From: Elder Jonathan Fischer
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 11:06 AM

Querido Familia

First of the computers here shut down when i was writing my e-mail. So i lost a lot of time.

Heres the scoop. Those pictures you saw are not my area. Today im in that area you saw in the picutres for p-day. But i live 30 mintues from this place (niteroi) and i work in an area that remains 40 minutes from my house. Its a little bit annoying. But all is well. My area has lots of rich people. And its hard to teach. But has some poor areas too. Kinda weird. WE will see. The church is a house. Its a branch. Time will tell! Hope for the best!! Carnaval was normal we returned to our house at 7 oclock. Nothing to exciting happened, I saw a band and some weird people in costumes diferente.

My address is Rua: Olivia Lopes N:22 Ap 303 Arsenal- São Gonçalo, RJ24400-000

Thanks for all that you do. Really i feel blessed to have had the experiences i´ve had with all of you. Its interesting what you wrote in the last e-mail about that you wrote about the economia and stuff. But, we need to remeber that things need to get worse before the second coming. Its not a shock but evidence of what will happen. We must stand strong and remeber to keep fighting the battle. We need to put on the armor of God. I found some great scriptures this week about trials in our lives. D and C 121:7, 122:7, and 112:10. Truly the Lord will comfort us in our trials. He anwsers our prayers. He loves us and will not abandon us. We need to remember to follow the promtings of the Holy Ghost and keep the commandments. This allows revelation to enter in our lives. Remeber that we our truly childeren of a Heavenly Father. Let us follow the lord and not be like those that ignored Abindai´s preachings. We have the truth, lets hold to the rod.

I love you all very much! Don´t have a lot of time o and about my present if u can send Jesus The Christ. And The yellow gel call ´´Glued´´ you can by at safeway, ITs only 6 dollars and last for 7 months ! Please :)

Tchau! Eu amo vocês!!!! Elder Fischer

p.s. Pray for my saude (health) i have a virus called mouth hand and foot disease. IT will go away in a couple of dayd. Buts the sores in my mouth are a little painful. Don´t worry just pray Talked with an american doctor thats a member on the phone all is well:) Pray for help with the language. Thanks for your prayers!

Love you all much

From: Elder Jonathan Fischer
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 8:02 AM

Querida Familia,

Boa Tarde de Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, BRASIL!!!

I was transfered.!!!! Im in niterói, RJ. Its about 1 hour out of RIO. I don´t know what my area is like.

It was great to see everyone in the bus station in RIO. I have just heard that there is tons of rich people and beachs. Haha. Sadly, this is not a good thing, because its hard to spread the word with this type of class. Im actually in a branch not a ward.

I´m excited to see what will happen!! My companion is brazilian and if from the northern part of Brazil. This will be his last transfer on the mission. I hoping it will be good. Im a little scared because I will have to learn the area really fast. But, im really exicted because an elder from my group (was in the ctm with me) is living in my apartment. He is way cool. He lives close to niki in South Jordan I think. Im really exicted to be here in Niteroi. I have heard lots of really great things about. And, Elder Gann, my trainer is in the other zone really close. When we will have conference I will meet up with him.

Well it sounds like Seattle is getting a little tiresome. Im sorry. But, like you said, ponder about what the Lord wants. At times its hard when we want so badly to do something. Especially when its for a good purpose. But like the talk that was given in a general conference, there is good and there is better and the best. Really, the best is the Lords way. We must search, ponder and pray to seek after his way. I have been pondering a lot about the mission. It really has gone by fast. It has had its ups and downs. It's the good times and it's the bad times. But, seeing the gospel work in the lives of His children is what makes the difference and makes the mission an experience of a life time.

Yesterday I said good bye to a couple that I will remember for the rest of my life. I have written many times about them (angelica and Rodrigo). They truly are amazing people. When I arrived their two daughters had been baptized. And as I was in Campos I had the privilege to watch them grow more in the gospel become married and had the honor to help them enter in the sacred covenant of baptism. It was a cry fest as I left their house last night. I will never forget them. Truly, when you guys come to brazil I want so badly to pass by Campos. It would be easy since we could pass through campos on our way to Bouzios or Cabo Frio. Angelica, my mother in brazil J Really wants to know you mom.

I feel so grateful for the opportunities I have had on the mission. But feel so grateful for the family that I have. Truly, your support is a driving force that gives me the strength to get through the days of rejection, language difficult and companion differences. I love each and every one of you. I know that God loves each and everyone of us. I feel blessed to have been shown the way and if I remain faithful, we can live together forever.

Mom I didn´t recive a package during transfers. But o well. Thanks for sending it at least. That sounds great about Tori´s friend´s dad. I will definitely keep that in mind. And yes her name is Samanatha. I remember looking at her fotos shes been to the taje mahal in India!! What a life style. Keep me updated on this connection J; Well I wish you the best and continue to pray for you! Love you much

p.s. i saw a cruise ship in the rio bay..i thought of our cruise :)

Elder Fischer J

From: Elder Jonathan Fischer Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:09 AMF

Boa Tarde de Campos, Brasil! Como vocês estão?! Another week hás flown bye!! Nothing too excited last week, but this week hás been crazy.

