This week!

Hey, so this week was great!

We´re opening an area! And man these members are great! We had to run back and forth from the office and our area during the week and surprisingly with less time in the area.  We were greatly blessed and helped many people! It's really cool how the Lord really helps after all we can do. For example, this week we found a man about 23 or so and he was at less-active/part-member family that we´re working with. We talked to a him bit. He had left his church he had been going to because the Preacher was really trying to get some more "tithing" out of his congregation. But it's interesting that he didn´t just go away from all church, but went to another and we felt,  "Let's ask what he's looking for in a church." He said that he was looking for a change in his life to get away from his past!  We were like,  "Ok... here's the gospel that asks for a change and we can help you be born again (baptism)."  He's really interested!  My companion and I are hoping to baptize lots and also bring a lot of member back to church, too! We want to divide the Ward or at least start the process of them dividing since I'll probably be finishing my mission here or at least almost finishing it here (the side-effect of being a secretary)

I love this gospel and love you all!

Elder Sharp

To answer a few questions I got:

No, I'm not close to the temple.  That's the old mission office address. so no the temple is still every other transfer.  I had a wonderful experience in the temple! Thanks, Jonathan, for finding that family name and Grandma, for sending me that name.  You helped me have a stronger testimony of the work in the temple! And I felt and still feel the spirit testify stronger then ever when I testify of the life after this life and temple work! It definitely has helped me a lot! 

And this week I traveled to Embu Guaçu! But sadly I was umable to visit any one :/ but next time we go I'll be asking permission to see them, because I'll have to give the keys to the house to the landlords and do the final walk through. 

And my job is basically talking to the Lawyers and the landlords helping get the information we need for the contract and also household maintenance (Which is what I use to do with Smitty!) I actually knew how to fix something, so we didn´t have to send the man that works for the mission and save about R$300 that would've been a waste for the mission cause it was something real simple to do! I was really excited to see that gift I had to be able to see what needed to fix and more or less know what I need to do to fix it come to use!

I am actually considering a career in counseling now because of the experiences I had with Elder Richins. I really loved being able to help him. It didn't matter that I'd lose nights of sleep and hours of precious proselyting time. I know, especially now looking back, that the Lord's hand was in there with me, and He was helping to be that instrument He needs!

I cant think of just one thing that reminds me of São Paulo, you know?!

ROOTBEER!!!

My new companions.

SAYING GOODBYE....

Changes...

HEY!

Well, I´m in the Office now! Yup I am officially the next House Secretary. So My P-day´s won´t be so predictable anymore haha. I only got to [write home] today because tomorrow we (my new companion Elder Ferreira and I) are going to be going to an area that was white washed, so the earliest time we can get there is tomorrow! It's actually the richest part of the mission.  It´s called Indianópolis and, well, it's gonna be a whole new experience here! I´m not really sure what's gonna happen, but all I know is that me and Elder are pretty excited! The ward mission leader actually asked for elders (the sisters were there), and President said that he's really excited for us to come! I'll get to go to Santo Amaro Ward Sunday (I hope) and I´m gonna try to see the Nelson's (Brother Nelson is the brother of a good friend in Murfreesboro).  I´m hoping to see them at lunch, too, if they haven't yet. But ya, it's pretty exciting here! I´m learning a lot about working with other people, and the thing I really don´t like to do ... talking on the phone. It´s really interesting, because as a Secretary we don't work as much in our area, and we have many distractions, but Pres. expects us to be examples of the mission. The cool thing is that as we are diligent in our work, He will help us and bless us! They say that Indianópolis is hard because of distractions.  There are so many members there that want to help and you get LOTS of referrals there, but there's a lot of stores that don't exist in other parts of the mission - hence the distractions. Luckily, my comp is real diligent, so I´m excited!  We should be able to get each other be focused!

But this change only came at the end of the week (Friday) so before that me and Elder Richins just spent the week helping the other elders get to know the area and finish saying good-bye to all the members and less-active members.  It was a really great experience with Junior and Melissa! We left them a picture of us at the temple and left them a note.  There were tears and many smiles AND best of all, we set a date for them to be married!! 11/14/15! So that was great! I'm really sad to leave there, but I truly am excited to be here and helping the mission be stronger and more organized. I can't wait for the future, because here in the office everyday is different!

That's about it! 

I love you all!

Elder Sharp

PS:  (My duties will include helping with houses and supplies in the houses.  I'm actually here to help the mission save money on rent and a maintenance man.)  

Elder Sharp and Elder Richins with Izabela

Getting Transferred

It's been a weird week. Presidente let us stay in the area another few weeks to show the new missionaries around so all the work we did was for them! We did helped Junior and Melissa go back to church! We also took them to the temple, and there was a family there that had just gotten sealed! It was so cool!!  We talked to them and  they bore a powerful testimony about sealings.  It was truly a miracle! We also saw Pres. Pinho at the temple (1st mission president who is now area seventy).  It was really cool to see him again!

