Monday, September 29, 2014

Sept. 29, 2014

Transfer and baptism

This week was really good! We had a lot of good lessons and gained a lot of new investigators! Our days are always really full and president decided to do something about it

The Split:
He talked with bishop about having 2 companionships in the area. He though it would be a good idea. So... we prepared to recieve 2 more people into our house. Got rid of a bunch of stuff and still are working on this. We got bunk beds, new mattresses and new tables for them. Our house really isnt all that big so this will be interesting having a ton of people here. They asked us to divide the area.

The division:
We took the map and looked at it and we had to choose a main road to split it. Well... We really only worked on one side of the road called Imirim so we split it there. What i didnt know before was that I get to choose what side I stay on! We have a ton of investigators on one side (closer to the house) and the other side we have a ton of members. I chose to stay with the investigators cause that change in missionaries would throw them off way bad. 

The Transfer: 
So i am staying here in Chora Menino and E. Cinezio will go to another area close to the temple. I am the only one in the area who knows where to go for 3 other elders. So basically im responsible for guiding everyone. Should be good :) My new companion is Elder R. Santos. I havent gotten him yet but they tell you on the phone. Tomorrow is the transfer so we will see how he is. 

Baptism!
We had a baptism yesterday! His name is Fabio! he was introduced into the church by his girlfriend and has been investigating the church for 6 years and never recieved the missionaries until us. We went and taught a lesson. marked an interview. He was baptized that Sunday. This is a pic of him and his family and us :) Whats super cute is that they plan on waiting to get married in the temple to have an eternal family together. The baptism was super spiritual!



His girlfriend's father baptized him. Her mother and brother were also there.

Thats about it for this week! We were close to having 3 other baptisms. They had interviews and passed but didnt come to church. They showed up at the end saying that they had been lost. Which doesnt make sense cuz they have been there lots of times. Silly family. But they have been investigating for 9 months with the missionaries and this happened once before when they had an interview and went on vacation the weekend of the baptism. So really they are just running away from us. 

Yeah. Good week and I'm really excited for this transfer! The work is moving and im teaching lots! Which is way good! :) Boa Semana para todos!

Elder Kyson Sullivan

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Sept. 23, 2014

         23 de Setembro, 2014 


(Spent Monday at the temple, so no letter. Had p-day on Tuesday instead.)

Hi everyone! Loving it here in area Chora Menino. which translates to cry little boy. They dont call it that for no reason too. It's cause of the ladeiras (hills). Every day we cross over at least 7 just for the work. It's gotten easier but I've had my fair share of tears ;)

This is my last week with Elder Cinezio! Ive heard rumors of me training a new elder but we´ll see. We´ve been working on me becoming the senior in the group and take control of the situations. I dont like it much hahaha. It's a lot easier to be the junior. 

We went to the temple today! We were a little late getting there and the session was already full. So we worked in the laundromat beneath. That was an eye opener about what goes on behind the scenes to make it all possible! If you have a chance go spend some time down there helping out! They sure need it!

We have 4 baptisms lined up for this weekend! Terez, Miri, Adri, and Fab! They all have their own story but the important part is that they will be hopefully entering in a convenant with Heavenly Father this week. We are fasting as a zone this friday if you guys want to join in feel free! 

We are teaching lots and having a great time here! I'm so excited to see what this next transfer brings and what we can do and improve as a companionship. I love you all and thank you for your prayers and support!

Fica com Deus,

Elder Kyson Sullivan

This Elder has been our neighbor for years. His stepmom sent me this picture.
She was my visiting teacher for a couple of years,
and she took her job very seriously.
(She visited every month!)

Elder Drew Mayfield and Elder Sullivan finally meet up.


Elder Mayfield is serving in the poorest of sections of the city. 
He says this pig is huge, and it
was eating garbage that just sits on the side of the road.
Garbage like this is everywhere.


I think the redhead was in the CTM with Kyson.
(my OCD wishes someone would take a napkin 
and clean the fingerprint off the middle of the lense.)
:)





Kyson standing up in the background. Elder Mayfield 2nd from left.



 Kyson is way in the back.




Elder Sullivan on the left looking happy, YAY!



Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Sept. 15 2014

Mole Curto

The word mole means soft. or in other words they dont keep promises or progress very well. Just not their time. Curto means cut. like... cut them off from discussions. We were way close this week to cut Ru but she came to all of church and felt the spirit strong. I see a baptism in her future :) We also marked to other moles for baptism called Miri and Adria. We are hoping that everything turns out as planned and  we dont need to cut them. Here in SP we have 90 degree winters.. If you dont like the cold learn Portuguese and come to Brazil haha. 

Something that has really made me mad is the guts some men have to create a church. and to preach by their understanding and not by God's. I have spent countless lessons trying to just solve what other people have put into our investigators minds. We try to explain it clearly and slowly enough that they can understand!

Tati is a recent convert and is really struggling in the church we spend a lot of time with her teaching and clarifying things. She wants to run rather than walk when it comes to learning. We take it slow and teach everything again. She doesnt have a background in the bible so we teach from there too.

