Londrina, Brazil

Londrina, Brazil

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Sore Toe!

Wow that is insane that it snowed! I would have built me a nice fire in the firepit, sat bundled up in a blanket sipping hot chocolate. That is way too cold for me. Thinking about college at BYU or BYUI might just freeze me to death lol.
This week past by real quick. We had delayed transfers and I ended up staying in my area with my companion. I did a bunch of splits and was able to help 2 people be baptize and help 4 more get ready to be baptized next weekend. 
I also go an ingrown toenail for the first time and I had to go have it surgically removed, wasn´t that fun lol. All the crazy and terrible things about being a missionary and walking 30 miles a day, but on the bright side it shows that I am working hard and the mission paid the medical bill for me lol. I was super afraid to do the surgery and my companion and the other misisonaries weren't exactly passing a good image on how the surgery would go so I though I was going to die losing my toe lol. But I learned from this experience to not have fear of something that might be painful for a small moment if it is something that will help you in your progression in the long run.
We will be having a mission conference with the whole mission here in londrina on the 19th. That is the next big thing that is going to happen here in the mission.
Here in Brazil you would think that the christmas times would be better for the work but it actually gets worse. Everyone travels, everyone has visits in home, and it is so hot that nobody wants to really leave their home. Christmas doesnt really exist really down here. I saw my first christmas tree yesterday and it was the size of half my leg. There are no lights no bells no music no cold lol. But there will be skype which will be fun. I still have to find a place to do the skype still. As we have be travelling a lot lately and doing splits I have been to the ward 3 times out of 8 weeks and we miss a lot of meals with the with the memembers. But it will all work out.
It was my companion's birthday this week so we had two birthday parties that we went too as well. I will get you the pictures next week.
I hope you have a great week and that all the family time goes well. I wish I could be there! I love you guys!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r2Ii3cxzJM at 10 minutes I am bearing a simple testimony about Jesus Christ with my son Elder Nicolau for the christmas devotional that we will be having here soon.

Monday, November 27, 2017

Hey guys! How´s it going?
I am glad to hear that you guys were able to see both sides of your families. It must have been a great time. Where you guys able to see snow while you were up in Utah? Lol It is crazy to think it is cold for you guys up there.
This week was pretty normal. We were able to meet some pretty great people this week. However, they did not go to church with us sunday so I was pretty sad. We had 11 people to bring to church and we ended up with just 2 people going. But that´s alright, this week is going to be crazy. There wouldnt have been enough time to visit all these people and meet new people this week as I will be in Parana for half of the week. One of our possibilities for baptism this week fell through as well which was sad. It was all ready up until saturday. Saturday on of his neighbors convinced the kid´s mom that he ought to go to a youth meeting at another church which is known here in brasil to attack our church. It´s name is the Congregation. But hopefully we can get him to be baptized this weekend. We were however able to baptize samuel´s wife Celini yesterday. It was a pretty exciting momment. We have been working with her for 6 whole weeks. Everyone at church was rather happy as well with her decision. This is now the third husband and wife that I have now been able to baptize together. It is impossible to fin people legally married these days here in Brasil. 
 I have been learning a lot about self discipline and about the need to have a strong opinion in these moments so that I dont waste the Lord´s time here on this short mission that I have been given. 
But I am pretty excited for the chance to be with the area president for 3 days. I am going to do my best to learn as much as I can with him. He might change quite a bit of things here but it ought ot be interesting.
I hope everything is well with you guys back home. I miss you all. Love you!

Pictures of the baptism and a sinester baby head that I found doing splits in Jacarezinho. 








Friday, November 24, 2017

Thanksgiving

Hey guys! It looks like you guys took a nice trip! Is it thanksgiving or something? I dont remember when thanksgiving is. This week right? Lol Brasil doesnt celebrate thanksgiving. But how did the BYU football game go? Who did they play? Did they win? Or you guys housing with grandpa or are you guys at the utah house? Looks freezing lol. I cant even imagine snow falling here right now or ever here in Brasil. But the next state down has snow sometimes and the one below that snows all the time. 
 This week I did lots of splits, spent long hours on ghetto busses and am Pretty drained to be frank. We got to our area friday so we did not get to do much work in our own area. But we were able to baptize one of my old investigators from my last area in New Marilia. We are going to try to baptize a few people this weekend too. Next week is the Area President of Brasil's trip to visit our mission. So next week might not be too productive. He wants to talk to all the leaders in the mission in londrina on the 29th and then talk to the zones here in sao paulo on the 30th and then we have to ship everyone back to their areas so it will be a busy week. But everyone is stoaked. It is going to be great.
I hope you guys continue having fun! I love and miss you guys!



Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Not too busy this week!

This week we did not do much of anything. My companion picked up this fungus sooooo we went to the doctor and she put him on house arrest until today. So I put in a bunch of my time studying D&C. I read 80 sections. super sweet experience. I recevied a lot of revelations. It was weird. You always read that the prophet have this huge burden and suffering because of their peoples, and I truly felt that this week as I was studying. I feel like, I dont know, that my spirituality is refining in a crazy different type of way now. And I got to sleep a bit too which was nice, but I am sure anxious to get back out in the world and help people and baptize them. 
Here it is getting pretty hot with each passing week. It has been in the 100s. But it is also the rainy season. so it is hot in the afternoon and then poors at night, then it is supper muggy the next day. But the people are more willing to accept us in there homes and go to church in the summer. I think they feel bad for our suffering in the hot sun each day lol. 
But the mission is getting pretty excited. Elder AiduCaites will visit our mission and give us a training. As I am zone Leader as well he has requested to meet with me as well. sweet! That is exciting! And then shortly there after we will have the christmas conference with the entire mission. 
So it is getting a bit exciting, and a bit hectic.
But I hope you guys have a great week. I love you guys! 







Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Slower Week

this week was a little slow. Because I changed areas amd companions we had to get readjusted to everything. We worked the whole week in the rain and were not able to bring anyone to church. However We were able to baptise one of our investigators named Samuel. He is super awesome. Hopefully we can baptize his wife as well. the ward here is huge. there are 180 people that attend here. .My comp is a great missionary. But all is good down here. We have a leadership conference tomorrow with president pereira in Londrina so it ought to be fun. 
I hope you all have a good week this week, I love you all!

Monday, October 23, 2017

1 year mark!

This week was super awesome. It was basically like a week ofpartying missionary style. We had a district PDAY where we played dodge ball and some brasilian girl´s camp games with the sisters lol. Tuesday the entire district worked in Iguatemty and at the end of the day some members there had a huge barbeque for the 10 of us. Then Wednesday we had a party at the Ward Mission Leader´s house with all the elders in our district. We bought a bunch of pizza, soda, and ice cream. Pictures are down below. Then Thursday I did splits with a greeny in his area to try to help him out. Then Friday and saturday were basic working days. And yesterday we went and did some baptismal interviews and stuck around for the baptism and the whole district showed up. They shouldnt have but it was still fun. And the two kids´ parents are loaded and there was soooo much fancy cake afterwards. Then we picked up Elder King at the bus terminal. Crazy to think that the dude that most helped me out in my training is going home in 6 weeks. And today we will help everyone get settled into there areas. My copmanion got released and is going to be a DL in Maringa, and my ex ZL in Londrina is going to be my new companion, elder Vieira. He is from são Paulo capital. And I am going to a neighboring area called Iguatemy, as previously mentioned above. What is good is that the area is a whole lot better, there is this part that is full of baptisms lol. We have 2 waiting on us when we get there for this saturday that I found when we worked in that area last week. But I am pretty stoaked. My son is going to be my district leader lol and I will call him each night for the numbers so it ought to be awesome. And some friends from Londrina are going to be here with me in the zone. But that is what is new here in my life lol. 
I hope you guys have a good week. i love you all!









