Bazinga!
Holy cow! So much too tell! I will start from the beginning of the week.
Monday we went and played baseball in the park and a few boys showed up and just started watching us as we played. So I looked over and said,"wanna play?" and they joined us. They actually played really well for never playing in there lives. We continued through p-day as normal played a few games and got to know each other.
Tuesday was a very special day. VERY special! I was having interviews with everyone in my district and right before I started with the second one I received a call from the assistant to the president.
"Elder Laws?"
"Yes?"
"You are being transferred tomorrow at 7:00 at night. The President wants you to call him right now for more details, ok?"
"Ok...why? I've only been here a week?"
"Just call President."
"Ok."
So I call President Reber.
"Hello?"
"Hello President this is Elder Laws"
"Oh good morning Elder Laws! How are you?"
"Good, I was told to call you about my transfer. President I just want to know whats going on??"
"Well you are being transferred to Vilhena in Rondonia. Whats going to happen is we are giving our part of that state to the Brazil, Manaus Mission. So I want you to go up there this week to learn the area so that next week when your brother gets there you can show him the area!"
"YES!!!!!!!YESYESYESYESYES!!!!!! YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Hahaha alright calm down so I can tell you a little more......."
HOLY COW!!!! I AM GOING TO BE COMPANIONS WITH MY BROTHER FOR A WEEK ON MY MISSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot say how excited I am!
So the rest of Tuesday I worked as normal and packed my bags so the I wouldn't have to do so the next day! I left Wednesday night and slept another 12 hours until I got there in the morning. I got off the bus and walked around a wall and sat down on the other side and just waited for the Elders to come pick me up. I waited for about an hour before deciding to walk around and as I turned to go sit back down the Elders here came up and said hi. We found out that we had been waiting for each other for about an hour because they got there right as I went to the other side of the wall! Ridiculous.
My companion here is Elder T. Nascimento! He was in the CTM with me and it was super cool to see him again and actually talk to him fluently! We have just been working our tails off so that we can have a bunch of investigators with the Manaus missionaries! Its a little weird how many people here speak English. The branch presidents son speaks without an accent and we have found a few investigators that do as well! Its really cool. i just got off the phone with Asa and President Klein and we have lots of work to do this week while Asa is here. I can't believe this is happening!! We have the best mission presidents in the whole world to make this happen for us. Asa will be here tomorrow!
There's not really anything else to tell! I am just so excited to serve with my brother!!! Can you believe this is happening?? We are so very blessed!! We will send lots of pictures next week!!
D&C 31
Com muito amor,
Elder Roman Laws
Monday, February 25, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
Week #34
Bazinga!
Random Thought: Cookies!!!!!!!!!
So....WOAH! What a week!
This week was fantastic! I left Aquidauana on Monday and made the 12 hour trip back up to Cuiabá during the night which is awesome because I just slept the whole way there! I guess President is smart or something. So I arrived in my area on Tuesday and went straight to lunch. I like lunch. Then we went to the house! This house is WAY bigger than my last house and because it isn't in the swamp it isn't as hot here so I sleep just great! Then they spent the day showing me the area and the members and our investigators so it was pretty cool. This area is super poor but its super awesome too! My companion is Elder Underwood and he is a little weird but only just as weird as me! We are both from Washington (He is from Kirkland) so I guess it makes sense. He is great! ALL we do is work and think and talk about our investigators! We got out of a first lesson one time and he said,"I like them...I gonna baptize them!" Ha it was super funny and I just loved the attitude!
Now this is weird. I have never been a district leader in the field before and we didn't have a training until Friday! So for the first part of the week I just learned from my companion who used to be a district leader. It was just weird. Then Tuesday night I got a call from the zone leaders! They asked if I could give a training the next day at our zone/district meeting! I just said,"yeah no problem". So after I got off the phone I just started planning the training about "Thoughts and how they effect our actions and, in turn, our missionary work"! I love getting up in front of people to speak now! The mission does weird things to ya! Ya know? The rest of the day was just work work work! I love working too.
Wednesday was Valentines in the US but not here so nothing big happened...EXCEPT that one of our investigators, Ingrid, received an answer and decided to get baptized!! WOOO!!! The way she told us was funny too! We were just talking and then we asked how she felt and her phone started ringing. She just said,"oh I am going to be baptized!" and then answered the phone! So we just start freaking out with excitement and we couldn't even talk to her! haha she finally got off the phoneand we talked about how she felt that it was right and that she also decided to because she wants to go to the temple!
