Last week on the mission

Well its extremely hard to explain to you all the feelings of my heart right now. I guess the only way to know how I feel is if you were to serve a mission for yourself! My heart is divided between my family that I miss and love and the family that I have created over the last two years. I am though, very excited to see my parents, hug them, and tell them how greatful I am to have them.

It was never hard for me to love the people that I have taught and grown with. I felt as though I was in another room of my own house, talking to people who I have always known. Brazil has a culture that I love and that I have learned to be. I love the happiness, the friendship and peace that they give me every day and will always charish these people in my heart. I know for a fact that I was pre ordained to meet the people that I have met because when I am with them, I feel as though we have been friends for eternity. They have been such a help to me and have made me grow so much. I will be eternaly greatful for them.

I have been so blessed as a missionary. I know that with every step that I have taken, the Lord has been on my side. I know that because I have been safe in times of danger and peaceful in times of trouble or heartache. I have seen his miracles and know that he takes care of all. I feel that I have learned so much about how to be a better person, how to feel the spirit more strongly, and how to help others with their eternal purposes as well. The mission has taught me how to recognise and do the will of the Father, and doing that leads me to eternal happiness and blessings.

It touches me so much to know that God trusted me enough to let him take care of some of his children. It was a great and glorious responcibility for me. Through all of this, I have learned and grown from their examples. I have admired people with faith so strong that they trust God even when their life if faced with dificulties. I have also seen people with such a strong desire to serve God that they give up their addictions overnight and choose to burry their weapons of war and never pick them back up. I want faith and desire like these people.

So with you I leave my testimony that I know God lives. I know he loves and takes care of all his children especially in times when we feel alone or lost. I know that his son, Jesus Christ, suffered and died for us so that we can have a better life. Its through his mercy that we can become strong and it is through his justice that we can repent and have the chance to become clean again like him. I know that Joseph Smith is a true Prophet of God that was called to Restore the True church of Jesus Christ and through that process he translated the Book of Mormon; words of antient prophets that guided their people in the past.

I love you all and am greatful for all that you have helped me with.

Love,

Elder Horst

Getting close!

Well its close to the ending time here! Its kinda hard to belive but it hasnt really hit me yet. FOr now im just worried about working hard and doing my part. We are doing good in the area. The work is a little slow because we arnt making alot of appointments, but we are teaching alot and finding alot of people to teach so it will just get better from here.

We have kinda a busy week coming up. Thursday is Zone Confrence and we are really excited for that to see the changes of the mission. The mission is progressing very quickly and I am very impressed with the changes that have happened in the last two years. We had a record 82 baptisms in Febuary and a higher 95 in March. Our goal for the last two years was to reach 100 a month and we are soooo close!!! The mission is really getting excited to reach that goal.

Me and Elder Snow have eaten about 15 packs of brownies last month. We are trying to get as much in before the end of the transfer as possible!! haha. They are soo yummy and we pour chocolate on top to make it the best brownie ever!!! Its very addicting.

I am very greatful and pleased with all the miracles and special things that I have been seeing lately. Its so nice to feel the spirit and live off of his feelings.

Have a great week,

Elder Horst

Happy Fall!

Well thaank heavens that Summer is over! That was the most dramatic summer ever!!! Man it was super hot. We actually had a bit of a cold front come in at the night and ive never been so blessed! I actually got a cold from having the fan on at night but it was worth it for the good sleep!! Usually its cold in the morning and night but gets pretty hot in the day.

This week was pretty normal for the most part. Elder Snow and I worked hard to help the zone including a training that we did on Wednesday. The training was really cool and we were able to talk about having a new visiion and doing just a little bit more than before. I was really pleased with it all. We told them to forget their old habbits and old opinions and just start over with alot more faith! The missionaries really liked it and we can tell that some of them really took it to the heart and wanted to do better.

