---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jacob Thatcher <elderjthatcher@myldsmail.net>
Date: Tue, Feb 17, 2009 at 10:07 AM
Subject: Carta do elder thatcher
To: kni07001@byui.edu, wes07006@byui.edu, suzysumm@gmail.com, cliffhucker@gmail.com, dmhansen@ida.net, runmts@ida.net, gordon@beardstclair.com, summercofarms@gmail.com, annalisesummers@msn.com, gramlaree@gmail.com, bethatch@gamail.com, isavethewhales@gmail.com, shaleesummers@hotmail.com, tannernelson@gmail.com, skylaw@ida.net, elderthatcher@gmail.com, gspotatoman@gmail.com, crazygr8@msn.com, mikts@docomo.ne.jp
The computers sucked today, NEXT WEEK I WILL BE ON THE COMPUTER MONDAY!!!! LOVE YOU ALL, JACOB
Dear Family,
Well, I AM officially 1/4th the way done, I can't believe it, 6 months down. I will be transferred this next week, I think, I don't know where; the president said if I am transferred it will be to a very strong area, with lots of baptisms. I am excited, but overwhelmed. I don't feel comfortable enough in the language to leave the safety of the members here in Torres…
I remember thinking at our terra vista house on the hill, I will go on a mission in 9 years, what it will be like, and will I ever be old enough to drive a car, go and serve the lord without my parents. I remember all of this like it was yesterday. Time is passing, it is our enemy.
This week has been an interesting one. We have explored some of the small towns around Torres, finding inactive members, and contacting people that have requested visits.
Last P-day, after writing you we went and bought ½ kilo of shrimp 4 dollars, fried it and ate rice and shrimp. Afterwards I took an hour nap, the first real nap on the mission, and boy was it nice!
My favorite day of the week, and it has been pretty much my whole life has to be Wednesday, because it is always busy. It's in the middle of the week, so you are neither burned out yet, but are back into the groove of the week after the weakened. It is the same usually here on the mission. I love Wednesdays, I don't know why, but we always feel up our day with appointments. Usually we can just go from one to the other.
This Wednesday was an exception. We had it all planned out, but had bad karma. In Our English class we only had 4 people; usually we have 6 or 7. And afterwards, we had an appointment with one of our investigators, named tatiane, and her daughter in the church. We were going to show them around, and show them a film about an overall vision of the church. Wouldn't you know, they didn't show up? This was the overall pattern throughout the day. We did teach one good lesson with Neli, the older lady we baptized and her husband zilco, who is slow at accepting the truth, but is defiantly coming along. We taught about god's love for us, and how we have an eternal father in heaven, that sent us his son to save us from our sins. I thought I taught fairly well, but when I asked my companion how he thought it went he said, that HE couldn't understand some of the things I was saying---which would make it almost impossible for the old ones to understand--- I think it was because I was thinking in English, making it sound really pretty, and it was just not translating right. Oh well, learned my lesson
Friday was an awesome day. At 8:30 we met at the church to mow the lawn with the Bairds and Marciano---the guy that looks like Kelly Thompson. Everyone was late, but my comp and I started, with the wimpy electric weed eater—they don't have normal grass here. It is basically quack grass that they grow. The grass was probably 1 foot tall---pathetic if you ask me---and the gutter had weeds up to my crotch. How are you supposed to bring investigators to church---and impress them if the church house, the house of the lord is like this? (Refer to my talk in sacrament latter on) So I thought, enough is enough, we went to town, weed eating, trimming bushes, etc. I started to shovel out the dirt of the gutter, and but didn't have anywhere to put it, I was hoping that a carriage would come by, and what do you know, someone came buy and said, for 10 reals I will take the dirt away. IT looks 100 times better.
Afterwards we went, without showering or nothing Marciano's house took showers and had lunch. We had planned to go and visit members 20 miles away---but they had one excuse after another. First it was they didn't have money for gas--- I told them I would pay—I did. Then they took a nap, and we put together a bed for them. FINALLY at 5:00 we went to Bela Torres—a small beachside city about 20 miles away on a rough cobblestone road. We found a family of inactive that want to go back to church, but are too busy---according to them right now.
Perhaps the biggest cultural difference between Americans and Brazilians is that they are WAY easy going, they won't hurry for ANYTHING. This drives me nuts. Finally we finished and headed, on foot for the other side of town---taught a lesson about the scriptures---how we should read the last words, most important words of the prophets.
Saturday, was another day of finding members. I was totally reminded about the parable that Christ gave about leaving the 99 sheep to find the lost 1. Saturday we went with elder Baird to find inactive members. We have a special calling here in Torres, the president wants put special emphasis on finding the inactive. The church has been shut down in Torres 6 times in the past 20 years, it has left the members, because of this, and there are many that haven't returned. So, we continued a search with elder Baird that we started last week.
