Missão Maravilhosa

Well, this will be my last message until I return home in May.

I really am having a hard time of putting into words everything I'd like to say. So I'll just send some pictures to say it and my testimony.

These have surely been the best two years. Not the easiest, not the most predictable, but the best. The more I look back, the more grateful I am to the Lord for everything the mission has done for me. But it's not what I've gained that brings me the most joy but what others have gained along the way and the blessing of getting to know these people.

God lives. He is our father. This is the church of His Son, the very Son who atoned for us. By making and keeping covenants, we are transformed. It all starts with baptism, then He guides us, molds us and makes us whole.

In the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, amen.
 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Rio das Ostras, Estaca Macaé - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

Family night with Liliane and Marcos

Baptism of Daiane, Kalissa and Kauane.  Our miracle from McDonald's

 







A parrot and I

 

 

 

 

Servir é Amar

I'll finally have time to write a decent letter this week.

Wednesday we had a district leader/new missionary meeting which was really cool. Elder Cruz visited us. I got to know him and his family in the Madureira stake and he will be a mission president next month. I also got to see a lot of great friends from the mission, and was nice to be able to say goodbye to them.

I ended up traveling A LOT this week. from Rio das Ostras to Rio Cumprido to Andaraí to Cabo Frio to Rio das Ostras to Araruama to Cabo Frio to Rio das Ostras again. All that from Tuesday to Friday. And we were worried because everything has become difficult with João. On thursday, I brought my zone leader to my area to do some interviews. We stopped by a members house. He told us that he heard that João would move the next day. So we ran to his house. Luckly he won't be moving until this next wednsday. But we were anxious,  and inspired to invite him to be baptized before moving. At first he still was doubting himself, but after a very spiritual hour, he changed in a blink of an eye. He wanted to be baptized. And yesterday, he was baptized, confirmed and ordained a priest.

Usually fast and testimony meeting is the most dreaded day of the month for a missionary who brings visitors. But this fast sunday was different, great. Testimonies on baptism, of pure joy, recent converts, families who have returned to the church. One testimony caught my attention that said "This week the Elders we coming from Araruama to have lunch with us and didn't make it until 5 in the afternoon. And they were so excited, so happy to be so late because they were so busy serving". The service and work we do is because we love people and love God. And when we serve with love, we are only on the Lord's errand. As so, people feel the spirit, they recognize the truth, and miracles happen. Nothing that has happened on my mission was because of me but because the Lord loves his children and is reaching out to them. And what a privilege that has been in my long(ish) life!

Love you all. See ya in 18 days!!

 

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias 

Ala Rio das Ostras, Estaca Macaé - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

Páscoa/Conferência Geral

Happy Easter! I hope everyone had a great week in remembrance of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Conference was great too. I talked to my newby companion afterwards about the conference and he said they talked alot about missionary work. I told him that I didn't hear too much on that subject. :)

But don't worry I'm working hard here! We are on a roll these days. Had 8 visitors at general conference this week. It's awesome how the words of the prophets capture all people. Men undeniably called of God. We are excited for this week for 4 baptisms on Saturday and 1 more on Friday. Please keep praying for us, we need it!!

Thanks everyone! Até mais,

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Rio das Ostras, Estaca Macaé - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

Pictures from Alex's last zone meeting / funeral:

 

 

Mais trinte dois

This week was intense.

João and Elane got married this week! It was a beautiful simple service. Unfortunately his baptism didn't work out for this week.. but they will get back from their honeymoon on the 7th of april and we have planned the baptism for the 11th. So we are still working on it.

 

 

 

And that almost ruined our shot to baptize this week, but nothing could stop us. We've been working with João Dimas to be baptized on April 4th, he's had some big problems with health and also some complications in the ward, but after a miraculous response to our prayers and his, everything fell through on Saturday morning and we felt impressed to invite him to be baptized on Sunday morning. And now João Dimas is a whole new man. Less stressed, smilely; a member of the church of Jesus Christ!

