Christmas Dinner with a member family

The Zone

Learning how to cook Brazilian style

Week 20 December 28, 2009

Family!!!! Gosh this week was SO amazing!! Christmas in the field is such an amazing experience to have!! To only focus on our Savior and his life and his sacrifice for us! It’s such a blessing to not have to think about anything else!! You really start to think about what is important in life and that is family and the gospel and spreading the one thing that makes our families SO full of happiness, and that is the gospel of Jesus Christ! There is nothing else that I would have rather been doing instead of this work (besides maybe seeing you guys for 5 minutes and then returning hahahaha) but it was SO amazing!!!

And I also received the best gift in the entire world!!! To here your voices!! The hour and sum odd minutes that I had to talk to you was absolutely amazing!! It’s a blessing to know that all of you guys are ok and that you guys are surviving without me hahahaha!! Just kidding but seriously!!! Just quickly, one last thanks for everything that everyone said and for all the letters and the little candies and stuff!! You guys are the most amazing family in the whole entire world!!!!!

Gosh, so where to start… I’ll start with somethings that I didn’t tell you about that family home evening with had with the ward!!! I’m guilty to say that I broke probably my first rule here on the mission and that was, I didn’t get home until 11:15 ahhhhh, I know it was soooooo late. We had to be home at 10 but we were SO far away, at our chapel, and we brought a bunch of kids there, like 9. Which 6 of them aren't members…. And I have a good excuse too……… Pappi Noel came!!! But he didn’t come until 11 and the little kids just looked at me and were like “Elder Wiscomb we can’t leave… I need to tell Pappi Noel what I want for Christmas” and I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t leave without letting them see Pappi Noel, so they were the first ones and then we ran home hahaha so that was super fun!!!

And I already told you about the p-day natal and then the rest of the week was just working, seriously!!! This is the best time to work! I think we taught 25 lessons in just 3 full days which was good and we sang to a bunch of family too!! We did a carta viva, which is a song, and then we share a scripture and ask to enter and continue the spirit of natal inside their home and most of the times they say yes!!! So it was a good week!!

On Christmas day after we talked, we just gathered in the church and we just hung out and called and I made pancakes for everyone and then we left at about 6 and went and taught in our areas it was a good day!!! But it was hard because I had sooooo much to say and right when I heard your voices I just forgot!!! But that’s ok!! Mother’s day, now start getting excited hahahahahahaha

So this should be an exciting week!! It’s the last week in the transfer and we have a lot to do to wrap it up!!! We want to challenge this kid to get baptized but his mom and dad are spiritualist which is kind of crazy and they don’t like us when we are there so we teach him in another house and he absolutely loves the Church because he sees what the religion of his parents has done to them… we need the permission of the parents so we are fasting and praying non stop for them so hopefuly this situation will change!!!

I think that maybe next week you will find out what’s going to happen with me… I'm thinking that I’m going to stay here but really anything can happen which is crazy!!!

And this week is New Years sooo first things first HAPPY NEW YEARS TO ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HOPE THAT EVEYONE IS GOING TO HAVE A FABULOUS TIME!!!!! Here it should be good we get to stay out till 11 but we don’t have a place to go to yet which stinks but I'm sure we can find one……… but I here that its just the same as Christmas fireworks and a churrasco…(and just so everyone knows the fireworks here are practically just little bombs hahahahah just like a little stick of dynamite which is funny and way loud and fun) but its prob going to be just a bunch of eating again... and then this transfers is over…

It’s crazy to think about this transfer because it passed by sooo fast and now I’m probably heading into the last transfer of my first area!!! So I’ve really got to wrap things up good here in Livramento!! Establish some New Year goals for the mission that will make me work until I die hahaha!!!! So I'm loving the mission and I'm so happy for the time that I got to talk to everyone!!! You guys all sound soooo great!!! And happy!!! Which is good!!!!

Quick update for this week on the food category hahaha………. I think I'm going to try something new and make the cream cheese brownies hahahahahahahahahaha what do you think… its prob going to be a disater but whatever hahaha we will see… or maybe I’ll just stay with cake and cookies hahah!!!

