March 25

HAPPY EASTER!!!  

I´m like 90% sure easter is this next sunday so happpyyyy Eastterrr haha.   My week was pretty good.  Me and Elder Dean are workin hard!  I´m loving this new area!  Tancredo Neves is super legit.  It´s a small area, so I don´t have to walk around a ton, the members help, AND give references.  I love references.  The members like love the missionaries.  They do EVERYthing that they can to prevent lunch from falling through.   The sisters give lunch here in brasil to the missionaries.  So we always are at the members house eating lunch.  It´s super nice!  

As for the work.  It was pretty good.  ME and Elder Dean are trying to find a really prepared family.  Some good investigaters are coming out of the woodworks, but nothing super super promising yet.  We are still going to keep looking.  We teach well together and we bring in the spirit pretty quick to testify to the investigators.  

We had a meeting with the stake president this week.  He is super happy with the stake and wants to divide a couple of areas.  He called us to pass this information to the missionaries in our Zone.  He wants to divide two areas in me and Elder Deans Zone.  So we got some work to do and a lot of divisions haha.  He wants to have 30 baptisms in a part of the area that is difficult to have baptisms and is SUPER far away from the church.  But hey 1 Nephi 3:7 haha.  It was really cool seeing how revelation works with the stake president.  The spirit like leaks out of Stake Presidents, it´s great,  We walked out of the meeting SUPER excited to get to work and pass this info to the Zone this week in district meeting!! WOO!!  haha

I hope we all remember our savior this easter and all he does for us.  I´m so thankful for all he has done.  I know the attonement is real and it can cure us and clean us.  I know Heavenly Father loves us so much,  he sent his son to die for us.  When we realize what that sacrifice means, we will finally be able to change our lives for the better.

Happy Easter,

Love Elder Diamond

March 4

Oh by the way some new news.... MY MISSIONS DIVIDING!!  The mission Brasil Fortaleza LESTE is going to be opening up on the first of JULY.  That means that the mission will be spliting basically in half.  I´m very interested to see what´s going to happen and i´m SO HAPPY that I get to take part of this truly remarkable experience.  Who knows I might get a new mission president??  Sure hope not I love President Souza haha!  

The week was good, as usual.  The start was a little bit difficult in the feeling that we weren´t teaching to much.  But it got better as the week went on and sunday we taught like crazy.  We also had a baptism friday which was GREAT!  Sister Ismênia was baptised!  She is 61 years old and i´m telling you she is super elect.  We started teaching her through a reference, she was actually baptised in the church in the year of 88 but never recieved the holy ghost and so it wasn´t valid.  She didn´t have any dificulties accepting the invitation to be baptised again.  Friday came and she entered the waters of batism.  It was so great.  Sunday she was confirmed, I was blessing the sacrement so I had a view of the audience and I caught a glimpse of what was happening to her after her confirmation.  She was weeping tears of joy.  I´m SO SO thankful that Heavenly Father let´s me be apart of these peoples lives.  I meet so many special people each day and I know that God prepares each child of his for the restored gospel.  

My testimoney has grown a lot this week.  1 year and 4 months kinda hit me big this week.  I only have a little bit longer to keep representing the savior and his church.  I´m going to keep going and finish right.  My goal is to "return with honor"!!   I know without doubt that Christ lives and that this is his Church.  I love love being a missionary and helping people.  Super excited for this week.  I´ll keep you posted on what´s happing in the CE (the state of Ceará) :)

Have a wonderful weekend,

I love you

Elder Diamond

Feb 25

So as for my week,,

This week was pretty productive.  Started off pretty good.  I enjoyed my last p-day.  Was able to rest a lot.  Prepared me for the week because the week was nuts.  Tuesday was a dificult day, EVERYTHING fell through so we walked around and made contacts and tried to teach.  The week got better,  Thursday we had Zone Conference!  It´s always fun going to Zone conference.  You learn so many neat things and are able to make your teaching skills that much better.  I saw Elder Pinheiro!  Needless to say I missed that little man!  It´s great seeing old friends and seeing how they are.  

