Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
Letter of August 23, 2012
Finally, IT´S MY P-DAY!
Hello Mom, Family, and Friends!
Okay, I´m sorry, it´s been a long time since I have written a real e-mail. Probably since my second area in São Vicente almost a year ago, so my bad. I won´t lie, I sorta got sick of writing e-mails because it felt like I was repeating myself over and over about the same stuff. But sorry about that, I hopefully will do better..............
Anyways, it feels like it´s been a long time since we have talked. I am approaching my 1 year and 4 months mark here in a couple weeks. It feels like I barely got here. It´s very strange, everything feels like a dream. You go to sleep and 2 seconds later you wake up well rested, but everything goes by way too fast.
So I´ve got a lot to catch up on. I think my last real e-mail was about three months ago near the beginning of June. So anyways, that transfer was very interesting. At the beginning, I was so confused about everything, how to be a financial secretary, etc. And it was very hard to even get out of the office to get any real missionary work done.
So yup. All of the stinking problems with all the housing contracts, angry landlords, audit items, were put on my shoulders. So from June to now, I have just been overloaded. I felt like dying. Office life is really stressing. All of the missionaries think that the office life is a nice easy one with air conditioning and staying on the computer and getting all these privileges and stuff, but it really isn´t. Blech. I miss full days of prosleyting. So anyways, I finally have a grip on my responsibilities as the financial secretary. Not being prideful in anyway, but I think for the first time things are getting in order. Hopefully it will stay this way and make the job easier for others that take my place.
So let me tell you a little bit about the office "legacy". We are part of the Piratininga and Oeste Zone, which covers both of these stakes. We are a part of the São Paulo Oeste stake (west), and because of that, it has been the lowest baptizing stake in the mission. For years. What you would call a "buraco" of the mission (hole). But, things have completely changed around when Elder Vilela showed up. We started working like crazy, leaving the office as soon as we can, and doing everything to gain the trust of the members back. And it´s a lot better now.
So I don´t even remember if I have even written anything about our investigators-there is Vitor (8) who was baptized a few weeks back-his Mom had come back to church, was less active, so it was really great bringing them back to church.
Our next family is Nilson, Neli, and Higor. Nilson is not a member, but has been going to church for about 2 years now. He is super diligent and full of faith, he´s actually a lot better than a lot of members! But he needs to get married to Neli, who is a less active member. Higor is their grandson. But we are hoping that all the documents get processed soon, that way they can get married and then Nilson can get baptized! We know how big of a difference it will make in his life.
There is another family-Inez, Alisson and Isis (and Aginaldo and Ingrid). So Inez (the mom) and Isis (the daughter) have been going to church for a while now-they are the neighbors of a family here in the ward, and they are just awesome. Inez also isn´t married-so we need to help them! It´s just that Aginaldo is super closed off, and is not interested in the church at all-he gets annoyed that Inez and Alisson and Isis go to church. Ingrid, the other daughter, is the same way. Alisson is not a girl! He´s a guy. Just an FYI, all the Alysons and Alisons and Allissons etc. are guy names here in Brasil. But he is really good too, needs to make some changes first, but I can see all of them getting baptized soon. In fact, the other missionaries that were here before us talked with them like twice in 6 months, and never invited them to be baptized. So we went there last week, and we invited them to be baptized. Inez started saying that she was talking with Isis earlier that morning, about how they both wanted to get baptized. And then Alisson accepted. Please include them in your prayers, they are really close.
There is also Ivani and João-referals from Nilson (see how good Nilson is?!). They also aren´t married, but they are super humble. João is a little more reluctant and seems hesitant to get married, but Ivani wants to get married and baptized.
And one more family-Léia and Igor, mom and son. Léia is going to get married to a member, and Igor is her son (13). Super receptive, already received an answer to their prayers and about the Book of Mormon-so that´s what´s going on.
So these are our main families we are teaching. I think Mom has been wanting to know, so there they are!
Hmmm, what else. I definitely won´t be able to fit everything on my mind in one e-mail. Anyways...
