Samambaia - Week 1

We had a way epic week, Tuesday we had our Transfer meeting and Christmas conference which was awesome!! Elder Archila and I went with homemade ties and I have to say they turned out pretty well. The conference was a little bitter-sweet as it will be the last time that I'll see a lot of missionaries before they go home.

As far as transfers go I was transfered to Samambaia 1 and I am training again. My newbie is Elder Alves from Rio Grande do Sul and he seems like a good guy and is excited to work. The area is simply amazing. I went from Unaí, a hard area with almost zero lunch appointments where the missionaries did almost everything, to a strong ward in a great area, with lunch everyday and most days we also have dinner appointments and I'm just way excited.

There is a young man in the ward named Bryan who introduced us to his neighbor Gabriel who came to church this Sunday. I hope he continues to progress and I'll keep you guys updated.

I also got my Christmas package this week and I have to say that I have the best Mom in the whole world who sends delicious dark chocolate and other tasty things to me, so ya love ya Mom.

That's about it. Have a great week love ya bye!!

Elder Hyer

Elder Kohler and I (he went home this week good friend here)

Our epic Christmas ties

Sister Heperi and I (she goes home this transfer)

Unaí - Week 24

Transfers, Finally Leaving!

Crazy week, not a whole lot of time today. This week we had transfer calls and the last thing we expected happened. Elder Archila and I are being transferred. We all thought that Elder Archila, being Branch President, would stay but it looks like the Lord needs us in other places.

I have to say that when you stay in the same area for six months it really is special. This was not my easiest area, but all in all I had a blast and most of that is due to Elder Archila. I'll miss him quite a bit.

I'm super excited, my next area will probably be my last area of my mission. I'll let you all know next week where I end up, who my companion is, all that jazz.

Jennifer and her family weren't able to come to church this week. I really wanted to see them there one last time before going but no big deal, if they do their part, they'll be ready for baptism here in no time.

Anyways, love you all, wish me luck in my last area,

Elder Hyer

Unaí - Week 23

Well not much to report this week to be completely honest. We ended up having Jennifer, her Sister Mary-Jane, and her older brother all come to church this week. It was a very spiritual experience and you can see the changes happening in the whole family as we teach. All that's left is helping the parents to come too and we´ll be baptizing the whole family!

Things can be really frustrating at times as a missionary, whether it be the work, members, companions, or the sun! haha. But it really is all worth it. The growth that happens is incomparable to any other experience.

That's it for this week, hope you all are doing well, Love you all so much.

Elder Hyer

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

Sister Langston´s B-day

Volleyball

Awesome tie that Sis. Andrade made for me!!

Unaí - Week 22

This week was super crazy, lots and lots of rain, and then afterwards lots and lots of sun, and just a few miracles.

We taught a man this week who actually studied religion, really liked our message, and said that he will pray and come to church. The spirit was very strong during the lesson and I can't wait to see how he progresses. He is getting a surgery done this week so he couldn't come to church this Sunday, he may take some time but it is certainly exciting.

Jennifer and her Mom are both progressing very well during our visits but then on Sundays they don't come. So that's been pretty frustrating.

I was asked to give a talk this week which went well. I have come to enjoy giving talks much more than before the mission (especially when I have time to prepare.) I was asked to prepare this talk Saturday night to give it on Sunday so I don't exactly like that part.

This last Thursday was Thanksgiving, I hope your Thanksgivings were great. I know that mine was pretty good considering I'm in Brazil. I ended up buying a bunch of food and the sisters made a grand feast for us all!!

Love you guys tons. I'll send the thanksgiving pictures next week, I have to get them from the sisters. Have a fabulous week!!

Elder Hyer

Unaí - Week 21

This week was actually really fun. Tuesday evening we had the Traveling Assistants come and do exchanges with us which was really fun. They stayed Wednesday and Thursday and left Friday morning. The Assistants are Elder Lafaiete and Elder Ribeiro. It was really fun to work with them.

Sunday morning I had the amazing opportunity to go to Paracatu with Elder Archila. Paracatu is a new group of the church that is starting up just like when I was in Padre Bernardo but it is already like a year and a half or so old. But seeing as how they are so small they officially are a part of our branch here in Unai, which means that Elder Archila is also the Branch President of Paracatu. Anyways, ELder Archila had some interviews to do, and President was going to visit so he picked us both up and took us there. Let me just say that the meeting was very spiritual. I guess just the experience in general was really special to us to see such an excited group of new members with an attendance that Sunday of 105 people, truly incredible. So that was neat.

Other than that, we had some sad news Sunday morning when we found out that Jennifer went to the hospital and was there all Sunday. We talked with her mom and I guess she'll be fine but she wasn't able to go to church. So keep her in your prayers that she can heal and be able to go to church this next week.

Not much else to talk about. This morning we all went as a district to the Rio Preto (black river) which was fun, took some pics, I got stranded on a rock, walked até o pó, it was fun.

Anyways have an incredible week, and a Happy Thanksgiving!!! I'll be eating Rice and Beans, woohoo!!!!

Unaí - Week 20

This week was amazing! We worked super hard and it all payed off. We had several good investigators at church, one of which is named Jennifer! She has a baptism set for the 27th of November and we are super hyped! She loved church and is excited to prepare herself for baptism.

We have an investigator named Edinilson who has been kind of wishy-washy "I wont commit to going to church because if I commit I'll have to go, and I don't know if I'll go, so better to not commit, but If everything works out then I'll go". I cant tell you how many times I have heard that with the same result that they don't go. But this Sunday he came! And brought along his mom! He has some doubts about the existence of God and feels a little bit that because he studies science he can't believe in God, but I'm certain we can help him gain faith.

Friday the sky literally fell, or at least it felt that way as it rained like I've never seen it rain before in Unaí. It was about 8:30pm and we were half an hour away from home at a member's house. We had no choice but to walk/run 30 minutes in the rain to our house and we were... soaked. The worst part is that we left all of our windows open at home, our apartment was basically flooded and our beds were completely soaked, along with my blanket and pillow, so that was an uncomfortable night haha.

All is well here in Brasil. I hear a lot every day hate comments about Trump and questions about what I think about the elections. and I'm just like "your Brazilian why do you care?" haha but Long Live America!! How I love you...

Amo Vocês
Elder Hyer

Unaí - Week 19

Hey everyone, transfers happened and the changes couldn't have been better. Like I said, I am staying one more transfer here in Unaí and will be training a new missionary, Elder Sanches from Rio de Janeiro. He's super awesome, huge anime/video-game nerd and we relate pretty well.

We also received here a Sister Langston who is Awesome! She is from Utah, Salt Lake (of course) and is a super great missionary.

Gabrielle is doing great but wasn't able to go to church again this week, the work itself continues to be difficult but I'm confident that it will all work out well.

I hope you all have a great week!

Our new district