Alvançar por Cristo

Oi pessoal,

 

For those of you who missed my email last week, sorry.  I took what I thought would be a short call from an investigator and didn't get back to the computer before my time expired. With the little time I have today, I will try and mix the email from this week and last week together... Vamo lá!

Well it's official, we have two sets of missionaries here in Ala Barreto!! Along with me and Elder Cassimiro, we now have Elder Le Sueur and Elder Klein. Both of them are from Texas, Le Sueur has over a year in the mission and Elder Klein just arrived in Brazil. They are awesome guys and are great missionaries. It's been a pretty crazy week getting everything settled in the area, moving houses, dividing the proselyting area and orienting the other missionaries with the area and work. It's been a bigger sacrifice for me than I thought it would be giving some of my favorite investigators and members to the other half. But all of this is so worth it.

 

Thursday (the week before) we had an activity here in our ward called "Capela Aberta" where all the missionaries came to our area, inviting everyone in the close neighborhoods for a tour in the church. It was a day full of miracles and we have found a great group of new investigators, even with baptismal dates!

 

This week we had zone conference. It was such a powerful meeting, and I walked out with many ways to improve my work and  efforts in the ward. The conference focused on personal revelation and making the most of the Lord's time. Between this conference and my experiences with investigators, I have learned a lot about free agency and the power of living in acordance with the will of God. For example, there is a young man here, about 14 years old that has been attending the church for a long time now. He lives with his aunt and cousin who are members (the cousin is active in the church and the aunt isn't), and he has  many friends in the church. In the past, he hasn't shown any interest at all in being baptized. But after some good lessons with him and powerful experiences with the book of Mormon, he will be baptized the coming month! It's awesome to see all the joy and change that is coming into his life because of the decisions he is making to live and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ!

It's incredible how quickly things are changing here for the better. Literally twice as many lessons are being taught here and there is so much excitement. It's a great blessing for me to be part of all of this. I love this work to much.


I've got to run.. Tchau!

 

Élder Hamilton

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

Ala Barreto - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro



 

No official email from Alex this week, just a couple of answers to Michelle's questions

On Feb 17, 2014, at 7:34 AM, Alexander Hamilton <alexander.hamilton@myldsmail.net> wrote:
bom dia!

 

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On Mon, Feb 17, 2014 at 7:36 AM, Michelle Hamilton <michelledhamilton@yahoo.com> wrote:

Good morning. How are you doing?
How was the move?
Did you get everything into your new place okay?
Do you like your new apartment?
What is it like? Send pics.
Where are your new comps from?

Mom

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On Feb 17, 2014, at 7:47 AM, Alexander Hamilton <alexander.hamilton@myldsmail.net> wrote:

The move went fine. The house needs some work and the electrity and water are out right now, but it will be nice once everything is up and running. Both of the new missionaries are from Texas. One has been out for a little over a year and the other one just got into the mission.

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On Mon, Feb 17, 2014 at 7:49 AM, Michelle Hamilton <michelledhamilton@yahoo.com> wrote:

How do you like living with three other missionaries?
Are the other missionaries great?
Where are you showering at?
Is it miserable sleeping at night with no electricity?
Do you feel like the area is safer? 

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On Feb 17, 2014, at 8:02 AM, Alexander Hamilton <alexander.hamilton@myldsmail.net> wrote:

The lights and water just went out yesterday and should come back before we finish p-day. The foursome is pretty complicated right now, but its a great group of missionaries. It feels a little bit safer, but someone did get shot and killed Saturday in front of the supermarket close to our home :) 

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On Mon, Feb 17, 2014 at 8:09 AM, Michelle Hamilton <michelledhamilton@yahoo.com> wrote:

A bystander got killed or a drug dealer/gang member ? Yikes. :/
Can you give us the address so we can look it up?

Will it be a better location for proselytizing? 

How does your ward like it?

Did you get my email?  I just sent you a picture. Did you get it?

