THE CHANGE
Was junior companion in an area that I knew with an american companion.
Now i'm opening (me an my companion arrived in the area the same day), District leader over me, my companion, and 3 pairs of sisters - with a brasilian companion!
THE CHALLENGE
Opening an area is like having a huge project and not knowing where to start.
I've only been here in Brasil for 4 months and now i'm supposed to have the answers and solutions for the (more experienced) misssionaries in my district.
THE AWESOME
My companion knows how to work hard and play hard. We are having a blast! (even though his girl broke up with him this last week... =( ).
My companion already was district leader quite a bit and has already served here in Brasil. He could be super annoyed that somehow he ended up with an American that doesn't know much of anything...but he's not!
We are really working hard and working together!!!
Our ward mission leader is fired up about the gospel! He took us around in his car (air conditioning and everything 8D ) to visit alot of the recent converts and less actives!
I think that Gods trying to teach me to adapt to changes. I arrived here, had to give a talk in church on Sunday, a training on thursday, help the sisters everyday, and learn my own area!!
Thank God that I don't have to do it on my own. I have a rock awesome companion - and on our side, we have angels, archangels, and the very creator of the universe to team us up!
In a later letter, he talk about our love of the scriptures:
I fully agree with you. The Livro de Mórmon is our greatest deffense. (I know my spelling is going downhill, but I'm forgetting English) Alma 30 that talks about korihor the anti-christ talks about all the tricks he'll use...Even here in the mission field, when I'm reading all the other church literature and forgetting to personally read the Book of Moromon as well, I do have a lack of power. i'm not as spiritually strong as I can be.
It stinks. God owns everthing - except our free angency. ITS THE ONLY THING THAT CAN HOLD HIM BACK!
What I've felt and experienced here on the mission, I cannot deny. God has not stopped. The heavens are not sealed. We have two direct lines of revelation. Personal, and that which we recieve from the Prophet. He, Thomas S. Monson, holds the keys and authority to truly talk with God. This church, the knowledge that we have is proof that God lives. God has not forgotten about us, and he will continue to work as hard as he can to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life.
Hey yall!!
Even though I'm over here bushwacking through the jungle, my zone leader is from Shelly, Idaho! O saudades do interior do EUA! This week I reminisced about all the pleasures of small town Idaho life.
Also, we worked our backsides off!!! We recently helped a Mom (Edna) and her two kids (Vitória and Alcir) enter the waters of baptism!!!
listen to this
We enter their house a few days after their baptism. Vitória says that one of her teachers told her that "that Mormon church doesn't believe in Salvation, Christ, or anything christian!"
When Vitória said this to us, her Mom (50 year old red head) got all fiery and said, "Vitória, you are going to take this Book of Mormon and Gospel Principles to your teacher tommorow and make her read! We'll see if she'll have to nerve to say that again!"
WOOOO HOOOO! Team Jesus wins again!!!
With the same rights that other religions have to practice what they want how they want - we have that right too. I can and need to defend what I believe in. That doesn't mean that we should cut others down, but it does mean that we should leave the truth so perfectly clear that everyone knows that I know that Jesus really came to earth and did everything that He said He did. God did not stop talking to us. He does not love us less than he did in the times of Noah, Moses, Abraham...we have a profet today. We have the same church, organization, doctrine, and priesthood that Christ established when he was on the earth. I am very excited to watch general conference this weekend (even though it'll be in Portuguese). To really listen to a living prophet. How cool is that!
Thank you for the love, thoughts, prayers, and support
Elder James Reinhardt
His latest letter:
Hey Mom, Dad, Jamie, and Jayson!
How are ya!!!
I am doing sweet! Truly each companion is different. During the companionship, as time goes on, it's like you're sifting the raw material that is there. You can either sift it all and keep and anlyze the good or the bad. I've decided to try and keep all the good. As members of the church, we try to look for the best in others. I think that at times, it's either way easier or way harder to do this for those closest to you. My challenge for you is the same challenge that I am giving my self. Really search the love those who are not just around you but those closest to you.
Doctrine and Covenants 88:123-126
123 See that ye alove one another; cease to be bcovetous; learn to impart one to another as the gospel requires.
124 Cease to be aidle; cease to be bunclean; cease to cfind fault one with another; cease to dsleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be einvigorated.
I love you all a ton. I know that you are always praying for me - know that i'm always praying for you.
Love,
Elder James Reinhardt
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