Man, I just can´t seem to keep a companion more than 6 weeks here in Brazil! Transfers came already! I dont know where the time went! I felt like this transfer just started here! But at least Im not being transfered again. But things are surely changing still here in Ji Parana. First off, my companion Elder Munhoz is leaving, and I will receive a new comp tomorrow, who is an American. This is his first transfer as Zone Leader so I called to be ZL-1 now. The other Elders will stay, but the sisters were both transfered and their area closed. So now we have a bunch more area! They lived on the other side of the river and worked that side of the town, but now I and my new companion with work thier area and just keep a small part of our old area next to the chapel. So today I will be packing up my stuff to move to the house where the sisters were living. And the other Elders will stay there in the same house. I am sure excited for the new challenges ahead of me here this transfers. We will have to get used to this area pretty fast because the sisters left investigators, RC, and less actives that we need to learn where they live and get to know them. And not loose the momentum of the sisters here. My only worry is loosing someone in this process. But I am ready to hit it hard and get all organized with a new area.
But this week was a great week to end with. On Monday we watched the baptism of Yuri, the son of Brother Neno. And then had a big party at their house! There was so much food, BBQ, veggies, rice, and much more...with a bunch of Coca-Cola! A BUNCH! I never drank so much coke in my life! Then had cake! It was fun, and then we went to the Bus station and left to Cacoal that night.
We had planned to stay there just Tuesday, but it was raining, and we felt like if we stayed one more day we could help the Elders there a lot more. The next day turned out to be really great! We started out in the morning helping them make a progress record of all the members they had there in Cacoal, because it is just a Group there. It was really good to do. We made a list of problems they had with their area, and then made a solution list. They came up with some great ideas! So I hope everything they came up with will come into action. But it will also help us follow up better with them, because we really know how it is there. But after that little planning session, the weather was a lot better and worked a bunch! Taught a lot of people and found a lot too! I really like Cacoal. It was cool to visit! It is very similiar to Ji Parana. Its only 2 hours on the bus to arrive there. But its got a lot more florest around the city. The Elders there said they saw quite a few monkeys there in Cacoal! I wanted to see one really badly, but I didnt see one! But we will be visiting there again this transfers for exchanges again, so it will give me another chance! haha But yeah we left on Wednesday and got back about Midnight in Ji Parana again. It was great exchange.
But because we were in Cacoal our work here was really rushed the end of this week. Because we marked a baptismal date with Josias (Fiancé of Lurdes) for this Sunday 18th. So we visited every night and he still accepted the date, and really understood that this is a step of faith not a perfect understanding. He is a little timid and quiet, but really humble and a neat guy. He passed the interview, and was baptized yesterday after church! He completed a family fully baptized! Woo hoo! It was so sweet to see! I got to baptize him, and it was so neat after the baptism to talk to him as he explained that he never had a intrest in being baptized and going to church until now. But he said that he was talking to Lurdes that he feels like he can always trust her in their relationship because of her commitments she has made with God through baptism and going to church, and he said, "I want her to feel the same way with me and so i know this is right. I feel good about this." It was really cool! I confirmed Lurdes during sacrament meeting too and Elder Munhoz confirmed Gabriel. It was a great day to end the transfer with Elder Munhoz!!
I sure will miss Elder Munhoz! He is my favorite companion here in Brazil! I learned so much with him. He sure is a funny goofy Brazilian, that I became really close with! We had a lot of good times laughing, and also eating açai! haha, Saturday night we all ate Açai together for the last time! haha But I am so excited for this next transfer to find more families that are ready for this gospel too! And help these new converts grow and develop their testimonies more and more!
This gospel is so great, and blesses families so much! I am so grateful that my family was blessed with this gospel, to now share it with other families! I know the only way my future family will succed is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ! What a blessing it is to have it restored here in our day!
Love yall! And have an amazing week! :)
-Elder Swalberg
Photos:
-Munhoz and I with the Cocoal Elders before we returned to our area,
-Us 4 Elders eating Açai for the last time with E. Munhoz!
-Munhoz and I with Irmão Neno and his son at his baptism!
-Baptism on Sunday of Josias, (Me, Lurdes, Josias, E. Munhoz)
>He really is a happy guy, this pictures just doesnt show it...haha These two sure are great! :)
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