Here is an account of our two most recent searching's for inactive
Last week, we had an old address of a guilherme--- after much searching; we were lead to another subdivision, where he moved 3 years ago. From there they said he was living with his father in the boate (STRIP CLUB) imagine missionaries having to go to a strip club to find a member. We got as far as clapping our hands at the entrance… actually very funny, but we didn't make the contact with him. I don't know what we will have to do. Hopefully not go to the strip club �
The other, we hiked our tails off. Joao Batista. We were lead to 3 different neighborhoods, two days worth, but we finally found him, in the middle of the country.
I don't know what to say, I want to help find lost members, but when we do this, we are losing time finding those that may accept the gospel. How many chances do we give?
Our mission is the lowest baptizing mission in Brazil, but we have the highest retention rate. So, some missions, who baptize 20 people, only 7 stay active. Ours baptizes 20 and 18 stay active.
Saturday, elder Baird asked me to give a talk Sunday- jeez, thanks for the notice � but I pulled together talk, about Satan, how he attacks our bodies and our families, because he doesn't have one. And, how if this branch wants to grow, we must get our lives in order D&C 119:88, and grow from the inside out. For example, cutting the grass, having good lessons, etc. I talked for 23 minutes! Brother!
I also gave a lesson on covenants that we make, Mosiah 18- the baptismal covenant, and the anti-nefi-lehites, and the covenant that they made.
Yesterday was another day of walking in the country. We had one reference of a member, Lucia, that we went looking for. A very humble family that lives 5 of them in a 20 foot by 20 foot room. They are trying to build a house, but say that every time they have tried, something bad happens. They asked us if there were demons there… They used to practice spiritualism, which is very popular here. People think that they can talk to spirits. They probably are---to the angels of the devil. So I wouldn't be surprised if they really are jinxed.
Another family we found yesterday lives even farther off the beaten path. Another missionary, met her in his area, he called us and gave us her address. Her husband basically is holding her prisoner, won't let her leave the house, or basically do anything. He wasn't at home yesterday, so we taught her. We read her Isaiah 42:9-13, God will fight our battles; we will help us and bless us. She is a little cooky, but we made another appointment for this Saturday.
Love you all, Jacob
From: Jacob Thatcher <elderjthatcher@myldsmail.net>
Date: Tue, Feb 17, 2009 at 10:07 AM
Subject: Carta do elder thatcher
To: kni07001@byui.edu, wes07006@byui.edu, suzysumm@gmail.com, cliffhucker@gmail.com, dmhansen@ida.net, runmts@ida.net, gordon@beardstclair.com, summercofarms@gmail.com, annalisesummers@msn.com, gramlaree@gmail.com, bethatch@gamail.com, isavethewhales@gmail.com, shaleesummers@hotmail.com, tannernelson@gmail.com, skylaw@ida.net, elderthatcher@gmail.com, gspotatoman@gmail.com, crazygr8@msn.com, mikts@docomo.ne.jp
The computers sucked today, NEXT WEEK I WILL BE ON THE COMPUTER MONDAY!!!! LOVE YOU ALL, JACOB
Dear Family,
Well, I AM officially 1/4th the way done, I can't believe it, 6 months down. I will be transferred this next week, I think, I don't know where; the president said if I am transferred it will be to a very strong area, with lots of baptisms. I am excited, but overwhelmed. I don't feel comfortable enough in the language to leave the safety of the members here in Torres…
I remember thinking at our terra vista house on the hill, I will go on a mission in 9 years, what it will be like, and will I ever be old enough to drive a car, go and serve the lord without my parents. I remember all of this like it was yesterday. Time is passing, it is our enemy.
This week has been an interesting one. We have explored some of the small towns around Torres, finding inactive members, and contacting people that have requested visits.
Last P-day, after writing you we went and bought ½ kilo of shrimp 4 dollars, fried it and ate rice and shrimp. Afterwards I took an hour nap, the first real nap on the mission, and boy was it nice!
My favorite day of the week, and it has been pretty much my whole life has to be Wednesday, because it is always busy. It's in the middle of the week, so you are neither burned out yet, but are back into the groove of the week after the weakened. It is the same usually here on the mission. I love Wednesdays, I don't know why, but we always feel up our day with appointments. Usually we can just go from one to the other.