So we had a baptism on Saturday!!! kinda... It was a really weird situation. So Daniel has been coming to church with his aunt for the last few weeks. We have been teaching him and he has made some amazing progress and it was just a miracle to see him have the desire to be better. Well he was baptised on Saturday! THe only problem is that he lived right outside our area. We tried our best convincing everyone to let him be baptised in the ward because that is where he felt comfortable! We convinced everyone including the Mission and Stake President, but we couldnt convince the bishop. So unfortunitally he was baptised in another ward and it wasnt our baptism in the end. But I feel like we did the best to help him and I was honored to baptise him. It was a really special baptism for me and I could see the happiness on his face. It was sad that we couldnt baptise him in our ward but it was a very good spiritual moment.

Well thats about it! Today my companion is going to buy a new suit and I will buy a carry on for the plane ride home. Have a great week!

Elder Horst

This is in Pelotas, Nilo Wulff area, that he left a few weeks ago.

Elder Horst says that these two particular sisters are very hard working and a wonderful addition to the zone.  They are in the same ward as Elder Horst and Elder Snow.

The sisters made Elder Horst a lime pie and I guess he felt compelled to eat the whole thing!

Nice, I guess this one is especially for Mom :)

This is at a bus station in Cangocu, a predominantly German city, in the middle of nowhere.

It's mentioned in the last email.

On the bus returning to Pelotas.

Elder Horst's birthday, March 15.

The sisters and their investigator, Daniel.

Elder Horst said that he cooked dinner for this group.

Hard to believe, I didn't know he could cook! Ha ha!!!

I guess it rained a lot!

I asked him why he was standing in the water and he said he was knocking on doors.

They sat down to rest and all the children crowded around them :)

Daniel's baptism, with Elder Horst and Elder Snow.

A really nice couple in the ward.

Making cinnamon rolls.

My Birthday!

Well it was my birthday this week. It was really fun to be able to work and the week went by so fast but its because we didnt have much time to work in our area. On Tuesday we took a trip to Porto Alegre. Its a 3,5 hour bus ride. it was a lot of fun and I got a lot of reading done while my companion got a lot of snoring done haha.  We had a leadership meeting and I was able to learn alot on how to be a good leader and how to have more sucess. The mission is ready to move on to bigger and harder things. We are having a lot of progress and president wants more! So we are changing lots of things and kinda starting over. This will be exciting.

On wednesday one of the districts went to an area to work together. Cangoçu. This area is in the middle of knowhere, an hour from the city and the poor missionaries live there all alone. Luckly, we were able to be there to help them and give them lots of sucess. The city is really pretty and really small. Its a big time German city. Everone was white white white with clear eyes haha it was kinda funny and differnt for me to see, Every now and than id look up and just think that i was in europe. haha. but im glad im here in brazil because the german folk wernt that nice to us!

We were able to get in a few days of work in our area and we spent alot of time visiting Daniel. Our new investigator. He has now been to church two times and will be baptised on Saturday!!! How cool is that? He is an excelent man 27 years old and very inteligent. He researched so much avout the churhc that it was really easy to teach him, he already knew most everything:) He is really really excited for the baptism. and we are too.

So Saturday was my aniversary. it wasnt a big deal, just a normal day of work but we had alot of fun and we had some good sucess which is all I wanted!! Just to top it off, the sisters made me lemon pie which was really really tasty!!! I appriciate them alot.

Finally Sunday was a good day. IT was ward conference and the spirit was really strong. We had 2 investigators there. After lunch, we had a meeting with the stake president to talk about his needs in the stake than we were invited to participate in the bishops meeting so that they could tell us how the missionaries are working in their wards. it was a good experience and I learned alot of what the stake needs and what the missionaries need to do better. it was a very productive meeting.

Well have a great week!

Elder HOrst

New Area!

So I could say that this week has been on of the most busiest weeks of my mission! Not because we had appointments, in fact we had hardly any appointments at all! It was because I was opening up a new area with my new companion Elder Snow. It was so much fun though and we are gonna have a great transfer together.