On Friday I finally got trained by the presidents and the assistants on how to be a district leader! I feel like I know what I am doing now! Its no longer a guessing game! Isn't that fantastic?? Our president is the best ever and I am sooooo glad he is my president! I learn so much from him and I know he is being inspired.
The other Elders in the district are Elder Maughan and Elder Batista! Elder Maughan is from Florida and Elder Batista is from Rio de Janeiro. On Saturday I did a division with Elder Maughan and we figured out that we have basically lived the same life as each other but on opposite sides of the country! He even has a girlfriend named Sara! Its weird how similar our lives are. He is super cool and we have a ton of fun in the house. We have already had a nerf fight and we are planning a little prank for his companion because his companion is pretty new on the mission (new guy, it's what you do right?). This Transfer is going to be great!
Sunday each companionship had a baptism and we made a goal that between our district we want to have baptisms each week and everyone is in on it!
This is the best!
Mosiah 13:1-3
Com muito amor,
Elder Roman Laws
Random Thought: Cookies!!!!!!!!!
So....WOAH! What a week!
This week was fantastic! I left Aquidauana on Monday and made the 12 hour trip back up to Cuiabá during the night which is awesome because I just slept the whole way there! I guess President is smart or something. So I arrived in my area on Tuesday and went straight to lunch. I like lunch. Then we went to the house! This house is WAY bigger than my last house and because it isn't in the swamp it isn't as hot here so I sleep just great! Then they spent the day showing me the area and the members and our investigators so it was pretty cool. This area is super poor but its super awesome too! My companion is Elder Underwood and he is a little weird but only just as weird as me! We are both from Washington (He is from Kirkland) so I guess it makes sense. He is great! ALL we do is work and think and talk about our investigators! We got out of a first lesson one time and he said,"I like them...I gonna baptize them!" Ha it was super funny and I just loved the attitude!
Now this is weird. I have never been a district leader in the field before and we didn't have a training until Friday! So for the first part of the week I just learned from my companion who used to be a district leader. It was just weird. Then Tuesday night I got a call from the zone leaders! They asked if I could give a training the next day at our zone/district meeting! I just said,"yeah no problem". So after I got off the phone I just started planning the training about "Thoughts and how they effect our actions and, in turn, our missionary work"! I love getting up in front of people to speak now! The mission does weird things to ya! Ya know? The rest of the day was just work work work! I love working too.
Wednesday was Valentines in the US but not here so nothing big happened...EXCEPT that one of our investigators, Ingrid, received an answer and decided to get baptized!! WOOO!!! The way she told us was funny too! We were just talking and then we asked how she felt and her phone started ringing. She just said,"oh I am going to be baptized!" and then answered the phone! So we just start freaking out with excitement and we couldn't even talk to her! haha she finally got off the phoneand we talked about how she felt that it was right and that she also decided to because she wants to go to the temple!
On Friday I finally got trained by the presidents and the assistants on how to be a district leader! I feel like I know what I am doing now! Its no longer a guessing game! Isn't that fantastic?? Our president is the best ever and I am sooooo glad he is my president! I learn so much from him and I know he is being inspired.
The other Elders in the district are Elder Maughan and Elder Batista! Elder Maughan is from Florida and Elder Batista is from Rio de Janeiro. On Saturday I did a division with Elder Maughan and we figured out that we have basically lived the same life as each other but on opposite sides of the country! He even has a girlfriend named Sara! Its weird how similar our lives are. He is super cool and we have a ton of fun in the house. We have already had a nerf fight and we are planning a little prank for his companion because his companion is pretty new on the mission (new guy, it's what you do right?). This Transfer is going to be great!
Sunday each companionship had a baptism and we made a goal that between our district we want to have baptisms each week and everyone is in on it!
This is the best!
Mosiah 13:1-3
Com muito amor,
Elder Roman Laws
Monday, February 11, 2013
Week #33
Bazinga!
Random Thought:
Zone Leader: "Parabéns Elder Laws!"
Me: "Why?"
Random Thought:
Zone Leader: "Parabéns Elder Laws!"
Me: "Why?"
