Week 41 May 22, 2010

Hello Family!! How is everyone doing today! I hope that you guys are all had a fabulous week and everything just went great, because here in Santa Maria, time I swear is just flying! I see the days just come and go by the blink of an eye and it's sad because we are already into week 4 of this transfer… its almost over…. Which means we are almost heading into the LAST transfer with president and sister Myrrha. But that’s enough of that… about this week it was another great week…

To start of this week, last Saturday, after I wrote, we had another baptism of Sabrina, and it was amazing! She was so ready to get ready and my president was the one that interviewed her and he said that it was one of the most spiritual interviews that her has ever done in the 3 years of being a mission president… it put it into perspective an interview usually takes about 20 minuets or so. But this interview was about 1 hour and 15 minutes long. I don’t know why. I didn’t want to ask because it's really none of my business, but he said it was one of the most spiritual experiences in his life, and he said that she is super ready to be a member of the Church! It made me feel good to help someone like that find the path of God, to eternal happiness and eternal life! There is nothing more satisfying than to see people in all white, entering the water and then leaving with a HUGE smile on their faces (a face like “wow so this is the feeling of being cleansed of everything I have ever done wrong in my life) is such an amazing opportunity that everyone in the world has, due to the atoning sacrifice that Jesus Christ did for us!

This week on Monday was also the birthday of Santa Maria so it was a pretty fun day! There was a lot of stuff going on in the center, which was fun! It was the 153 year birthday so it was a big one ha-ha! But ya…

Other than that good news, this week has manly been filled with a lot of calling to parents of the missionaries who are planning on leaving this transfer, and also preparing for president and sister because this week started Zones Conferences… the most hectic times here in the office…so other than preparing almost everything for pres and sis, I had to talk with a lot of parents in the United States and here in Brazil and hear the excitement in their voices when they hear the date and time when their sons and daughters are going to be arriving… it makes me a little homesick but it was kind of cool… the first one I was expecting it to do this to me… Elder Jones said that it always happens to the secretary the first time around but it just keeps getting easier ha-ha…. But ya so I called all the parents and the stake presidents of 11 missionaries. So trying to find the numbers of all them and then called them was super time consuming but it was fun! And also I was preparing all the information to buy the tickets going home for the next group that I will do this following week! So it’s been a crazy week….

So that’s pretty much what’s going one with the office and Santa Maria about the work it’s going really well! Actually I have a pretty funny story to tell… we were teaching this 19-year-old girl who was progressing really well… but her family is sooo catholic. They have the father come to their house and eat almost every night and stuff so we have talk with him and stuff and the mom teaches in the church, so quite frankly the family absolutely hates us…. Well I wouldn’t say us but they hate the work of the Lord…

So everything that happens in their house is our fault… for example… my comp was playing their the violin, the next day it broke. Ya our fault… we were sitting at the kitchen table one night and we left, a book of Mormon on the table. and guess what, that same night the glass table shattered hahahahahahahahaha, ya its was our fault… so long story short they said that we could pass by, but not teach anymore… its just amazing how sometimes the people are so blinded by strait up crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But with out a doubt the book of Mormon contains the power to shatter a glass table if it wanted to ha-ha.

Other than that we are teaching many people…. Its really good because we are teaching 3 really, really good families but not one is married… we are in the process of marring one but its going to take a little longer and the others they want to but they haven’t started! We will just continue it’s going to be a great week with teaching!

Also this week is zone conference! The last zone conference with president Myrrha. Super sad… its crazy because Pres Ribeiro already sent his calendar filled with the stuff that he is planning on doing when he gets here. Talk about a couple weeks filled with traveling and working, ah man, it will be a good but long month for him! So we will just need to help him as much as we can!

But family my time is up I know this Church is true and I love you so much! You guys are so amazing and have a great week ok!! Big hug and kiss!

Elder Wiscomb!

Mosiah 4:15

Week 39-40 May 15, 2010

Hello family!! How is everyone doing today! Can you believe that it has been a week since we talked hahaha and how amazing that was! In a way it feels like it was yesterday but at the same time it feels like it was months ago hahahaha… but I want you guys all to know that you guys sounded great and I love you all so much!!!

So this week, what a week! It's been kind of crazy because we had a bunch of visits from old missionaries that came back to say bye to president… people from Utah so I got a little homesick… well not homesick but it just reminded me of the life outside of the mission that I haven’t even been thinking of for like 9 months hahaha… but it was fun to talk to them and see what was going on back in Utah… so ya….

