Me & Elder Gomes

Elder Gomes and one of our 

District leaders, Elder Brown

"You can make difference in someone's life and sometimes even in someone's eternity!

So this week has been great full of fun, work, and BURNING HOT WEATHER.  Man it is getting really hot here.  I am not really sure how it compares to the heat of Utah seeing has I have never been a missionary in Utah.  Back home I could espcape the heat whenever I wanted by going inside!  Now it is my duty to talk with all of the people crazy enough to go outside and share with them the restored gospel!  It is great!

WE started the week off on Monday with a call that all of our missionaries needed to travel to Coimbra for a zone conference the following day.  WE got the call pretty surprisingly and we had to call a bunch a missionaries to end p day early to catch a train or a bus.  It was super short notice but we got everyone there. 

The conference was great we all felt full of the spirit to hear our President Fluckiger speak one last time and also pyhsically full when Mcdonalds catered our lunch (Soooooo goood):).  But my favorite part was when me and Elder Gomes had the opportunity to address some issues with the Zone and I was inspired to help the missionaries realize how the MEMBERS are a good source to help investigators with doubts and concerns.  

I shared with them the Story of Beatriz (recent convert from Póvoa de Varzim)  how she was filled with doubt three days before here baptism because of some material she had found on the internet and almost gave up... but we took a member, the member bore his solemn testimony of the Church and how it blesses families and the power of his tesimony took all of Beatriz's doubts away withouy saying a single word of what see saw on the internet.  I told them that Beatriz was baptized and because of her example the rest of her family (husband and daughter) are now also active members in the church.  The feeling that I got as I shared this with them was undescribable.  I was filled with pure love and joy.  The Spirit seemed to fill every bit of my body, not just the burning in the bosom, but a burning that spread from head to toe.  It hit me that that moment could have made the difference in the eternal destination of Beatriz's family.  That simple yet powerful testimony from that member (Antonio Oliveira) changed that families destination in the eternities.  What a wonderful experience that was for me to be there with that family and see real conversion happen.  I know that members of this church have a power and responsability to share the gospel, not just full time missionaries.  Many times it lies in the hands of the members to find and invite and then hand them off to the missionaries to teach and help them accept the gospel.

~

You make a difference.  No matter who you are, in what ward you are in, or you status in life, you can and should make a difference in the lives around you.  It can start with just the little things, for by "small acts of kindness and love, we keep the darkness at bay."  I know that each one of you can help the work of God's kingdom go forth.  You can make a diference in someones life and sometimes even in someone's eternity.

  

With much love in Christ

Elder Eldredge:)

Being a Zone leader & baptism!

Me & Elder Casey at zone council

The last time we see each other :(

I am Elder Cox's zone leader!

Baptism of Wagisa!!

New adventures in Santarem!!

Hey everyone!  So just a quick update I was transfered from Costa da Caparica to a city called Santarém.  I am now serving with Elder Gomes, he is Brazilian but has lived here in Portugal for about 5 years now.  This also will be my first transfer as a Zone Leader.  I am not sure why or how I was chosen but I will do my best to give of what I have to this new position!  BUt I am super excited to see what new challanges and growth lay in front of me with these next few months and weeks.

This last week I reallly learned a lot about using faith to make things happen.  OUr president challenged us to make a personal promisse with the Lord of one thing that we would sacrifice (habitis thoughts behaviors etz) or an indicator that we would achieve that could be measured daily.  So I made mine and while I was doing it I felt the Spirit confirm that that promise was the will of the Lord for me and that even thow it would stretch me a little I would be able to do it.  It wasn't easy, there came many trials of my faith.  Many barriers and reasons that I could have used to justify not fulfilling with my promise.  Sometimes it seemed like there wasn't enough time others I just felt too tired.  Despite all of the trials that I had I remember that faith isn't faith until it is tried.  I am not sure how I did it every day looking back, but I fulfilled with my promise I made with the Lord and because of this my faith has grown a lot.  That when we make a goal a promise with the Lord in righteousness, excercise true faith, overcoming obstacles and barriers without giving up never justifying your lack of fulfilment, God will work miracles to help you achieve those goals.  That is really what I have felt and learned this week.  Faith isn't faith until it is tried, mocked, degraded, tested, and attacked.  We recieve the witness after the trial, we recieve the blessing after tur faith has been shown, not before.  And after I will tell you the feelings are undescribable.  We had many powerful lessons this week and many people we were working with recieved powerful testinonies of the things we taught.  It is sad that I was transfered out right when things started taking off but it is how it is and Elder Bennett will do a good job harvesting all the fruits of our sacrifices.

Just to end here I will leave a quote that was given to me my Grandma Haymond and it might be my favorite of all time:

Don’t’ give up and don’t give in. Be committed to the idea of discipleship. We’re all for long-suffering but we say, “I don’t want it for very long and for very much suffering!” What heaven is going to force us to do is to put our two-minute talks where our theology is. We’re going to have to say, like Robert Frost said, “The only way out is through.” We’re going to follow Him wherever it leads us and the road to salvation is always through Gethsemane. We’re not all going to be atoners – it’s sacrilegious to say we’ll be like Jesus, but we are a little. Even if it’s only out in the hedgerow of Gethsemane or out on the perimeter, we’re all going to have to spend some time getting through that garden. Or else I don’t know what discipleship means. I don’t think it means I just signed up for the good times. I don’t think it means that I just signed on when it’s really terrific and I’m really happy and everything is wonderful. I think it means to know what He was when He was a Man of Sorrows. These days come and these nights come and you can’t fold the tent and leave then – not for true disciples.
We get our chance to sacrifice and we’re going to have to embrace it. 

