To the hospital

Hey Family,

Well, this week was just another week of hard work. It was more of a planning week for the week to come. I don't have much time to talk, I have to go to the hospital with my companion. He is having crazy belly pain. They think his appendix busted. So I'll try to get back to you if I can. But don't worry, all is well, we are taken care of.

Love ya,

Elder Manis

It's all in the fight

It's crazy to hear that Preston is already home. It's crazy and I'm sure he can testify of this: when you're on a mission it's like time doesn't exist. Then all of a sudden you have been out a year, and then all of a sudden your cousin is going home. It's crazy that the mission is my life now and that this thing will end in a year, it's just a crazy feeling. haha

Well, this week was a good week of work. We had some trouble finding new contacts and had some trouble having people progress. But it's all in the fight. Next week the ward will have a bus come and pick up the members. Because a lot of the members don't come simply because they are just to lazy. So Bishop hired a bus. So everybody can come and not have any excuses. This is also good news because we can now work in a number of places and then have a lot of people in the capela [Church] because of the bus. So this is a big blessing that I think the missionary work here, and the ward, is needing.

This week was also the week where you stop and say "THE THINGS YOU GO THROUGH ON A MISSION". This week the brother of Almir, Tiago, he was arrested and had to go to jail. When I asked why I found out that he was a fugitive that had escaped from prison and had been laying low for 2 years when the government finally caught him last week. It was sad to see how the family was affected. It shook everyone, just entering into their house you just felt sad. But we left many scriptures that strengthened them so that helped out a lot.

And still, through all of this Almir is firm in the Church. Sunday he got the Priesthood, so that was amazing to see. He is amazing, he knows the importance of these things and he loves them. It has been a great blessing to know him.

Elder Erick and I are doing great. We just cleaned the apartment this morning and are just being normal, I guess you can say. haha

Things in the mission are changing a little bit "President likes to throw curve balls". But its all good, just working hard and staying safe.

Love you,

Elder Manis

PS- Wyatt you're an idiot, don't ditch go to Seminary!

Mother's Day

It was great to talk to you guys too, and to see you!

The same goes for me, I'm not going to say much because I just saw you yesterday.

But, things here are going great and the work is progressing. Know that the Lord is blessing you and that he loves you.

Our baptisms are doing great, they are firm and strong in the Church.

I'm not to worried about the birthday package just be patient and I'm sure it will arrive.

I love you guys, it's good to know your alright and safe.

I pray for you,

Elder Manis

Changing Hearts

(Asked by Mom - As you head into winter, do you have enough warm clothes?)

Ha ha, do I have warm enough clothes???

Mom, here there is no winter. It's hot and hotter, and sometimes some rain, so don't worry about that. I'm fine.

Everything is going great. Elder Erick and I are doing great. Hmmmm, about him, well he only has 3 years as a member. He was a professional volleyball player. He has a girl waiting for him, and they are for sure getting married. He is from the Paranagua down south. He doesn't speak any English. He has a unibrow (I give him crap all the time about it. :) We have fun when we work, and ya, we do work.

In church, I guess you can say that we as missionaries have to carry a load. It's funny, if there is a problem with anything, call the Elders they will fix it. But we always have to have a little talking session with the members. Saying "Look Irmã, we can't come over every morning to pick mango's to feed your parrots." It's funny but, at the same time you get to know the members. I bare my testimony every time I get the chance, and ya, I give talks sometimes. I have a talk coming up here and I think I'm going to talk about adversity as well.

Well, that's crazy to hear that they are building a new chapel in our neighborhood. Is that the chapel that I'm going to come home to?

About this week, we had the baptisms of Almir, Laura and Lucas. It was a really spiritual moment for them. Their family, the ones who didn't baptise, a lot of them cried because the Spirit was so strong. That night we went over to their house to give para bens and play a little game. Basically a family home evening. It was good, we put every ones name on a piece of paper and mixed them all up in a bowl. Everyone chose a different person and they had to say 4 things that they loved about that person and then everyone tried to guess who it was.

I'm not going to lie, I got a little teary eyed to hear some of the things that the family said about us missionaries. To see how much we changed the hearts of this family and to see how much the family loves us. I love being a missionary and I love the change I see in the hearts of the people.

Love ya,

Zack

A great week of work

Ola familia como voces estão, [Hello family how are you]

Well, this week was a great week of work. We lost two days to going to meetings and stuff, but we still managed to have a great week. This up coming week we will have 3 baptisms. They are 3 members out of that big family that we found. They made the choice and are going to be baptized this Sunday. As for the rest of the family they are coming along, but a lot of them have problems with the Word of Wisdom, but they are fighting the temptations.