Tuesday is the official transfer day. The secritaries put me in charge of every one who is traveling to Pelotas. The bus left at 6 pm. I got everyone to put their suitcases together as to make an easier transition to the gate. When I got there i realized that there were 12 people getting on and I only had 8 tickets! Apparently someone had the other tickets but didnt tell anyone about it! Long story short a pair of sisters was gonna wait for the next bus to leave but i didnt let that happen. I talked to the bus driver and worked it all out and everyone made the trip together:) I guess thats why they put me in charge haha. (prideful)

We got to the area without keys or a way to get home but luckly there was a member there waiting to help us. The ward is excelent. We have a stake counsolor and a member from the 70 so thats a good sign that the members are really helpful here. The area is right next to my last area so I am seeing some familiar places and faces and it takes me back to when i first arrived on the mission two years ago:)

This week we basically found new people to teach and got our head around the area and zone. THere are some great missionaries here. We are also sharing the ward with a pair of sisters. Sister Nerenburg from Lehi, Utah and a new sister, sister Saavedra from Peru. They are both excelent sisters and have already helped us out tons.

Today at 6 we are working our way back to Porto Alegre for the leadership meeting. haha. It will be a fun trip and nice to see all my friends. We will be making the trip at the start of April too for the same reasom. I love bus rides and its not that bad, about 3 and a half hours. I will be sleeping at the assistants house.

Well does anyone remember my first baptism Chicão??? He owns a resturaunt and always took us their to eat. The resturaunt is now in my area, right in front of the church! So I went there and got to say hi to him after two years:) I was really nervous that he wouldnt recognise me (i didnt talk very well at the time) but when he looked his eyes got big and was very happy to see me. it made me feel really good! i loved the feeling.

So we really worked as hard as possible this week. We had some good sucess. to top if off we had two investigators at church. One is named Daniel. he is a very wise and inteligent man and it looks like he REALLY wants to be baptised. We will teach him on Wednesday and im really really excited for that.

Have a great week!

Elder Horst

Carnival and Transfer Day

Well this week was pretty hard to work because its the week of Carnival! The biggest festa in Brasil. Unfortunitally this week is full of sin and crime so we have been really careful about where we go and getting home on time. So far we havent had any problems and it ends tomorrow so thats good. Just that NOBODY wants to hear from us. So im excited for it all to end. 

Lots of news, bad news first. I didnt get accepted to BYU. its a big bummer for me but ill get over it. Now i know that I just have to work a bit harder to get in next time. Good news. I got transfered! The last 6 weeks of my mission I will be serving in Pelotas. The same city where i started the mission. Im really excited. My companion is Elder Snow from Nevada. Cool guy and a hard worker. Its his first time at zone leader and we will be opening the area together. Im really excited. We will have tons of work to do but thats exactly what I wanted at the end of my mission.

Sunday was REALLY lame. Since this week is carnival, and since carnival is really bad, the youth go on a camp from saturday to tuesday. EVERYONE in our ward went and we didnt have a sacrament meeting. I participated in the other wards meeting. That goes to show the lack of strength in the ward... but im confident Elder Miller and his companion will keep up the good missionary work in the area.

I feel animated and energised for this new adventure. I have to go but I love you all so much,

Elder Horst

Temple, rabies and cooking

This week was a lot of fun. Elder Miller and I were able to get a lot of work done. Our greatest accomplishment is a new family that came to church for the first time. Anderson Tamires, and their daughter. They are a really young family but have strong hearts. They need to get married but I hope we can work it out quickly so that they can get baptised. They show alot of intrest and really love hearing our messages. It was a miracle that we found them through knocking doors.

On wednesday we went to the temple. It was as good as always and i was able to learn alot. Just I didnt bring any white clothes so I was able to use a shirt two sizes too big and a pair of white shorts. haha.

We have had to make lunch so much lately! Its burning a hole in our pockets but its also given us a good opportunity to learn how to cook! haha. Elder Miller and I are now profesional rice cookers. We make a good team. Now we just have a hard time being creative about what food to cook!

On Sunday morning I woke up to a bat flying around my head! It took me a few seconds to realize what was happening! It was six and I was so tired i just decided to go back to sleep. haha. When i woke up at 6:30 he was upside down sleeping behind the door! We messed with him to try to get him out but he didnt budge! So we just let him rest in peace thinking he would be gone when we got home. Well we got home and he was still there flying around! He also left us a present where he was sleeping... haha. We played with him for a bit but noticed that he was getting all beat up from running into all the walls of a small room. Finally he made it out the window into freedom.

