APRIL 25, 2016 THE LAST EMAIL from the mission field

          Goodbye and ´Til We Meet Again

Sao Paulo, Brazil Temple

The last email. 

^^^ That deserves its own line.

Some may say that "It is finished." I say that the work goes on but I just leave. I have a big love for this work and all that comes with it. I am so grateful that i was called to serve here in brazil. I now see why i was needed here and why i got my call. I was able to develope my talents and my abilities. I was able to develope more fully my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and learn of its simplicity and of its importance. I love the gospel and I love this church. These 2 years were but a small donation to the Lord. 

This week basically we just went around saying bye to everyone. During the week we were able to say bye to everyone in the ward. And yesterday president let us go out to an area with our companion and say bye to another area. I went out to Campo Limpo in pirajussara and said bye to a lot of people. Lots of byes and sad moments but i was able to get their information and able to keep in touch with them. 

We found a freakin prepared young woman this week. Like. super prepared. and im leaving. probably will be baptized next month. She is the sister of a recent convert that moved from belém but will live here for a while. so they will probably baptize good next transfer. 

Ya thats basically all i have for you guys this week. A lot of strange feelings but ill be happy to be home. :D

the new assistant.. Elder Dohnal (the passing of the phone ritual)

I was leaving church on sunday and i told Elder Cabral to take a picture of me ending my mission. I was acting like i was taking off my nametag haha ;)

it was a super pretty day!

just getting ready to come home :) 

 me and president

 the group and

That's a wrap. See you on Wednesday :)

Abraço,

Elder Kyson Sullivan

April 19, 2016 Flight is in 7 days + picture overload

            wait, wait, wait... slow down! (pt. 1) - birthday and caucaia

Well... the last week of my mission... This last week went by super fast. like... almost too fast. But i was able to take advantage of some good opportunities. 

Lets talk about this week. cause it was super good. 

At the beginning of the week it was super stressfull. We had interviews with president and the traveling assistants gave a training that i had already given like 5 times. so it was super boring.  but here is the picture of the zone..

We had many late nights of planning crazy exchanges throughout the mission and worrying about passports and getting everyone to the right place at the right time. We were tripping. We worked it out to where me and Elder Bradshaw (the executive secretary) would go to Caucaia right after these interviews. Yup. back to the good ol´ area Monte Verde :) I spent the last part of Tuesday and all of Wednesday with Monte Verde. which is a zone leader area now. We worked good and i was able to visit all of my recent converts and some ex investigators. They had a problem in the zone of taking people to the chapel. so i tried to help them out. give them some ideas and make some cool demonstration that looks like this.

this is actually what i sent out to the mission yesterday. Basically i told them that there is probably a problem with their lessons or with their contacts. So I sent out a challenge on my cell phone. That whoever did 40 contacts and had a lesson with a member would get free ice cream that i would have to pay for. Everyone loves screwing over the AP so what happened? Everyone did it. I spent 20 R$ on ice cream for everyone (and its the best ice cream that i have eaten in my life) and it was the best used 20 R$ that i have ever used in my life. The zones numbers this week were AMAZING :) Like.. almost doubled what they were doing before. And all of this just for a little excitement over ice cream haha :) missionaries are some funny creatures! 

some ice cream.

get ready for a photo blast....

pics of the Monte Verde house

my study table

a surprise visit from some special people :)

our golden family find of the day.

oh and did i mention that it was my birthday on Wednesday? :) I spent it out in Caucaia. These people are great. I was blessed with 2 cakes this day!!!! like.. what??? It was super chill. The first one was with a member that i had always visited. Rosenilda. And the second was a Peppa pig birthday party at David´s house. 

I was able to meet up with some converts too! Alexandre and Felipe and also Sidnei (but i didnt get a picture). 

And of course you have to have a pizza on your birthday right? :) so.....

We got 2 pizzas. Wellington gave  us one but i had to get a pizza silva. We named it our post pizza pizza party. :) they are killing me in that picture cause i have little time left on the mission. haha

The next day i went out to Caucaia 2 and stayed with them and gave a district leader training and helped him out with the things he needed. here are some cool pics from this trip. 

im pretty sure these trains are out to get me haha ;)

the bus that we took on the way home...

and our good friend Brady eating corn on the bus... cause that's not normal. ;)

so that was our trip to Caucaia. Super cool and super fun and super awesome. :) Im way happy that i was able to see everyone and get to catch up a little. I was super stressed out going up there but coming back home after everything had turned out right just made me super happy. Elder Bradshaw is just like Cashe Collins so we get along super well. It was way great to be able to go out there and help a lot of missionaries all at once. Everyone now is legal to be in Brazil and zona Caucaia tá bombando! haha :) 

This is the end of part 1. Its the last week and there was a lot that happened so keep waiting for part 2.... 

