Mission Tour

Saturday, September 22, 2018

Hey everyone! So this week was really awesome and really busy!! So first things first, there was a miracle that happened right after I finished talking with you guys last week! So we went to give some clothes to Gilberto who got baptized, and when we showed up, he answered the door. When we entered, my companion felt that he should ask if there was anyone else in the house, and he answered that there was his brother Rogerio. We actually met Rogerio a little time ago, and actually we had first contact with so it was cool to see him again. He already went to church and we asked him about a few other things, and he said that he was keeping the commandments. We then just asked if he wanted to get baptized and he said sure! So we called our district leader, who happened to be in the neighborhood doing a different baptismal interview, so he came up after that (while it was raining as well). He then had the interview with Rogerio and… he passed!! SO on Sunday, we just heated the water (because there was a baptism the day before and we just left the water) and there was a recent convert that picked Rogerio and Gilberto up and brought them to church. And the recent convert, Geraldo, baptized him! It was so great to see how a person can change for the better in a little bit of time! Then after that, we went to visit Eliane after church (who is the wife to Sebastião that died recently) and when we got there, her niece was there! So we started teaching her and she said she will come to church! (I forgot that William, Eliane’s son, and his family went as well). Then during the week it was really busy because we were preparing for the Mission Tour, which is when all the missionaries from the mission come to one church building and there is someone special that comes and talks to us. We had Elder Rais, from Rio Grande do Sul, who was really funny and was really interesting to hear him. So we prepped everything, Thursday we got everything set up in the church, and Friday was the big day. It is way different being on this side than just being a missionary that just comes and listens. There was always something new to do and a problem to solve but in the end, it was amazing. I learned a lot and after it all ended, I went back to the office to get ready for the departures and the arrivals. However, all the people that are going home were here in the office as well, so I put them to work. They helped me make the booklets for the new missionaries, plasificate [cover in plastic] their cards, prepare the kits for the new missionaries and just organize everything. So, what usually takes me 2 to 3 days to do, it took me 2 to 3 hours! IT WAS SPECTACULAR!! Now it is just confirm a few more things for the people that will arrive, but other than that, I am good! SO that was my week. I know that Christ lives and that this is His Church!

Amo Vocês,

Elder Joseph A. Kupferer

The Two Extremes of Life

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Hey everyone!!

So this week was a lot of extremes. First things first, Gilberto got baptized! We got him a white shirt and we went and picked him up with a member. But as we got in the car with Edmilson (the member) he sadly informed us that Sebastião, that was baptized about three months ago and his wife Eliane got baptized last month, died unexpectedly on Sunday at 2:00 AM. That was really hard to hear and was really hard for my companion who found and baptized him. He was a really fun guy that loved his family and everyone in the ward. But the amazing thing was that everyone in the quorum took turns to stay with him in the hospital. I have never seen a ward get behind a person so much in my life (well I have but this was spectacular) that I was left speechless. So after the baptism, confirmation, and lunch, we went to his funeral. It was sad to see Eliane that sad but as a member told me later, that she was actually bearing her testimony for the nurses and for everyone that she knows that she will be able to see him again. During the funeral, the sons of Sebastião just said some words and the main thing that they said that made me cry was that they thanked the members for everything that they did. It was a sweet spirit because in that moment of crisis, they noticed that the members and the church was always there. And they committed to come to church this week!! So we left from there to come to the mission office because there was a fireside with the youth about missionary work and President Lacerda talked and asked a bunch of questions. It was cool to help out and see so many youth excited to serve a mission! We then had a meeting with president who told us that there will be a transfer anticipated on Wednesday, but he didn’t confirm the day. So, Monday morning he passed the transfer, but didn’t say anything if it would be on Wednesday so that evening we asked him, and he said it was to do the logistics and then on Tuesday pass it and on Wednesday they would go to their new areas. SOOO that night we worked until 9:30 trying to finish the logistics, but then on Tuesday, there were a few things that moved so we had to redo the logistics and then that night we had to tell everyone. It was a lot of work to say the least haha. But all in all, it worked out. So that was the highlights of this week. I know that life isn’t just for this life. I know that we need to do our best to be prepared now. I hope everyone has a great week!