So family have a fabulous week ok!!!! Stay safe during this New Year and don’t do anything stupid all right!!! I’m so grateful for you guys and the opportunity we have to life together forever!! I know that this Church is true with all my heart!!! It is the most amazing source of happiness in our lives and when we share with within our family we receive blessings, comfort and happiness beyond our wildest dreams!!!! I love you guy’s soooo much!!! And have a good one!!! Muah!!! Xoxoxoxoxo

Elder Wiscomb

D&C 25&12 continue praying together it’s an amazing blessing we have!!!

Merry Christmas! Opening packages from Grandma Wiscomb, Wiscomb Family and the Cook Family

Teaching in Santa Maria

Week 19 December 21, 2009

Wiscomb family!!!!!!!!!!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!! AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR! Or should I say “Feliz natal e um feliz ano novo!!!” Gosh this week has been a week full of soooooo much excitement!

What a great time of year this is to be a missionary! To talk and spread to the world the “true meaning of Christmas” our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It’s been an experience that I will never forget!! My mindset of Christmas has totally changed from what I used to think about “oh gosh what do I need to buy for my family and what I am going to get hahahaha” to something a lot more important like “what can I do to show my love for a family here and what can I do to help a family be more happy on Christmas!!!” This is the time of year to be together with family and to remember all of the many blessing that we have in our lives!! Although sometimes these blessing aren’t easily seen, the ones that aren’t easily seen are the ones that are the most precious! Ponder the blessing that we have in our lives through our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ with our families and I know that you will recognize these extraordinary blessings that aren’t easily seen!!

But enough of that, lets start from the beginning hahaha!!! So this week what division and I was with the zone leaders for 3 days his name is Elder Zukini and he is probably the funniest person that I have ever met in my entire life!!! Being SO tried and walking a lot and him cracking jokes all day, I think I almost fell over in the street dying like 4 times, it was something that I really needed, because it was seriously 3 strait days of just laughing!!

We got a chance to watch the Christmas devotional, which I was SO excited for, but when I arrived I forgot that I was going to be watching it in Portuguese hahaha (ya I know I'm retarded ha-ha) so I was lost most of the time but the music was good so that was really nice!! And then the night came!!! Hahaha gosh……………….

The night came and I was feeling good but that quickly changed. I was really sick for 2 days, it was just food poisoning, I think because me and Elder Zukini had it and we both ate these xis from the street which are soooo good but I think that the times of eating a xis is over hahaha we both got sick which was pretty funny!!

And yesterday we had p day natal!!!!!!!!!!!! Gosh it was sooo much fun!! We had about 40 missionaries there usually they do one for all the Elders in Santa Maria but they split it up this time I don’t know why, but it was still awesome!! It was like a 5-hour drive to this place so we left here in Livramento at 2 in the morning and we didn’t get back till like 11. So today I am soooooooooooooo tired hahaha but it was so fun! We ate a BBQ and we played soccer and volleyball and we had a water balloon fight and stuff like that and it was just a good time!! I got to see a lot of my good buddies for the CTM and I got to see Elder Tukuafu which was sooooooooooo nice gosh I love him! So that was a good time!

We have so much to do today because tonight we have a family night with the ward!! I think that the Santa is going to be there!! I'm soooooooooooooooo excited ha-ha!! Actually they asked me to do Santa so I know he is going to do there but I declined the offer because I thought that a Santa really skinny wouldn’t be good hahaha and I also thought that a Santa that could talk to the kids would be a good idea too!! I don’t think that the kids would like a Santa that doesn’t know how to respond to there questions about toys and stuff hahaha!!! But I think we are going to play like musical chairs and stuff and do some other games!!

