Monday, January 21, 2013

January 21, 2012

Good morning, family and friends!

This week we had some very big ups and downs, mostly in the weather, but also in the work. On Tuesday it was down to almost 65 degrees, and Saturday it got back up to around 100. While it was raining from last Wednesday to this Thursday, it was clear and sunny Friday through Sunday. And it's still sunny today! Looks like it'll be a hot week this week!

In the work, we had a pretty hard week. The rain kind of prevents us from working too much, seeing as it completely floods the streets. And we don't have umbrellas anymore. They all broke. Who really wants to let two soaking wet strangers into their house? Not many people here! So the beginning of the week was pretty much that. But the end of the week was a lot better. 

On Saturday we had a training with a member of the High Council, Carlos Rocha. He's a really cool guy who is actually part of our ward and teaches an English class that we help out with. He implanted the new stake mission plan this week. We had a meeting with all the ward mission leaders of the stake (which ended up being only 3 of the 6 wards... yaaaaay fubecas!) and he gave us a booklet that had everything in it. Basically he's putting all the responsibility on the members to bring others into the church. We're trying to put programs into action that make it so that us as missionaries don't have to rely on street contacting and knocking doors as much, but rather that the members give us references (they work better, go figure) through bringing friends to church or just simply talking about the gospel with other people. One thing about my current area: it's the smallest area is all of Araraquara. And the church is the oldest here. So everyone already knows the church or was already baptized and has no desire whatsoever to come back. So knocking doors does not work. However, if the members invite friends to come to church, the people come! And they feel the spirit! And they want to learn more! So that's what we're trying to get the members to do here. Bring friends to church. It really works. 

Then we FINALLY had the first executive committee meeting in our ward since I've been here. And now maybe we'll have some activities in this ward. It looks like the first counselor in the bishopric doesn't like me or my companion too much, but the bishop does, so we've got a good amount of support from the bishop with quite a bit of backlashing and hate coming from the first counselor. But that's alright. The work is moving forward and nothing will hold it back! We've just gotta get the members working a little bit more here... And everywhere else! 

Now go invite your friends to come to church! NOW! They deserve it, and you deserve the happiness that comes from bringing someone into the true gospel of Christ!

Have a great week! Love you all!

-Elder Hopper #1

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