My companion Elder Vilela is awesome. We get along REALLY well, hahaha. I have a lot of respect for him-five years as a member, only member in his family. Yeah I always say this, but he is definitely one of my favorite comps of all time.
So it looks like there will be some changes in the mission office structure. Usually there are 4 secretaries: Executive, Financial, Materials, and one newbie who gets to take the place of one of the above. So Elder Remund is Executive, Elder Graham is the Materials with Elder Vilela. Just that President wants to have less Elders in the office, so one of the senior couple missionaries (the Stouts from St. George) and another one that is to come (the Gneitings from Idaho) will take two of the spots. So until the Gneitings come, Elder Remund Elder Vilela and I will stay in a trio-then when the Gneitings come, Elder Remund will leave. So Elder Vilela and I will be here for a while, training the Senior missionaries. FUN!
Yes, my physical condition has deteriorated just a little...ahem. Sitting in an air conditioned office eating Sister Tanner´s cookies definitely doesn´t help, but I am more diligent in my exercises. I am super sore. Elder Remund and I went for a run the other day, and my legs are so sore. Actually yesterday, and they already hurt.
So over this past couple months I got super down on myself. Ever since I left, a lot of people went less active. I found out that Rose from São Vicente, Carlos Henrique, Guilherme, Bruno, Juan, and BA went all inactive. I got super frustrated. But, I got good news! Do you remember Heldes, Simeia and Caio? Heldes got baptized last Sunday! And Simeia came back to church! And Caio is finally growing up! When I got the news I got so excited that I couldn´t sleep. And President let me watch the baptism! I would have never imagined her getting baptized. It was super cool, because we all kept it a secret until we got there. It´s really hard to describe how I felt, it is pure joy. Elder Anderson, when he came to our mission, gave a talk about how you can count the seeds in an apple, but you can´t count all of the apples that will come out of the seed. So, every thing adds up! Even when you don´t see the end result immediately.
That was definitely my highlight of the week/month/year. And I called up BA and Juan to meet me at the church, and they came and said they would go back to church. So, I was a pretty happy guy this past couple days.
Anyways, I hope you are doing well. I can´t believe Ian already left for school! It´s been two years since I have been where he is right now...time passes quickly. That´s exciting. That must be weird to have the house so empty. What does Ryan do to keep busy?
Mom, I hope you have a great three week break. Let me know how things are going at home.
Wow, Travis is back already?! My English is going to be terrible. Hahaha, Portuguese accents are actually really funny.
So during Zone Conferences this last week, President and Sister Tanner have really been focusing on the importance of the Book of Mormon. We always hear that it is the "keystone to our religion". But it really is that important. I know that the book has converting power, and testifies of our Savior. Sister Tanner told us that it is a book of power and full of the Spirit-that it not only includes testimonies of Christ, but also includes His doctrine. The power of the Book of Mormon is the power of the Doctrine of Christ. Just as it says in 2 Nephi 32:3 and 2 Nephi 31:20, we must feast upon the words of Christ, just as we take care to feed ourselves physically. But remember that just as we thank the Lord for the food that we eat and as we ask Him to bless our food, we can also ask blessings for our studies and be grateful to have the Bible and the Book of Mormon in our lives. I know this is true. There was a good chunk of time where I was "too busy" to study the scriptures and do my scripture studies. But when I started again, it felt so good to feel the peace and the Spirit that comes from reading the words of our Savior. President and Sister Tanner challenged us to read the Book of Mormon starting now until the end of the year. If you would like to join, that would be really cool!
I love you, thank you for everything. Please keep our investigators in mind and include them in your prayers. Always remember how you can help the missionaries closest to you! President Tanner always uses the analogy of M&M´s. Members and Missionaries together makes the work sweeter. Something like that, I didn´t even mean for it to rhyme.
Mas então, tenha uma ótima semana. Eu lhes amo MUITO!
