Week 93: Finally, we're back to baptizing!! - May 25, 2015

Hey everybody!!

So, its been a pretty great week here. We worked hard, had some good stories, and above all...WE BAPTIZED THIS WEEK!! FINALLY!!! It took a good month to get any work really rocking and rolling here, but we were blessed to help Sonia get baptized this week. I'll talk more on that now. Top investigators!!

Sonia: So, we started talking to Sonia, the mother of a member here. WE started talking to her about baptism, and at first, she was a bit hesitant. But, she wasnt really that hesitant. She said, "I do really love the church, but I feel like I should wait a bit of time to get baptized, right?" "Oh, but what you really want is to follow God, right?" "Thats true." "So, to follow God, you need to be baptized." "So when can I be baptized?" So, we had her service this sunday. It really was a beautiful service, and she and her kid were super happy about it all. So, baptism!!!!

Rafael: Was interviewed and passed this week; however, he just wants to make sure that his father at least knows about his baptism before he gets baptism. He's marked for this weekend.

Paulo: Our only obstacle to get Paulo baptized will be to get his mom to support him. She's a less active member that felt like her life got tougher after baptism (because she had to promise to God to live the commandments, and now she feels more guilty when she breaks commandments.) But, we were able to get her to church this week, and she felt pretty welcome there. So, we'll see what we can do.

Jozaynne: Cut us this week. So that wasnt so fun.

Cícera: Has kind of stopped wanting to talk to us, seeing as she has gotten back together with her ex-boyfriend. She says that we dont understand her situation because we're men and she's a woman. So, we'll send a couple sisters from the Relief Society to talk to her this week, as a last attempt.

Other notes:

Tomorrow I will officially pass the 50-days-until-Im-home mark. For those of you that are worried if Im trunky, dont be too worried. The end of my mission has given me an energy boost, and my comp and I are working our buns off. However, yes, I am excited to see all of you here in a few weeks! (After this email, I'll likely send only 6-7 more.)

Speaking of which, remember that first Sunday when Im home, July 19, I'll be speaking at church, and all of you should come to talk to me and see me! I wont be in Missouri for a terribly long time, so take advantage of it!!

Quirky fun fact about this area: There are a bunch of random X-Ray readings laying around in the streets. In the past 2 weeks, we have found 5 different X-ray pictures randomly. Next week, Ill take pics of our discoveries.

Alright everybody! Thanks for all the help and support! I'll try to send some pics! Love you all!!

Elder Youd

Week 92: Renewing my visa. That seems slightly counterproductive - May 18, 2015

Hey everybody!!

So, this letter is gonna be pretty short today. As you can tell by the late time, I am writing a lot later than usual. Truth is, yesterday, I had to grab 4 hours worth of buses and trains to get to São Paulo, and from there, I woke up at 4:30 this morning to go to the federal police to get my visa renewed. (Dont worry, they accepted me. Im not being deported this time :P). And then, I grabbed 4 more hours of trains and buses to get back to São Roque. So, you could say that I am tired, and that I dont have a whole lot of mental capacity to focus. But, I'll do the best I can.

It was a good week for us this week. We havent had a baptism (yet), but we're really establishing a big teaching group with a ton of potential, and we're ready to see the blessings come a-rolling. Here is some basic info:

Jozaynne: Starting to flake a bit on us. She mostly just got nervous about baptism, and so we simply helped her understand the purpose of baptism more. So, pray for Jozaynne!

Cícera: She was gonna get baptized, but unfortunately she had some last minute things come up. But she said that she really wants to be baptized this next week!!!!

We also have some good people that are coming to church, including Rodrigo (a 13 year old kid), Sonia (the mother of a member), and Lourde (a woman who wants divine help to stop smoking.) So, pray for these people please!!!

...so, I am really really sorry. This letter is very very unfocused. I promise you all, that next week I'll give you a really juicy letter, filled with pictures, a voice recording, and all sorts of things! (Im running on about 5 hours of sleep, so I'm not exactly the most focused Elder right now. But, a good nights sleep will help.)

