Email 7-8-13

Today I thought that i would have some super super exciting news having to do with the transfers.  It didn’t really end up like we all thought it would. Ha ha. I stayed here in our areas.  And so did Elder B_____. We are staying companions and staying in BOTH of the areas. Our mission president and the stake president have been talking about how they would definitely be split but there are 18 missionaries in the stated waiting for visas. So, maybe they will get here during this next transfer, or maybe not. We’ll see. 

This week we had a fourth of July party. I forgot my camera to send the pictures, but next week I’ll remember it for sure. We went to the store, (the big one where we trust the food) :)  And bought a bunch of ground beef and made giant hamburgers. We ate them with pineapple and barbecue sauce that we found too. It was the first time that Elder V_______ (from Paraguay) had ever eaten hamburgers like that. We made an awesome video and Elder V_______ yells WELCOME TO AMERICA!!! but it’s too long to send so I guess you’ll see it when I get home. :)

We finally got all of the details worked out to get into our new house and today we started moving all of our stuff there. We got all of our bags over there and all of the furniture should be getting there today or tomorrow. So, we might be staying at our old house if the stuff doesn’t get there. Either way is fine. But Elder J____ that lived with us, he got transferred and Elder V_______ will train a new missionary that will arrive tomorrow night. 

Everything was good this week, we were working with a bunch of people that all seemed interested   during the first few lessons but now they are seeming less and less interested every time we go. It’s sad, and we pretty much visited everyone in our ``teaching pool`` last week trying to help them out, but none of them wanted to hear or accept it. So, this next week we’re going to focus on the people that are prepared, and leave the others that don't want it right now. We will be making tons and tons of contacts, and making news. It’s the one thing that almost no-one likes to do, but it is necessary to have people to teach! Ha ha. It’s weird too, because everyone gives us looks in the road like we’re from another planet, and if we stop and talk to them they always get all freaked out. But we’re excited to increase our teaching group this week and give people the opportunity to accept the truth.

We have been going by N_______ house and re-teaching some of the lessons to help her stay firm in the church. She has been going to institute and our family home evenings. It’s cool to see someone get introduced to the Gospel and see them grow. No one in her family are members of the church, and go to another church ``sometimes`` so we’ll see what we can do about that situation!

Congrats to F_____! That’s insane!! That’s the first time I’ve ever heard of anyone going where they really wanted to! He’s going to love it! My comp.’s brother served in Russia too and loved it.

I have gotten tons of the pictures that you’ve sent. I’m not sure how many you’ve sent, so I don't know if I’ve gotten all of them or not.

And we got a phone call from the ZL´s and they said they had a package for me. So Wednesday I should get that from them.

People here want to see some pics of the snow! If you could send me one or a few, that’d be great.

And L___ wanted some advice for a missionary coming to Brazil. Get used to eating the same thing every day, the heat, and cold showers. And, get ready to meet some of the most humble people in the world.  It’s great! :)

-Elder Kyler Blane Farr

Email 7-1-13

Alright!

This week was one of the best ones yet. Like I said last week, we had been working with a young woman, helping her get over her fear of water and just helping her realize through prayer she really needed to open the door to the rest of her life as a member of the church. We went on divisions with the zone leaders, and were walking down her street on our way to a different appointment when we saw her. She was just standing there so of course we went over and started talking to her. We got the idea that IF she wanted to, right then we could do her baptismal interview. She was kind of hesitant but she said it would work out. We got everything worked out, got the keys to the chapel, and went and did the interview! She passed! That was on Wednesday and we set the date for the baptism for Saturday morning (because she´s kind of shy and didn´t want there to be tons of people there.) We went to get the Baptismal paper filled out on Thursday, and answered some little questions. We asked her who she wanted to baptize her and she said she was still thinking about it, which was fine, we still had a few days. Friday night we were at a ward party and she wasn´t there so we called her. She couldn’t go for some reason, but she said on the phone that she wanted me to baptize her. It was so cool! We got there on Saturday and everything went just as planned. It was a miracle how everything all worked out perfectly.

