December 6, 2011

Family! Hey how goes it this week? So we had transfers and that was a very new experience! So to start off Sunday after Church we were in the house of a member and I received a call from the Secretaries! He told me everyone's transfers then mine! I will be transfered to ...Zona Central! That's it. No news on comp, no curca nada! So I started to call everyone in my branch to tell them (also found out the area received 2 sisters) but they said they will throw a party Monday night. So Monday morning (p-day) I woke up, started packing everything. It gets harder each time fitting everything in my bags! I had to use a box also! But then I went and got my watch fixed, then to correios w/my box! It had 2 ores, 1 cd, 1 plastic box, 1 shirt from helping hands and suprisas! Share! So that was 90 reias. So not really bad. I hope you get it all! So I sent that then we went to e mail you! Then to the party! Where one by one they stood up and complimented me on our work. It was cool! The best was Presidente Antonio. He said I could return and have wifes waiting for me. He's so funny. With every person that stood up after they would say Tchau Deakin. It was a really cool experience then at 2 in the morning I got on the bus, got into Manaus 7:15. It was raining really bad so the bus went really slow. So got there to the office and they posted the names out front like when your trying out for a sport. It was funny! My new area Novo Israel. Comp is Elder Helama Javiar DeSilva. Its a ward that has less members than Itacoatiara. Now my area has more hills than San Francisco. It's so bad. Just to get to lunch, up, down, up, down. We are knocking doors. Last week we knocked 4 entire streets, everyhouse. My house when I got here was super dirty but it's getting cleaner and cleaner. I sleep on a mattress on the floor so thats fun! But we have air conditioner! Also internet is really good here so I will start trying to send photos every p-day. I cant take too many pictures cuz I don't take my camera with me. It's dangerous. I will buy my web cam to use skype so everything is going to be great! I think thats all for now. Tchau! I Love You all! Elder Deakin Espiritual message. "the Event mentioned most in the Bible is the Second Coming. Birth 9 times, baptism 52, second coming 1,500 times in the Old Testament, 300 in the New. I thought that was really cool!

November 25, 2011

Family! Hey how goes it this week? So today is Thanksgiving! I'm writing today because I want to ha. So hows the dinner there? Today at lunch the member fixed a bar-b-que so I was happy. It was a big lunch. It's super hot and I'm really feeling the stresses of being Senior! We went to take care of things for a wedding and I had to do it all! It's stressfull ha but @ the same time I like it alot more! So this last week we had a batismao! That's like a really big baptism. It doesn't translate as cool but we had the baptism of Rosenere that we married to Romerito last week and the family Raimundo & Maraci so clempted 2 families! It was very cool. We have had alot of problems with Raimundo & Maraci. The whole branch was stopping by teaching new things confusing them, but this last week we finally got it all worked out. They have a daughter that is handicapped that we were planning on baptising her Saturday, but she didn't pass the baptismal questions? She knew some and not the others so we hve to return and teach very simply! My comp is good. He's got stuff that I can learn and at the same time I'm helping him. So I had to restart the Book of Mormon and this time its alot slower. I need to pick it up to finish by New Years. I'll write grandpa's and grandma's next week. So this last week nothing to exciting happened. We have this member inactive that we are trying to help return to the church. I felt inspired to ask her how she could know the truth but go to other Churches! And then her knowledge of the Book of Mormon. She only read it as a book, not as a way to help your life. Her friend called that night saying she was really thinking about what we said. I've learned as a missionary sometimes ya got to get in peoples faces and shake them a little like Elder Holland! Some people will only realize they can't live the way they are unless you say those exact words! But thats all for this week. Take care. Love ya! Tchau! Love you all Elder Deakin Isaiah 49:16 He won't forget us How then can we forget him!!!

November 18, 2011

Family! Hey hows the Griswalds hoje! Everything is great. We are working really hard. We had an activity here in the church and had 300+ people there to contact. We had 42 contacts and lessons. It was cool. I really feel that my language really took off these last few days. My comp doesn't speak english so it's just portuguese but it's good. I've really felt that the members really have taken to me since da Cunha left. The members are great. I really am going to miss this town. It's all I know, but it will be cool to have a new area. I received a letter from the Stake Relief Society. It was nice they thought of me. It's also really nice to hear of those people that ask about me. Nice to know I am remembered haha. I'm really excited to receive photos. I hope I receive them soon! Also I'm preparing a package to send when I leave here. It will have some surprise presents for you all. So this last week we had a wedding for Rosanere & Romarito. It was cool. I played the piano for them, I was very happy! They have been together almost 2 years and one day we got there to get money for lunch and said you gotta get married. He said "yeah, so we marked the date. It's awesome! Then we have 3 baptisms this week and the other branch has 6 so 9 all together! Holy cow it will be awesome! Also this week we had 11/11/11 and @ 11/11 I made a wish! That was alot of ones! haha Elder Leno is very cool. He will study at BYU so we'll for sure hang out! Its starting to rain pretty good. Thats good because then its cooler and easier to sleep, but mosquitos are worst. President said that he would pull all missionaries for the dedication of the temple! But I think that's all for now. I will write a spiritual message Tchau I Love You all Elder Deakin Pslams 144:15 Phillipeans 4:13 These two scriptures are very cool, talking about the strength the lord can bless you with!