Friday, October 6, 2017

This week was a pretty great week here on the mission. We had a pretty normal week until saturday. Saturday was a looooong day. We ate lunch ate 10 and then went to pick them up. When we got to the place that we had previously designed we waited. However they did not get there on time so we decided to go get them at their house. When we were half way there it started pouring rain and we were in our suits and everything. When we got to their house there was nobody home. So we were like, what do we do. SO I just started running back to the meet up point. By the way I was dying after like 5 minutes. High school track and cross country seems like another life. I then realized how much fatter and out of shape I am at this point in the mission lol. But we made it back to the meet up point 30 minutes late and we found them there under an over hang waiting for us. To get to the stake center it was a good hour from there. there was no way to get there on foot and not get them soaked or get to the conference in time. we called all them members. no one wanted to help. so we finally went searching for someone with a number of taxi that we could call and we called one to pick us up. we got to the chapel 30 minutes late, completely wet. Then after the first session I baptized Sabrina and they went home by bus. Then we went after some of our distric Leader´s investigators and missed the second session. Then I had my first baptismal interview with an investigator and she was super awesome and it was a pretty spiritual moment. She passed and was baptized and it was pretty great. Then we went and had a sleepover at the district leader´s house. Sunday we had lunch early again and then we watched the sunday morning session. Afterward there were supposed to be 11 interviews but there were none. the zone did not go after them to get them to church and to interview and baptize them. The 11 fell through, and after the afternoon session the assistants called and threatened us again and said that we were terrible for having lost 11 baptisms. I mean we tried, we did splits and everything, but nothing gave. There just seems to be a lack of desire here in the zone to want to baptize. And we get roasted because of it even when we try our hardest. We will be having a zone conference with President Pereira tomorrow and I am sure that he wont be too happy with us either. But my conscious is clear, i am giving it my all. But we shall see. But I wanted to tell you a pretty spiritual experience I had this week with Sabrina. It was the most spiritual moment I have had in my life. We were teaching her and her grandma the restoration. When we got to the restoration, it was insane. As I was quoating Joseph Smith the spirit was in great abundance. when I finished I asked them how they were feeling and they both said a great warmth that would be unforgettable. I explained that it was the Holy Ghost and continued to testify about the first vision and Joseph Smith. My companion was crying, Sabrina was teary eyed, and her grandpa was awestruck. I honestly had never felt something so strongely in my heart than I did in that moment. It was almost if the Lord was reassuring me of my own testimony. It has been rough here the past few months and the Lord helped me with exactly what I was needing in that very hour. I testify with a sure testimony that truly God the Father and Jesus Christ visited Joseph Smith that spring day, and that Joseph was truly called of God to be the prophet of the Restoration. I shall never deny this testimony for I know that the denying of the holy ghost is an unpardonable sin, for this I shall never deny. Have a great week this week. There ought to be two more baptisms here this weekend. I love you guys!!! Elder Worsley

Monday, September 25, 2017

New responsibilities

We baptized another 10 year old saturday here in my new area of Marília, his name is Mario. The members here are chill and help us out and we eat good and after each lunch there is dessert. Hopefully I do not gain a lot more weight. I am fine with the 40 something pounds I have already gained here on the mission lol. my companion, Elder Santos is super cool. We get along greatly. This week was super crazy. We were traveling to diffierent cities everyday helping all of the missionaries in our zone. But it was really fun helping everyone out and getting to better know the missionaries here. This week I learned more about sacrifice. That as a leader one must learn to forget himself and his inadequities and serve without fear or without complaints. I did not get to sleep much before midnight each night calling the zone each night and then waking up at 6 to catch a bus to another city each day and being pressured by the APs. On top of it all I have been super sick this week. But I am enjoying the experience even though it is super hard. I know that this just better prepares and trains me to be a good zone Leader quickly.

Monday, September 4, 2017

Worked harrrrrd!

this week went well. We worked harrrrrd. It was super hot and we are working in anarea with lots of hills. But we met some stellar people and got some people to go to church. we 18 that said they would come but we ended up with just 2 and 3 more that are always there. But we were able to mark 4 baptismal dates this last week. Hopefully all goes well. Have a great week. I love you guys! Good luck friday AJ!

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Antonio and Eder are baptized

man AJ still hs not gotten to play yet? Man that must be upsetting. And I hope that bat is alright. Man... That is crazy that there is so much water. Hopefully nothing is flooded at the farm or at the offices. I will be praying for all to be well over there. This week was suuuuuper long. We did not have anybody at church for two weeks now and that makes things a lot more difficult. And we met lots of cool people but when we went to pick them up from church they all turned on us. And the week was super hot so that made things difficult as well. But I am well. Happy too so that is a good thing. I just wish there were not so many problems and that I could be able to help more people get to the waters of baptism. But I will not give up. Too many people rely on me to give up, and I would kill myself for wasting even a moment of this sacred time that I have been given here to help others. Thanks for all that you guys do for me. I love you all. Have a good week. Enjoy your time together. I wish i could be there as well. Just one more year more or less! Wahoo!

