Hey!
This week was awesome! Wendel was baptized on Saturday! But like always there was alot of trials that happened before the baptism. It started with his mom not wanting to sign the form to let him be baptized, then he decided that he wasn't ready. But after alot of help from god those problems were resolved. Then on Friday night we thought it would be good to go fill up the baptismal font, just so that we could be extra prepared, and avoid any possible problems that could happen the day of. So when we got there Saturday morning 15 minutes before the baptism was supposed to start, we found the font empty!!! All the water drained out!!! So we frantically filled the font and filled buckets of water in the sink in the kitchen and bathroom so it would fill of faster (because normally it takes about 2 hours to fill of the font at this chapel. But in the end everything worked out and Wendel was baptized. It was awesome because his mom went and she loved it, she even cried because she was so happy!
On Sunday I gave a talk. It was sweet! And we got a TON of Easter chocolate from the members in the ward! I've been eating only chocolate for the past 24 hours... I have a headache.
This week Elder Neil Anderson is coming to visit out mission!!! I'm so excited!!!
That's about it for this week.
Love you all!
Elder Schoen
Monday, April 25, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
4/18/2011
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| We always cut out pictures to make covers for our planners |
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| Me, Tiago, and Elder Manon |
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| Here in Brazil the Big Mac is really small. But in the hands of Elder Manon it looks even smaller!!! |
So after a really difficult fast because of how hot it was we had a sweet miracle that happened on Sunday. There is a young man named Wendel that we are teaching that was still undecided if he was going to be baptized this next weekend or not. So we had a blessing of having an Area 70 named Elder Prieto at our ward on Sunday. So I explained to Wendel who he was and how he is kind of a big deal. Then after the sacrament meeting got over, without Wendel seeing I went up and talked to Elder Prieto and explained to him about Wendels situation and asked him to talk to Wendel. So he took a walk with him around the chapel. Then afterwards we went up to Wendel and were like "WOW! What did he talk to you about?" and he was just like "I don't really remember, I just remember that I felt really really good when he was talking to me, and I want to be baptized this Saturday!" It was sooooooo awesome!!! So he will be baptized this Saturday at 5:30!!! YES!
Also, My Companion broke his bed in half yesterday! He just sat down on it and the wood frame snapped in half! It was really really funny! haha
Just 65 more days!!!
Love
Elder Schoen
4/11/2011
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| Noogie!!! Fanther and Son love! |
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| This is Me and Elder Manon with a Sister from the Ward. This sister is Awesome she always calls us to come over and eat food! And her daughter speaks fluent english without an accent, which is sweet! |
This week was sooo sweet! The transfers were crazy just as expected! My companion (Elder da Silva) was transferred to São Paulo. And I'm training again!!!! My new companion is named Elder Manon! He is from Southern California (Upland). He is a 6´7´´ 280 pound kid! Its awesome! Me and him are getting along so well! Its pretty much a party all the time! So we are now working in Jd Simus only, so as we used to be mostly living in the house at Cerrado we had to move all my stuff to the house in jd. Simus, and then we spent a really really long time cleaning the house, because it had been over 6 months since anyone was officially living it it, and the missionaries that had been there before that had left the place a dump. So after alot of chemicals and elbow grease we were able to turn it into a place that it able to be lived in.
