Letter 17

07-27-2009

Zone: Tubarão
Area: Criciúma 2

Well turns out I am finally leaving Criciúma 2 and going to a new area. I am also now Senior, so that is something good.  I will be stationed in Pato Branco in the state of Paraná.  Very close to Argentina.
I will be receiving my second Brazilian companion, so that is good. Elder Neves.
We have seen a lot of miracles this last week and I finally learned how to get answers to my prayers more quickly.  Such a hard thing to actually learn how to do...
I have to pack today so this entry will be quite short, but I hope everyone gets to see it soon.
Also, we have a new rule and I am only allowed to receive emails from immediate family, not from Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, Grandparents, nor Friends.  Sorry guys but you are all restricted to conventional mail.
my address is
Elder Jacob L. Holdaway
Missão Brasil Florianópolis
R. Feliciano Nunes Pires, 42
Centro, Florianópolis SC
Brasil
88015-220

I will do my best to write everyone back.
This keyboard is giving me extreme issues... grr..
Até
-Elder Jacob L. Holdaway

Letter 16

07-20-2009
Área: Criciúma 2
Zona: Tubarão
This last week was a week that was fairly busy.  Our numbers were H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E but we were actually working alot.  We are going to have one baptism this Saturday and probably another one as well this Saturday.  Pretty exciting.  One of them is named Adrade, he used to be a BIG violent guy, who beat up police and yeah, was bad news.  Then cancer robbed him of the use of the left side of his body and he turned to Christ. Now he is humble, very thoughtful of others and ready for the gospel.  We taught him the first three lessons and spent a couple hours at his house every day this week.  He is really excited to be baptized and wants to be an Elder. Unfortunately, however, this will be very difficult as he is 28 and no longer has the capacity to travel by foot very much. We actually didn´t find him, he found us.  He showed up the the Chapel on fast Sunday and bore testimony. Basically he is a blessing from the Father.
The other is a woman named Fatíma, she is another golden elect.  She chased down the Élderes in Centro and was asking to be taught.  She then walked up the hill, in the rain, in order to attend an activity in  the chapel.  They weren´t happy when they found out she lived in our area.  We are actually going to teach her whole family today, during P Day. However, a baptism is worth it.
We have seen a great many miracles this week.
First was when we needed to visit Kadi (Adrade). He lives in another city called Forquilhinha ("fork-kill-yin-ya").  About 30 minutes by bus, and 1and 1/2 to 2 hours walk.  We needed to get a bus or a ride from a member as time was pressing for the appointment.
Every member with a car was not home, so we decided to just hurry and try to catch a bus.  This bus is very rare, it only passes like ten times a day. But the Lord helped us.  We walked to the nearest stop along its route, and happened to meet the ONLY member family that lives in Forquilhinha. The bus was arriving at that moment as well.
So we got on the bus and they helped us to get off at the right location; a barro(neighbourhood) by the name of Ouro Negro (black gold).
The Lord has helped us out a lot this week, and has helped teach me that I cannot just rely on my talents alone. It is futile to try and work without His guidance.
We are trying to do our best to work "smart" rather than knock doors. President wants us to use whatever tool is necessary. English Classes, Guitar Lessons, Marriage Counseling (using doctrines of the church), anything and everything.
Unfortunately, this ward is slacking big time and are not helping with the new tracting system so President is just having us do other things now.  I hear that Family Home Evening tracting is working wonders in the other areas though.
I love you all and I miss you. SEND LETTERS!!!
Sincerely,

-Elder Jacob L. Holdaway

Letter 15

07-13-2009
Zone: Tubarão
Area: Criciúma 2

Well people, hope you have strong stomaches for the story you are about to get.. It is a little gross.  So we have a mouse problem... yep, and though we have killed about five mice, there are still more.  I went to cook an egg sandwhich for breakfast, and turns out the mouse had left some presents concealed in the pan. Unfortunately I didn´t realize this until I had eaten about half the sandwhich.
Needless to say I got sick... Now despite having already washed everything like normal, I literally wash everything four times before I use it. Even if it was put away in a safe place... I was also priveleged to eat chicken foot. Oh wow...
Anyway, the work here continues on. We had five investigatores in church last week, three of which got up and bore testimony!  We are in the process of teaching these people and hope to baptize them soon.  Here in the next two weeks I will hit my ten month mark. Time seems to be accelerating at an incredible rate.
However, I hope to make the best of the time I still have. I miss all of you back home. I never realized how important my family is to me and also my friends.
I am still learning a lot, and changing a lot. I doubt my personality will even be recognizable.
Until today I still have only had one Brazilian companion, so for linguistic purposes this is not cool, but maintaining english is far more easy.
I expect to be turning Senior this next transfer, so that will be cool. Apparently Presidente has been wanting to switch me for some time, but as de Jong and I had asked to remain together he has left me junior.
Thanks for all the letters and the support. I would share some of the other cool spiritual experiences I am having, but then I wouldn´t have anything cool to share when I get home!!!!
Haha, valeio gente!
Elder Jacob L. Holdaway