One Year....What?

Hello.

Im just going to try and ignore the fact that I hit one year on the mission tomorrow. Im going to pretend I only have 3 months, cause thats what it feels like, and work like I´ve only got 3 months left. Man how the time goes...

I have been VERY sick this week. My lungs hurt very bad from coughing... Sister says that if it doesnt improve I cant travel this week. So Ive basically been downing Vicks faster than Di puts down a Diet Coke.

Let me tell you what i remember from my week. Yesterday we had a great special training meeting with President. He gave a training on the value of one soul, then the assistants gave one on baptismal invites, and me and Elder Evans finished talking about the little things on the mission. We shared the story of Naman, and how he almost didnt wash himself in the river to be cured. Sometimes we set aside the little things that can have big influences. It went well. After that we started our division with the Assistants. I traveled with Pres. Pavan and Elder Melo back to the office to spend the day in Porto Alegre. It was fun to be with Melo again, and we had a great day. We marked three baptismal dates!

The rest of the week was difficult. It is near impossible to get into doors in this area. People are incredibily hesistant to let us in and seem to ALWAYS be leaving, incredible how that works. Needless to say we have pretty much decided knocking doors here is absoultey worthless, so we are begging the help of the mission leader and bishop to get us references, and meanwhile going through a list of former investigators and inactive members trying to find people to teach. We have had mixed results. But we were able to find a gem! A little girl named Alisse that is cute as a button and is 8 years old. (my favorite age) She came to Church this Sunday and accepted a baptismal date next week. She is 2 sisters that are members but her mom isn´t. (Dad´s are rare here) So we will start trying to teach her mom as well.

This will be a fun week. Tomorrow morning early me and Elder Evans will take off to the Beach, we will spend the day with Capão Da Canoa helping them to find new investigators. We will sleep there and then head up the coast about 2 hours to the beautiful city of Torres, where we will watch a district meeting, and have lunch. (on the beach!) And then we will go back to Porto Alegre, about three hours, and return home, probably getting back the noitish. Stoked.

Pics:

1. Our District: District 50,

2. BOM and the mountins of Neópolis we will climb next week,

3. Me and my comp Elder Evans,

4. The Best district I ever had.. District Ferver Agua (boil water) Miss those guys

5. Ricky

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Elder Alex Allred
Terra de Gaúcho Tchê

Caixa Postal 13008

91010-971 Porto Alegre-RS

Brasil

Gravatai

Helllooooo-

I am in a new city with a new comp, and I love them both. I am in Gravataí with Elder Evans. And its sweet. We are the LZ´s of the BEACH! Im super stoked. The zone has a lot of problems and is the lowest producing in our mission, but we are both committed to change that. We are ripping apart everything and starting all over, our biggest challenge is to get everyone excited! That is the key to missionary work, we know the tricks, but if you aren´t excited to do the work you will not baptize. Our zone is young, so im hoping we can just jack everybody up on the idea that we can do MORE! Were taking the attitude that we are too young to know any better!

We were going to go to the beach this week but we now have a specialized training with President this Wednesday so that wont work. We will give an hour training to our zone. Our area is mais ou menos. Unfortunatly the LZ´s weren´t too excited and left us with pretty much nothing. But we are working our butts off and found 15 news this week and a couple good ones with baptism potential. The ward is excited to have Elders ready to work and is helping us out well with references.

This is such a different place that i am used to. Caxias and Passo Fundo were so far from Porto Alegre, the interior literally feels like a different country. There is different people here, different religions, different everything. But im getting used to it well and liking it very much here.

I love the mission and have a strong testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks for the love and support.

--

Elder Alex Allred
Terra de Gaúcho Tchê

Caixa Postal 13008

91010-971 Porto Alegre-RS

Brasil

Tchau Caxias

Freak.