Amo Vocês,

Elder Joseph A. Kupferer

Focusing on Christ

Saturday, September 8, 2018

Hello everyone!! So this week not a whole lot happened but I guess I will just get going!

So first off, we continued to teach Suzanna and Gilberto this week. They are progressing really well so we taught them about the Word of Wisdom which was cool. They seemed a bit hesitant at first, but after we went back, Gilberto said that the cevada (a type of drink that is like coffee but healthier) is way better than coffee! Also, I forgot to mention that we did his baptismal interview this week as well and he is getting ready to be baptized tomorrow!! We also did the baptismal interview of Suzanna but she just wanted to go to church at least one more time so it will only be next week for her haha. With other investigators, we are trying to find more so that we can help more people than just two this month haha. So other than the work in the street, there was some work this week in the office. One of my old companions, Elder Oliveira, has some heart problems. Unfortunately, recently he has received newer information and because of this, he had to return home. So I helped him with his ticket and with a whole lot of stuff. It was weird to see a companion that I love have to return home because of a heart problem, but as I talked with him, he was calm. He realized that it is in the Lord’s hands now and that we just need to put our trust in Him. Jesus Christ is our source for peace and counsel. We receive this through prayer, scripture study, serving others, and going to church just to name a few. I now have a stronger conviction to do my best to help others know about this church and to just give my all. I hope that everyone could reflect this week about how much Jesus Christ has done for you and how you can give back.

Amo Vocês,

Elder Joseph A. Kupferer

Family Home Evening Twice

Saturday, September 1, 2018

Hey everyone!! So, this week was awesome. It started on Monday when we went to two family home evenings! We went with Geraldo and his family (and they have a car) first to Suzanna and her brothers’ house. They are preparing to get baptized in a week from tomorrow! It was really cool to talk to them and teach a little bit about the gospel. THEN, we went running to Cida’s house. She is a less active and we were able to do one at her house. It was really cool to go from house to house. Then during the week, we continued to follow up with Suzanna and her family and finding new people. On Thursday, there was an activity in the ward, so we went. It was the night of the cakes and there was a lot of cake haha. It was really good and Suzanna and one of her brothers, Gilberto went!! It was awesome and the members interacted with them well. Then, yesterday, we went to Nelson’s house to talk to him and his wife about the Restoration and they enjoyed it! They were willing to read and learn more. So we will go back there. AND TODAY was fantastic haha. We played volleyball with some of the youth here in the ward and then we ate lunch with them (and we played Uno haha). It was spectacular. Well that was basically it, sorry that this was short but I hope everyone has a great week!

Amo Vocês,

Elder Joseph A. Kupferer

It Never Gets Dull

Saturday, August 25, 2018

So this week was really full!! 

On Monday, I did the weekly spreadsheets that I do every week, but then I had to prepare the materials for every zone because the was a Mission leadership council on Tuesday, which was cool. We talked about how we all need to be examples of the work. We need to be 100% obedient so that the blessings will come! God has so many blessings for us we just need to work for them.

So there was that and then that night, there was an elder coming home from his mission so we had to be in the mission office for that because he lives in a district. And because of that, he is disobliged (I think hahaha) [we’re pretty sure he means “released”] by one of the Mission President’s councilors, Presidente Carvalho. We then woke up early the next morning so that we could go to the bus station with him and buy his ticket to go home. When we got back to the office, I started to learn a little more how to do this federal police stuff haha and just did stuff around the office.

Friday was something interesting.  So there is an elder here that was born in the United States but his parents are Brazilian so he is a citizen here. So I went to the federal police to try to make him a Brazilian identity, but when I got there, I needed to actually go to a notary office first, because I needed a form that I never heard that existed. So we went to the first notary office (the same one that I am using to take the new missionaries to authenticate documents) and they told me that I needed to go to a different notary office that does this form. So I went there, and I didn’t have all that they wanted so I basically resolved nothing haha. I just walked around in circles trying to figure out what to do and then I didn’t even finish what I needed to. Then when I got back in the office, I actually needed to sign up for a different site so that our mission president could sign documents for the visas. So yeah, Friday was busy hahaha. But it has been good.

