Vamos Aperfeiçoar

Oi oi oi!

 

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! My Christmas was great: lunch with a big part member/non member/inactive member family, an awesome Skype with my family (vos amo), some contacts, a lesson with a drunk family, and some overeating with some members.

 

Today is a busy day with limited email time (working with the mission office to get permission to move).  It's great being a missionary and inviting people to start the next year strong and make goals to more fully follow Christ in their lives. I certainly want that for myself. I'm planning for a year of aperfeiçoamento - a year of improving as much as I possibly can. Overall that is our purpose here in this life; to learn and become as much as we can like the perfect being, our Father in Heaven. It's my prayer that we all set goals and prepare ourselves to "aperfeiçoar".

 

Feliz Natal e um bom Novo Ano!!

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário de A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Barreto - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

Olá gente!

I have a new companion. His name is Élder Fernández. He is from Chile and this will be his last transfer. And he is EXACTLY 3 years more than me! We will have quite the party on February 1st. He is a great missionary and I am learning so much from him. At the beginning of the transfer, I was missing Élder Medeiros (which I probably always will) and was a little annoyed with the change in work style, but I have quickly gained an appreciation and am so grateful to have him as a companion and look forward to the miracles ahead.

 

Natal (Christmas) sure is different on the mission. A little less candy, a lot more walking, and somehow, a lot more soda. It's weird not to be making rocky road and to be singing Christmas songs in a different language. But I couldn't ask for a better Christmas season. The opportunity to share the gift of the Gospel this time of year is so special and we have met many people this time of year who need to know the source of this light.

This week I was blessed with an opportunity that I've been waiting for since the second day in Brasil, although I never anticipated it would unfold the way it did. Happily, I can finally say that Kauã dos Santos is a baptized and confirmed member of the Church. It was a great gift to be able to participate in these ordinances. Both of those experiences helped me realize the true meaning of Natal.  It is not found under a tree or inside a box. It is found when following the great and straight path of our Heavenly Father's plan of happiness.

Feliz Natal!!

Vos amo, 

Élder Hamilton

Foto 1 - With Eduardo and Maria Helenahe

Foto 2 - Me and Kauã

Foto 3 - We fount this beautiful Christmas Tree and daughter of God

 

 

Compartilhe-o!

Oi gente,

After 23 weeks of "training", 12 weeks in Colorado and 11 in Rio, I can officially say that I am not a greeny!! I will stay here in Barreto, but will have a new companion. His name is Elder Fernández and I will meet him tomorrow to start the 7 week transfer.

 

This week we had zone conference. It was an incredible conference with great instruction and stories from Presidente Lima, training from the mission leaders, getting called up to share my testimony, and an incredible church video that made me weep. That was all the great part of the conference.  My companion and were talking to Elder Fontes, the missionary that I replaced, during the lunch at the conference. He is a zone leader and  an incredible missionary who I have gotten to know pretty well. Just as we sat down to eat, Elder Fontes collapsed.  We now know that he has a genetic brain problem that manifest itself for the first time with a massive hemorrage, and right now he is in the hospital in a coma. Please pray for Elder Fontes. He certainly needs a miracle right now.  The experience including telling his former converts about it has certainly been humbling. It makes me so grateful that I am blessed with the desire to do this great work and the health that makes to capable.

 

I gave a talk yesterday in sacrament meeting and talked about how this holiday season is the perfect time to share the best gift we have to offer; the love of the Lord and His gospel. Hearts are changing, ears are opening. Don't be afraid to share the light you have with others. You may just help in the making of the best christmas for a child or two of God.

Feliz Natal!

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário de A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Barreto - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

A Vontade Do Senhor

Oi,

 

I heard that Morgan Freeman died last week. I will miss his movies.

 

Today is a busy day and I don't have a whole lot to say, so I'll keep this one short. Elder Medeiros and I made great plans for the week and worked really hard to accomplish our goals. Despite our efforts, we had disappointment after disapointment. Baptisms dropping, missionaries in the hospital, no one being home/flaking on commitments, bosses dying... just weird stuff. The missionaries of our zone have been questioning what we could have done better and the more we've thought about this, we've realized that we didn't miss anything. We've done the work we have been called to do and after all of that, the results will be according to the will and timing of the Lord. While in some ways accepting His will has been hard this week, I have no doubt that it is for the best. I know that I can always trust in our Heavenly Father's great plan that will ultimately result in true joy and great blessings.