Me and Elder Manon set a goal to baptize 10 weeks in a row. (Which would be every weekend for the rest of my mission) We are super exited because yesterday a huge miracle happened. Well actually 3 miracles happened. 1st... We were freaking out because we need someone to be baptized this next weekend on the 16 to start off our 10 week, but we didn't have anyone. So we fasted on Saturday till Sunday, and on Sunday all the miracles happened. There is a guy who is 24 named Thiago (James in Portuguese) He has gone to church 4 times now, and has read the book of Mormon and the doctrine and covenants, he just works alot so its super hard to teach him. We on Sunday we were finally able to teach him, and we invited him to be baptized, and he was like "Of course!" "What do I need to do to be ready" So we taught him the commandments and he is already keeping all of them, and he already received and answer the the Book of Mormon is true, and he will be baptized this Sunday!!! 2nd... We are teaching a young man named Wendel, he is 17. He is Gabriel´s (the kid that we baptized last month) cousin. He is really interested in the church but every Sunday morning he has Capauera practice.(which is Brazilian dance fighting...look it up on the internet, its sweet!) So that's why he hasn't been able to go to church yet. So we taught him about the Sabbath Day, and left him to make the decision. So we went to church and waited for him to come, and he totally showed up! It was awesome! He should be getting baptized soon. 3rd... There is a family that we have been teaching for a really long time (Edival and Ana Claudia) whose son we baptized a couple weeks ago. They need to get married and they have just been procrastinating marking a wedding date. So we went there last night, and I´ve never talked to someone so boldly with such power and authority. It was nuts! We pretty much just told them how serious the sin is that they have been committing for the last 5 years is, and then I straight up told them " You need to repent!!!" It was a really tense situation but the spirit was testifying so much and it worked, because they agreed to go with us today to mark the wedding date with the judge! So usually the soonest you can mark a date is in 30 days, So next month they will be getting married and Ana Claudia will get baptized!!!
So that's about it. Life it Great!
Love
Elder Schoen
4/4/2011
Hey Everyone!
General conference was so good! Its amazing how much you can get out of it when you actually watch it and Pay Attention! haha All of the missionaries here are super trunky now, because they spent the whole time talking about how young men need to get married! It was really funny cause after it got over everyone was like, " Man, I need to find a wife!"
This week was kind of slow with the work. A couple of people that we are teaching took some steps back, and aren't really progressing any more. But now, we just need to work hard to find some new people to teach and baptize!
Today we will get the phone call about transfers. There are 20 new missionaries coming to our mission, and only 3 missionaries leaving. So that means that all the areas on the mission will open. Including Jd. Simus. So I'm not sure in which of these these areas president will have us continue working in. Also, the gossip is that alot of zone leaders will be demoted so that they can help train these new missionaries that are coming! I hope one of them is me! I want to train again so bad! Especially cause 6 of the missionaries that are arriving are from Spain! How awesome would that be to have a companion from Spain, then I could learn Spanish!!! But... we will just have to see what happens.
.... I only have 11 more P-Days!!!!
Love,
Elder Schoen
General conference was so good! Its amazing how much you can get out of it when you actually watch it and Pay Attention! haha All of the missionaries here are super trunky now, because they spent the whole time talking about how young men need to get married! It was really funny cause after it got over everyone was like, " Man, I need to find a wife!"
This week was kind of slow with the work. A couple of people that we are teaching took some steps back, and aren't really progressing any more. But now, we just need to work hard to find some new people to teach and baptize!
Today we will get the phone call about transfers. There are 20 new missionaries coming to our mission, and only 3 missionaries leaving. So that means that all the areas on the mission will open. Including Jd. Simus. So I'm not sure in which of these these areas president will have us continue working in. Also, the gossip is that alot of zone leaders will be demoted so that they can help train these new missionaries that are coming! I hope one of them is me! I want to train again so bad! Especially cause 6 of the missionaries that are arriving are from Spain! How awesome would that be to have a companion from Spain, then I could learn Spanish!!! But... we will just have to see what happens.
.... I only have 11 more P-Days!!!!
Love,
Elder Schoen
3/28/2011
Hey!
So this past weekend was amazing! I've never seen so many miracles in my life. This past month I've learned so much about faith, and my testimony of fasting has grown so much! On Saturday we were blessed with helping 5 people be baptized! So we ended this month with 7 baptisms! We weren't able to reach our goal, but that's ok. I'm just so happy that I was able to be a part of all these miracles. So on Saturday morning Victoria and Yasmin were baptized. They have been going to church for about 3 years now, but there parents don't want to get married, and never let the girls be baptized. So after alot of prayer and fasting we had a lesson with them and explained really clearly and boldly. We talked to them about the importance of following Jesus. We talked about how we need to follow him today and right now, we should never wait to follow Jesus Christ. So then we said "We are representatives of Jesus Christ, we are inviting you, as if it was him inviting you, to follow him and be baptized." And they agreed to be baptized. Then we asked them when they are going to follow being baptized, and they said " Today! Can we be baptized today?" And instantly their mom got mad, and was like NO NO NO NO, you aren't ready you need to prepare more, then out of no where, (this was the help of the Lord) Their dad, who is Bolivian, and always really angry was like "No! The girls NEED to be baptized, and need to be baptized now!" And then the mom decided that it was alright, so we called one of the elders and he came and did the interview, and they were baptized the next day!!!