We have also found lots of people to start teaching, we had a meeting with our ward mission leader, we found a less active that will bring his son this Sunday, and we will be there when Eliani gets confirmed! Oh and side note, her husband Sebastião is in the hospital so if you guys can pray for him, that would be great. Have a great week!

Amo Vocês,

Elder Joseph A. Kupferer

PS  Oh yeah! We also went to the hospital this week because one of our investigators and his wife had a baby! We called them out of the blue to see if she was born, and we found out that she was born that day a few hours ago! We then asked where the hospital was, and they said São Matheus which was exactly where we were going!!! So instead of telling them, we just went hahaha. But they loved that we went so it was super cool!!!

Baptism on P-Day

Saturday, August 18, 2018

Oi meus queridos! 

Well this week has been really really busy but as well REALLY GOOD! I don’t even know where to start but let us start with Sunday. So on Sunday, we got the two new assistants to the president, Elder Crandall and Elder Campos. Elder Crandall already served as the executive secretary and Elder Campos was my companion in Barra Mansa so that was amazing to see them again. We then after church, worked on the logistics of the transfers!!! Haha, so what I do is basically take a zone and just plan out all of the travel plans of that missionary. And there is usually something that changes the whole plan but it is cool to try and figure it out.  

On Monday, we did a bunch of stuff haha. Well, first off, President moved the transfer one more time so we needed to move a few plans real quick. Then, I sent out the Jornal of the mission, planned for the next day for the arrivals, and then we went to eat with the people that were leaving (oh I also checked them in for their flights haha). There were only two people leaving so it was interesting to see that. But it was good, and everything went great. 

On Tuesday, however, is when all the fun began. So there was 13 missionaries arriving with 10 being foreign. SOOO I had to meet all of them at the notary office and go one by one, sign some papers so that we could just authenticate a document that I will use to search their identities at the federal police. After that, we went to the mission house to eat lunch and then I went and went over the slides with President Lacerda of all the trainers and trainees. It was really cool to see that because I could see revelation happen right in front of me when he moved some people around. It has been really fun to be able to work that close to my mission president. So after that, the trainers showed up and we all bore our testimonies and then I helped the foreigners sign more papers back in the office haha. 

Then on Wednesday through Friday, it has been pretty busy with catching up with stuff in the office, resolving urgent things, marking doctor appointments, and with all that unfortunately, we weren’t able to leave the office a whole lot to go proselyting. That was a bit tough until today this morning!! On Sunday, Eliani had her interview and passed to be baptized so Saturday night we filled up the baptismal font, and this morning (on P-day which will probably be the best P-day of my mission), Eliani was baptized. It was spectacular because I have seen how she has fought for this. She is working almost every day, almost never has a break, trying so hard to keep her and her husband happy and secure (because Sebastião can’t really work now) and how the Lord has blessed her as she has tried to seek him. So yeah, tonight we will have a festa Agostina which is just a party that they have. What it is about, I don’t know but it will be great to integrate some members with investigators. 

I hope everyone has a great rest of the week!

Amo Vocês,

Elder Kupferer

Transfer Week

Saturday, August 11, 2018

Alô meus queridos!!! 

So this week was really interesting. I have done a lot of stuff here in the office and I have seen a good amount of miracles in the street. (Just to help with some questions, I am in the office from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM and then I work in the street until 9:00).

On Monday, we had a family home evening with Eliane (investigator), her husband, Sebastião (recent convert) and some members. During that night, we had a spiritual thought and had a cool game. But during the game, Eliane called us over and told us that Sunday the 19 wouldn’t work for her to be baptized…… BUT she wanted to see if she could be baptized on Saturday the 18 and then get confirmed the next day!!! It was amazing!! We told her calmly (on the outside haha) that of course that works and then told her to tell everyone. So that was really cool, and then we found some more people during the week such as Vanessa, who said that this is what she really needs and that she will go this Sunday!! So this side has been really fun!!

NOW on the office side, I have had the privilege to work with the transfers and doing the logistics. Actually, it is interesting that I was the first to know before anyone. Then, on Thursday, he [the mission president] told the rest here in the staff and we started working. Also, I have been finishing up the kits for the new missionaries arriving and setting up the new cell phones for the new areas. It is amazing to be on this side to see how we help everyone on this side. 

Well, I hope everyone has a great week!

Amo Vocês,

Elder Kupferer