Elder Kahng
PS-Mom, thank you for getting my package together, hehehe. If you could especially remember to get me a camera cable (have Mingoo help you), that would be incredible-there are a lot of pictures I want to send to you. Also, tell Sister Roberts that I got her letter, and I am working on a response!
Hello Mom, Family, and Friends!
Okay, I´m sorry, it´s been a long time since I have written a real e-mail. Probably since my second area in São Vicente almost a year ago, so my bad. I won´t lie, I sorta got sick of writing e-mails because it felt like I was repeating myself over and over about the same stuff. But sorry about that, I hopefully will do better..............
Anyways, it feels like it´s been a long time since we have talked. I am approaching my 1 year and 4 months mark here in a couple weeks. It feels like I barely got here. It´s very strange, everything feels like a dream. You go to sleep and 2 seconds later you wake up well rested, but everything goes by way too fast.
So I´ve got a lot to catch up on. I think my last real e-mail was about three months ago near the beginning of June. So anyways, that transfer was very interesting. At the beginning, I was so confused about everything, how to be a financial secretary, etc. And it was very hard to even get out of the office to get any real missionary work done.
So yup. All of the stinking problems with all the housing contracts, angry landlords, audit items, were put on my shoulders. So from June to now, I have just been overloaded. I felt like dying. Office life is really stressing. All of the missionaries think that the office life is a nice easy one with air conditioning and staying on the computer and getting all these privileges and stuff, but it really isn´t. Blech. I miss full days of prosleyting. So anyways, I finally have a grip on my responsibilities as the financial secretary. Not being prideful in anyway, but I think for the first time things are getting in order. Hopefully it will stay this way and make the job easier for others that take my place.
So let me tell you a little bit about the office "legacy". We are part of the Piratininga and Oeste Zone, which covers both of these stakes. We are a part of the São Paulo Oeste stake (west), and because of that, it has been the lowest baptizing stake in the mission. For years. What you would call a "buraco" of the mission (hole). But, things have completely changed around when Elder Vilela showed up. We started working like crazy, leaving the office as soon as we can, and doing everything to gain the trust of the members back. And it´s a lot better now.
So I don´t even remember if I have even written anything about our investigators-there is Vitor (8) who was baptized a few weeks back-his Mom had come back to church, was less active, so it was really great bringing them back to church.
Our next family is Nilson, Neli, and Higor. Nilson is not a member, but has been going to church for about 2 years now. He is super diligent and full of faith, he´s actually a lot better than a lot of members! But he needs to get married to Neli, who is a less active member. Higor is their grandson. But we are hoping that all the documents get processed soon, that way they can get married and then Nilson can get baptized! We know how big of a difference it will make in his life.
There is another family-Inez, Alisson and Isis (and Aginaldo and Ingrid). So Inez (the mom) and Isis (the daughter) have been going to church for a while now-they are the neighbors of a family here in the ward, and they are just awesome. Inez also isn´t married-so we need to help them! It´s just that Aginaldo is super closed off, and is not interested in the church at all-he gets annoyed that Inez and Alisson and Isis go to church. Ingrid, the other daughter, is the same way. Alisson is not a girl! He´s a guy. Just an FYI, all the Alysons and Alisons and Allissons etc. are guy names here in Brasil. But he is really good too, needs to make some changes first, but I can see all of them getting baptized soon. In fact, the other missionaries that were here before us talked with them like twice in 6 months, and never invited them to be baptized. So we went there last week, and we invited them to be baptized. Inez started saying that she was talking with Isis earlier that morning, about how they both wanted to get baptized. And then Alisson accepted. Please include them in your prayers, they are really close.
There is also Ivani and João-referals from Nilson (see how good Nilson is?!). They also aren´t married, but they are super humble. João is a little more reluctant and seems hesitant to get married, but Ivani wants to get married and baptized.
And one more family-Léia and Igor, mom and son. Léia is going to get married to a member, and Igor is her son (13). Super receptive, already received an answer to their prayers and about the Book of Mormon-so that´s what´s going on.
So these are our main families we are teaching. I think Mom has been wanting to know, so there they are!
