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

Casamento

Saturday, August 4, 2018

Alô tudo mundo!! 

So this week has been filled with a good amount of different things.  

First things first, there was a wedding that happened this week! His name is Geraldo, and he has been investigating the church for about two years. The only thing that was holding him back was that he was living with his wife but wasn’t married legally yet (so not really wife but oh well haha). But that all changed on Thursday! The Assistants are teaching them but everyone has been really involved with his progress in the church, I even taught a lesson with him! I was in Leopoldina at that time and he was there with another maintenance worker (who is a member, Antônio) and they were there working on the church building and were passing by in the street when we saw them. We called them over and explained them that we were going to teach a lesson, and they joined along! It was an amazing experience and for all this time, I thought that he was a solid member. So, how great was my surprise that I received that he wasn’t a member but was getting married in the registry on Thursday. So, we went to the registry and saw them sign the papers, and then the Integration Night was basically their wedding reception! It was amazing, and tonight is his baptism. It was such a great experience.

The second thing is that this is my first week starting to work alone as the Executive Secretary. Elder Johnson (who was my zone leader in Teresópolis) went home this week because he extended his time a little bit. So because of this, his companion would not have a, well, companion, so President Lacerda called our district leader, Elder Azevedo to be his new companion. Which meant that, Elder Chugg is our new district leader!! That basically means that he is still there if I have any question, but now I am basically taking over everything. So it has been really cool to do this because I am starting to get excited every time I am doing something by myself or if there is something new that shows up and I resolve it hahaha. It is strange, but I am joyful to be here and I know this is where I need to be at this time. 

So, I hope everyone has a great week! Oh, and congratulations to my Uncle John for going through the temple for the first time!!

Amo Vocês,

Elder Kupferer