Monday, August 14, 2017

Hey guys! How´s it going? Sounds like life has been interesting for you guys in these past weeks! I am pretty jealous that I do not get to participate in all of this lol. This week went a little bit better. Eder was baptised and it was awesome. He was confirmed and received the preiesthood yesterday as well. He said he wants to start giving us lunch once a month as well. He will futurely be the next something, bishop, elders quorum president, or something. But all is well. We are here in Londrina this week. President Pereira wanted to talk to the zone and us in specifically. Have a great week! Good luck with everything! I love you guys!

Monday, August 7, 2017

Hey guys? How is it going? Is the beach treating you all well? Haha I told my copmanion that there are brazilians in the neighborhood where you guys are at and he got excited. But I got even more excited haha! I can marry a Brazilian!!! hahahahahah!!! We were dying laughing. Flordia is a central hub for brazilians in the states. I am going to love it for sure. And the house that you guys are in is being rented or did you guys buy it? It looks like a mansion. You guys have to put to good use the pool, golf course, exercising facilities, and tennis courts. Aj is studying forensic sciences? He knows that that is what I studied in the last year of high school for HOSA and participated in the state competition? That is super cool that he has that option. He ought to love it. I sure did. It is very intersting and not too difficult. The Ward there must be huge if it has 4 sets of missionaries.I cannot imagine. Londrina has 8 sets for 600,000. That is 75,000 people per companionship to cover. The city where you guys are at must be gigantic. 4 sets is 300,000 people. But they also have cars and Ipads so it ought to be easier for them. lol But on the brightside we had many miracles this week happen to us. We are working in na área 5 miles away from home and we go the majority of the times on foot. And we had the same guy two times at night pass by and give us a ride home and we did not have to walk the distance. We also met with one of our investigators who had disappeared on the opposite side of the city. Also our investigator Eder had a vission this week. He said he saw two paths. We, the elders, were on one path calling him and on the other path were lots of people walking in darkness. And in the midst of the two paths was a shining light calling to him saying that he had two choices. The one that you choose will lead you to eternal darkness and one will give you na everlasting Peace and joy. You must decide. Then he woke up. he told us the vision he had and we were forced to leave because he had another commitment. He had initially told us he would not be able to go to church with us because he had started working at the supermarket this week and it was his first week and would be forced to work on sunday. However, he told us that he would skip work and go to church with us despite the high possibility of being fired. My companion and I were super happy when we left with the Faith he has in us to skip work and with the vision that he had. We both were thinking about sharing with him the vision of the tree of life in the Book of Mormon. It was super spiritual. But wait.... It gets better.... Sunday we picked him up at his house to take him to church.The previous sunday we had to Wake him up and he went to church in casual clothes. But yesterday when we went to pick him up he was waiting for us at his porch with dress pants, a White shirt, and tie on. First miracle. Second. Sunday was fast and testimony meeting right? My companion and I had already resolved to bear our testimony because of the friction in the Ward. I bore my testimony and sat down with Eder. Eder asked me if anybody could go up there and bear testimony. I said of course, the church does not restrict anyone from bearing testimony. He said alright. I want to bear my testimony but I want you to come with me. And so we went. We got up there and he gave the most beautiful testimony of the restored gospel that I have ever heard from any member and especially any investigator. He talked about the calamities of life outside of church and the great calm within the church. The Peace and happiness that he feels now and how he knows that the gospel and the church is true. He even said that he would futurely like to baptize in the church in front of everyone. And we had no idea that he had a testimony that Strong and that he wanted to be baptized without us even talking about baptism with him. It was amazing. It reinforced my testimony greatly. The Gospel is true. People are not perfect. But the gospel is true. I love you guys! thanks for all that you do for me! Elder Worsley

Monday, July 31, 2017

Another week in Brazil

Looks like there is a good space for the ping pong room lol!! How exciting! I am stoaked for you guys and all the new adventures, church callings, friends, and such activities. Awesome! So we had transfers today but my son and I will not be transfered. We were hoping to leave our difficult área. And our zone leaders called me asking if I was ready to be called as a district leader. But nothing has changed. I will be here for a total of 6 months here in Arapongas. This week we had a pioneer/ brazilian July party. Each year every social organization in Brasil has a party in either June or July. Why? I know not but it is sure different. But man was there some good food. We did not get to enjoy the party really however. We were running after investigators all night. But we will have lots of people to contact this week. And we ought two have two baptisms this weekend. Have a good week this week. I love you guys!!! Good luck with the move!

