Monday, September 24, 2012

September 24, 2012

Não tem fotos esta semana
 
Infelizmente, nós não tiremos fotos nesta semana. Espero que vou ter muitos na semana que vem. Amo vocês.
Seu Filho,    Elder Tanner Ross Paxman
PS: Gostou de meu Português? Espero que sim.

Another week Gone. Strange, não é? So this week we talked to a lot of people as well. Also, Believe it or not, this week is Transfers yet again. Wow, how time flies. We'll see if I'll stay here, or if I'll have a new companion and all that jazz tonight. I'll let you all know next week. Other than the transfers, there really isn't much exciting. Ha. We are working with some less active families, and working with a lot of pesquisadores that hopefully will progress, and in the end, be baptised. We are planting a lot of seeds. I went into a favela this week for the first time in my life, and that was cool. Nothing happened when we were there, and the Lord protects us. Ha. Its nothing to worry about though. Elder Nogueira and I are working hard, and we are really trying to help people to come unto Christ. That goes perfectly well with the scripture that I want to send home this week. It is Ether 12:41. We truly need to "Seek this Jesus". All the Prophets since the beginning of time have prophesied about Christ. Truly there is only one path to return to live with God in His Presence, and that is through His Son, Jesus Christ. While all of the religions in this world are trying to get to God, God is reaching to us through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As missionaries, we don't preach about a church, we preach about the the Kingdom of God, which can only be obtained through God's authority. This authority, was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and only the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have this authority. If we follow and seek this Jesus, by being baptised and enduring to the end, we will have eternal life through His grace. I love you all, and hope that you all have a great week.

Abraço,

Elder Tanner Ross Paxman

PS: I heard something about a postal strike, and that's why last year the mail took so long about this time of year. I don't know how it will be this year...    As for things being up to date here:  yes, they do have big TVs and stuff, but I'm pretty sure they are very expensive. Its a small house with a big TV type of stuff. Only the really rich have dishwashers, and that's not very many ...  They don't have very many clothes dryers here either.  But otherwise it is up to date here. As for Halloween, they do have a "Day of Witches" which is their Halloween, but its not celebrated too much.

Monday, September 17, 2012

September 17, 2012

Stairs! ... and lots of them here ... 
 Wow, they're steep ...  and everywhere.  Ha.
Yep ...   we're about dead.  Ha.
 
Wow, another week passes by. So, first of all, yes, São Paulo is humongous ...  and is the city that never stops. Ha. Zone conferences, Presidente Martins is in charge, and he organizes everything. They are always really good trainings, and we can see other Elders, including Elder Wendel! yay. Ha. So this week has been another week of talking to a lot and a lot of people. Unfortunately, hardly anyone wants to learn more about the Gospel, but we sure are planting a lot of seeds. Elder Nogueira and I are working hard, and working a lot. We are finding lots of people, that afterwards tell us that they don't want anything anymore. We are cycling through a lot of people. The area book will be pretty full when we leave. Ha. Other than contacts, nothing too exciting happened. Ha. Silvio is still on ... more or less, as he is still searching the church and wants to know if its true. No one went to church on Sunday which was sad, but there is always next Sunday. This week, I would like to focus on a scripture that changed the world. Its something that makes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints unique among all the churches. This scripture is James 1:5-6. If we want to know the truth, we should ask God, and not a pastor, or other people. God will not lie to us, and He will show us the truth. No other church asks you to pray about what they teach, but we know that what we teach is of God. Therefore, we ask all mankind to ask God in sincere prayer, and they will receive their answer. I know that God will answer our prayers as He is our loving Father in Heaven. He answered my prayer, and I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and therefore, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on the earth with the true authority from God. I challenge all men everywhere, to do as the Book of Mormon invites, and pray and ask God about its truthfulness. I love you all, and hope you all have a great week.

Abraço,

Elder Tanner Ross Paxman

PS: As for fast food places, they do have several here. Some unique to Brasil, and they do have quite a few McDonalds (they are not like the states). There is one KFC that I have heard about here, but there might be a few more here in Brasil somewhere.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

September 11, 2012

Friends of ours (who moved to Oregon several years ago) picked up their son last week from his mission ...  which is Tanner's mission!  They took a picture of the missionary board in the Mission Presidents office showing Tanner and his companion (Elder Nogueira) as zone leaders of the Jaragua zone.  We are glad they sent it ...
 