 

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On Mon, Feb 17, 2014 at 8:16 AM,  Alexander Hamilton <alexander.hamilton@myldsmail.net> wrote: 

 

I don´t know the house number. Its on Rua Pio Borges close to where that street changes into Rua Marchal Floriano Peixoto. I got the emails.

 

I sent Jack an email last week. Can you let him know that? 

 

Élder Hamilton

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

Ala Barreto - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

 

Não um batismo, mas muitos!

Oi!

Everything is going great with my new companion Elder Cassimiro. He is nothing short of "show de bola" (insanely great). He is from São Paulo and is 24 years old. He's been a member for about 6 years.  His mom who was baptized a couple years after him. He is the most positive person I know, it's awesome! Just when I thought I had that attribute down, I realized how much better I can be and am excited to learn from him and change. He is very devoted and we work well together.

During district meeting this week, we got a phone call from Assistant Elder Knotts. He told us that they have a new set of missionaries and will put them in our ward. It has been up to us to coordinate with the ward to split the proselyting area, find a new house to move in, and prepare to receive these missionaries by today! I can't even describe how happy I am about this new change. It's something that I've always thought would be good for our ward but never thought would actually happen. It's going to be hard to split my families in half, but I am so grateful for all the miracles that are happening here in Ala Barreto.

Tô vindo, tchau!

Élder Hamilton

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

Ala Barreto - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

7 Semanas de Milagres

 Olá!!
This week, I got cleaver and decided to coordinate my email to pictures. Lets go!

 

Foto 1 - Família Dias (Left to right: Eduardo, Pedro, João Vitor, Liliam; in the front: Maria Eduarda)

This is why I´m on the mission: for families like this. Teaching João and Pedro was awesome and their baptism actually happened on the day that was planned from the beginning and to a full house. They brought a ton of friends and because we scheduled the baptism conveniently before a ward activity, we had many members there too. The baptism also brought Liliam and Eduardo to church for the first time in about 12 years.

Foto 2 - Left to right: Elder Hamilton, Pedro, João Vitor, Elder Fernandez = It was the pleasure of my companion to baptize Pedro and my pleasure to baptize João Vitor. Everything went perfectly. The talks, music, bem-vindos, everything. It was a baptism that I will never forget. I am so grateful for these two young men and the great example they are for me to simply follow the example of the Savior.

 

Foto 3 - Saturday was the birthday of both me and my companion (what are the odds we scored that?) I got lots of emails this week, so thank you everyone who wished me a happy birthday! If you forgot, arrependai-vos. Tô brincando. It was a great day. If you know me well, you also know that I can get myself into much trouble with my over-eating. What if I said that Saturday I ate the most food I've ever eaten in one day? Imagine that.

Foto 4 - Tomorrow morning, I say goodbye to this man. He's going home to Chile. My new companion will be Elder Cassimiro (another Paulista). This has been an incredible transfer. I have learned and grown so much and as a result seen so many miracles these 7 weeks with Elder Fernández. I will miss him. I have so much to thank him for, he has been such a great example of how I want to serve the rest of my mission. I am grateful for the great friend I have made, and I wish the best for Javier in the big world!

 

Até mais!

 

Élder Hamilton

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

Ala Barreto - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

Tantas Coisas..

Wow this week was intense! So much to say and so little time today. Where to begin? Oh, batismo.

Jaci was baptized this week!! It was quite the crazy day too. After a late start to the day in Niterói, we passed by the church to check if the member we asked to fill the baptismal font did so. We found the water running, but no plug in the drain. After putting the cap on and turning the water back on, we rehearsed a musical number and ran to the store to buy some refreshments for the baptism. But when we returned, the font was overflowing into the church! We started draining water bucket by bucket and cleaned up the disaster just in time. Despite the poor support from the ward (a grand total of six people at the baptism), it was a beautiful ceremony. Jaci is the father of one of our great friends and recent converts Bruno. Jaci is an awesome old man, very funny, full of so much life, my Brazilian Grandpa Hamilton. He was baptized by Bruno. It was so great to see the joy after he was baptized; he truly was born-again. Woohoo!!

