Wednesday, November 18, 2009

30 weeks left

Hey mom,

Man what a good week. my comp elder de souza is the man and we seem to be getting along great. He talks a lot, but it’s great cause I don't have to talk. I can just listen to him. The area is good like I said last week is we both are entering the area for the first time so we get lost a lot, but the Lord is guiding our footsteps to the elects. we cover 2 branches. it’s pretty hard but we are doing good. Sunday was a lot of meetings cause we go in the morning and afternoon, just time for lunch in between.

I think I’m going to tell president parrella not to transfer me any more that i just want to finish these 7 months here in 3 <3 ( the city is called tres corações or in english three hearts). i loved my last area and i was so ready to stay in the area and with your companion ending his mission it’s a good probability that you stay in the area, but not with parrella at the wheel ... any thing could happen with this guy.

hope all is well and take more pictures when you go to Alamo. oh, this is something you probably don’t want to know, but I’m officially broke. I think I’m beyond broke. like if there was a word for the person that is more than broke put the word in the blank i'm _____________!!!! my companion too. says he. Only because I thought the secretaries would be nice and bring my package with my debit card in it to the bus station at transfers but he didn’t so I spent all my money the church gives me last week before transfers and... here I am without money but, all is well with me we have popcorn at the house and the member feeds us if we go over there the only problem really is the I need to buy laundry soap and I don’t have green... (well in brasil the money is all sorts of colors so I don’t have blue, red, purple, yellow, orange, or green).

but I love you and I’m fine I just thought I would give you something to worry about, hehe. love you. thanks for all that you do and hope all goes well this week.

love the one and only elder marx

9/28/09:

hello,

Monday came and went and no call about transfers so I’m staying with my comp ... this might be a long transfer...

Our week was good. Some stuff happened in the branch. Between my comp and a member, nothing like love. Contrary, they hate each other. Another elder sent her a present through him and he didn’t give it to her he called president parrella and now that elder is in trouble so she is mad at him. That’s my week. I’m excited for conference and totally going to watch it in english here in bh and we have a investigator for Saturday and with a date (10th of October) so I’m excited for her and for me going to conference.

we just got 2 new elders in the house an American and a Brazilian. they both seem like slobs so it might be hard to keep the house clean, but whatever. they will move out soon like in a week or less. so lets hope I keep my sanity for the next 6 weeks

I’m fine. I love you all I don’t really have much to say today but I love you and wish you all a good conference

love the one and only elder marx


9/21/09:

hey mom,
I don't like my companion. It is the first time in my mission that I can say that I would rather go home then stay with my comp for another transfer. It's that serious ,but I would never go home. Doing the will of the Lord isn't the easiest.

Sunday afternoon we were sitting once again in the house of a member watching soccer. Not knowing what to do after asking 4 times to leave and teach people. I finally called the zone leaders for help. My comp. didn't find that too amusing. In return started... I don't know how to describe it in english, but he like started to yell at me using not swear words, but like unto them. Words like "son of a witch" and "stupid" and other not bad words, but still not nice words. So I walk up the street with him yelling at my side and the zls called back to which he starts telling them of all my horrible things that I do like running on the stairs in the morning* "all by myself", him not knowing what I do. blah blah blah not that important stuff. also telling the zls that I only did this because I want to move up and I had personal motives in calling them. (wrong) Now my companion hates me and the feeling are mutual. now he just walks around the house calling me **shrek and saying others things that are annoying. To the point I can't stand him. One morning it got so bad I almost killed him. I've been praying that the Lord will transfer me. Plz pray for me too, that I will be transferred.

On top of this I’m sick with a running noise and head ache, but it could be worst I could be stuck with crutches...jk. Mom I love you. You’re awesome. If ever you want to make yourself feel better you could always take your money and double it and say you have 50 reis instead of 25 dollars.

Oh I've been hearing in the news that brasil found thing oil reserve of the coast and with it has pay all of the country's debt, and that it will turn into a world power because of it. What are your thought on this? If you have any details those would be nice to know.

