Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Monday, April 22, 2013


Dear Family and Friends,

Well, this week started on a Wednesday for us because we had our P-day on Thursday.  We started teaching some less-active members and such, since we didn't really have a lot of investigators to teach during the week.  We went and visited people that are finding it difficult to come back to church.  Well, some it just seems to be too much work to come to church and for others it is holding on to old grudges over people that have offended them.  There are lots of difficulties, but we try to show them love and explain the blessing it is to go to church.  Sometimes the best we can do for them is pray for them.

I'm somewhat getting to know the area and such, but at the same time I am not worrying about it because I will only be here for four more weeks.  It feels really weird that I won't stay here any longer.  But what can I do.

This week we had a zone meeting.  It was good to see some of my friends.  I think one of the best parts about meetings and conferences is being able to see some good friends that you have made on the mission and being able to talk with them about the differences between life on the mission and life in the real world.  It's good stuff.  After that, we went to Subway.  Delicious.  Then we went to a less active member's house and helped him set up his Internet and showed him how to use a computer and explained the dangers, and the good, of the Internet and stuff like that.

Thursday at lunch we had lasagna at a member's house which was amazing.  I had to control myself not to eat too much.  Have I mentioned I have gotten fat on the mission?  I'm trying to lose weight right now, but I don't know if I will in this area.  The food is too good.  The rest of the day we didn't do much.  We visited a less-active member who finds no reason for him to go to church.  What can we do?  Just hope that his mind changes and that he comes to understand the importance of church (to feel the Spirit, to fellowship).  We taught him everything that we know but he still thinks in his ways.

Friday we helped someone else move. It's always fun to serve.

Saturday we visited a ton of people that said they would go to church but they didn't come on Sunday.  The only thing is that they won't refuse our visits.  My companion wants to try new ways of finding the people who want to hear the gospel and focus on finding them.  He doesn't want to waste time with those that aren't progressing.  I agree with him.  We only have four weeks together and we want to do the best we can in such short time.  We can't waste time.

Sunday we had a member come with us to do some contacts on the streets.  We talked to a lot and some of them seem potential so this week we may find a few to teach.  Some seemed genuinely interested so who knows what will happen.  Something good is my guess.

This week I suffered a lot of insomnia and that is always annoying.  I hope that this week I sleep better.  I hate not being able to sleep.

That's it for this week.  I am certain that we will talk on Mother's Day and it will be on Skype.  Lot's of fun.

I love you guys! Have a great week! Love,
Elder Kevin Brady

Friday, April 19, 2013

Tuesday, April 16, 2013 A DAY LATE!!


Hello Family and Friends,

This week was the last week that I had over in F*********.  After six months in that city, I got transfered to a new area.  So this last week was kind of weird.  All of our appointments fell through and we only found one family to teach.  We made some contacts before I left, but I'm not in the area anymore to find out what's going on.

So Friday and Saturday we helped a member move to a new house.  Friday, we only did a little bit of work, but on Saturday we did a ton . . . it was all the huge stuff and putting together dressers and things like that.  Here in Brazil houses usually don't have built-in closets, so they buy a bunch of stuff similar to what we Americans would find in IKEA.  We finished everything, had lunch, and then we found out that I was going to be transfered to **********.  This is on the northern part of the island of *************.  Apparently the ward has an attendance of 180 members.  That is a huge ward.  And it also has a lot of beaches which now makes my mission look exactly like Hawaii.  This is going to be difficult.  But, it does have a subway and a lot of surf shops.

My new companion is Elder F******.  He is from *****, Brazil, and he is pretty chill.  I actually did a division with him last year so I kind of knew him before.  So it is not so awkward (the transfer and everything).  I am just curious about the members and what they are like.  I won't get to know them much anyway since I will be leaving soon.  They may not even remember me.  But I will work hard.

Time is flying by fast and I am certain that this area will make it go faster since I already like it.  I hope this week will go well.  I hope the week goes well  for you guys.  I love you all.

