15 Jan 2018

...here the missionaries call trainers "pais" which of course is dad and the new missionaries their "filhos." So I'm a DAD! Aren't you proud?

 So the best thing that happened this week... I think was maybe a talk I had with my filho. It was real spiritual and we talked about a lot. The worst thing was yet another Saturday with ever appointment falling through and then Sunday noone coming to church with us. Something new is that I have to lead this new missionary on mission life and our area when I hardly know it myself all the while speaking portuguese that is still tripping me up.

Something accomplished is 1 more week the books. The training is HARD! I pretty much have to run the show for now while he gets used to being a missionary. You think that I'm all good and confident but nooooo. I'm always terrified whenever I think too much about what I have to do to help him. But I'm giving it my 100 percent and I come home everyday exhuasted and now I feel like I'm dead. But somehow it'll all work out. Just gotta keep on going until it suddenly ends.

 Oh funny story real quick, so he was in the MTC when kimball was and Kimball told him to look for and Elder Kililiki. So what a coincidence! Man it's weird to think that I was the first one out... but I'm glad I was! I think that's all for this week.

With a friendly cat

A Favella

08 Jan 2018

The best part of my week was when we got a bunch of investigators in one day. It was a really good day. The worst thing that happened was that on saturday our schedule was FULL! Literally every hour we had an appointment and every single one of them fell through. Then the Sunday noone came to church with us. So that was frustrating. Something I'm working is doing street contacts, I'm still insecure with the language and it's just something scary for me still. But it's getting better. As for what I accomplished, one more transfer. My patience has grown a bit I thing but not too much. I still get really frustrated with everything but I think that's normal. I'll give you one more thing that I'm really nervous about, I'm going to be a trainer. Just barely got done being trained and now I have to train... I'm kinda freaking out but oh well. Nephi 3:7 will need to come through these next two transfers.

18 Dec 2017

So, this week was somewhat like last week so not too amazing but it was a little better. We didn't really get to teach much because the appointments kept falling through but the lessons we did have were good. So yeah, that was my week.

21 Nov 2017

Received a text from the Mendens. An expat family from Arizona who are living in Sao Paulo for work. They had Alihi and his companion over for dinner.

Among other things they said "...just want to share that he and his companion are really great missionaries and your son seems really happy and is doing really great with Portuguese...We probably confused your son with our English because he already seems comfortable with Portuguese..."

With Sydney and Max Menden

Alihi also wrote:

"...Brazil celebrates thanksgiving but missionaries don't so I'll be doing the same thing I've been doing...This week was a little long, yesterday was a holiday so Pday is today.  We still aren't seeing much progress but things are getting better and I can understand and speak more so that helps."

07 Nov 2017

I think I'm a missionary now!

We didn't hear from Alihi until Tuesday, because he went to the temple on their regular P-day, so they "traded" days...

So this week was fun, I think I've checked pretty much everything a missionary has to go through on a mission already.  Here's my list:

-Dog peed on my shoe through a gate

-Walked through the pouring rain for a couple hours

-Got rejected by an investigator that was progressing

-Multiple ocassions I embarassed myself with my portuguese

-Lost all of our investigators

Things I need to do:

-Be robbed or shot

But hey, I'm serving a mission and that's what matters.  No honestly the mission is good.  I'm still trying to get used to the language and get used to being really tired and hungry all the time.  I also think that I need to do a better job with remembering what happened in days past.  It all just blurs so I forget.  Anyway in good news we picked up 16 new investigators and about half of them are progressing.  So now we have a total of 16 investigators.  I think that's pretty much about it from my week, I'll try to do a better job next time.  Cião! Amo vocês!

Elder Keliiliki

30 Oct 2017

I'm doing well...The mission is good. It's been pretty hot here and the sun is pretty intense.  I'm starting to tan so that's good, who knows maybe I'll come back brown.   [W]e do not have a lady that cleans or cooks. We do that ourselves and it's not as bad as people made it seem.  Also the apartment is good, the first two weeks we didn't have hot water so we got a rude awakening every morning.  Oh and I only share with my companion, which I'm thankful for.  It's nice and peaceful at night.  

[W]e don't have bikes so we have to walk everywhere... they celebrate halloween here, the ward that I'm serving in had a trunk or treat this week.

We just had a stake rezoning to split and remake wards and we lost all our investigators because they're all outside our area now...but we found new ones.  

* Here are some pictures of Alihi and his companion a member in Brazil (Amanda Sodre) sent to me via Facebook

23 Oct 2017

Now my week,

It was good.  The field has treated me well but it's hot!  It was a consistent 30-37 degrees celsius (80 - 96 degrees fahrenheit) all day every day.  But I'm enjoying it so far and drinking lots of water.   The members are nice and portuguese is coming along.  I hope everything goes well over there.  I don't really know what to say.  My companion is nice and fun and we work hard.  We walk a lot but that doesn't really bother me.  I just keep thinking about my setting apart blessing about my legs and feet and wonder what's going to happen.  But yeah...  All is well over here.  I'll try to be better next time.  BYEE!

Elder Keliiliki

19 Oct 2017

Wihi is officially in the Sao Paulo West mission:

We received the following letter from Alihi's Mission President

13 Friday 2017

Quite the Week

Hey dad,

I'm glad Auntie Margie got to go sooner than later.  It was her time.  Have fun in Los Angeles and whatnot though.

