028/076 091214 God Sends Miracles In Forms Of Trials!

Picture: "Taco Sunday" 13-Dec-09

Hi all. So I'm going to share with y'all my favorite street contact experience so far. I loved it, hehe.

So I went up to an older man and his wife with my hand forward trying to clearly show I was making an attempt to talk to them. Said hi, good afternoon, and the like and they were kind stand offish. I then said My name is Elder Eyring, what is your name? And his response? "I don't have a name" and he immediately starting walking along. My companion just looked at me and started laughing. Lol, that's great. I've already heard some pretty terrible lies people have used as excuses, like they already talked with missionaries like us just the other day on some nearby street, when we were the only missionaries within 40 minutes of that place, but this one, really, it was great. Lol. I don't have a name . . . . really . . .

Lol.

So this past week has been interesting. Its had its trials, which I am not in the mood to go into really, but these trials have had an obvious good effect. While the trials have sucked, they have without a doubt strengthened my testimony that God sends miracles very often in the forms of trials. Its through trials we truly grow, its through trials that the greatest things come. The greatest missionary in all of history in my opinion was Enoch, the one who made a wicked city so righteous it was taken from the earth into God's presence. He had an incapability to speak, he was still young, and he wasn't liked by the people. But in the trials he had, in the effort he still gave in going to the people, he ending up being an incredible tool in the hands of the Lord. Truly, trials are wonderful things.

And out of time. I hope you all have a good week!

027/077 091207 Is John Taking The Blood Jesus?

Picture: Flamengo of Brazil player: Adriano

So this week there was an interesting thing a child said. We showed a picture to a family of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus Christ, and we asked what this picture was for the build up for the invite to baptism. A child there gave an interesting answer, "tá tirando sanque", or in English, is John taking the blood of Jesus? It changes the story of John the Baptist and Jesus a little when you add that little bit with vampires . . . . lol. That was awesome.

Oh, and I decided when I came to Brazil on a football (soccer) team, the Flamingos. This is my team. I am flamingista. Well, I chose well. Yesterday, they won the final game for Brazil, so more or less they won the super bowl for soccer here. More or less. The system is built differently here. But yes, this year, they won. The first time in 16 years. This happened yesterday, and there were still fireworks going off this morning. The amount of partying going on here, wow, it was impressive. So much happiness. A lot of drunken happiness, yes, but people still were filled with pride of their team. Lol.

Ahhh! I lost a lot of time in a phone call about a couple of forms and names and stuff. Ok, so what should I write real quick that actually has spiritual value.

Oh, this past week my president had the whole mission wake up early one morning and have a hour and a half prayer. That really was a good experience. For me, it was a different prayer. I don't know why, but I have never had a prayer like it. It was significantly strong, it wasn't filled with revelations or stuff of the sort, it was just different, but of course, it was good. I think its really good to every now again to just give yourself to long prayer, even if for a while nothing seems to be coming, there is a benefit to just giving yourself in prayer for a while. It was good.

I hope everything is going well back in the States.

Elder Eyring

026/078 091203 Six Months Today

Picture: President & Sister Bezerra (middle)
Today marks six months that Nathan has been serving the Lord in Brazil.

026/078 091130 HUGE Rain Storm Even For Brazil

Picture: BYU 26 Utah 23

I was in a member's house while he had on the TV Beethoven translated to Portugese. It got to the part when Beethoven was taken to be put to sleep. I learned how to say in Portugese put to sleep. Sacrificar, or translated to english, sacrifice. That is terrible! How could I tell my child that our loving wonderful dog was sacrificed?! Really, that is just depressing!

. . . . . Just had to mention that. That took me by suprise when all of a sudden I heard já sacrificado! Or already sacrificed!

So this past week there was a HUGE rain storm. I mean HUGE! My companion, who is Brazilian and this next transfer this next week will be his last transfer, said he had never seen rain so strong. We were under about 5 feet of protection and still had no hope of not getting soaked. The rain literally was horizontal. The roads turned into rivers in about 2 minutes or less. The lighting was beautiful though. But really, that was insane!

I keep on learning more and more about how much prayer really works. Its truly amazing. If you really pore your heart out to God, there really will be blessings given back and miricales will happen. It is truly amazing.

So I just want to say quickly how glad I am for my mission president. If you remember from a general letter I wrote a couple of weeks ago president prohibited soccer. I'm going to explain a little more with this. When I first got to the mission, all the new elders and sisters told President a little bit about them going around the table. One person said that they like soccer, and president interrupted and said do you like soccer, or do you love it? President was nearly a professional soccer player, and decided not to be because of church callings. He loves soccer so. When he prohibited soccer, he gave up that entire part of his life. That really was a sacrifice for him I'm sure. But that is how he is. Really, I'm so thankful for this man.

