Happy Thanksgiving!

Well its been another great week here in Porto Alegre. Ive been having so much fun working here with my companion and the zone. This week didnt have quite as much action as the past few weeks, but the time still doesnt seem to stop slowing down and we are still running around trying to get as many baptisms as possible by the end of the transfer. This is the last full week of work for us because next week will will be forced to spend alot of time preparing my companion to go home! Ill give more details on that next week.

So this week we are baptising two young men that have 14 and 16 years. They both are suprisingly interested in learning more. They fight to see who will do the prayer (they all wanna do it) and they are excited to learn how to keep the commandments and are really really excited to be baptised on Saturday. Theyre names were announced at church on sunday and they both had beaming smiles! Theyre parents and family will be at the baptism so we hope to have a really spiritual experience so that they can get baptised too!

For the group of people that will be baptised on the 7th, we are working really hard that they keep their potential. Some of them have had a few problems that have shaken their faith, but I know that they are all ready to be baptised and we will do everything so that they can get baptised and reep the blessings.

Its extremely hot here and I have to put on sunblock every day (55). I forgot how many bugs are out during the summer. Its really annoying because we still dont have fans that the mission gives us and we hav to sleep with the windows open and all the bugs get in. I cant sleep with a blanket cause its so dang hot! Luckly there is lots of wind on the 5th floor.

We have some sick plans for thanksgiving. Were gonna buy some pizza and have a nice dinner together with the other missionaries that live with us.It will be fun and everyones excited for it. I hope that everyone has a great thanksgiving!

Love you guys,

Elder Horst

Baptismos!

well this week we have been thinking, eating, working, and dreaming about baptisms. All we seem to be doing is inviting people to get baptised. Its really great. We have tons of investigators that are working towards being baptised next month and my companion and I are really happy because of that.

The Lord has truly been blessing us in our work because every day it seems like someone new wants to be baptised. We seem to be getting the members involved too and everyone is getting excited to do missionary work.

The zone is also doing very well. Every area is able to get some baptisms marked and investigators at church. We are working hard by visiting lots of areas and working with the other elders.

We were able to teach Paulo who is the brother of a member. he has a few kids but is living a really hard life since the death of his wife. he lost all track of who he was and went into serious depression. Now we are helping him by teaching him the lessons. it seems like the gospel gives him more hope and happiness and I can truly see a difference in him. I know that baptism is the best way for him to suceed in life and return to the guy that he was before.

Also, we are teaching Milena. She is a 15 year old girl that is a friend of some of the members. She wants to get baptised because her parents are fighting and getting seperated. She knows that baptism will help her feel more comfort and peace. She will have the holy ghost that will always help her in all the difficulties of her life.

Another investigator that we have is Maite. All she wants to do in her life is protect her three little kids that she has. its hard for her to be a single parent without a job but she is turning to the Lord because she knows that through baptism she can be forgiven of her past sins and recieve help fro, the love and mercy of the lord.

We are also teaching many others with many different problems. But they all seem to have a few things in common. They all love their families. They all want a better life for themselves. They all want to be happy and they want to be baptised because they know it will make them better. They know that through the gift of the holy ghost they can be eternally blessed and one day can return to their father in heaven with all eternal glory and power. 

Love you all,

Elder Horst

Good Week

Well its true, im burning hot here!!! I actually got a bit sunburnt on Wednesday but ive been putting on sunblock ever since. Everything is going well and we are having lots of sucess as a area and zone. Really nothing too exciting has been going on differently this week. We are just marking lots of baptisms and trying to get them all to follow through.

Adriana finally decided to get baptised. She wants to get married too! So she will get married in the next few weeks and than get baptised on the 23rd. If things dont work out by the 23rd she will get baptised on the 7th along with the rest of our investigators.

We have the zone leader meeting this tuesday and on thursday Elder Del Pino and I will be giving the training. I am really excited because the zone is doing so well right now and we can just help them more with this training. The zone had 4 baptisms yesterday and we are all expecting to baptise on the 23rd.

Well sorry its such a short note but ill be sure to write more next week!! Have a great week, love ya!

Elder Horst

Happy Halloween!

Well Halloween passed by very quickly. And now im already hearing Christmas music and seeing trees in stores!! Its crazy how fast Christmas is coming up. Its starting to get extremely hot here but the rain storms seem to keep the tempurature down. The mosquitos have woken up and its starting to feel like SUMMER! (not chirstmas). But im realy excited! We are going to have a ``white Christmas´´ Baptism on the 8th of December I believe and Im really excited to baptise so many people. My companion and I are working really hard and we have a huge list of investigators and almost all of our investigators have a baptismal date. Cool huh??

