Bom dia gente! First of all thanks for the letters from everyone
and the pictures and all that good stuff its always really exciting every Monday
when I get to read the emails from everyone sends. Looks like you guys had alot
of fun with the camping the weekend. Parabéns pra mom and dad and grandma and
grandpa for their anniversaries yesterday. I cant believe that it has already
been 24 years that mom an dad have been married. I just want to again thank mom
and dad for everything, I'm having a bit of a hard time not crying right now
thinking about all that mom and dad and my family have done for me. Its an
overwhelming amount of good feelings & memories. I will always value my family as
the greatest gift my Heavenly Father has given me. Know that I love you mom and
dad so much and that I owe so much to you both. Without you both I would be
nothing. Thank you for raising me in the truth, I don't know where I would be or
what I would be doing if it weren't for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that
this is the Lords True Church, and that it is the way, I have already said this
many times, its not the simplest way or the easiest way but it is the way. The
Savior never said that it would be easy, but He did say that it would be worth
it. I know that God the Father and His son Jesus Christ appeared to the boy
Joseph in the sacred grove almost 200 years ago. I´m so grateful to know these
things and to have a wonderful family that always taught me these sacred truths.
So thank you again for everything. I´m grateful to know that one day I can be
together forever with my family. Anyway, we had a good week here in Sorriso.
Last p-day was a normal p-day with Elder Cordeiro. We went and did emails and
then we went and bought some shorts at a store here, I was wanting to get some
different shorts that look a little less American haha. We kinda bummed at the
house and rested a little bit, Elder Cordeiro still had to pack some stuff up so
I helped him with that a little. We just kinda chilled that day, we went and
said goodbye to some members which is a luxury that missionaries normally don't
have cause normally we get transfers and we have to leave our areas early the
next day, but since Elder Cordeiro has his ultra sound scheduled for Tuesday
morning he had a little extra time. So not much on p-day, Elder Cordeiro gave me
some of his last advice on how to be a strong missionary. Elder Chaves had to go
the bus station at about midnight so Elder Lima was going to go with him to
drop him off and then wait there until my new companion Elder Geisler arrived.
Elder Geisler arrived at about 2 in the morning but, I was dead asleep and didn't
wake up when they got to the house. I got to meet him in the morning, he is
just a little shorter than me, but he is a little more built than I am. There was
4 of us on Tuesday me, elder cordeiro, elder geisler, and elder lima. We all
joked around during the day and everyone got to know each other, I went early
with Elder Cordeiro to the doctor so he could get his ultrasound on his
appendix. It was pretty quick but still nothing showed up on the x-ray. It was
kinda quiet when we were walking, we were both a little sad knowing that in a few
hours our companionship would officially end our companionship. We were both
kinda bummed but we knew that a new chapter of our mission was starting. For
Elder Cordeiro it will probably be the last chapter of his mission. He only has
2 transfers left and will probably end his mission in the area where he is at
right now. But I'm excited to start a new chapter with Elder Geisler. We had
lunch at a members house and then we went back home, Elder Geisler needed to go
to the lan house to email his family cause he didn't get the chance to email the
day before on p-day. I didn't really get a proper chance to say goodbye to Elder
Cordeiro cause a member came and picked them up real quick to take them
somewhere really fast I don't even know. But Before I knew it he was gone and we
were going to the lan house to email. But its ok I will see Elder Cordeiro again
someday, it might not be on the mission but I plan on returning to Brazil one
day to visit and he will be the first person that I visit, it should be easy
cause he lives in a city which is easy access and is a good place for tourists. But
yeah, so Tuesday we just did emails again and then went to the market and then
went home and Elder Geisler got his stuff unpacked. Elder Geisler is pretty
excited to get to work here. This is his first transfer as senior companion and
so its a lot of new things for him as well. Wednesday we went to work, we worked
alot this week in just trying to find knew people to teach and find the elects
of God. Wednesday we picked a few neighborhoods and just went out and made
contacts with whoever was in the streets and with people at their houses. It was
kinda funny cause we walked by a house and as I looked at I house I saw a woman
opening up her fridge right in front of an open big window, then I realized
that she was naked we made eye contact for just a second I quickly looked away
and just kept walking and acted like nothing was out of the ordinary, I looked
back and saw that Elder Geisler was stopped in front of the house just staring
at it, I yelled in english "dude there's a naked chick in that house lets get out
of here!" He was like oh ok I didn't even notice. I asked him about it after and