Like three weeks ago I kicked one of the bed posts super hard and I broke my big toe nail. I didn't think anything of it but the past two weeks it has been looking pretty gross. It got super ingrown. I didn't want to go to the doctor to get it cut so I just kept putting it off. I left it for about two weeks. It was super nasty. I guess my companion had had enough with it so he made me call the mission secretaries. They got an appointment set up and we went. It was on Saturday. As soon as we got there to the mission office (which is pretty close to the doctor’s office) it started to rain pretty hard! We had 30 minutes to walk to the other office and it was about a 20 minute walk. As we started walking it began to pour down rain SUPER HARD! We didn't have a choice but to just keep walking. We got about half way there, we were soaking wet, and still had a ways to go. We decided to wait under a cover on the sidewalk and see if it would let up. It didn't, but what did happen was the water started running down the street that we had to cross! It was like a nightmare. We debated how we were going to do it and just decided to cross right there. There was a good six inches of water but it had to be done. :) We were completely soaked from head to toe when we got there. Dripping wet, standing in the lobby, the lady called me back. I told her I was wet and didn't want to get everything else wet too. She said it wasn't a problem so I just sat down. I took off my shoes, put them up on the leg rest and she began taking off my socks! I was so embarrassed, but her face was priceless! She took my socks off and rung out all of the water and just started laughing. She operated and took a huge chunk of toenail from the side of my toe. It was super gross but it´s healing up nicely now. I´ll remember that day for the rest of my life!

Our stake president, (who is actually American. He served his mission here forever ago, married a Brazilian and now they have lived here for like 20ish years) told us that after this transfer we will be getting new missionaries in our areas. So depending on where my companion and me go, either way there will be one companionship in Cidade Oeste and one in Jerusalém. He promised the ward this, but I guess we´ll see for sure at transfers next week! :)

The work is still progressing nicely here. My and my comp. have an awesome relationship! I love the mission. I´m learning so much, and wouldn´t trade it for anything.

Have a great week :)

-Elder Kyler Blane Farr!

A little more from Elder Kyler:    1 July 2013

BTW I saw a thermometer here that said 40 degrees Celsius in the sun. What does that convert to??   (104 degrees F)   I didn’t think it was that hot here!! I figured like 90´s with humidity.. 104!  freak...   yeah, I just saw the thermometer in the road... With humidity at like 50%......... SO HOT

there’s a bit of a breeze right now though, which cools it down a tad.   The humidity level is usually between 50 and 70%

ha ha ha the hot season is only about..... 12 months out of the year!   It´s the same all year round, with 3 months of rain, but it´s worse because of the humidity. ;)   I´m definitely more adjusted though, not that that really means anything though; everyone is always sweaty.

(B_____ just said to tell you that he's glad you went on your mission!!)   ha ha, tell B______ I’m glad I’m here too! 

(in response to our joy on his being asked to Baptize her)  It was awesome; the hardest thing was trying to remember her full name! The names of the people here are so long and hard to remember! It all worked out though. I forgot to write in the e-mail, that we saw her paying her tithing at church yesterday!!!!!!! Best feeling ever! I love it.

(in response to our concern on the painfulness of his toe and walking on it all day)   it hurt so bad!! But the thought of them cutting it seemed worse! It was bad, but not like I thought it would have been.   After I got my toe operated on we took one afternoon off, but now I’m walking on it all day, but it´s better than it was. I had to take a shower with a bag over my foot too. Ha ha

(in response to the Milanesa he made)    I used a type of flour, I forgot the name, it wouldn’t matter though, it would have a different name there! It´s like little fine breadcrumbs. And they don’t have saltines anyways ha ha.   Elder V_______ from Paraguay already knew about it, it was a little different from how they do it there. I don’t know how they do it, but he´ll make it for me this week. 

