Christmas Week Dec 30, 2013

Skype with the Family for Christmas

Dec 30, 2013

So here we go

Christmas we very relaxing. It was good to open some presents. great to talk to everyone. and it was a good night to teach some people about Christ. We spent the evening with Fred, he really likes the hymns so we gave him a hymn book for Christmas. His favorites is "there is sunshine in my soul today" It was the hymn of his baptism.

Elder Applegate Christmas morning

Elder Ogden is excited for his first mission christmas!

So the rest of the week. The day before Christmas we went to confirm lunch at the bishops house and we go in and there is a couple missionary there in the house. Elder and Sister Leal. Who had gotten home that day from Manuas, so they were still in Name Tag. I was a little surprised, but it was very good. They are two retired people who love missionary work. They were full time in field missionaries. So they will help us a whole lot.

The day after Christmas. I went on Divisão Splits with the Elders in my district. I went with Elder Baldiviezo, he is from Bolivia, but lived in Provo as a child so he speaks english too. (actually his english is better than his portugues) It was my first time leading a division (district) and it was very enlightening. It is a great privilege I have to do divisions (splits) and to help these missionaries. On the division we went to lunch and had to help make it, but that was fine because lunch was at a Pizza Parlor (that is for Lincoln) We helped them make the pizza and while the pizza was cooking they gave us this awesome apetzier to eat. It was french fries, fried in fat with bacon and with a lot of cheese on top and some type of sause. It was absolutely delicous (Dad and Scott, isn´t there a canadian dish kinda like that?) I ate more of the fries than I did the pizza.

We are also just starting to receive Referalls from the members. Now we are starting to get some work going here.

But to end the week. ON Saturday we went to visit Fred, but he had left so we remarked came back later that night. When we got there, there was already a member there, who had just helped Fred with a setback. His family had come from Bahia and had tempted him, but he is firm is his resolution again and he still has repentance he can do. I just really kinda had to laugh at it all, it was super sad, but he´ll get stronger every day, One thing that he said, he may take some time to get over some issues, but he will never miss church when he isn´t working.

All in all it was a good week. and we are in for one more week. I am really tired. this new responsibility is really tiring, but I am really enjoying it. Presidente Fortunato is coming to visit us today so it should be fun.

Love you lots.

Elder Applegate

Feliz Natal‏ Merry Christmas

Dec 23, 2013

The Elders of the Mission

This was a great week to prepare for Christmas.

On monday we went back to Fred and marked a date with him and made goals to keep him away from the addictions. Then we made the sacrifice and called him everyday at 5:30 in the morning, because he usually smoked when he woke up. 

Then on Tuesday we had our Conferencia de Natal Christmas Conference with the whole mission. We had to be there at 8 in the morning so we woke up at 4:30 to get there in time. It was such a wonderful program and was so much fun to see all the missionaries in the mission and talk with some good friends and see how my old areas are doing. We had a great lunch, Turkey, potatoes, salad, chicken courdon bleu and of course beans and rices. We sang wonderful musica and the spirit was very nice. it was a sweet spirit. 

Elder Griffen, Elder Applegate, Elder Bleazard

Elders from the Mission

Elder Vargas, Elder Applegate, Elder Vargas

Sweets, Chocolates and Cupcakes....Work of Art!

Christmas Conference 2013

Food for the Missionaries 

Wednesday it rained alot, and we visited Fred 3 times. we also took him to a family night (mormon party really) where they had games, Brazilian BBQ, we had to leave before it started but he really enjoyed it.

Thursday we did an exchange with the Zone Leader. It was a very good day, but nothing really special. except that when we started the division (splits) we forgot to give a phone to the other elders our junior companions, on their way home they got lost and it freaked us out, but then they found their way home. 

Friday - Fred was Baptized, but it was hard to get it all to work well. We had marked his interview for 2 o'clock. The other missionarios were there ,but Fred wasn't. He was in the bank in the center, so he said he would be back soon, then he got back and was stressed out with life and wanted to stop everything and just give up (this was at 4) so we talked with him a little went to the interview. (4:30) he passed, when we left the chapel it was (5:15) His baptism was marked for 6, so we ran home got the clothes and got back to the chapel at 6h30, then we waited for another half hour for the rest of the people to get there. he was finally baptized at 7:00 and after that was the ward dinner, which was marked for 7:30, we stayed to help Fred get more involved with the members, but it didn't actually start until 9:00, so we went home before it even started, but Fred liked it. 

Elder Applegate, Fred, Elder Ogden Dec 20, 2013

Saturday it rained ALOT we got soaking wet, but we were happy because Fred was baptized. .

