We have a Heavenly Father

família!

What the Car!!!!  So did you get rid of the yukon?  How many seats does that thing have? Well I thought that school got out on Friday not on Tuesday, but I guess it got out on Friday for Jefferson.  That is so cool that he is doing a BYU ball camp. Who is mowing the lawns this week?

So I didn´t have time to go back to that place and look to see if the pictures are still there, just doing to much stuff:)  That is the life as a missionary:)  But I´ve realized that even if they aren´t there it is not that big of a deal, I sent home all of my favorite pictures already.

So lets start off with this week.   The highlight was Is*.  He is a 20 year old that is really cool.   Elder Galvan was already teaching him when I got here. This week we went back to teach him.  He knows the bible really well.. like really well, but his ideas are all from another church.   He believes in the arrebatamento (I have no idea how to say that in english) which is where all of the righteous people just disappear and go to heaven, that is their idea of the second coming.  Crazy stuff like that.

But we taught him every day this week.  The best lesson was Thursday night in the church.  We read 2nefi31 with him.  He loved it.  He especially love verse 14.  It really caught his attention.  After wards he was really feeling the spirit and said that he knew he needed to change his life and be baptized. It was a great lesson.

Every single lesson we had with him this week (everyday) he told us how he wanted to change his life.  In his old life he drank himself into a stupor every weekend.  He wants to change... and he did.   He was baptized on Saturday night and Elder Galván baptized him:)  It was his first baptism:)   They were both nervous as they walked down into the water.

After the baptism

The service was great.  Our newly called ward mission leader (my first one since January!!) had the idea to have a testimony meeting.  The spirit was really strong. We had 2 investigators there.  After the spirit was there, the WML asked them if they would continue to learn so that one day they could be baptized too.  They accepted.   At the baptismo was the 1 and 2 counselors in the stake presidency!!!! Talk about leader ship!!  They had just finished a meeting so they just hung around for the baptism. On Sunday Is* received the Holy Ghost and then after church we got a white shirt and pants from a sister in the ward and took it to his house.  I give him a tie, one that you sent me (THANK YOU)!

So B & A. Last week, somebody from another stake brought them to our ward.  They are in our boundaries so the person from the other stake brought them to our ward! Talk about member missionaries.  I´m not really sure how that all went down but he is an investigator now, and a great one.  They always have a ton a questions.  He says he just wants to get everything straight before he baptizes.  Like the lesson after we taught them the restoration he read joão 1:  I think verse 18 which says that nobody can see God.  We then had to explain how the bible or parts of the bible are wrong and that Joseph Smith translated those wrong parts.  It is going well.

So... the piano.   Before I start the story let me just say this..... JEFFERSON BENSON AND WILSON!!!!!! ATTENTION!!!!! PRACTICE YOUR PIANO!!!!!!

So I found out that our ward has a pianist, she just wasn´t playing because she has a wrist problem, but I talked to her this week and she said she would play this Sunday. Before this happened I played at the church and practice a little. I wrote down all of the songs I know and I came up with about 14 out of 201 hymns...... that is nothing. Anyways, after I talked with the pianist I just stopped worrying about it because she said she would play. Well on Saturday night the 1 counselor in the bispado me ligou and said that the pianist couldn´t play because she got her wisdom teeth out........ so I would now be playing.  He asked me which songs I knew. I told him.  Then he asked me about sacrament hymns... I know none..... so he just kept the one he already had.

I was to play 4 hymns, how firm a foundation (already know), a sacrament hymn that I don´t know the name to in english (never played in my life) I know that my redeemer lives (played a little bit before, hardly know) and God be with you till we meet again (already knew).  As you can see.... I needed to practice... but it was 9:30 Saturday night and church started the next day at 8:30!  So we woke up at 5:20 and went to the church so I could practice.  I practice the 2 I didn’t know alot.  I had the sacrament hymn down with the right hand and occasionally I would play the left.  On the I know that my redeemer lives, I had it down pretty good... kinda.. not really. (side note:  "I know that my redeemer lives" was the number the choir would be singing with me accompanying.......)  We left to go get our investigators then came back...

It was ward conference so all the the stake leadership was there....... like all.  Stake presidency and the 12 high council men.  And to top it off... the power was out!  No AC.  We opened all the windows, it was bearable but hot hot hot.  (when I was practicing in the morning I was dripping in sweat!!! I would flip my head to the side occasionally and sweat would go flying) 

Sacrament meeting was the last meeting.  The opening song was good (foundation). Then I did the sacrament hymn.  mais ou menos.  I messed up a ton but we still got though it.  Then came the choir............... OUCH!!!!!!! Not the choir, ME!!! I was so nervous.  We had never rehearsed together and that was the first time I´ve ever played I know my redeemer lives for people to sing!!!  I was shaking.  I just locked up.  I did really bad!  Boys, let this be a lesson to you.... PRACTICE THE PIANO so that you don´t have to go to the church at 6:30 in the morning to practice and then mess up in sacrament meeting.   I wish so bad that I could just open up the hymn book to any page and just let my fingers fly and play it perfectly.  But..... I didn’t practice enough when I was your age so now I can´t.  So that was the piano this week:)  fun stuff:)

So to answer some of your questions.... I get letters from you guys Amy and Grammy and Grandpa. Occasionally some one else like this week I got one from Wrendie.  Thanks Wrendie!!  And I email you guys, Jackson Amanda Saydi, Christian, James and the other bros.  Favorite food... that is a tough question.. seriously tough question.  I would say farofa.... it is amazing! I also love the lasanha here.  Here for the meat they use, ground beef, chicken, and or ham.  This week the best thing I ate was lasanha.  This lasanha was so good.  It was made with chicken and ham. Instead of noodles, there were pancakes!!!!! Not like sweet pancakes just pancakes!!! So amazingly good.  And they usually put ketchup in it too:)  kakak Ketchup, that stuff is good.

Something that I wouldn´t be able to get in the US... Açaí.. duh!  I think most everything else you can get in the US .... oh besides Guaraná (pop) and farinha.  And I don´t know what food I miss. I kind of forgot what we eat there.  I guess I miss peanut butter but I always get some from you guys which I love.  I miss.....  your breakfast sandwiches mom!!! Those are heavenly!

One thing that I love teaching people here is about Deus.  Everybody here thinks that the three are one and that he is everywhere and nowhere.  I love teaching them that we have a Heavenly Father who has a body just like us and that he loves us so much and that he has a son who is a totally different person who came to the earth to die for us.  Point number one, primeiro liçaõ.

I love you all so very much and I hope you make the best of your summer!!!  I was thinking this week that I have been living in summer for a year now.  kakak  one year of heat!!!!   Love you all and know that I´m doing well! Thanks for all you do for me!  The emails, letters, packages and prayers. I love you guys have a great week.

Elder Ostler