Elder Sullivan

           https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQcSGVmXKNQ (pt 2.)

Im coming home :)

Dont get too trunky or cry while watching this video ;)

Alright so i get back from Caucaia and I go do a training in a zone with one of the new assistants. I tried to let him talk but he just wouldn't. It was kinda crappy cause its like a 3 hour training and i basically did it by myself. He said a few things but it wasn't much of a difference. That was good. 

I get to finally work in my area again. We spent the next few days trying to update the members list. There are a lot of people that have moved and a lot that are less active so we go around talking to all the members trying to find out more information about them. Bishop is really happy with us now :) Before i felt like he was a little colder but now he is super happy around us. We have been doing this list since I've been here. Its almost done and this week when i have time we are going to finish it up. That will be the cherry on top haha ;)

Onight on my way home i ran into some members from Vila Yara. Basically the ones i would have visited. Everything basically came together :)

im calling in a replacement for this last week. I think it will be a good trade ;) 

 friday i was blessed with an amazing birthday party thrown by mamãe von Wallwitz :) She made me tacos and a birthday cake! I was craving tacos so bad so she nailed it. She was saying that now i can stay in Brazil longer and I don't have to go home to eat tacos. I can just eat them there hahah ;) I told her that the other mom wouldn't be too happy about that haha. 

oh and an early mothers day skype. :)

The weekend was great :) we went to church and a few people came that werent planned. Some were even asking about baptism. só que they wont be for me... :( but hey planting seeds is good too :)

Then on Monday we had an awesome day.. of fun at least. Usually President has a family night on the last Monday of all the missionaries. But this Monday there will be people there reforming his house. So we wouldnt be able to see his house. When i told him that, he looked at me surprised and said that we would have to go yesterday and have breakfast with him. so all us dead people went and had breakfast and played some sports like basketball and dodge ball. It was great but now im WAY WAY sore. My throwing arm hurts haha. 

Today is pday cause we went to the temple. My good ex companion and friend Renan came and visited me (and his girlfriend but mostly me) this week. They are all going to go to the beach and leave me here haha. But the temple was great :) 

the last few pictures will have to come in the next little email cause this one is out of room.

TEMPLE:

(                                                 pt. 3) I went there today.

 my son and my grandson!

Mom's note:
I sent him a letter and a picture of his baby sis. and this countdown chain that matches one she has.

                      a late email....

forgot to send you these...... its for kams :)

I got the letter!

April 11, 2016 T-15 days = Trunky x 10

          T-15

Think about being trunky. Then go a little further. I´m basically on my last week of work. But this week I´m not even going to be in my area until Saturda. I´m going to be a traveler and go to a different area. Im not sure which one yet but it should be a good one... cause its the last one :) This last week I´ve been doing "interview-with-president" trainings and going to all the zones and training about some things like the 8 steps to baptism and reserves of people and other stuff lie the entire area book. So like... its almost 3 hours of listening to the same 2 people give a REALLY long training. Theni do it again with another zone. So its basically the most boring and monotonous (Im surprised i remembered that word) thing.

Some cool things that are happening in the area is a sweet service project that the RS is doing for a hospital. They are making bed sheets for them and donating them for the hospital. They asked for sewers to come and help. They wanted our presence because its for the entire neighborhood to come and help and they wanted them to associate the church with us. So.... We went. basically just to carry the heavy boxes full of sheets and to talk and motivate the sisters. Little did they know that i was packing the heat and started sewing also! :) That surprised about everyone... Even myself when i even remembered how to thread the machine. So thats good news! I also got a few references from that for when i get home.. if you know what i mean ;) haha 

Mom got this great picture from Sister Damiani

i was actually doing it and not just posing for the picture either ;) haha

One little piece of advise for everyone is to treat your companions like they will come back to the mission while youre still on the mission and have to see you everyother day. Yup. Renan Santana the great came and visited us for this whole week! He is super cool and is rocking a sick beard. here are some entertaining pics...

oh... and then he had to make me even trunkier than i was and got himself a girlfriend... well i can say i was a little jealous that i had to share him ;) haha

today we went to 25 de março and bought some cool stuff. some more pics cause they are easier...

this was my lunch.... holy mortadella! 

anyone need to park their motorcycle?





there might be some room in between these two.... Its pretty crazy how packed these guys are! 

So thats my week everyone! i hope you enjoyed the email! They are coming to an end so keep smiling :) 

have a good week and love for everyone!

Elder Sullivan

Here are some pictures mom found on the internet. She stole them or borrowed them? Enjoy!

Santana's going away party?