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Hey Guys! What´s up? How is everything going? Here in Brasil all is good. I regained my voice on thursday and was once again able to fully win over the hearts of the brasilian people. But I am still with awful allergies. Eh, I have been ever sense I got here in Brasil. There are lots of trees and fields of gress and forest. And here in Brasil they do not sell OTC drugs in bulk, only in quantities of 10. And it is rediciulously expensive. So I just have been learning to live half sick all of the time lol. But I am feeling much better. We had a Zone conference this week in Londrina. My son met his grandpa and my dad and I talked a lot. It was really cool. Also I was able to talk to 2 americans from my group in the CTM. It was pretty great. And President Pereira said that he would help us with the problems we are having in the ward, and will put another 20 reals each 15 days in our bank account. This week we walked an insane amount of distance. The area here is becoming more and more difficult. We are now having to walk 30 miles a day to get to an area of the city where the people are more humble and receptive. It is 15 to our area of work and 15 to come back. And then there is the distance we walk within the area on top of that. So we are getting in a good amount of physical fitness. But while walking all this my son and I talk about anything and everything and I am learning a lot with him. This week we did not have anyone that we invited got to church with us. Everyone said yeah we will go, don´t worry about getting us a ride we will go. Aaaaaaand nobody went. So we will not be preparing any baptisms for at least another week. But we got an inactive to come back to church and she has an 8 year old son, so we will be working with Sandra so that we can baptize her son this weekend. Oh and this week, we visited Marcio and his family, Graça´s family. We got there and the little girls came running out with a bible and the Book of Mormon in hand. We asked them what they were doing and they said that they were playing church and reading the scriptures. Awesome!!!!! And then sunday Marcio and I were talking and he asked if he could take the elders Quorum lesson home because it was printed out for us. And I said oh most definitely. and he said awesome, because I am starting to teach my little girls in my home out of the gospel principles book, and the scriptures. Whaaaaaaaaaat??? Sweet!!! It is so awesome to see people progess in the gospel and change their lives completely. Man do I love my Calling! My dad and my son and I, Elder Queroiz and I, and My son and I in our new house here in Arapongas that the mission will rent for us. Lol

