Week #49 – Concórdia – Episode #1 - Concórdiaaaaaa

Hey everyone!! I´m here in Concórdia! This week has been super awesome and I am super happy!

So to start off with last P-day... after we emailed we went over to the American´s house and we had a barbecue! They invited some other members and some investigators. It was a great time. It was really sad to say goodbye to everyone, especially Farah, Junior, JP, Helena, and Gabriela. I love that family so much!

On Tuesday at noon, Elder Nobre and I caught our bus and got to Concordia at 11:30 pm. I thought the ride was going to be way worse, but we talked and laughed almost the whole time. Elder Nobre is really the man. We spent all of Wednesday cleaning the apartment because it was straight up wrecked haha. Our apartment is on the 14th floor of a 14 story building so the view is pretty sweet. Basically whereever we are in the city we can see  our apartment. Also the chapel here is 4 stories!! It´s skinny and tall. Before, this ward had around 120 people attending, but they had some problems with the Bishop and stuff, so now it´s down to 40 people. So we have a lot of work to do!!

Every Thursday we travel to a city called Chapecó, have district meeting on Friday, and then catch a bus back after the meeting. We get to travel 4 hours every week! haha but it´s a good time to sleep. When we were heading to the bus station on Friday, a guy pulled up next to us on his motorcycle and gave us $30 to go eat. We asked him what his name was and he said ´´I don´t know´´. Gotta love being a missionary! haha.

The accent here is soooo funny. It´s like a hick Portuguese. Sometimes someone starts talking to us and I literally just start laughing so hard. It´s bad but I can´t help it. 

Saturday was the 83rd birthday of the city and they had a celebration with an 83 meter cake and an 83 meter bologna😂 It was pretty nuts. People show up with buckets to take a bunch of free cake with them.

Our first Sunday here was great. When we got to church the Bishop told us that 2 of the 3 speakers didn´t show up so we had to give a talk. I talked about Enos and how after he received forgiveness for his sins, he immediately started praying for the well being of his brothers. When we feel the blessings and happiness that comes with the gospel, we should have the desire to share it with others!!

We have some super awesome investigators here. I and P have been being taught for a little more than a month and love the gospel so much. We just have to get them married and then they can be baptized! Also I brought a friend with him to church named J. J loved church so much. We visited him after and he said that it was exactly what he has been looking for. Also when we got there, he had already read the first 7 chapters of the Gospel Principles book. Next week he will bring his wife and kids!

One of my new favorite scriptures is Alma 37:44. It says ´´For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss.´´ 

A straight course to eternal bliss!!

Sorry that his email was incredibly long. I love you all so much! I am feeling the Spirit so much and working hard! Have a great week!!

Sempre fica firme, forte e feliz!

Elder Scheer 

 

Elder Nobre

The chapel here in Concordia

The hills here are no joke!

83 meter cake

Vultures chillin' on my window

My man, JP

Week #48 – Florianópolis – Episode #17 - Life is a Highway

Well we got transfer news and I am going to Concordia! I will be on a bus for about 12 hours tomorrow traveling inland so that should be a good time.

My comp will be Elder Nobre!! I already lived with him in my last area and he is seriously the man so I am really hyped. 

This week went really well... Wednesday we had our first conference with President Gonçalves. He taught us about the importance and purpose of our calling. He is an inspired man and I´m excited for all the changes going down in the mission.

Saturday was D´s baptism. It went super well and the spirit was really strong. On Sunday I got to confirm her which was an awesome experience as well. We were asked to give a farewell testimony yesterday and I started crying like a baby haha. It is really hard to leave this area. I will never forget the people that I met. 

Sorry to keep it short but I still got to pack up. I´ll let you guys know about the next area in a week!

Love you all so much!

Sempre fica firme, forte e feliz!

Elder Scheer

Last Sunday with the wonderful people of Florianopolis

Baptism! Elder Scheer had the privilege of confirming D.

Soaking in the beautiful view before leaving Floripa.

Week #47 – Florianópolis – Episode #16 - Living on an Island

What´s up everyone! Living on an island is pretty funny because it passes through all 4 seasons in one day. It´s very impressive. Anyway it was a pretty great week!

The highlight of this week was that we were able to teach JP´s whole family!! The whole family always goes to English class but it´s hard to teach all of them because they are so busy. But on Thursday we were able to teach the entire family the Restoration and it was such an incredible experience. And even better.. all of them went to church on Sunday and loved it!! We were so happy.

Also this Saturday will be D´s baptism which is pretty exciting. Wednesday we got to her house and she said, I´m going to get baptized! Ha ha so that was cool.

Huge news: I found out that A and P got baptized on Saturday! They are the parents of the boy A that I got to baptize in Jaraguá! Best news everrrrrrr!!!!!

I will finally get to meet President this week so I´m excited for that and then we will have transfers so we will see what happens!

I really like the story in Matthew 14 when Jesus walked on water. When He was on the water, He called Peter to come to Him. It is cool to think about how much faith Peter placed in the Lord in that moment when he stepped onto the water. When we have a goal, we need to put our faith in Christ and just jump out of the boat and go for it. After, Peter saw the winds and got scared and he began to sink. He sunk because he started to doubt. When we are trying to achieve our goals, there will always be difficulties, but if we keep our faith and know what we are capable of with the help of Christ, He will pull us right back up. 

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Sempre fica firme, forte e feliz!

Elder Scheer

Week #46 – Florianópolis – Episode #15 - Milagres Acontecem

I hope everyone had an incredible week and an amazing fourth of July!! The Americans in my ward but a ton of fireworks and launched them on the beach and I wasn´t there but they said 100 people came to watch so that is pretty cool. 

This week was actually super good!

First off starting with the fact that our new President cut all of my last President´s rules, so now we can do normal stuff! Today we went on a hike and played spike ball on the beach with the Americans and it was a blast. Before we couldn´t play any sports or use normal clothes on P-Day so I am super happy. 

I spent the evening of the 4th teaching a family that I have come to love so much. D, L, and W. They are very humble but so smart and understand everything so well. We taught the Gospel of Christ and invited them to baptism and they accepted! Pretty hype but they still have to get legally married which will take a while. But at least they have the desire.

A while ago I talked about a 14 year old investigator named D, who´s parents are members, but have been inactive for a while. The first time we invited her to be baptized her mom freaked out and said we were pressuring her so we have been kind of taking it easy. This week we finished teaching her the lessons and then her mom looked at us and mouthed ´´ask her to be baptized´´. We just looked at each other really shocked haha, but she will be baptized July 22. They have come to church 5 Sundays in a row now so that is super awesome. 

Lastly is a A and V, another family that I love sooooo much. A was baptized when he was 16, but was inactive for a while and V isn´t a member. The problem is that they aren´t legally married so she can´t get baptized until that happens. The other day they were giving us a ride home and they were saying how they were planning their wedding!! We were so happy! Sadly we won´t be here for it but we know that we did our part. A is so grateful for us and they have us over every Sunday night for dinner. Last week they made us some bomb fish called Tainha and last night they made us some huge gourmet hamburgers. They are the best!

Well that´s pretty much it for this week! Love you all as always!!

John 16:33

´´These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.´´

Sempre fica firme, forte e feliz!!

Elder Scheer