Monday I had a division with another ward ´´Quissamã´´ The division was for two days! I remained in my área and my companion was a new braizilian missionary! It was a great time to work with him. This week we have a meta to speak with or do 700 conversas or more!!! Its going to be crazy. To help accomplish this we have been doing ´´BEHAGS´´ (Big Hairy Adacious Goals) like standing up on the bus and speaking with everyone. Its been crazy. Its amazing how much more people are open to religion than the united states. I truly feel blessed to be here where people accept religion.

Then today we had a zone activity. It was great. We went to one of the bishops house and had a Churrasco ´´bbq´´ and played futebol (soccer). It was great. He hás a big house with a court. It was a great time.

It sounds like you guys had a great time. I hoped you did J I want to see pictures. Im anxious to see what will happen this transfer. If i will stay or go to another área. It would be great to visit another área, but what the Lord wants will happen. Also we had a family night at the house of one of our recent converts. Angélica; I hope you all remeber he she was married and baptized on the same day. Anyways its been great to see her grasp the gospel and help us teach two o four other recent converts and investigators. For example she gave the message for family night on the baiscs of the church. She did this to help our investigators understand the church´s culture. Really its hard to explain the growth i have seen in her. Shes my mom in brazil and her husband in my pai J Its going to be hard to see them go. They call me their child haha.

I recieved a letter from Bryan this week. It sure is interesting to see what the mission does for a young man. He truly hás grown so much and hás had some very spritual expereiences;. What a blessing. I feel so blessed to be on the mission and help find those that are waiting to hear the gospel. Truly there are ´´elects´´ waiting to hear the gospel. There is a missionary that arrived this transfer that hás been a memeber for only 1 year and a half i think. He really is na example of missionary work. He told how when he left for the mission two people were baptized in his family. Hes in his first transfer still!! What a great blessing for him.
I know that this work is real and as we come closer to the Lord we are able to have spirtual experiences-anyone! I encourage you all this week to set a goal to come closer to the Lord. As you study your scriptures everyday, pray, fast, and go to the temple you will begin to see the hand of the Lord in your lives. I hope you are all doing great! Im so grateful for everyone one of you!! Let me know whats new?!

Com Amor,
Elder Fischer

I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES

From: Elder Jonathan Fischer
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 7:39 AM

Querida Familia! Boa TARDE!!!

Man it sounds like everyone is going to Florida...without me.. :( sad. But, o well. Send pictures at least!

This week has been crazy! I can´t even beleive it. I recieved all of the mission ties!! Wow! The house looks amazing. It looks like a whole other house. geeeezzee.. The floors look amazing. Great job!

But, about the work. Things are going great. I had conference yesterday in Macaé. Its always great to take a break from the normal routine. I had a great talk with my mission president. He really is inspired and was called of God.

I also received the letter you sent from Bryan. What a great experience he had. Experiences like this truly make the mission. But i think its interesting what i learned yesterday in conference. Bascially it was said that we are able to receive miraculous signs and wonders to help us realize that truly God lives and the work of Him exists. But, the only thing that will truly convert you is a testimony. There was the example with Korior. He wanted a sign, and was punished with being mute. He then wrote in the ground that he believed and wanted to be turned back. But, Alma replied that if he were to do that, he was continue to preach against the church. Can you beleive that? It really stresses the importance of a testimony. 3 three things we need to have a testimony are 1 that Jesus Chirst lives, that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that through him The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only true Chruch on the face of the planet. But how do we gain a testimony?

We need to seek after the truth through prayer and fasting with faith, that through this process we will receive an awnser through the Holy Ghost. This testimony or evidence makes our testimony. Yes, we can a testimony about other things like the Book of Mormon or becuase of experiences, but these three things need to be the basis of our Testimony. That when we know that these things are true, we will be strong and have a firm foundation. I too, know that Jesus Christ lives, He loves each and everyone of us. He saved mankind through His atonement and offers eternal life to each one of us if we are obedient and become clean of our sins. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. He literally saw God the Father, and His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. That through the direction of Heavenly Father and His Son, Joseph Smith restored the Church of Jesus Christ. That today, we have the same power and authority on the earth that parted the Red Sea, the same authority of God that allowed Peter to walk on Water, and the preistood to heal the sick and the afflicted. The Chruch of Jesus Chirst is on the earth, and all of its princples, docterines, ordinances - the Authority is here; We have the truth. The power to be sealed together for all eternity is on the earth in the house of Lord, called Temples. I know these things are true becuase the Holy Ghost has tesified to me. I have not recieved an Angelic vist, but have received the still small voice of the Holy Ghost.And through out my life I have had promptings and whisperings of the spirit that have strengthend my testimony. Especially on the mission. I know that this is real, we have been privleged, and that with this privilegde we are held responsible.The Holy Ghost is real, I have felt its power and can testify with all my heart that God loves each and everyone of us, and wants us to recieve this gift of the Holy Ghost. I bear my testimony in the name of our Redeemer, Salvador and King of Zion, Jesus Christ, amen.

I love you all very much.. Have fun in the sun!

Com Amor,
Elder Fischer

Mom, Thanks for the letters!! I would not send any more mission ties to this address. But to the rio office. Thanks for all that you do! You deserve a break so enjoy it!! Im a little sad, but get some sun for me!! :) Love you much!!