Mariah, week 61, Zaporozhye

my new companion is Sister Blake. she's from a small town in Utah and she has 7 brothers. she's the only girl.

we're so cool :3
LOVE YOUUUUU

Mitchell, week 52, Tapana

ONE YEAR OF MISSION
This past week has been filled with some GREAT miracles!! 1st thing is found some great investigators!! One of them works in the morning during Sunday so we helped her and her cousin make it to another ward that is in another part of the city. But they liked the service a lot and this past Sunday we had like 7 investigators at church total! Plus we had  2 less active families that we are working to come back to church. But I am really having a great time serving the people here in Tapanã! You wanna know what is CRAZY?????? In 3 days I will hit my 1 year mark on a mission! So that means that I only have like 1 year more here in Brasil. WOW! Time is flying!! But I can't believe that how fast time is flying. In no time I will be in a airplane heading to the USA. But I know it is time to continue working and loving the people here in Brasil and in all the other areas that I will serve. But I sure am grateful for the time I am here in a mission and teach people about this wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ. This past week had our zone meeting and it went great! The practices that happened went swell! 

But really nothing big, big happened. Just that we are finding and helping people in our areas. Sadly like the past weeks people keep breaking into our chapel. But I really don't know what they wanna steal.... last time they just stole a lamp that goes on if the electricity goes off.... But also our chapel has a alarm system. It's sad people would do this to a chapel.

But really here in Brasil the chapels don't have anything really expensive and if it's expensive, they put it in the secretary's office. which has like a 4 inch door with metal pins that lock it in. But the chapels are way different than ones there in the states (for the ones that didn't know.....)

So this past week tons of people already forgot about the world cup. Some people are really upset and they are taking down all the banners and stuff. But here is a painting that someone did on a wall. I thought that it was pretty cool looking.Gosh there is so much Para (State that I am serving) things in the photo. :P

Sorry that this letter doesn't have that much of information or nothing of interest. HAHA! But really the days are going by so fast and the weeks are going by days for me! TIME IS JUST FLYING!!!!! 

But I would like to end with my testimony that I know that the things that I teach is true and I know that our savior Jesus Christ lives and he died for all of our sins! I really love my family!!

Until next week, (which for me would feel like tomorrow) 

Elder McCrea

Mitchell, week 49, Tapana

GERMANY WON THE WORLD CUP!!!!!

HOLY COW!!! 7 to 1 Brasil lost against Germany in the semi-finals plus lost against Netherlands for the 3rd spot HERE IN BRASIL!! It was crazy when Brasil lost 7 to 1. Our president let the missionaries watch the game against Germany. That was probably the worst game to watch if we had the choice to watch. GOSH, Germany made like 4 goals in less then 6 minutes. HAHAHA!!! We watched it at the neighbors. They put their TV outside on the balcony and we just sat outside as they were watching the game. But, wow, after the game and the day after I didn't even see one person with a BRASIL shirt or jersey. It was CRAZY!!! Everyone was sad/mad/depressed and just didn't know what to do. Plus Argentina won against Netherlands and then if Argentina won the game yesterday (finals) and won the World Cup here in Brasil they would be even upset and Argentinians would shove it in the Brasilians faces and all! It would have gotten CRAZY!!! But Germany won the game yesterday, so they won the world cup!! But WOW, like what I have been saying in the past emails, the World Cup and Soccer in general is HUGE here in Brasil!!!! But I am kind of glad it's all over now!! Now we can start working everyday and not have people watching the games and all. :P

So this past week was Zone Conference with President/Sister Scisci and with 2 other zones. But gosh it was great seeing other elders/sisters in other zones!! But definitely learned some great stuff! Also had some great activities. But I learned something that it's important to not worry, but to just go and work!!.... (só vai, get-r-done, just do it) But also this past week we found 2 GREAT families! Sadly, they couldn't make it to church yesterday but we will keep working on them! I also learned at the conference that it's important to keep working and loving your investigators even if they aren't progressing. and just have more of a Christ-like love for everyone that I meet. 

This past week we also cleaned our apartment like a BOSS! Gosh, it's a huge apartment just for 4 missionaries but we cleaned it for like 6 hours because we really would want to feel the spirit more and have more happiness and all the good stuff that happens when your surroundings are clean and all. it looks great now! Now it's important to keep it this way :D 

But really I am grateful for this gospel! I KNOW that what my sister wrote is so true!! "With great power comes great responsibility." (Uncle of Peter Parker - Spiderman) This chance that I have to represent the Church of Jesus Christ and see people change their lives to receive the blessings that are in store and waiting for them! I really love this "Job" I know that there is no other church that has 85 thousand (young adults) missionaries world wide serving a mission for 18/24 months leaving work, family, school, friends, hobbies, etc. I know that this is The CHURCH of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or A Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos Dos Útimos Dias, is Christ's church RESTORED in these latter days. I am so grateful I have this gospel in my life and I know it is true because I asked our Father that is in Heaven (James 1:5). 

I hope everyone is having a Só Filé (Just Fillet... A saying here which means everything is going great) day/week! I sure love you all and until next week!! 

Love,

Elder McCrea

Mariah, Week 59, Poltava

#that moment when your mission president knows that your mom keeps a blog for your missionary adventures  

                                                                                                                                                  Jul 14                                                                                                                                                                           

Well. Today is the start of week five of my eighth transfer. To be honest -- that's dis-gusting! WHERE HAS ALL THE TIME GONE?!! I've literally only got three more transfers left. And okay, nope. Nope. Totally not going to be talking about that anymore. Topic change.

So, my week. Thanks to Elder Fuller's inspired direction as our district leader, we've been doing a lot of member work during the last few weeks. Something finally clicked in his/our brains after reading Chapter 9 in Preach My Gospel, that maybe, just maybe -- working with the members a little more than we had been doing in the past is the key to being able to strengthen our relationship with members and building up their trust in us (keyword: trust!), help teach members how to do missionary work, and to be able to have members entrust us with their precious friends and family members who are open to hearing our message! That's our end goal. We're two weeks into this goal, and so far... no immediate fruits of our labor yet. We actually hit a wall. But something that Elder Fuller shared with us yesterday in a quick, impromptu district meeting, hit me. He shared a verse in Jacob.

And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day. -- Jacob 1:19

As a missionary, there is a responsibility that comes with wearing a black name tag with Christ's name on it 24/7 for 18 to 24 months. I have this quote written in my Preach My Gospel -- "With great power comes great responsibility." (quoted from Peter Parker's uncle. And if you don't know who Peter Parker is... Google it.) Every person that we walk by on the street, be it if we talk to them or not, or every investigator that we have. As a representative of the Lord in Poltava, Ukraine, I have a sacred duty to teach the people of Poltava the word of God. I took up the responsibility to answer for the sins of the people here, and help them correct the traditions of their fathers. The Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox Church is so strongly deeply rooted in the people and culture here. As the Lord's missionaries in Ukraine, we're having to push and fight against hundreds of -- if not thousands -- of year old traditions and rituals. Satan is real, and his power is real. He's has done a wicked job at twisting sweet, simple doctrine of the Lord's gospel and using it to lead away innocent people from the truth.

But I have a testimony that this is the Lord's only and true church. Through a modern-day prophet, He has restored all of the truths and principles that we need to have in this later day to live and be able to return to live with Heavenly Father in heaven. And I know that the Book of Mormon is evidence of this restoration.

The book is blue and the church is true. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Sister McCrea

Mitchell, week 48, Tapana

VÁ BRASIL!!!!

Alright..... So y'all are gonna have to bear with me for about 2 more weeks without photos. (My SD card that I have still works and has photos but its a pain to put it back in if I take it out.) But I can't believe in like 2 weeks I will hit my 1 year mark!!! CRAZY!!!!!!! But all is good here. Brasil won the last game with Columbia. So tomorrow Brasil is playing against Germany. Also our Mission president will let us see the game tomorrow!! :D Plus Wednesday we have a the Zone Conference with all the missionaries here in Belém. So it all should be good this next week!! It kinda stinks this past week here in Para it's time off of school and all. So a lot of people here left to visit other families members in other cities and all. So it's kinda hard, but things are working out. Mom and Dad I got 2 cards from yall this past week! THANKS!!!! :D 

Gosh it kinda stinks! So there is an other American that lives in the same apt. He found out this past week when he will be going home. So he keeps talking what he will do and all! Its great and all! But gosh it gets me a little trunky!! But Elder Costa and I are doing great!! He is such a great companion and really he is helping with the conjugation of verbs and all. So like every Saturday for like the past 2 months I am teaching an English class. Not sure why, but not a lot of people from the neighborhood come but we have some regulars. But gosh its funny I am starting to forget english grammar and phrases and all. Gosh, it's pretty funny, because I have to ask Elder Costa if I am right on some things and he isn't even from the USA (He's from Portugal). But I am sorry that my emails/letters arent the best with english grammar. Sorry! I cant wait to see how it will be when I get back home. :P

But nothing really hasn't happened big. I think what I am gonna start doing is write the main points during the week so on Monday I can have something to talk about. But I think I am missing something but right now I think that's about it. The weeks are just going by faster and faster and soon, I know, my 2 years will be all up and that's it. But I hope I doing my best and always loving everyone that I meet. I sure love this gospel and I know that my family are sealed for eternity! I know that this Gospel blesses lives for eternity and I am really eternally grateful for my parents who sacrificed everything for me and my sister. I love this Gospel and I know my Savior died for my sins so I can return to him one day. I hope everyone is having a great day and I hope your week will be AWESOME and filled with tons of miracles! 

Love you all,

Elder McCrea

p.s. LETTERS PLEASE? I promise I will write back! :)