Hey

3/4/2009

It all happened on one of them zippity do-da days...
 
How was everyones week back home, boa (this compuer doesn´t have a question mark 

button, is that not wierd or what)
  Also as a prewarning this computers delete button doesn´t work so... that would 

be the readson for any or the lots of evrrors this week.
  For me, this week was pretty tough.  Just being a missionary cauight up to my 

body and i ended up getting a little sick and being dehydrated with a sick throat 

friday and saturday.  Its ok tho cause i bounced back and nothing kept me from 

participating in our service project saturday luckly.
 Speaking of which, if you ever get a chance to paint in Brazil....Don´t.  No 

í´m just kidding, its actually quite the experience with paint in powder that 

you mix with water (and maybe we have in it the states) but it truely looks like 

your just getting the walls wet and paintsing nothing util about the third 

coat.  The entire thing was a blast tho.  It was the home of a recent convert 

who lives there with her two kids.  Every grab a paint brush and just went at 

it.  Afterwards we had some left over paint too so we walked to her next door 

neighbors house and painted a room of her house too.  The entire thing was great!
  The very start of this week was pretty rough.  I´ve only cried like 4 times 

on my mission and thursday night makred one of them.  We had just got to a 

investigators house when they told us the weren´t sure if htey were that 

interested anymore after talking to the bishop about the importance of getting 

married.  My companion explained how he had only been so forward cause he was 

trying to help , and got everyone back on the right track.  After sharing a 

message i gave the closing pray, pretty simple, but just honest asking Heavenly 

Father to bless this family and hepl them to know what was right and what they 

needed to do.  When i looked up the husband was a little choked up but mannaged 

to shaek my hand and help us out.  Two stepps away i asked my companion what 

was holding them back from marige in the first place.  Turns out the wife 

receives money everymonth because her past husband past away and a marrige 

would tstop that moneys arrival.  This crushed me.  Something so eternal 

being stopped in its tracks by money, something so incredible wordly.  How 

do you make people relize this.  We read in DandC that marrige is critical 

to achieve the greatest glory of the celestial kingdom.  Then in MOsiah we 

read about the blessing of those who keep the comandments of God ´´the 

blessed and happy state,´´ is it hard to see both the short and long pay off 

of following the comandments that have been set before us.  My favorite quote 

this week from disney is ´´Think of all the Joy you´ll find when youy leave 

the World b ehind´´ -from peter pan (Think of a WOnderful Thought)   WE 

cannot serve to masters....
  My second favorite disney qupte this week was ´´Life is so unnerving, for 

a servant who isn´t serving´´ (-Be our guest, Beauty and the Beast)  I think 

this applies so well to missionary work.  Times fly when i sepend the whole 

day walking and talking to everyone inbettween apointments.  Then you can to 

faith as well i think in asking whether or not your excerising your faith.  I 

think everyday we shoguld find a way in which to excersise our faith and take 

that step in a new direction.  Then later on we can look back and see how much 

we´ve grown.
  Most importnt thing i taught myself this week :  Ask yourself, ´´What have i 

learned today´´ twice a day.  Personally, thats once after lunch and one when 

i k0neel down to pray at night.  NOt only does this help you remember the 

things yourve learned but it also helps you see all your acheived that day. 

after lunch is also a great time to ask your self ´´great, now how can i add 

to this knowledge i´ve gained´´´
  Most Humdiling Moment this Week:  A lady who lkives no where near are ward 

showed up in church this week and was hoping our ward personally had a program 

for poeple in need of a meal or just someway to recieve money.  I talked to 

her for a while and explained that as an individual ward our hurch wasn´t 

really established that way.  However a few minutes later (while waiting for 

the bishop) a member pulled my her and my companion aside, out side the 

church.  As he handed her ten reis and a passalong card of ours, each of us 

bore our testimony of how the church could helkp both her and her small 

child in their lives.  HOnestly i think the spirit may have been stronger 

there in that little garden than through our sacrament meeting with all the 

humility and love being shown from everyone.  I have faith she´ll go on to 

look into the igreja near her home
  After Church we, me and companion, had the privalige to give and older man 

in the ward a blessing.  It is sucxh a blessing and privalige to be able to 

hold the preisthood and do such things.  It sets our church apart.  And one 

other thing that also sets our church apart is, the resteration!  This week 

in Zone Conference we talked about giving first lessons of power!  The challenge 

is to keep it all in 8-10 minutes as well.  This is so hard for me personally. 

I know Joseph SMith went to the grove as a young man toask which church was 

true in solem pray, and keeping such a wonder ful event in the history of the 

world to eight minutes is difficult.  
  Well i halfta go but this week make sure to keep in mind that everytime you

bear your testimony your sins are forgivin you.  SO BEAR YOUR TESTIMONY EVERY 

CHANCE YOU GET.  (another one of our presidents points this week)  
  As for my testimony, i hope each one of you know that i am here in Brasil 

because the church is true.  That i have aityh and hope for a better world 

which i know can come threough service and charity towards one another. 

Christ walked this earth and suffered for each one of us.  He knows us 

individually and has felt our worst pains.  Building stronger Christ like 

attributes everyday can strengthen both our testimony and tho around us. 

It's interesting, as i learn more portuguese and realize how little can 

truely be translated i become more and more thankful for the spirit speaking 

for me.  Live worthy of its presents, and it will always help you answer 

questions in your life and be there to comfort you.  Most importantly realize 

that we are preparing to return back to Heavenly Father someday.  I know 

families are eternal and its up to us to live worthy of such a marvelous 

blessing, so make sure your doing so and constantly telling them how much 

you love them.
  Ipm sorry this emails been scatter brained.  There's so much i wanna say 

that i just can´t demonstrate throw and email.
  I love you all
Elder Neubrger