Mitchell, week 81, Óbidos

Holy Cow!! I really don't have much time!! I am really out of time! The
internet today was horrible!! I had to send tons of time sending my
emails and stuff to the mission office and write my email to president
and wow its just rough to get everything done with the slow
internet!! But today was transfers and...... I AM STAYING!! I don't
believe it!! ITS CRAZY!!!! It's not for sure yet... but its like +70
percent that I will stay, but as of 17:30 today I haven't gotten a call
yet that I will get transfer. and also Elder Machado will stay as
well!! :) WE now will have 4.5 transfers together!! 
Crazy!! But this past week we have a baptism of Jackson (20 years old) neighbor of
Abinhoan (My 2nd person I baptised in Óbidos) But Jackson is doing
great!! He also received the Sacerdocio yesterday as well!! Again we
had his baptism early on Sunday because he worked on Saturday but the
baptism was small but sweet!! The Amazon river was great!!! It wasn't
that cold.... (Lately we have been getting tons of rain and that
morning RIGHT after the baptism it started raining tons) but all is
good!! My health is doing great!!! WE got our district Tshirt this
past week and they look AWESOME!! I also made a shirt of Marabá (My
2nd zone) it looks SWEET! Also a member traded me a Moto-taxi shirt
with my name for the Micheal Jordan shirt that you sent me mom! HAHAHA
The shirts looks great!! I am thinking to send y'all a box of all the
stuff that I got here in Óbidos at the end of March or something.

In the car was the 6 of us going to the river for the baptism of Jackson!!!

But yea the district is doing great!! 3/6 of us got transferred.... the
2 sisters in Oriximiná will get transferred and will have to close
their area (We don't know if it will be sisters or elders there....)
and Elder Bandeira got transferred (here in Óbidos) We don't know where
they will be going or with who in their new areas... just know that
they will get transferred. But yea the district is good!! WE had 5
baptisms this past month and this next will have a lot! Because soon
the wedding paperwork will arrive for the mateus/andrea and
Claudinilson/Poliane So we are excited for that and also here in 2
weeks will be the new chapel dedication in Óbidos!! So we are excited
for that as well!! But yea its crazy I am starting my 15 transfer....
just 2 more and that's it!! CRAZY HOW FAST TIME FLIES!!!!!! But yea I am
so grateful for that chance I have to stay here in Óbidos for more 6
weeks!! CRAZY!! But I am grateful for all of my blessings!! I know
that this church is true and the atonement of our Savior and Redeemer
Jesus Christ is real!

I love y'all so much and I hope that y'all have a SPLENDID week!!!
Elder McCrea

Mitchell, week 79, Obidos

ANOTHER WEEK FLLIIIEEESSSS BY!!!!

ALRIGHT!! I am doing great!! This past week was CRAZY!! First off we had a zone meeting in Santarém so we lost part of Thursday and Friday and got back on Saturday around 3am. But the meeting was GGREAT!!!! Learned some great stuff!! and yea we as a mission are getting ready for the visit of Elder Cook here on the 26th of Feb. But yea the meeting was great!! I got a card from Mariah!! THANKS SIS!!! I got your Christmas card! :P HAHAH!!! But yea it was a great boat ride!! We as a district ( Us 4 from Óbidos and the 2 sisters from Oriximiná) ate dinner right before the boat trip back to our areas at Subway on Friday and that was FRICKEN good!!!! It was good to do something together as a district because we 4 live far from the sisters and I wanted to do something with my district! But when we got back to our area we, Elder Machado and I were going after Bruno to see if we can let his mom allow him get baptized. He is 17 years old and will be 18 in Oct. but yea it was rough him mom let him get baptized!! But yea after like 1 month of Bruno asking her and we passing by.... she finally signed the paper and he got baptized EARLY Sunday Morning. So that was something new for me! But yea it was definitely a great, simple, sweet baptism!! We are grateful that she finally open her heart and let him be baptized. But yea this past week was crazy!!