Were working really hard each and every day. My companion and I have learned alot on how to be a good Zone Leader and we are taking it to the max. Our zone seems to make its goals every week which is really helping every single area. Basicaly at the end of the week if one area isnt getting good results or if they will fall short on their goal, we go visit their area and give them some help. Our zone is really united and we love working and being together.

The ward here is getting SUBSTANTIALLY BETTER. When I arrived here the spirit wasnt really strong in our meetings. The members were split into groups and there was a lot of gossip. We are starting to see a change! This week the testimony meeting was absolutely amazing. Everyone talked nice about someone else and the spirit was so strong. President Castro was able to visit too and it was nice to see him again. All the members talked good about us to the president. haha. Better yet, we were able to confirm Loeci as a member of the church and it was a special day.

My companion and I have been able to see so many miracles each and every day. It seems like God is just GIVING us people to teach and help. Obviously we are teaching people based on our obedience, work, faith, and diligence, but we feel really good doing all this.

On Haloween we had an interview with one of the members of the Area Presidency. he gave a great pep talk and I learned alot about my work and how Ican be a better person. Before the meeting some of the missionaries in our zone ate lunch together! It was a great day.

Well that sums up the week for us. Have a great day!!

Love,

Elder Horst

Transfer Day!

Well today is transfer day and the big news is that I or my companion will not get transfered:) Excelent news for me because my companion is amazing. We work so well together and are both really excited for alot of sucess in the next few weeks. Elder Del Pino is going home in 6 weeks and is starting to get a bit itchy but he will be fine and will work really hard the next few weeks. This week was crazy. We seemed to run around all week. Saturdayday night when my companion and I layed down to sleep we were sore on every single muscle. LITERALLY. but we were so happy too! Lets go over the weeks news...

Monday was supposed to be our P-Day but we ended up working pretty much the whole time. There is an investigator, that got baptised this week, and she needed food cause she doesnt have money (her husband died). so it spent alot of time to get that done and it was long from the house so we decided to just keep working. It was a great day!

On Tuesday we were able to visit a district meeting and help them with district friend, where all the missionaries work in the same area. I worked with Elder Roberts from Riverton. He lives with us. It was a great day and we were able to find lots of new investigators for the other area. Tuesday night we got a call from our investigator Fransisco. He asked us to come over the next day for a urgent issue.

Wednesday came around and we were really nervous to know what he was talking about. We passed by there at the time requested and he told us that he was two weeks without a job. Worse than that is that he was getting in fights with his wife and needed help!! Well Fransisco is a hard guy to teach. He gets blessings and answers but doesnt show his gratitude by keeping the comandments and his blessings get taken away. We talked to him a bit and I think that we helped a bit but it wasnt what he needed. 

The next day we went there with the bishop to talk about mairage (beucase my companion and I have no idea what were talking about) and about obedience. Fransisco promised to go to church but didnt make it. Its kinda frustrating but were just planning on putting it in Gods hands. Were not sure how much longer we will keep teaching him.

Also on Thursday we were able to teach lots of people and find alot of new investigators including 4 new families. Were excited to teach and help them. One of them is Andre who is a 25 year old guy that is studing Chineese but has some weird thoughts about religion. he will pray and ask god if he needs to be baptised.

Saturday came around and we were preparing for the baptism of Loeci that was taken place on Sunday. Elder Ritz and his companion Elder Hyatt slept at our house and gave the baptism interview Saturday morning. All went well. Than on saturday we went to two areas and helped them work a bit because their areas wernt having alot of sucess. Basically we walked in the road allll day long trying to find people for them to teach:) I hope they were greatful of our work...

Sunday was the baptism and it went great. It was also the Primary Program and the 2 kids of our investigator Adriana were able to help and sing along. And heres a surprise,,, the missionaries helped in the program too!!! We sang if the savior stood beside me. It was a bit strange to sing with the primary but I liked it, it brought back alot of good childhood memories:) I just imagined watching my dad sitting below trying to hold back all the tears hahahaha..

So basically thats the news for this week! Transfer day is tomorrow and we have a confrence with One of the Area Presidency. It will be a great meeting, the president is really excited for it.

Happy Halloween!!!

Elder Horst

One of our districts.

Shortest to tallest:  Elder Del Pino, Elder Roberts, Elder Berry, Elder Ritz, Elder Oliveira, Elder Horst, Elder Hyatt, Elder Trifitt

Tallest to shortest:  Elder Trifitt, Elder Hyatt, Elder Horst, Elder Oliveira, Elder Ritz, Elder Berry, Elder Roberts, Elder Del Pino

Lazanha!