Hmmm, what else. I definitely won´t be able to fit everything on my mind in one e-mail. Anyways...
My companion Elder Vilela is awesome. We get along REALLY well, hahaha. I have a lot of respect for him-five years as a member, only member in his family. Yeah I always say this, but he is definitely one of my favorite comps of all time.
So it looks like there will be some changes in the mission office structure. Usually there are 4 secretaries: Executive, Financial, Materials, and one newbie who gets to take the place of one of the above. So Elder Remund is Executive, Elder Graham is the Materials with Elder Vilela. Just that President wants to have less Elders in the office, so one of the senior couple missionaries (the Stouts from St. George) and another one that is to come (the Gneitings from Idaho) will take two of the spots. So until the Gneitings come, Elder Remund Elder Vilela and I will stay in a trio-then when the Gneitings come, Elder Remund will leave. So Elder Vilela and I will be here for a while, training the Senior missionaries. FUN!
Yes, my physical condition has deteriorated just a little...ahem. Sitting in an air conditioned office eating Sister Tanner´s cookies definitely doesn´t help, but I am more diligent in my exercises. I am super sore. Elder Remund and I went for a run the other day, and my legs are so sore. Actually yesterday, and they already hurt.
So over this past couple months I got super down on myself. Ever since I left, a lot of people went less active. I found out that Rose from São Vicente, Carlos Henrique, Guilherme, Bruno, Juan, and BA went all inactive. I got super frustrated. But, I got good news! Do you remember Heldes, Simeia and Caio? Heldes got baptized last Sunday! And Simeia came back to church! And Caio is finally growing up! When I got the news I got so excited that I couldn´t sleep. And President let me watch the baptism! I would have never imagined her getting baptized. It was super cool, because we all kept it a secret until we got there. It´s really hard to describe how I felt, it is pure joy. Elder Anderson, when he came to our mission, gave a talk about how you can count the seeds in an apple, but you can´t count all of the apples that will come out of the seed. So, every thing adds up! Even when you don´t see the end result immediately.
That was definitely my highlight of the week/month/year. And I called up BA and Juan to meet me at the church, and they came and said they would go back to church. So, I was a pretty happy guy this past couple days.
Anyways, I hope you are doing well. I can´t believe Ian already left for school! It´s been two years since I have been where he is right now...time passes quickly. That´s exciting. That must be weird to have the house so empty. What does Ryan do to keep busy?
Mom, I hope you have a great three week break. Let me know how things are going at home.
Wow, Travis is back already?! My English is going to be terrible. Hahaha, Portuguese accents are actually really funny.
So during Zone Conferences this last week, President and Sister Tanner have really been focusing on the importance of the Book of Mormon. We always hear that it is the "keystone to our religion". But it really is that important. I know that the book has converting power, and testifies of our Savior. Sister Tanner told us that it is a book of power and full of the Spirit-that it not only includes testimonies of Christ, but also includes His doctrine. The power of the Book of Mormon is the power of the Doctrine of Christ. Just as it says in 2 Nephi 32:3 and 2 Nephi 31:20, we must feast upon the words of Christ, just as we take care to feed ourselves physically. But remember that just as we thank the Lord for the food that we eat and as we ask Him to bless our food, we can also ask blessings for our studies and be grateful to have the Bible and the Book of Mormon in our lives. I know this is true. There was a good chunk of time where I was "too busy" to study the scriptures and do my scripture studies. But when I started again, it felt so good to feel the peace and the Spirit that comes from reading the words of our Savior. President and Sister Tanner challenged us to read the Book of Mormon starting now until the end of the year. If you would like to join, that would be really cool!
I love you, thank you for everything. Please keep our investigators in mind and include them in your prayers. Always remember how you can help the missionaries closest to you! President Tanner always uses the analogy of M&M´s. Members and Missionaries together makes the work sweeter. Something like that, I didn´t even mean for it to rhyme.
Mas então, tenha uma ótima semana. Eu lhes amo MUITO!
