Week 32

Boa tarde!

This week flew! We had a baptism of Arthur! This young man is so smart! We had his baptism at 10 in the morning. It was a little crazy. The night before we were sleeping in a different area. So we woke up early, caught the first van, and then a bus, and returned to our area. The chapel is way long from where our area is (this is where we have baptisms). Long story short, we were able to call an Uber for our investigators so they could arrive to be baptized. Yayy!

Business trip!!!

So this week we also traveled to Codó. It's three hours away. We worked with Elder Lusk from California and Elder Campos from São Paulo. We left at seven in the morning and returned home the next day around four in the afternoon.  We were able to help them change some of their weaknesses into strengths, which was awesome to see happen.

Last night we had a cool experience. At this one appointment, there was a lady that wanted to learn more about the church. But really she just wanted to debate about religion. Her son later came to join the discussion. He was super interested. We taught about the Restoration of Christ's Gospel upon the earth and about the Book of Mormon. About every two minutes, he would say, “Wait wait, so this leads to this, and because of this we have this....” I have never had an investigator that understood everything like him. BUT, in the end, they wouldn't accept a Book of Mormon or an invite to pray to know if these things were true. Why? I mean he understood all of the doctrine, all of the principles as truths. But what he didn't have was the spirit--he wasn't ready or open to listening to the Holy Ghost. His heart was locked shut. We don't need to have complete knowledge to know if these things are true; we just need the spirit to testify to us that these things are true. It's not the doctrine that converts us--It's the Spirit. All of the people that we've helped to be baptized didn't even understand the doctrine as he did. But they were converted by the Spirit.

Thank you all so much for your e-mails and prayers. They are awesome!

Have an awesome week!

Love,

Elder Hillam

 Exchanges with the Elder Lusk and Elder Campos

Trip to Codó!

 Arthur's Baptism

 My Road Trip Friend!!

Trip to Codó!

Hey Friends! (Week 31)

Good Morning Family!

Joaquim was baptized! His family has been less-active for a long time. But through him, we were able to reactivate his entire family! Woohoo!

In Sunday School, Andresa (Joaquim's mother) shared her testimony about missionary work. She talked about how we were angels in her life! You never know how much you impact someone. We can all be angels in the lives of our family, friends, or even people on the streets. Become like the Savior--minister to others!

This week was super busy, as always. If you're not busy on the mission, then you have a big problem.

As Zone Leaders, we do exchanges with the district leaders. Exchanges are a great way to see how your missionaries are doing. So, our zone is really big; this week we did an exchange with the missionaries in Esplanada--It's in a different state. We met in between because of the distance. Tomorrow, we will travel to Codó to work with the missionaries there. It's a three-hour bus ride. I'm so pumped!!

I'm sure everyone's excited about the new revelation regarding missionaries being able to talk with family via voice calls, texting, video calls, etc. For me, sadly, nothing will really change because we don't have the technology available for us--but we will see in the future!!

Love you all so much!

Have an awesome week!

Elder Hillam

Pictures:

 We love to clean what missionaries never clean! 

 My district! 

 Found some people from back home that I know in this manual!

 Joaquim's baptism

 Joaquim's family 

 Thanks for the chocolate orange mom! I finally opened it

Tan lines woohoo. Elder Cantero always wears long sleeves because he has a tattoo. So he has gloves.

Howdy Folks!! (Week 30)

I hope all is well with you all!

So much has happened this week! Let's catch you all up!

So arrived here last Monday in Timon. My area is Cidade Novo, which is really far from where our apartment is--everything's really far. We're even allowed to look for an apartment in our area, which would be awesome! We don't have a chapel here, but we use a children's school for our Sunday meetings! It works great! But it's also a50-minute walk there, but yeah! For baptisms, we use the chapel in a different area.

The area is awesome!!  My companion is Elder Cantero from Paraguay; I live with two other missionaries:
        Elder Schlichting from Curitiba, Brazil
        Elder Ramos from Bolivia (but lives in Sâo Paulo now)

The first thing that we did when we arrived in the area was....... CLEAN. The house was terrible, no spirit there. Remember, missionary work starts with a clean house. Like the temple! So we cleaned all Monday and a big portion Tuesday.

Wednesday was Zone Conference! My first zone conference as a zone leader. We had an assignment to talk about companion exchanges. I related it to borrowing an object. I brought three pairs of shoes. Really old shoes, normal-- everyday shoes, and a new polished pair. In other words, bad, "normal", and polished/awesome. As leaders, we need to leave those we lead in an improved "polished state"--not the same, and definitely not worse. How would you feel if someone returned your car with a cracked windshield? On the other hand, how would you feel if someone returned your car--washed, polished, and with a full tank of gas? You would now have confidence and trust in them because now you know that you could lend them anything because they would return it in an even better condition. This analogy can be applied to so many aspects of our lives too. We have two years to serve as missionaries. I want to leave this mission better than I found it, --the people and the missionaries polished!

Anyways, Zone Conference was awesome!

I'm hoping to lose this layer of flab that I got in my last area. So we're running every day!

We haven't had a phone in the house this week! So, it has been a little challenging to talk with the zone! So, we've been sending smoke signals hahaha! It's been a fun challenge.
So we did a fast this week too! And I'm amazed at all the blessings and revelation I see instantly. We fast for 24 hours without food and water. Without food is a piece of cake; it's the water that is a little difficult, especially here! And, you always know that the days you are fasting, everybody's going to offer you food. Uhh, it was hard. But the spirit I felt, the revelation I received, and the miracles I saw were definitely worth it. I just need to fast 24/7 now. haha!
I recommend to all that are able, to fast with a purpose! Go to the Temple! Pray always! Read the Scriptures! Be obedient to all the commandments, and God will pour down miracles in your lives!