A bird pooped on me!

The baptism of Loeci!

Trip to the Temple

Well im trying to send some photos but its raining really hard outside and the internet speed here at the internet cafe is really slow so we will see how it goes. 

This past week was really great for my companion. The problem is that it passed so dang quickly! I cant believe that it passed so fast and im a bit nervous that next week will be even faster. My companion and I are running to do everything we can but it seems like there isnt enough time to get it all done! Were working really hard on trying to manage my time better to accomplish all of our goals and duties.

On tuesday we had zone confrence. it was a really interesting meeting and I was able to learn alot about how I can improve my work and be a better missionary with a better focus on the work. It seemed like the whole zone liked it and we all left wanting to be better. The zone is having troubles with a few things. They are all working hard but it seems that some are getting conforable and not always pushing to do better. Were working hard on fixing that.

On wednesday we took a trip to the temple. It was a marvelous session as usual. The temple is such a beautiful place and just being aroud it is a great feeling. We took a lot of good pictures that I hope I can send to you.

On Saturday I was able to go to my old area São Tomé to see the baptisms of a few boys that I found and taught while I was there. It was so awesome to see everyone again and the baptism was really special. The elders are still working on the mom and dad to get baptised and also their older brother.. but they will come along and get baptised in no time. I was able to see huge differences in them since a year ago when I saw them,  (see photos below)

This saturday our friend Loeci will get baptised. I am really excited to get her baptised because she stoped smoking and drinking coffee last week and has been doing great! Im really proud of her and hope that she keeps it up so she can be baptised.

Adriana is progressing but I dont understand why shes not baptsed yet. She has such a strong testimony, goes to church every week, keeps the commandments, gives us dinner every week;) She is just having a hard time with one personal problem thats holding her back. I know that she will get baptised soon, we are just being pacient until she is ready.

My companion Elder Del Pino will return home in December and he will probably stay with me in the area until than. We are working really hard and making really high goals to keep him focused and ready to work!! He is a great companion!

I hope that everyone has a great week!

Love,

Elder Horst

This is a sister whom Elder Horst got to know and love in Sao Tome, an area that he served in a year ago.

A year ago while serving in Sao Tome, my companion and I had the opportunity to find and teach these three young men and their families.  We baptized their sister, Linda.

This photo shows the fruits of baptism, such a cool photo.

After I was transferred, the sisters taught this family and when they were transferred, the elders taught them :)  The mission president allowed us all to travel and attend their baptism.

The sister teachers!

Nata (red shirt) will be baptized in a few weeks and the mom (red hair) will be baptized when she gets married :)

Zone Conference

This week was once again an awesome week for the work! My companion and i worked really hard to help our investigators and it turned out to be a really uplifting week. heres the recap...

Tuesday was our zone training. My companion and I did a really good job motivating and teaching the zone. Our zone is really great. All the missionaries work hard to do everything that they can. During the meeting President had interviews with us, Interviews with the president are always uplifting. After the interviews, The mission president and the Stake President went on divisions with us. It was pretty cool being able to work with the ``Big guns´´ all day long. The stake President and my companion went to an investigator and marked a baptism and I stayed with the president. President interviewed a lady who lives in our area who had visits from the missionaries 15 years ago. This lady had a few abortions in her past and the missionaries told her that she could never be forgiven for this. She held on to that for fifteen years. President had an interview with her, said sorry, and explained how she was forgiven by the Lord. For now she doesnt want to be baptised,, but maybe one day.

We have been having great success finding people to teach in the road. Here are two examples.

I was walking down the road and felt inspired to talk to Eva. I talked about the gospel of Christ and how we all need to be baptised. She said that she was already baptised but wanted to be baptised again! We went back on Friday to teach her and things went really well. She wants sooo bad to be baptised and she said that she feels the spirit so strongly around us. I know that things will go well for her. Im excited to help her get baptised.

Another day I was on a division with the assistant Elder Bordoli (from Argentina). We saw a young girl shoveling dirt with her mom and asked if we could help. After talking to them for a few minutes they let us do the work. After we moved the small pile of dirt, we were able to teach them a lesson and invite them to be baptised. The girls name is Kathlyn. She is 15 and has a 1 year old baby. She told us that she always wanted her baby to get baptised in the mormon church when he grows up so were excited to help HER get baptised in the church too. Im sure everything will go well with her.

One of my investigators in Agronomia got baptised this week!! I hope that I get a photo to show you how it went:)

Have a great week!

Elder Horst