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Something Different

Hey Guys! I saw the clip of AJ kick the football. His form is looking way way way better. And it looks like there is a lot more heighth to the balls now as well. That is pretty awesome! This week I got to take a missionary vacasion. We had splits with the zone leaders. Because of this, I was forced to leave my area and help the zone leaders in their area while Nicolau (my companion) and the other zone leader stayed in our area. While in the zone leaders area, I was able to take my mind off of all of the problems that my area has for 3 days. It was really nice, and greatly greatly needed. I have been stressing out a lot these past few weeks. It is not easy training a greenie. I have to do almost all of the work and and all of the fire from our leaders is put on me because I and my zone leaders are the only ones baptizing in our zone, Londrina. But I am doing much much better now. And I was able to help the zone leader´s investigators a bit. One even baptized this week over there in Londrina. This week went well. I ended up getting more sick but I am doing alright. I just have a sore throat. I am unable to talk because of this but it is not the worst thing in the world. I just will not be able to win the girls over with my soothing voice hahaha. And I have not eaten anything crazy in a long time. This past week however we had a dish called banana lasagna. It was super good. You take away the dough and wrap ham around the banana and throw lots of cheese on top. It was super super good. But that is what happened this week for me. We also had two baptisms this week, Graça (Grace) and Jefferson. Grace is 8 years old and we have been working with her family for almost a month now. The parents are not married but accepted the invitation to marriage and baptize in the church as well. The family is very very poor. Both parents are job seeking, to no avail. But here in a month the should be baptized. We had a cool experience with them as well. We went to their house friday evening to teach the law of chastity. We taught the lesson and they loved it. We then discovered that it was clara´s birthday, their six year old daughter. I asked little clara if there would be any cake and her mom said no. So We ended the lesson and left. I told my companion, "I am going to buy clara a cake. I do not know how I will afford a cake but God will provide the way." We went to the bakery on the corner of the block and we found a perfect cake. It just so happened to be the cheapest two. It ended up being 30 reais. Which is like 10 bucks but we are poor and 30 reais is expensive here in Brasil. We bought the cake and we returned to Clara´s house. At the gate we started singing the happy birthday song in Portuguese and the little girls came running in our direction. It was awesome. Then we sat down with them and ate the cake. Then little six year old Clara gave me the sweest little hug aroung my legs, because she is tiny. It was so gratifying seeing everyone happy. The father of the family, Marcio had even told us that he spent the whole day asking people for money and assistancve to but her a cake and was unable to, but that we answered his prayer and there was cake. I never had a birthday party, but I always had a nice cake made with love on my birthday, and I would not allow her to pass her birthday without cake. Then we were blessed. I had some 4 reais, 1 dollar more or less, on my mission card. When we passed the bank that next time we looked at our bank account and there was 280 reais. Almost 100 dollars! How we got paid so much, I know not. But our financial burden was lifted. And Jefferson was a reference from an inactive that we helped reactivate. he stopped smoking and read until Alma in the Book of Mormon this week. He was baptized along with graça. And today and tomorrow I will be in Londrina again. We had a zone P Day today and will have a zone conference tomorrow. Oh I was also asked to give a talk sunday, that very day 5 minutes before the meeting started. It was only to be a 5 minute talk but when I got up on the stand, the speaker after me told me to speak a lot and so I gave an almost 20 minute talk about, charity, service, and love. Thank goodness dad dragged me along with him everwhere to speak while he was on the high council. That has helped me a lot on the mission. Then I had to give another unprepared talk at the baptismal service. Lol Life of a missionary is pretty entertaining. This week we have two people that could be baptized. We have not taught weither person, but we are confident that they will be baptized. With my son we have baptized 5 people in 4 weeks. And I now passed the 20 baptisiaml mark. I have 21 now. That is pretty awesome. I am working hard to accomplish my baptisimal goal for my mission. I will reach 92 before we know it!!! My week went super well. I hope your week goes well this week also. I love you guys!!!!😊💓😊 P.S. I will send the photos next monday. I do not have my camera with me. Later Gaters!!

Monday, July 10, 2017

Stressful week

Hey guys! How is it going? This week was pretty stressful for me and my son. We had to do a lot of rough work to get these two people to the Waters of baptism last saturday. They had lots of fear because their dad is hard core catholic and threatened us and told us to never come back and he told Jose and Olga that if we came back he would get his pistol, which is ilegal here in Brasil. So we did not go back. But we basically taught them all the lessons over the telephone. When got them to accept the baptismal invite and we picked them up at the corner of the block so that their dad did not see us. And they almost backed out at the end because their dad was taking a shower when the shower head caught fire. He did not realize until the flames started hitting his head. As a result the dude stayed in bed all day. Jose and Olga were worried about him, but we assured them that he would be fine and that it was in fact a miracle that God had done for them so that they could baptize in the church. They believed us and were baptized saturday night and confirmed at church sunday.God Works miracles in strange and misterious ways, but he does so that his work and his glory can roll forth among the children of men. But not this stress is off of our shoulders. I was also sick with the cold this past week. I have actually been sick with super bad allergies from the day that I got to this city, but I had the cold this past week, but staying in bed wont do me any good so we worked hard. God blesses those that sacrifice to increase God´s kingdom here upon the Earth. But this week we ought to have one more baptism. we have baptized 3 in 3 weeks now. The first thing I asked him was how many baptisms he would like to have in his training, what was his goal. He put up a goal of 15 baptisms in 12 weeks. I have never been able to achieve that but I put my trust in my son and God and we are going to work super hard and have been. And we have been blessed because of it. Just keep swimming! I hope you all have a good week this week! I love you guys!​