This Email is not going to adequately explain what I want it to

Hey people

We went to the beach this week. It was awesome. I love the beach. See pictures.

I wont lie. I hate writing these things. Call it impatience. But i will pen out some thoughts I have had this week about Brasil and a man named Korihor. 

Korihor was an Antichrist in the Book of Mormon that used deviated lies about the church to mislead people. For example he would make up a doctrine of the church (how can we be responsible for Adam´s sins) and then feed that lie, because it wasn't true anyway! So it was easy! What does that have to do with Brasil...? Everything. The most frustrating thing for me here is the lack of commitment to do something important. In all aspects of life. This is so fundamentally important for us. I believe I have spoken a bit about an awesome mother and daughter we have named Suzanah and Suelen. They are great, they love us, and feel the spirit so strong with us. But will not read the book of Mormon. Them, and 9 million other Brazilians always have the same excuse. No i didn't read, when i read I want to really be in the right mindset, and I wasn't, so I didn't read. No I didn't go to church, when I go to church, I want to really pay attention, and I knew i wouldn't, so i didn't go. No, I cant pray tonight, Im not in the right mindset, when I pray, I want it to be good, so not tonight. Does anyone else see the irony with that excuse?? We never asked you to go to church and not pay attention... we didn't ask you to read without real intent... We asked you to read!! It is making an excuse based on an excuse that doesn't exist! And its NOT the real problem. So we spend 30 minutes dissecting something that isn't really the real cause! Does that make sense?? This is the common atitude here in Brasil. This is the devil working on the heart of the children of men. 

Sorry if that bit of rambling didn't make any sense. I'm in a super big state of thought process right now. How do I respond to that? Ohh okay yeah of course you should read and pay attention no problem. Of course you need to pay attention when you read and go to church, that's inherent in the invite. I just feel a super weak sauce lack of commitment to do ANYTHING! here in Brasil. And I get worked up about it. This is your salvation that I'm teaching you! I'm telling you how you can NOT go to hell. I feel like that is slightly more important than your soap opera. 

I love Brasil. I love the people here. I love my mission. This gospel is 100 percent true. And although Satan finds incredible complicated ways to impede our work, the gospel will spread to the four corners of the earth like a plague. A super sick tasty type of plague. I hope you are all well. I'm fantastic, just fat. God Bless.

P.s. Do any other missionaries LOVE it when you ask people to pray and they pray to you... I.e. I want to thank you guys for being here, I want to say thank you for my familiy, and that you guys get home safe... etc etc. I have to try hard not to stop them in the middle of the prayer and tell them to talk to God, not to me.

Yo

Òla Pessoal.

It was a good week. We were able to stay in our area the whole week and so that was good. We are seeing little miracles through our hard work. We were able to get 8 people to church, and although i get really frustrated with the lack of reverence/help there a few of them liked it. It is just devestating when we bust our butts of to get people to church, and then nobody helps/pays attention to them, the meetings are loud and irreverent and they have a crappy experience. Devastating. 

We are getting a lot of references though and have a huge teaching pool. Lots of people with baptismal potential. We also finally got an Elders Quorum President this week which was super helpful. We teamed up with a few elders to do a division Saturday and got some good visits done. I met an interesting person on that split. His name was Alex. We had seen him a few times in the street because he always yells retarted stuff at us.. But everyone does that, so I just ignored him. But then one time he yells out. Belo Horizone Mission 2004!! And I´m like whaaaattt... Keep in mind this guy is FULLY tatted with Saint Mary and demons.. and is frequently drunk. So that night we returned to talk to him. Long story short he shocked us by telling us he served an HONORABLE two year mission, and returned home. One little fight from the Bishop kept him from going to church for a little. He met a girl and got involved in Batuki, and to keep from sharing too many details quite literally delivered his life to Satan. It makes me realize how vulnerable we all are. And how with the littlest slip Satan can get an incredbily firm grip upon our hearts. If any one has seen the video of Boyd K. Packer that talks about the Crocodiles... invisible traps. Look for them, they are all around you. 