Alright, thanks for everything! Have a great week! Love you all!!

Elder Youd

Week 91: The last phone call of my mission. Thats weird - May 11, 2015

Hey everybody!

(Sorry, this is a shorter email today. I talked to my family yesterday, so I feel like I dont have a lot to say.)

So, its been a pretty crazy week here in São Roque. Weve been working a ton here, and we've got some pretty good things going here. Here is some info about our top investigators:

Jozaynne: (That was Josani from last week, her name is actually much more complicated to spell) She was interviewed to be baptized last week and passed, very excited to be able to be baptized. She only wasnt baptized on Sunday because she had to do a Mothers Day Lunch with her family. BUt, shes super excited!!

Cícera: Unfortuantely didnt go to church yesterday, so we'll have to see if we can keep on working with her or not. Her friend, Cynthia, has basically abandoned us, so we'll see what we can do.

Sonia (new!): Wife of a member. My companion didnt inform me of her existence until yesterday while we were at church, and she was too. Shes already been 3 or 4 times, and she absolutely loves it there. So, we will absolutely be going there this week, and we will, with the help of God, baptize her this Sunday.

Other notes:

Just to make my mom proud, I am making this ward absolutely love me. Im slightly hamming it up and putting on that famous Youd charm, and this ward is loving it. Things are going super well here!

I had my last Skype call of my mission! I talked to my family last night, and honestly, it was a bit surreal to be thinking that I'll be home here in 2 months. They can testify, I didnt really know what to talk about. Nor do I now. I'll try to keep on writing long, juicy emails, but at this point, I basically just know how to either talk about straight up mission stuff (my investigators) or post mission plans. Im having difficulty finding middle ground, but I suppose thats alright.

And, in post mission plans, mark your calendars for July 19. Seeing as I get home on July 16, on that Sunday (July 19), I'll be giving my homecoming talk at church in Gallatin. For all of you who want to know more about how my mission was (aside from me responding, "It was good,",) go there. You wont regret it.

Alright, I dont have a lot more of these emails to send to you guys! Love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Youd

More Pictures - May 4, 2015

Me with the member Angeó. He actually just entered the CTM, to prep for his 2 year mission in Brasilia. 

The brick factory, where I worked a lot. Super duper cool. Pictures don't quite do it justice.

And me with Etevaldo. He's old and not completely there, but hes a good person.

Me at one more big thing. Its a giant public phone. And its famous in Brazil.

Week 90: Welcome to São Roque!! - May 4, 2015

Hey everybody!!

I am writing this from my new area, São Roque! Actually, my new area is technically a little city called Mairinque, which is right next to São Roque, but Im part of the São Roque ward. And so far, I AM LOVING THIS AREA. This is good, because it is incredibly likely that this is the last area that I will serve in my mission. Im already creating a really good relationship with the ward, and so far, they are loving me too (I already have 2 dinners marked for the last week of my mission.) I am here with Elder Grover. Hes a newer American from Utah, with a little more than 6 months on the mission. He has the ticks that every newer American (including myself) has at the beginning of the mission, and its actually kinda funny to see someone that, in a lot of ways, reminds me of myself when I started this crazy journey. I think this is the first time that I realize that Ive actually changed a lot here. Not in a I-changed-my-whole-personality way, but more in the little things that add up. But, we're actually getting along well, so its gonna be a good transfer. Im also living with Elder Stott, a newer American as well (I was actually his Zone Leader at the beginning of his mission, hes super fun and a giant hipster), and Elder Carvajal, a Chilean missionary with 10 months on the mission, who is super chill and understands English perfectly. So, its a super fun transfer.

Top investigators (all new!!)

Cícera: We have a date marked for Cícera for the 17th, which is super firm. We just have to help her with a few little things, and she should be an easy baptism. Shes 24 years old, has a kid, and just wants Christ more in her life.

Josani, Camila: 2 teenage girls that went to church this week. They both are good, although Camila has to get married before baptism, seeing as shes living with her boyfriend.