Also something sad happened yesterday. Here in Restinga there are deaths every single day. Its filled with drugs, violence, and crime. Unfortunitally when walking down the road yesterday, we walked right into the middle of the crime scene. There was a dead guy on the ground that got shot in the face. The police was already there when we arrived. We decided to stay for a bit because there were tons of people watching and alot of them were sad and crying. One by one a member of the family would show up and react in a different way. it was really sad to see and be there. Some people would come up to us and make coments. At the end we decided to try talking to the family but it wasnt the right place or the right time so we just left a pamphlet. Poor family. It was a really dramatic experience but it helped us realize the importance of life, the plan of salvation, and why were working so hard to save souls.

Im so greatful for my work of Salvation. There is nothing better than beings Christs representative here on the earth to make everyone happy!

Have a great week,

Elder Horst

Elder Miller with a sun prism in the middle of his face :)

Elder Nascimento

Look for the bat in the following photos!

Baptisms!

Wahoo! So we finally pulled off these baptisms! Weve been working so hard on getting them baptised but the adversary was working so hard to stop it too! It all worked out in the end. The baptism wasnt that great, there wernt many members there but thats something normal here in the area :)

So this week we had some really fun times and good sucess. Weve been working hard on inviting the sprit in our work. Its worked out really good. There were one or two times where I got frustrated but we decided to pray and do service projects during that time and its so amazing how quickly your attitude changes when you help others. Its really a great thing!

We were able to find a lot of new families to teach. Its never a problem to find people to teach here. Wednesday we gave the zone training that was about the spirit and it was really good. The zone is improving alot and having some good sucess. The President was there to have interviews. I had a really good talk with him about the mission and stuff. I really love the president because he helps me to be a better person. he is really humble and close to the spirit.

On Sunday Elder Miller and I gave talks at church. I loved the experience. Elder Miller talked about Jonas and Enoque and shared the differences in their lives and how we need to be more like Enoque. I talked about John 6:60 where the deciples left christ. I talked about the things we need to do so that we dont leave Christ too but always follow his example. It was a really good meeting.

The young women invited three friends to church. They were all young men. I was able to teach the class for the priesthood and it was really fun! We talked about the Plan of Salvation. They loved the class and said that they will come back every week cause they liked it so much haha.

I hope that we continue to have a great week. Love you all and pray for you daily!

Love,

Elder Horst

Elder Staples, Elder Lazarte, Elder Horst, and Elder Ritz were all together at the Missionary Training Center in Sao Paulo.  Now they are all Zone Leaders, and going home in 8 weeks.

A Good Week

Well our baptisms fell through this week because they didnt show up for their interview, but im confidente that we will be able to get everything taken care of this week so that they can be baptised next week. THis week was really hot and tiring because of the weather but we tried working really hard. Nobody really wants to talk to us right now but we are thinking of creative ways to help people out and get them to church.

The power went out a few times this week and its been super super hot! But we get through it well. I have a medical condition that makes me sweat at the knees. haha. Its kinda embarrasing to walk into peoples houses with sweaty knees but i just have to live with it i guess haha. On Tuesday we had Leadership training and it went really well. We learned about how to feel the spirit in our lives and how the spirit will help us in our teaching as well. I liked it alot and will try to work on getting better at that next week. We will be giving the zone training next week and will have to pass the same information for them.

To make the week worse, there were only about 15 people at church. When I arrived here in the área, there were about 30. It was raised to about 45 and even had 80 at Ward confrence. now its back down to 15 and im kinda upset about that. But im sure it will get better soon.

Well to leave this letter with a high note, we will be playing Football this P-day! Wahoo! Thanks for all your love and support.

Elder Horst

Febuary of Baptisms

Well this week starts our febuary of baptisms! My companion and I are really excited for all the work thats about to come. For sure we have lots of Faith and desire to do Gods will and we know that he will help us in our work.