I am leaving Caxias tomorrow, and very sad about it. Last night was one of the most incredible experiences of my mission. We had a huge churrasco with all of my recent converts and a few members last night to say goodbye. It was so much fun. After we shared a message, we shared a video with some clips of Henry B. Eyreing, promising to the members that we would feel prompted to speak of the restored gospel. I had everyone look around and realize that each person was a reference from someone else in that room, like a big long chain, and because of their willingness, 2 families were changed forever. The spirit i felt was incredible. The power of the restored gospel has the capacity to literally change lives. Marcia (the kids mom) started bawling and totally made me cry. I was embarrassed. Dont tell anyone.

Saturday was the wedding of Eduardo and Silvana. Very cool. Aside from the fact that some dummy turned on the baptismal font after we had turned it off and flooded the chapel. Guess who cleaned it up? Before the wedding we were out tracting and had nothing to do. I said lets drop by some investigators that i was thinking about cutting. We go there and they are like no we dont have time. But I said no just give us five minutes real quick! So they let us in but said they had to go to a wedding shower. We taught a quick lesson and as im leaving i ask "So who´s getting married?" And they go oh my cousin is so she can be baptized in the Mormon church. I just started laughing and said Ill see you there!! They had mentioned two "pastors" before but who knew it was us! Needless to say they became MUCH better investigators Sat night. I was planning on inviting them to be baptized this week before I was TRANSFERRED!

The wedding was great. Poor people weddings are kind of awkward, and they dont go all that smoothly. But it was fun. Me and Alba managed to get like twenty people there, and Marcia made a cake and we bought refrí. So it worked out alright, and we did the baptism (see photos) which was much more important to me. This transfer has literally been one of miracles and blessings.

Im so sad to be leaving here. But so excited for my next assignment and adventure. Every night i get on my knees and try to thank for the family i have, and the opportunidade to be here. Both are priceless. I love you all.

Tranquilao como aviao

Hey Gente-

It was a good week full of rain and angry people. Each day i progress a little bit more on my path towards becoming a more christ like person. I love the mission and I love the people.

I wanted to start with a cool story of a sweet couple named Marcio and Sueli. Marcio is a member inactive since age 8. Sueli is his "wife" that is not a member but wants to find the right church. They have 2 kids together. Sueli told us that on Sunday she said the first prayer in a long time asking for a light in her life. That day at lunch we recieved a reference from our 2nd counselor of someone he had visited a long time ago but forgotton about. Sunday night we showed up at their door and taught them throughout the week. They came to church yesterday and are very excited. The Lord answers prayers.

Thursday and Friday were rough days full of rain. We are trying to open up a new neighbohood that we normally dont work in and it has involved a LOT of walking. We haven´t planned very well and i am incredibly tired as a result of it. Walking in pouring rain is not fun. Thursday we also did a move for Diego and Marcia and i literally broke my back moving a big furnace. Needless to say im more physically tired than ive ever been on my mission.

Saturday was a great day. Although we didnt teach many people we had the baptism of Mikael, Taçiane, and Hellen. They were so excited for the baptism and it was so exciting Sunday to see their parents there supporting them to be confirmed. I baptized and confirmed the girls, Caio confirmed Mikael. We had a family night with them last night and talked about temples. They are such a beautiful family that i truly love. Such an example of people that are literally willing to give everything when they have NOTHING.

This week we are super busy for a special sacrament meeting we will have out in my area. We are handing out tons of invites and trying to invite influential members of the community. The president of the region has already said he is coming and a few political figures. When we were talking about it in stake leadership meeting I was happy to hear the Stake Presidents name in the list of speakers and surprised to hear mine. Yikes. I will begin with a 15 min talk on the restoration, then the relief soc. stake pres on the plan of salvation, and finally Big Pres on families. Im nervous but excited. This event has the capacity to really explode our area.

I love what I´m doing. Im exhausted but ready to work even harder. Why? Because the Church is True, and Christ really visited this continent. Amen.


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Elder Alex Allred
Terra de Gaúcho Tchê

Caixa Postal 13008

91010-971 Porto Alegre-RS

Brasil