Ana Paula: A 20 year old girl that has finally decided to get baptized this weekend. She just wasnt understanding the connection between the Restoration and baptism. But, she'll be baptized this weekend.

Other notes:

Fun fact: São Roque is a city famous for its vineyards, so we drink a lot of grape juice. I like grape juice.

I get to talk to my family this weekend! LAST CALL OF THE MISSION!! AAAHHH!!! Family, just an idea, I'll likely be on to talk to all of you around 4:00my time, which is 2:00 Missouri time. We're gonna be having lunch with the family (who is super cool), so I think that everything should be fine. Is that fine with all of you?

Im distracted in this LAN House. Theyre playing Queen's greatest hits.

Im at 72 days left, which is cray-cray.

And I'll keep this letter short to send more pics of me saying goodbye to friends and family in Itú! Love you all! Have a great week!!

Elder Youd

And me and Pedro.

Me with Haroldo and his family.

Week 89: Off to the hills again!! - April 27, 2015

Hey everybody!!

This email will be slightly shorter, but what I have to say is actually more important!! So, lets go with points, from the most important to less important but still cool:

-We had a BAPTISM this week!! Lindaura was baptized!! It was actually super fun to teach her. Shes kind of a funny, slightly eccentric old lady that talks a lot, but she had a super strong desire to be baptized. Like, every lesson she wouldnt stop talking about how much she wanted to be baptized. So, in the end, everything went smoothly, and it was a super nice baptismal service. Her neighbor, Valdir, baptized her. (Which, as a fun fact, means that I have baptized 10 people in the last 10 weeks, which is cool.)

-Im going to be transferred! After 4.5 months in Itú, I am going to a little city called São Roque to finish my mission. Its right next to Sorocaba, which is a super cool city that I lived in for 6 months. Im going to be comps with Elder Grover. Hes a pretty new American (I think he has about 6 months on the mission), but I dont know that much about him aside from that. And, from what Ive heard, São Roque has had a history of having super receptive people. But, itll be fun. I'll likely pass my last 2 transfers of my mission there. (This letter is shorter, because I still need to go say goodbye to some people and get some stuff ready.)

-And, speaking of the end of the mission, I got my travel plans today. It seems like I'll be leaving São Paulo close to midnight on July 15, arrive in Miami in the morning of the 16th, from there go to Dallas, and from Dallas go to Kansas City, arriving at 1:52 PM on July 16. So, thats a weird thing to know! :P 

Alright, everybody have a great week! Thanks for everything! Love you!!

Elder Youd

Week 88- The Last 12 Weeks - April 20, 2015

Hey everybody!!

Its interesting, when you start working as a missionary in the field, you go through a training program called "the first 12 Weeks." And Im officially in the last 12 weeks of my mission. So, of course Im not getting trunky or anything, but, we're getting close :)

Its been a pretty busy week for us this week. Weve been working a lot, and although we didnt baptize anybody this week, we have a ton of potential baptisms lined up for this week, such as-

Lindaura- A sweet old lady, and the neighbor of a member. Shes gone to church a couple times, and yesterday she said, "Im so happy, Elders! Im here, and Im going to get baptized here!" So, well help her prepare for this weekend.

Mariana, Bianca- 2 teenage girls, one of which is the granddaughter of a member. they went to church last week and LOVED it. they both want to be baptized as soon as possible, but the only difficulty is that their parents arent so hot about that idea. So we'll see what we can do.

Shirley- the newlywed wife of a member thats returning to church, Cido. Shes gone to church a bunch in another ward, and just started coming here. So, we think that she should be cool.

Other notes-

We also were able to reactivate a woman this week, Elizabeth. She had left the church a few years ago because of doctrinal disagreeances (I dont know if disagreeance is a word), but when we visited her, she said that she had been missing something in her life, but didnt know what it was. So, she decided to come back to church, and shes loving it! Yay for reactivation!! :D

Alright, I think thats it for me this week! thanks for all the love and support everybody! Have a great week! 86 days!!!

Elder Youd