to that knock. Because once we here that knock what do we need to do? We need to open the door. So how do we do that? We Pray to our Father in the Name of Christ, to see what He wants us to do. Or let Him help us in our lives, and prevent some trouble that might come upon us. 

I have now realized how important it is to slow down during the day, and always be listening to that Still Small voice. It is the most important thing in this life. 

In the Name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Elder Lee

This area is an old area, we are basically re-opening it. We have no area book, no numbers of members on our phone, so we literally started from scratch. We did get a hold of the bishop and now we are starting to roll. Slowly but surely. 

Written September 29, 2014

I had 2 more baptisms this weekend, Rafaela and Clarisse. I got to baptize Rafaela. It was great. Also they wanted my to give a talk on the Holy Ghost. So i gave my first talk in Portuguese and everyone said I did a good job, even when I had almost nothing prepared except for one scripture and my thoughts. But once I stood up to the pulpit, my mind went completely blank. I didn't know what to say, but as D&C 85:85 says, the spirit will bring them back to your remembrance when it is needed. It wasn't a smooth talk, but I lived and so did they.The water in the baptismal font was cold. It wasn't too bad I thought, but everyone else thought it was way cold. Pretty funny. :) Anyway, after the baptism the bishop had them come to the pulpit and bear their testimonies. and the Testimony of Clarisse was amazing. It brought the spirit so strong and it was the best thing ever. Rafaela was a bit nervous because she is young, but it was good. She knows this is the true church and that she did the right thing. 

The language is coming and getting easier. I have a new companion, Elder Porter from St. George. In the past he has been a zone leader, so he is a good missionary. We are in Bem Fica, Lisboa. which used to be the AP`s area. I just got here today.

 

I had my first baptism this past week. The baptism Friday was amazing. Monica had been an investigator for 6 years and attended church all of the time with her husband. I got to be a lucky missionary to see it happen. The spirit was really strong and it was amazing. I'll send some pictures.

Other investigators:

Aldofo, is a really old and an amazing black guy. We saw him on the road Saturday afternoon. He had time so we gave him a tour of the church. He already committed to baptism next Sunday and attended church yesterday. He was amazing. We still haven't started with any of the lessons yet, but he is ready.

Clarice is 13 and Rafaela is 9. They have been investigators for two weeks now or so. and finally visited church yesterday. They have also committed to baptism Sunday. So we will see them get baptized. :)