(in response to the possible changes next transfer with the new Elders and the 2 wards they are currently covering)   No one knows with our mission president, they might close an area; It´s impossible to tell. 

(in response to the picture of him and the Ward Mission Leader in Jatobá)  Most of the leaders in the church are super young here. That WML is like 35 but most of them are recent return missionaries, like 25 years old, or even younger. .It’s cool though, they still have that young spark for missionary work.

Pictures!

Email 6-24-13

Herro!

This week was pretty much all over the place. We finally got a house found. We got all of the paperwork done for it, and we should be moving into it this next week or the week after. It’s awesome. It’s not that big but it’s so clean and just got done being remodeled!

We have been working with N_____ this past week. She stopped drinking coffee and realized that she really was addicted. People think that it’s just nothing, and it can’t do bad... WRONG! Anyways, She was already taught everything and knows it all to be true for herself; the only thing stopping her from being baptized was her fear of water. It ended up working out perfectly because in the Liahona that just came out there is an article about a child that had a fear of water because they almost drowned when they were little, the same exact situation with N_____. We shared it with her and she realized that it really isn't as big of a problem as she thinks, and all we need to do is ask for strength from our Heavenly Father and our trials become nothing that can stop us from doing what’s right. She also has to take medicine every weekend for some medical reason, and it puts her in a lot of pain on Saturday and Sunday. She said it literally is not possible for her to go to church because of the pain. We testified to her that if she has the faith that with the Lord's help, she would overcome it. She said she would try it. I didn't think anything of it, people always say they will do things and never do them. We got to church on yesterday and guess what!?!? She was THERE! It was awesome. It was a miracle.

I was on exchanges with Elder V_______, from Paraguay. (One of the missionaries that live with us.) And he remembered this house that he stopped at in our area about 4 months with one of the missionaries that were there before us. We got to the house and I recognized it to be one of the names they had left for us. We had tried stopping by numerous times, trying to find them in home, but it never worked out! Elder V_______ was pretty persistent on knocking it, so we did. She ended up being there and she was so excited! Turns out she has been taught everything too. She wants to be Baptized but she has to get married first. But, her ``man`` doesn't want to. It´s very difficult, but we´ll be stopping by there again this next week with a super awesome lesson on families, and how they can be together forever. The first step is marriage. I love teaching Eternal families, I know how important it is, and how it can bring people joy and happiness.

The Bishop of one of our wards came up to us this week and said, Elders.. I have a list of people here that don't exist. Can you go and make sure that they really do not exist for me!? I felt like it was the biggest waste of a day at the time. We walked for a good four hours straight going from one corner of our area and all across it. It was ridiculous. ha ha we were both pretty annoyed, but as I look back on it now, we encountered so many people to teach that day! Most of them really didn´t exist, or live there anymore, but a few of them did. Those few made it all worth it!

This makes me think of a story one of the Elders gave for one of our lunch messages one time. We were eating with a fisherman. The Elder wanted to relate fishing to the message and at the end, he started talking about how us, as missionaries use a net to find people to teach, But when we have help from the members our net gets much larger! I liked how he related that. But it is so true, help from the members helps us find the ``elect`` of God!

We did watch the transmission, they tried to get it in English but it didn't work out. It was super good though! I loved it.

We usually only make real food on p-day, like today we made a roast! It was just like Sunday dinner back home! But I don't think we´ll be making it anymore.. It was too good! :)

It is the same garlic salt that you sent me in Cali too! I´ve kept it until now. And there is still a ton left.

We were standing on our chairs to get a ``top view`` of the food.

The red head is Elder J____, and the dark haired one is Elder B_____ ( my comp. )

We do have Lunch appointments every day still with the members, and they don't even have tortillas here! Elder V______ made them and they were pretty much just like fry bread. Nothing like the tortillas they eat there in the states.

And, the American food is expensive everywhere here!

I think I got all of your questions answered! I hope everyone had a good week! I´m so excited B_____ is there too! Haaaave a good one!!

Love, Elder Kyler Blane Farr