On the 24 we are going to a house of Eleara and Elton!! Eleara is a recent convert and Elton is someone that we are working with. They have 2 kids that are awesome and so we are going to stay there till I think 11! The 24^th is the big night here so that should be fun!! Something cool that happen the other day with Elton… its hard to explain but he is super, super, super (shut or hard hearted) but hard hearted isn’t the right word because he loves us but he is just difficult because he loves the Church but he just doesn’t what to continue in it but he says the most powerful prayers I have ever heard!! I can just imagine him with the gift of the Priesthood gosh!! There is no doubt in my mind that one day he will be a member! But like I was saying 2 days ago we got in a really deep talk about the temple and families!! Something happened a little less than a year ago and their son that was 17 drowned in the lake at the top of the mountain where we were during a Church activity, I guess there is a huge current underneath the water!! But the times have been hard for this family and then something happened between Elton and another member during a family night, which is horrible, but then during this conversation he said… something along the lines… “I know that I don’t go to Church as often as a should and I'm not baptized but I want you to know that I have a testimony about the Church and about the work that you guys are doing!! I can feel the Spirit when you guys are in my house and I want to thank you for that and the love you show my family! You guys are like sons to us and I love you!” For him to say this I was shocked because he is the typical Brazilian gaucho… Like a red neck cowboy just sooo firm and a tough guy it was crazy!!! I think we just need to show keep showing him our love and I tank that one day coming up soon I'm going to sit down with him when I feel the Spirit strongly and I'm going to challenge him to be baptized. He is very intimidating its weird hahaha I wish that you guys could meet him to really see what I'm talking about but he is amazing and one of the most amazing thing would see him and Eleara go through the temple and be sealed to their family forever, aww that would be something sooo amazing!!!

Last night was pretty fun too!!! Kind of hard and made me really homesick but it was a good homesick I got the Christmas tree from the cooks, which is the coolest thing in the world!!! And I played Christmas music and decorated the Christmas tree hahaha it was hard and ya I cried just a little because I was so happy (tears of joy to see pictures of you guys) but it was so much fun!! And then I got to open the packages from grandma and from mom gosh you guys are awesome I have the most amazing family in the world!!! Thanks soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for all the love that you guys have shown me!!!

But family it’s Natal right and I want you guys to have such an amazing time!!!!! You guys are soooo amazing I love you guys with all my heart and I can’t wait to talk to you guys in 3 days!!!! But family have a fabulous Christmas Eve and we will be talking soon!!! Aww I love you guys soo much, I have soo much to talk to you about, about 4 months worth in one hour haha, and I know right when I here your guys voices I am going to forget everything aww!!! So have questions ready hahaha and fire them away fast ha-ha!!

Have such a fantastic 3 days and we will talk soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love you guys sooooo stinking much, with all my heart!!!! And a very merry Christmas to all!!!!!!!!! Muah xoxoxox!!!

Elder Wiscomb

“I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams”

D&C 123:12

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Week 18 December 14, 2009

Hello family!!!!! How is everything going!!!! Gosh it was so good to here from all you guys this week and it sounds like everything is just fantastic at home!! Cold but good!!! Haha!

About next week, I wont be writing until Tuesday!!! We have P-DAY NATAL with the mission!!! President is doing a party for the missionaries on the 21^st, so that will be SO cool, I can’t wait to tell you about it. This week on Thursday, we have a Christmas Conference and then on the 20^th we have a special Sunday and then on the 22^nd we have a family night with the ward, where we will eat and stuff and hangout and we will play musical chairs, I think, and do some other stuff… so we have a lot planned for these next couple weeks!!!

So this week was pretty crazy!! We did a lot and YES we moved but not on the day we planed!! The weather here is sooo crazy!! It can be sunny and clear in the morning and then a crazy storm 2 hours later so we planed to move on Thursday, but it rain for 2 days!! So we did it on Saturday and it started to rain half way threw, so all of our stuff got all wet, so we slept at the zone leaders house that night which was fun!!! But ya we have a new house and it’s SO awesome!! We actually have a kitchen and a bathroom and stuff, which is nice!!! Hahahaha!!! And the family that lives there is awesome too!!! I think we are going to do a family night wit them on Saturday so I'm excited for that!!!!