Elder Kahng
PS-Mom, thank you for getting my package together, hehehe. If you could especially remember to get me a camera cable (have Mingoo help you), that would be incredible-there are a lot of pictures I want to send to you. Also, tell Sister Roberts that I got her letter, and I am working on a response!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Letter of 4/16/12
Hello family,
How are you? Hope you had a great week.
This week was great for my companion and I, we had two baptisms! We have been helping this less active member come back to church, and so we baptized his son Juan and their friend Bruno. They are awesome!
It´s a really nice temperature here. About 77 degrees F.
I have been in this area for almost 4.5 months now. I am pretty sure that I will stay another one, so 6 months! The thing that´s interesting though, is that I´m not sick of the area at all. Usually missionaries can get tired of one area after so long, but I´m liking it here. I´ve really grown to love the members here.
Okay, um grande abraço to all of you. Love all of you very much. Hope to hear back soon!
Elder Kahng
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Friday, March 9, 2012
New Pictures
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Monday, January 9, 2012
Mission Letter 28
January 9, 2012
This week was a good normal week. I´m loving the São Paulo weather, it´s so much cooler than the Baixada hahaha. It´s nice also to be in civilization ;)
Hope you all had a good week, you must be working hard to start off the new year! President Tanner sent an interesting email about the Roman god Janus, who has two faces looking back, and in the front. So we can look back at our last year with gratitude for all of the blessings that we have received, and look forward with anticipation and hope for the future! It´s a great time to reflect about how far we have come along, and re-orient ourselves to do even better this next year.
So...one of the reasons I haven´t been sending pictures is because my cable stopped working. And then later it broke for real. But luckily Elder Stotts has the same cable, so here it goes!
We have some great families we are teaching here. João and Magda, Sarah and Marcio, and Soriah is one family (sisters and almost husbands). We already have Sarah and Marcio´s marriage lined up for the 25th of February, and working with João. That´s about all that´s lacking, they have firm testimonies of the Gospel.
This week we saw a miracle. We were walking in the favela, and we felt impressed to talk to this man sitting on the side. So we did, and it turned out that he wanted help to change his life around. At first, I was skeptical, because he was drunk and mentioned that he uses hard drugs. But after the first lesson, we came back to revisit, and he changed. He read the parts we marked in the Book of Mormon, threw out all the beer and drugs he had in the house (he lost the urge to use them after the lesson), and was really serious about all of this. We already marked a baptismal date for him. He also came to church at 8:30, and got up at 6:00 to get ready. We can really see that the Lord really does prepare and changes the hearts of people.
Elder Stotts is awesome. We are working really hard, he is really chill. We get along really well. Our district is pretty interesting though, just us two and one other companionship, and we all live in the same house. They are pretty cool, but it´s still a lot of pressure for me to be a good example 24 hours to my companion and my district. Definitely, it is not an easy thing to do, but Mom, your quote you sent me about trials from Howard W. Hunter is helping me tons, thank you so much. I put it up on the wall in front of my desk :) But of course, if you could pray for me so I can be a better leader and take up all the responsibility, that would be greatly appreciated.
And thank you to the Lunds for your Christmas package! I am thoroughly enjoying the Starbursts and the supplies, thank you for thinking about me. Also to the BYU fam, thank you also! For the candy, but mostly the card, it was awesome ;)
Ok, running out of time, but just want to let you know how much I appreciate all of your support, everyone who is reading this letter. I can feel your prayers blessing this mission, it is incredible to see day by day. I hope that all of you can start off the new year right, with good goals! I already said this, but we should all specifically focus on the Book of Mormon. It was written for our days. We can apply every principle into our lives. We can gain a testimony and reality of our Savior Jesus Christ, and we can also be more happy in life as we can feel the Spirit more in our lives. It is through the Book of Mormon we can gain real and fortified testimonies of the Lord and of His Atonement, and like the Tree of Life, the Atonement is the love of God, and is sweeter above anything else we can enjoy in life.
I love you all, and hope you have a great week!
Abraço,
Elder Kahng
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