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