We are working hard to find new people this new week! A lot of our investigators aren´t following our invites and all. But we will continue working with them, but need to find some "new flesh" But yea Elder Machado and I are doing great!! I cant believe that we both have 5 months together right now!! crazy! But I really think that this next transfer at the end of Feb. one of us 2 will be transferred. Its crazy to think that I only have 5 months left of being a missionary on the God's Army! Its crazy that here in less then  6 months I won't have a name tag close to my heart anymore.... It's crazy that soon I will have to return to studying and start my future family. But what I do know that this work that I am doing right now is of the Lord I am Eternally grateful for the chance I have to know the people here in Pará! I love my mission and I love Brasil!! I am really grateful for the people that I know, taught and helped here in Pará!! I love the people here and this Gospel! I know that families can be together forever!

I am grateful for my parents, my sister, family, and friends! I love you all!! I hope that you have a great week full of miracles and a chance to share this Wonderful Gospel with someone! 

con amor,

Elder McCrea

Mitchell, week 78, Obidos

WEEKLY!

Hey I am sorry! I am horrible at my weekly emails.... but I am still alive and kicking!! I just can't do everything during my email time!! but I want you to know I am grateful for your weekly emails! I am grateful that you both are great and Mariah is still alive as well! I know that the Lord is blessing you all!! But I am grateful for this chance I am serving a mission! And I know that this gospel is true! again I am sorry! I can't write much.....

but this past week we had a rough time..... we found out that the chapel dedication will possibly be in March now, also that a strong family here in the ward will get divorced, the young man that should have gotten baptized last week didn't happen because his "mom" (She really isn't the best mom in the world... doesn't really give much for him) wouldn't let him get baptized. (he is 17 years old.) But this week we will work with her and see if we can get her to sign. But the good news is that the apostle that will visit at the end of the month will be Elder Cook! :) Heck yea!! Whoopie!!!! Also the district is good! We will be heading to Santarem this week for a zone meeting and I hope it will get us more excited and we can learn something new!! But yea this past week was rough because we had a rough time finding new people to teach..... but we have faith that this week will be different and we will find the souls that want to hear our message!

But I sure do love you all and am grateful for all of my blessings and specially for you all!!! 

Have a great week!! and until next Monday!!! :)

Elder McCrea

P.s. AGAIN SORRY!!!!!!!! I promise next week my weekly letter will be better..... -__-

Mitchell, week 76, Obidos

POXA VIDA!!! A MISSÃO É LOCO!!!

WOW!! This past week was crazy! Well transfers was finally finished around Tuesday and I am...... staying in ÓBIDOS!!!!! :) HECK YEA!!!!! I love it here! Its weird I am staying plus with Elder Machado! WE both have over 3 transfers together and this is the 4th already! CRAZY!! But we are still getting along like bread and butter! (I think that's how the quote is...) But we are staying together for 1 more transfer and I really think one of us will be transferred for sure this next transfer (at the end of Fevereiro.) But I sure do love this guy! He is a great Elder and Brother!! (For those that don't know him... he is from Rio Grande do Sul (Southern part of Brasil) and has 7 months on a mission)

but yea this past week was tiring and crazy! we had a zone meeting in Santarém and the boat ride was great! WE got rain that night on the boat and wow there was all this annoying bugs that were attracted to the night lights on the boat. But that next morning (Wednesday ) we had the meeting. It was great!! I learned a lot of stuff and we (e. Machado and I) are taking the stuff in practice. We ended the training meeting and I stayed with an elder there in Santarém and we found a great young man with 18 years old and he has a lot of potential. But we had to stay there in Santarém that day because Elder Cruz (The new elder in Óbidos) arrived that night from Belém so we got to stay there in Santarém that night. But on Thursday morning, Elder Machado and I before we arrived at the dock to enter in the speed boat we went to Sister Glaucia/Brother Elismar (The family that I taught in my 1st area) that got married and are going strong right now! She has a calling and the family is just doing GREAT!!! I always try to see the family when I am there in Santarém! But I talked with them for awhile and left them with a spiritual thought. But we were rushing to get to the dock before 8am. Ohh and during that morning it was raining cats and dogs there!! but we got there on time but we then had to wait for the other 2 elders that will go with us. But they got there late to buy the passage so then we had to wait until 1 pm to catch the next speedboat to Óbidos. That was a bummer that we really couldn't do anything for those hours waiting on the dock. But when we finally got to Óbidos that afternoon on Thursday we went right to work!! we wanted to cut (With love) the souls that aren't really progressing but we worked hard to find people that could have potential to be baptized and will go to church as fast as possible. Because a lot of our investigators are AWESOME and will get baptized but are just waiting for their wedding paperwork to arrive. But the last days of the weeks we were trying to find people to teach that have potential! But on Saturday night we found a family that is great!! They have a lot of potential!! 