This week we also did a lot of service projects.  We helped a man who has depression clean his house. It was super bad, like the dishes had a layer of mold and there was food and trash EVERYWHERE, so it was definitely needed! It felt good to help him, though, cause he lives alone and I've seen what depression does to someone so it's not good to have trash when your with that. We also went back to that house that we´re building, and we helped get it ready to put a floor in and a roof on! I almost got to build a wall but sadly time ran out and we had to run to lunch. :/ haha I really wanted to build something but oh well.  The rest of the missionaries in the ward are going to be going back to finish it all up this week!

This week I gave a blessing to someone, and I learned something very interesting. Heavenly Father told this man how much He loves His children and that what He does is to help them always! Everything He does is to help His children! And as I said that, I felt the love He had for me and for everyone I pass! I felt guilty because I had let His children pass me without even giving an invite or felt impressed to help someone but didn't because we were late and didn't have time.... but now I understand why I'm here, and I am going to do everything I can to follow His guidance so that I can help His children be closer to Him or even meet Him for the first time!

Sorry there isn't much but it's about 5 here and we have to finish packing -_- I hate packing!

Love y'all!

Elder Sharp

With Junior and Melissa at the temple.  

Elder Richins, Junior and his son.

Rosalie Alves posted this picture on Facebook 04/13/2015 

"Mais uma despedida amo vocês! 
Depois do almoço mensagem e fotografia de despedida.

Sou agradecida ao Pai Celestial por eles em minha vida e minha casa todos os dia me ajudando com tanto amor representando em minha vida Jesus Cristo estou muito feliz por me mostrar esse caminho maravilhoso sentirei saudades eu e minha familia meus filhos amamos muito todos os Elderes que frequentaram minha casa!"

"One more farewell love you!  After lunch message and photograph of farewell.

I am grateful to Heavenly Father for them in my life and my house all day helping me with so much love in my life representing Jesus Christ. I am very pleased to show this wonderful way. I will miss my family and my children loved it so much that all elders attended my house!"

with Janaina and Juliana Oliveira

On 04/13/2015, Janaina Oliveira told
 me on Facebook that the elders were at
 her home and getting 

ready to go to a family home evening 
at the Bishop's home.  

Next thing I know, there is this video posted....   

Wow! What a Week!

Wow! Dustin will serve a great mission! It takes a lot of courage to do that! He certainly is farther along then I was when I had his age! Glad to see that, too! 

I Loved the conference talk about I can teach you step, but I can´t teach you to hear the music. That one really touched home to me! I´ve been able to apply it to all things especially in mission life because there are so many dance steps, and if you don't learn to hear the music it will not be a very rewarding experience or being a member, recent convert, or someone going through challenges.  The music is essential to learn anything worthwhile as a member of this church! But also in other activities in life you gotta find the joy to enjoy it! I'm really wanting to apply that more in my life everyday..... now that I'm thinking about it, I think that was from the priesthood session but it's still really good to read! :)

This week I got to witness a HUGE miracle! 

       So this week first was awesome! I was able to get the perfect inspiration needed to help Elder Richins, then the next 2 days he was just on fire.  He couldn't be stopped! HE was on the bus and invited everyone he could! the Subway? Even more people to invite! It was truly a wonderful sight to see him on fire.  Then, sadly the relapse happened, and it was as if water was thrown onto a fire and it didn´t have a chance! On Saturday, we decided to talk a bit because Heavenly Father had told me he would be better before the end of last transfer... and I KNEW He had told me that, so we talked and we decided to say a prayer.  I won't go into any detail, because it's so special and sacred, and I don´t want it to be publicized -- but I KNOW that Heavenly Father answers prayers! He loves us! He´s patient with us, AND He will heal and help us as we ask for it diligently and wait for His answer patiently! Elder Richins is not 100% quite yet.  He still has low self confidence, but he doesn´t have depression or anxiety anymore! 

I love my Father in Heaven, and I know that if we are moldable in His hands, He will turn us into the man/woman He wants us to be and turn us into an instrument in His work to help those we are blessed to be around! I love this gospel, and I am sad for only having 6 months left doing just His work 24/7. 

Thanks to everyone for your letters, support, love, and prayers! 

I love you all! 

Elder Sharp

PS:  As far as transfers go, one of us will probably be transferred after next week now that he´s doing better. :D President said he'd tell us when he gets an answer from Heavenly Father.

Elder Andrade (from Cape Verde, Africa) and Elder Benitez (from Paraguay) will be taking our place here in Interlagos. We already know and love them both and they are in our group (they came into the mission with us and will leave right around the same time as us)

We did a service project -- Elder Richins put a hole in the wall and I put sand on the roof.....it was helpful, I promise!  :)

Posted by Melissa Santana:

 The Elders are very, very nice to me and my son just love them !!!

They are eating chicken tapioca with cheese, was the mother of junior who made.