Pascoa (Easter)

I think I´ve been starting to realize what I´m specifically supposed to do here in Teresina, but only kind of because of the language barrier, which is being taken down one brick at a time. I´m really starting to love the people here. This whole experience in the field has been really humbling. The way of living here is very different. For example, if you have a car you are farely well off, but not too many people have cars. We get fed lunch by the members everyday. (lunch is the main meal of the day from what I´ve observed) Sometimes though, I feel bad about eating at their homes because I´m not sure if they can afford to feed us or not, but I can´t not eat for many reasons. First off it would be rude, and secondly it´s sometimes the only food I really eat everyday. We were at a member´s house for lunch, and she fed us this great meal. But I felt bad, and then she was talking about how everyone in California is rich and how I´m probably rich (not true, but in comparison it is true). She wasn´t spiteful or anything, just a matter of fact. She´s a very happy lady. It´s people like her that make me like being here and also teach me some life lessons I´m not sure she was aware she was teaching me. Just being here is eye opening. Don´t worry, I´ve only lost about 7 kilos. But I´m still healthy.

Oh, also family and friends, whenever you see the moon just high five it. That´s what I´ve been doing, but I don´t think I´ve told too many people to do that.

General Conference this past weekend was amazing. (for those of you who don´t know, General Conference happens twice a year. It´s when the Prophet, apostles, and other church leaders give talks/discourses to help us all strengthen our families and become better people. This event is broadcasted worldwide so that people all over the world can listen to the words of the prophetand other inspired people. You can listen and/or watch it at lds.org in many different languages, but for anyone reading this, you´ll want to watch it in English) [http://lds.org/conference/sessions/display/0,5239,23-1-1207,00.html]

Anyway, I learned a lot. If anyone tells you that serving a mission is easy, they probably have not served a real mission, because it´s not. But something that I learned this weekend watching conference was that many people have sacrificed a lot, even until death, to bring the gospel to other people. For example there was a story in one of the talks about one of the men [John Wycliff?] who had gone through many trials to bring forth an English translation of the Bible to the hands of the common man, but he was persecuted and even died for his cause. There is also Joseph Smith who faced much opposition his whole life, translating the Book of Mormon and restoring the Church of Jesus Christ. There were also the Mormon pioneers, some of which are my ancestors, who had many afflictions, but yet persevered until they arrived to their point of destination. All of these people are great examples to me of people who sacrificed many things to bring forth and establish the word of God.

Another thing I learned at conference was that whenever you have a trial or rough time in your life, you shouldn´t complain about it or pass blame onto others. The key is changing your attitude, which I kind of knew before, but I suppose coming from the mouth of one of the Apostles made me realize what I had been doing and that I need to get my act together. Right now, it is my turn to share the gospel with others. And I am happy to serve the Lord in this mighty work. I find that when I am teaching and serving others is when I am the happiest. Also, when I am teaching I am able to understand and speak more Português, which is amazing. It´s a tremendous blessing, and builds my testimony that what I am teaching about is true because I experience the "gift of tongues" which is mentioned in the scriptures.

This past weekend was also Easter (Pascoa in Português, not Pascão like I wrote last week), which is probably the best holiday. It´s this time of the year that we can especially reflect of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which started in the garden of Gethsemane, then on the cross at Calvary, then the empty tomb. I want you all to know that Jesus Christ lives, that His church is on the earth, and He directs His church through His prophet Thomas S. Monson. I love you all.

Elder Samuel H. Chiba

my address is

Rua Tersandro Paz, No. 2.129 - sl 105-108
Bairro Piçarro, Teresina - PI
CEP: 64015-015