But also this week was crazy because I got called to be District Leader for the elders here in Óbidos and also for the Sister in Oriximina (A city 3-4 hours by boat) So its crazy now! But I am also excited at the same time!! But this week we will have a baptism of a daughter of a investigator named Maria Fabiane. Also this past week we got some GREAT news that the new chapel will be dedicated on 21st of Feb. so that means that I will be here for the dedication of the chapel!! :))) HECK YEA!!! Plus the next week the 28th is when we will have the conference with the apostle. :) So these month and next month will be full of miracles and many wonderful things will go down! :D Heck yea!! 

But yea I know that this week will be great! We will talk with many people and teach new souls that want to move and change their life for the better to get closer to our heavenly Father and receive the blessings from heaven!! But I know that the church is true and has the full organization with a prophet and 12 apostles and the same authority that Jesus Christ organized when he was here on earth. I love my job! Its crazy to think that here in 5-6 months I will be going home but I know I will be working hard these months to continue helping people and souls fee the love that our savior has for us! I am grateful for my savior I know that he died for our sins and we can receive perdão if we have faith in the atonement of our savior!  I love my family there in the states and my other family here in Brasil!! I love you all!!! 

I wish y'all a happy week full of miracles and blessings!! and remember to always say your prayers and read the scriptures daily! :) Até próximo semana! (Until next week) 

Com amor,

Elder McCrea

Mitchell, week 74, Obidos

2015!!! WHOOPIE!!

All is good here in 2015!! I don't know when was the last time I wrote my weekly email to the family but nothing BIGGGGG has happened..... Its just crazy how fast time flies during my weekly email time and just really how fast the week goes by!! We are starting the last week of our transfer already! I am feeling that I will get transferred. BUT really I dont know what to write... all is good! This pasted week I was pretty sick. Had a stomach virus or something but as of right now I think it gone away. But Elder Machado and I are working to help a young woman named Diessica get baptized this next Saturday. But the 2 families that are still waiting for the paperwork of their marriage, are doing great!! Poliane and Claudenilson were at their farm/ranch this past week. They should be getting back today or tomorrow. And Mateus/Andrelaine are doing so great!! Both families are really excited about their marriage and baptism! :) But talking about marriage.... CONGRATS ON MY BEAUTIFUL MOMMA AND OLD FART POPS ON 30 YEARS OF MARRIAGE!!!!!!!!! CONGRATS DAD AND MOM!!!! I love y'all!!!

But the new chapel here in Óbidos is all ready to go!! It all depends on the City Hall to do their stuff. But really I hope that I can stay here this next transfer and see the ward start using the new wonderful chapel! But yea the ward is very excited to leave the old chapel "house" and move to the "real" chapel! :P Today President Scisci wrote a email talking about that here this next month an apostle will visit our mission!! HECK YEA!!! 

 This next week we will have a zone meeting in Santarém so I think I will ride by boat and speedboat for the last time on a mission. (I hope not.... I LOVE THE AMAZON)  but really It's crazy to think that 2014 passed by so fast and so much has happened and it's just even more excited to see what will go down in 2015! I sure do love this gospel and I know that the temple is the house of the Lord. I am grateful that our family is sealed for eternity 30 years ago and I know my "future" family will be sealed as well for eternity! I am grateful for missionary work and the chance I have to help the families that live in my area. I know that this gospel brings many blessings in my life and I know that the Book of Mormon and the Bible is the word of God!

I hope y'all had a great Natal and a wonderful new year!! Remember to set high goals of 2015 to help you grow spiritually, Mentally, materially, etc. and just work hard for these goals!! I am grateful for everything that I have and especially for my family in the states and for my big family here in Brasil that I am serving!! I love y'all so much!! 

With Love and a BIG HUG!!! 

Élder McCrea

Mitchell, week 71, Obidos

ALMOST CHRISTMAS!!

Alright..... I am slowly getting back on the ball with writing my weekly letters..... But WOW this past week was GREAT!!! Elder Machado and I saw TONS of miracles the biggest ones is that we helped 2 families start their papers to get married!! :D WHOOPIE!!! So like here in a month or so they can be baptized!! :) HECK YEA!!!! But wow it was so sweet seeing their faces smiling ear to ear and thanking us so much for helping them!! But wow that was just 2 miracles that happened in the same week!!! :) Also hahah funny but tomorrow is the Christmas conference with all the missionaries from the zone. And we also received our secret Santa... (I think that's what's its called in English) But yea I received President Scisci as the person I will give the gift. CRAZYY!!!!! HAHA I already got him his gift and its just tons of pressure I think to get him the right fit. But I think I chose the right gift! :P But yea tomorrow is the conference. Where it will be a day full of games and all!! Plus it will be in the same local as last year (Because I am in the same zone as last year during Christmas) But yea the locale is ´pretty and I am excited for the churrasco!! :)))  But also tonight we will be leaving Óbiodos by boat and getting in Santarém tomorrow morning! :)) WHOOPIE!!! BOAT TRIPSSSS!!!! :))) But yea this past week also we did a lot of service projects!! 2 were planned and the other 2 were on the roads as we were walking and stopped and helped. But the 2 that were planned we (Elder Machado and I) cleaned the back part of the church (Or house because the church is renting a house until the NEW chapel is ready) There were tons of trash bags that were almost decomposed with tons of trash and we cleaned it all up. and the other service project was with a member named Wander. WE helped cut down this huge tree. We cut the part that was above the neighbors yard and garden. But yea This past week was AWESOME!! Definitely a week full of miracles!! Also this past week the wards family home evening was at the house of Cleiliane. She is less active that we are helping and we baptized her children and are teaching/baptizing her relatives (parents, sister and her husband and kids, brother in-law and his wife and kids) but wow!! It's crazy to think that we found so many great people to teach and help enter in the water of baptism with just one contact that we did a little over a 1 month ago! CRAZY!!!!

I am excited for this next week! For the Christmas conference and also if all is right we should have 2 more baptisms.... Eduardo and Maria. Eduardo is 10 years old but wow he talks and thinks like a 15 year old and Maria is his sister that is 12 years old! But wow they are so smart and are really searching to find out if the church is really true! But yea I think all with work out this week and we should finish teaching them and help them get baptized!

I gotta get going!! I sure am grateful for all the experiences that I am having here in Óbidos! I sure do love my family and I know that the church is true! I know that during the month of Natal it is important to remember the gift most important in our lives.... Jesus Christ. He is our gift and I am grateful for him and the chance I have to repent of my sins! I am grateful for this gospel and the chance I have to teach the children of God for 2 years of my life!

I wish y'all a happy week full of miracles, happiness, and missionary experiences! Até logo!!

Com amor,

Elder McCrea

my personalized hammock made by a member 

p.s. Sorry about all my English errors and also if I write in Portuguese as well. HAHA Sorry! :P

Mitchell, week 70, Obidos

Its been a long time!!

Hey... I am doing horrible at my weekyl letters!! Sorry! But Elder Machado and I are doing GREAT!!! We had 2 baptisms last week! Sons of Cleliane... Eric and Alessandro. They live in a ranch 1.5 hours away. They and their grandparents were the ones that we visited  3 weeks ago at their ranch. The grandparents also should be starting their Christmas break if all goes well with the work that they have to get done before they can be here in Óbidos. But we hope they can arrive here this week so they also can be baptised. But yea we are so lucky we found this family and I really do hope all goes through. also its a little hard to communicate with them because where they live there is no cellular signal or internet, etc.... but I know it will go through!! 