Love,
Elder Kevin Brady

PS – About being a day late: Oh yeah about that, we had a crazy transfer schedule yesterday so I wasn't able to email.  But everything is OK. Nothing to worry about over here.

April 8, 2013


Hello Family and Friends,

Well, this week we had general conference.  I kind of understood it, but the problem is that I was never great at listening to lectures and talks and things like that.  I find that it is so much more easier for me to learn when I read. So I am really just waiting until I have the opportunity to read the Ensign. I am sure that is when I will understand conference the best.

This week not much happened.  No investigators came to church and we taught a bunch of people but some we had to let go from our teaching schedule.  I am not discouraged.  I will keep working until I can find some elites [people ready and prepared to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ].  

My mind went blank that is why I can't think of anything to write.  

One thing I won't miss from the mission is shaving.  Another is combing my hair to the side.  These are two tedious things that I have to do constantly and I have no idea why.

The food is still good at the member's homes (lunchtime).  I enjoy every lunch here.  and I enjoy pizza.

I have been hearing that North Korea is ready to attack the U.S.  is that true?

I am enjoying studying the scriptures, though right now with the limited materials we can read as missionaries it's starting to get tedious at times.  I can't wait till I get back home and use numerous materials to add to my scripture study.

Well that is it for this week.  Sorry that this email is very short.  My mind went blank.

Have a good week.

Love,
Elder Kevin Brady

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Monday, April 1, 2013


Dear Family and Friends,

Another week on the mission has passed by and it is crazy how fast the time is flying.  I have less then two months left on the mission.  The good thing is that I am not really trunky so I am doing well with concentrating on the work.  We are working hard everyday.

Unfortunately, we are not having the greatest luck with investigators.  We only had one at our last sacrament meeting.  We did have a family that showed up to church but they had to leave just before sacrament meeting. (Here sacrament meeting is the last hour of church).   We are going to work with our investigators this week. Sadly, we may have to stop teaching some of them if they don't continue to keep their commitments.  It's kind of what our mission president wants us to do.  If they aren't progressing, stop teaching them and work with the ones that are.  It is always sad and I don't like doing it but I understand it is necessary.

Though it can sometimes be difficult with our investigators, this time I am not going to allow myself to get discouraged and lower my expectations.  That was a big mistake that I made last January and I learned from that.  Instead I am going to look forward with hope and the knowledge that I am preparing souls and planting seeds.  I do hope that in the future many of these good people will come to accept the gospel and the hope and happiness it brings to us.

So, on Friday we did that little bible study about two topics: Sabbath (when it should be) and eating pork.  By just the Portuguese Bible, they attempted to prove that the Sabbath Day should be on Saturday and that Christ actually was resurrected on Saturday and not Sunday.  After I went home I looked at the prophecy of Daniel about the Lord's death being in the "midst of the week" and realized that the Portuguese bible mistranslated it to the "mitade da semana" or the exact middle of the week, being Wednesday.  Also, they said that the scriptures about the apostles meeting on the first day of the week and "breaking bread" was just them getting together and eating and not an actual meeting of the church.  difference in interpretation.

Eating pork and the arguments that they had were only differences in interpretation.  They said that the vision of all animals being clean and able to eat, was only a metaphor that the gospel can be preached to the gentiles.  They don't look at the law of not eating pork was a metaphor in itself that the gospel could not be preached to the gentiles (at that time, of course).

Anyway, my knowledge of the Bible grew a lot after this little Bible study.  My faith in the restored gospel grew and my knowledge of the scriptures as well.  Unfortunately, the only thing that I could do in that instance was to bear my testimony of the restored gospel, and that there is a prophet on the earth today.  I pray that one day their hearts and minds will be opened to the truth.

Anyway, that was my week.  I hope your week will be great.  I love all of you.

Love,
Elder Kevin Brady