Field Week 3

Alrighty everyone so I have been here for 3 weeks. What the heck. 

This last week we did a lot of traveling. Since I was picked to be in charge of the musical number at Mission Conference, we had to go to Brasilia, the city, 3 times this week. We went on Monday and then Wednesday to practice, and the Friday we had the actual conference. They asked me to lead all of the hymns as well, so that happened. It was fine though, and the musical number went well. They sang Come Thou Fount in Portuguese and we did some a capella parts and some mixed things with the 15 Elders and Sisters I had to work with. It was cool.

I got to see Elder Bean which was nice. We are both in like the exact same boat with how we are feeling about all of this. It isnt easy and we are trying our best. It is stressful at times and we think about how easy it would be if we were speaking English or if we were even just with people we know, like eachother. It was so good to see a familiar face and to be able to talk openly about what is all going on. 

We are teaching lots of people and trying to talk to as many people as we can. It is scary just walking up to people and talking, but worth it when we leave them with a good message. I have been praying for boldness and I could tell a few times this week that I have been better about it. 

P.S. I am obsessed with the Book of Mormon. I dont know if I have said that or not, but I wish I could read it at all hours of the day as well as the church magazines. There are so many talks and articles that just fill me with the spirit that I just hunger for more. And I am learning so much from the Book of Mormon is is ridiculous that I didnt care about its importance before. 

I am getting closer to the members here. I still dont understand them much, but I am able to joke a little with them and I think they are starting to like me more. 

Oh yeah, I baptized someone yesterday. His name is Victor and he is a champ. He has been going to church for like 4 years or something and his uncle is a member. We taught him all of the lessons and he knew them pretty much already. He is a funny kid and when I had to do it TWICE, he just laughed. There wasnt much water so it was hard to get him all the way under. His uncle was going to baptize him but something came up and, surprise, Victor picked me to do it. It was a really cool experience. It was in Portuguese and everything.

I can tell the language is getting better. I am always stressed about it and I am praying I feel like every second. I am glad I am not alone in this. 

If people are thinking about sending me things, it takes like a month I think, so send them early haha. I mean you dont have to, but if you were thinking it. 

Ok, I love you all and think about you often.

Stay strong, and please keep praying. They are definitely working.

Love,

Elder William Craig Kesler

Week 2 in the Field

Ok so let me talk about where I live. Our entire house pretty much is big tile. Its pretty cool. I dont sleep on dirt floor and we have a fridge and a stove. We have a washer and no dryer. I have a closet and a desk. The people here are very similar to people at home in that there are the richer and the poorer, but really, unless you are pretty wealthy, you dont care much about what the outside of your house looks like. But in general, they insides are not bad. It is very different but it isnt too hard to adjust to, in THAT aspect.

This week was better, very different. Elder Duarte did something to his knee and had to stay in. WE took turns staying with him. I am kind of rushed so sorry about the bad grammer and punctuation. I stayed in during lunch, with is when we dont do anything anyway, other than eat with members for like 2 hours. Then I took turns going out with Elder Simão and Elder Swallow. Doing lots of teaching and all. I like the extra time to study though. If I could read the Book of Mormon literally all day I would. So I know I should be bummed about not being out on the streets but I love the extra study time for language and all. 

We taught less people this week because of that, but I felt like we taught lots. Elder Simão and I have a baptism on Sunday which I am stoked about. We had two other people tell us they would be baptized too, but we have to find a day. It is not easy teaching people about this stuff, but I can SUPER see the help I am getting from Heavenly Father. 

I am leading a musical number at Mission Conference on Friday. Yeah what? The assistants called us yesterday and said the Mission President asked that I be in charge of it. We practiced today, it went fine, but I have been here for 2 weeks and everyone who is singing has been here at least a year and can speak, so there was a lot of translating. It's weird directing a little choir all by myself. Pray for me in that please haha. 

The language is coming. I talked to someone all by myself while my comp was talking to someone else. I mean they were both members and we were just chatting, but I wasn't like freaking out. Cool what Heavenly Father can do. And I am learning more about making sure to teach by the Spirit. I feel like I am always doing the spiritual thought at things, which is fine, and I am trying to bring the Spirit the best. My words don't mean anything if I dont have the spirit. 

Lots of learning and Lots of trials, but I am praying to understand and I am praying with thanks and praying for my trials. I know I have to go through them. 

I am pretty much out of time, but I love you all and sorry if I didn't reply to you. I got so many emails this week and I dont have THAT much time. I mean I do, but I guess I dont have enough.

Love from Brazil

Elder Kesler

Brazlandia Picture

September 9th, 2013

Ok so I am in Brazlandia and I don't really believe it. I super left my journal at the house so I am going on a whim here. To be honest, this is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I don't want to scare anyone, but really, the days are so different. It seems like each day is a roller coaster. I am doing awesome one minute and then an hour later I just want to go back to the house and not talk to anyone. I guess I need to work on some stuff. 

As much as it is really not easy, I am learning so much. I can tell each day that Heavenly Father is giving me help with everything. My faith is definitely being tried while I am here. I don't know the language well at all and it's super rough because my companion expects me to do stuff that I don't really think I can do. Sometimes he will look at me and wait for me to say something but I don't know what is going on in the entire conversation because I can't understand anyone. So he just talks again. It's frustrating and makes me a bit nuts at times, but it is getting easier already.

I noticed on Saturday that I could understand people much better. It got to near the end of the day and most of the people we talked to I could actually understand what we were talking about, even if I wasn't following exactly. I have given quite a few lessons to investigators or contacts, and a few to members as well. I have a few scriptures that I like to give as thoughts and then during lessons Elder Simão will point to something in the pamphlet and I will have to talk about it. Sometimes I am like no way Elder I don't even know what those words mean or who this person is we have been talking to for an hour and all that. I feel like I am getting better, though. 

The food is super different and I am full after like half a plate, but they always make me get more, so I want to puke. But is all really good. It's all so heavy, but really good. 

The language is not easy. There are 2 companionships here and one of the Elders in the other companionship is from Utah so he can do some translating for me. At the same time, I need to understand for myself. AND we are only together for some of the day. So a lot of the day I am just stressed. Elder Simão speaks a little English, but the majority of the time he talks to me in Portuguese. Which is good. The worst thing, though, is that people will stand there and try to talk to me, members or not, and I don't know what they are saying. So I am just like sorry I don't speak well. Then they stand there and talk about me with everyone else. Even the other three elders will and I don't know what I am supposed to do about it. Then I will do something and they laugh and I am like HOW am I supposed to know what you do in this country or what you mean when you say this or whatever. I am now just murmuring. Again, I don't want anyone to think negatively about what I am talking about, even though they are all negative things that I am saying, it's just different than anything I have ever done and it's my first week.

Elder Swallow (Utah) says I am doing really well and that he knows how I feel. He says in 4 MONTHS I will know the language well and it will all be much better. That is super far away. But I will be here in 4 months so I guess I will find out. 

Every day is a struggle in some way. Each day I get scared or nervous in some way. But at the end of the day, I can't believe all of the help I received from Heavenly Father and the Savior. It amazes me the things I am learning and as much as I am still so lost, I am not walking in the wilderness without help. I know I am being guided and I know we can do this if I have faith. WE can do this, The Savior and I, WE'VE got this. 

It is not hard, but is not easy. But I know it is going to be worth it. I'm bringing the family home. Can't wait.

I love you all and I miss the crap out of you. Keep me in your prayers as you have been doing already, please.

See you in a few.

Love,

Elder William Craig Kesler