 

"E, indo um pouco mais para diante, prostrou-se sobre o seu rosto, orando e dizendo: Meu Pai, se é possível, passe de mim este cálice: Todavia, não seja como eu quero, mas como tu queres." (Mateus 26:39)

 

Oh, and here is a picture I shot of a macocinho. Até mais! 

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário de A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Barreto - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

Bençãos na Frente

Oi gente,

 

Flamengo won O Copo de Brasil (The Cup of Brazil)! I'm so proud of my team! (they have been my team even before arriving here).  Bittersweetly we didn't watch the game on Thursday, but at around midnight were woken by the victory celebrations in the street below, a lovely mixture of shouting, fireworks, gunshots, and music. It was quite the party!

 

I hit the 6 month mark on Friday!!  The mission spoiled me with a mission tour. Elder Eduardo Gavarret of the area presidency of the Seventy came for the tour and we heard great discourses from him, his wife, and Presidente and Sister Lima. It was an incredible mission tour and I have made goals to apply their teachings to my work. I also got to see Elder Braun!! Elder Steven Braun was one of my neighbors at BYU.  It was great to catch up with him.

It was another intense week work-wise preparing people for baptism. We had some great lessons with Vinicios and he has been working hard to get permission from his mom. It's been incredible for me to the see the conviction he has to be baptized and learn about the gospel and to see the change and joy the gospel has brought into his life. We had a baptismal interview with him that he passed with flying colors, but... we had plans to talk to his mom, and someway, somehow, she left two days early for the States. Luckily hope is not lost!  We have made contact with his dad who happens to be awesome! We explained the situation to him and he understood clearly and agreed that Vinicios should be baptized! So now we will  work on getting permission for Vinicios' dad to sign.

 

I wish I had more time for these letters. The life of a missionary is so exciting and full of inspirational experiences. As a missionary my understanding of service has greatly increased.  I know that when we serve those around us, we are serving God. As we more fully learn to love and serve our Heavenly Father, he will provide us with the blessings that he has for us. These blessings might not come  in the way we expect or initially desire, but our Father In Heaven knows us perfectly and will provide exactly what we need.

 

Até mais!

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário de A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Barreto - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

 

This was probably the craziest week of my life. Correction: this was probably the craziest week of my life. And, of course, what was the primary cause of the craziness? Mothers.

 

We have 2 investigators we focused on to prepare for baptism this week.

 

1) Kauã - The missionaries have been working with him for a long time now. He is 9 years old and lives with his aunt (member), mom, and grandma. He has been coming to church for the last 3 Sundays and wants to be baptized. We just need permission from his grandma and mom. This has been a challenge for us because the grandma is almost always working, the mom is almost always at the bar, and neither of them want Kauã to be baptized. But this week, we finally got the opportunity to talk to the grandma and teach her about the importance and benefits of baptism. After a couple dozen com certezas, she agreed to let Kauã be baptized. Unfortunately, we have to wait until we talk to the mother, but with patience and diligence, it will all work out.

 

2) Vinicios: 17 year old boy that a member and I found in the street during a ward missionary activity. When we first started teaching him, he had absolutely now faith in God and was full of questions and doubts. But he has been attending church every Sunday, keeping commitments, and even attending seminary. He has a great desire to learn and find more joy in life, but he has just struggled to gain faith. Well, on Friday, everything changed. We prepared a special lesson for him, answering his questions and studying scriptures to help him gain faith. The spirit was so strong and after 2 hours jam packed with scriptures, questions, and testimonies, he repeatedly said "I believe". We invited him to pray and it was so powerful! Afterwards a big wide grin came across his face, he was filled with pure love and joy. We felt impressed to show him the baptismal font. He asked us about the baptismal service and Sunday, and after inviting him, he accepted to be baptized!! It's been incredible to see how much the gospel has already changed him and the happiness it brings to his life.

 

Because he is still a minor, we had to get permission from Vinicios' mother. Later that night, we got a phone call from his mother, telling us that her son doesn't have faith in the things we are teaching him and that he can't be baptized... despite our disappointment, we were determined to soften her heart. So the next day, we visited the home and taught her about baptism. She had a lot of doubts, but it was awesome to see Vinicio defend his beliefs. By the end of the lesson, she said that Vinicios can be baptized with the condition that we wait for him to be more prepared.  Vinicios' mom leaves for the United States on December 3rd and will be gone until August, so this coming Sunday is the last opportunity Vinicios will have to be baptized. So please pray for him! Vinicios, my companion, and I have committed to reading the scriptures and praying everyday for his baptism to be this week. This will be a week to look forward to.

