Hello!
So I realized that I'm slacking on the picture part. Its been like 3 weeks since I've taken a single picture. So this next week I'll try and remember to take some pictures to send.
This week absolutely flew by. We had a leadership training for 3 days this week, which happened in the chapel of Vila Sonia (my old area) It was pretty weird to go back there. I was hoping I would be able to visit some people while I was there, but we didn't have time, but I did run into Leda in the street. She is the sister of that girl Ducineia that I baptized.( remember, the one that took like 4 years to finally get baptized). Anyways it was cool to hear that she is doing well and way active in the church still!
This week was a rough one. We were teaching 5 people that were preparing for baptism, and on Saturday night we visited all of them to confirm with them about going to church. And every single one of them told us they don't want to be baptized anymore. It was a really really sad day. Then we got home and we checked up with the zone to see how everyone was doing and we had 20 baptism dates fall out in one day! It was terrible. There are like 4 Elders in our zone that are slacking alot and not wanting to work at all. So this week we will be doing alot of divisions with them so see what is going on. haha its kind of rough right now, but I know everything will get better!
Love you all!
Elder Schoen
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
11/8/2010
Hey!
Well today I officially hit 1 year and 4 months on the mission! WOW! Its going by really fast... Like really really fast!
This week something really really funny happened... So we started a new program to get references from members. We asked the bishop to pray and choose a family of the ward for us to work with. So he did that and last week we went to the family's house and we left a message with them. Now the purpose of this lesson is to have to spirit really strong and then have them start writing a list of all the people that they want to bring into the gospel. So we did this and it was awesome! So spiritual and they started writing names. They took and hour. And when they finished we counted, they listed 254 names. We were freaking out! Usually when other missionaries had done this in the past they only get like 20-50 names. So we went home with the list, and we were soooo happy! And we started looking at the list and about half the names are members of our ward!!! haha we were just like freak! You got the be kidding me, so obviously they didn't understand. But we thought well that leaves about 150, so that's still alot. So 2 days ago we went there with he list to choose the first people that we would start working with and the dad of the family was like " Elders I just want to thank you for the spiritual experience that we had together, it really helped our family realize the importance of doing work for our ancestors that have already passed away." And me and my companion looked at each other and then at the family and we were like, "wait, what? How?" And then he went on to explain the most of the names on the list were people that already passed away! Once again, we were like FREAK! You got to be kidding me! So we asked him to put a check mark next to the people on the list that are living, and not members of the church, and live in our area... He only marked 5!!! haha I was so frustrated! But then me and my companion were thinking when we got home and realized that this activity that we did wasn't exactly to help out the missionary work, but to help this family realize the importance of doing family history work and going to the temple. Its amazing how God works! haha I'm just happy that I could be a tool in the hands of the lord to help out that family.
Love you all!
Elder Schoen
Well today I officially hit 1 year and 4 months on the mission! WOW! Its going by really fast... Like really really fast!
This week something really really funny happened... So we started a new program to get references from members. We asked the bishop to pray and choose a family of the ward for us to work with. So he did that and last week we went to the family's house and we left a message with them. Now the purpose of this lesson is to have to spirit really strong and then have them start writing a list of all the people that they want to bring into the gospel. So we did this and it was awesome! So spiritual and they started writing names. They took and hour. And when they finished we counted, they listed 254 names. We were freaking out! Usually when other missionaries had done this in the past they only get like 20-50 names. So we went home with the list, and we were soooo happy! And we started looking at the list and about half the names are members of our ward!!! haha we were just like freak! You got the be kidding me, so obviously they didn't understand. But we thought well that leaves about 150, so that's still alot. So 2 days ago we went there with he list to choose the first people that we would start working with and the dad of the family was like " Elders I just want to thank you for the spiritual experience that we had together, it really helped our family realize the importance of doing work for our ancestors that have already passed away." And me and my companion looked at each other and then at the family and we were like, "wait, what? How?" And then he went on to explain the most of the names on the list were people that already passed away! Once again, we were like FREAK! You got to be kidding me! So we asked him to put a check mark next to the people on the list that are living, and not members of the church, and live in our area... He only marked 5!!! haha I was so frustrated! But then me and my companion were thinking when we got home and realized that this activity that we did wasn't exactly to help out the missionary work, but to help this family realize the importance of doing family history work and going to the temple. Its amazing how God works! haha I'm just happy that I could be a tool in the hands of the lord to help out that family.
Love you all!
Elder Schoen
11/1/2010
Hey Everyone!
So this week my companion was transferred. And My new companion is named Elder Galvão. He is from Brasilia. He is from the same stake that Ryan Durfee is serving in right now! Cool Huh! But he is way smart and teaches really well, so I'm going to be able to learn a lot from him.
Today for P-Day we played volleyball, which was pretty fun. It was the first time that I've played a sport in like over 9 months! haha
Things here in my area are going well. We are planning some activities for the stake and our ward to get the members excited about the missionary work. So we are going to plan a huge primary activity focused on missionary work where the kids have to bring friends and the parents have to go too. We are also planning a workshop for the stake, that we are going to do some trainings and practice with the members of how to talk to their friends and how to do the missionary work. Also in December its family week here in Brazil. And in our area we have a huge park that is always full of families during this week, so we are wanting to put together a huge event there in the park.
On Thursday Elder Bednar came and gave a training to our mission, which was so sweet! He is so awesome! I learned a lot about how to be a better teacher and a better listener while teaching. We learned how to teach through asking questions, so that our investigators are actually just teaching themselves, and the stuff we are teaching will sink in more as the spirit teaches them. It is way effective but so hard to do!
That was about it for this week.
Thanks for all the love and support!
Elder Schoen
So this week my companion was transferred. And My new companion is named Elder Galvão. He is from Brasilia. He is from the same stake that Ryan Durfee is serving in right now! Cool Huh! But he is way smart and teaches really well, so I'm going to be able to learn a lot from him.
Today for P-Day we played volleyball, which was pretty fun. It was the first time that I've played a sport in like over 9 months! haha
Things here in my area are going well. We are planning some activities for the stake and our ward to get the members excited about the missionary work. So we are going to plan a huge primary activity focused on missionary work where the kids have to bring friends and the parents have to go too. We are also planning a workshop for the stake, that we are going to do some trainings and practice with the members of how to talk to their friends and how to do the missionary work. Also in December its family week here in Brazil. And in our area we have a huge park that is always full of families during this week, so we are wanting to put together a huge event there in the park.
On Thursday Elder Bednar came and gave a training to our mission, which was so sweet! He is so awesome! I learned a lot about how to be a better teacher and a better listener while teaching. We learned how to teach through asking questions, so that our investigators are actually just teaching themselves, and the stuff we are teaching will sink in more as the spirit teaches them. It is way effective but so hard to do!
That was about it for this week.
Thanks for all the love and support!
Elder Schoen
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