So, since we needed to move and we planed to move on Thursday day, and it rained, so we didn’t have any appointments on those days so we didn’t really work A LOT this week, which was hard, but we work!!! Don’t get me wrong, it just wasn’t the same and my comp was sick on Tuesday so that was hard too… but it was a week that came and went… this week went by sooooooo fast!!! I don’t know where it has gone!

This week we also had conference!!! Which was amazing it’s always nice to see the President and his wife and the AP’s!! We learned how to teach and how to challenge investigators, and how a message without a challenge was a pointless lesson… there always needs to be a challenge, which is backed up by your testimony!! It was such an amazing day!! And after we had the conference we did like a white elephant type thing… we made cards for a missionary that we drew the names out of a hat and picked a tie for them. And then sat in a circle and gave it to them!! It was so fun!!! The days just go by SO fast I swear!! Its already the 4^th week in this transfer and these next weeks are going to fly too, wow!! So ya conference was just absolutely amazing!!!

Our people that we are teaching are doing really well but we have a rule that they need to go to church 2 times before they are baptized and since it’s a holiday month, there are parties every Saturday night, which go all night long, so they don’t come to church… so really they are not progressing… but they are at the same time if that makes sense but we just need to keep working with them… work, work, work and pray and fast and rely on our Heavenly Father… that is about all that we can do!!! Oh and love them!!! That is a big one ha-ha!! But the work is going pretty well too!!!

Funny story for the week… we were walking to an appointment and we saw these people freaking out on the side of the street and we were going over to see if we can help of what was going on… well guess what… there was a huge swarm of ANGRY bees attacking everyone and yes… we got attacked too I have bee stings all over my body which kind of stinks ha-ha but whatever right… all part of the experience… my comp got it way worse hahaha… but it was pretty funny!!!

So for this week to come… I am starting a division with the zone leaders tomorrow morning which is pretty cool!! We finally move and I have to go stay with someone else ha-ha whatever… but ya… so I will be staying with a Brazilian this time because elder Burham is now LZ A which means he comes to my house… so that stinks but it should be fun!! 3 days there and return for 2 and then off to p-day natal!!! Then its pretty much Christmas!!! And here in Brazil the 25^th really isn’t as big… it is the 24^th at 12 am! Which is the big night!! So we get to stay out until 11, which is kind of, cool… late huh hahahahahahhaah!! But ya it should be really fun!! I’m excited to tell you guys all about it!! But remember I won’t be writing until Tuesday now ok!!

So family!!! I love you all so much and I hope that everything is going just great preparing for Christmas and stuff!!! I hope that you guys have a fabulous week!!! Love you guys with all my heart!!!! This Church is true!!! Love you all!!

Elder Wiscomb

1 Corinthians 4:10-13

Week 17 December 7, 2009

Family!!! How is everyone doing!! I can’t believe another week is down in the mission field!! This week flew so fast and this next week is going to go by even faster cause we have zone conference!! And I am SO excited for that!!! Before I get started I just want to say thanks for all the cards and emails I received!! I have the best family and friends in the world thanks so much!!! So how is Salt Lake City everyone!! Cold.... I here that its pretty cold but here its getting hotter and hotter as the days go on... a little different. Quite honesty, I think I like the snow better, but whatever this is the least of my worries...

Just want to say thanks for the package with the tie and the candy and my I-pod!! Gosh it’s nice to have music again!! And awesome music too!! You guys did an amazing job!!! Love the Disney stuff!! I just received a couple

Funny story.... everyone loves High School Musical here and when I tell them that it was filmed at my school they go crazy.... I arrived at lunch this past Wednesday and they were watching it, and they didn’t know that it was filmed at my school and when I told them the freaked, literally freaked out Ha-Ha, it was so hilarious I wish I could send the image in my head but I can’t, it was just funny!!

