We just got to Contagem, our new area. When I say "we" I mean Elder Eve and I. I was transfered to Contagem today from Sete Lagoas and will finish my mission here training Elder Eve who got here from the MTC yesterday. He's from Kentucky. This transfer is sure to pass quickly, I think it'll be fun. Neither of us know the area because both of the missionaries who were here before us were transfered.
When I got to the bus station in Belo Horizonte this morning I found out that one of them forgot to leave the key here and went to Montes Claros with the house key in his pocket. Montes Claros is ten hours away from here. He's going to overnight it to us. Until then, we're going to have to sleep at the Zone Leaders house.
It was a very eventful final week in Sete Lagoas. On Sunday we were supposed to baptize two kids, Henrique and Kesley, but they both had to go work with their parents and were unable to attend church. Then on Monday when we found out that I was going to be transfered, they both insisted that they be baptized on Tuesday before I left, and so we talked to the Bishop and organized a baptismal service for tuesday night. It was really hurried and poorly organized, but also really fun to be able to baptized those two before I left the area. Elder Vasquez and his new companion will continue working with both of their families.
After the baptism, we went to Kesley's house and his family had made a going away dinner/party for me, which was delicious. I was sad to leave them, and leave the area, but at the same time kind of relieved. Six months is a long time to stay in one place. But overall, this last area that I was in - Sete Lagoas Ala 1 was my favorite of all the other areas I've passed in. It really is a great place. When I come back I will visit there for sure.
It was also sad to say goodbye to Rosa and Luiz, who we baptized a little while ago. They're the family who have a son on his mission in São Paulo and will be sealed in the São Paulo temple in July. Their son's mission president said that they could go there to be sealed while he is still in his mission. I'm hoping that I'll be able to come back to watch that happen next July.
On Sunday, Elder Vasquez went with Irmão Branco to Paraopeba to confirm Marcia who was baptized last week and to return her purse which she forgot in the bathroom of the church, unfortunately they didn't make it to Paraopeba because a semi-truck hit them from the front. Luckily, Elder Vasquez was in the back so it didn't flip, and the Lord probably gave them extra protection because there was a missionary in the car. So that was wild... luckily I wasn't with them.
Love you guys, and see you in six weeks!
Elder Sisco

On Sunday we had three people lined up to be baptized. Only one of them went. Marcia, from Paraopeba, the lady who had a fear of water and backed out of her baptism while she was changing clothes came by herself on Sunday on a bus and was baptized.
Sunday was the Sete Lagoas Stake Conference from 9-11 and then from 5-7. Henrique's family all went (five in total), and Henrique was supposed to be baptized after the first session, but he backed out at the last minute. He had even brought a towel and underwear and everything, and was all excited. I think he was sad that he wasn't going to be baptized together with his dad. But on Sunday we are preparing for the whole family to go together.
President Parrella was there on Sunday for the conference and he stayed to watch Marcia's baptism, which was a blessing because I think that if he hadn't been there with Sister Parrella she may not have gone, they gave her so much support. After she came out of the bathroom she didn't smile anymore, she was scared to death. President and Sister Parrella talked to her quite a bit and calmed her down. President Parrella suggested that when she was baptized, everyone stay in the cultural hall and wait, and not to fill up the room, so just he and I and the Bishop and Sister Parrella went to watch the baptism.
The first time didn't give, her head popped out of the water. The second time the same thing happened. Because of her fear, when Elder Vasquez tried to immerse her in the water, she stiffened her whole body and didn't bend her knees or do anything to facilitate the baptism. After President talked to her again while she was standing there in the water, and explained to her a little bit better, the third time she was baptized. It was very exciting.
Elder Vasquez underwent a mini-surgery for his ingrown toenail this morning. The doctor told him that he has to stay 2-3 days at home resting, so we have to find members that can divide with us so that we don't have to abandon our area in this critical moment.
The other night I did a contact with two ladies and one of them kept asking these stupid questions about the church, and making ridiculous, false comments, but after she left and we were talking to her friend, her friend said, "I think that she's of the Devil, but I want you guys to go to my house." And then she told us about how she use to be from the Universal church, but she didn't like how the pastor talked so much about money, so she prayed and asked Heavenly Father to enlighten her. She opened the Bible, and read that scripture in 1 Peter 5 that says that people who take care of the church shouldn't be paid, but should do the work voluntarily and for love, and so she stopped going to the Universal church and said she was looking for the truth.
We went there yesterday and taught the restauration to her. The Spirit was very strong. At the end of the lesson I asked her, "how are you feeling right now?" and she said, "I feel like an emptiness that was inside of me has been filled." We invited her to be baptized on the fourth of October and she accepted willingingly.
"Os eleitos ouvirão a minha voz e não endurecerão o coração."
"The elects will hear my voice, and will not harden their hearts." (I think that's what it is in english)
I love and miss you all,
Elder Sisco