The rest of the week went pretty good.  We started teaching a lot toward the end of the week.  We ran out of water and still don´t have water in the house.  So we walk every night to the other missionaries house to take a nice COLD FREEZING shower.  I miss hot showers but luckfully I can still shower.  Their is an area in the mission, well a zone, that is in the interior that they are having major water problems.  They go 4 days with water 3 days with out.  The elders have to take baths with Buckets!  I´ve done it a couple of times it´s quite fun haha.  Oh the mission, definately the best two years.

Went to Aldeota today to go renew my visa today.  Woke up at 6 a clock and didn´t get back home until 3:30 in the after noon.  Total drag but i´m glad I got it over with.  I can sleep next week I guess!   I feel bad for the secretaries of the mission they don´t even get to have pday, they are to busy working and helping the missionaries out.  :S

Our teaching pool was big, but we cut a lot of people who just aren´t progressing.  We should have a baptism this week.  Pray for us.  I enjoy the mission a lot.  I enjoy the routine of waking up, studying, and proslyting.  It´s like the highest of highs and the lowest of lows all in one experience.  My testimony grows each day!  I can feel the saviors prescence in my life.  I´m thankful for the support I recieve and help from each person.  Thanks SO much for the prayers.  I know god hears and answers them.  

Me and my companion, Elder Guimarães, are having a good time.  This area is pretty fun.  The members are very receptive the the missionaries. 

Love you more,

Elder Diamond 

Feb 18

This area is pretty great.  It´s really calm and doesn´t have a lot of noise in the street.  Here in Fortaleza it´s legal to have a HUGE soundsystem in the back of your car, so people usual drive in the streets BLASTING music.  It´s quite annoying.  But here it´s more calm.  The nearest market is 2 minute walk on foot.  So it´s not to bad.  It isn´t a walmart or harmons or anything but it has food haha.  This area is a really safe area apparently.  NIghts are very calm.  Most of my teaching pool is in a condominum.  We are trying to find more families.  I want to baptise a family haha.  I still haven´t gotten the camera yet.  Maybe this week i´ll get it, the card as well.  

This week was good.  The start marked the end of Carnavel.  I dislike carnavel.  It´s a wicked holliday but it ended ha.  We couldn´t find to many people at the beggining of the week but we managed to get some lessons in those first couple days.  Wednesday marked the end of it.  Thank goodness.  We found a couple of people this week but nothing to crazy.  I´d just like to share an experience I had this week.

We were marked to pass by and teach this family on Wednesday ( end of carnavel ).  Ends up we start hearing a ton of yelling yada yada yada.  Basically the husband was kicked out of the house because he gets super jealous easily yada yada yada....  They live in an apartment upstairs and the husband came down and was sitting on the stairs.  We talked with him for a couple of minutes and tried to calm him down.  Went upstairs,talked with the wife, she was pretty mad, it was a mess.  I didn´t really know what to think of the situation.  I was led by the spirit and ended up giving some advice to the wife, but she didn´t want  the husband back in the house.  We walked out and talked to the husband and he had no where to stay.  I thought about his consequences for his jealousy that he made up.  We tried to help the family but it just didn´t seem to work out in that moment.  We walked out and passed the next day to see how they were.  The husband was back in the house.  Not sure what happened but I believe something we had said helped the wife forgive the husband.  

Ok that was a long story that doesn´t make a ton of sence.  I´ll sum up my thoughts about it ha.  1)  Don´t be jealous, that ruins relationships.  2)  This whole mess would have been avoided if they would have been rooted in the gospel of Christ.  I´m SO thankful that i am able to have an eternal family.  And have a well functioning family.  I´ve learned a ton her about how to be a better person not only for my wife but everyone I come in contact with

We had a baptism this week!  It was pretty good.  Kairo (10).  He was baptised and we are teaching the family.  I´d attatch photos but i´m without them at the moment.  His family went to the baptism and they seemed to enjoy.  Who knows maybe i´ll be the missionary to baptise this family :D  i´ll keep you all updated.  

