Bage!

Sorry for the typos. Im writing fast!

Well, how do I begin? This week has been full of things to talk about that I dont think I can get through it all. How can so much change in such little time?? Well, Ill try to take it day by day and not forget anything.

TUESDAY: Well this was officially transfer day. I was really excited to see my new companion. We bought a taxi to the mission home and were there at 12. The new missionaries were really late so there was alot of down time but the president took us out to eat at a buffet. After everything seemed to settle down we had a little training on how to be  a good trainer. I was able to talk to a few people that will be working in my zone and got to know Bage a bit. Then the new missionaries (22 new. 6 sisters. 1 American). I was assigned to be training Elder Ferreira! (I think he will get a name change cause theres already one here.) Elder Ferreira is from Manaus. He is 20 years old and a convert to the church. Only his mom is a member and she left the church. He seems to be a good missionary who wants to work. And im excited to be with him.

President called me over to talk with him for a minute. He asked me how I was doing and gave me a big hug! Than he said Congratulations on being District Leader! I was shocked! So now, not only am I training and opening a new area, im district leader for the first time! What a huge responsibility. I am so excited for the opportunity and the chance to be an example to the other Elders.

So we were all running real late that day. We loaded up the bus to go to the bus station. I get there and a few of my favorite members from my other area were there waiting to say goodbye to me! We snapped one last photo and ran to the bus port. Bage is a 5 hour bus ride. We got there at midnight. I didnt really mind the bus. I didnt sleep much but I enjoyed it.

Sunset on the way to Bage

I live in the house with our Leaders of the Zone. Its really fun being around them and nice cause I can learn alot from their work and example. Its also really easy to pass informatino and numbers cause we sleep right next to each othe :) My roommates are Elder Lambrechtsen from Riverton High (Utah) and Elder Henderson from Colorado. Theyre really cool guys although I think my companion feels a little out of place being with three Americans! We never speak English in the house.

A good sight to see when I walked in the room!

So Wednesday was my first day of work. Let me explain a bit about our area and what I will be doing here. Im in the Castela ward. They are trying to create a new branch. My job is to work in the area where the new branch will be. I need to reactivate members and bring new people into the ward to help grow the church in the area. Once we can get enough priesthood holders, they will be able to split the ward.

The problem is that my area is really really poor. They cant afford the bus to go to church every week. A member bought a house in my area and we had church there for the first time this Sunday. I wll explain more later. But in the morning I go to regular church and the afternoon we have a sacrament meeting in my area with the members there and the leaders of the ward.

So Wednesday I was walking with the map in front of my face trying to find my area. After a while of walking a man in front of a house stopped to talk to me. It turns out that he is the Elders Quorum President! He spent the rest of the day with us. We took his car to many members houses and he gave me a tour of my area. He also explained what the ward wanted me to do there. I am so grateful for him because he truly made the day really productive and helped me get to know my new area. It was truly a miracle that the map took me to the front of his home :)

Thursday was a better day. I now had a plan and a little bit of a knowledge of my area. We went to a old investigators house who hasnt progressed since October. Her name is Daniele. She is super cool. We were able to talk about her fears and doubts about baptism and at the end of the day we marked a baptismal date for the 23! I am so excited for her to progress and be baptised. When we left her house we decided to knock on some doors. Without a warning, a horse came running full speed at us down the road! I got a little nervous and just walked to the edge of the road. I look down the street and my companion is running away as fast as he can screaming RUN!!! Ahahahahahahahahahahhahaha. It was the funniest thing I have ever seen. Although the horse was huge, fast, and it was kinda scary. Theres not as many dogs here but there are horses and cows on every road and they are free to roam around wherever they want. We have to be kinda careful about that I guess.... haha

Taking a quick break on the side of the road.

There are so many horses here, but theyre nice to be around..... sometimes!

I asked to take a photo with a horse and the man said it would look better if I got on top!! Unfortunately I couldnt ride him.

Oh ya.....

Well I know im skipping lots of news and information but Ill skip to Saturday. Saturday morning we had a service project to work on the new house where we will have sacrament meeting. We painted, pulled weeds, filled holes in the walls and did everything.... It was really fun. Throughout the whole week I have been inviting everyone to come to church.

Sunday came by quickly. I was lucky to get my package from my mom at church! Sacrament was really nice and I got to meet the rest of the members that dont live in my area. Then we had lunch. At three we went to the other sacrament meeting. There were about 25 people there (fifteen of them lived in my area and will be part of the new branch and ten live in the other area but were there to support) I can easily say that it was the most spiritual sacrament meeting I have EVER had. When we sung it sounded like millions of people were sitting in the seats behind me. Truly there were angels singing there with us. Almost every single person there was able to bear their testimony and they were all so grateful to be able to have sacrament so close to them. I went up to bear my testimony and I was all shaky. It was hard for my words to come out but I bore a powerful testimony about the church and its growth. I will never forget that meeting and how special it was to all of us.

The members of the very first sacrament meeting in my area. 

Definitely not to be the last :) History in the Making.

Well that was pretty much my week. Im head high in responcibility and work. I have to prepare a talk for the new sacrament in our area. The ward is really expecting alot from me and I am trying my best to work hard. Its an hour walk just to arrive in our area so thats kinda hard haha. I walk there and take the bus home at night cause its dangerous here. After my first three days here I lost 5 pounds! I Think it was just from the stress and all the walking. Its SUPER hard to open a new area. Now imagine doing it while training and being District Leader for the first time :)

Dont worry about me! Ive never been so happy and have had so much fun in my life! I love living here and I hope to stay in this area for a long time to see my new area grow!!! I love you all and pray for you often.

Love,

Elder Horst