September 17, 2012

So I am here in Porto! Almost. I'm just on the other side of the river in Porto but I am the zone leader of the Porto zone. THAT has been an experience. There in Madeira I was the zone leader of 5 areas, here there are 10. It’s CRAZY! We never get to bed on time because we're always on the phone after daily planning! It’s been super fun though. I'm serving with Elder Bergeron from Tennessee. He's an awesome kid who really wants to get lost in the work. We've been having a lot of fun. This area has been a little bit slow that last couple transfers, but the Lord has really helped us out. The members here unfortunately don’t have trust in the Elders....so we’re working to change that. When we got to church, you could tell right off that they didn't trust us, but then as we just talked to them and offered our help in everything, and you could almost see them change. Not a lot, but just a little bit, but I’m SUPER excited! We have a "Noite de Resgate" or a "Rescue Night" this Saturday. The ward (yes it’s a real ward here!! :) ) goes and visits some less active members to help them come back and reactivate. We offered to be there and they were super excited. When president Fluckiger called me to tell me I was being transferred he told me it was a great opportunity to work with the members up here and the minute I got off the train, I felt that very same thing. I'm super excited. I have NO idea how to do this, but I'm super excited to learn. I know that this is an area that I'm going to learn. The stake president and his first counselor are in our ward, so we're going to start with them, because they are incredible! And they trust us a little bit more and they are just super ready to go. I'm super excited to learn.

Gaia is super cool! It’s a TON different than Madeira! haha But I love it a lot. It’s super pretty up here. This is what they say "classic Portugal" is. It's older and super green and pretty. I love it a lot. It’s a full blown city though. Super huge. And there are people EVERYWHERE! I love it! And there are families. We're praying all the time that we can find families to teach and to help. One thing that has been really cool is seeing how the Lord gives us what we ask for, we then just have to take the next step and do our part. Sometimes in Funchal, I would pray to find a family, but then I would get nervous and not talk to the families, because.....I don't know why. I was just nervous. But as I've been praying here, I've realized that that doesn't work. Brilliant I know. So here we've been making an effort to talk with the families, and it's been amazing to see the people the Lord has prepared, in families. Last night, it was late and we were walking home after a really cool lesson with a cool kid named João, and we saw this family of 3 kids and the parents walking towards us. We had just been talking and what not and then we just kinda looked at each other and knew we needed to talk to them. It was like 9:30 and we were headed home and so were they so we didn't talk long, but it was amazing how when we said we were Disciples of Jesus Christ and we were there to help bless their family, they looked at each other and it was one of those looks, like "is this really happening right now?" they said that about 4 years ago they had met some missionaries, and they said they would like to have missionaries again. They live in Porto so we’re going to pass their info to the Elders over there. It was AMAZING! They gave us their address, and their phone number and everything! It was super cool! It’s been amazing to see that the Lord is SO willing to help us. He gives us EVERYTHING that we ask for, we just need to do our part, and look for it. As we pray and pray and pray, the Lord prepares the way, we just then have to take the step of faith, and enter in to it. We're SO excited to help the families here! Right now we have the son of a recent convert marked for baptism this weekend. His name is Diogo and he's 13 and AMAZINGLY humble. Such a cool kid. He just keeps asking Heavenly Father for help in school. It's incredible! He’s a little bit slower. Not really handicapped, just a little bit slower than the others but he's super cool! Just please pray that we'll be able to get in touch with him. He goes to his grandparent’s house during the week and we're not sure if we’re going to be able to talk to him until Friday. Please pray for diogo.

(Jordan’s trusty truck, Rusty…)

RUSTY DIED???? oh man. is he for real dead, or just sleeping? Because I think he might just be a little bit lazy. Cuz remember that one time we thought he was dead, but then he totally resurrected? yeah....maybe he's just faking it until I get home? hahah :) just kidding, no worries. He deserves to wait for me on the other side.

Well mom, this week has been a little strange. Not a lot more to say, because I was in Funchal half of the week, but I didn't get to work in my area. I was on divisions with everyone else. Then we had to travel here, then the 2nd day i had to do a baptismal interview in an area 2 hours away which was crazy. But I’ve really only been in my area about 2 solid days, and even then they weren't real normal. I'm super excited to calm down and just work this week.

Eu te amo mais do que consigo expressar. Eu sei que realmente este trabalho é o trabalho do Senhor. Eu sei que este evangelho fui restaurado por um profeta de Deus. Eu sei, sem sombra de duvida, que Jesus Cristo é meu Salvador, e eu sei que Ele ama-nos, e está aqui para consolá-nos em qualquer momento. Eu sei que o poder de oração é real e eu sou tão grato por ele. Eu amo meu Salvador e meu Pai Celstial, e eu amo vocês. Em nome de Jesus Cristo, amém.

(Translation by Google J)

I love you more than I can express. I know that this job is really the work of the Lord. I know that this gospel was restored by a prophet of God. I know, without a shadow of doubt, that Jesus Christ is my Savior, and I know He loves us and is here to console us anytime. I know the power of prayer is real and I am so thankful for him. I love my Savior and my Father Celstial, and I love you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.