February 10, 2014 - Hot Weather, but the work goes on

I got my birthday package and am wearing the socks now as I’m writing emails.  Thanks for all of it.  I’m sorry about not taking more pictures, but walking around with a camera isn’t the best idea because if we get robbed, bye bye camera haha.   I will try harder to take more photos.  

 This heat here is pretty bad, but I’m starting to get used to always being covered in sweat.  I got a bad case of the runs Saturday and Sunday. I think it’s because I found out how to make limeade which is super cheap and I probably had like at least a gallon. Then I ate these honey bread things the members gave us, but the mix didn’t work for my body.  

Besides that the week was pretty calm. I went to the slum this week twice and I saw lots of guns hahah. I was praying pretty good during that hour and a half.

I had a zone conference which was really good. We talked about the character of Christ and it was really cool.  Dad, did your mission president teach you a lot about deep doctrine on your mission?  I have learned a lot from him already, but I bet you know a lot. He’s told us some pretty cool things of the scriptures that makes total sense now.  We definitely will have a day talking about that stuff when I get back,  because I know you know. hahah

I have been thinking a lot about what I want to do and I have narrowed it down little by little. I either want to work with special needs kids at a school and coach a sport or I want to work with physical therapy stuff, but I still have some time hahah.  

The area is still really good we just have some little things with the investigators that have to happen before we can baptize them. It’s been over 105 every single day this month and the last week in January - super duper hot! The success we have right now is bringing back less actives and inactives who have been waiting for the new chapel to be built which is very cool!

February 3, 2014 - Testimony

February 3, 2014

I watched Toy Story 3 this week. I haven’t seen it in a super long time. I forgot how sad it is haha.  

 This past week had its ups and downs. I got heat exhaustion on Friday. I wasn’t drinking enough water for 110 degree weather.  We did find a new family with 6 people.  They are super special and I think they will get baptized. They just don’t realize how special they are yet.  

Thank you for being my mom. I love you guys so much.

My new area has been a blessing to me and a help with not being so stressed.  I’m looking forward to this next transfer to have a new companion and learn from someone else.    Other than that I’m doing pretty well here. I might be going down to Sao Paulo tomorrow with other Americans to do some stuff about our visas.

I want you guys to know that I pray for you individually every night. Please tell me things that you need. A prayer is so much more powerful when it’s specific. I want you to know that at times its difficult being here and you guys being in Colorado, but there are so many blessings that we don’t recognize that it’s worth it. There are definitely some days that I am literally exhausted emotionally and physically, but I can tell you this.  This is the true church of the Lord Jesus Christ, The Lamb of God. He sacrificed for you and He sacrificed for me.  If you read in Ether 12 verse 6 it talks about that after the trials of life is when your faith will be strengthened.   I can tell you that I am grateful for my family each and every one of you.  The strength that you bring to me - there is no words to describe my gratitude.  

I can’t tell you how many times I have cried kneeling on my bed while praying in the mission, but it’s the time when I stop and end my prayer and just wait quietly when the power of the spirit testifies.  Everyone always says that prayer is a conversation with God, but why?  If we only talk the whole time, end the prayer and go about our day, we don’t give our Heavenly Father time to talk to us. This is my testimony that God lives, that Jesus Christ atoned for our sins.  I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet called of God to restore the Gospel of Christ.  I know that there is a purpose for everything in life and that we are here to help and lift one another up in times of difficulty.  I love you but no where near the amount the Lord loves you.  Remember this, know this.  I bear you this testimony and my witness in the name of our Lord and Savior, even Jesus Christ. Amen

January 27, 2014 - Weight Gain?

Mom: I can't see the picture of your baptism. Only a picture of you sticking your belly out.

Chase: haha Sorry, I'm not sticking it out - that's normal. I weigh 195.

January 27, 2014 - Baptism!

January 27, 2013

Well parental units, I call mom and dad, I had my first baptism this week where I actually baptized.  And oh, what a relief it was. I felt like a burden had been lifted off my back. It was ridiculous!  If you haven’t looked at the picture yet, I’m in all white......I got my first baptism this week and our ward in total with the other missionaries had 2!

It’s been pretty crazy here for me because we had an open house for 3 days then a cultural show with dancing and singing and then our church house was dedicated Saturday night.  Then I had to give a 15 minute talk in Portuguese which meant I gave the first talk in the new church house so I’m legendary now.