And my week was boring, we didn't really work as hard as usual because our schedule they gave us was a pretty lame one that is trying to prepare us for the field.  I see the importance of it but I'd rather learn more portugese and practice teaching more or something.  Instead we just sit in a room where they talk at us.  I don't know, I'm almost out so it's all ok.  My portugese is really coming along now.  My instructors say I don't have an accent which is good and people are saying that I speak better than some people in the field.  But the last couple days have been pretty difficult, I was waiting for the pride cycle to kick me and it did.  I hope I get back around soon and receive the Lord's blessing some more.  I don't think that I'm ready to leave yet because of my language capabilities, but besides that yes I'm ready to go.  I'm so anxious.  Also it"s been cooking here, it's so hot.  We are truly in different hemispheres.  Anyway, I think that's all from me.  Have a good week!  Love ya!

Hey mom,

I will definitely pray for Ikaika, he told me all about that target job so I hope all goes well.  And yeah I forgot about that too, I'll think on it this week and I'll let you know next time because I don't know what to use as of now.  I find it hard to believe that Bentonville is undefeated but good for them.  As for my week you can read what I wrote to dad, it was meant for the both of you so yeah.  Um, OH! fun fact:  My CTM president is jehovah in the temple for the portugese films and he also was one of the main people that translated the bible into portugese!  Isn't that crazy!  I just thought that I'd share that with you because I thought it was cool. Anyway, I don't know my area yet but my mission is also pretty small so there can't be many and the dress is kinda ridiculous.  But it's really good.  I think that's about all for me so yeah.  Love ya!

Elder Keliiliki

6 Oct 2017

Greetings

Hey dad,

I'm glad we're getting closer to figuring out house stuff.  I know it's super stressful for you guys.  But yeah, the MTC is getting to me.  I want to get out so bad.  Oh well, only 1 and a half more weeks.  Also I agree 100%, I do not like friday p day.  It throws me off so bad and it doesn't have very many good perks.  The language is starting to plateau, I was progressing really well but I've hit a hump and so I asked my instructors to start going hard on me so hopefully that'll boost the learning process again.  I can't really think of much else to say.  So love ya! BYEE!

Hey mum,

General conference was so good for me.  I learned so much out of this one.  This one seemed to be a lot about hanging in there and like you said having faith, hope, and charity.  My favorite talk was Elder Holland's.  But only because of one quote, "We are a fallen people."  It struck me so hard and made me realize how great of an opportunity it is now to be a missionary and try to get this people out of this fallen state.  I'm glad that grandpa daddy is going to get the care that he needs and hopefully mama gets figured out.  What do you want to do?  Also that is really sad, Auntie Margie was the best.  Oh well, she'll be going to a better place and the plan of salvation is real so we'll see her again.  Yay for finishing the belle dress.  Now it's time to pull the rest of your hair out with the blessing dress.  I wanna see a picture of the belle dress if that's ok.  Also why do you do that to yourself.  Iron man again?  You're crazy, I hope you're at least enjoying it.  Exercise and sleep?  Not enough.  "represent?" yes, but not with portugese.  Without a phone has been really easy, we're really busy and I love talking to the brazillians so I'm doing A ok.  Best experience this week was probably Elder Hales funeral.  We just barely watched it and it was really humbling and super sweet.  It was great.   The most challenging was the entire week.  It was a long week, but it's over and it's time to start anew.  I miss you guys but not enough to come home.  Love you!  BYEE!

Elder Keliiliki

Oh also another thing, the bikes... well traffic here in general is in insane.  But the bikes especially.  They sorta just encroach into a lane until people make space and then the bikes just swerve in between cars and lanes all the time.  Quite the sight to see to and from the temple.  Speaking of which, the temples wood is amazing, I have no idea what kind but it's so dark and I heard some story about how the church was able to buy just enough for cheap.  I'm not sure but you can look it up and find the story

29 Sept 2017

Conference Weekend

Hey Dad,

So I knew josh was working at the spark because he started when I was working.  But I didn't know jordan was working there now.  I'm glad he did though, its a good job.  The language is coming along pretty well, I talk to brazillians every night to try to learn and it's a lot of fun.  It's only frustrating whenever you're trying to teach and you can't figure out how to say something important.  But I have 2 more weeks to figure that out.  Um, I took some pictures but my camera died recently so I need to go out and buy an outlet or some batteries or something.  I'll figure it out.  Love ya, BYEE!

Hey mum,

I'm going a little crazy for right now but I'm getting more used to things.  The street contacting went well, I understand people for the most part.  But I think I could understand them a lot better now since I have another week under my belt.  Thor is coming home now?  I was thinking about him the other day was like dang he's been out for what seems like forever.  Also wow! A belle dress?  I'm sure alani will love it and want to wear it everyday until it falls apart.  Regarding Bentonville and Fayeteville, that just tells me they are both junk this year.  Fayetteville is just more so.  And I won't be able to watch the women's session.  We're watching the priesthood session the same time the sisters are watching the priesthood session.  I'll try to find it when I'm out in the field though.  Anyway that's all for me, Love ya, BYEE!

Elder Keliiliki

With the District at the Temple