We also witnessed an 11 year old throw a tantrum when we came to get him for church. His mom made him go cuz he promised us. That was fun :) 

Last thing! PEANUT BUTTER! A member got me 40 ounzes of PB for FREE!!!!!!! Ya im quite excited :) You dont know the missing I've had for this!!! It's skippy so its a good kind and extra crunchy. So it should be good! Its a little old but hey i~ll take what i can get! :)





Thats about all for today! I hope you are all doing well and having success in your trials! Remember to pray! ;)

Love, 
Elder Sullivan


In the forest:




A monkey eating a cookie:


 The staircase to get to the highest point in Sao Paulo:




Representing his Peeps!



District temple day and party:
Kyson is right hand sid middle row.


Monday, September 8, 2014

Sept. 8, 2014


Jaragua & fun:

This week was good! we found a lot of new investigators and served a lot this week! A couple high lights cause i dont have a lot of time.

Today we went to Jaraguà. the highest point in São Paulo. This city is bigger than i had imagined. pics to come next week. we hiked around and found 2 different types of monkeys!!!! what are the odds?!




One day we painted for 9 hours. for service. It was really good and we got a lunch out of it haha ;) but the paint was really thick and formed really cool to the house.

the next day we helped a member in her restaurant cause she had a doctors appointment that she needed to go to. that was fun running around and trying to get the stuff done. it was a little hard for me cause im still not fluent in portuguese but im working everyday to get better!

We had a mexican dessert on saturday. 10 R$ for 1. our bishop bought us each 2 haha. it was really good. it was like a creamsickle but with nutela in the center and banana on the outside. talk about a taste of heaven lol.

                                                           

My district leader is pretty much a fubeca. Fubeca is an expression often used by missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which refers to a missionary who does not meet the designated rules and does not work right ( slacker)   Sleeps in a lot. bends the rules and does things that i question sometimes. but the thing that was really confusing for me was that we stayed in a members house for 3.5 hours. trust me i tried to leave and it just didnt work. ya its a little strange but im sticking to what i know is right.

Ive been having a little problem sleeping at night and its almost bad enough to call sister and ask for medicine. im trying a couple of other things that might help before i resort to that. 

Ya thats about it. we are moving the work here and getting the members involved. We are having a good time and joke a lot. Portuguese is coming slowly but surely and i understand the majority of what people are saying. im still a rookie but im a rookie thats trying. :) i have about 1 month left til i become senior comp in this area and maybe be a trainer (Pres talked to cinezio to say that he should train me to become a trainer in the future.. who knows when that is...). but ya its a grand time here in brasil!. 

I love you all and i will try to get some pics out.

Elder Sullivan


Monday, September 1, 2014

Sept. 1, 2014

Opa everyone. This week was good and filled with lots of blessings I will try to sum some of those up. 

Isa:
isa is an older lady who was introduced to the ward by a member. she has really been prepared we are teaching her in a members home for all of the lessons and is eating it all up! I´m way excited to keep teaching her and hopefully the rest of her family too!

Graci:
She is a less active member that we found yesterday. we thought she was actually a contact that we had but when we got there she invited us into her house which never happens. We then talked about the atonement and decisions we have and she said that she had been thinking of coming back to the church but just needed the push that we gave her. so we are making plans to recieve her in the church this sunday. Definitely the work of God! :)

Jacki:
She is a contact that we had and rescheduled for another appointment. When we went there she wasnt there. we didnt give up though. we continued going to her house just hoping. well when we got there she was there! She stayed home from her usual church cause her daughter was a little sick. What a blessing! We taught her a really good 1st lesson and gave her a LDM. Way cool experience.

I also watched this week o legado. or The Legacy. Its a really good movie about the pioneers that we can give out to our contacts. This triggered some sort of craze for the pioneers and i started reading and will finish today the book, Our Heritage. Its really good and describes how the church was founded and why it is how it is today. 

We had a split this week and i went into a different area. we then split again and i got put with another american who has been out in the field for 7 months. Well... lets just say there was a lot of english that day! :) but good came from it! we recieved a couple contacts from people that were asking where we were from. they were surprised however that we were able to speak good portuguese back. haha. 

I want to brag a little now about my breakfast in the mornings. I first make 2 egg ´pancakes´ like 2 eggs on the frying pan and flip them all at once so its a pancake. do this twice with cheese in the middle. then after i put diced tomato and green pepper on the top! really good! i recently add hash browns that are still in work of perfection but really im eating way better here than i did back home! but i am also a lot fatter lol. and i´m also happy.

Thanks for your support and examples! Heres to another week!

Boa semana para vocês!

com amor,

Elder Kyson Sullivan

Me at the São Paulo Temple



Packages to a missionary in Brazil cost you money to buy it in the USA,
then you have to pay a bunch to mail it to Brazil.
When the package arrives
to the post office in Brazil,
customs officials
assess the "value" of its contents.
Then, they charge 60% import tax on the "value"
of the package.
The "tax" or extortion fee is easily $100 US or more
that the missionary
has to pay out of his pocket in order to get the package.

If the package contains electronics like an ipad or iphone,
the import fee is outrageous: 
count on the tax being close to $600 US.

Just fyi.