Then there is a family that we started teaching 3 weeks ago. Its the parents and two sons. The dad (Marcio) was baptized when he was 15 and went to church 3 times then went inactive. During his time away from the church he got married and had 2 boys. Well 3 weeks ago he decided that he wanted to return to the church and bring his family. So we taught his family and they are all super elect! On Saturday night they were all baptized!!! On Sunday after the Sacrament meeting I got to be part of the ordination... Marcio got the priesthood, then I got to watch him give the priesthood to his two sons. It was the coolest thing in the world, cause he was so lost, he had no idea what was going on, but the bishop helped him out with the words. But it was such a cool experience.
Unfortunately our Zone wasn't able to reach our goal of 40 baptisms. But so many miracles happened and we were able to help 22 people be baptized and confirmed!!! The record for this zone in one month is 12. And with our faith and ALOT of help from the lord we were able to make in difference in 22 peoples lives in one month!!!
I know that this Church is True. I know that the message that I get to share with people is true! I know that The Lord is guiding this work, and I'm so grateful to be able to be a part of it!
Love
Elder J.D. Schoen
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| The Baptism of Victoria and Yasmin |
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| The Baptism of the family of Marcio. Delair is the mom, and Renan and Gustavo are the two sons. |
So this past weekend was amazing! I've never seen so many miracles in my life. This past month I've learned so much about faith, and my testimony of fasting has grown so much! On Saturday we were blessed with helping 5 people be baptized! So we ended this month with 7 baptisms! We weren't able to reach our goal, but that's ok. I'm just so happy that I was able to be a part of all these miracles. So on Saturday morning Victoria and Yasmin were baptized. They have been going to church for about 3 years now, but there parents don't want to get married, and never let the girls be baptized. So after alot of prayer and fasting we had a lesson with them and explained really clearly and boldly. We talked to them about the importance of following Jesus. We talked about how we need to follow him today and right now, we should never wait to follow Jesus Christ. So then we said "We are representatives of Jesus Christ, we are inviting you, as if it was him inviting you, to follow him and be baptized." And they agreed to be baptized. Then we asked them when they are going to follow being baptized, and they said " Today! Can we be baptized today?" And instantly their mom got mad, and was like NO NO NO NO, you aren't ready you need to prepare more, then out of no where, (this was the help of the Lord) Their dad, who is Bolivian, and always really angry was like "No! The girls NEED to be baptized, and need to be baptized now!" And then the mom decided that it was alright, so we called one of the elders and he came and did the interview, and they were baptized the next day!!!
Then there is a family that we started teaching 3 weeks ago. Its the parents and two sons. The dad (Marcio) was baptized when he was 15 and went to church 3 times then went inactive. During his time away from the church he got married and had 2 boys. Well 3 weeks ago he decided that he wanted to return to the church and bring his family. So we taught his family and they are all super elect! On Saturday night they were all baptized!!! On Sunday after the Sacrament meeting I got to be part of the ordination... Marcio got the priesthood, then I got to watch him give the priesthood to his two sons. It was the coolest thing in the world, cause he was so lost, he had no idea what was going on, but the bishop helped him out with the words. But it was such a cool experience.
Unfortunately our Zone wasn't able to reach our goal of 40 baptisms. But so many miracles happened and we were able to help 22 people be baptized and confirmed!!! The record for this zone in one month is 12. And with our faith and ALOT of help from the lord we were able to make in difference in 22 peoples lives in one month!!!
I know that this Church is True. I know that the message that I get to share with people is true! I know that The Lord is guiding this work, and I'm so grateful to be able to be a part of it!
Love
Elder J.D. Schoen
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