May 31, 2010

Well nothing to terribly exciting or intensely exhilarating happened this week so this email probably wont be that long but on the whole it was definitely a good one. We're finding people to teach and we have a ward now that should work with us and help us out. the bishop here is really cool and really young so he just served a mission and really knows what it's all about which helps. It's a little wierd since my companion is like leaving in a week but he's really working hard till the end which is good. The only problem is I'm pretty sure I'll forget everyones names and where they live when he leaves because my memory is so bad. Oh well it'll all work out. The stake had a talent show the other night and one of the groups did Micheal Jacksons Thriller and the Micheal Jackson impersonator was pretty darn amazing I wont lie. He had the hold crowd screaming. It's great to hear the family is getting together and having fun without me. I'm not much fun anyways. I think I have a brain cloud right now so sorry I cant really think of anything clever to say so I'll stop while I'm behind or something like that. But ya, sorry that's all folks.

Elder Bangerter

May 25, 2010

So ya lots to say. Thank you everyone so much for your email, it's so great to hear about your lives and feel your support. This was a pretty crazy week I wont lie. So last wednesday was like an awesome day, and I was so happy as I walked home feeling like I was really starting to know and feel comfortable with the area  and then when I got home we found out we got transferred. Truthfully i wasnt really worried about me but more about our progressng investigators but in the end it all worked out because we got special permission from the presidant to stay there until monday so that we could baptize them. Unfortunately one of the baptisms fell through but the other, Reginaldo, was the old guy we've been teaching since the first week here. I already talked about it in a previous email but Ill kind of sum it up again. So we were walking down the street and we passed this old guy with his head in his hands and after a couple seconds, my companion said that we needed to go back and talk to him and as we did I totally couldnt undersatnd him or really realize what was goin on but later I came to understand his rough situation a little better. Every time we came to his house he smiled a little more and in the baptismal interview my district leader said he cried saying that he felt like he should go sit outside and then we walked by and turned back around. I know he is really old and probably only will understand the gospel on it's surface in this life but I know that it has changed his life and it was a pretty powerful testimony of following the spirit. My companion is not perfect but it's neet to see that you dont need to be perfect for the lord to work through you. This has really been a great testimony building week and I'm learning that the most important decision I make each day is the one I make when I get out of bed and decide what kind of day I'm going to have. I have so long to go but I've come so far without question. I cant believe how much I have been missing in the scriptures. Whenever I think about coming home( Oh yeah the other three in my apartment are all about to go home and all speak english. Kinda hard to stay focused sometimes) I just think about the opportunies I have here that I will not when I come home. Thanks for everything! wow that ended up longer than I thought it would. Oh one more think, I hadn't even hear about Jadens mission call but that makes me so happy, I dont know if he left yet but give him a big hug for me!

 

Elder Matthew Haynie Bangerter I (I think)

 

P.S. the pictures: The baptism, The goat got a little higher this time, it good to know we all have room for progression, this one's for tim so he better be reading this, and this little girl was flirting with me so I took a picture.

May 17, 2010

Well I wont lie it's been a pretty rough week down in Recife. Peanut Butter supplies are running low. We've been forced to eat mere crackers and the apartment reeks of my roommates sardines. The other day I hit my head on the top bunk. My companion never makes me cookies. I know I'm not supposed to complain but I think there is a line to be drawn when I dont even have a spatula to flip my pancakes. I think this week should go a little better though, I found a spatula. Oh and I saw a geo metro so that made me happy too. But really though, it was pretty good week. A few times this week, I tell you what, I rocked at Portuguese. Of course I stunk the next day but hey it's a process. We had a baptism scheduled for yesterday but the guy, Reginaldo got sick so we'll have to postpone it. Hopefully we'll have at least one this week. Something kinda crazy happened yesterday. We brought a guy to church named Louis and he brought his 9 year old son and he was really enjoying it and all but then after church he went to get his kid and nobody could find him. So were all thinking great, his first week at church and we alreasy lost his kid! Anywho we spent like an hour searching but it turns out he just walked like 3 miles home half way through church. Pretty ridiculous. Anywho I'm about out of time but as always, love you all, send pictures and updates, anyone can send me emails just so you know but I can't respond to them. Oh and mom how have things gone with Lefty.

 

Love Elder Bangerter

May 10, 2010

Well not a whole lot to talk abobut this week since we had a phone call yesterday but I'll still update everyone else I suppose. This week went really well, we've been working pretty hard and we had our first baptism with a sister named Maria. Her son joined the church and is now on a mission so I'm sure it's an awesome surprise for him. We're still working on gitting some more investigators but I'm sure they'll come. It's amazing how willing people are to let you into thier homes here. In truth when we do knock on doors we almost always get in. My companion is pretty good at talking but still it's a pretty big blessing. LIke one lady at first was like, oh I've alreasy talked to the missionaries, no thanks... but we managed to get it and by the end of the lesson she was like almost helping us teach it to her kids, it was pretty cool. We're also working with an old man Reginaldo who came to church on Sunday. We were walking and we passed him but my companion turned to me and said I think we need to talk to that guy and we turned around and as we started to teach him I really couldnt understand much of what he was saying but he began to cry saying that we were sent from God during this hard time in his life. I'm really trying to look for all the miracles of everyday. We also had a mission conference with an area seventy that was really awesome even though I only understood about half of it. He spoke for like 3 hours straight it was crazy! Oh one other random thing this week, I met a guy named brother Jones who said he knew uncle Jared from a finance class. It's funny how often people see my name and start saying things about my family that I dont even know. It's pretty awesome, and I'm so blessed to have the family that I do. Anywho, love you all and thanks for your support as always!

 

Love Elder Bangerter

May 3, 2010

Well, I've made it through the first week in the field and as far as I can tell I'm not dead yet however I've not had this confirmed. Wow, I don't even know really where to start but it really was a great week. Since it's a new area for both of us, we're still working on gettin more investigators but we've got a few at least and one potential baptism for this weekend for a lady that's been investigating for awhile. I've definitely gotten to be great friends with my companion Elder Martins and I think we'll work very well together. He's a member of only three years like many of the Brazilians, the only one in his family, and he has a very strong testimony of the gospel. I feel like each day gets a little better as I become more comfortable with the area and with the people. I'm doing alright with the language. Which means I basically can't talk to anyone but it's alright, I'm looking forward with faith and know that it will come in time. Actually, sometime I can really understand pretty much everything that's going on but it totally depends on the conversation and who is talking. The accents here are really hard to follow because they speak very quickly, slur their words and use alot of slang, but I try to at least pretend like I know what's going on, smile and say yes. So pretty much nothing has really changed at all. We've been riding buses everywhere and basically the bus drivers think they are riding motorcycles. I cant really think of a more accurate description. The temple president of the Recife Temple had grandpa Bangerter as a Tennis coach at BYU so that was pretty cool as well. As always I'm sure ther's way more to tell but I'm about out of time and my memory is about useless. I'm loving Recife and I'm loving the people, thanks for you prayers and pray for me to find more people to teach.

 

-Love Elder Bangerter