On Thursday morning Elder Leme my Zone Leader called me and told me he needed me to go to Curvelo with him to do baptismal interviews. Curvelo is a 3 hour bus ride from Sete Lagoas. We left at 2:00 and got there at 5:00. The Elders showed up way late and we didn't start the interviews until 7:00. Luckily, because there were two of us, it was fast and we were able to catch the last bus at 8:00 back to Sete Lagoas. We ended up getting to his apartment at 11:00 at night. Traveling is tiring.
On the bus ride there there were two girls sitting behind us who kept asking us questions. First they wanted to know about the church, so I explained to them about the Book of Mormon and bunch of other stuff, and then I guess they got tired of that so they started asking things like, "do you have a girlfriend?" "can you date people that aren't from your religion?" "can you have sex outside of marriage?"
They promised they would go to church on Sunday to see us, but they didn't go. That's probably a good thing.
On Sunday, though, we did have nine investigators at church. Everyone from the Family we're teaching, plus three cousins went. We also had a woman named Carla that we're teaching there. It was very fun to enter into the sacrament meeting with that huge group of people. I think the members were impressed.
That night, we marked a Family Home Evening at the Bishop's house with the family. Everyone except the oldest daughter went. They loved it. It was a success.
The bus company that we use to go to Paraopeba called us and told us that they found our cell phone. I was so relieved. Now I don't have to pay for it.
Marcia, the woman from Paraopeba who was supposed to be baptized but ended up not, went to church on Sunday and told the members there to tell us that she wanted us to go to her house. We went there on monday and she said that she wants to be baptized, and that she overcame the fears that she had. We marked her baptism for Saturday. I'm skeptical, but we'll see what happens. I called the Bishop and told him, and he was also skeptical, but I think she'll go through with it this time.
Today Elder Vasquez and I slept for 3 1/2 hours after our study. From 10am to 1:30pm. It was one of the best naps ever. I think I probably wont sleep again until tomorrow night.
Well, that's all the news for this week.
Love you guys,
Elder Sisco

This week, on Thursday, we went and did some visits with Paul, the guy from London that's in our ward. He said he has 30 references of people that he wants us to contact, so he drove us around and we started contacting them. We got 7, I think, it was good. The problem is that he doesn't really speak Portuguese, but we were able to help him out. He's very outgoing and talks to everyone about the gospel. He does more missionary work than anyone else in the ward.
Our ward has an attendance rate of about 160 on average. It's close to being split.
On Sunday Irmão Branco, the high counselor who is in charge of Paraopeba went there to see how things are going and he said that Marcia was there and she told him to tell us to go back to her house because she wants to be baptized. He also said there was a married couple who talked to him and also said they wanted to be baptized. We thought, "fantastic! three baptisms this Sunday!" So we went there yesterday to teach this couple and see how marcia is doing. I personally don't really have much faith in her anymore, but we went to see.
Marcia wasn't home, so we went and invited the couple to the house where we have the meetings so we could teach them. They're from the Assembleia de Deus (Assembly of God? Does that exist?) They were very nice. Deli, the husband, has already worked for a church-owned business, so he knows much about the church already.
We taught them the first lesson, and the Spirit was very strong. Then we arrived at the end, and I said, "knowing from God that all of these things that we have said right now are true, would you follow Christ's example and be baptized in the church on the 20th of September?" But really, I didn't get to the part about the date, because before I finished Maria Lucia, the wife, said "No! no, no, no. I have already been baptized in the Assembleia church. Absolutely not." I was a little taken aback. I looked at Deli, and asked him and he said the same thing. We spent another 20 minutes talking about authority and Joseph Smith again, but it really didn't help. We ended up leaving the Book of Mormon with them and inviting them to church. So that was disappointing. I have no idea how Irmão Branco understood that they wanted to be baptized.
On the way to Paraopeba, Elder Vasquez called Sister Parrella, but she didn't answer so he waited for her to call back. He handed me the phone, but I said "no, you can keep it. After she calls give it back to me." He put it on his lap and fell asleep. She never called. Then our stop came and we got off. And the cell phone? It's still on the bus.
That means that I'm going to have to pay R$100,00 (like, $60) out of my missionary allowance to cover the lost cell phone. Really, it's not my fault, but since I'm the senior companion, the phone is my responsibility. The situation is under control, though.
So, now we have no cell phone and no communication with anyone. I talked to Elder Rospirski today and he said that by next Tuesday we'll be able to get our new phone.
Love you guys,
Elder Sisco