I would like to order a McMiracle

First off, I would like to congratulate one of my very best friends in the world, Sam Goodnight. 

He won a Reader's Favorite Award for his book, Attrition: The First Act of Penance. So yes, he's kind of a big deal. 

CONGRATULATIONS MAN!!!!!!

Okay, so my week. 

Last week at church, an old investigator of ours, Clovis, showed up at the church. His wife and daughter are active members, but he never wanted to be baptized. Well, he showed up at church all alone...his wife nor his daughter were there, just him. He told me that he has been going through some changes and he was ready to let God into his heart. We then visited his house during the week, and he explained that he was having some problems in his family and that he wanted to have a happy family. He told us that as he saw his father-in-law (who was the bishop before) live his life in the church, he saw that their life was a happy one, and he wanted that for his family. He told us that he was ready to do the right things and to be the man who God wants him to be. We were going to teach about the Restoration, but I had a strong feeling to talk with him about repentance, We taught a very strong lesson about repentance and that he can repent and be forgiven of whatever thing he has done. We explained that when we cut our fingers, we need to put a band aid on it

and then wait a couple of days, and then we're all good. But if we break our leg, we need to go to the hospital, maybe have surgery, and wait a couple of months for it to heal. And then, maybe for a couple months after, it still might hurt a little. We explained that sin is like that. Sometimes, we make little mistakes, and we just need a little bit of time to heal, if we repent. But sometimes, we make big mistakes that need a whole lot more of time to be healed. But we can always turn to our personal Healer, the Savior Jesus Christ. Through sincere repentance, and restitution of the things we've done wrong, we can be forgiven, and the Lord will help us rebuild ourselves up. He will shape and mold us into the person that he wants us to be. But first, we've got to show our faith to him, and in humble and sincere prayer, kneel down and ask for forgiveness. Just like our body feels pain to indicate to our brains that something is wrong and needs to be fixed, our souls send us signals, guilt and shame, to indicate to us that something is wrong and needs to be fixed. Don't hide from your guilt or shame! Be humble and show it to the Lord, and he we help heal you! Repentance is an amazing thing! As we explained this to Clovis, his countenance changed. He told us that he was willing and wanted to go kneel down before our Savior and repent sincerely so that he could be the father and husband that God wants him to be, and so that he could prepare himself to make the sacred covenant of Baptism. It was amazing as we worked with him to really help him understand that he is important to God, and that God loves him! I could really feel God's love for him, and for me, as I was teaching him the importance of repentance. God really loves each and every one of us!

On Thursday, there was another activity that we attended and we were able to leave a message about families. We showed a little church video called "Expressões de Amor" (Expressions of Love). It talks about couples who show their love for each other by doing nice things, leaving sweet notes, hugging each other, and doing fun things together. We related this to the family, and how, in order to have a happy family, we need to show our love for one another. We talked about 3 things that a family can do to be more happy. 

1. Center your family in the Gospel, daily. 

2. Forgive, sincerely and completely.

3. Express your Love for your family.

I shared a story that, whenever I would talk to my family on the phone, I would always end with, "Okay. I love you! Bye!". I did it so much, that it became a habit. When I would see my friends talk with their moms and their family, they never said "I love you! Bye!" and I thought that was so weird. I remember one time that I was talking to a friend on the phone, and I hung up saying "Okay! Love you! Bye!" It was awkward as anything, but it's funny to think about now. Through these simple gestures that say "hey, I love you!", our families will be strengthened and fortified. I heard a quote that went like this: "Love isn't one big thing. It's a bunch of little things" It's true. Every member of every family should feel like they are cherished and important. And it is through small and simple things that great things come to pass.

Anywho, I love you all so much! I had an amazing week and I hope you all have amazing weeks. Always choose the right, and live the Gospel daily. 

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH

Elder Hintze

"THERE'S A CHUPACABRA IN MY BACK"

Well hello people. This will be short, like strawberry cake, but my week was quite the adventures. 

On Monday, we went to a family night on the other side of the city with the Zone Leaders, and I left a message about feeling the Spirit. I took my tie off and put it around the eyes of one of the people and then I clapped rocks together and then I clapped sticks together. Everyone had to follow the sound of the sticks, but if they didn't focus, it was hard to notice the difference between the rocks and the sticks. I taught that sometimes, we have to focus a lot in order to hear the Spirit. And we need to be diligent and faithful to be able to have the Spirit with us. 