Almir (35) is one of the people that will be baptized. He is amazing, everything that we teach he applies in his life. He tries to be a great Christ-like example not only for his family but for the people he works with. He is great, I love him and all of the 3 teeth he has in his mouth. :) Laura (17) she too is great. She gets along great with all of the young women in the ward and feels right at home. Lucas (11) he loves the missionaries and he loves his primary class with all of his new friends.

This week my prayers have been being answered. We are finding more and more families that are interested in the Church. For example, we found a family of 7 people and 6 of them are boys. They are ages 22, 16, 14, 13, and 12, years of age. haha They are really interested in the Church and baptism. But we just barely found them, so we haven't marked a date with them. haha I was just thinking, dang, that mom is going to suffer when her boys all go on missions. haha She will have 2 or 3 out at the same time.

But things are really starting to pick up. When I got here the ward was dead and no one wanted to help. So my answer to that was, fast, faith and hard work. In doing so, the members started to see that we are doing our part and then they started to get more and more involved and help out.

It's good to hear that you are reading the Book of Mormon again. I love that book, it has changed my life.

There is a scripture that I love, I'm not sure what it is in English but it's

“E agora, eis que vos pergunto, meus irmãos da igreja: Haveis nascido espiritualmente de Deus? Haveis recebido sua imagem em vosso semblante? Haveis experimentado esta poderosa mudança em vosso coração?” (Alma 5:14)

(translation)

And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?

I think that's what it says... Family, I have felt the powerful change in my heart. I have realized the importance of every little detail in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This Gospel means so much to me and I love being a missionary sharing it to everyone that wants to hear it or not.

Keep reading the Book of Mormon, really open your heart and let your spirit read it. You'll get much more out of it.

Wyatt, Hannah you are great examples and I love you guys.

Dad get baptized so we can have and eternal family and have this perfect joy forever. Wyatt has the priesthood and will be more than happy to baptize you.

Love you guys,

Zack

When can I enter the waters of baptism?

Oi Familia,

I guess it's about that time again. Just about one year ago I was going to be getting on a plane and heading for Sao Paulo :( sad at how fast things fly by. It's so funny because that's how I remember home. 85 degrees and getting ready to leave.

But it's all good.

This week was 110% better than last week. We still encountered 3 Bible bashers in one day but that is just a sign that the world is almost coming to an end. haha

After last week I was pretty down in the dumps, not gonna lie, or the "fundo da possa" as they say down here. Just a hard week and no real results. But I really prayed and really relied on the Lord to provide some results. Later last P-day night we found a family of 10 people. They were just crying to be baptized. It was amazing. We were teaching about baptism and they said the golden question, "Quando eu posso entrar nas aguas do batismo." Meaning, "When can I be baptized?" It was amazing. So we have 15 baptisms marked for the 2 of May. Some of them have a

few setbacks. The mom smokes and one of the teenagers drinks some times, but it's nothing that the Lord can't change. So Sunday came around and we had 15 investigators in the church. We had 2 rows of investigators. Good ones that are really interested. I'm really looking forward to progressing with them, and to see what the Lord has in store for them. They are so good. I love this family, they are a close knit family which is hard to find here in Brazil. We also found another family of three that are going to get a date for the 2nd as well.

It's amazing to see how the Gospel blesses families. :)

This week was a good week, just a good long week of work that all paid off in the end. We had 2 baptisms this week. I didn't have my camera to take pictures, but I'll find some.

They are 2 little kids from part member and less active families. It's always good to see a little 8 year old happy. It makes me remember when Uncle Dave baptized me.

I love my mission. It is the best time ever. I really can't explain the feeling of being a representative of Christ. I know this Church is true and that God loves us.

Love you all,

Elder Manis

PS- haha Wyatt you punk. haha You have to pay to go to 2 proms. haha Bummer man,

and no, I have not yet gotten the shoes but I'm sure they are coming.

The Kiss

From Cara Carpenter:

I don't know if Zack shared this little story with you guys but I thought it was pretty funny and I thought I would send it to you just in case. Here is part of his e-mail:

Cara, I have been debating weather to tell this story to you because its just a weird story...........but a girl kissed me this week.............I hope your not mad at me..........

Did I scare you? haha Well ya. I got kissed this week. A little girl in my ward came up to me at church. She told me to close my eyes because she had a present for me. So I closed them, and yup, the little 5 year old girl kissed me. I thought it was weird, but her family thought it was the funniest thing. Then she just said "Te amo" (I love you) and gave me a hug.

I still feel a little weird about that. haha Now I have a little 5 year old Brazilian that thinks she is my girlfriend. haha

So don't be to mad at me, I had no clue it was going to happen.