Zone Leader: "You are going to be a district leader!"
Me: "Are you kidding me!?!? Are you sure?! Why? Where!?"
Zone Leader: "An area called Pedra 90!"
As you can see I have been transferred and it's to an area really close to Cuiabá called Pedra 90 (we say Pedra Noventa). I will be the District Leader and my companion will be Elder Underwood! I don't know much about him yet. I am pretty nervous and I don't feel ready but I'm way excited! We'll see how this goes and I'll definitely be needing prayers!
So there wasn't a ton of different things that happened this week but we did work our tails off and taught 48 lessons in this small area! We were super happy with that! I don't know if I've already said this but one of the ways we get around is we hitch-hike! I love it! Its a great way to do contacts and we get to where we are going way faster! I mention this because on the way to an appointment and I thought,"I would LOVE a ride right now!" So I stuck my thumb out and as I was turning to see if there was a car even coming, a guy pulled over and said,"Where are you going?" I was shocked!! Maybe because I cut my left thumb, it's magic now. So we got to where we were going and we gave a message and then learned how to make "Bolinhos de Chuva" or "Rain Cakes"! Basically they are scones but in a ball and they rotate by themselves in the oil while cooking them. They were delicious!
So our mission is losing about 12 missionaries this week and only gaining 3. There are 7 stuck in the states because their visas haven't come through yet. So President asked the Zone Leaders to find "Curto Prazos" or short term missionaries. Well this guy named Deonatam (Jonathan) moved here about a week before and he is actually preparing to serve a mission in October! He was DEFINITELY sent here as a blessing! Because there are so little missionaries coming in President was thinking about taking one of the two companionship's out of this area. He is super cool and super excited to serve!
The Zone Leaders came to do a division with us and it was awesome! I learned a lot about how to do contacts better and about how to teach with more power. Zone leaders are Zone leaders for a reason! At the end of the division we were waiting for the Zone leaders bus and this really weird cross eyed guy walked up and asked if we were traveling and then just started laughing! So we talked a little bit but he just kept laughing creepily at everything we said so Elder Bresciano looked at him and in english said,"You're scaring me!" and we ALL started laughing! It was a very funny but super creepy experience.
Saturday was my mom's birthday!!!!! Happy Birthday Momma!!! Well on her birthday we had a missionary leave to go home! His time was up! That was a weird experience because it made me think a lot about what its going to feel like for me and I decided it'll feel too soon! After leaving Elder Shuss at the bus station we went to teach a reference named Leandro. He is super cool! He REALLY participated in the lesson and answered a bunch of questions. He is a super smart kid. Then we invited him to baptism and he accepted! Let me tell you that is THEE best!! People who are soooo ready that they accept the gospel right away because they know its true. I LOVE being a missionary!
I want everyone to know that I have a testimony of the gospel. When we teach sometimes we talk about the spirit touching peoples hearts. I always teach that in the scriptures you can almost always trade the word "Heart" for "Spirit". I want you all to know that I know with all of my spirit that this path, the church and the gospel, is the ONLY way to achieve exaltation and to live in the presence of the Lord again.
Mormon 8:24
Com muito amor,
Elder Roman Laws
Me: "Are you kidding me!?!? Are you sure?! Why? Where!?"
Zone Leader: "An area called Pedra 90!"
As you can see I have been transferred and it's to an area really close to Cuiabá called Pedra 90 (we say Pedra Noventa). I will be the District Leader and my companion will be Elder Underwood! I don't know much about him yet. I am pretty nervous and I don't feel ready but I'm way excited! We'll see how this goes and I'll definitely be needing prayers!
So there wasn't a ton of different things that happened this week but we did work our tails off and taught 48 lessons in this small area! We were super happy with that! I don't know if I've already said this but one of the ways we get around is we hitch-hike! I love it! Its a great way to do contacts and we get to where we are going way faster! I mention this because on the way to an appointment and I thought,"I would LOVE a ride right now!" So I stuck my thumb out and as I was turning to see if there was a car even coming, a guy pulled over and said,"Where are you going?" I was shocked!! Maybe because I cut my left thumb, it's magic now. So we got to where we were going and we gave a message and then learned how to make "Bolinhos de Chuva" or "Rain Cakes"! Basically they are scones but in a ball and they rotate by themselves in the oil while cooking them. They were delicious!