The people here are simply amazing .  All of the missionaries here call it, areia branca disney world because of the magic that's happening. We have had about 7 to 8 people come up to us and say I want to be baptized, can we go now?  The first time it happened I was like excuse me, can we go now? Am I dreaming? haha but its freaking sweet here!  One of the sister missionaries in my ward is exactly like Mom and McKaylee combined.  She laughs at my jokes and then she said i was being stupid and asked if I wanted a coming to Jesus meeting. I just started laughing because that’s what mom says!

I don't know if you can put it in the box, but I really would like a small English hymnal. I know all of the ones in Portuguese, but everyone keeps asking me the ones in English and I have no idea!  Oh and also President Cabral said that when he sends things to his son in Tennesse he puts on top ‘missionary supplies’ when you have to say what it is because in the mission we have had several missionaries have to pay 400 reais or 200 dollars to receive their packages.

More cool stories:  I went to the favela and saw lots of guns and prayed my heart out while walking! 

I gave a blessing to a son of a member who has meningitis. I had to wear a mask before we entered the room. It was really cool.  Right after, the son had enough strength to take a shower by himself. Priesthood power...that stuff is real!

A new motto our district in the ward has taken is the 4 s´s; sem sacrificio sem successo (without sacrifice you are without success).  I think also the fact that we are having success is because of fasting.  I am fasting once a week right now to make sure the blessings of the Lord are coming to this area.   

I am doing well in general. A baptizing missionary is a happy missionary.

Thank you for your prayers they don’t go to waste.

January 20, 2014 - New Area

January 20, 2014

I’m so sorry to hear about Grandma, but she definitely is in a better place.  Because you told me that grandma wasn´t doing very well this week, I studied a lot about the Plan of Salvation with physical and spiritual death.  While studying I came across a phrase that was super profound to me and I think fits for any situation when we lose someone we love.  It goes like this..The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life.  I know it isn’t a lot, but the reason it´s so difficult is because we loved them so much.  That’s what I got most out of my studies this week.  

Other thing this week: I was reading in True to the Faith about keeping the Sabbath day holy.  It says that, "Abstaining from work and recreation is not enough. In fact, if we merely lounge about doing nothing on the Sabbath, we fail to keep the day holy."  When I read this, I was like shoot they are really chastising the people here. I think making this a focus could really help the family feel more of the spirit.  I read a conference talk this week that I cried while I was reading it.  It was so powerful for me with the spirit. I think you guys should read it for family home evening tonight or some other night because it was that good. You might have already read it but it’s called The Character of Christ by David A. Bednar.  This is definitely my new favorite talk!  

The area is super good. Its completely opposite in every sense of the word.  It’s not super safe and it’s a lot easier to find people to teach.  President Cabral has put 3 companionships of missionaries in this ward and he is expecting big things from us for sure.  I really like it so far. We are teaching a family that I think all of the little girls think I’m cute because when I ask questions they just smile and hide their faces behind their mom, but when my companion asks anything they are fine.  We have three American missionaries just in this ward so we are going to be starting an English class here and we are hoping that it goes really well!

Cool story: you know the conference talk that talks about Vany Parrela that was baptized in Santos? Well, she moved away to a different part of the nation, but she has a grandson who is serving in the Santos mission and he is one of my really good friends on the mission.  So if you want to brag that I know her grandson, go for it hahah.

Your questions:

I did not talk to anyone about the Hep A shot. I’ll ask Sister Cabral about it this week.

Yes, I still have the same companion, Elder Barbosa.

What's an Emergency transfer: My president called me and my companion and said you guys are transferred to a different area when its not the normal time to get transferred and it’s called an emergency transfer.

I’m still about 40 minutes from the mission home, not too far. I’m closer to Sao Vicente.  It’s the city next to Santos.

We are going to start sport night in the ward to play basketball and other sports and so that’s when i till get my chance to play.

I did get your Christmas card. I liked what you did with the picture, it was really cool.  It made me get a little emotional, though, to be honest haha.

Portuguese is coming along good.  From what everyone is telling me, Portuguese is one of the hardest languages to learn, so I’m happy. Some things still i have no idea about, it all just depends on the accent of the person.

Exercise is iffy. I do my push-ups and sit-ups, but our house doesn’t allow for anything else which is frustrating.

What can you do for me? Pray for me please.