This week, we were searching an address that we got when we made contacts at the cemetery. We found a house with 2 guys named Mauro and Jefferson. When we got there, nobody was at home, but as we were leaving a guy walked us behind us. We asked him if he knew Jefferson or Mauro and he was like "Yeah. Come with me." So we started following him. We ended up in a field in the middle of nowhere, filled with horses. There was some sort of rock formation and some guys sitting on it. The mysterious man pointed to them but said nothing. We thanked him and went over and started talking to them. They were some cool guys and we started teaching them about the Restoration. In the middle of the lesson, Jefferson put his hand into his pocket and pulled out some green powder, wrapped up in a plastic bag. Then we realized...."oh my gosh. It's marijuana.". He rolled up a cigarette and started smoking in the middle of the lesson. It was crazy! Then, I forget what happened, but he suddenly disappeared, and then some other guy appeared and started listening to the lesson. I wanted to leave, but my companion didn't so I just let him teach. The other new guy who just showed up started speaking in Spanish to my companion and my companion would respond in Portuguese. But we later found out that this guy was having some serious problems and that he was really looking for a way to solve his problems. He was so happy that we had shown up in the middle of that crazy field because he had been searching for answers and actually had a question about the Book of Mormon. We gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon and bore powerful testimony of its truthfulness. He felt the Spirit, I know it. We were able to help him, and we grabbed his number to call him so that we could mark an appointment later. It was cool to see that what was probably the strangest lesson I ever taught, was still a lesson accompanied by the Spirit to testify to one of God's children that he loves them. 

I have a crazy thing called "Hiperlordose Lombar" In English it's called "Lumbar Lordosis"  I'm BACKMAN. It's like BATMAN without the karate.

So my week was a little crazy, but it was awesome. I had some great experiences, and I'm so grateful for the things that I'm learning. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true! God loves each and every one of his children. Including you! I love you all so much and hope that you have amazing week!

LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Elder Hintze

WE'RE OUT OF RICE! WE'RE OUT OF RICE

Hello! So transfers happened this week. Annnddddd, I'll be staying here with Elder Mamani one more transfer! And Elder Pereira, one of my favorite companions, will be finishing his mission here in Alegrete too, so it'll be more flippin' sweet than acrobatic lollipops. 

Alright so my week. 

So after emailing last week, I spent my whole p-day with Elder McArthur at his house because he couldn't leave because of his sickness. It was pretty fun, actually. We watched church movies and talked about life in the confusing language of Portuginglish. He's all good now, but it was quite funny because when he got sick, the little hospital here in Alegrete gave an emergency training on how to treat Ebola because everyone thought he had Ebola. It was funny, because everyone thinks America is dying of Ebola. But I believe that that's not the case. 

Tuesday, we had district meeting, and I gave a training on why we need to have love. I gave everyone in my district a notebook paper and we all wrote our names on top. Then we passed it to the next person, and everyone wrote one thing that they loved about that person. At the end, we all read really uplifting things that people love about us. It was cool to see how everyone felt loved. Really, we can do everything the Lord wants us to do, but if we don't have love, it's not valid. Love is so crucial and so important. This week, I want you all to try showing your love to someone through an act of service or simply through a conversation. It will make their week, and your week. I promise.  

Wednesday, we stopped by Elder McArthur's house to see if he was better or needed anything. While we were talking to him and his companion, my crazy companion (and yes, he is very crazy) snuck off because he decided that he wanted to take a shower. So he randomly started taking a shower at their house. We ended up waiting a bit and he finally left. Well, while he was in the bathroom, he had decided that his hair was too big, and he, being crazy, decided to cut his hair by himself. He left the bathroom with a bunch of holes in his hair and the worst haircut you could ever have seen. So I borrowed a razor and scissors and did what I could do save the poor Peruvian. 

Thursday, was a talent show for the ward. It was flippin' sweet. The young men played and sang on guitar. The little kids played the Brazilian equivalent of "duck, duck, goose" as their presentation, and it was the most darling thing ever. I played and sang "Banana Pancakes" by Jack Johnson, and then I played Piano while another missionary sang "Eu Quero Ser Como Cristo" (I'm Trying to be Like Jesus). It was super dandy. And then we ate delicious hot dogs. 

Friday, there was gonna be a wedding, so we woke up early and went to the other chapel on the other side of the city to help set everything up. We spent the whole day at the church setting up, and then when the wedding started, we greeted people and served soda and cake. It was sweet. The wedding was an awesome experience because it's a less-active woman who is marrying her husband who isn't a member but is getting baptized next week. It was cool to see the unity and the happiness of the whole family after their wedding. They were really a family now, and now they are preparing to go to the temple to be sealed for time and all eternity. What an amazing thing! God loves us so much that he has provided a way for us to live with our families for all eternity! How amazing! I'm so grateful for my family and temple ordinances that allow us to live eternally with our loved ones!

