Oi família!
Everything is going good here in Cruz Alta.
The work is moving foward. Unfortunately, all of our appointments with Tanha fell through this week. We´ll know if she´ll get baptized (or cut from the teaching group) this week.
This week we had a zone conference this week. It was a great conference. Presidente taught about all the great examples of missionaries in the scriptures and in church history. I really like the story of Wilford Woodruff. He was baptizing so many people that the cops came to arrest him, and then he baptized them. Then some other cops came and he baptized them 2. There were also 2 "spys" from another church. He baptized them too. Talk about power.
It sounds like the family is doing well. It´s hard to believe that it´s summer other there because it´s starting to get super cold right now. haha
This week me and my companion bought a huge "xis" which is kind of like a huge hamurger with a ton of stuff on it. (egg, chicken hearts, etc.)
Oh Happy 4th of July!
On the 4th of July we were invited to go to an english class to talk about our independence day. We accepted and it turned out pretty well haha. We taught what happened and said that this resulted in religious liberty. We then taught about the restoration. It was really cool.
I hope that everything is going well in AZ!
Com amor,
Elder Rollins
PS I think i need some more socks, and some more hair gel. If we have "The Great Apostasy", "the miracle of forgiveness", or any other good books like that I would love to read it.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
July 2, 2012
Oi Familia!!!
Im soo tired!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We´ve been working really hard this week, this seems liked the first time I stopped all week. My new companion and I have been getting along well.
As a district leader have have to follow up with all the missionaries and their goals, do splits, motivate, serve. I like talking to all the missionaries and getting ideas from them. We have a district meeting every week. Last week we talked a little about the importance of investigators going in the sacrament meeting. It´s been fun.
That sounded like a great family reunion. Let me know how 4th of July goes.
We´re teaching one lady called Tanha. Shes progressing very well. She accepted baptism and this week we are going to mark a date.
Have a great week!
Com amor,
Elder Rollins
PS. The pic is us doing a service project for the bishop. We replanted trees.:)
Im soo tired!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We´ve been working really hard this week, this seems liked the first time I stopped all week. My new companion and I have been getting along well.
As a district leader have have to follow up with all the missionaries and their goals, do splits, motivate, serve. I like talking to all the missionaries and getting ideas from them. We have a district meeting every week. Last week we talked a little about the importance of investigators going in the sacrament meeting. It´s been fun.
That sounded like a great family reunion. Let me know how 4th of July goes.
We´re teaching one lady called Tanha. Shes progressing very well. She accepted baptism and this week we are going to mark a date.
Have a great week!
Com amor,
Elder Rollins
PS. The pic is us doing a service project for the bishop. We replanted trees.:)
Monday, June 18, 2012
June 17, 2012
Hey Family!
Dad. Happy Father´s Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This week was pretty crazy. We had 2 baptisms that were very spiritual (Daia and Elianadra). We also had 9 investigators in church which was awesome. With the other companionship in our branch we had 17 investigators total in our branch. The work is really starting to move forward in Santa Rosa.....but I'm not there anymore! Saturday night I got a phone call from President Ribeiro that I would be transferred to Cruz Alta. I´m the new district leader here. Sunday night I travelled to Santa Maria to get my companion Elder Andersen. We just got here in Cruz Alta a hour ago. I really liked the old area I was in, but i´m sure i´ll like this new one. (I have pics of the baptisms and families from Santa Rosa that i´ll send next week)
Elder Andersen is from Alaska and is my first American companion. He seems to be cool. (Dad, he wants to be a dentist)
I got the package today! I was way happy to get the letters inside. That's always the best part. Also the food the food was (is) great too.
Hows Mitt Romney doing in the election?
Well I´m super tired from traveling. I´m going to go unpack my stuff :)
Com Amor,
Elder Rollins
June 11, 2012
Ola Familia!!
Happy Bday Tess! 16 is a awesome year full of awesome stuff.
Dallin! Usted esta no CTM!
Sounds like alot is happening back home.
This week we started teaching a super awesome family. The parents are Luciane and Renato. They really well off. (Their house is the nicest house I´ve entered here in Brazil) Luciane is already a member but Renato isn´t yet. They knew some people that recently died in a car accident and it opened their eyes. After 10 years of investigating the church, Renato accepted baptism, and Luciane wants to return!
I don´t know what´s happening with Elton. It looks like he doesn´t want to continue. But lets keep praying for him one more week!
Daia and Eliandra will be baptized and it will be awesome! (pictures to come)
Right now I´m studying in the book of Jacob in the Book of Mormon. It´s really good. This morning I calculated the number of nephites and laminates there was when Jacob dies (about 180 after lehi left Jerusalem) And I came up with about 48,086. That´s plenty enough people to have a civilization like they had in that time. (Don´t worry I usually study worthwhile stuff) haha
I love you guys! Até mais!
Elder Rollins
Happy Bday Tess! 16 is a awesome year full of awesome stuff.