The miracles keep rolling in with the new family we found last week. João Vitor and Pedro have come to all the activities this week, they are loving church and the lessons, and are beyond excited for their baptism. And they are great missionaries. EVERY TIME we go to their house to teach, they have a new friend with them waiting to be taught. And everyone on the street is asking about us. Liliam (the mom) said that there are about 15 other kids that are asking to hear our message. We have already handed our about 7 Book of Mormons to their friends. It's weird to walk on that street and see kids walking around with Books of Mormon. So many miracles happening. There is a new rule for all of the missions in Brazil that requires anyone who is 16 years or less to attend church for 3 months before they are eligible for baptisim.  Although the policy is well intended, it has led to several challenges and dissapointments. João and Pedro's best friend Vitoria has participated in all of their lessons and is just as prepared for baptism as the boys. Knowing the rule, we avoided talking to her about baptism, but she came to us and asked if she could be baptized with João and Pedro. She even brought her mother to the bishop to see if she could get approval. After explaining the situation with President Lima, we still didn't get approval. We will work and pray that she will be even more prepared at the end of 3 months.  I am so excited for the work we have ahead working with these 100 meninos and their families!

That's it. Bye. Love,

 

Élder Hamilton

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

Ala Barreto - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

Magica de Referências

This week the miracles are rolling in! I have an awesome story of the magic of help from the ward and referrals. Are you excited? Vamo la!
 

Wednesday, all of our plans dropped early in the day. We passed by the lanchonete of the coolest new converts João Vitor and Suhellen to buy açai and ask for referrals. João Vitor told us about a family he encountered the other day and the awesome discovery he found when talking to the mom, Liliam. The missionaries found her and her boyfriend about 14 years ago. She received the missionaries very well and they helped her to decide to get married. Liliam and Eduardo were married in the church. Before Liliam decided to be baptized, she had troubles concieving children. She made a promise with God that if she could have children, she would raise them to become missionaries someday. Shortly after her baptism, her first child João Vitor (age 12) was born. They now have two others, Pedro (age 11) and Maria Eduarda (age 3). Liliam and Eduardo stopped going to church about 11 years ago, simply due to their work schedules. This family is golden! Liliam still has a great testimony, and has continued to live gospel principles and provide a home of peace and morality. João Vitor and Pedro are very receptive and excited about the church and they even brought a friend to church yesterday. We have the baptisms for João Vitor and Pedro scheduled for January 30th!! We are so excited for them and the blessing of finding this great family. This is a family that certainly will become eternal.

 

Élder Hamilton

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

Ala Barreto - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro


 

Resgatada

Going into the mission, I expected the work to be focused on finding and baptizing people who are searching for the truth. It has been a blessing to be a part of that. What I didn't anticipate was the opportunity to work with less active families.  This has been extremely rewarding for me. They are children of God who are in need of  just as much help and light as those who haven't discovered it yet. And luckily in this mission, we are blessed with the charge to set goals and work on "rescuing families".

I have worked with Bruno and Angela since the first day I arrived in Rio. They are recent converts and are the greatest people. Angela is our second mom here: always worrying about us and making sure we are in good health, and on occasion makes delicious homemade ice cream:)   While she has always warmly welcomed us into their home, she had distanced herself from the church. We have visited them once a week, every week of my time here, inviting and inviting them to church. While Bruno generally comes, Angela continues to make excuses. This Sunday, after working with and begging her, she came to church!! It was so rewarding to see her participating and having the opportunity to partake of the sacrament. And she brought her crazy and awesome brother Vladimir! It was such a miracle for us and a reminder of the value of families here in this life.

 

Élder Hamilton

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

Ala Barreto - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro