"Lunch today, we made hamburgers, they were so good!"

"off to the rodoviaria... TRANSFERENCIA..."

"oh what am I doing hahaha... maybe I'm not thinking too hard..."

"Elder Abrhams birthday"

Week 63, October 23, 2010

Hello family!! How are you all of you guys doing? I hope that everything is just going amazingly back in the good old US of A… hahahaha… but everything here in Brazil is just amazing! So let's just start off from the beginning of the week, all right.

So this week started off pretty well! Every Sunday is like the craziest days in the world! We have to wake up super early every Sunday just to get out the door to pick up our investigators to get them to come to church. And for those who have been missionaries you know that sometimes the plans that we have don’t really go according to plan ha-ha…. So this last week we are teaching a family, a dad mom and 2 daughters and every week they said they will go but they don’t need us to come get them because they have a car. And almost every week something comes up and they don’t come. But this last week was a little different.

We were on our way to church and I got a call from one of the daughters and she said “Elder Wiscomb we are coming so be waiting in the front ok”… so I didn’t even go inside I just let our investigators go in and I waited outside for our others. And the meeting starts and they show up about 10 minutes late and there just happens to be a bench in the front of the chapel. So the family files in and I sit in front of them on the front bench of the chapel and I look up on the stand and “SURPRISE!!! ” we had visitors……… ya sitting on the pulpit was President Ribeiro and a member of the area 70 was there… what a crazy thing to see hahaha. President just gives us a wink hahaha and mouths “bom trabalho” ha-ha good work… funny.

Well then things start to get interesting… this member of the 70 is sooooooooo animated and he is literally yelling from the pulpit hahaha preaching from there talking about faith and family night and scripture study and tithing and prayer and how all of these things will keep us on the path of righteousness. It was the crazies sacrament meetings I have ever been too. It was kind of like a comedy. Everyone was laughing and stuff. Felt like I was in a igraja evangelhica hahaha oh man. I thought it was going to be a disaster… but long story short the family liked it hahaha… they thought that it was amazing and they thought that the area representative talked amazing about tithing and stuff. We are going to go there tomorrow night so I hope it goes according to our plans!!!

But other than that this week was one of the craziest weeks in the office… the transfers got to us on the day of the transfers because I MOS (the mission program) was down. So we had no way to look at it... it was just a big confusion… and then we were running around on top of everything ahhh one week I don’t ever want to do again. But that’s alight it already passed… it's been a pretty rough week with the teaching too. We haven’t been able to get out and teach that much because something always comes up and we have to fix it… but that’s all right, it’s been a big week on working with my patience hahaha!

Family I just wanted to let you guys know that I love you all sooooo much this church is true there is no doubt in my mind! I love you all and I hope that you all can fell my love their in US or whatever you may be! I’m so great full for all of your advice and love that you always show me… and just remember to do what Elder Uchdorf said. To slow down and to appreciate life. Time, and our lives pass by so fast. And soon enough it’s all going to be over… think about it. Think about if we are all on the right “road” back to Christ. The one road that returns to live with our Heavily father again. I’m so grateful for all I have learned and for the chance I have to share it with everyone I know! I love this work and I love this gospel and our leaders! I loved our prophet and our apostles and I'm so grateful for their guidance for us in these hard days!! Just remember to give head to the word of the prophets and we will not be led astray… when we do that we are giving head to the word of God, and His will for us, His children on Earth. Never forget!

I love you all so much and thanks for everything! I hope all is going well and never forget that I am here for you all if you need anything! Love you and have a great week!

Elder Wiscomb

The Baptism!

Cutest little girl ever

The woman we are re-teaching

Week 62, October 15, 2010

Hello family, how is everyone doing? I hope that all is great and that you guys are just have a fabulous week! So let’s get started! Ha-ha

So first off, what a great week! Sunday was one of the best Sundays here on the mission. So this last weekend was a holiday weekend here in Brazil. It was the day of the children on Tuesday so when Friday came last week everyone left! This city being a college city, I believe that everyone went home or just traveled because it felt like for about 4 days the city was empty.

So, Sunday what happened, we got invited to go eat lunch at presidents and sisters Ribeiros house because their children are in town. So that was pretty fun an then sister Ribeiro surprised us by making funeral potatoes, oh man it was sooooooooooooooo good one of the best meals I have ever eaten on the mission!!!!! And then we had to leave and fill up the baptismal font! Ya, we had some baptisms Sunday afternoon, which was awesome!

We had the baptism of Irmã Salete and her daughter Silva, along with 2 other young women that Irmã Selete practically has adopted, Angelica, and Angelita! It was such a blessing to see them enter into the waters of baptism! It has been a super long process with a bunch of teaching and reteaching and explaining about doctrine that was pretty deep. Half the stuff we taught I haven’t ever had to teach to anyone because quite frankly it stuff that no one ever thinks about. But this woman is sooooooo smart it’s unbelievable! She is someone that really understood and asked some questions that showed she understood! So it was a great day!!

Also something really cool happened this week! So I get a call from a member, João, who is part of the stake presidency here and he starts talking to me and says that he had someone by his side that wanted to talk to me… so he hands the phone over and a guy starts to talk in English and I was huhhh… what’s going on… ya long story short there are two American farm boys here that are 21 years old from Kansas that are doing an exchange program for agriculture here in Santa Maria. And at the place that they are living, the doorman asked them if they have already talked to the other Americans here in Santa Maria (us missionaries). They said no and he pointed them to the stake center…. And that’s where we were called…

So what happened was I ended up talking to them and gave them the address here, the office, and told them to pass by when they could just to talk and what not… not thinking that they would come that very day… well they did. And it was Monday the day that it was p day for the rest of the mission but they ended up coming before everyone got here… I started talking to them and just made a friendship and then after we were talking for about 20 minutes came the questions…. What are you guys doing here? (A great conversation starter) ha-ha… so I explain and we start talking…. We just happen to have one copy of the pamphlets Gospel of Christ, restoration, and plan of salvation here in the office in English, and I was showing him around and he asked if he could read them and I said he could have them, then more questions came!!!

So before I start saying anything else, these farmer boys are Baptists from Kansas ha! So they know the Bible really well and they start asking us these questions that are awesome!

Where is the source of all happiness?

Does there only exist Heaven and Hell?

What happens to us after this life?

What happens to the people who aren’t baptized here on Earth?

These questions that we love to answer. And to be honest he was asking all these questions and I didn’t want to answer all of them because were weren’t in a good atmosphere and were weren’t in the spirit of prayer if that makes sense. But he truly wanted to find out… so long story short I answered his questions but I just answered very briefly and said “that is what we do as missionaries, we help people find answers to these questions” and I got his address and said we would pass by… well his address is about 2 roads outside of our boundaries and into the AP's… and when were leaving everyone got here and then here comes the part that kind of makes me sad…

They were leaving and then arrives everyone and starts talking to them and they want to convert them right on the very moment and start to say some things that I was saying and then they went into more depth. So, by the time they left… for example I talked with him for about 30-40 minutes most of the time just making a friendship and stuff… and then they stayed another hour practically being taught by the others… oh man… what can you do hahaha… they heard about everything we have to teach… the gospel of Christ, the restorations, the book of Mormon, along with the plan of salvations, and kingdoms of God, and they just started to throw scriptures at him too. So ya hahahahaha he has already been taught about everything and even worse I was kind of sad because our AP found out that it was in his area so he took it… but whatever…. I'm sure that he did a great job

But it was cool to make a friendship with an American here in Brazil ha-ha… and I really would have really liked trying to teach him in English but… what can you do.

Something really cool that we did today is that we played paintball again hahaha!!! And we ended up inviting them to come play and they came and saw the “normal side of us hahahahaha” yes and also the competitive side too hahaha.. so it was good! They sure like kicking it with us, and there is know doubt in my mind that the Lord will answer their prayers before they go back on Christmas Eve… it will be cool to watch the progress!!

So anyway the work is going just great! And we are trying to work hard, although sometimes we have to get some stuff figured out with transfers and what not, but something is for sure. The work never stops!!!

I love you guys so much and I'm so grateful for all of you in my life! Thanks so much for your help and you love that you have shown me! Have a fabulous week!

Love your

Son, brother, grandson and missionary

Elder Wiscomb

James 1:12

Study time

"The coveted cell phone...just kidding too many phone calls!"

"The American Missionaries"

Going out to dinner in honor of priesthood session's tradition at home

Pizza house

Week 61, October 8, 2010

Hello family, how are you all doing on this wonderful weekend! Thanks so much for all of your wonderful emails, I sure love hearing from you all! So thanks again!

So FAM, what an amazing weekend wasn’t it! We had the chance to hear the wonderful words of the prophets and the apostles and receive the guidance of the Lord that was instantly passed through them! There is no doubt in my mind that the members and the world heard exactly what the Lord wanted them to hear, and surprisingly, it seam like the world is pretty wicked at this moment ha…

I don’t know if you guys understood it the same way I did, but there seemed to be a lot of warning and advice about transgression and sin! How we all need to believe and follow the words and the counsels of the living prophet of our days, Thomas S. Monson and we need to act and all need to prepare to serve missions!!! Both men, and women if they would choose, along with elderly couples when circumstances shall give a chance. And how do we do that… it was given sooo clearly… stay away from the filthiness of the world (drugs and gambling, pornography and many other sinful worldly gratification) and give head to the guidance of the Holy Ghost in our life. I absolutely love it when it was said actually “warned” by Elder Bednar, the Holy Ghost literally avoids our presence when we are part of these sinful acts. And I believe living without the Holy Ghost in our lives, we are walking blind in a world of Lucifer’s obstacles, which can so easy push us off the path of God!

Ahhh it passed so fast (conference that is). Hearing the tabernacle choir, feeling the love of the leaders of the church who care so much for us! I believe they understand the plan of our God so deeply that they would do anything they could to pull us back to the presence of our God, to partake of the blessings that are waiting for us. We have at this point in our lives tasted just 1/100000000000000000000000000000000000000000% of the possible blessing, which we could have. Think about the life we could and will have in the presence of God in the Celestial Kingdom! These blessings, which will be shared with an eternal family. This is the ultimate goal of life on earth. It's what we should be aiming for… we need to forget the worldly things and start thinking of what really is important!

The world better have learned because it was truly was passed super clearly and strongly, that we all need to stop being strapped down by whatever addiction we have and need to repent and listen to the prophet! The Lord can and will free those who are addicted, we can all be saved through the atoning sacrifice of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Just believe and trust in His guidance through is Prophet and apostles and we can’t be lead astray!

I just can't stop thinking of conference it was just amazing

But other than that, the work here in the office and in the field is going good. We took so many people to conference and their questions were answered and we are trying to find more every day! The center is starting to be a little difficult to find new investigators because it’s mostly all apartments where you can't enter without a key to two doors so we have to just relay on faith and guidance of the Lord! But there is now doubt that He will lead us to the people waiting to here the truth!

This next week is the last week in the transfer so I'll be finding out what’s going to happen... if I will stay or not... we will see.... ha-ha. Its gong to be interesting. But we are getting some Americans this next week from the U.S. so that means a lot more work for me. And the work in the field just continues!!

I'm so grateful for this gospel and the for the guidance that we have in our lives through the words of the prophets and the Holy Ghost!! Without the gospel there is no doubt in my mind that the world would be lost and I life would be without a purpose! But with the guidance of the prophet and with the scriptures we know that our life here on Earth is a preparation to return and live with our Father in Heaven again, and this is something that everyone obviously wants!! So act today, listen to the prophets, believe in the prophet Thomas S. Monson and the 12 Apostles, and flee from all temptation... quite frankly it’s the only way back

I love you all so much and I'm so grateful for this gospel and for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the kingdom of God here on Earth! I'm so grateful for my family! Hugs and kissed to you all

Got to go but thank for everything and until next week!

Your son, brother, grandson, and missionary

Elder Wiscomb

D and C 1:30




Week 60, October 2, 2010

Hello family! How is everyone doing on this start of a fabulous conference weekend! I know that this is going to be a weekend to remember! Ahh I'm so excited! I would just like to say first off thanks so much to all of you guys for writing me and sending me pictures and stuff! You guys are all amazing!

So to be honest this week has just been full of conferences! And it has passed by soooo fast I truly haven’t even seen it. So like you guys have known, we had zone conference this week on Wednesday and Thursday! It was some amazing days! We learned about so much. How it worked is for two days we did this. We had doctrine learning from 8:30 to 12, then lunch until 1:30 and then the rest of the day is more doctrine learning until 5:30!

We talked about a whole bunch of stuff. About tomorrow, the first resurrection, and who is going to be apart of it, the kingdoms of God, repentance, and many other deep learning! Ahh, it was awesome and to be honest it quite blew my mind away! I love the feeling after we leave zone conference though it just feels like you want to be out and work, work, work, ha. It was some special days and now I am looking forward to something that is going to be amazing as well! General conference!

General conference! What a great time it is! The time when we get to hear the prophet of our Heavenly Father speak, along with the 12 Apostles and the other leaders of the Church! We are going to hear the inspiring words, which are from the Lord which will be passed through His servants here on Earth! I love teaching about conference and what a great opportunity it is.

First of all we need to think of something. Would we let the chance pass if we had the opportunity to hear our Heavenly Father Speak to us. Of course we wouldn’t ever let that chance pass, at least I would hope that NO one would. For those who have said no, that they would wouldn’t let that chance pass, you can’t let this conference pass without hearing ever word, then, applying it in your life… conference is no other than the Lord inspiring his special and holy representatives, here on Earth with his (the Lords) desires, His words, and counsels which He so deeply wants to give to us!

During these next couple days, many questions will be answered, many topics will be clarified, many important aspects will be passed to Gods children here on Earth, and many, many people will receive a growth in their testimony and some, many, will be converted to know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God here on Earth. If you listen closely, you will known that everything that is said is true. And the Holy Ghost will make it known unto us!

I am so grateful for this weekend! I hope all of you are ready! Write questions; think of things you want to know, listen with a willing heart and take notes because it will be something to remember!

The work here in the office and in the mission is going just splendidly! We are working hard and are having great success, thanks to the Lord. I am so grateful for this time is my life and for the chance I have to serve the Lord, my God during this time! This time is so short but it truly is the most rewarding time I have ever had!

This is short but I don’t have much time I love you all! I hope that you guys have a great weekend up at the cabin and you guys know that I will be watching everything with you! Just think about it ha, I'm going to be practically sitting by your side’s hahaha.

I love you all so much and never forget that! Thanks for everything.

Your son, brother, grandson and missionary

Elder Wiscomb