Family Email - May 2 2016

Hey family! I haven't written a big family email in a little while. How are you all? 

Good! 

I'm doing great! Thanks for asking!

I am way super excited to talk to the family this week! Unfortunately, it won't be as much time this time. President said we could only have like 30 minutes. :( But I am excited anyway! I found that out today. So I will probably be there at 7:30 so that you guys can get there.

Dad - I really liked that you explained what everyone was doing when you wrote. It was fun to hear normal stuff going on at home! That's way cool that you guys are being missionaries to Ron. What a good way to do it! Strengthening him as he fulfills his calling. I also REALLY like hearing your experience choosing new presidencies. How cool! And spiritual! It's those kinds of moments when it is just so evident that God is real, that he guides us through His spirit. I love it! I am way jealous that you are going to Florida! You lucky dog! You guys should just leave two years worth of yard work for me to do when I get back home. That would work out, right? What kinds of things besides the swingset have you been doing? What's new around the home? What hasn't changed since I left? What is different with me being gone? What isn't? Love you dad!

mom - Ethan's play sounds so good! I don't know if I knew that it was Annie... was he in the ensemble? It sounds so fun! I miss music in my life! Haha when I get home, can we just sing for the month until I leave for college? I would love it. I am way excited for your half marathon with Amanda! It's with Amanda, right? I'll try and send an email 10ish minutes before I really actually want to start, but I won't be able to do it super early because I can only send it from the same computer that I will be using basically right as I get there. We have been helping a less active family move into a new house. A few things I'm grateful for about our home. 1 there are like, real roads to use for moving 2. our houses aren't ridiculously shaped ( the houses here have curvy hallways, half sized doors, random steps, triangle shaped rooms, etc.) which is really nice for putting stuff around. 3. mom actually organizes things. This family was so not organized it wasn't even funny. We were basically picking up piles of toys and clothes and moving them around so that we could move a couch to another room to move a dresser to the right room to move the couch to the right place... yup Thanks for being organized, mom. :) We taught a bunch of 1st lessons with our new investigators, which I feel like we still need to do better on. We seem to be having difficulty applying the whole lesson to the Restoration and explaining why it's so important! But we are getting better. We also have been teaching the commandments to José, who will be baptized on Sunday, right before I talk to you guys! Yay! We are way excited! I haven't done any baptism interviews, but I will do one this week for the most ready old lady baptism ever Odilia, from the sisters. Haha Elder Bortolo has gotten better at conjugating some verbs, but we haven't worked on it a ton! I definitely have only spoken portuguese for the last 5 weeks. It's been great! It's kind of funny to speak a different language. You don't really realize how different it is when you can understand it! Random fact - Portuguese is NOT a pretty language to hear sung. It's so bad. It has a lot of really nasally sounds and relly harsh word endings, which is a big no no to hear in a song.  Another fact - everyone has a dog, and everyone lets them make messes right in the middle of the sidewalk. One day I stepped in 4 dog mines, in the SAME DAY! So not fun. Love you lots mom! 

Anna - I CANNOT believe that you guys get out of school so soon! Man! How has the year been for you guys?? I don't know how different it is having the brother gone than being the one gone, but it has been flying by! I miss singing songs with you and rushing out the door for violin and just talking. Tips for AP. Study... duh! For real though. Listen to dad's advice about studying. He knows what he is talking about. Also if he has time have him help you with some practice questions or whatever! He knows the answer to literally every question I ever asked him and I doubt it will be different for you! Also, pray lots, and read the scriptures as a calmer type of thing. You'll feel lots better. But STUDY LOTS! It's definitely getting hotter here! Humidity is a thing I never realized I wouldn't like until I didn't like it. :) But the weather has been really nice, a little cloudy but it is clearing up.How is seminary going, by the way? It's old testament, right? I LOVE the old testament, mostly because we as Latter Day Saints understand a lot more truth from the Bible than other people. Your morning side sounds way good! I'm excited to talk to you guys too!

Ethan - Bro! It's been a while! How did the play go? Everyone says you did way good and that you are turning into a good actor and singer! I believe it! Were you in the ensemble? How did it go? Was it way fun? Every picture I see of you you look more and more like a teenage kid and it's weird! How is the trumpet going? I'm way jealous that you will be doing band. I think it sounds way super fun! How is the end of school going? Good grades? Cute girls? Of course not, right? Love you man! 

Okay wow that was long! But good! I'm super excited to talk to you family! I sent the account to mom to look up so everything should work out - if not, I'll send an email sunday. Love you all! 

Love, Elder Valentine!