Oh, and GO BYU!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

. . . . . Hehe, I'm just a little happy for them.

Well, I hope all is well for y'all. Have a good week!

Elder Eyring

025/079 091123 Soccer Is Prohibited

Picture: Real Salt Lake wins MLS Cup

So I have a moment of pride to tell you all (lol, how great a missionary I am, huh? ;p) So, I was with a group of Brazilian missionaries waiting for interviews, and they were talking about some stuff in soccer I wasn't too interested in, and as such didn't comment. They then said something about us Americans that can't understand a thing they are saying. Immediately I responded, "I understand!" They all got a kick out of that, then asked what they were talking about. I then told them. Lol, they got a nice laugh out of that all. Oh, Brazilians, they are a load of fun.

I have another thing to report about France that I learned, that I don't know if you all have learned. Another proof of their cowardice! In their last qualifying round for the world cup against Ireland (I think) they won because one of their players scrored a goal after placing the ball better with his hand. It was clearly obvious on the tapes. But the ref didn't see or something of the sort ( . . . . .$?) and because of this goal France won and is in the World Cup. So much like France! (I have no idea when I got this prejudice against France, lol. I love you all over there, don't worry, I'm mostly kidding with you [and why I wrote a message to French men that will never read this, I don't know, lol])

If you havn't noticed, its another weird mood week (I guess like all the others, lol).

Speaking of soccer, soccer is prohibited now in my mission. A missionary had to get stiches because of it, and my mission president didn't like that, and so we can't play soccer. That's a weird thought when you are in Brazil! I trust my president though to do what is best.

Then moving on to another subject (again, conversations are translated for your convience, so yes, some of this doesn't sound perfect or isn't quite as interesting as it would be in Portugese, but thats because its translated!) So one member from my ward was on the bus and saw a person with a wristband that said "MTC". He was curious and looked closer, and it said further "Methodist Training Center". Lol, I didn't know there was that type of MTC.

So spiritual time. Really, this church is true. This week someone was baptized, because he felt like he needed to come to our church, because he felt good at church, and because he wanted to follow Christ. We were busy the first time we talked to him last Sunday during church and planned a lesson and gave him a Book of Mormon. He had already read all of the introduction parts by the time we talked with him. He was so ready before we even talked with him! Really though, this church must be true! I just can't see how it isn't!

I love my area . . . . =D

Well, have a good week all!

Elder Eyring

023/081 091109 One Huge Blessing - Girls For Friends

Picture: Shakespear Festival - 2005
Hi all,

Well, I've learned this past week due to some headaches I've had one huge blessing of having a lot of your friends being girls, they always have some kind of pain medicine on them, at least one of them. That is so useful! I decided I needed a couple of pills, and then I realized I was with guys, and realized tragically that asking for pain medicine would just get me some weird looks and no medicine. So yes, thank you all of you girls out there. I'm not glad that you have the need to carry that medicine, no, that is tragic, but I am glad you have it.

So other then that, what can I say about this week. Not really much . . . . . not much happened. I can't say why without breaking a couple of rules (for those of you that this makes sense too, great, for those of you that it doesn't, don't worry). Ummmmm, yeah. Really, I have very little to report on.

So yeah, that's all for this week. I'm actually writing little for once, what a miricale!

Elder Eyring

024/080 091116 Miracles Are Happening Here!

Picture: Sunset in Brazil
So this will be short this week, low on time.

First I want to say there are plenty of miracles are happening here, and as such, thank you for your prayers. If you wonder if they do anything, they really do. This past Sunday someone came to church saying he wanted to change his life and wanted our help. I've had plenty of experiences before too where people come and talk to us, not that we found them. Thank you so for your prayers.

And also, I've been thinking about how people rejected Christ, and why. I realized something, probably almost none thought he was sinless that knew Him. It is a common thing that all of us do that at times, we think good is bad and bad is good. We shouldn't, but we all do it. (And don't try and tell me any of you don't ;P.) And so I could imagine that some of those who knew Christ personally didn't necessarily like Him. He was a goodie-goodie, He wouldn't stand for unrighteousness, He always obeyed His mother, even when He didn't agree, He didn't have any form or comeliness. So imagine, someone you thought flawed and you were impressed with, but didn't necessarily like, were to say He was the long awaited Savior. How would you feel? So for me, its kind of humbling. It is very well possible any one of us would have rejected the Savior too if we didn't humble ourselves. So yes, be humble. Please.

That's it for this week.

Tchão!

Elder Eyring