For those of you who I didn’t talk to on mother’s day my mission plan has changed a little. All the goals and everything that I made kind of turned to a different direction ha-ha… well my president has asked me to be the next executive secretary to welcome the new pres we are going to be getting next transfer and to kind of show in the ropes… it should be a good experience, but for the meantime I think I'll be here in Santa Maria for a couple more months…

Today is a big day. We have the baptism of Sabrinha! She is so ready and will be an amazing member of the church of Christ! I’m so happy to her and for the God putting her in our paths! She truly was ready and looking for the truth and she found it! It's something amazing to see the change in someone’s life! So that will be happing tonight at 8 here! So it should be good!

Other than that. we are teaching up a storm and working hard in the office preparing for the next president! There is so much to do, added on the regular things… so its kind of overwhelming, but somehow we get everything done everyday what we need to! It’s amazing! And after the office we hit the streets!!

Now I would like to talk about something kind of different! We always hear and read about the hand of the Lord in this work! And it’s so evident when you are doing the right things and looking for his help! Our Heavenly Father is truly waiting, asking us to work with Him, and He has promise that if we do this, He will guide us! The work of the Lord in creating His kingdom here on earth is something that is visible to the eye that is looking!!! But there is also the contrary of Him….

This week it has been visible ,along with the work of the Lord, the work of Satan. Something that I have notice is that he is trying his very hardest especially to the families that we find, to drive them down to a state of sorrow, a state of unhappiness, of regret, and any other things that could throw them off the path of Christ…we have been teaching this family that isn’t married ever since I have gotten here and we are in the middle of paying for their wedding for them, so they could get married and become members of the Church, and Satan is working just as hard on them! The mother… Patricia, had a freak accident on Sunday right before coming to church that shattered practically every bone in her leg that will be delaying the progress of everything for a little… and even worse, has brought some weird doubts to her mind just thoughts like “why?!”!!!

We didn’t know how to deal with it for a second but then we thought, just surround her with the sisters in the branch and everything will be fine…!!!!! So that’s what we have done! And we have notice that one more time, the Lord’s hand comes out “of course” STRONGER than the hand of the devil!!! In other wards. LOVE AND CHARITY is more powerful than anything else that Satin can throw at a person!

I just want to say love everyone!!! Do something good for someone every day and make good decisions!!!

I love you guys so much! I am so happy to have you as my family and actually I'm so blessed!! You guys are amazing and I am so happy that you guys are doing all amazing! It was so great to talk to you guys last week and I hope that you guys have a great week this wee too!!

Until next week love ya!!

Elder Wiscomb

D and C 58:26-29

"Remember the guy I told you about, that had answers revealed to him in sacrament meeting, well this is him, and his girlfriend that we met for the first time, I think they are going to get married, but we will just have to wait and see!"

The Zone

Mother's day

Mothers Day Dinner

Driving back from the lake with the President

The above poses were all Sister Myhrra's idea

"At the Lake"

"On the diving board, it was so tempting to jump in!"

BBQ with President and Sister Myhrra last week

"We made taco's they were so good!"

"This couple that we are teaching are so good!!! Oh my gosh we taught them Saturday and they went to church Sunday and then this last week the guy went to the class for smoking and he bought Sunday pants for this week, oh man they are amazing!"

"Yes I got to eat the the only McDonalds in the mission and it was the exact same but so expensive!!! It was worth it but I think only once in the mission is good hahahahaha!"

"Drinking good old chimarou"

Week 38 May 1, 2010

Hello family!!!! How is everyone doing!! I hope that you guys are all dong just great!!!! Oh man I really don’t have much time on the computer so this is going to be an email really, really short and I'm sorry! I'll be honest there isn’t much to say anyway!

So first off transfers. I found out that I will be staying here for one more transfer in the office which will be really, really cool! It will be fun to see president in his last transfer and everything!!

But this week is transfers and it’s been absolutely crazy!! SO much work but really have gained a lot of respect for the secretaries because they do so much stuff!!!!

Anyway other than that, the work is going really, really great!! We are teaching a lot of people and we are seeing the changes that come to lives through the knowing the truth of the Gospel!! It’s just a great gift!!! But other than that it’s just been another week here in the mission! Another week that flew by soooo fast!!!

This week I met someone that served in the foothill area mission and actually our ward was in his area which was pretty cool!

Really just think about it we will be talking here in about 8 days so be thinking of some questions and stuff its going to be a great day mothers day!!!

I hear that Elissa did an amazing job speaking at Woman's Conference, I'm so proud of her and Lis I would like a copy of the talk!

Really sorry that this is short but gotta go! Love you all so much everything is just amazing here in Santa Maria! This is the party month so the center right by our house is crazy! It’s either this week or next week, but coming up is the birthday of Santa Maria so it’s going to be CRAZY HERE!!! It should be fun!

I got to go but I love you all and until next week! I will share with you how and when you will call next week ok!! Love you all sooooo much!! Big hug and kiss for all!!

Elder Wiscomb

Philippians 1:27

Love you all!!!