When we landed in Manaus I felt like I was coming home

E aí Familía!!! Tudo Bem!

Nossa semana foi bom demais!  Eu e Elder Thompson fizemos um jejum de inglês... mas ou menos.  no Pday passado nos não falamos inglês, e então na terça-feira tampouco.  depois continuamos até... sexta-feira eu acho.  Foi bom.  mas porque eu amo vocês e quero que me entendam, vou escrever em inglês...................

So on Tuesday night we left for boa vista... a city at the very top of the mission........ it is on the other side of the equator.... and it is hot there!!! Really hot!  Here in Manaus it is humid and hot.. (and rains a ton like right now......) but there it is dry and dusty and HOT! It is the sun that burns there.

So we got there at the crack of dawn on Wednesday and on Wednesday we did divisions with the ZLs from there.  I left with Elder Gomes.. It was pretty good.  That place reminds me a lot of Hawaii... There was a lot of space! That was the thing that most impressed me. Here in Manaus there is no space for anything. I don´t really know why it reminded me of Hawaii, the weather mostly.

Thursday was the zone conference. It was pretty good.  It was just me and Elder Thompson and pres Castro.  Sister Castro couldn´t come.  After the conferencia we did a division with another dupla.  I went with Elder Lopes (african) and PRES Castro came with us too! It was pretty cool.   The first compromissio the investigator wan´t there so we taught her mom.  Her mom is of another church who thinks that anyone who talks of God is good.  Pres Castro bared a strong Testimony to her of the BoM.  He taught the first lesson to her citing tons of scriptures from the bible like Ephesians 4 and John 10:16.  Then when he got to the part of the Book of Mormon he held it up and said, "This is a book of YOUR people. Your ancestors wrote it.   They testify of Christ!  They saw him.  Through reading this book you can....."  It was really cool... but the lady wasn´t even there for it.  She was just like "oh yeah. that is true.. I believe...."   Pres Castro was aware of that. He had so much love for her and just wanted her to understand the importance of the Book of Mormon.  

At another appt the guy didn´t want to hear about the Book of Mormon.  Pres Castro presented it to him but he said that we only need the bible and that the book of mormon is "extra scripture" like is says to be aware of in the book of revelation.  He said that we cannot add on to the bible because it says so in the bible.  Then pres castro said

"Well it also says in Deuteronomy 4 the same thing so does that mean that the rest of the bible is false?"

The guy didn´t have anything to say, Pres continued "Do you believe in Christ?

"yes"

"Do you believe in the bible?"

"yes"

Pres Castro held up the book and he cited john 10:16 again and another scripture in Isaiah...... It was great.   After he was done.. the Guy still denied it..... So pres Castro opened up to 2 Néfi 29 and started to read........................... Dad, will you please explain to the family what the chapter talks about... it is one of the best chapters, Right? kkkkkkkkkkkkkk

A bible, a bible, but we already got a Bible! Johnny! go get the bible! kkkkkkk (THAT IS for Saydi)

So he started reading from the chapter a little bit.  It was so awesome! Verse 8 is my favorite!  They complain for gaining more of Christs Words? how does that make sense?

In the End we set up a return visit.. hopefully he will listen this time:)  Pres Castro then had to go to a meeting so it was just me and Elder Lopes... he has 9 months on the mission.  The next appt was a lady about 35 years and her cunhado. Elder Lopes told me that they had been teaching them for quite a while but they still hadn´t gone to church.  As we started talking to them, I realized very quickly that these people didn´t know much about the gospel.  I asked about the restoration? Joseph Smith? The book of mormon?  They didn’t really know any of it.  So we started teaching the restoration.  It was a great lesson.  I made sure to explain the part about Joseph Smith really well.   Afterwards we taught a little about baptism and the holy ghost.  We committed them both to baptism.. just that the lady still has to marry her husband. She also worked on Sunday.  Elder Lopes extended an invite for her too talk to her boss about it.  It was a super good invite, just the way he worded it.  After the lesson as we were walking down the street I told him that he gave a great invite to her.  Then he told me that he had learned alot with me.  He said that I taught really well and clearly for the person to entender.  When he said that I felt sooooo Goooood!  Like I´ve said in past emails, I get down on myself sometimes and think about everything that I do wrong and what my teaching falts.  It was so great to hear from another missionary that I teach good:)  not to toot my own horn or anything. It was just great. On our way home we got some açaí which just topped off the day:)   

The next day after lunch we caught a plane back to Manaus..... It was one of the most beautiful things that I´ve seen!  Flying into Manaus over Rio negro was incredible!!! I will attach some photos I took but they don´t do it justice....... WOW!!! I could have gotten better pictures but it was cloudy so half the time I couldn´t see anything. But what I did see was amazing!! The flight was about an hour long..... I took advantage of the time and wrote in my journal.. you would be surprised with how little time you have to write in the journal…..

So like I said with all of these conferences and traveling it is super hard to keep our area running. But we were still able to work a little in our area this week.  I don´t know if I already talked about Tay?  He was supposed to be baptize last week on Saturday.  He is 18 and a rockstar.  He is so sensitive to the spirit and wants to be baptized really bad!  He is the one that when he read the Book of Mormon he felt the spirit immediately, like a peace.  Anyways his baptism was supposed to be last Saturday. We had to cancel it:(  We were able to teach him this week until Saturday night.  We went there and..... well I can´t tell you….. but he said that he would do it as soon as we left........and he did!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW HE IS AMAZING!!!! We marked his baptism for this Wednesday (because on Thursday we will travel again for Itacoatiara).  He accepted!!! We were soo happy!!

The next morning sunday we went back to pick him up for church... he was still asleep.  We woke him and then waited as he got ready... as we were walking to church we noticed that something just wasn´t quite right with him. So I asked what he had done the night before........... Our hearts sunk! :(  Oh it was so sad... he was sooooo close!!!!  But we are not going to give up on him.....we are going to see him in 20 minssss.  Speaking of which I need to wrap this up....

Elder S (one of the secrataries) just came up behind me and asked "Qual vai ser o nme desse livro?"  He was talked about this email I´m writing.... he asked me what the title would be of this book:)  I right a ton compared to these guys.   

I could write about so much more but I got to go. This week I really focused no improving my prayers.  Think about this.... when we pray we are literally communicating with the most powerful being in the universe!!!!!!!!  What a privilege we have.  And the thing is is that he actually cares and listens as we pray..... That just amazes me.   My Love for Pres Castro also grew alot this week.  He is a Man of God.  Just amazing.

I also realized how much I love Manaus while I was in Boa Vista.  When we landed here on Friday after our trip to boa vista I literally felt like I was coming home:) it was great... man I love Brasil.....

Well have a great week!  Love you all.......I might write another little something something tonight if I got time........ like that will happen...... 

Tchau!  

Falou!

ABRAÇO!

Elder Ostler

Mom: Here's your bracket. You're in 11th place after week one. I'm in 15th. Grrrrrrrr!

The other is my countdown app. Welcome to double digits. And don't even think about getting trunky! You better put your shoulder to the wheel and work hard!

Elder Ostler: Wow............ I cannot even believe that you have that on your phone........ and no way with the trunkyness! Sai fora!  

Here is me and elder thompson about 30 mins ago.... it was pouring and we figured it wasn´t going to quite for a while so we just booked it......... most drenched ive ever been in my life while fully dressed...... I might have well just jumped in a pool!  The pants I´m wearing are usually light tan... not black  :) I Love Manaus

Mom: Holy Hana! You're drenched. And you look awesome.