But yea tons of stuff happened lately! Last week we had zone meeting in Santarem. and it went GREAT!! WE received a new ZL. Elder Young(ester) HAHA!! I already know him, he's a great guy! Also at the meeting I received a box from my pais! :) Obrigado e também from Sister White!!!!!! MUITO OBRIGADO!!!! E também uma 2015 calendario from Laredo 1st Branch! THANKS!!! :) Also I received a card from Sister White and Mariah!! :D So the meeting was great!!!

But also lately we are doing contacts with the "He is the Gift" and mundo feliz! Btw, if y'all haven't yet seen the video check it out here.....natal.mormon.org. But yea.... We are doing like 100 contacts per week. But yea I am grateful for the chance I am here in Óbidos during my last Christmas on a mission! I know that the month is important and I hope I can have a month full of miracles and happiness! 

Some great news.... that the new chapel that is being built is almost ready!! HOLY COW it is looking pretty sweet! Lucky we entered in last night and HOLY COW it is almost ready!!! Here in Óbidos the ward will be so blessed for the new chapel! IT will definitely be the most fancy beautiful chapel here in small town of Óbidos (population 40 thousand) from all other churches! I really do hope I can stay here when they start using the chapel!! :)

But all is well!! I am starting to lose more weight now and I getting excited for the skype call to my family (if I can find a place to skype with decent internet) But I know it will happen :P I am grateful for all the blessings that I have in my life!! I am grateful for my family and friends! I know that this is the work of the LORD!!! I am grateful for the chance I am here in Óbidos serving a full time mission!!! 

I wish y'all a GREAT and safe week!! Continue doing what's right and remember to always pray, read the scriptures, and smile!! 

Com Amor,

Elder McCrea

Mitchell, week 69, Obidos

HEYY!!! so transfers was this past week and I am staying here in Óbidos with Elder Machado! WE had 2 baptisms this past week (Carolaine and Naiara) the baptism took place at a igarapé (I don't know what you call it in English) But it went so great!! And is everything works out this week we could have 4 more baptisms! :)) I am sure grateful for this chance I am here on a mission! I apologize I am not writing you guys as much... plus not sending photos.... its a little hard with the computers here. I really don't wanna loose the photos that I have and it takes a while to download them on the email. 

But this past week I had to buy some things at the pharmacy. I had a problem with my foot. So I bought some medicine for my foot (problem was taken care of) also I bought some solution for my contacts. But mom and dad I am doing so much better now!! You guys can't believe it as well..... On Monday a miracle happened. So there is a (less active) member that works at the new lds chapel that is being built in the city. He tells me that he has a pair of shoes that will fit me. I said okay and I thought to my self that he doesn't really know how big my feet are or how small the shoes would be on me. So that night we passed by his house and he gives me a pair of shoes that is the same brand and size as what I was wearing that night. The brand "missionary shoes" its CRAZY!!!!! It was brand new and he has never used it! Its crazy!! He told us that he has had it over 3 years now. The reason he gave it to me, was because it doesn't even fit him one bit.  But its in perfect condition. and I thanked him SO MUCH!!!! So now I am all set for the rest of my mission. I am using them right now! :)) I still haven't gotten the package that y'all sent. But today or tomorrow the LZs will be heading to Belém and we (Óbidos) will be heading to the city of the LZ (Santarém) on Wednesday night. So the LZ´s will bring us all the boxes and cards that are in the mission office there in Belém. So if the package has arrived I should be getting the envelope that y'all sent this week! :)) WHOOPIE!!! 

But talking about having to travel to Santarém. I would like to buy some ties (To give to the young men that I baptized here in Óbidos) and print the photos of our recent baptisms that have happened to give them and the family the photos of the baptism. 

But Mom and Dad I am doing so great! I am grateful for the chance I am here on a mission! Its crazy soon will be natal (skype chat) and soon after I will be going home! but I sure do love this gospel! I know it is true!! I hope all is well there with mom and Mariah there in home and dad working. Or how is it right now with Mariah home? Please write me mom and Mariah... I wanna know how y'all are doing

Your eternal Son,

Elder McCrea

Mitchell, week 64, Óbidos

Olá FAMÍLIA!!!! :)

First off, I am doing horrible at writing my weekly emails to y'all. Sorry! I hope y'all are doing great and enjoyed general conference (hahah I still haven't seen it yet) :/ because where I am at, we have to wait until the stake sends us a recording, where we can see it. So JOYFULLY this week on saturday/sundaywe will finally watch it!! :)) WHOOPIEEEE 

But yea tons of stuff happened since my last email.  My last companion Elder Laurentina got transferred during the mini transfer (like 2 weeks ago) and my new companion is Elder Machado, from Rio grande do Sul (WAYYYYY SOUTHH!!!!!) But he is a great guy, I love him! Has only been like 5 months on a mission! And this last week we ended the transfer and we both will be staying and the other 2 elders that are here are leaving. 

Also last week we had a baptism of a young man named Abinohan. He has 14 years old and yesterday was a GREAT day! He was confirmed a member then received the sacerdocio of Aaronic and also got called as the teacher's president on the same day! WHOOPIE!!! The kid is a BOSS!!!! Both Elder Machado and I are so happy with his progress! 

 This week will be a great one because we will have a Mission Tour with a seventy, whose in charge of Brasil. So I hope that I can learn some great things with our Zone in Santarém. It will be awesome because we will go there and return by boat. WHOOP!! :) AMAZON!!!

I am sorry.... I running out of time. It's crazy how fast time flies as I am writing my emails! But I am doing great! I am so grateful that I decided to serve a mission!! I love the people here in Brasil! I know soon I will be home, but I really hope that it doesn't go by too fast!  I will keep working hard and loving the people that are here in Óbidos! 

Have a SPLENDID week and remember that your Heavenly Father loves you! 

Love, 

Elder McCrea

Mitchell, week 61, Óbidos ,

It's been a long time!

first I am sorry I haven't written an email in a long time. I am not sure when was the last time I wrote an email to everyone. I am gonna just write and sorry if there are errors and all. but I got transferred less then 3 weeks ago to a city called Óbidos. It's is a ward and is really in Timbuktu. I got here by a speed boat that took like 3.5 hours, but if I would use a slower boat it would take like 7-8 hrs. But really it's great here! My companion is Elder Laurentina from São Paulo. Another Paulista! ;P But he's a great guy! He has been here for like more than 3 months and in this zone for like more than 9 months or something. But it's great here!! The ward is using a small house for now. But guess what???? In January or February the chapel that they are building INCREDIBLY fast will be done by December for sure and we can use the chapel. The town only has like 40 thousand so like EVERYONE talks about the new chapel! It really will be the most beautiful looking church in this city for sure!!! :P I am excited to see what more miracles will happen. But really its crazy how fast time is flying!!!! WE have done so much through the week and its just crazy!! I hit like my 14 month mark last week also! But yea I am pretty excited for this next week as well. We will be heading to Santarém to go to the zone meeting and it will be the regular slow boat, so it will pretty sweet to sleep on a hammock and be in the middle of the Amazon on a flipping boat! :D HECK YEA!!!! 

Sorry everyone that I haven't written lately..... it doesn't really help as well that the internet is HORRIBLY SLOW!!!!!! So it takes years to open a site and write something. But I really love it here! I am doing great!! It crazy here also there are tons of hills. It's like the only city here in this state that actually has hills. IT'S PRETTY CRAZY!!!! But I am pretty excited for this next week! GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!! :) I am not sure how it will work here in Óbidos. I think we will receive a recording and see it the week after. But also this next Saturday/Sunday is the presidential/state election. So it's getting pretty crazy down here. But yea I am grateful for the mission presidente to trust me to put me in this area and I hope my companion and the other 2 elders here, can find people to teach and continue seeing miracle day to day!

I sure do love this gospel I know that families can be sealed together! I am grateful that we have temples here on earth! I know something that I will do right when I get back home will go through the temple. But I hope soon the members here in Pará will have a temple to frequent. But I really I love my family so much. I am grateful for my sister who is serving in Ukraine. I love her dearly! Plus I am eternally grateful for my parents for raising me in this gospel!

I wish y'all a great and happy week and until next Monday!

Até Logo (See you later)

Élder McCrea 

p.s. I am sorry I am not sending any pictures in my emails.... (it's really hard with the slow internet and the computers filled with viruses.)

Obidos