3 more days... 10-27-14

well the one year.. and it feels so unreal! like what has happened to time! it has gone by so fast! not really sure how i feel about it either! haha its a weird sensation knowing that im half way through!

This week was a tough one. being Zone Leader has been full of excitment! started out the week with the assistants coming here and doing a division with us. it went well but didnt really give us a whole lot of insight on what we could do in terms of helping our zone reach there goals and baptize more. the Zone is really struggling with this, setting goals and reaching them! but other than that the division was good. 

on wednesday we did a sacrifice of our area and did a double division with one of the companionships in our zone, they had been struggling with health problems and in general, everything. when we got there, the house looked like  a tornado had passed through... it was horrible! but we spent the day working really hard trying to find new people for them to teach and trying to train them a bit better of what to do in the area. it was good... then the whole night, literally 5 hours, we cleaned... and cleaned.. and cleaned! when we left, it was much better.. but i still felt like it was dirty! haha but that was a real adventure! 

we also got the news that president was transferring in emergency a companionship out of the zone and closing the area for the next 3 weeks, leaving us to care for the district there and the area as well! it has made things a whole lot more exciting, seeing as our zone is already having lots of problems... its one more for us to solve!haha but hoping that we can handle it all and make it work! 

Our investigators are going well! Isley and Mecia said that they were going to get the marriage thing all figured out this week and they are progressing really well! also we foud another family this week! we taught them on sunday night, Vinicius is a less active and is wife kelly was really receptive and things are looking good there two! things are good with elder Lima, he is a stud and im really liking working with him still! 

this week was a tough one, but it was still good! i think that is about it for this week! hope that everyone is doing well! thanks for your letters and prayers! 

Elder Ryan

"LOOK AT THAT GOALIE!"

Beleza! 10-20-14

so to start this week out, i will answer mothers requests and talk a little bit more about the area and my companion

Area: Ward Siqueira Campos: the oldest ward here in the state of Sergipe. we have one of the most violent neighborhoods in the city, which always makes things fun here! there are lots of hills in our area which are helping my legs stay in good shape! most of the people here are catholic or or go to Gods Assembaly. because there is a massive catholic church here on the top of the highest hill, and there is a massive assembaly church here too! our chapel is pretty small but really cool because it has an older format, it has a garden in the middle it! it is pretty legit! the people here are pretty nice, they are willing to hear us, but few are willing to follow! but what is new! 

Companheiro! Elder Lima, he is from Poço de Caldas, a little city in Minas Gerais, that is famous for its hot springs and cheese! ate some of the chees from there the other day, annd dang it was real good! he is 25 and has a masters in math, the guy is a genius! he is a hard worker and is always thinking of new ideas to help us in the work! he is easily my favorite companion so far! we work really well together and laugh and have tons of fun!

so now for the updates of the week here in aracaju! 

we baptized Aparecida this week! it was freaking awesome, she has changed so much from when we first met her, the gospel has filled her life with purpose and given her light for a better tomorrow! we really had to fight for this baptism but it made it all the sweeter! on sunday we were visiting her, and she was already talking about how she wants to start visiting people with us to help them be baptized as well! she is awesome!! 

I did a division with Elder Tejeda from Chile this week, he is a cool guy. really quiet, but we had a good division, he had just finished being trainned and is on his second companion, feels like yesterday that i was in his shoes! 

we had a really good week of work here, we have been teaching this family and they are really awesome! Isley, is 32 and is mom was already baptized like forever ago, he and his wife Mecia have 2 kids, Yasmin, who is 6 and Islã, who is 4. they arent married yet, but this sunday they went to church with us and said they liked it! Mecia is really liking our focus on the whole marriage deal, she got so excited that she already bought rings! it has been awesome teaching them, and seeing how the little things like prayer and scriptures can make such a big differnece! 

we have some other investiagtors that are going well and went to church as well, but im a little short on time so i leave it at this: things are going great! really loving the area and my companion! really loving seeing the change in peoples lives and helping them over come there dificulties and such! having a great time and a little bit in shock that one year is already approaching! its just too wild to me! 

Espero que todos vocês têm um bom semana!! 

Elder Ryan

Alrighty now! 10-13-14

Soo here is the latest and greatest news from Siqueira Campos Aracaju Sergipe!

so not much too exciting has happened this week, started the week by doing a division with Elder Brandant, has about 3 weeks in the feild! he was lost! haha but it is cazy to think that i was in his position like just 8 months ago! wow time is really flying by! but it was a good division! fun to smell the MTC again and see the faith that the newbies have!

this week i have felt that i have really gotten into a groove working wise! which has been good! Me and Elder Lima are working lots and pushing our selves to the limit. even though we have been having a really hard time getting people to church! so this week we are gonna try working closer to the church to make it easier to get them to church, but the problem is that it is a rich area and its hard to get into the houses there, but we are having some success there and we are trying to get some of the rich people baptized! ;)

things with Aparecida are going really well! she is a bit nervous about this friday, which we have planned for the baptism, but things are looking really good. she is some one that really has been changed by the gospel, she told us how before we started visiting her she felt depressed and lost, and now she feels happy and that she has a purpose in this life. it has been a really awesome experience there!

well i think that is about it for this week! not too much happened out of the ordinary, we have been working tons, im happy in this area even though the members arent helping out too much but, everything cant be perfect right?? but imt ill be staying here for a long time! but i think that is about it for the week! sorry that it was short! love you alll! thanks for the letters and emails!

Elder Ryan

soooo here we go again! 10-6-14

so this week was a good one! conference was a killer, really enjoyed it and learned tons! hoping to start the application process now! 

this week we had to go to  Maceió for the leadership Counsel. it was a good time! 5 hours on the bus to get there and then a meeting all day long on tuesday, and 5 hours back, getting home at midnight.. i was beat! haha but it was a good meeting, basically all the Zone leaders meet together with President and we talk about all the problems that the mission is having and what we need to do to fix it! it was cool to have my voice heard and put in my opinions on how to make things better! 

Thursday we had Zone Meeting. it was good, we talked  a lot about how lots of times or efforts arent always pointed to what needs to be done! even though we may be working, we need to remember our purpose and focus our efforts there! it was good and intense! this week we already started to see the difference in the Zone! 

This month is looking like it will be a good one! the Zone is really excited and working well! hoping that everyone will be able reach their potencial! 

not much news about the investigators! Aparecida is progressing really well she watch both sessions with us on sunday! but seeing as the stake center is about a 45 minute walk from our area, we had a tough time getting people to go and watch it this weekend! 

but i think that that is about it for this week! closing in on the one year mark, seems pretty unbelievable to me!! passing by real fast like! but hope that everyone is doing well! Love you all! 

Elder Ryan