Sunday was a marvelous day for us. Marcio is our recente convert with 29 years. He is really cool, fun, and loves the church! When he arrived on sunday he started giving everyone hugs. He showed them his new scripture case that he was so proud of. I love him so much and think he is going to play a big role in bringing more love to our broken Ward. I invited him to bear his testimony with me in sacrament meeting. I was expecting him to repeat my words like he does in our prayers. I told him to say hello. He than started giving a whole talk about how much he loves the church. How he is new in the Ward, how is Family is really nice, and it was so touching! At the end he said, I know the church is true!!! Amen. I really loved it. I was next to talk and i got really emotional hahah. I told him that márcio really had the spirit of christ in his life and we all needed to be a little bit more like him. I love Marcio!

After lunch President called us and told us to come to the mission home to have a meeting with Elder Torgan from the 70. It was a rush to get there on time, Elder Torgan gave a wonderful talk that I loved and it helped me alot to be a better missionary. it was an answer to my companions and my prayers because we now have a better vision of how to complete our goals. 

Well i wish i could write more but it looks like time has passed a little faster than expected!

Love ya,

Elder Horst

Elder Horst and Elder Miller at Marcio's baptism, 4 weeks ago.

Good start to the best transfer ever!!!

Haha, well my companion and I are just completly pumped for this new transfer. We were really happy to know that we were staying together but we knew that we needed to change a few things. This week, we set some AWESOME goals and worked on trying to be better people. Were working more with members and recente converts and I can tell that there is a diferente spirit in the air. We are more happy, the house is more comforting at night, and the zone can feel the diference too and want to have the same feelings. Looks like were gonna have alot of success.

Tuesday was our first district meeting. We had a fun time together getting to know the new people in the zone. Were working really hard on a reverent unity between them so that they can rely on eachother and work harder. I really like some of the new missionaries that we have. On Wednesday, the assistentes needed our help to do a baptism interview. I was able to go to their área and work with Elder Lazarte, my companion from the CTM. It was fun... I dont like working in his área because its in the middle of the central of town. It was really annoying to have to chace people and talk to alot of people that didnt want time for us. I missed Restinga alot!! haha.

The baptsim interview was beautiful! The woman that got baptised was so ready to make a commitment with God and wouldnt let anything get in her way. She got married to a good Strong memeber too which is good. It makes me happy to see a complete Family enter into the Church of Christ. Her baptism was on Saturday and I heard it was lovely.

Elder Miller and I have been RUNNING around this área trying to get as much done as possible. We are trying to avoid the houses where we loose time and they never let us leave early. haha. let me tell you about this weather. I CANNOT handle this weather anymore! ITs just killing me. Im talking 110 degrees with 100 percent humidity. Its horrible. you walk into a house looking like you just came out of a swimming pool! It makes me kinda embarrased but everyone else is the same way :) Its also really hard to sleep. The fan blows hot air and a ´´cold´´ shower feels like the heater is on. Its THAT hot. Than Friday I think a storm came in. It was the best thing ever. We just opened all the Windows and turned on the fan. I almost got cold at night. It was the best sleep ive had in weeks! It looks like this week it will go back to hot but it was a good break :)

So next week I will talk about our investigators that we have and their stories and how they are preparing for baptism. We sure have alot on our hands. I just hope that I can do my job as a servent of the Lord and do his vontage. I am so thankful for everything he is doing. I can easily see his hand in my work and that just gives me more desire to work harder and be better. I hope and pray that he blesses you and waches over you as you show your Faith in him.

Love ya!

Elder Horst

I received this message from Michele Soarres on Facebook, about Elder Horst (it's translated from Portuguese)

Oi Sister Cynthia, I am the friend of your son and am writing to say how marvelous of a work that your son is doing in the South. You have a marvelous son and nobody has ever passed here that pays as much attention as he does to the work. He really has the purê love of christ and I am greatful taht he is still here with us. We want him to stay til april because I want him to be at my sealing. We also take care of him good becase he is gone from home for 2 years and its a big sacrifice but we are here to help. Thanks. Kiss.

Yes, yes, i love this kid and its amazing how much he loves children. I do visits with him once a month and he is Always playing with them. he has a gift to talk about the gospel that i have never seen before he isnt lazy. He remembers the music that you guys Always sang together (Lucky-Jason Mraz). Its cute and almost made me cry. My house is like a refuge for the missionaries.

The letters on his name tag had worn off, so he was able to get 2 new ones.