Love 

Elder Diamond!

Feb 11

As for this week,

I love throwing things in my suitcase to be transfered... Not.  Ha but seriously i´m liking my new area.  The area is called Conjunto Ceará.  It doesn´t really have to many markets or anything.  We don´t even have a bank in this area.  Oh well.  My companion is Elder Guimarães.  You can call him guimi.  He is a pretty great Elder.  He has been on the mission for 5 months, i´m his second companion.  He is really dependant on his companion. I´m going to try to help him prepare to be a lider and seniorin this transfer.  He doesn´t really have to much confidence in his teaching ability.  But hey that´s why we have preach my gospel ehh??

I gave a talk this sunday about reverence, inspiration, and revelation.  Was pretty fun.  I was up there talking portuguese like a boss.  I didn´t realize I gave a fifteen minute talk and I was still talking but the bishops counseler hit my leg to close the talk.  Ha.  I think I officialy don´t have any fear to give talks in church anymore.  It´s actually pretty fun trying to inspire my brothers :D 

We taught some good lessons this week.  We found 22 new investigators.  SO that should be a pretty nice addition to our teaching pool.  I got here and they only left me kids to teach. I was like oh heck no we finding families.  Started contacting up a storm and found a couple. Unfortunately this week is a holiday called Carnavel.  It´s such a stupid holiday.  Just another excuse for people to get drunk and throw eggs and flour on eachother.  and not go to church. >.> ugh.  Oh well.  We should have a baptism this saturday of a kid named Kiro.  He is pretty good kid.  I need a family though.  Baptising families ROCK.  Actually any baptisms ROCK.  

I´m quite happy it´s  p -day though.  I´m going to eat and be happy and charge my body for one more week of work in Fortaleza.  I love this gospel,  I love this mission!

I Love you,

Elder Diamond

pics

Feb 4

The week was pretty good aside from dificulties.  As for what happened.  I got sick with a cold the first three days, so that slowed the work down.  I´m still a little sick.  As I get better to be able to start working.  Elder Pinheiros wisdom tooth decides to come in.  Didn´t help to much.  I got worried a lot because we weren´t able to pass Karina and Rafael to close out the baptism.  Had a good experience though.  The day we passed and talked with Rafael.  He only smoked 1.  His progress is awesome!  Karina accepted baptism and was finally baptised sunday.  Very spiritual baptismal reunion.  That family is almost complete, just two more kids!

So as for the transfers,.... I got transfered!  I´m not sure how I feel about it yet.  I enjoyed my last area.  I heard though that this new area is good.  Seems to be booming with sucess.  I´m in the Caucaia zone, in an area called Conjunto Ceará 1.  My companion is a greeny, just got done being trained.  He looks and reminds me of my bishop in my first area that I passed so much.  He has a lot of will to work.  SO i´m going to have to help him out a lot this transfer.  I´m going to definately miss being in my last house though.  It was nice.  

This last transfer was a lot of fun with Elder Pinheiro.  We had some good sucess and passed through a lot.  I´m glad Heavenly Father gave me the opportunity to train him.  He reminds me a little of me in the form of his heart.  They are basically the same thing.   Some times it was difficult but as you reflect on memories, until as far back as the start of the mission, the bad parts don´t appear.  Me walking in the blazing sun everyday, sweating so much, doesn´t clogg my memories.  What cloggs my memories is all the laughing and fun I had helping people recieve the restored Gospel.  Watching the miricles happen each transfer.  The person growth that happens to one during the mission.  The Testimony i´ve gained and the doubt turning to knowing.  