Life is good here. We had a baptism last night of a cute little girl named Alise. She is the one that lives in the house thats not safe for us to go to. The one where her dad was killed, her sisters current boyfriend killed her ex boyfriend, and the new boyfriend of her mom flipped a car full of guns and drugs... Yeah. I pray nightly that the church can be the refuge for her that her home is not. We´re going to the beach tomorrow. We will return Thursday night to a busy weekend. So much to do. Love the mission.

A igreja é verdadeira. Sabia?

What are we going to do

Helloooo Americans. How are you my friends??

It was a good week! We spent the whole week focused on building up Zion here in our area so that was great! We had some major disappointments with people not going to church and asking me " what do you want.." when we call them, but there was also some great blessings. Priscilla was confirmed this week and went to church in a skirt! What! Now the only thing that lacks is for her to take out her nose ring!

 

Speaking of piercings I had an interesting baptismal interview with a 15 year old this week very distressed about some of her "rings". I was like listen, Im a missionary, take the thing out to get baptized, and then talk with your bishop/woman leader. Then she was like no its not even bad, look, and whoop UP COMES THE SHIRT! Im like ahhhh! nooo! It gave me a good scare, but she was just showing me her belly button ring. Girls...

 

Yesterday we did a division with the assistants. It was fun to spend another day with my good buddy Elder Melo. He is a little rat. He loves looking through ALL my belongings to find things he can take home with him. But we had a great lesson with some new investigators that we have. Suzanah and Suelen. They are 40 and 15 and told me last night they are loving the Book of Mormon, loving us, but are scared to go to Church in fear of not loving it there. Almost like a Is it too good to be true? type of thing. We gave a powerful witness of the reality of the holy spirit, and invited them to pray earnestly to know if what we have certainty of, is true. They promised they would, and will also go to church this week. AGUA.

 

I have felt spiritually uplifted this week from my study. I really feel like the new dvd players we have received with training segments on preach my gospel are going to be great. The work is evolving and I feel confident in our ability to use it for good. Let me bear my solemn witness to my friend and family of the reality of The Living Church. The Church is guided by true revelation, of that I have no doubt. The Book of Mormon is a powerful testament of Jesus Christ, given to us by God as a source to know the truth of all things. Christ atoned for our sins allowing us to repent and use God´s ordinances here on earth to one day return to him.

 

Each day I have a renewed desire to find, and teach people these things, in preparation for the first ordinance of the gospel- baptism. Essa é a igreja de Cristo.

 

Vos Amo.

 

Elder Alex Allred
Terra de Gaúcho Tchê

Caixa Postal 13008

91010-971 Porto Alegre-RS

Brasil

I hate Brasilian Pregnant Pictures

Hey people-

Its a good thing i have Di nagging me to death or I would forget to write something every week. 

I hope you were all spiritually edified by conference like I was. I have no doubt that these men are called of God to be his mouthpiece here on earth. I testify that God has a living prophet and 2 counselors, God spoke with men like Moses and Abraham anciently, how foolish would we be to believe he doesnt speak with men today. As Elder Callister taught us God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God still speaks with man. If you dont have a certainty of that, get one. Without it, life has little (or less) meaning. 

I think my favorite talks were Elder Callister, and Elder Christofferson about repentance. I ate up every word of these inspired men. And how exciting that Provo will get another temple!! I quite enjoyed the ohhs and the ahhhs after that, and then the laughter after announcing the Wyoming temple after the exotic ones. "I think I´ll dedicate that one." Our prophet is funny, and Wyoming sucks. 

I had a maturity moment this week. We were invited to eat dinner with our recent convert Dina this week, and she had gotten home late and was in a rush to make us a lasagna. Long story short she forgot to take off the plastic in the pastels (they make lasagna wierd here) and so it was full of plastic. She felt horrible. Me and my comp were trying to take off the plastic telling her how delicious the food was and that it wasnt a big deal, but her two kids worsened her misery by being total butt heads. Just straight complaining and telling her how dumb she was and refusing to eat. I wanted to be like "SHUT up you ungrateful little weiner, she worked her butt off to make this and a little plastic to pull off is hardly a big deal." 

Right as I thought that I saw visions of tantrums at the dinner table. I´d like to make a formal apology to all my aunts, grandmothers, my beloved mother, or anyone else that ever made food for me. I have a large certainty that i was one of those "butt heads."