But this week was crazy!!! A lot of working and a lot of knocking on doors, which is good!!! But something went on this week that is exciting, kind of like a Christmas present for me and my companion.... so my comp, the first thing he said when we walked in our house is... what is this.... this is prob the worst house in the mission, and it’s 45 minutes from our area... so he has been talking with the Pres about changing houses.... honestly changing house never crossed my mind... I thought that we were blessed to have a roof over our heads a microwave and a refrigerator and a desk to study, who am I to complain when we are teaching people that live in a wood shack with wood floors and horrible circumstances.... but my companion insisted on moving... so he has been talking, and quiet frankly if we are just looking while we are working I'm fine with that... so the President said that he would prefer us to live in an apartment, it’s more safe, so we were looking for apartments but in our area we only have 2 buildings and they are all full.. So I was like ok, whatever, not a big deal but then after 4 days of just looking a little during the day, it was night and we were walking a different way home and we looked up and saw this building out of no where and at the same time were like “yes” hahaha that’s the place and what do you know... it’s somewhat an apartment, probably better because we will be living with only one family on the top of a huge garage with them, but its sooo nice. And I think we are going to be moving this week so I'm excited about that!!!! It will be a good change I think!!! And it’s in our area meaning we don’t have to leave 45 minutes early to get home on time meaning more lessons!!! Good huh!!! So that was exciting!!

Another thing that happened this week is, we found a lot of families!!! We have been working a lot with the members that have fallen away, which has been cool!! And helping them return!! We have found many, and 7 came to Church on Sunday, which was awesome!! Things are going good here with the work!! The only thing that is hard is that we found like 4 families to teach but they all moved to different areas (only 4 streets outside our area) it doesn’t matter who teaches them but I just love these families and have become really close to them so its a bummer, but that’s ok!! The sisters will do a fabulous job with them!!!

I have realized just barely that I haven’t told you how we teach here in the south... its really different we don’t start teaching with the restoration... actually we don’t even introduce the Book of Mormon until the 3 lesson which was hard for me to understand and to accept, especially when the Book of Mormon is what sets us apart from all the other religions... but the people here in the south are SO excepting of Jesus Christ and they say it (he is everything) so that is how we contact people, we teach them about “the ministry of Christ” kind of a brief history of his life!! We start by saying he is the Son of God our Redeemer and Savior and how he showed us the correct road to take.... through his example on this earth, we have someone that can guide us... we all have a chance to be forgiven of our sins and He showed us how through baptism (and we explain the 3 things we need in baptism because everyone here says they have been baptized....) we explain that we need 1-need to know the difference between right and wrong 2-lots of water, to be baptized like Christ being emerged with water resembling the death and resurrections and 3-the authority of God! And then we explain how do we know if someone had the authority of God and we explain that when Christ was on this earth he established His Church- the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and that we show the picture of Christ giving the priesthood to the 12 apostle and that is how we receive the gospel but then what happened after Christ established the Church what happened... a Church that was established with (1 prophet, 12 apostles and the authority of Christ) I forgot to mention we show them this in the Bible too... he did the ultimate sacrifice the atonement in the garden of Gethsemane and after the people crucified him and the apostle and that THE CHRUCH WAS NO LONGER ON THE EARTH BECAUSE THE APOSTLES AND CHRIST WERE KILLED (a big part it ties into the next lesson) and then 3 days later he resurrected right... and then we ask.. But what happened to Christ’s Church that he established? We read in the Bible that there is 1 Lord 1 baptism 1 faith. So how many TRUE CHURCHES you think there are? They say one, because its true!!! But what happened to the Church of Christ... well that is the big question huh... and we say we have another lesson the (RESORATION) that will explain this can we return....

This is such an amazing work... it is so clear how Christ established his work in the Bible and that he is the same yesterday today and forever!! So that means that the Church of Christ or the true Church has to be the same and that is what we have today!!! If you really believe in the Bible and understand it its SOOOO clear... gosh I love this Church!! This is nothing better then the knowledge we are able to gain threw the Bible and the Book of Mormon!! I know that together we have the fullness of the Gospel!! I’m SO grateful of the knowledge that I have gain thus far on my mission!! It has been such a blessing in my life and a true life changes experience and I have only been gone for 4 months ha!!! Crazy!!! I know with all my heart that this Church is the true Church of Christ!!! And it is my duty, my OPPORTUNITY, to spread this with the people in Brazil!! A mission is nothing what I expected... its much more amazing and I’m living up every moment!!!

