A Galera Na Praça

So, there is this really nice park/square close to our apartment. It´s a great place to do contacts. We found a large group of teenage boys last week and went marked with them to talk to them another night. We went there and taught about the Plan of Salvation to ten teenagers. We´re going to go there tomorrow night. They all seemed truly interested, not all of them, but the majority. They all asked really good and interesting questions. It was a really cool experience. I hope that they all pray and get answers and follow through until baptism.

We´re also helping one of our investigators build his house. I´ll have to send some pictures next week. Here the houses are made of bricks, but we were working more on the foundation of the house on Saturday. Next time we´re going to start putting the walls up. The work is good here. Things are starting to pick up a bit.

I hope everyone is getting ready for general conference. Make sure you pay attention and take notes. Try to focus on the things that YOU need to improve on, and not on others. We need to fix ourselves before we can help others. I´m really grateful to have a modern living prophet who helps us with our day to day needs and problems. I am truly grateful that the gospel was restored. I love you all! Have a great time watching conference, and be sure to make it your #1 priority this upcoming weekend.

Love,

Elder Samuel H. Chiba

Querida família

Things here are going well. I don´t know if I am allergic to watermelon or if it´s just a coincidence. Last night we ate watermelon and during the middle of the night I threw up! So much for my goal not to throw up during my mission. It´s the second time actually. My comp and I are thinking it was lunch yesterday that made me feel ill. Don´t worry! I´m totally fine! We found a "Bem Vindo a Açailândia" sign (welcome to açailand). So we took advantage of the situation and took a picture. I've also attached a picture of my previous zone, we had a BBQ at our house that day.

Sunday was stake conferece in Imperatriz. Presidente Dias came as well as the area 70 Elder Koch (who is from my companion´s home ward in Santa Catarina Brazil). It was a really good conference. There is always something important to learn. I´ve been reading the Liahona from February this year, it´s really good! I feel like everything in that Liahona are things I need to know! I guess it´s the Ensign back home right? Anyway, I suggest reading the ensign from february 2011.

General Conference is coming up. I hope everyone is excited! I sure am. I´m really grateful for a modern living prophet and for the twelve apostles. They are truly inspired men. I hope you have a great week! This week is going to be great and we are going to find those who are searching for truth! Love you all!

-Elder Samuel H. Chiba

Training is São Luís

This past week I traveled to São Luís by bus for 10 hours for a leadership training. It was a good training. I slept on the bus ride there and the bus ride back to my area. The fun thing about taking long bus rides is that the sweaters that Janet bought me before the mission come in handy. Trainings and bus rides are the only times it gets cold enough to wear a sweater. Thanks sis! Something interesting happened when I got back from the training. I realized that my ankles, feet, and calves were swollen. It was really weird! That has never happened to me that I can remember. I called Sister Dias and she had the Doctor is São Paulo call me. The doctor said it was nothing to worry about and that water likes to accumulate in the lowest part of the body when you don´t do anything. So, he said next time I travel for a long period of time without being able to get up and walk around I should do some exercises every once in a while to keep my circulation going nicely. Anyway, you learn something new every day right?

The work here is good. The people are really open and are really easy to talk to. The trick is now we have to find the people who are looking, rather than trying to convince the people who don´t want anything. So, that´s what we are going to work on a lot this week. Yesterday we took a young member of the church with us to do some visits. It was pretty cool.

I´m really grateful to be here serving the Lord. I´m really happy. I know the gospel is true. I´ve seen , or better yet, I see people change because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It´s amazing. Everything here is building my testimony a lot. I've got just a few months left, but I´m going to make the best of it. I know the Book fo Mormon is true and that it is proof of the true church of Jesus Christ. I love you, and I hope you have a great week!

-Elder Samuel H. Chiba

p.s. we found a jaca fruit in the street!

Açailândia

Well folks, there has been a transfer and now I am back to Maranhão in the city of Açailândia. I do miss Parnaíba a lot, but it´s in good hands. It's pretty cool here. The dirt is red and it's everywhere! I think I'm getting more acne... So, I'm still a district leader and I've got Sisters in my district again! That's always fun.

Anyway, my new companion is Elder Matheus Eberhardt. He´s really cool. He's from the south of Brazil from the state of Santa Catarina, and guess what?! He surfs! So, that means that he's cool. (he's a real surfer, unlike me who tries to surf and does not do so well, but I'll get the hang of it eventually) We're getting along well. The field is white and we are going to harvest like no one ever has.

By the way, the area here is huge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It´s the biggest area I've seen in my mission. Anyway, things are good. The Church is true and the Book of Mormon too! I love you all, thanks for the prayers and all the support! Have a great week!

-Elder Samuel H. Chiba