Gifts of the Spirit

E aí

I miss y’all so much! Everything is going good though for me!! I’m doing great. The weeks seem to be flying by faster and faster each time. Its crazy!!

We met this awesome couple, Waldivino and Carina (sounds like Vol-G-veen-YO). He works at a shoe store, that is where we met him. My companion had to buy new shoes, and Waldivino just came up to us and asked if we could come over to his house some time. He had been going through a lot of difficulties, and wondering what his purpose was here on earth. It was perfect!  We have taught him twice already this past week and he went to church! He loves it. He asks a bunch of questions which is awesome and really listens intently. After our first lesson I asked Carina if she would pray about our message and see if it was true. She was excited and said Yes, I will!! Then I asked Waldivino and he just says I can already feel that I believe what you taught me. But yes, I'll still pray. haha It was so cool.

We have continued to teach Kalistony. He is so awesome. The dude has a serious man crush on me haha. Its funny though. He is married and has a 10 year old son. He loves what we teach him, and he continues to read the scriptures and pray.

Messias has been really complicated this past week. He hasn’t answered our calls which is weird. He usually calls us making sure we are coming over.  But hopefully we will get a hold of him this week.

One of the things I have really tried to do better this week is think in Portugûes. I use to have the habit of just translating in my head what people would say into English. But it just takes too long.  So this week I have really tried to just think in Portugúes when people are talking and not think in English. It is much better. It was hard at first but it is alot easier now. I even have caught myself while I’m reading the scriptures or just thinking, I'll be thinking in Portugûes. Pretty crazyy.

I have had such a great opportunity to have so many great, spiritual experiences, and even some that I can´t really talk about. It is one of the most incredible feelings finding someone to teach, and feeling like you have known them before. Such an incredible feeling knowing I talked with that person in the pre-existence and probably told them I would come find him in Brasil and help him find what he needs, and what I have been blessed to have.

This week I got called "Alemão" a lot. (German)  People will be like "Oi Alemão, fala ingles" (Hey German, speak English.)  I just reply "Eu sou Alemão, então Eu falo Alemão. Não falo ingles." (I’m German, so I speak German, not English." haha.

We taught some lady in the park the other day. Right after I say my first sentence, she just says You’re not Brazilian are you. ha.

Even though it isn’t even close to being perfect yet, my Portugûes gets better every day. And every Monday, it gets harder and harder to write and email in English :) haha

One of the coolest experiences is when I will study certain scriptures in the morning during personal study, than later that day or even a couple days later during a lesson with someone, I will remember that scripture that was perfect for their situation that could really help them out. I know that it is the spirit bringing it back to my rememberance.

This week we also moved into our new apartment, the one right above it. The landlord wanted to redo the one we were living in. We got an upgrade haha. We finally found out where all the cockroaches were coming from. When we were moving the sink, we found a big hole in the wall with at least 20 plus roaches. 

I ate chicken heart for the first time this week! to be honest, it actually is pretty good. ha. We met a guy named Johansen who moved to the U.S. when we was 18 (he had been waiting on a visa since he was born). He lived there for like 7 years, even in Houston for a little bit, and then just recently moved back. He is so cool and speaks fluent English. So the other night on our way home, we was hanging out at one of those "BBQ to go" places where several pieces of meat on a stick. He called us over, and then asked me if I had ever had chicken heart. I said no so he went over and just bought me one before I could say no. It was wayy better than I thought. Seriously was actually pretty good. 8 little hearts on a stick.

I love being a missionary and getting to help people better their lives. It is so rewarding and its so true that when you serve others, in turn you end up serving yourself and bettering yourself.

I miss y’all like crazy! Everyday I think about y’all! I know that I can pray to my Heavenly Father when times are hard and I’m really missing home. It is such a blessing to be able to have that communication with our Father in Heaven.

I know this work is true. My testimony of the Book of Mormon and Bible has grown so much since I have been here. I am so grateful for the Gospel in my life and being blessed with the amazing family and friends that I have.

I love you so much!!!!

Love,

Elder Bean

What I saw while walking home from church, so cool, futebol.

The stands are on street level and the field is underground.   

Sky while walking around Saturday night.

Moving into our new apartment upstairs from the previous one.

My desk set up, the new apartment is the same layout but way better!

Night sky view from my apartment.

Kalistony, one of the people we are teaching.