 

There has been a lot of gunshots on our street lately.  On Wednesday we obediently arrived home at 9:30 on the dot and heard gunshots on the street in front of our apartment 3 minutes later.  I was reminded the blessings of strict obedience to the mission rules!  I feel safe and protected doing the Lord's work despite the crazy circumstances.

 

Com Deus gente,

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário de A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Barreto - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

Oi,

 

If I'm a cat, I have 5 lives left (apparently cats in Brasil only have 7 lives).  It's really starting to get hot here. Wednesday started as probably the hottest day yet, but after a quick visit to the church for water and a meeting with Bispo, we walked out into a storm. We had 15 minutes to get to an appointment up the valley, so we made our way through the rain. We arrived to an empty house and the rain getting really heavy. We decided to wait a minute for the storm to pass and watch the lightning come down through the valley. I looked over to my right when all the sudden a lightning bolt struck the ground about 6 meters away, bursting our ears and illuminating our view. It literally scared the Português out of me. I couldn't tell if it was the heat from the lightning bolt or the pee in my pants that instantly warmed my body, we didn´t stay around long enough to find out.

 

I've been asked what my apartment it like.  Its not for American eyes to see.  Even though it has become my loved sweet home, it is like something you would see in a horror film. We have 2 lights that work in the house, and a washing machine that often likes to make clothes dirtier than they were before. Last week I found a bag of vomit under the stove.

 

This week was one of those strange and rough weeks. Appointment after appointment fell through, and we struggled to find people to teach. Friday was a holiday (Brasil has many random holidays) and everyone but the wild dogs went to the beach for the weekend. Our area was like Disneyland after 9/11. But strangely enough, it was still a very rewarding week. We have a miracle with an inactive family that is coming back to the church. If you are looking for someone to pray for, Leonardo and Renata can use it. Renata has brought their 4 children to church for the last 3 sundays , and she and Leonardo have a great desire to do what is right for themselves and their family. Leonardo works every day of the week and taking Sundays off would be the difference between barely feeding the large family and not being able to feed them at all. This Sunday he came to church for 2nd hour! It is inspiring to see his willingness to make sacrifices for the Lord.

 

We have an exciting week ahead of us. Our zone has a goal for 10 baptisms this month and so far we have 4. Elder Medeiros and I have 3 people that can be baptized this week: Kauã, Vinicios, and Bruna. We are fasting, praying, and working hard for a miraculous week.

 

That's it for now. Hope you all have a good week. God be with you! 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário de A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Barreto - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mudança

Bom Dia!

Well, my first transfer in Brazil is over. Already. Looking back, it´s amazing to consider all the experiences and miracles Elder Medeiros and I have participated in this transfer. And there is so much ahead. Luckily, Elder Medeiros and I are staying in Barreto and we are so excited for this next transfer! There is something about it that we can't explain, but we know it will be a great one.

 

And so begins A Transferênçia de Milagres/The Transfer of Miracles.

 

 

Leonardo was baptized this week! We´ve been waiting for this moment for too long. Leonardo (age 28) has been investigating and attending the church for over 2 months and has a great testimony of the gospel. But when we would talk to him about baptism, things would get crazy. Doubts would arise, excuses would be made... and it just didn´t make sense. We have been praying for a change of heart and well, it happened! He called us and told us that he was ready to be baptized. And within 3 days, we had a baptism.

Brasileiros crack me up. The baptism was scheduled for 7:30pm, Leonardo showed up at 8pm and by 8:30pm we had a full house and beautiful baptism. Leonardo was baptized by his best friend Gustavo. Gustavo is 16 and a convert of 2 months.  He comes with us to appointments and is already planning on serving a mission; he is my hero. When Leonardo came out of the water, he stopped in place for a moment and started to weep for joy. It was a moment I will never forget. It's amazing that God has restored his Priesthood power for us to enter the waters of baptism and find the love and joy He has in store for us.

 

I am learning that the mission is all about change and repentance. As missionaries, we invite people to come to Christ; we teach what our Heavenly Father has in store for His children and show the way to a better life with faith in Jesus Christ. He invites us to change for the better and become more like Him. And the ONLY way we can do this is through repentance. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can come to the Lord, become clean, leave behind the old us, and be like Him. Repentance is something that I've feared and never truly never understood until now, but as I repent every day, I feel the peace and happiness Heavenly Father wants us to have. I am so grateful for this opportunity to change.  I know that I can become the missionary and the person the Lord needs me to be.