I know that only better things lie in store for me.  Never look back.  People don´t even take into consideration that the fact that the new could be something even better than the last.  Heavenly Father is always giving us opportunities to be better and to find even more happiness.  I know the Gospel, when put in practice, brings miricles to the lives of each person.  I was in church sunday and I was reflecting a lot about the Spirit and it´s role.   I know God lives and loves us and I know he is a God of Miricles, just look at me! 

With love,

Elder Diamond

Jan 28

The week was hmmmm how can I explain it.  A week haha.  Elder Pinheiro, as a part of is training, is now taking control of everything.  He plans, chooses where to go, what to teach, who to pass, etc.  So it´s been kinda fun being on the backburner this week.  Unfortunately our numbers weren´t to high and not much results came.  But it´s alright he is still learning.  It´s kinda cool though seeing my growth as a missionary.  Because I used to be alot like him.  After a while though you learn how to become and effective missionary.  I´m excited to work these last nine months.  Next week are transfers and i´m eager to know if i´m going to stay 5 more weeks or go to another area. 

Daniel and Jonatan were confirmed yesterday.  These kids are awesome.  When we passed their house at 8:45 they were already ready waiting for us at the door.  They are even bringing their friends and that gives us an opportunity to teach other peoples families.  I know  with out a shadow of a doubt that your example truly does affect others.  So do something nice.

I´ve been putting in my diary lately the things i´ve been learning every day.  The message this week is to keep a diary.  It´s fun looking back on the things you passed and laugh on them.  Seeing how much you´ve grown or how far you´ve  come along.

I fought a ton with sleep this week.  It´s more and more difficult each day to wake up at 6:30.  I don´t know how I do it.  Pretty sure Heavenly Father is helping me haha.  Hoping to have two baptisms this week.  Rafael ( 20) and Karina (14)  they are brother and sister the family are recent converts and Rafael has a problem with smoking and drugs.  But he is getting a lot better.  He only smokes 2 a day now compared to 20.   I can see the atonement working  in him.  Karina just has a problem with taking our her piercings.  Reminds me of my hair haha.  But the church does take a stand against piercings and not hair is the only difference.  Pray for her so she may take them out and have that change of heart.

Love you

Elder Diamond!

Jan 21

The week was pretty great,

Had interviews with President.  It´s always great talking to President Souza.  He truly is so inspired.  Always knows what to say.  We made a goal till the end of my mission that I would be able to learn the technique of goal setting.  I really want to learn how to work with goals and learn how to master the technique of setting a goal and achieving it.  Our numbers weren´t too great this week because of the interviews being one day and we had to clean the baptismal font emptying it by using BUCKETS.  Took three hours >.>  But it was worth it. 

We had two baptisms this week.  Jonatan ( 15) and Daniel (13).  Was super awesome.  These kids are awesome.  They come from a family of 12 and the dad walked out of the family one day.  But they have an amazing spirit that anyone can feel.  I´m so SO blessed to help these people and know them.  They really do strengthen my testimony.  I can´t believe i´ve been here for 1 year and 3 months 9 more and i´m home.  Let´s just think of it as a pregnancy.... Nooo that´s kinda weird!  

Ha anyway, this week me and Elder Pinheiro are gonna work RLY hard to help these sinners!  Pinheiro is at the part of his training when I let him do EVERYTHING..... This week should be interesting... :D  sweeeet.  The transfers come a long quite well to say the least.  Two weeks left in the transfer and we are hoping  to baptise a couple of more souls. They are precious!  

Love you all 

Elder Diamond!

Jan 14

Anyways this week was pretty good.  We had some ups and downs, as usual.  I´ll start with the bad.  The bad part was that 3 of the 4 baptisms didn´t work out.  The better news is that they should work out this week.  Raneire (33)  was baptised this week.  I got kind of emotional at his baptism yesterday.  I alomost started to cry.  I remember vividly the first time I taught him when he didn´t want nothing with nothing.  When he walked in the church last night to be baptised he shook my hand and gave me a hug.  That family is now complete in the gospel.  MIricles exist!  