It was a hectic week. We didnt have a whole lot of time to work in our own area, and for this i felt a lack. Between conference, meetings in porto alegre, and problems within our zone with missionaries we have done a lot of running and not a whole lot of spreading the restored gospel. 

It will be good to get back to the work this week, as we should have all week to be in our own area, and recompense (sorry di i cant think of a better word) for the time we missed.

The gospel is true, God called a prophet in our days, the Book of mormon is his living witness that these things are true. Dont ever give up what you want most for what you want now. It would be the biggest mistake of your life. 

Love

--

Elder Alex Allred
Terra de Gaúcho Tchê

Caixa Postal 13008

91010-971 Porto Alegre-RS

Brasil

The Mission

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Has anyone ever read the Tale of two cities? Does anyone else feel like the first line of that big pretty well describes their mission? I do.

I am so constantly filled with different emotions good and bad each day its hard to keep track. I get so frustrated with people completely disregarding our appointment and yanking our chain, disrespecting us. I get so frustrated with other missionaries and their lack of desire to work. But i get so happy when i find that one person who really does want to learn, and figure out more about life, that it makes it all worth it. Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday were full of disappointment and despair. Our baptism fell, nothing worked right, and we just got kicked and kicked. But Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were just great. I really felt the spirit of the Lord as my companion, and me and my companion worked our butts off and found, taught, and brought many to church. We marked 6 baptismal dates. The Lord blesses us AFTER he tests our faith. Even the great prophets were put through trials and tribulations, before they reaped the fruits. 

Sorry i dont have more details, I write a super boring email when i write it at the end. Im tired, and just want to  go get a coke and take a nap. But sufficeth to say we are working hard and having fun. We have lots of good people to teach, and hope to baptize 6 people before the end of this month. Im so excited for conference, and we are going to the beach again this week. We will leave tomorrow, and come back Thursday night. Then we will run our butts off all weekend to try and recompense the two days we missed. We will do one more division for the two baptisms we have this weekend (Lea and João, sorry i haven´t said much about them) and then we´ll do it all over again. I love my mission, and have a testimony of the atonement of Jesus Christ. 

I attached some pictures of the temple and our hike this morning. Love you all, sorry for the boring letter. It happens... 

--

Elder Alex Allred
Terra de Gaúcho Tchê

Caixa Postal 13008

91010-971 Porto Alegre-RS

Brasil

Over the Hump

Hey family-

I am officially over the hump, and it feels good. But not much has changed, im just more focused to work harder and make sure the first year goes as well as the first. If it goes anywhere near as fast ill be home like tomorrow.

My week was CRAZY. As usual it had its ups and downs. We actually had a few GREAT days, where i really thought we hit breakthroughs in our area. We marked 6 baptismal dates, and had some people at church. But then yesterday was a big kick in the gut. We were supposed to have a baptism, and spent almost the entire day (in the rain) going back and forth from the church (40 min from us) to fill up the font. Just to find out that it wasnt going to happen ten min before the baptism. The little girls dad rolled her car on the freeway. Oh yeah and that car just happened to be full of drugs and guns. After tried to recuperate and stop at a kid we´re trying to help, to discover he was in the hospital after cutting his wrists in a suicide attempt. As normal as these things are becoming to me I sometimes still marvel at the effect Satan has over God´s children.

The zone continues to improve. I think i´ve mentioned that last month was the worst month of this zone´s history, and so basically pres told me my biggest job here is just to get the morale up. So we´ve just been trying to jack everybody up, and excite them to do the work. We´re using the phone a lot, creating awards, setting goals, and trying to be the best missionaries we can be.

We did our division on the beach Wednesday and Thursday and it was simply incredible. (see pictures) Beaches like that dont exist in the United States.

Im happy and healthy (sort of) and working my butt off. I have a lot left to accomplish this last year, and so i´m going to do just that. Thanks for the prayers and support. Love you guys.

--

Elder Alex Allred
Terra de Gaúcho Tchê

Caixa Postal 13008

91010-971 Porto Alegre-RS

Brasil

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

--

Elder Alex Allred
Terra de Gaúcho Tchê

Caixa Postal 13008

91010-971 Porto Alegre-RS

Brasil