 

Com Deus Irmãos, 

Élder Hamilton

 

"So let us go to the place of penitence. If going there is what it takes to make us truly penitent and to enable us to lay claim to the gift of mercy, then we have to do it. I know it isn´t easy to go back and undo and make a new beginning, but I believe with all my heart that it is easier and surely more satisfying to begin anew than go on and try to believe that justice will not take its toll." - Elder Jeffery R. Holland

Olá amigos e famílias,

So I´ve been thinking a lot about family this week. Don´t worry, I don´t miss you... well I do... but I´m not homesick. I´ve just had a great week with experiences that reminded me how grateful I am for my family and the importance of families in this life.


 

This Saturday (dois de Novembro) was "Dia Dos Mortos". It´s a brazilian holiday, comparable to the mexican traditional holiday "Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos? I don´t remember spanish so don´t judge), where everyone gathers at the cemeteries to visit loved ones. Lots of singing, lots of praying, lots of incense, lots of tears. And lots of fun! We had a mission-wide activity from 7am until noon visiting big cemeteries throughout Rio and sharing five minute messages on the plan of Salvation with anyone who would listen. We joined a group of 100 missionaries at a HUGE cemetery in Caju. It stretched out for miles and even had maps and signs to help people get around. This may sound weird, (well, it doesn´t if you know me well enough) but being in the cemetery made me feel like I was at home. It was amazing to be with people at their family member's grave testifying of God´s wonderful plan of happiness for us and sharing that we will be with those we love after this life.

 

Many of you are probably wondering how the Português is coming. I can happily say that I'm encouraged. Last Monday, we found a new family on the street. We met with them a couple days later, and they are just awesome! The family consists of a young couple, Rodrigo e Areta, in their mid 20´s, and their son, named Caiu, just over a year old. Before this week, I never believed in the "you are sent to meet specific people on your mission" thing, but I think I´ve changed my mind. When I sat in the living room of that beautiful family, I had the strongest feeling that they were ready of the blessings of the Gospel. We had a great lesson on the Restoration, and for the first time on my entire mission, even including my time in Colorado, I felt that I had expressed everything I wanted them to know. The Spirit was so strong and they are now committed to learn for themselves about the truth and to be baptized! They are leaving town for work until December... but that's alright. I´ve made it a goal to have fluency by the next time we meet with them. Time moves so fast out here, they will be back before I know it.

 

Well that´s it for now. Bom dia!

 

Com Deus,

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário de A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Barreto, São Gonçalo - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

Poder de Oração (Power of Prayer)

Happy Halloween everyone! I hope you are enjoying it for me, because they don´t really have Halloween in Brazil. Eu terei falta pelo Halloween... Tanto faz.

 

So I almost died this week. Elder Medeiros and I got 2 referrals from members in the ward this week that were in the favelas. Because they were referrals we were permitted to go. So Friday, we went and looked for the first one. We were greeted by a kid (probably 17 or 18) with a walky-talky sitting on a wall in the alley. Elder Medeiros asked the kid if he knew a Carlos and where house number 105 was, and the kid responded "sei não, sei não" (I don´t know x2). So we kept walking to look for Carlos. I would´ve shared a quick summary of the restoration to let him know that we are legit, but it was too late. We found the house and were answered by a different man. While Elder Medieros talked to the man to see if Carlos was there, I happened to look back and made eye to eye contact with the kid while he was in the middle of a handoff. He then talked into his walky-talky and a motorcycle came racing down the hill. As the bike got closer, me, Elder Medieros, and the man we were talking to turned around to see what was going on. As I turned around, I stuck my chest out a little bit to make sure my name tag well seen. There was one guy driving and another guy on the back with a pistol checking us out as they were passed.... Luckily, he didn´t shoot and they drove away. Carlos wasn´t home, so we were happy to leave.

 

After that experience, I was a little reluctant to go into more favelas the next day. But I was so glad we followed up with that second referral, because we found a beautiful family of 3 who we are now teaching! All of our investigators recently have been either single or widowed and we have been praying to find just ONE family to teach, and how many new "legal" families do we have now? Four! The power of prayer is so awesome! I love how, Nephi teaches that as we have true righteous desires, the Lord will "consecrate our prayers". I am so grateful for that truth. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God". He is always there, He is always listening to the prayers of His children, and He is ready to pour out the blessings unto us. I am reminded of that every time I open my mouth here.

 

Ser Mórmon é ser feliz.

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário de A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Barreto - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

Just a quick note this week. I have a busy day today and wanted to let everyone know I am doing great! Here are a couple pictures:

 

Foto um: I love the views here. Although my área is a little sketchy. My mom would not approve of it. Quite a bit of crime and violence around me here. We hear "tiros" quite often and saw a bomb explosion from across the street this week. I love Barreto:)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foto dois: Élder Medieros and I made a new friend!