1 wedding and 9 very interesting investigators

May 2 2016 Group Email:

Dear everyone,

This was a great week! A recent convert named Maria de Fatima who was baptized 2 months ago in our ward got married this week to José Neves, a less active member up until he met Fatima and baptized her, helping him come back to activity! Wow, that was a really bad run on sentence. But it was great! The weddings here are very small and short, but we ate lots of food after which was nice. :) I totally caught the boutique that the new husband threw. GUESS WHO'S GETTING MARRIED TO A 70 YEAR OLD!! Haha this crazy old member lady who isn't married caught the flowers, so we took a picture because the two who catch the flowers are said to get married here. I don't know what it means in the states, I haven't been to enough weddings to actually know, but yup. An 18 year old elder and a 70 year old un-married member. Good stuff.

Also, Elder Bortolo and I found 9 investigators this week! That, like, never happens! Unfortunately, they were the strangest investigators I've ever found, but we have faith that something good will come out of talking to them. 2 were a couple with some social problems who we saw looking through the garbage one time, and we knocked on their door, shared the restoration inside, and marked an appointment, so that was great - another 3 were 7th day Adventists who had a good time bashing us with scriptures but said we could come back, another 2 were catholic missionaries, 1 was a guy cutting his lawn who looks promising, and the last is an reference from our sisters who President Amorim is worried is only listening because he likes the sisters, so we'll see if he has real interest. But it was a really fun week teaching all of these people!

This week I read a well known scripture, D&C 130: 20-21

 20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

 21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.

I thought a lot about this scripture this last week, and it hit home a little more than it ever has for me. I think sometimes we (maybe just I, but I think everyone does it once or twice) ask for help or blessings from the Lord in prayer, and then get off our knees and expect that everything will change because we said the prayer, but we don't do anything to receive that blessing! It is my testimony that any time that you want something from God, He expects you to try and get it first, and then when you have done all you can, He will make miracles happen. If you need a testimony of the Book of Mormon, READ the Book of Mormon! If you are having a hard time being optimistic in the face of your trials, give thanks for your blessings, and then try and smile, and serve, and think less about yourself and more about others, the way Christ would. If you are struggling to find a job, take a shower, put on a nice tie, and look half-decent for your next job interview! Stuff like that. :) I know that God has SO many blessings He just can't wait to give you, but He needs you to take a few steps to deserve them. Love you all! You are all super inspiring and are a huge blessing in my life! I love the mission!

Have a fantastic week! 

-  Elder Valentine!

Replying About Dad's Job and a New Swingset

Hey dad! Thanks for telling me about your job! I really liked knowing what my dad does everyday! I think that's way cool all the stuff you do, even though I'm sure it can be stressful. I sometimes miss working out in the yard with  you, especially hearing that you have so much to do! But it will be awesome to come back and see all of the stuff I didn't have to do. ;) That swingset is crazy! I can't believe you guys bought it! It's way cool! Does lincoln love playing on it? I guess he might not have already been able to but I'm sure he will! And Hey! don't ever not write more unless you don't have more to write or not enough time - I LOVE reading letters. It's the best part of p day! It's like a big refresher at the beginning of every week. I love being a member too! Every day, talking to people, my gratitude to Heavenly Father increases for being a member of his true church. We are like .2% of the whole world who have all the truth, and we really are so so blessed! Good luck with your RaP job! Love you dad!

Ficando fixe forçando fubecas fazer ... trabalho (Apr 25 Group Email)

Dear Everyone,

I decided that it is easier to alliterate in portuguese! But I still can't end them right. I'll work on it. I said "staying cool making lazy people do their work" But that's not actually true - my district is super hard working and I am way grateful to be here! Did I already say that I have a sister training leader and the Zone Leaders in my district? So basically I have no power. Haha! 

Well, this is gonna be short because today is basically Portugal´s labor day, and there isn't a shop open in the whole city! So elder Bortolo and I are trading off in our chapel. :) But! We marked the friend of a recent convert for baptism! His name is José (please don't pronounce that like a spanish person - we make the "j" sound) and he is way cool! He used to be a fire fighter, and (ironically) smokes a lot, but we already taught the Word of Wisdom and he accepted so we are just excited to help him get baptized! We marked him for next week, so in a couple of weeks I'll tell you about his baptism!

