Why is Elder Amata Here?

 

Bom dia, this week was full of exciting things and so much happened this week it was very busy and full of surprises.

 

BAPTISM

This week we had 2 baptisms, Karine and her son Pedro and they have a funny story. So, we had been teaching them for 6-7 weeks, so longer than I've actually been here and they knew the church is true and had been going to church every week and all the activities and were friends with the members, but they didn't think they were ready, and Karine wanted a sign. She decided to have the interview and was ready to go when she wanted but even after the interview and the zone leaders telling her she was good to go she still wanted a sign that she was ready and later that day we got a message from her and it was a picture of a rainbow and she shortly said after that that she was ready and the rainbow was the sign. So later that day we had the baptism, and it was great both her and her son are super smart and are down to earth good people, so we were very happy for them.

 

TRANSFERS

This week we had transfers, and it was just all crazy. Sadly, Elder Paz and Elder Bangerter left me in unai, which was not expected. We thought that one of them would stay but I guess that wasn't in the plan. It all ended up working out though my new companion is awesome. His name is Elder Haris, and he will end his mission this transfer so it is cool that he has a lot of experience. It has only been 2 days of us being in unai, but it has been fun and also very difficult because although he is training me, I have to explain the area and the people to him so it's like we are training each other in different ways. For the actual transfer part, it was very fun to see everyone there were a bunch of missionaries at the bus station and we had time to catch up and see how everyone was doing while we waited. 

 

HANGING OUT WITH PRESIDENT 

This week I also had the opportunity to have lunch with the mission president and all the new missionaries that came in this transfer, and it was a little strange but also amazing. It was a little strange because I went to the airport to pick up the new missionaries and it was me an elder in an area that no one knows about and all the secretaries and assistants so they were very confused of who I was and most of them were from Brazil and I didn’t know how to explain the situation in Portuguese but after a lot of portu-english I was able to explain the general concept of why I was there. It was funny because the president wanted a picture with all the assistants and secretaries, and he also wanted me in the picture and I'm sure if he posted it everyone would be very confused as to who I am. After that I was the lucky one who got to ride with the mission president in his car while we went to some places around Brasilia and the mission house. It was a very cool and unique experience. It was about 30-40 minutes in total between just me and the mission president, so I was able to learn a lot about him and his experience as a missionary almost 40 years ago and being a mission president, so I learned a lot. Then we had lunch at the mission house, and I was able to get to know the new missionaries with the little Portuguese that i know. 

 

STUCK IN BRASILIA

So yeah, we were supposed to be back in unai Thursday night but that did not happen we ended up getting back Saturday afternoon. Thursday while we were at the bus station the president told me that I would have lunch with him on Friday then go home after, so we thought ok well stay one more day than go home and it was cool we got dinner with the secretaries and some of the other missionaries staying. Then the next day after lunch with the president we got to the mission office, and they told us that all the buses had already left or were full SOOO we had to stay another night. It was fun. We went to the store and had to cross the freeway while running with macarons. So, despite the waiting and being stuck it was really fun. I got to talk with all the assistants and secretaries who all have lots of knowledge and are great missionaries.

 

OTHER STUFF

It also was kind of cool because the night before we left unai for transfers everyone was sad to see the elders’ level and it rained for the first time in a month, and I don't think it will rain for a while longer, so it was like a movie. 

It was also very weird to be with the new missionaries and important people because I was the only one not in a suit because I didn't know it would be happening until I was already in Brasilia. 

PHOTOS :)

Baptism 

Cooking 

New kitchen knife 

We found macarons.