November 9, 2011

Family hey! How goes it this week? Everything is great! Today is Wednesday and man did we have a crazy day yesterday. President Klein called in the morning and asked Elder daCunha if I knew the area really well and all sorts of questions making me think I will train this transfere, but then after lunch he called again and said emergency transfere. da Cunha is leaving. I received a companion 3 weeks before transfors normal. (note: a little portuguese there) So my comps name is Ariel. He's from the same state as da Cunha Rio Grande da Sol. He arrived last night. We spent all yesterday saying goodbye to everyone and now I have to teach him everything about the area because he said that I will proably leave w/the next transfers. So wow interesting. So this week we have our wedding, baptism so I'll let ya know how that goes. Oh I got the christmas tree package. I'll get all decorated now ha. Christmas will be wierd. Everybody is already decorating, not like there, but with statues and things of santa. I finished the book "Be Thou an Example" in 4 or 5 days. I really liked it! It was very good! Well that's all for this week. Just quick to get it in the mail since were headed there! Have a great week! Tchau! I Love You all! Elder Deakin Este mensagem johe primera e em portugues por pai para ler e segunda e em Mosiah 27:25 isso e um convendo especial (batismo) e so depeis batismo nos somos "filhos de deut" isso e porque batismo e important Tchau! Te amo! Love You all!!!

November 2, 2011

Family, Hey how goes it with you this week in the big town of Garland? Everything is great here in the bigger town of Itacoatiara. Right now I'm on divisions with Elder Almeida because his comp and da Cunha are in Manaus. They left Monday at 4, Tuesday morning they had leadership trainings, Wednesday they had to go to the policia to renew Laskos Visa, Oh but wait it's a holiday and not open! So now it is Thursday and they wont come home till tonight. So update our investigators, the wedding is all set. We took care of that Monday, then the family, everything is going good. Our ward is helping out a ton! Only 2 problems. 1. The pastor of Deuse Amor (God is love) stopped by and said we receive money for every baptism and spreading fofoco (rumors) but she had nothing to do with him, then the other was some member said its ok to wait to be sure...but she said no were ready so I think were all set! We have others but nothing happened w/them. We celebrated Halloween by buying a pepsi and eating the oreos. The coke rule is almost gone. Pres. Klein doesn't like it and the missionaries don't either, its just spreading the rumors that we cant drink coke, but yeah thats how we celebrated Halloween. Were going to make the cake this weekend. (Mom note: I sent Halloween oreos and a Halloween cake mix) We really didn't have anything exciting happen. It is starting to rain alot. It's getting closer and closer to Christmas. So right now I'm studying Livro de Mormon. I'm in Alma and I also started reading Jesus the Christ again. I read it in the CTM but I didn't study it but only 1 problem, the copy I have is in portuguese so it will be difficult but I want to push my language to be really good. But I think that's all for this week. I hope you have a wonderful day and tell everyone to write! Love Ya! Tchau! Elder Deakin Oh we saw a monkey! I petted it and da Cunha got bit haha it was a guys pet! I will write my interpretation of the Good Samaratin here. We can use the parable of the good samaratin to lay out the plan of salvation. Vs. 25 The question is brought up how can I receive eternal life. Vs. 27 The answer is love the Lord because its been said if you love the Lord you will keep his commandments. Vs. 29 Who is my neighbor? (who should I follow) Vs. 30 talks about a "certain man" this certain man is us and as we "fall among theifs" we fall into sin and get spiritually wounded and after the joy of the sin leaves, we are left "half dead" spiritually. Vs. 31-33 talks about a priest levit and a good samaratin some say other othings but for me they lay out the 3 kingdoms of heaven. Vs. 31 the priest is the telestial kingdom, he saw the chance to do good but didn't even try like the people that hear the truth but refuse it cuz it's easier. Vs 32. Levite passed by and stopped and looked. people of the terrestial kingdom that have good intentions but fail to act! Vs. 33 the samaratin is the celestial kingdom having compassion and doing all that was necessry to help him out. Also the good samartin is representative of Jesus, he "comes" to us when we fall into sin and need him most and he shows compassion on us. Vs. 34 he bounds up our wounded hearts and heals us of our pain, gives us all he has to heal to help us meet the "host" Vs. 35 God is the "host," the first two penses given represents burnt offerings that was done before christ come to the earth. Then he says "and whatsoever more thou spendest, I will repay thee when I come again" This is his promise that he will take care of all of the cost on the cross. He will give up his life for us to be "spiritually healed." That's my interpretation of it, take it for what it's worth! haha Have a great week! (Mom note: Britten challenged us to compare the good samaratin to the plan of salvation for family home evening)