I´m really happy. So happy that its really bugging me. I should be more frustrated, desperate, and stressed because I am really struggling with the language and am practically of no help. I have the faith that I will eventually learn the language, and am praying for the patience to endure until that time. I wonder why am I the one who actually got a visa and what my purpose is right now.

 

Hope all is well. Love you all!

 

Tchau

  

Élder Hamilton

Missionário de A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Barreto - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

Bom dia!

 

This has been quite the week! Full of lessons and invitations, sweet and stressful and tranquilo and joy and all that great stuff.

 

I wish I had time to talk about all the great investigators we have right now, but that simply wouldn´t be possible. We have so many! It´s awesome. 15 mais o menos. We picked up 11 new investigators this week.  Brasileiros are the bomb! They are the nicest people I´ve ever encountered. They think with their hearts and are sensitive to the influence of the Spirit. They are open minded and willing to serve God. They also like to talk. A LOT. And they talk very fast. They are such fun people and I am falling more in love with the country and the people as I am better able to understand what they are saying.

 

The language has been quite killer. Practically no one here speaks English, and if they  aren't missionaries, they don´t like to speak it. With all the confusion and awkward encounters, I have had a lot of doubt floating around in my head. At the peak of my discouragement, I received a miracle. Stake conference was this weekend and guess who was there? Elder Steven Snow!! (of the 1st quorum of the Seventy.) He gave such amazing talks. And he spoke English! And strangely enough, he talked about learning a language on his mission! He served in Germany and struggled with the language.  He talked about how much compassion he has for missionaries learning a language. He said that through patience, faith, and diligence, he was able to learn German and that he was ready when he was needed. It was a struggle that was well worth it and has blessed his life. So I´m stoked now!! I feel revamped and ready. I know that I am one of thousands of missionaries who the Lord can trust to endure this challenge, and I know that no matter how hard it will be, it will be well worth it.

 

Well I´ve got to go... Até logo!

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário para A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Barro Vermelho - Rio De Janeiro

 

 

Niterói Zona (best zone in the mission)

 

 

 

Oi tudos!

 

I hope everyone had a great conference weekend! If you haven´t watched conference yet, go watch it! I suggest watching Elder M. Russell Ballard´s talk on missionary work. We are in an exciting era of the Hastening Of The Work and time is more than ever for us to share the Gospel. It was a very inspiring conference and it gave me the comfort and direction I need to get through this time in my life that is even harder than I expected it would be.

 

So for those of you who don´t know yet, I´m in Brazil!!! I received my visa a couple weeks ago and am going on my 7th day in Rio. Out of the wave of 24 new missionaries (well at least new to the Rio de Janeiro mission,) I am one of the five lucky Americans that came this week.

 

My new companion is Elder Medeiros, and he is so legit! He has only been on the mission for 3 months (two less months than me!) and he is training me while taking on the responsibilities as district leader! He is an amazing missionary and I am learning so much from him. We are serving in the Ala Barelo in Barro Vermelho. I feel like I´m living the dream. I get fed the most AMAZING food and I can eat all that I want because by the time I get home from a long, fun day of hard work, I´ve already sweated all the weigh off! Yeah, doesn´t get much better than that! Rio is so pretty and fun and crazy and exciting! I have a feeling it will be hard to go back home at the end of my two years.

 

But great as this all is, Português is really hard right now. My companion is a Brasilheiro so we don´t talk a whole lot right now. And the people of Rio are so hard to understand! They talk a million miles and hour and add a "shh" sound to everything! Sounds like people are just telling me to be quiet. As slow going is the language is, I can´t help but to smile and be happy. One because that is about all I can offer right now, but I have so much to be grateful for right now! Through my patience and faith, I am witnessing God blessing me with the gift of tongues. I am so grateful for everything I currently can offer already as a missionary, and I look for to the rest of my time here in Rio!!

 

Because I am in the new mission now, here is my new address:

 

Elder Alexander James Hamilton

Rua Dois de Dezembro

78 Salsas 703/704

Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro-RJ

Brasil 22220-040

 

I love hearing from you all. So if you´d like, please write to this address, and I will right you back! Remember to use international stamps or 3 american postal stamps. While my email time is limited, also remember that you can always email me at alexander.hamilton@myldsmail.net.

 

Well I hope all is well! I love you all and godspeed!!

 

Amo,

Élder Hamilton

Missionário para A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Barro Vermelho - Rio De Janeiro