So our mission is losing about 12 missionaries this week and only gaining 3. There are 7 stuck in the states because their visas haven't come through yet. So President asked the Zone Leaders to find "Curto Prazos" or short term missionaries. Well this guy named Deonatam (Jonathan) moved here about a week before and he is actually preparing to serve a mission in October! He was DEFINITELY sent here as a blessing! Because there are so little missionaries coming in President was thinking about taking one of the two companionship's out of this area. He is super cool and super excited to serve!
The Zone Leaders came to do a division with us and it was awesome! I learned a lot about how to do contacts better and about how to teach with more power. Zone leaders are Zone leaders for a reason! At the end of the division we were waiting for the Zone leaders bus and this really weird cross eyed guy walked up and asked if we were traveling and then just started laughing! So we talked a little bit but he just kept laughing creepily at everything we said so Elder Bresciano looked at him and in english said,"You're scaring me!" and we ALL started laughing! It was a very funny but super creepy experience.
Saturday was my mom's birthday!!!!! Happy Birthday Momma!!! Well on her birthday we had a missionary leave to go home! His time was up! That was a weird experience because it made me think a lot about what its going to feel like for me and I decided it'll feel too soon! After leaving Elder Shuss at the bus station we went to teach a reference named Leandro. He is super cool! He REALLY participated in the lesson and answered a bunch of questions. He is a super smart kid. Then we invited him to baptism and he accepted! Let me tell you that is THEE best!! People who are soooo ready that they accept the gospel right away because they know its true. I LOVE being a missionary!
I want everyone to know that I have a testimony of the gospel. When we teach sometimes we talk about the spirit touching peoples hearts. I always teach that in the scriptures you can almost always trade the word "Heart" for "Spirit". I want you all to know that I know with all of my spirit that this path, the church and the gospel, is the ONLY way to achieve exaltation and to live in the presence of the Lord again.
Mormon 8:24
Com muito amor,
Elder Roman Laws
Monday, February 4, 2013
Week #32
Bazinga!
Random Thought: Fried eggs are delicious!
Great week! Tuesday morning I put my clothes into our ancient washing machine and twisted the dial to turn it on. It was making a funny noise and I realized that the center piece inside wasn't spinning so I gave it a jump-start with my hand and it started up just fine! I let it do its thing until it was done and then I turned it on to run again (it's old so you have to run it 2-3 times to get anything clean). This time it didn't even make a noise. Nothing. So we called the financial secretary to ask for money to buy a new one. We received permission and he said we would receive the money in about three days. So then I got curious and thought,"I wonder if its just the outlet its plugged in to." So I unplugged the cord and looked for somewhere else to plug it into. I looked in the unusable bathroom right next to it outside and saw two wires sticking out of the light switch socket and thought,"I'll try it there!" With my companion we hooked up the wires and turned it on. It worked but something was weird, it was way louder. So my companion says,"Ya know I think that socket is a 2..." then there was a loud BOOM! Our machine had a mini explosion inside of it! It turns out we plugged it into a 220 volt socket instead of the normal 110 volt. Good thing we were already going to get a new one right? So we already have the new one and it is a DREAM!!! Its seriously the best to have clean clothes.
Alright I know everyone loves hearing about the amazing spiritual experiences but I want to tell an example of one of the "less spiritual" ones. So we went to the house of a guy in the branch who was recently in the hospital but he wasn't there. His daughter was so we decided to talk to her and teach her the first lesson. While we are teaching she is nodding and agreeing with what we are saying and then Elder Bresciano says,"So do you think its good when we receive an answer from the Lord and then don't follow it?" And she says,"Yes its really good!"...I ALMOST laughed. Its not that she actually thinks that, but we realized that she wasn't paying attention at all! So we finished the lesson and left. Sometimes things like this happen on the mission.
On Friday we planned a family night with one of our recent convert families. So everything was planned, people were going to bring cakes and so on! So we go to a family to pick them up and take them to the family night, when we got a call that the people who were going to host it wouldn't be home! So we moved the location and replanned a few things and ended up having a fantastic night! ALL the people who were there went to church on Sunday!!