he was like idk I thought it would be a good house to make a contact. haha I
joked with him about it after that a little it was pretty fun. Appears that some
Brazilian women have no shame, haha. We met a guy making contacts that said he
has wanted to make a visit to our church since 1998 but he has problems with his
legs and cant walk to church. So we taught him a lesson and later that night I
returned with a member and had a quick lesson but the member just stayed wanted
to talk to them forever. So I sat there for almost 2 hours listening to old people
bs. Elder Geisler went with the district president and visited less actives
with him. Thursday, we went and made more contacts and taught some new people. We
met a really neat lady named Ana that let us in we talked for a while, and
invited her to be baptized she said she had already been baptized but still we
taught her the restoration after that. It was a really good lesson and I felt the
spirit very strong, at the end of the lesson we asked her how she felt she said
she felt a peace and comfort. I asked her where she thought those feelings come
from she said the they come from God for sure. Normally when people don't accept
to be baptized we don't bother much with them but I felt strongly that I needed
to leave the Book of Mormon with her to have in her home. So I introduced the
Book of Mormon, and gave her Alma 32 to read which talks alot about faith. I
don't know if she will read it or not but I felt that that family needed to have
the Book of Mormon in their home. We will drop by her house sometime and see if
she read. After this we saw our recent converts and answered some questions that
they had about the Book of Mormon. We taught Tainara that was going to be
baptized but backed out at the last minute. She seems really changed in a not so
good way. I don't know what it was but I didn't have a very good feeling during
the lesson with her. we will see what happens with her. Friday it rained quite a
bit we had lunch and then after that we started knocking doors nobody was home
and I was feeling really weird so I told Elder Geisler that we should run to the
house and grab some stuff. When I got to the house I was feeling even weirder I
felt like my eyes couldn't focus on anything. So I took out my contacts and drank
a bunch of water and then went and laid down. After a little bit I started
feeling a little bit better so we left and walked to the other side of the city
and found some people and taught some lessons. We found alot of cool people and
marked a day full of lessons on Saturday. Saturday we went and taught lessons to
the people we had made contacts with the day before. We had some good
lessons but the people were pretty soft and said oh we will see if we can go to
church tomorrow blah blah blah, stuff like that. We made some more contacts and
found some cool people. Its alot easier now for me to open my mouth and make a
contact with someone when I feel inspired to do so. I am also talking alot more
during the lessons as well. I am teaching alot like Elder Cordeiro now and
asking the questions that he liked to ask. I'm sure glad that Presidente Reber
gave me 3 months to learn from him. Now I can see better, how much I actually
learned from him and how much my Portuguese has improved. Elder Geisler has
almost a year on the mission and he has twice the time as me here in Brazil. But
still we had alot of comments that I think made him feel kinda bad this week
from people. I am the first American companion he has had since his trainer, we
had lot of people that were like wow this other guy speaks better than you and
he has less time in the country. I felt bad for him cause comments like only
cause me to get a big head and it makes others lose self confidence. I plan on
having language study and helping Elder Geisler and me improve with the
language. But I like Elder Geisler alot he is defiantly different than Elder
Cordeiro which is an adjustment, but we get along really well. Its weird living
with an American again, As Americans we definitely have different mannerisms and
attitudes. We are still speaking mostly in Portuguese. Always when we are out of
the house and normally in the house. In all honesty I think its just easier
speaking Portuguese, I've gotten so used to it these last 3 months that I find it
a pain to speak English. Portuguese is a more simply spoken language and for me
at this time takes less effort than speaking English. The other new Elder is
Elder Miguel that is the new zone leader here in Sorriso, he is from Rio and has
really really dark skin. He is the man and has about 10 and a half months on the
mission I think, he only has one more transfer than I do. He is a worker though
and will help Sorriso alot. Also, I got a postcard that grandma dale had sent of
Wyoming that had a cool fish painting and design it was cool and I enjoyed it
alot. So I think that's about it for this week I was excited for church yesterday
cause we had a few people that were pretty firm on going to church, but Sunday
arrived and none of them showed up. I was pretty disappointed cause we had worked
so hard to get investigators to church this week. Oh well, it is what it is. The
Lord still loves us and will always help us. But thanks for everything from you
guys I love you all so much. Everyone have a wonderful week!
com muito amor
-Elder Kennington
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