... while I’ve been on the computer the mish president just called to talk to my comp. haha good for him.

love you
love,
The One and Only Elder Marx

* I run in the morning on the stairs to excercise
** My comp. is convenced that i look like Shrek , just red not green

I think I just realized I didn’t answer your questions.

because of my comp I’ve been studying a lot about Christ like attributes patience number one on the list. reading through the Book of Mormon in Portuguese is becoming rewarding. I found some old conference ensign in the house from like 2005 and 2006 and 2007 so I’ve been reading through those. In 2005 is when gordan b hinkley did the challenge of reading the book of mormon before the end of the year i think i might do it now cause i didn’t do it then. maybe the promises are still active. I’ve been reading the new testament a lot as well I’m liking it. I have yet to read the old testament I just can get past all those rules in the first five books ... if there wasn’t the true church i sure as heck wouldn’t be Jewish, too many rules. Any suggestion on where to start in the old testament? I’ve heard reading Job makes every body’s life feel better

Wednesday, October 7th

hello mother,

How blessed we are to be in a day of prophets and apostles to speak to us. I loved conference and I did get to watch it all. Elder Holland and his testimony for the non-believers is in my top three also loved to last talk given by elder christofferson, that man is really smart and I’m awed by his ability to speak to people. Quote of the conference for me was

"the more rules/laws civilizations have, is a sign of how UNcivilized they are"-- wow thats really good to me

Most of the talks to me were about love. Love thy neighbor and help thy friend stuff like that. I felt really bad after the conference and my companion as well. We made amends (that lasted for about a day and a half). But I like the talk about tempered glass and how for it to be tempered it had to be put through high heat and pressure to be like that. The new 70 elder reunland (sp)? who talked about change of heart was also a good one. also elder sitati is my new favorite 70 (and not because he’s black). I really felt for him having to get up in front of the CHURCH!! and speak into a language other then his own, pretty impressive. All in all my conference experience was great. a friendly reminder that here in the mission they don’t put priority on getting the missionaries the ensign or liahona so if you wanted to sent me a letter from the dog and the ensign that would be good.

speaking letter from the dog, you should turn one of those in to your english teacher this week as a “I have a hundred in the class here’s something fun for you to read... I don’t know.

this week is a MIRCLE of GOD we have a baptism. hope everything goes well. I haven’t had a baptism in 2 months and for a missionary that’s not good.

I remember one thing President Hinkley said "if you cant say anything nice don’t say anything at all." so this week was another one with my companion and we only have 5 more weeks of the transfer YEAH YEAH!!!

I’m fine. I’m trying to have the best fun I can and be a good missionary. I love the Lord and know that he is with me in my tribulation. Serving a mission as been one of the better choices I have made in my life. My testimony is growing in ways that I can imagine. My vision of family life marriage and serving in the church is totally and for the better different. I love you all and I’m so grateful for all the support I’ve received.

love you.
Love the one and only elder marx

47 Weeks Left

Elder Breckenridge & Elder Marx

(mom)-How is Brazil doing?
(elder marx)- brasil is an awesome place that is full of life and really kool. The food is amazing. I hear that minas gerais is the best place to eat. Mineiros really know how to cook. Every one is excited for the world cup in 2010.. (I’ll get home before :( )

(mom)-I was wondering what the town is like that you're in.
(elder marx)-CATHOLIC!!!!!!! and really old, like there are stone streets and stuff

(mom)-I did see some old catholic buildings on wikipedia!
(elder marx)-all those buildings are on the same street about two to three blocks apart and were built before the united states was a free nation

(mom)-Tell me about the people.
(elder marx)-nice and friendly usually like to talk but at the same time we'll find people that don’t have time and don’t like us.