Well the work is fabulous like I said!! I love you guys with all my heart!! Hope that everything is just going amazing at home!! The day when we talk is coming closer and closer and I’m getting excited to tell you everyone and here your voices again!!! Gosh that’s all I want!!!! Have a fabulous week!!

Elder Wiscomb

Romans 1.16!!!!! Love this!! And love you guys

Week 16 November 30, 2009

Gosh how is everyone? This week has been really crazy and I don’t have much time so I will start off by saying thanks so much for all of your emails!! I love reading every single one of them!! I love hearing what happened throughout the week… but I'm not too happy to here about the Utah BYU game…. That kind of made me mad!!! Ha-ha just kidding!!

My companion is where I’ll start… his name is Elder Teixera, he is so tight! But it’s been hard cause he doesn’t speak any English but he can understand a little… he is 27 years old and he is really funny! He is from the north of Brazil, I forgot from where exactly, but he is so tight I like him a lot… which is good… he is also the zone leader which is cool, but is hard because he has to do interviews again but we are working SO much which is good!! Oh and guess what, I found out that we (me and my old comp Elder Gil) where doing everything wrong… which stinks. So its like I'm learning EVERTHING over again, but it’s nice to finally know what missionary work is really like…

So this week we I had to show him around which has been hard… but good. We knocked on a lot of doors, which has been fun, and we found 10 more people to return to in 4 days. Not to bad huh… it’s amazing what happens when you are really doing what is right… I wish that I knew these things last transfer ha-ha. Anyway things are going good!! Long hard days but good!!

So with my comp, I got two boxes, one from the Cooks and one from you family!! Gosh thanks soooo much you guys are the best!! If I had time I would say thanks for everything little thing in there, but I don’t ha-ha. So thanks SO much seriously you guys are the best!!! I will mention one thing… I think a Peanut butter and a banana sandwich is probably the most amazing thing on the face of the earth ha-ha!! That’s all I will say!! But thanks so much!!!

I’m glad to here that Thanksgiving was fun!! Here in Livramento we did a little something too… me and Elder Burham planned a little thing in our chapel… we have pretty much all new people here… the only ones who stayed are me elder Burham and elder Hufaino… so we all got together in my chapel and we ordered pizza from Uruguay which was soooo much fun!! Gosh it was nice to be together for that holiday!! So that was nice

So funny story this week… we were knocking on doors down this dirt road, which led to nothing…. And all of the sudden this kids yelled ‘time to clean the dogs’… and they all started to chase after the dogs and pretty much tackled these dogs and after ran like 30 yards where there is a river and just threw all these dongs in the river hahaha… it was sooo funny!!!

And this week we also ran into some guy who invited us into their house just to make fun of us and bash on the Church (well I think that’s what he was doing. I couldn’t really tell, or understand but it sounded like that’s what he was doing…) so that was hard…

So Elissa we got a sister that arrived here that reminds me of you…. Or how I would picture you as a missionary!! Gosh this sister is incredible!! Seriously!! She is such a hard working all about the work. Sooo nice and funny!!! So I just though I would tell you its good to have a lot of sisters now!!

So like I mentions I found out that we are doing everything pretty much wrong ha-ha… so now I think that we are going to be using internet a little bit earlier and stuff cause we need to be in our house at 5 and sometimes I didn’t get back until 6:30 last transfer and stuff so ya… its nice because my new companion is kind of like me. We both want to keep the rules like perfect or try and do it perfectly, which is good!! We have that in common which is nice!! The only hard thing is waking up at 7 and doing exercises cause I'm SO tired!! This work is sooo tiring but so rewarding!!!

So ya. Another work of working really hard!! A lot harder then last transfer which is good!! I swear that I always have sooo much to say but when I sit down I forget everything. I even write it down… and I still forget… gosh ha-ha!!

Anyway thanks so much you guys!! Love you all so much!! Sending my love from Livramento!! Have a fabulous week!! Thanks again for everything!!!

Elder Wiscomb