I´ve been really tired this week.  I´ve been staying up a little bit past 10:30 due to divisions and things like that but it´s good.  I already got my beauty sleep on pday!  SO GREAT!  

Sorry the letter is short but i´ve just been teachin some and baptisin some,  kinda what I do ;)  

Have a good week LOVE YOU!

Jan 7

The week was up and down but ended REALLLY good.  I woke up one day this week, forgot which day, without the will to do ANYTHING, I was so tired.  It was a pretty difficult day.  I decided that we all have those days.  When just nothing seems to make you happy.  But the day everything went back to normal.  Like eclasiastics 3 says "everything under heaven has its determined time".  Without sadness their would be no happiness!  Anyways I saw a lot of miricles this week.  

To start, we got a reference from a recent convert.  His name is Pedro ( 14) .  He went to church this last sunday and we passed his house on wednesday this week and invited him to be baptised.  Passed thursday taught him the word of wisdom.  Was baptised yesterday!  It was awesome!  The service was great.  We have a great ward mission leader that just got called recently that has a lot of plans to help us.  As for other investigators, i´m going pretty crazy with whats happening.  My teaching pool, at the moment, is full of prepared investigators that are progressing.  We are aiming to have 4 baptisms this week!  Reniere (35), his family are members and he is the only one not baptised.  He has a problem with drinking but he is going to church every week and is trying his best to stop!  I´m excited to see the miricle of seeing him be baptised this week.  I passed by there my first transfer here with armoa but he didn´t want ANYTHING to do with  the church.  Not sure what happen (the spirit of the lord), but he changed!  Rafael (23)  he is a young man that is the son of a recent convert.  We were walking to pedros baptismal service and I was talking with him and asked him if he wanted to prepare to be baptised for this week.  He accepted!  Jonatan (15) and Daniel (13).  They are both brothers and live in a really poor area.  Including them, they come from a family of 12 brothers and sisters.  The mother is alone raising the kids, but most of them are older.  The mother isn´t quite ready to leave her church to go to Christs church and so we are hoping that Daniel and Jonatan will be an example to her and that will get her to go to the baptismal service!

I absolutely love this gospel and I know what I am doing is God´s work.  This is the lords church,  I love you all, 

Elder Diamond

New Year

The week was great.  Back out working after christmas.  I was starting to get ansy.  I truley enjoy missionary work.  It´s the most tiring thing i´ve done in my life, hands down, but it´s very rewarding.  We are working a lot more with doing contacts.  The zone i´m in has a goal to do 70 contacts a week.  For a lot of missions that is basically nothing, but in Fortaleza you don´t really need to do contacts, you are always finding through members and recent converts, well that is how I work at least.  Not baptisms unfortunately this week.  Lauriçete left AGAIN for the new year.  The holidays are a drag to bring people to church and repentance.  I almost feel like the whole holiday of christmas was turned into a drinking fest here.  As well with the new year.  I still don´t understand the whole concept of spend the last day of the year drunk and not remember it the next day >.>  OH well, they have their agency.  

We had a cool lesson sunday.  Taught me how the spirit works and how God allows people to be born with challenges the bless the lives of others.  We did a contact with some people who couldn´t hear.  We ended up entering their house and shared the message of the restoration of the Gospel of Christ.  It was pretty fun trying to use sign language to get  our point across.  I could feel the spirit working through me, and through them to understand.  I knew that they wouldn´t go to church and get baptised or anything but it was nice leaving a message with them about god.  They understood the message and we invited them to pray to know.  It was pretty special.  I walked out of the lesson pretty happy and feeling blessed for being able to get to know such humble people.  

As we go on to the new year I hope we set reasonable goals that we may be able to achieve.  This is one of my favorite stories in the bible and I hope you may all watch it and have awonderful year.  http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/mormon-messages?lang=eng&query=new+year#2010-12-21-new-years-look-not-behind-thee 

Look not behind thee

Elder Diamond