Love you all so much!

Have an awesome week!

 Elder Cantero eating the "bomb!"

Elder Cantero, myself, Elder Ramos, Elder Schlichting

Week 29

Hey Everybody!!

We had transfers today! So I hopped across the river to a different state. I was in Piaui and now I'm in Maranhão. So I'm now living in Timon, and my area is called Cidade Novo. I'm also a Zone Leader of the Planalto Stake, with my new companion Elder Cantero for Paraguay!! 

So yeah!

Due to transfers, I don't have much time to email! So sorry if I didn't respond to y'all this week! 

Was a busy week last week!  We saw so many Miracles. We found so many people and so many people went to church. But then we have transfers. Life of the missionary. 

Two weeks ago we lost energy (electricity). So we slept downstairs which get more wind-- hahaha it was fun!
But, this week we had a huge storm and everybody lost energy (electricity). So it was fun to teach lessons in candlelight!!! 

We ran out of water too. So I got pretty creative on using the gallon jugs for taking a shower. Some of you can understand what I was doing here with the picture.

Love,

Elder Hillam

 Gravity Vacuum for the shower!

Elder Cantero-- my new companion! 

We ate McDonald's for our Zone Leader Conference. 

Found Elder Moody! 

Week 28

Hello my Family and Friends!

Another crazy week! We always have so much work to do! We finally met our goal this week with the number of pesquisadors (investigators) in sacrament meeting.
We have been working with this one family for quite some time! Charles, Silvana, and their daughter Barbara. Charles used to live in Portugal!
Well they finally came to church! All three and on their own too! I was playing the piano this Sunday and was the best feeling when I saw them walk through the doors!

Speaking of piano, this week Elder Benites and I woke up even earlier to practice the piano. Everyday and Sunday it all went well! Love serving in many different ways. I played for the choir and it was ward conference!  Also played the hymns too! Thanks Sister Ernst for teaching me piano!!!!!

Elder Benites has one year and six months in the mission now! So he bought us all pizza!

It's raining everyday here! Woohoo! Doesn't stop us! The roads dont have a way to drain so we waded in the water to some of our appointments! People here think were insane cause were working in the rain. They think we will all get super sick! The people of Teresina love it when it rains (because it cools everything down), but their like cats when it does! Hahaha!

We always love pulling little pranks on each other! and the Zone Leaders got me good this time. President was talking with them yesterday and every situation lined perfectly up to prank me so well. Anyways, I almost packed my whole bags because I thought i would be transferred a week early and this and that! They also got a video of this too. Hahah! Well done my friends!

Revelation on the mission is insane. It's so cool how much revelation and inspiration we receive every week! Most of its all personal, but super super cool! Always be worthy to receive revelation that ya'll can be guided in your lives!

Oh also ate more cow intestines this week. Will be eating cow tail soon!  I'm pumped!
Love you all so much!

Ok thanks bye

Elder Hillam

Rain doesn't stop us!

Week 27

Hello Family and Friends!


This week so awesome because I learned so much! We had a Baptism!!! A Maria José!
 She is awesome and has a super strong testimony!!

I also ate cow intestines and stomach this week. It was good!

This week I saw so many miracles. I really saw the Lord's hand in the work everyday! He truly is molding us to be our full potential! We just need to submit our will to Him!

One day while I was studying a member knocked on our window. But we are on the second floor! He works on roofs and was working on our neighbors! There's a picture! O Irmão Agosto!

We also made cinnamon rolls last pday! It worked!!

This coming Sunday I will play the piano for the choir! So pumped! Will have to wake up a little earlier to practice some this week! IT will be so sic!

Maria José is so special. She had a daughter that died when she was 23 years old. She misses her a lot. Before we knew this we were inspired to teach about the Plan of Salvation. God's plan for us! And that families can be together forever. She started to cry during the lesson. And that is when she told us what had happened.
After she was interviewed to be baptized she still didn't have the surety of the things that we were teaching. But that night she said she prayed so hard and received a beautiful answer!! Woohoo! Miracle!

The baptism of Maria José was perfect. Right before the baptism there was a great confusion of who was gonna pick her up. And right when we needed to use our phone, we ran out of minutes! Nooo. But everything was sorted out perfectly. Was a miracle!

Love the mission. Love the challenges everyday! The Worth of Souls is great in the sight of God!

Have a great week!!!

Love,

Elder Hillam

 Cinnamon Rolls

Irmão agosto working on our neighbors roof

Choir Practice for next week

 Batismo da Maria Jose!

Another Crazy Week (Week 26)

Howdy Folks!

Another crazy week! Spent a lot of time this week out of my area again, haha.
So we found out that there's a basketball in one of the closets of the church, so we have been waking up early and hooping! Still got some game, lets go! Got a little sunburned today too!

Learning so much everyday in the mission. It's really sad that I already have six months in the mission. One quarter of my mission is already gone. Noooo!
This week we found some elects (people that can progress towards baptism)! Woohooo! So excited to work with them. And you know some times you have to help them become elect.

As missionaries we are always striving to become more Christlike. I have been working on becoming more humble and submitting my will to the Father. Cause ya'll know that I need that.!! Haha!

The people here in Brazil are so special. They are so talented in so many ways. Especially when it comes to cooking.


Love ya'll so much!!

Elder Hillam

These pictures were taken literally five minutes apart (after and before!)