...So don’t resist when God gives you a chance to acquire a Christ-like virtue

I love you all ahve a great week!:)

June. 8, 2015

Hey there yeah that vacation looked super duper awesome!  I also went to a cool dolphin show last week so we were doing some similar things!  Haha BUt thank you tons for all the pictures!  LOVED THEM!!!!!!!   Man that sounds awesome!:)  About the birthday package, so we just had transfers and I will be serving in the Portugal Porto, mission!  So the address of the mission home and address will change I will give that info to you as soon as I know!:)  But yeah I left Costa and I am now in Santarém serving with Elder Gomes.  He is brazilian and has lived in porgtugal for about 5 years.  Doesn't speak much english so I will be doing an english fast for a while!:)  Also me and Elder Gomes are the zone leaders.  I was very shocked and I still feel a bit inadequate but with time I know it will all be alright.  I feel brand new again!  It will be a whole new adventure!  Thank you so much for the prayers of support!  I am definitely going to be needing them this transfer as a new zone leader! 

I will definetly remember my little buddy cade in every prayer!  He is awesome I know he will be alright:)  

But anywho thanks for the reporot on the vacay!  I will be stoked when I get back to do fun stuff with you guys again!  especially WAKEBOARDING:)!!!  Haha I love you tons momma and miss ya a bunch!:) OH and tell cami I got her little report thing and I thought it was awesome!

Thank you mom!:)

Love

Elder B:)

Dolphin show p-day pictures

Me in a turtle shell

A dolphin show

Me & Miguel

My district

The lady that owned our house in Costa

Transferred to Santarem...now a Zone Leader!!

Hey everyone!  So just a quick update I was transfered from Costa da Caparica to a city called Santarém.  I am now serving with Elder Gomes, he is Brazilian but has lived here in Portugal for about 5 years now.  This also will be my first transfer as a Zone Leader.  I am not sure why or how I was chosen but I will do my best to give of what I have to this new position!  BUt I am super excited to see what new challanges and growth lay in front of me with these next few months and weeks.

This last week I reallly learned a lot about using faith to make things happen.  OUr president challenged us to make a personal promisse with the Lord of one thing that we would sacrifice (habitis thoughts behaviors etz) or an indicator that we would achieve that could be measured daily.  So I made mine and while I was doing it I felt the Spirit confirm that that promise was the will of the Lord for me and that even thow it would stretch me a little I would be able to do it.  It wasn't easy, there came many trials of my faith.  Many barriers and reasons that I could have used to justify not fulfilling with my promise.  Sometimes it seemed like there wasn't enough time others I just felt too tired.  Despite all of the trials that I had I remember that faith isn't faith until it is tried.  I am not sure how I did it every day looking back, but I fulfilled with my promise I made with the Lord and because of this my faith has grown a lot.  That when we make a goal a promise with the Lord in righteousness, excercise true faith, overcoming obstacles and barriers without giving up never justifying your lack of fulfilment, God will work miracles to help you achieve those goals.  That is really what I have felt and learned this week.  Faith isn't faith until it is tried, mocked, degraded, tested, and attacked.  We recieve the witness after the trial, we recieve the blessing after tur faith has been shown, not before.  And after I will tell you the feelings are undescribable.  We had many powerful lessons this week and many people we were working with recieved powerful testinonies of the things we taught.  It is sad that I was transfered out right when things started taking off but it is how it is and Elder Bennett will do a good job harvesting all the fruits of our sacrifices.

Just to end here I will leave a quote that was given to me my Grandma Haymond and it might be my favorite of all time:

Don’t’ give up and don’t give in. Be committed to the idea of discipleship. We’re all for long-suffering but we say, “I don’t want it for very long and for very much suffering!” What heaven is going to force us to do is to put our two-minute talks where our theology is. We’re going to have to say, like Robert Frost said, “The only way out is through.” We’re going to follow Him wherever it leads us and the road to salvation is always through Gethsemane. We’re not all going to be atoners – it’s sacrilegious to say we’ll be like Jesus, but we are a little. Even if it’s only out in the hedgerow of Gethsemane or out on the perimeter, we’re all going to have to spend some time getting through that garden. Or else I don’t know what discipleship means. I don’t think it means I just signed up for the good times. I don’t think it means that I just signed on when it’s really terrific and I’m really happy and everything is wonderful. I think it means to know what He was when He was a Man of Sorrows. These days come and these nights come and you can’t fold the tent and leave then – not for true disciples.
We get our chance to sacrifice and we’re going to have to embrace it. 

...So don’t resist when God gives you a chance to acquire a Christ-like virtue

P-day fun!

There was so much fun stuff to do!!

Waterfalls, caves castles! It was sweet!!

An inverted tower

Behind that little castle is a series of caves that leads

Throughout these different places on the mountain side

Had to rock the awesome Bob Ross shirt!

Architecture pictures

June 1 email

Hey friends and family!  Again I am really sorry but my time is very limited here again on email.  We have been doing a ton of stuff for p day lately!  today we went to the zoo and saw and aesome dolphin show!!  And next week it is possible that I will be transfered so I might not get much time there either.... sorrrryyy:(

BUt just to let you guys all know we have been having a decent time here in Costa, we still haven't baptized anyone which is hard on me sometimes because I really want to 1.  Give Elder bennett that awesome experience and 2. To strenghten the ward here and 3. Fulfill better my purpose as a missionary.  But we will keep trying and hope that miracles happen here soon!  We need a lot of faith and hard work, but if we trust truly in God things will happen as they should.  I know that to be true.

We made some proigress with flavios dad, he said that flavio will be baptized but doens't know when.  he said it would be soon but the biggest concern is the wife that is living in Angola right now and also he wants to be at the baptism so flavio will proabably be baptized in mid june it is looking like,  I don't know if i will be here but at least we had prgoress!!!:)

I love you all and hope you all have a if un wek I will wiriet more next week!