We had 13 visitors at church this week, 8 of them being new ! Now we are ready to rock, ready to work with these new people, new families.

Well that's it for now.

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Rio das Ostras, Estaca Macaé - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

Here is a letter Alex received this week from a boy he taught and baptized in his first area:

Elder Hamilton,

How are you bro?  Dude, you are talking Portuguese very well, with slang and all.  Today I spoke in church for the first time and chose to wear the tie you gave me.  I really hope one day you can find me again, you and Elder Fonseca are part of my life and are very important to me.  Good news also:  I am starting my application and plan to leave on a mission at the end of the year.  We are all well here, more and more by reading the scriptures, I am gaining knowledge of the Gospel.

A strong hug,

Victor

Perseverar Até o Fim

Today is transfer day, and we are staying here in Rio das Ostras!! And the son shall kill his father. 

 

I'm still going to pretend that this isn't the last transfer... but that will be a little hard! haha. I am pumped to work to the finish these last 5 weeks. Elder Luna and I have a weekly baptism plan that is actually very possible. So thats what we'll do. Please pray for João and Elane, that is our loftiest goal and it needs to happen this week.

 

The transfer ended with a great Sunday. We had many new visitors at church and also a family reactivated!! They are awesome, Marcos and Liliane. The have 5 boys, 5 great future missionaries.

 

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Rio das Ostras, Estaca Macaé - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

Novidades...

I'm sorry guys, I truly am getting terrible at these emails.  You all can ask me how the last two transfers of my mission were when I get home...

But for the time being, everything is really great! I have traveled so much this transfer it's not even funny, but we are still finding a way to serve our growing group of investigators. Many great ones these days too.

Please pray for João and Elane. This is a family we are working with that we will need some miracles to be able to get married so they can be baptized in two weeks. We have a few others who have baptismal dates. We are teaching a rising brazilian country singer who is scheduled for April 4th.  He is captivated by the book of mormon.

Love you all!

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Rio das Ostras, Estaca Macaé - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

Just Pictures

 

Howdy

Things are happening here in Rio das Ostras (Oyster River). Started out a little slow since the last missionaries left with hardly anything going on. But these first crazy three weeks have been good and we now have a decent teaching pool.

I love the members here, they are so great! You start to talk about missionary work and all the sudden they are asking about investigators that they want us to meet and give us great references. We started an activity in our district called "O Domingo que Ninguém Chegou Sozinho" or "The Sunday that Nobody Showed Up Alone". We are going to the members and making goals with them to bring a friend to church one sunday of the month. Everyone is participating and we are starting to see the results!

So here in Brazil (I imagine that I've already mentioned this before), marriage is a complicated situation. The government usually delays the process and couples end up giving up or getting discouraged. We have many families who we are preparing that need to be married. It's a process that requires great patience, but we are seeing a lot of changes in these families. We focused most of our time this week teaching families the importance of eternal marriages in the temple. This has clarify my perspective on the importance of my family. Families aren't just an earthly idea, but the foundation of God's eternal plan of happiness. The more I work and strive to eternally change the life of families here in Rio, the more I realize how much I love my family and look forward to my own future family.  I know that the lessons learned here will bless my family forever.

As famílias poderão ser eternas!

Family can be together forever!

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Rio das Ostras, Estaca Macaé - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

Hey

Quick update today:

Everything is great. Healthy and happy. My companion is too. We had 10 visitors in the ward this week, and things are really going well.

Sorry that this is so short, I'll write a well elaborated card this next week.

Até mais!

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Rio das Ostras, Estaca Macaé - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

 

 

Feliz Carnaval!!

This week has been quite interesting. I showed up with my companion in Rio das Ostras (our new area) on Wednesday. The next day, we traveled to Cabo Frio for a zone meeting and when we got back that afternoon we worked on finding new people to teach close to the house. And then the next day carnaval started, and we have to return home everyday at 1 oclock... Despite all the distractions, it was a surprisingly productive week, but I am getting anxious to work longer hours to get to know the investigators and ward members better. From what we've seen so far, Rio das Ostras is awesome!! and the members are great and love to help with missionary work.