Sunday we had the coolest day, we went back to BH to perform. We got there early and practiced.  Then we did the program, The chapel was so full it was fuller than stake conference in Salem.  Full of members, visitors, people from all over the place. There in the crowd I saw a bunch of members from my 1st area. We did a wonderful performance. THe spirit was so strong that many many many people were crying at the end of it. After the program i got to see and talk with one of my converts! Thiago e Lohana were there and it was super great to talk with them and see them again. It was such an inspirational day and a great way to prepare for christmas. After the program we got a ride back to Sete Lagoas with the State deputy Governer, who is a member. We had a wonderful ride back in a really nice truck. I found out it was the husband of the woman I interviewed to be baptized. All in all it was a wonderful week and a very wonderul preparation for christmas this week. 

THis is a wonderful time of year and I know that this will be the best christmas of my life, because i will be giving my all to the lord. Have a very merry Christmas. Feliz Natal pra todo mundo. Merry Christmas to everyone  Love you all!

ELder Applegate

Until Wednesday

Unexpected Difficulties

Dec 16, 2013

So this was a very slow week

I was sick for the first half. I had a virus, (but i am better now) But because of this virus i was not able to visit Fred and he did not answer his phone, so we jsut had to on the faith that he was doing well. Which he was, until this weekend, when he fell and smoked and then drank. Now we need to go back to help him a little bit more so that he can change his life. Also we had 3 investigators who just straight up disappeared. We haven´t found them again yet, but we will find more.

Really not much time this week to write, and really not much to write about. Just this one. We met this guy in a wheel chair. he told us to come over to his house, so we went, He didn't have any interest in the gospel, he just wanted us to help him achieve his political goals to change the city. He was a very angry, sad man who had no pride of his city or his country. Talking with him just made me even more proud of my city and my country. We do live in a blessed land, a promised land really. I will write a letter today with more details and send it to ya´ll.

Thanks for the Prayers, I love you all! Until Next week. 

Elder Applegate

Craig FINALLY recieved his Christmas Package!!  200 dollars and a special trip to the city later....

Unexpected Opportunities

Dec 10, 2013

Hey family

Remember that drunk guy who hugged me last week? Well his name is Fred and he will be baptized on Saturday. We went back the day after he hugged me and we started to teach him. He gave up drinking and smoking, went to church and is now preparing to be baptized. He went to church for the first time after 16 years and got really emotional. Now he just has to stay firm and not drink or smoke. Pray for Fred that he will have the force to stay firm. 

Also there was some emergency transfers. 

Elder Dunford was transfered to the office and I was called to be District Leader. It was a very unexpected phone call because transfers actually happened today. So I got promoted unexpected and I gave my first district meeting today. It was a pretty cool experience. I also had my first Baptismal Interview which was also a really neat experience. Being so guided in my questions and understanding the Investigator. But it was weird because she was a woman and it was just her and I in the room (with the other missionarios outside the door) I am sure i will get used to it more and it´ll all turn out right. Yeah I am really excited for this chance. 

The District

Yesterday we had our practice for our Christmas conference and we had the surprise of Presidente being there to watch. After the practice he spoke to us and it was really cool. He is such an Inspired man. The music is going to be really good. and we will also be singing on the 22nd for a fireside in BH So it'll be really cool.

We also found a family that is really good, its just that they aren't married. so we have to marry them first. they have a four year old son who reminds me a lot of Lincoln. Also I was showing my pictures to some members (it was a picure of us four kids) and three of them asked me, pointing to me in the picture, if that was my brother because it looks alot like me. They didn´t believe that it was me. Because I have lost weight since then and I have a lot more freckles. 

The work is going well here in Brazil, I am having a lot more opportunities to serve others now and I am very excited. 
Love you all
Elder Applegate

December Begins

Dec 2, 2013

Family

Well december has begun. The wonderful month of december. Here is a quick update of what happened this week

We had peach pie for thanksgiving after we made it. (it was really good, thanks for the recipe Grandma!)

We had lunch with two 12 year old member boys.

I was hugged by 3 drunk people on saturday (3 different times)

I was splashed by a bus and a puddle 2 times on saturday, you know that comic cliche splashing thing. yeah that happened

I went on splits with Elder Dunford (DL) who is from my group in the CTM and it was super fun to teach with someone on my same level. And we got more Açaí after.

Splits with the District Leader

and we were teaching a young guy, but he decided to stop learning because he was getting confused after what he read on the internet.

It was a week of ups and downs, but it was a very well worked week and  I am very happy. I am ready to start over with a clean slate this month and find lots of people to teach and to baptize. December will be a month of Miracles! 

Also funny story from today. We were on the bus and the ticket lady said that she would give us of receits later. Then as she was getting off when we were leaving she told the driver to give these receits to the two young men, and then she said "you know, the Mormons" and I laughed out loud. We are very well recognized here and it is very good. 

I have very little time today, because I have to catch a bus here soon, but Keep on praying for me. Pray that I can find people to teach and that we can reach our baptismal goal for this month. :) Love you all!

Elder Applegate