Dallin! Usted esta no CTM!
Sounds like alot is happening back home.
This week we started teaching a super awesome family. The parents are Luciane and Renato. They really well off. (Their house is the nicest house I´ve entered here in Brazil) Luciane is already a member but Renato isn´t yet. They knew some people that recently died in a car accident and it opened their eyes. After 10 years of investigating the church, Renato accepted baptism, and Luciane wants to return!
I don´t know what´s happening with Elton. It looks like he doesn´t want to continue. But lets keep praying for him one more week!
Daia and Eliandra will be baptized and it will be awesome! (pictures to come)
Right now I´m studying in the book of Jacob in the Book of Mormon. It´s really good. This morning I calculated the number of nephites and laminates there was when Jacob dies (about 180 after lehi left Jerusalem) And I came up with about 48,086. That´s plenty enough people to have a civilization like they had in that time. (Don´t worry I usually study worthwhile stuff) haha
I love you guys! Até mais!
Elder Rollins
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
June 4, 2012
Hi family!!!!!!!!!
This week was every awesome. We still haven´t baptized Elton. He still doesn´t feel ready "ready" even though he is. If you guys could pray for him that would be great.
DALLIN IS GOING ON HIS MISSION! WHOOOO
That´s awesome. I´m thinking a satchel would be better (at least in brasil we´re not allowed to use backpacks to work). He is going to have some great experiences. I remember waiting to leave on the mission as if it were yesterday. It´s totally different than you could imagine.
This week we marked 2 baptismal dates. The first was a girl named Diana. This baptism kind of fell out of the sky. She´s the girlfriend of a member named Marvan. Luckily she has a testimony that the church is true. She wasn´t baptised yet because her parents didn´t let her. She just turned 18 so after 2 years of waiting she´s going to go swimming. Her baptism will be in 2 weeks.
The other is Aliandra. (that girl that went to church last week). She accepted baptism for the same week. She said that while she was praying about the message she felt a joy and happiness. So she knows the church is true. YEA!!!
Next Sunday we get to watch the dedication of the temple in Manaus. We´ll watch it by transmission. I´m super excited to see it.
I love you guys!
Até mais!
Elder Rollins
This week was every awesome. We still haven´t baptized Elton. He still doesn´t feel ready "ready" even though he is. If you guys could pray for him that would be great.
DALLIN IS GOING ON HIS MISSION! WHOOOO
That´s awesome. I´m thinking a satchel would be better (at least in brasil we´re not allowed to use backpacks to work). He is going to have some great experiences. I remember waiting to leave on the mission as if it were yesterday. It´s totally different than you could imagine.
This week we marked 2 baptismal dates. The first was a girl named Diana. This baptism kind of fell out of the sky. She´s the girlfriend of a member named Marvan. Luckily she has a testimony that the church is true. She wasn´t baptised yet because her parents didn´t let her. She just turned 18 so after 2 years of waiting she´s going to go swimming. Her baptism will be in 2 weeks.
The other is Aliandra. (that girl that went to church last week). She accepted baptism for the same week. She said that while she was praying about the message she felt a joy and happiness. So she knows the church is true. YEA!!!
Next Sunday we get to watch the dedication of the temple in Manaus. We´ll watch it by transmission. I´m super excited to see it.
I love you guys!
Até mais!
Elder Rollins
May 28, 2012
Hey family!
This week was really cool. Unfortunately the baptism of Elton didn´t happen yet. He felt like he needed a little more time to get to know the church. We will be baptized in the next couple weeks. I´ll keep you posted on how he´s progressing.
This week we had our activity of the Plan of Salvation. It was awesome! everyone liked it. I was in charge of the Tellestial Kingdom. It was hilarious. The room we used for this kingdom was upstairs and we flipped the breaker so nowone could turn on the lights. It was completely dark when they came upstairs. They had to go into a tiny room and wait until the end of the activity. There was some great scaring opportunities. We found a good investigator named sergio from this activity.
One more investigator we found is aliandra. She is the Sister of a inactive member. She wanted to learn more about the church. We left a pamphlet about the Restoration with her and we came back a couple days later and she read and understood everything. She went to church and made some good Friends. It looks like she will be baptized. :)
It sounds like there is alot of stuff happening at home. Be safe and have fun!
Com amor, Elder Rollins
This week was really cool. Unfortunately the baptism of Elton didn´t happen yet. He felt like he needed a little more time to get to know the church. We will be baptized in the next couple weeks. I´ll keep you posted on how he´s progressing.
This week we had our activity of the Plan of Salvation. It was awesome! everyone liked it. I was in charge of the Tellestial Kingdom. It was hilarious. The room we used for this kingdom was upstairs and we flipped the breaker so nowone could turn on the lights. It was completely dark when they came upstairs. They had to go into a tiny room and wait until the end of the activity. There was some great scaring opportunities. We found a good investigator named sergio from this activity.
One more investigator we found is aliandra. She is the Sister of a inactive member. She wanted to learn more about the church. We left a pamphlet about the Restoration with her and we came back a couple days later and she read and understood everything. She went to church and made some good Friends. It looks like she will be baptized. :)
It sounds like there is alot of stuff happening at home. Be safe and have fun!
Com amor, Elder Rollins
May 21, 2012
Hey Rollins family!
This week was pretty crazy. There were 3 members from Santa Maria coming to Santa Rosa to visit some freinds and family. They were traveling on the freeway just outside of the city and a semi truck. During the week 2 of the members died and one is not doing too well in the hospital. It was a big eye opener for me. One of the ones that died was a returned missionary of 7 months. The members here in Santa Rosa came together to help the victims of the crash and their loved ones. When things like this happen we can realize the importance of the plan of Salvation. It can give us a security of our future that nothing else could give.
This week we worked alot with a investigator named Elton. He will be baptized this sunday :) He was an elect. 3 Months ago he stoped drinking because he wanted to change and he wanted to have a family again. About 3 weeks ago his firend ,Fabio, invited him to church. Fabio tolds him that the gospel was the thing missing in his life, and he was right. He then came to church.
Thats crazy that Dallin is leaving on his mission. It seems like yesterday he was writing about high school in the emails. Did you guys buy CTR stuff for his mission?
I´m doing good and im eating well. :)
I have a zone conference this week and i´m very excited for that (president is going to talk about the first resurection)
com amor,
Elder Rollins
This week was pretty crazy. There were 3 members from Santa Maria coming to Santa Rosa to visit some freinds and family. They were traveling on the freeway just outside of the city and a semi truck. During the week 2 of the members died and one is not doing too well in the hospital. It was a big eye opener for me. One of the ones that died was a returned missionary of 7 months. The members here in Santa Rosa came together to help the victims of the crash and their loved ones. When things like this happen we can realize the importance of the plan of Salvation. It can give us a security of our future that nothing else could give.
This week we worked alot with a investigator named Elton. He will be baptized this sunday :) He was an elect. 3 Months ago he stoped drinking because he wanted to change and he wanted to have a family again. About 3 weeks ago his firend ,Fabio, invited him to church. Fabio tolds him that the gospel was the thing missing in his life, and he was right. He then came to church.
Thats crazy that Dallin is leaving on his mission. It seems like yesterday he was writing about high school in the emails. Did you guys buy CTR stuff for his mission?
I´m doing good and im eating well. :)
I have a zone conference this week and i´m very excited for that (president is going to talk about the first resurection)
com amor,
Elder Rollins
Thursday, May 17, 2012
May 14, 2012
Ola!
It was great to talk to you guys yesterday. My companion really liked talking to dad in spanish. haha
First of all again, HAPPY MOTHER`S DAY to mom and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to dallin.
This week was pretty fun, we got to build a house. I really enjoyed doing physical type labor again. We did the part on the roof. I almost died a couple of times with flying hammers and roof tiles in the air but it was a good experience. We´re going to go back Saturday to finish the inside. It was cool to see the dedication of some of the members in this service project....I mean....it´s a house! There are 2 members that are always there, they´re 2 retired old guys, brother Joaquin and brother João. They treat it like a full time job. They were great examples to me of service.
This week we´re going to have a super awesome activity at the church. It´s going to be a plan of salvation activity. When everyone gets at the church they´ll receive 5 "talents" (pieces of paper). We will read the parabola of the talents to them, and after there will be 1 hour of games were they could trade their "talents" to gain candy. There will also be "spiritual" games that aren´t as cool where you can gain more talents. At the end everyone will have to go to judgement and the branch president will talk to each person gather their talents (and their candy which represents worldly thing) and put them into one of the 3 kingdoms. Then the Candy will be divided in between the kingdoms. I think it´s going to be really good. Every family is supposed to bring 5 friends. I think we´ll find alot of new investigators because of this.
I hope that everything is going well. Keep me updated on everything.
Com Amor,
Elder Rollins
It was great to talk to you guys yesterday. My companion really liked talking to dad in spanish. haha
First of all again, HAPPY MOTHER`S DAY to mom and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to dallin.
This week was pretty fun, we got to build a house. I really enjoyed doing physical type labor again. We did the part on the roof. I almost died a couple of times with flying hammers and roof tiles in the air but it was a good experience. We´re going to go back Saturday to finish the inside. It was cool to see the dedication of some of the members in this service project....I mean....it´s a house! There are 2 members that are always there, they´re 2 retired old guys, brother Joaquin and brother João. They treat it like a full time job. They were great examples to me of service.
This week we´re going to have a super awesome activity at the church. It´s going to be a plan of salvation activity. When everyone gets at the church they´ll receive 5 "talents" (pieces of paper). We will read the parabola of the talents to them, and after there will be 1 hour of games were they could trade their "talents" to gain candy. There will also be "spiritual" games that aren´t as cool where you can gain more talents. At the end everyone will have to go to judgement and the branch president will talk to each person gather their talents (and their candy which represents worldly thing) and put them into one of the 3 kingdoms. Then the Candy will be divided in between the kingdoms. I think it´s going to be really good. Every family is supposed to bring 5 friends. I think we´ll find alot of new investigators because of this.
I hope that everything is going well. Keep me updated on everything.
Com Amor,
Elder Rollins
Sunday, May 6, 2012
April 30, 2012
Hey!
Alot of things have been happening this week. That´s awesome that Tessara broke the record for pole vault! She almost jumped a basketball rim. It´s also cool that Dallin almost killed him self jumping out of a plane and riding bulls (by the way I'm incredibly jealous). I'm also very happy that Jayden will have the great opportunity of killing an elk.
cool stuff guys baah
This week was very special to me. We traveled all Friday night to arrive in Santa Maria morning. The whole mission was there it was reaaly fun to see old companioins and freinds. We waited for President Holland to get there. It took a while but he eventually arrived. We took a picture and shook his hand afterword.
The conference was incredible. The whole mission had been fasting that he would be able to leave a apostolic blessing with our mission. HIs talk was great. He talked about hypocrisy, the very first thing he taught was what Jesus said to Joseph after 2000 year of not hearing his words. he said that (the churches) "Draw close to me with their words, but their hearts are far from me" He also used the example of Jesus casting people out of the temple and the parabola of the fig tree that jesus killed when the tree didn´t produce friut.The times that Jesus was most mad was with people (or alegories of people) that didn´t live what they taught.
He also taught alot his love for us. He said that president Ribiero is the best mission president in Brazil and maybe the whole world right now.
A little after he said that he felt impressed to do something he hadn´t done in the other 15 missions he had recently visited. When he said that it was like I got hit by a car. I felt the spirit in a way I never have felt it before. I started to cry a little bit, and I couldn´t stop until 20 mintues after he left the building. I never felt quite like that before in my life. He then started to give us an apostolic blessing. He said that it was as if his hands were literally on our heads and was meant for us and the other missions he visited in Brasil. What was so great about the blessing was what I felt. He blessed us to have fruits of our faith. That we don´t have to worry about the future. He blessed us with answers to our personal prayers. I could talk alot about what happened saturday but it would take too long. It was, to say the least, the most spiritual experience in my life until now.
Sunday was great, some of our investigators went to church. We have alot of trust in the members right now which is great. We are started to work more with members in order to baptize and it looks like it will be both easier and more effective.
I'm thankful for my chance to be on this mission and I know the church is true.
Com amor,
Elder Rollins
Ps. I could use Skype for mothers day!!!!!! Tell when it will be better for you gys and i´ll see if it works for me.
Tchau!
Alot of things have been happening this week. That´s awesome that Tessara broke the record for pole vault! She almost jumped a basketball rim. It´s also cool that Dallin almost killed him self jumping out of a plane and riding bulls (by the way I'm incredibly jealous). I'm also very happy that Jayden will have the great opportunity of killing an elk.
cool stuff guys baah
This week was very special to me. We traveled all Friday night to arrive in Santa Maria morning. The whole mission was there it was reaaly fun to see old companioins and freinds. We waited for President Holland to get there. It took a while but he eventually arrived. We took a picture and shook his hand afterword.
The conference was incredible. The whole mission had been fasting that he would be able to leave a apostolic blessing with our mission. HIs talk was great. He talked about hypocrisy, the very first thing he taught was what Jesus said to Joseph after 2000 year of not hearing his words. he said that (the churches) "Draw close to me with their words, but their hearts are far from me" He also used the example of Jesus casting people out of the temple and the parabola of the fig tree that jesus killed when the tree didn´t produce friut.The times that Jesus was most mad was with people (or alegories of people) that didn´t live what they taught.
He also taught alot his love for us. He said that president Ribiero is the best mission president in Brazil and maybe the whole world right now.
A little after he said that he felt impressed to do something he hadn´t done in the other 15 missions he had recently visited. When he said that it was like I got hit by a car. I felt the spirit in a way I never have felt it before. I started to cry a little bit, and I couldn´t stop until 20 mintues after he left the building. I never felt quite like that before in my life. He then started to give us an apostolic blessing. He said that it was as if his hands were literally on our heads and was meant for us and the other missions he visited in Brasil. What was so great about the blessing was what I felt. He blessed us to have fruits of our faith. That we don´t have to worry about the future. He blessed us with answers to our personal prayers. I could talk alot about what happened saturday but it would take too long. It was, to say the least, the most spiritual experience in my life until now.
Sunday was great, some of our investigators went to church. We have alot of trust in the members right now which is great. We are started to work more with members in order to baptize and it looks like it will be both easier and more effective.
I'm thankful for my chance to be on this mission and I know the church is true.
Com amor,
Elder Rollins
Ps. I could use Skype for mothers day!!!!!! Tell when it will be better for you gys and i´ll see if it works for me.
Tchau!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
April 16, 2012
Oi familia!
This was a great week. My new companion is Elder Pires from Pará (a state way to the north). I really like him, he wants to work:)
This week I had some great experiences. The first was the baptism of Rafa. (Rafael) He is awesome. We were teaching him about missionary work and I decided we could do a practice to help him overcome his fear of talking about the gospel. During the practice, he was pretending to talk to his friend André. In the middle of the practice, André showed up. He came in and then Rafa started to teach him just like he had done in the practice. He will be a great missionary one day. I have met very few people with his sincerity and determination in following the gospel. He wants to go on a full time mission. I hope he does.
This week we found 2 in-actives; Cristan and Jefferson. When we got to Cristans house he said that the day before he told his mom that he wanted to go to back to church. The next day we showed up out of nowhere after 2 years of not talking to the missionaries. This happened 2 days later with Jefferson, the same exact thing happened. 1 day later it happened one more time with a 38 year old man named Antonio. The 2 young man came back to church and they want to start preparing for missions.
I really felt the hand of the lord helping us this week.
1 year down :(
1 to go:)
Até mais!
Com Amor,
Elder Rollins
This was a great week. My new companion is Elder Pires from Pará (a state way to the north). I really like him, he wants to work:)
This week I had some great experiences. The first was the baptism of Rafa. (Rafael) He is awesome. We were teaching him about missionary work and I decided we could do a practice to help him overcome his fear of talking about the gospel. During the practice, he was pretending to talk to his friend André. In the middle of the practice, André showed up. He came in and then Rafa started to teach him just like he had done in the practice. He will be a great missionary one day. I have met very few people with his sincerity and determination in following the gospel. He wants to go on a full time mission. I hope he does.
This week we found 2 in-actives; Cristan and Jefferson. When we got to Cristans house he said that the day before he told his mom that he wanted to go to back to church. The next day we showed up out of nowhere after 2 years of not talking to the missionaries. This happened 2 days later with Jefferson, the same exact thing happened. 1 day later it happened one more time with a 38 year old man named Antonio. The 2 young man came back to church and they want to start preparing for missions.
I really felt the hand of the lord helping us this week.
1 year down :(
1 to go:)
Até mais!
Com Amor,
Elder Rollins
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
April 2, 2012
Oi Familia!
The conference was a great experience. This chapel here in Santa Rosa doesn´t have a satelite so the new thing they were trying to do was the internet. Their connection isn´t very good so we missed some parts but it was just a little bit. They only had portuguese so I watched it in portuguese. Because of this I really liked Richard G Scotts talk. He served as a mission president in Chile so he knows spanish and a little bit of portuguese so he translated his own talk. I liked his translation.
Our mission is the lowest baptising mission in brasil. This is mostly due to the strong european influence in this area. But the problem is that there are much less baptisms in the year of 2011 than 2010 (comparing our same mission). Obedience isn´t that big of a problem in our mission either; so the leaders are confused. Elder Holland is going to try to help President fix some things.
We cut most of the investigators in our teaching group because nobody was going to church. We are going to have a baptism this Saturday which will be awesome. Rafeal will be baptised. He is a great example of someone that has changed. He told me that he wants to serve a mission too (he´s 18)! He reads the book of mormon like 5 times a day. He´s awesome.
Thanks for your prayers!
Com amor,
Elder Rollins
The conference was a great experience. This chapel here in Santa Rosa doesn´t have a satelite so the new thing they were trying to do was the internet. Their connection isn´t very good so we missed some parts but it was just a little bit. They only had portuguese so I watched it in portuguese. Because of this I really liked Richard G Scotts talk. He served as a mission president in Chile so he knows spanish and a little bit of portuguese so he translated his own talk. I liked his translation.
Our mission is the lowest baptising mission in brasil. This is mostly due to the strong european influence in this area. But the problem is that there are much less baptisms in the year of 2011 than 2010 (comparing our same mission). Obedience isn´t that big of a problem in our mission either; so the leaders are confused. Elder Holland is going to try to help President fix some things.
We cut most of the investigators in our teaching group because nobody was going to church. We are going to have a baptism this Saturday which will be awesome. Rafeal will be baptised. He is a great example of someone that has changed. He told me that he wants to serve a mission too (he´s 18)! He reads the book of mormon like 5 times a day. He´s awesome.
Thanks for your prayers!
Com amor,
Elder Rollins
Sunday, March 25, 2012
March 19, 2012
Tudo bem pessoal!
That sounds like an awesome spring break. How many square feet is the rental? Thats cool that Romney is doing so well. People here in Brasil all love Obama....they think the he saved America and Brasil from economic collapse.....oh mainstream media...fazer o que haha
I have good news. Jesus was baptized! I just saw the numbers for my old area in Quaraí. It made me so happy to see that. I remember when I made the first contact with him. He seemed like a grumpy old man and he had yellow fingers because he smoked so much. One of the main reasons he was baptized was because of his sense of commitment. When he said he was going to do something he did it.
Here in Santa Rosa we are starting to find some great investigators, some great families. I´ve gained a stronger testimony about the importance of members in missionary work. Everything that went well this week is because we were using members. The testimony of someone that knows you personally will change you faster than anything. I saw this at the house of Luciano yesterday. We found Luciano knocking doors Friday and he was extremely interested. He is this huge german man. He talked about some struggles he was having with cancer. That day that we knocked his door he had gone home early from work. He felt inspired that he needed to go home early. Sunday, he brought a member there and this investigator opened up even more, because of this.
Something crazy also happened. When we got to church yesterday, right before we entered the gate, we heard some confusion andsomeone yelling. We looked over and one of the brothers was chasing a man in a blue shirt. We started to chase him for about 3 blocks. The district president cut him off after the 3rd. The guy dropped the car radio he had stolen and kept going. It was a pretty crazy chase.
I hope that everything is going great at home. I´m thankful that i´m working here as a missionary.
I LIKE LETTERS!
Com Amor, Elder Rollins
That sounds like an awesome spring break. How many square feet is the rental? Thats cool that Romney is doing so well. People here in Brasil all love Obama....they think the he saved America and Brasil from economic collapse.....oh mainstream media...fazer o que haha
I have good news. Jesus was baptized! I just saw the numbers for my old area in Quaraí. It made me so happy to see that. I remember when I made the first contact with him. He seemed like a grumpy old man and he had yellow fingers because he smoked so much. One of the main reasons he was baptized was because of his sense of commitment. When he said he was going to do something he did it.
Here in Santa Rosa we are starting to find some great investigators, some great families. I´ve gained a stronger testimony about the importance of members in missionary work. Everything that went well this week is because we were using members. The testimony of someone that knows you personally will change you faster than anything. I saw this at the house of Luciano yesterday. We found Luciano knocking doors Friday and he was extremely interested. He is this huge german man. He talked about some struggles he was having with cancer. That day that we knocked his door he had gone home early from work. He felt inspired that he needed to go home early. Sunday, he brought a member there and this investigator opened up even more, because of this.
Something crazy also happened. When we got to church yesterday, right before we entered the gate, we heard some confusion andsomeone yelling. We looked over and one of the brothers was chasing a man in a blue shirt. We started to chase him for about 3 blocks. The district president cut him off after the 3rd. The guy dropped the car radio he had stolen and kept going. It was a pretty crazy chase.
I hope that everything is going great at home. I´m thankful that i´m working here as a missionary.
I LIKE LETTERS!
Com Amor, Elder Rollins
Monday, March 12, 2012
March 12, 2012
Hey family!
This week was very interesting.
I got both packages and I love them both. We already ate everything haha. I got the frame too which was way cool. It´s kind of broken but this guy in the branch says he can fix it. It works for like 5 mintues but than the screen turns off. The music keeps going but you can´t see anything. (don´t worry I saw all the pictures it was awesome). Grandpa's chocolate was also very delicious. My companion is Brazilian from Manaus (way from the amozan forest)- Elder Deleon. I dont think he likes me...so i´m trying to be better friends with him.
This area is great. They say this is one of the best areas in the mission. The members are ready to help too. We just need more people to teach to be able to use them. The investigators we do have are very good. Rafeal is one of them. He has changed alot and is progressing very well. He´s the most sincere investigator I´ve had on the mission. His desire to change is huge. He´s going to every activity and every meeting. He hasn´t been baptized because he has some worthiness issues but he will be ready in a month or two. His uncle is also very good. His nickname is Pipa. He will also be baptized but he has to quit smoking. When the Spirit is present in a lesson, it´s always very strong during the part of the first vision and also when we talk about families.
To answer your question about teaching- in this branch we are just attending and accompanying our investigators. In the other areas, I taught alot.
We are knocking alot of doors. haha Most the day is walking under the hot sun
We started an english class and we had are first class Saturday. We taught them how they can make a study plan to learn english. It was a cool experience.
I have to go back to work!
Com Amor,
Elder Rollins
This week was very interesting.
I got both packages and I love them both. We already ate everything haha. I got the frame too which was way cool. It´s kind of broken but this guy in the branch says he can fix it. It works for like 5 mintues but than the screen turns off. The music keeps going but you can´t see anything. (don´t worry I saw all the pictures it was awesome). Grandpa's chocolate was also very delicious. My companion is Brazilian from Manaus (way from the amozan forest)- Elder Deleon. I dont think he likes me...so i´m trying to be better friends with him.
This area is great. They say this is one of the best areas in the mission. The members are ready to help too. We just need more people to teach to be able to use them. The investigators we do have are very good. Rafeal is one of them. He has changed alot and is progressing very well. He´s the most sincere investigator I´ve had on the mission. His desire to change is huge. He´s going to every activity and every meeting. He hasn´t been baptized because he has some worthiness issues but he will be ready in a month or two. His uncle is also very good. His nickname is Pipa. He will also be baptized but he has to quit smoking. When the Spirit is present in a lesson, it´s always very strong during the part of the first vision and also when we talk about families.
To answer your question about teaching- in this branch we are just attending and accompanying our investigators. In the other areas, I taught alot.
We are knocking alot of doors. haha Most the day is walking under the hot sun
We started an english class and we had are first class Saturday. We taught them how they can make a study plan to learn english. It was a cool experience.
I have to go back to work!
Com Amor,
Elder Rollins
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
February 27, 2012
Oi familia!
Como Vai?!
It sounds like everything is going well at home. I just found out that im being transfered to Santa Rosa. I leave in 1 hour. :)
I´m sad beause we are starting to find some great investigators and I have alot of friendships here. One of the things we did alot here was reactivation. We reactivated about 5 people. One guy was an old branch president that hadn't gone to church in about 10 years. He is determined to come back and hopefully his 9 year old son will be baptized. It has been amazing to see the change in their lives.
I´m really excited to go to this new area. I have heard very good things about this city.
This week I tried to scare a cat but it didn´t work....haha
The language is going very well.
I almost forgot about my birthday haha
I have to go buy the bus ticket right now.
Com Amor e até logo,
Elder Rollins
ps I should get the package tommorow:)
Como Vai?!
It sounds like everything is going well at home. I just found out that im being transfered to Santa Rosa. I leave in 1 hour. :)
I´m sad beause we are starting to find some great investigators and I have alot of friendships here. One of the things we did alot here was reactivation. We reactivated about 5 people. One guy was an old branch president that hadn't gone to church in about 10 years. He is determined to come back and hopefully his 9 year old son will be baptized. It has been amazing to see the change in their lives.
I´m really excited to go to this new area. I have heard very good things about this city.
This week I tried to scare a cat but it didn´t work....haha
The language is going very well.
I almost forgot about my birthday haha
I have to go buy the bus ticket right now.
Com Amor e até logo,
Elder Rollins
ps I should get the package tommorow:)
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
February 21, 2012
E ai Familia Rollins!
Hows it going! This week was pretty cool, but also really slow.
The gem of the week was Thursday. It was a great day. We found some good people we´re going to start teaching and we commited Jesus for baptism. Jesus is very humble and has been progressing very well. He went to church again and is starting to build some friendships within the branch. Jesus know said he knows the church is true because he feels good when he goes to church. He said he never liked going to church because the church he went to had alot of yelling and people falling on the ground. and he´s right. How can you expect to feel the spirit doing these things. One more proof. Jesus´s problem is smoking. We are helping him to leave smoking behind and be baptized here in March. It won't be easy (his fingers are yellow from always holding a cigirette) but it will be worth it.
This is the last week of the transfer so i´ll let you know what happens to me next week. How's the family? How's school going?
Com amor,
Elder Rollins
Hows it going! This week was pretty cool, but also really slow.
The gem of the week was Thursday. It was a great day. We found some good people we´re going to start teaching and we commited Jesus for baptism. Jesus is very humble and has been progressing very well. He went to church again and is starting to build some friendships within the branch. Jesus know said he knows the church is true because he feels good when he goes to church. He said he never liked going to church because the church he went to had alot of yelling and people falling on the ground. and he´s right. How can you expect to feel the spirit doing these things. One more proof. Jesus´s problem is smoking. We are helping him to leave smoking behind and be baptized here in March. It won't be easy (his fingers are yellow from always holding a cigirette) but it will be worth it.
This is the last week of the transfer so i´ll let you know what happens to me next week. How's the family? How's school going?
Com amor,
Elder Rollins
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
February 7, 2012
Oi Familia!
I hope that everything is going swell! This week was pretty epic. This week we gained 2 new friends. Rex and Lazy. haha. These 2 dogs keep following us! It´s been pretty funny.
Yesterday we had another conference with Elder Claudio Costa who is a member of the seventy. It was a great experience. He talked alot about following the Spirit. In missionary work, we need to have the spirit or we are going to fail in our purpose. He talked about the power and authority of the mission call. He was a great motivator to be more direct with our teaching. We can´t be afraid to offend or embarrass.
At the conference, I talked to an Elder Lyman (the one standing next to me in the photo with a gray tie). He is cousins with the Lymans in our ward. I also got to talk to and meet many other elders I haven´t seen in a long time.
Last night we did a family night with one family in the branch. When we arrived, it was obivous that they had problems in their family. There was alot of yelling, throwing of things, and disrespect. (It kept me wondering what they did when they didn´t have visitors over.) As we taught the message, we focused on covenants. The covenants they made with baptism, temple, etc. and all the little things they (and us too) have to do to keep them. When I asked them "when was the last time they had a family night", they bashfully replied that it had been over 2 years. When I asked about family scripture study It had been even longer. It was no wonder to me why things were not going to too well in this family. It´s amazing to see the difference in the families that do the little things and the families that don´t. I We explained that their happinies in family life depends on the little things. It turned out to be a great spiritual experience for me and for them and what I hope will bring change to their lifes.
Com Amor,
Elder Rollins
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
January 24, 2012
Oi familia!
That sounds like a pretty crazy week. Dallin got his mission call! WHEWW! Colorado sounds like a great place.
This week was awesome. We had the baptism of Ricardo. Ricardo was a great investigator and I know he will be a great leader in the church some day. That baptism was a cool experience. His step son baptized him.
The branches here are starting to get stronger this last sunday there were about 60 people in church! Which is awesome.
One of the things I love doing now is family night. What a great oportunity we havd to invite others to the gospel. Family night is great because it does a couple of thing. It brings non members into the home of a member where the spirit resides, builds frendships, and gives the obvious oportunity to teach the message of the restaration. I challenge you guys this week to invite a family to family night and to invite the missionaries to give the message. Tell me how it goes in 2 weeks.
President in our meeting yesterday (thats why my pday is today) told us that we are alowwed to use "shappels" a gaucho hat;) it looks like a pioneer hat.
I have to go already;(
Até proximo
Bom noite familiar
Com amor
Elder Rollins
January 9, 2011
Wut up my family!
This week was complete with great experiences. We found some investigators that have alot of problems, but all of them want to repent and change their lifes! There names are Junior, Lutiano and Lucas. If you guys could pray for them that would be great. They have problems with almost all of the commandments, but I think with prayer and their own faith, they will change.
This week the other companionship that we´re living with had a baptism. I had the opportunity to interview Rafeal for the baptism. It was a great thing for me. After the interview I felt that he was truly prepared. In the interview we talked about all of his doubts. He´s indicating that he has the desire to serve a mission.
We found out yesterday that one of the branches that i´m serving in will be closed. Alot of people are sad about this, but it also a great opportunity to renew the city. I think this will excite the members to help more with missionary work.
Ricardo accepted baptism! :) We marked January 21 and he is progressing great.
Thanks for all of your prayers!
Love,
Elder Rollins
This week was complete with great experiences. We found some investigators that have alot of problems, but all of them want to repent and change their lifes! There names are Junior, Lutiano and Lucas. If you guys could pray for them that would be great. They have problems with almost all of the commandments, but I think with prayer and their own faith, they will change.
This week the other companionship that we´re living with had a baptism. I had the opportunity to interview Rafeal for the baptism. It was a great thing for me. After the interview I felt that he was truly prepared. In the interview we talked about all of his doubts. He´s indicating that he has the desire to serve a mission.
We found out yesterday that one of the branches that i´m serving in will be closed. Alot of people are sad about this, but it also a great opportunity to renew the city. I think this will excite the members to help more with missionary work.
Ricardo accepted baptism! :) We marked January 21 and he is progressing great.
Thanks for all of your prayers!
Love,
Elder Rollins
Sunday, January 1, 2012
December 26, 2011
Oi!
How´s the christmas hangover? (from all the candy and stuff) haha
Our Christmas was good, my companion and I both gave talks which went well, and after we went christmas caroling at a old persons home...Alot of the white people here are Nazis that immigrated here after WW2 and I think I talked to a real live Nazi there.haha He was way old.
We have a great investigator named Trinidade (means Trinity) that lives far from the actual city (you have to walk forever to get there) that seems to be really good. He´s a older guy who has alot of faith. Whenever we teach him he seems to have the gift to humbly accept our message with complete trust. He has a whole life of opinion and experience already but he still accepts truth as it is presented to him. I know that because of his humility that he´ll be baptized and that he´ll be genuily wiped clean of his sins. It made me think if I would do the same thing at the age that he has. I think that I (and everyone) could work a little harder at being humble.
I hope everything is going well at home and I can´t wait till the next call on mothers day.
Com Amor,
Elder Rollins
How´s the christmas hangover? (from all the candy and stuff) haha
Our Christmas was good, my companion and I both gave talks which went well, and after we went christmas caroling at a old persons home...Alot of the white people here are Nazis that immigrated here after WW2 and I think I talked to a real live Nazi there.haha He was way old.
We have a great investigator named Trinidade (means Trinity) that lives far from the actual city (you have to walk forever to get there) that seems to be really good. He´s a older guy who has alot of faith. Whenever we teach him he seems to have the gift to humbly accept our message with complete trust. He has a whole life of opinion and experience already but he still accepts truth as it is presented to him. I know that because of his humility that he´ll be baptized and that he´ll be genuily wiped clean of his sins. It made me think if I would do the same thing at the age that he has. I think that I (and everyone) could work a little harder at being humble.
I hope everything is going well at home and I can´t wait till the next call on mothers day.
Com Amor,
Elder Rollins
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