 
This helps give a good perspective of the size of Brazil and why different areas and missions within Brazil can be so different ... 

Monday, September 10, 2012

September 10, 2012

Not much this week ... just a torn suit picture.  Que Alegria!  Ha.
 
Its Monday again, believe it or not. Ha. So, I would love to make cuscuz when I get home, but I don't know if they have it in the states. It comes in a sack, and you make it with the steam, with a plate and cloth, or in a cuscuzeira. (That's a special thing just for cuscuz). Anyways, this week, we had a mission conference with 4 zones. It was great as usual. My companion and I gave a treinamento about doing contacts, which went well. This week, we really put that into practice. We did a whole lot of contacts. (Contacts is talking with people for the first time, like in the street, "knocking" doors, ect.) Unfortunately, only a few accepted our visit, and most of them were gone when we went to their house, or they were just too busy sitting there. Life of a missionary, Ha. We were able to find three families that hopefully will progress in the Gospel, and be baptised. None of them went to church, and we'll see how it goes. We have talked to Silvio, and he is still interested in the church, he said that he likes how everyone studies there, and how you can learn a lot. He really likes the organization. He wasn't able to go to church this week, but we'll see him tomorrow. So, this week I want to pass along the scripture in 4 Nephi 1:15-16. The true happiness that we all seek, comes from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we keep the commandments, we will be happy. Temporal things bring temporal happiness, but eternal things bring eternal happiness. What is this, our life, compared to eternity? True and eternal happiness comes through living the gospel, and helping others to do the same. I love you all, and hope you all have a great week.

Abraço,

Elder Tanner Ross Paxman
PS:  Its getting a lot hotter here, and heating up. It'll be a hot summer.

Monday, September 3, 2012

September 3, 2012

 Cuscuz!  I am a big fan of cuscuz!  Its a Brazillian food from the Nordeste.  Its hard to describe ...  its like cake, but not really ...  its like corn bread all crumbed up on a plate.  Ha.
The assistants and us on our division with them.


So, this week already is over. First of all, I want to say, HAPPY BIRTHDAY KORVER! Yay! That's crazy that he is already four years old. Anyways, the problems with people not being married is that they just don't want to get married ...   Here in Brazil, to marry someone, you need to first marry by the law, and then you can go to the temple and get sealed. I guess that the wedding receptions have got to be rather similar to ours, though the wedding itself is different. When people get married here, the women normally lose the name of her Mother, and gain the name of her spouse. That is because the name of the mother normally is the second name. (For example, I would be Elder Tanner Newton Paxman, there is no choice in the second name like we have). And as for the election, I hear random bits and pieces, but not that much about what is going on in the States. So this week was interesting. President came and talked to our zone, as he is visiting the district meetings. We also found a lot of new people, and the assistants came and we did a division with them. We found some people that were really interested and wanted to know more. We went and taught one, Damião, and his prayer was so sincere and all. And then we came back, and he told us that he would go somewhere and return, but didn't show back up for a long time, and now he is avoiding us ...   and seems like he doesn't want to talk to us anymore. A lot of our pesquisadores told us that they didn't want anything more, and are avoiding us. It looks like we've got to start from ground zero again here in the area. Silvio went to church again, but seems like he thought it was rather irreverent, and didn't like it that much. We are working super hard, and doing our best. I accidentally sent home the wrong scripture reference last week, which was supposed to be Mosiah 29:20. This week I would like to refer to 3 Nephi 13:31-33. The Lord knows all our needs, and we need to trust in Him, and put the kingdom of God first. If we put the Lord first, all the rest will be provided. The Lord loves us, and wants us to be happy. I love you all, and hope you all have a great week.

Abraço,

Elder Tanner Ross Paxman
PS: The coldest time here is around June until August.  Everything is starting to get hotter here now. As for the clothes, they use basically the same clothes that we do, just not the warm type of clothes. At church its the same type that we do. Its all pretty much the same.