This Wednesday was an exception. We had it all planned out, but had bad karma. In Our English class we only had 4 people; usually we have 6 or 7. And afterwards, we had an appointment with one of our investigators, named tatiane, and her daughter in the church. We were going to show them around, and show them a film about an overall vision of the church. Wouldn't you know, they didn't show up? This was the overall pattern throughout the day. We did teach one good lesson with Neli, the older lady we baptized and her husband zilco, who is slow at accepting the truth, but is defiantly coming along. We taught about god's love for us, and how we have an eternal father in heaven, that sent us his son to save us from our sins. I thought I taught fairly well, but when I asked my companion how he thought it went he said, that HE couldn't understand some of the things I was saying---which would make it almost impossible for the old ones to understand--- I think it was because I was thinking in English, making it sound really pretty, and it was just not translating right. Oh well, learned my lesson
Friday was an awesome day. At 8:30 we met at the church to mow the lawn with the Bairds and Marciano---the guy that looks like Kelly Thompson. Everyone was late, but my comp and I started, with the wimpy electric weed eater—they don't have normal grass here. It is basically quack grass that they grow. The grass was probably 1 foot tall---pathetic if you ask me---and the gutter had weeds up to my crotch. How are you supposed to bring investigators to church---and impress them if the church house, the house of the lord is like this? (Refer to my talk in sacrament latter on) So I thought, enough is enough, we went to town, weed eating, trimming bushes, etc. I started to shovel out the dirt of the gutter, and but didn't have anywhere to put it, I was hoping that a carriage would come by, and what do you know, someone came buy and said, for 10 reals I will take the dirt away. IT looks 100 times better.
Afterwards we went, without showering or nothing Marciano's house took showers and had lunch. We had planned to go and visit members 20 miles away---but they had one excuse after another. First it was they didn't have money for gas--- I told them I would pay—I did. Then they took a nap, and we put together a bed for them. FINALLY at 5:00 we went to Bela Torres—a small beachside city about 20 miles away on a rough cobblestone road. We found a family of inactive that want to go back to church, but are too busy---according to them right now.
Perhaps the biggest cultural difference between Americans and Brazilians is that they are WAY easy going, they won't hurry for ANYTHING. This drives me nuts. Finally we finished and headed, on foot for the other side of town---taught a lesson about the scriptures---how we should read the last words, most important words of the prophets.
Saturday, was another day of finding members. I was totally reminded about the parable that Christ gave about leaving the 99 sheep to find the lost 1. Saturday we went with elder Baird to find inactive members. We have a special calling here in Torres, the president wants put special emphasis on finding the inactive. The church has been shut down in Torres 6 times in the past 20 years, it has left the members, because of this, and there are many that haven't returned. So, we continued a search with elder Baird that we started last week.
Here is an account of our two most recent searching's for inactive
Last week, we had an old address of a guilherme--- after much searching; we were lead to another subdivision, where he moved 3 years ago. From there they said he was living with his father in the boate (STRIP CLUB) imagine missionaries having to go to a strip club to find a member. We got as far as clapping our hands at the entrance… actually very funny, but we didn't make the contact with him. I don't know what we will have to do. Hopefully not go to the strip club �
The other, we hiked our tails off. Joao Batista. We were lead to 3 different neighborhoods, two days worth, but we finally found him, in the middle of the country.
I don't know what to say, I want to help find lost members, but when we do this, we are losing time finding those that may accept the gospel. How many chances do we give?
Our mission is the lowest baptizing mission in Brazil, but we have the highest retention rate. So, some missions, who baptize 20 people, only 7 stay active. Ours baptizes 20 and 18 stay active.
Saturday, elder Baird asked me to give a talk Sunday- jeez, thanks for the notice � but I pulled together talk, about Satan, how he attacks our bodies and our families, because he doesn't have one. And, how if this branch wants to grow, we must get our lives in order D&C 119:88, and grow from the inside out. For example, cutting the grass, having good lessons, etc. I talked for 23 minutes! Brother!
I also gave a lesson on covenants that we make, Mosiah 18- the baptismal covenant, and the anti-nefi-lehites, and the covenant that they made.
Yesterday was another day of walking in the country. We had one reference of a member, Lucia, that we went looking for. A very humble family that lives 5 of them in a 20 foot by 20 foot room. They are trying to build a house, but say that every time they have tried, something bad happens. They asked us if there were demons there… They used to practice spiritualism, which is very popular here. People think that they can talk to spirits. They probably are---to the angels of the devil. So I wouldn't be surprised if they really are jinxed.
Another family we found yesterday lives even farther off the beaten path. Another missionary, met her in his area, he called us and gave us her address. Her husband basically is holding her prisoner, won't let her leave the house, or basically do anything. He wasn't at home yesterday, so we taught her. We read her Isaiah 42:9-13, God will fight our battles; we will help us and bless us. She is a little cooky, but we made another appointment for this Saturday.
Love you all, Jacob
