Monday, January 26, 2015

This Transfer Could Not Get Stranger...Let´s Hope

Dear family,

I can hardly believe that least week I was emailing you all to tell you about my companion going home. That seriously feels like an eternity ago. So many things have happened since then. It´s almost been 2 weeks! But anyway, lots of things have happened.

So, I found out that I would be staying in trio for the rest of the transfer. The assistants told me to show the other elders my elder ´just in case´ I got transferred and they had to stay here and take care of both of the areas. Well, you know when assitants say something like that, it´s because I will be transferred. Anway, we have spent the last two weeks working one day in my area and the other day in their area. it´s been pretty difficult because we work on opposite sides of the city. It makes it difficult to be able to follow up with people or to just pass by in someone´s house so that we can set up a time to teach them. The upside is that we were able to really focus this week, teach a lot of people, and baptize someone! The week turned out really great with a surprising twist at the end.

On Saturday, we planned to do an exchnage with a young priest in the branch so that would could get ready for the baptism and still teach. Anyway, I called President so that I could get authorization for the exchange with the rapaz. When I called President, he told me that it was a good thing that I had called him because I would probably be transferred that very weekend. Well, that didn´t give me too much information, but President advised me to make sure that my companions knew the area well just in case I got transferred. That was a little pebble just rolling around in my shoe all day. I tried not to let it bother me too much, but how can you not think about wing moved to a new area in the near future? Anyway, I didn´t tell anyone because misisonaries tend to slack off when they learn that they are getting moved around. I didn´t hear anything else until last night President called me and told me that I am being transferred today to the city of Três Corações in the state of Minas Gerais and that I am being called as zone leader. Apparently, there has been a lot of problems with obedience in the zone (starting with the leaders) and now I am being sent there to fix it all up. Well, that´s a lot to put on a pair of little shoulders. It was very encouraging to hear President Cascardi say that he trusted in me to do what was necessary. I thought that he had lost all hope in me after last week with my Full House routine, but apparently that wasn´t the case.

That´s the big news from this week. I am very sad to be leaving Barra do Piraí, especially since we are teaching some families very good that are getting ready to be baptized. It will be hard to say goodbye, but I will be glad if there was something that I could have don to help them come unto Christ and enter into the covenant waters of Israel. Sorry, but that´s about all that I can think about from this past week. I am already packed, and now it is time to say goodbye to the people here.

I love you all. Know that I know that Jesus CHrist is our Savior. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. On Sunday I had the chance to teach the young men and young women about the Book of Mormon. There was an investigator of ours there as well. It was such a great opportunity to help show them all the importance of the Book of Mormon. I was a little sad when the Church-raised youngsters couldn´t answer some basic questions about the origins of the sacred text. When I asked aobut their favorite Book of Mormon scripture, only one young woman could think of her favorite Book of Mormon scripture; it was Moroni 10:5 and she wasn´t able to remember the reference. I know that it can be hard sometimes to set aside time and study, but do it. You will be blessed. The Book of Mormon will help us come closer to Christ than any other book. We can be perfected through the Book of Mormon. Knowing scriptural references and historical origins of the record are a part of that perfection process. Search, ponder, and pray are the things that we all must do to have scripture power to keep us safe from sin. I love you all! Be safe!


With much love, Elder Parker Ayer

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