Working With MemBROS

Hey Family,

First of all, a really cool thing about portuguese that I just realized is that the word for members is membros. I think its cool, because some missionaries like to just do their own thing, but we´ve got to work together with the members of the ward/branch to have real success and growth. They should be our bros, and for that reason, membros is a cool word.

Also, I received the box you sent that had an orange tie that you wanted me to use to take pictures for the family photo. There was also some pig candy, which was like really sweet bacon jerky, that also had tons of pepper. Brazillians hate spicy food, so my comp didn´t like it at all, but I thought it was awesome. More for me :)

Alright, enough with that nonsense. 

This week was really cool, although a little tough, with some big downs, but I learned a lot. Staying with the same companion for 3 transfers is really cool because Elder Inácio and I know how to teach really well together now, but at the same time, it´s tough being with the same person 24/7 all day, all night. But hey, it´s good prep for when I get married one day, and I´m sure it´ll be a lot easier to handle an eternity with a babe wife if I can handle 4-5 months with a Brazillian dude.

Do you guys remember Jaqueline and Alexandre? A family that lives in MAricá  that I was teaching while I was in Alcãntara because there weren´t missionaries here? Well, after we divided the area, I wasn´t able to visit them anymore, and the new elders thought they lived too far away. I kept saying "go visit them, go visit them!" and finally after about 3 months, the other elders met them and they came to church yesterday! Also, a really special family from alcantara, Jaqueline´s parents, came to the branch in Maricá. I love them so much, and I couldn´t resist taking a picture with them after the meeting. They're really excited to prepare for baptism, and have really become excited to start receiving the lessons again. I´ll put a picture in the email to show them.... again.

We have a baptism planned for this Saturday for Sônia, Ana Karen´s grandma. She´s pretty dang sweet and has known the church for a long time. She´s always wanted to be a part of it, but... missionaries never invited her, and her brother who´s a bishop in Rio never invited the missionaries to teach her. Soooooo, we´re happy that God didn´t give up on her and still gave her a chance to receive the restored gospel in her life. She was smoking and drinking coffee a lot when we met her, and she´s already had the strength and desire to stop in preparation for her baptism and salvation.

We had a really cool family home evening yesterday with some members (and investigators) and we gave everyone a doctrinal question to study (For example: Why do we not drink coffee or alcoholic beverages as members of the church? or If I was baptized in another church, why would I have to be baptized in the LDS church to become a member?), and next week, at another family home evening, we´re gonna try to bring more investigators and the members will share they answers through the study they do this week. Pretty cool, eh? Anyway, we´re starting to get some gears turning with the members, which is AWESOME.

I love you all! Never forget the wonderful privelege that all of you at home have to do missionary work, and to help those fine young men at home with fancy name tags who are trying to bless your wards where you serve. Don´t let them teach their investigators without your help! I know this church is true, and there´s no other service more gratifying than missionary service.

Love,

Elder Braun