Saturday, was a "Helping Hands" service project at the church. It was an "Open Chapel" where a lot of businesses from the community presented information about their business. There were Barbers cutting hair for free, banks with completions to win t-shirts, blood donations, and other things like that. Us missionaries prepared one of the rooms with materials from the church to explain what the church has to offer, from missionary work, to the primary, to the relief society, to the youth programs, we talked all about everything and it was super awesome. We ran into a lady who speaks English who goes to Indiana every year to talk about cancer. It was kind of cool. We had the opportunity to meet a lot of people and train the members on how to talk to people and be better missionaries. It was quite a blast. Then, that night, I taught a piano class FULL of non-members, and one of them showed up at the church on Sunday! His name is Jorge and he has a huge interest in learning piano, and he shows up at the church every time it's open so that he can practice. And then he showed up at church, and LOVED it. It was awesome! We're gonna start working with him a lot more. He's awesome. 

Sunday was a relaxing day because my companion got sick, and then at night we visited a less active member who wants us to teach her son. It was cool and her son was so excited to get a new, hard-capped Book of Mormon. It was sweet. 

Well, this was my week. It was full of crazy adventures and pure awesomeness. I was also studying in the Book of Ether, chapter 12 this week, and I learned a whole lot about faith. I recommend that all of you read that chapter! I have very little time, so I'll tell ya'll what I learned next week, but just know that I love you all so much! Have a wonderful week full of awesomeness.

LOVE YOU ALL

ELDER HINTZE

THERE ARE NO STINGS ON ME

Well, hello people! How's it goinnnnn? So my week was quite the experience. 

Tuesday, after district meeting, we went to lunch on the other side of the city. And then the Zone leaders called and said they needed our help, so we walked back to the other side of the city to help them out and give them some materials. And then we walked back to the our side of the city, and by the time we got there, it was already pretty late. So it was a day full of walking and more walking. And it was hot...my goodness. But hey, walking ain't that bad. 

Wednesday, after lunch we met up with all the young men in the ward and went and visited some of the inactive youth all day. Afterwards, we all met up in the chapel and ate hamburgers. It was pretty delicious. 

Thursday, we got a call that Elder McArthur, one of our Zone Leaders had entered the emergency room because he was super sick. It was kind of scary so we said a prayer for him. Then, that night did another activity at the church and it was super sweet. Some skateboarders saw that the church gate was open and started skate boarding in the church parking lot during the activity. We didn't know, but one of the young men from the ward noticed and went out to talk to them. It ended up that everyone of them came in and participated in the activity and the message that we left. And they all liked it! It was super cool to see the young men in this ward reaching out to help the others. 

Friday, we didn't have lunch with a member, so we went down town to eat at a restaurant, but before lunch, we decided to visit Elder McArthur in the hospital. We bought him a little key chain thing, and then showed up at the hospital. Elder Nascimento, his companion, had stayed the whole night in the hospital without sleeping, so I offered to stay in his spot so that he could go home and sleep but he said no and that he was fine. As we were leaving, one of the members from the ward was outside and she was kind of sassy and told me to go back in there and make Elder Nascimento go home and sleep. So that's just what I did. And so I left my companion with Elder McArthur and went back with Elder Nascimento. I stayed with Elder Nascimento until Saturday morning REALLY early and then I went to stay with Elder McArthur in the hospital until Saturday night. So it was crazy. They thought he had some sort of rat virus but now he's better. He just can't leave his house. He had special permission to leave just to write emails to his family but then he has to rest all day at his house. So I'm going back to his house with him today so that Elder Nascimento can do his things  with Elder Mamani, my companion. It was crazy.

Sunday, we ate lunch at an investigators house after church. So this investigator is named Eliana and she is the mother of one of the most active youth in the ward. He's the only member in his family and he is awesome. But they found a box of kittens on the train tracks but Eliana ran and saved the kittens before they were hit by the train. Now she's raising a bunch of cats to give out but she's keeping one. And she decided she wants to name it "Hintze". So yep. There is a Brazilian cat named after me. 

Because Sunday was a special holiday where people visit the graves of their ancestors, after lunch, we went to the cemetery with some members and set up a table with materials about the plan of salvation. We sent all the youth into the cemetery with pass-along-cards, and they lead everyone to the table outside, and we talked to anyone who wanted to talk to us. We stayed there the whole day and talked to a lot of people. It was really cool to see people with soften hearts come to learn more about how they could be with their families forever. It was such an experience to share the gospel, something that I know is true, with people who need to know! It is amazing and I am so grateful for it!

I love this gospel so much! It is amazing and so true. Really, we can return to live with our families for eternity! We just need to follow the gospel of Jesus Christ so that we can. I am so grateful for the blessings of the temple, and that I have an eternal family. I love you all so much! CHOOSE THE RIGHT! It's the best thing you can do! Jesus Christ loves you all so much! I know it! I feel it every day!

Have a fantastically wonderful week of awesomeness and cool stuff. 

I LOVE YOU

Elder Hintze