My companion is Elder Luna. Fresh from the MTC. He is from Bahia Brazil but was living in Goianas before the mission. He's 25 years old, he's a whole lot bigger than me, and he is awesome! Very determined and wants to learn everything. We are spending a good amount of time studying the area book this week and preparing for a huge week ahead. I am super excited and know that we will see miracles here in Rio das Ostras.

Até mais,

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Rio das Ostras, Estaca Macaé - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

Região dos Lagos Para Sempre

Today is transfer day and a lot has changed!!

Last monday was an emergency transfer. My companion ended going home a little early and I went back to São Pedro with another Elder. His name is Elder Rojas. He is a great friend of mine, we both passed in Bangu. The only thing is that he is from Miami so he's a Heat fan.. But he's awesome guy and a great missionary. We had a great week together and saw some progress in the ward with some new visitors.

This week I will be transferred. I will be going to Rio das Ostras!! It's still part of the 'Região dos Lagos' and I've heard great things about the area. I'll be training a new missionary (again) who will get here tomorrow. We will be opening the area and I will be the new district leader there.

I can't believe I only have two transfers left!! (Don't worry I'm not trunky yet.) Ive been praying and fasting for some opportunities to finish my mission strong and to expand my work to help fulfill President Cabral's vision. I know that the Lord is giving me a huge opportunity to make the best of my remaining time. For that I am so grateful and so excited!!

Thats it for now. Sionara!

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Cabo Frio, Estaca Macaé - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

Obrigado galeira!

I spent the whole email time responding to birthday messages and talking with Presidente Cabral. Thanks everyone I love you all!!

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Cabo Frio, Estaca Macaé - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nossas Vozes Elevemos

Hello!

Sorry that my emails have been so lame these last weeks. Everything is going well. I'm happy, I'm working, the sun is shining (well, burning). And alot has been happening. But at the same time not much exciting is happening. This area has great potential. This is the week. when it will all change for the better. I have realized that we need to concentrate on teaching more like the Lord taught. I know what we must do, and I know this week we will rescue, invite others unto christ, and we will baptize!

That's it for now. Love you!!

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Cabo Frio, Estaca Macaé - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

Pray for miracles

Everything is going well here.  We are working hard to make up for the lost work of last week and have some baptisms scheduled in the coming weeks

So much is changing in this mission right now and I want to make the difference the mission president is seeking. I heard that President Harrison has been speaking about being specific in our prayers for righteous desires.  My righteous desire is that I can accomplish the mission goal of weekly baptisms.  I know that your prayers can help this miracle happen.

 

Love you all!

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Cabo Frio, Estaca Macaé - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello

This was a challenging week. Wednesday, my companion started foaming from the mouth and passed out for about 15 minutes. We spent two days and a night in the hospital and then the rest of the week  home for recovery. I was disappointed that we were deterred from finding and teaching, but looking back I realize I truly learned some great lessons. We had interviews with our mission president and he also raised the standards of excellence this week. I am so excited for a new week and the opportunity to make miracles.  Pray for us!

Love you all!

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Cabo Frio, Estaca Macaé - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

 

O Começo e O Fim

Happy new year/Feliz Ano Novo/Feliz Ano Nuevo!!

After an unexpected stay in Rio, we made it back to São Pedro for the new year. My new companion/beloved son, is Elder R. Santos. He is from Itaguaí, Rio and is serving a mission 'curto prazo', basically part time. He's a good kid and very friendly, so our investigators are liking him.

And now that the holidays and parties are over, everyone is coming back home. We have found some awesome new investigators. 2015 is already turning out to be a great year. I know this is going to the year of miracles, I can just feel it!

Thats it for now, love you guys!

 

Élder Hamilton

Missionário d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias

Ala Cabo Frio, Estaca Macaé - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro