São Pedro de Aldeia

I'm going to write this email as quickly and patiently as I can. Things have changed ... again.

 

Last week, I was in the mission office. The plan was for me to wait in the mission office for two weeks until new missionaries would arrive from Sao Paulo and I would return to Itaboraí to train an American. Then out of nowhere, Presidente called me and asked me to pack my bags and go with him to the stake conference in Arsenal (it was easy to pack since I still only had a small bag and the rest of my stuff was still in Itaboraí). While we were away at the conference Presidente called in four other missionaries, interviewed them, and assigned all five of us to different areas to resolve problems in various parts of the mission.  I have been sent to São Pedro de Aldeia to create several branches out of the existing Cabo Frio ward.  São Pedro de Aldeia is a coastal beach area of Rio. My companion is Elder Morales. I was actually really excited when I heard he would be my compantion. We served together in Niterói. He is awesome we are great friends. He is from North Carolina and has been out about a year.

 

Among all the change and chaos, I remain steadfast in my belief that this is Christ's work.  It is that conviction and knowledge of this doctrine that keeps me unshaken despite the trials and waves that afflict us. Christ is my
rock and I will never be shaken (Helaman 5:12)

Love y'all!!

 

Élder Hamilton

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

Ala Bangú - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

 

Caraca Muleuqe

Olá!!

It's funny how I make a promise to write a good email the next P-Day and how much harder that becomes. Well, I'm a man of my word.

Let's go back 4 weeks to explain 3 different areas with 4 different companions.

So it was mid-way through last transfer when me and Elder Fonseca split Bangu into 2 proselyting areas and took on 2 new gringo companions. My samoan son (Elder Apo) and I hit the ground running in the untouched lands of Bangu, Senador Camará, Santissimo, with it's great and spacious favelas (I lost count of how many cat lives I have, but I lost one more of them). It was an intensely hard three weeks but we had many miracles finding, teaching, and inviting people to come unto Christ. But then transfer came, and we were surprisedly transfered!

I went to an area called Itaboraí. Close to my first area here. I love Itaboraí. I kept the work going with Elder Souza, a legit kid from the capital of São Paulo. He is a great missionary and really loves the investigators here. And there are a ton of them!! Only problem is the area is huge and none of them live close to the other. We'll work on that.

On Saturday the assistants called and told us we needed to report to the mission office for emergency transfers. My companion was told to pack his bags, and I was told to bring 4 days worth of clothes. When we got to the mission office, my companion was called to be interviewed. Sadly, he went back to São Paulo.

And now I have been called as the referal secretary for the mission Rio de Janiero (basically the calling for missionaries who get sick and need to pass time in the mission office).  It's President's goal to find a new companion for me by Wednesday so I can return to my awesome area. Doesn't look too promising yet.

Despite all the change and chaos, my friends, I am so happy! It's such a privilege to be a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church. He lives. He loves us and has made possible our salvation. It is the fire that burns within me regardless of where and what I am called to do in this mission. I know that this mission is directed by an inspired president called of God to hasten the work of salvation in "Cidade Maravilhosa".

I love you all!!

Élder Hamilton

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

Ala Bangú - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

Mudança

Olá!!

So little time to write this week!

So everything was all normal and going how it had been going. Until 7pm on P-Day, the assistants called us and said, "Elder Fonseca and Elder Hamilton, tomorrow at 1pm, you need to be at the mission office. You both will be training new missionaries. Elder Fonseca will take area 'Bangu 1' and Elder Hamilton will open 'Bangu 2'."

My companion is Elder Apo. He is from Samoa and he is awesome!! He's 19, speaks fluent  English, and he hunts fish with spears. We are working on the east side of the area that comprises of the neighborhoods Bangu and Senador Camara. It's far away from the church and we did very little work on this side of the area, because we are supposed to focus on working around the church. Well not anymore. Its funny how much time I have in this area and how little I know the area now. But its been a fun start. The ward is super excited about  the new missionaries. I know without a doubt that we will be seeing a lot of miraculous changes here in the next few weeks!!

Thats it for now. Love you all!!

 

Élder Hamilton

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

Ala Bangú - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

Hi

Today just a quick note out to everyone who might be waiting for emails or letters or frustrated by the brief correspondence from me.  Please know that I love you all and I am doing all I can within my personal limitations and in obedience to mission rules. Here's a scripture to study - D&C 101:32 (replace "the Lord" with "Alex")

Here's the zone:

 

Tchau galera!

 

Élder Hamilton

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

Ala Bangú - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

 

Just Another Week in Bangu

Here's a quick update.

The zone is changing alot. Opening up for sets of missionaries in the ward and the leadership has greatly improved. A new couple will come to Bangu in the next couple of weeks. Realengo is looking for a new house right now.

We are doing some awesome work with our ward mission leader Jairo. He has two more months until he leaves for his mission, so he is on fire to organize some activities and help the ward become more involved. We are calling a strong group of new ward missionaries and we will start training them to help find new investigators.

On Saturday we were eating lunch with Irmã Alice. She served a mission in Brasilia some years back and she introduced us to her 9 year old niece. We taught her the restoration and she is so smart! Understood the lesson better than most adults I've taught. She wants to be baptized and has a date for the 13th!

Well thats it for now. Abraço!

 

Élder Hamilton

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

Ala Bangú - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

 

 

 

Mais Bangúnça

Buona sera, como estai? (I'm learning some Italian)

Yesterday was quite the day. We had a special stake conference with Elder Jairo Mazzagardi of the Area Presidency of Brasil. It was funny, the missionaries from Andaraí (the stake where Elder Holand stayed) were sent to attend the conference in the other stakes. I found that fair, since the mission wasn't invited to see Elder Holand, no one should. Anyways, after the conference, assistants (from andaraí, hehe) called all the missionaries to the back of the chapel to talk about transfers. Just as I walked up, Elder Maciel started talking to me with such excitment "You guys excited? Hamilton and Fonseca? Another one together? You guys are staying in Bangu." So... here we go! 4th transfer together and my 5th in Bangu. Today, I will start unpacking the suitcases that I prepared in advance.

The conference: Elder Mazzagardi was awesome! He's from São Paulo but has a strong southern accent which is quite interesting. Great sense of humor and a dynamic speaker. He talked a lot about the progress of the temple and about the sacrifices we need to make to receive a temple here. The importance of attending the temple now, the need to rescue the people who have gone astray, and the need to stengthen the families here. Things aren't easy here in Rio. But things are changing. The Lord is truly calling His people to build the kingdom with urgency.

And that's why I'm still in Bangu. I already love the people, the members, the church here. And now it is my time to help build up the kingdom, according to the instruction of modern seers and revelators. There is no doubt in my mind that this the God's gospel, His church.

Até mais,

 

Élder Hamilton

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

Ala Bangú - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro

Alô Realengo!

Hi!

I found Elder Bitnoff!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guess what? Bangu ward will recieve another set of Elderes this coming week! Let's see if the mission president keeps me around to see how that turns out or if he sends me off to a new adventure.

This week was quite a nail biter with Vitor. On Tuesday, we taught him with our super new ward mission leader Jairo. We talked about his reading of the book of mormon and discussed key teachings needed to prepare him for the baptism. He had been reading everyday during the previous week: up to 2 Nephi in the Book of Mormon, some of the new testament, and 2 chapters of the gospel principles book everyday. He had received a strong answer that the book of mormon is true, that the restoration happened, and that he must be baptized in the true church of Jesus Christ. But he was full of a lot of doubts about being baptized on saturday. The three of us shared our testimonies on the importance and blessings of baptism and invited him to pray in respect to the date. When he arrived at the baptismal interview, he said that he was sure without a doubt that he was to be baptized this saturday! But then all of the sudden, the military got in the way. His captain called him to do a service on saturday. He called us asking if he could be baptized on sunday. "Well, of course!", we said, so he was baptized yesterday. There were a ton of people there and it was one of the most spiritual baptisms I've ever been a part of. Vitor is such an amazing man (yeah he looks like hes 15 but he's actually 20) and will be a powerful priesthood leader.

I always want more time to write these emails. After the mission, you can ask me about all of my incredible experiences. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God's church restored here on the earth. The Gospel is perfect and through His priesthood authority, we are baptized in His name, and receive the promise of eternal life!

Com amor e firmeza,

 

Élder Hamilton

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

Ala Bangú - Missão Brasil Rio De Janeiro