On Sundays I am the Gospel Principles teacher. So I was walking into my class with a lesson prepared about Prophets when the wife of the 2nd counselor of the mission comes up to me and says,"I brought something for your lesson!" It was weird because she didn't know what lesson I was going to teach because I pick randomly by what I feel. So I said,"Really? what is it?" She had brought the movie about the restoration of the gospel and Joseph Smith. The 20 minute version. So I used it and the spirit was there so strongly! Sometimes when you act on a prompting of the spirit you help someone more than yourself.
After church I saw one of our investigators and went over to talk to her. Her name is Lia and she has a 15 year old son. She looked a little quiet so I asked,"Are you ok? You look a little quiet." She looked up at me with her eyes all glossy and said,"Not quiet, Just all is well." Then I just KNEW! She had just had a major experience with the spirit!!! We are going to her house tonight and I am sooooo excited to talk about it!!!
This week I don't have a scripture, I have a suggestion...more like a plea! EVERYONE who is reading this NEEDS to buy the book "The Miracle of Forgiveness" by Spencer W. Kimball and read it. If you've read it, read it again. This book has changed my life and if you let it, it will change yours.
Com muito amor,
Elder Roman Laws
Random Thought: Fried eggs are delicious!
Great week! Tuesday morning I put my clothes into our ancient washing machine and twisted the dial to turn it on. It was making a funny noise and I realized that the center piece inside wasn't spinning so I gave it a jump-start with my hand and it started up just fine! I let it do its thing until it was done and then I turned it on to run again (it's old so you have to run it 2-3 times to get anything clean). This time it didn't even make a noise. Nothing. So we called the financial secretary to ask for money to buy a new one. We received permission and he said we would receive the money in about three days. So then I got curious and thought,"I wonder if its just the outlet its plugged in to." So I unplugged the cord and looked for somewhere else to plug it into. I looked in the unusable bathroom right next to it outside and saw two wires sticking out of the light switch socket and thought,"I'll try it there!" With my companion we hooked up the wires and turned it on. It worked but something was weird, it was way louder. So my companion says,"Ya know I think that socket is a 2..." then there was a loud BOOM! Our machine had a mini explosion inside of it! It turns out we plugged it into a 220 volt socket instead of the normal 110 volt. Good thing we were already going to get a new one right? So we already have the new one and it is a DREAM!!! Its seriously the best to have clean clothes.
Alright I know everyone loves hearing about the amazing spiritual experiences but I want to tell an example of one of the "less spiritual" ones. So we went to the house of a guy in the branch who was recently in the hospital but he wasn't there. His daughter was so we decided to talk to her and teach her the first lesson. While we are teaching she is nodding and agreeing with what we are saying and then Elder Bresciano says,"So do you think its good when we receive an answer from the Lord and then don't follow it?" And she says,"Yes its really good!"...I ALMOST laughed. Its not that she actually thinks that, but we realized that she wasn't paying attention at all! So we finished the lesson and left. Sometimes things like this happen on the mission.
On Friday we planned a family night with one of our recent convert families. So everything was planned, people were going to bring cakes and so on! So we go to a family to pick them up and take them to the family night, when we got a call that the people who were going to host it wouldn't be home! So we moved the location and replanned a few things and ended up having a fantastic night! ALL the people who were there went to church on Sunday!!
On Sundays I am the Gospel Principles teacher. So I was walking into my class with a lesson prepared about Prophets when the wife of the 2nd counselor of the mission comes up to me and says,"I brought something for your lesson!" It was weird because she didn't know what lesson I was going to teach because I pick randomly by what I feel. So I said,"Really? what is it?" She had brought the movie about the restoration of the gospel and Joseph Smith. The 20 minute version. So I used it and the spirit was there so strongly! Sometimes when you act on a prompting of the spirit you help someone more than yourself.
After church I saw one of our investigators and went over to talk to her. Her name is Lia and she has a 15 year old son. She looked a little quiet so I asked,"Are you ok? You look a little quiet." She looked up at me with her eyes all glossy and said,"Not quiet, Just all is well." Then I just KNEW! She had just had a major experience with the spirit!!! We are going to her house tonight and I am sooooo excited to talk about it!!!
This week I don't have a scripture, I have a suggestion...more like a plea! EVERYONE who is reading this NEEDS to buy the book "The Miracle of Forgiveness" by Spencer W. Kimball and read it. If you've read it, read it again. This book has changed my life and if you let it, it will change yours.
Com muito amor,
Elder Roman Laws
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