(mom)-Would you go back to Brazil in business later on?
(eder marx)-yes, I’ve thought about getting a business degree and an architectural degree and coming back and making a lot more money here and being also able to help out the church, but like every where else I travel outside the U.S. I’m scared of living in a country without due-process

(mom)-How's the lesson teaching going?
(elder marx)- like they were going awesome, but president parrella has put into place a new way he wants the missionaries teaching the lessons and it includes us telling the people about the spirit in the lessons and then showing them when they are feeling the spirit. And he did away with inviting them to pray cause they will receive an answer in the lesson and not need to pray. It’s an awesome way of teaching and I’m really excited to get started

(mom)-What is your favorite lesson to teach or maybe I should say favorite principle to teach.
(elder marx)- I don’t have a favorite thing to teach. We usually try to just follow the spirit and help the investigators feel the things are true

(mom)-Just wondering about some of your day-to-day experiences.
Like what your typical days are like, and how the houses and families are.
(elder marx)-well the houses are nothing like America. They’re small and made out of brick with at least 5 or more in the house. The city I’m in now has the most amount of money for a city that I’ve ever passed through... hope that made sense. So the houses are a little bit bigger than normal ... we did walk into a house on monday that was the biggest and most open house I’ve ever walked into, I would compare it to the Goodyear house, with wood floors and all wood tables and chairs and cupboards the dad owned a wood shop where they made all wood things... the member who took us there is visiting from his studies in Italy and its his parents house. He was baptized in Italy like 6 months ago. So that’s kool. He also offered to take us golfing SWEEEET!!!

any more questions?

Conference was so good and I loved it. President won a lot of respect points this time. My interview was excellent. It was in english. (hehe President Parrella sounds like Elder Goody(of the seventy) speaking in conference hehe) it's kool.

It's been a good week hope to see you next time.

love,
the one and only,
Elder Marx

Thursday, 3/9/08 Belo Horizonte Mission changes

Hey, so yesterday was really long and it almost never ended but I’m good now. It was transfers and I was in the north so that means an 8 hour bus ride to BH which took 10 hours cause of construction on the highway, then went to conference and I’m one of the first missionaries to pool over the wall ... hehe. I got transferred into an area that used to be in the other mission with
Elder Breckenridge in a city call são joão del rey it’s a really cool city. Mom, in your free time you could read up about it. I guess it’s a historical town. It’s really old and has a lot of old catholic churches. My comp says there’s a lot to do on pdays which is going to suck because I like to stay in on pdays and do nothing. But, yeah, I haven’t been here very long so that’s all I can tell you.

My comp is really quiet and shy (American) but talks a lot of Portuguese. It’s his last transfer so I’ll be here for 3 months at least. He’s only had 8 baptisms his whole mission which is kinda rare but he seems like a really nice guy and we have this family that is really good I hope that we can get them into the water before he has to go home.

so the iron curtain comes down over the mission field and Presidente Parrella came out with the frist of many new changes 1. your companionship is to use one computer, in other words while your comp is writting to family you’re right next to him looking at the screen 2. no coke (not a new rule just made clearer) 3. only use myldsmail.net (which is in the handbook but people forget to read the handbook) 4. no more soccer. in large group and stop being competetive
he’s is a man of God called to be our mission president but ..... he scares me like he has this look that kills…

all I hear any more on the streets is micheal jackson music.

The church here in minis is still growing - like they’re not quite to reading the manual, but thet’re getting better. Like in são Paulo, the church runs like a normal utah ward and stake, but here it’s a little different. There are 6 stakes and 4 or 3 districts. I just got transferred to a branch here of about 2 or 3 people attendance and I came from a branch of about 80 to 90 attendance. The members are really lazy so it hard to activate them about missionary work

I did get the package with the blanket which is really good cause I just got transferred to the south were its COLD and I used your blanket last night.

That’s it for today. i love you, mom. thanks for the support and the love and prayers and packages and the money and the letters from the dog and all the others things you do for me.

love the one and only
elder marx

ONE YEAR

Well I guess every thing has to come full circle. Sometime a year ago today I was sitting in the airport and a nice man saw my tag and took me to get an ice cream. He was flying to Texas for business and he was a member from Alaska. We had an interesting talk about the weather, my family, and what the next two years would be like learning a language and teaching people about the Lords true gospel here on the earth today.