I read the story of the good samaritan in Luke 10 a little while ago, and I love the principles behind this parable that the Savior teaches to the tempting lawyer. It's also a good example of teaching because the Savior uses lots of questions and applies principles to stories, but that's besides the point. The priest and the Levite, who should have helped the injured man, "passed by on the other side," while the samaritan, who had nothing to with the man (probably he was a Jew according to James E. Talmage in Jesus the Christ) helped the man and gave him money and a room to be cared for. I thought a lot about how we sometimes treat people who aren't like us - maybe non members, members who we don't get along with, etc. - and how the Savior uses this story to explain that we should love our neighbor as we love God. It's hard sometimes to be forgiving or have a good attitude with people we don't like, but we are taught by Christ to love everyone, which is more than just tolerating, it's serving them as The Savior would. I hope this all makes sense! I love the teachings of our Savior, and I know they are true! I know that Christ is the way we can achieve perfection, and we can do it by seeking, asking, and knocking. :)

Love ya'll! Have a super fantastic week! I guess I lied when I said it would be short! :)

- Elder Valentine!

New Pictures!

Here's the latest photos, from April 18 email:

American Store - Has America Food!

Spencer Calls it "Bad Picture of Spencer on Metro"

Elder Bortolo

American Peanut Butter!

Pizza Buffet! Yum!

Porto is Just Across the River (Spencer's First Area)

The Zone

Birthday Wishes from Spencer

Hey Dad! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I Yelled it really loud in my apartment and I'm glad you heard it! :) You'll have to send me some pictures of the week! I have a couple of pictures that I will send in a little bit. I want to see that collection! I totally didn't remember to tell you, but I am SO sad. Why?

Elder Bortolo has seen the new Star Wars movie.

Haha he loved it! But he only saw it once, not 7 or more times like you! 

What was your meeting like? What kinds of things do you share with people? I have yet to actually understand what you do, especially now that you have a new position at work. I'm excited to see that new swing set! But not to bring kids to it. Not yet. Oh also! I want to see a picture of the neighborhood soon! It's been a long time and I'm sure it's changed a ton! I am also super excited for Lanson and Devin (even though I don't know Devin). The mission is seriously the greatest learning and growing experience that any 18-19 year old can go through! Time is flying, Dad! This coming week, I will have been on my mission for 9 months! A half of my sister mission! Those darn sisters. I can't believe that Jordan comes home so soon! Holy cow! It seriously feels like no time since he left. I try not to take this all for granted - sometimes I just think about the fact that I am really in a different country, really speaking Portuguese, really a missionary! I looked forward to it for so long and now I'm right in the middle of it! It's nuts. I'll write mom now, but I love you dad! Thanks for always writing me big letters to read! I really love knowing what's happening back home! 

Love, Elder Valentine!

"Getting Sleep" April 18 Email

Dear Everyone,

I don't remember if I made mention of it, but EVERY ONE of my comps has had huge snoring problems. I had earplugs that I was given from another elder, and I could STILL hear my comp with the earplugs in! Until Elder Bortolo. He doesn't snore! I've been getting real sleep! It's a miracle! Haha not like the most exciting thing ever, but it's a pretty big deal for me!

Also, this has been a week of miracles! Our mission president wanted our district to find 15 new investigators this week, which is a pretty big challenge. Elder Bortolo and I only had two of the five we needed, and by Saturday night at 8 pm, we were pretty desperate. But we kept working, and found 3 news all that day, and our district altogether found 18! I have never been so tired after a day of missionary work than that Saturday. We talked to SO many people and did every thing we could, and the Lord blessed us for our work! It was a pretty happy day for us!

I finally got to do a musical number this week too! Actually, it was a couple of weeks ago, but I remembered to write about it this week. :) The sisters in my district have actual musical talent, so we sang "mais perto quero estar" which is "nearer my God to thee" in English, and it was so fun to sing with people who know how to sing! Music is not a talent of very many portuguese people, so it's been a while.

My spiritual message this week is about enduring to the end. 2 Nephi 31:20 is one of my favorite scriptures -   20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward,feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end,behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

I love this scripture! I didn't really understand having a "brightness of hope" until this week. The week started of a little under the weather, and by the end of the week, I wasn't sure how it was ever going to end! But that miracle with new investigators, and a couple of lessons we got to teach this week about the gospel of Jesus Christ, helped me understand that having a brightness of hope is realizing that life ISN'T easy, that we WILL have struggles, but that Christ will ALWAYS bless us when we endure to the end, or in other words, keep going, even when we don't know how we can, love God, do what's right, and we are promised that we will be happy. Is there a better gift than that? PROMISED happiness for doing things that make us happy anyway! I love the Gospel! It makes so much sense that our Heavenly Father would bless us, especially when you understand just how much He loves you. 

Have a good week everyone! 

- Elder Valentine!