17 March 2014
Well, I know your probably dying to know about transfers,
but I'll make you all suffer and anticipate like I have to when waiting for a
transfer call.
Not much to report about this week. First of all, I learned
the more [this is where we start to see his Portuguese sentence structuring kicking in, in English we would say "rest"] of the story about the Bishop that died in this ward 2 years ago, and
it's quite tragic. The ward was flourishing (as I picture it) and everyone
really loved the Bishop. Until one tragic day, not only did he pass away, he
was murdered. yup. At his work he found out some employees were involved in a scheme
and so they shut him up for good to make sure he wouldn't spill the beans. His
family is still in the ward. It's been two years, but they are such strong
members of the church and have incredible testimonies. The mom works like crazy
and she as two teenage girls, 16 and 13 to care for. Rough stuff. I cant even
imagine what it must of been like.
So now that thats out of the way. (I just thought that might
give some insight on my Ward's history. In Doctrine and Covenants it talks about how the Elders
should know a lot about the history of where they are serving, I forget the
reference.)
Anyway the best experience I had this week was Saturday
night. The chapel was absolutely flooded with people. The Relief Society had a Stake party to celebrate 172(?) years. The Elders from Bangu held their baptism here because their investigator and all of her friends were attending the
party, and to top it off there was a farewell for a Sister missionary.
Throughout all of this, Elder M, Bishop and I hung out in the Secretary's
office. He was updating the ward list when we found him. I made and left a
sheet of less active visits we had mad during this transfer with notes about
their situations. (most of them have moved away). We showed him how to use the
ward list on LDS.org and the interactive map that puts the members on the map.
We settled some strange names that live way outside our ward boundaries. Bishop
assigned us over 20 other names on the ward list to update.
I can imagine when Bishop G was suddenly called to serve
as the Bishop (he's from another ward not to mention) he came in with a lot of
other things in mind. He didnt know the members, and suddenly he had to replace
a beloved one. That is not an easy task. Develop relationships, pick up where
everyone left off, get the ward back on track, keeping everyone calm about what
happened. We're really starting to hammer down on it now, so that's what
matters.
So. What I thought would happen did. Got the call last night
that I'll be training. I have to spend my pday at a trainers' meeting and then
tomorrow is transfer day. I'll be emailing at strange times today because of all
this so just don't even try to predict when I'll be online. I am excited and also
frightened. I learned so much when I was training Elder H, and we've been neglecting our area the past three weeks so it's time to get started
again. We have a lot of work to do.
I'll most likely be receiving a Brazilian comp. because I'm
still new to the language and because a new rule was instituted by the Church.
Any missionary who served for more than 2 months stateside while waiting on a
Brazilian Visa will come to the São Paulo MTC for 2 weeks and refresh on the
language, then will be sent to their missions.
Some other notes.
Dad, Austin told me last week that Devin Hester is being
released by the Bears. Thats just too bad, but he set the NFL record with them
so thats what counts I guess. I'm afraid Bears Hester jerseys will become very
expensive here soon, so if you could use my personal funds to get a hold of one
before that happens, I would LOVE that!
Mom, I'm still doing well as health goes. I'm still taking plenty of vitamins and doing exercises in the
morning.
Aunt Shauna- thank you for the Valentines. The chocolate bar was
liquid but it was still good!
[I had asked him about any news on the Rio Temple]
The Rio Temple site is set. If will be built on the Barra
Tijuca. Right on the beach in a beautiful location. I've also heard that we have
a ton of land so I won't be surprised if the foliage is stunning.
[I also told him about how a member of the Boston Mission Presidency came and spoke to our Ward last Sunday about being more personally involved with the missionaries and making them part of the fabric of our Ward and our home.... his response]
I think as members we've had this idea about the missionaries
and how to do the work with them.
"I'll feed them from time to time, when I have someone they
can visit I'll give them the name and address, let them know about service
opportunities when they come up". That's just the way things have been going. But now we have been directed with the First Presidency's push to Hasten the Work of Salvation. If we want progress, growth,
acceleration, we can't just keep doing the same old things. This applies to both
the missionaries and the members. This a new era, and a time for members to be
more proactive and creative and using the missionaries in any way that they can
to build stronger Wards. It may require you to spend some time thinking about
ways to involve them in your life more, it will require you to spend time with
them, it will require more. It sounds like everyone is excited about the
Sisters in Canton Ward, everyone has been telling me about them so they must be
good. Take advantage of the time they are there. Make the Canton Ward a better
place for everyone. The missionaries have time, motivation, and are more
sanctified from the world to do this type of work. Get going!
When I get home, theres nothing more I want to do than help the Canton Ward in any way I can. My mission has shown me that anybody can reach out, and there is no excuse not to. I'm not a different person then when I left, but I'm talking to new people everyday and reaching out. If I can do it now, what should stop me later? I know the reality of life will most likely set in when I step back into the real world, but I have so much drive right now to do missionary work. I guess the mission does that to you!
Alright I love and miss all of you so much. It's gonna be a
wild ride starting this week, but I'm excited.
Till next time, Elder Siebers
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