Looking back on the year, I must say that it has been a ride. From the ctm till now has been a rush of excitement with ups and downs, happy moments and sad letdowns, but through it all I’ve gotten stronger in the faith and closer to my Father in heaven and His Only Begotten. I can tell you with a whole heart that this church is true. That our God is a god of miracles. Sitting in that airport a year ago, I didn’t know that, I had a hope of that. I can now say that that hope has grown into faith. In the 3rd chapter of 1st Nephi there’s a promise that almost every buddy in the whole church knows that is the Lord never gives us a commandment except before providing a way (or method). Last night I realized as I was giving a message at an *integration night. That I came, I’m completing a commandment of the Lord that every young man from 19 to 26 needs to serve a mission, I’m doing my best and the Lord is providing the way -- and in my case the Lord gave my specific assignment in Portuguese. He is providing a way and is blessing me and my companion for our efforts. I can say with a firm belief that our God is a god of miracles.

The area is good. My comp isn’t too happy with me ‘cause I marked an appointment at 10 this morning and its p-day, so he isn’t too happy. He also isn’t happy that I insist on using the internet here at the chapel cause there’s only one cpu that works and will have to take 3 hours not 1 and a half (if we were to go to a internet cafe). But here the cpu are free and its faster and I don’t have to wait if there are a lot of people and there’s air conditioning in the room here so it’s way better.

So far every brasilian comp I’ve had has always told me that I’m the worst American when it comes to money. That I have a "gringo card" (as they call it) or in other words, a card that my parents give me money on. The thing is, yea, I get a little money but I’m not going to go spend it if I don’t have to, or if I don’t want to, or if there’s internet for FREE! but whatever. I’m just careful with my money that’s all.

We are teaching a good group of people that I have faith will get baptized. Nothing too important on the news here in the mission. Everything is good here in the promised land. I love you all and hope you all have a good week until week 53 HAHAHAHA CRAZY!!

Love the one and only Elder Marx

*integration night is when they have a game a message and people from the branch come and integrate with our investigators

Week No. 50

ok this week as been going good except for the fact i love with agony pess called elder dama(freakin). he screams at the top of his lungs (not sings, screams ) josh grobben all day, every day. He’s just the kinda of person that likes to hear his own voice and is the only person too so the rest have to suffer. I’m just glad that he’s not my comp:) but I do feel bad for elder ward who has a count down to when the transfer ends in a week

yeah, it’s starting to cool. down you know what that means, sickness, yeah!!!! I’m not sick this week, just the nose. and if I follow my pattern of sicknees next week will be coughing and bad voice. my comp is also sick, but the problem is we are feeling sick in different forms like he feels hot and has a fever, I’m sick and cold so he insists on having the widows open and the fan on all night. Good thing I got that *extra blanket


We opened a new neighborhood to work in and there’s not a poor-humble-ready-for-the-blessings-of-the-gospel person in sight. Pretty much we walk from house to house having people tell us they’re catholic but really admire what we do. (I’m glad the catholics like that we tract) but hey we have a few good people but they are all the people that are renting a house from the rich people so they live way in the back off in a box but hey they could use the Lord and they’re more humble.

Elder Hill the lider de distrito recived a phone call from the president in response to an email I wrote about the lunches and how they fall through ...a lot. So President Frei told Hill to take care of it and to tell the RS that if they can’t support four elders with lunch every day then we are **pulling out and they and do their own missionary work.

No baptisms but we have possibilities on the 30th or 31st. Let’s see what happens. I’m really excited and I’m loving it here, it’s just too bad I don’t know how things are going at home. [I don’t know what he means, we all email him?]

I guess in Brazil Lula passed a new bill that gay people can get married legally and the quote of the week is from a new member(not mine, but less then 3 months) in the institute class talking about it said, "we shouldn’t judge these people cause Jesus wouldn’t and what if they showed up to the TEMPLE, TO GET MARRIED, and people were looking at then weird" not a joke. serious business.

So those are some of the highlights.

love always
the one and only elder marx


* remember when we were in the store and you ask are you going to need four cause there’s only three and I said its brasil why would I need four
** I love Pesident Frei, he’s got our back