From: Elder Jonathan Fischer
Sent: Mon 12/28/2009 8:45 AM

Querida Familia,

Boa Tarde,

Well there isn´t too much news this week since I talked with you guys this past week. It was really great to hear from you all. I can´t believe how fast the time went. This week other than call you guys we had our conference with Presidente Pickett. It was good.

In the conference we watched Apollo 13. It was very interesting. I have already seen the film, but I had never made the connections to the gospel that one can draw upon watching the film. For in the film I was able to understand that we need to rely on the communication and support of the ´´Holy Ghost`´ to guide us in our lives so we can really avoid dangers in our journey here on earth. 

I'm excited for January. I'm hoping that my companion and I can really get going here in this area and baptize the people that are waiting to hear the gospel. Right now we are working with a Lady called Maria Aparacida. She is the mother of a man that lives in another city. Actually Cariacica where I have already worked. Anyways we went to the lady´s house this week and she accepted the baptism invitation and she went to church on Sunday! Even though she lives in another small town about 20 miles by bus!! I was excited. Then we also have been teaching a young man named Renan. He is way cool. We have been teaching him and he went to church yesterday. He told us that he wasn´t ready to be baptized on the 10th of Jan after we had marked a date with him. But then we told him that if he read and prayed he would receive an answer and then we asked him if he received an answer if he would be baptized on the 10? He said yes. I pray that he recognizes the answer the Lord gives him. We are going to his house today.

Well it sounds like you all had a great Christmas. I hope that you all have a great new year. Remember that we need to make new goals for this year! For as we mark goals to change and develop the Christlike attributes we become His disciples. I know that this is the true Church of Christ. I know that God loves each and everyone of us. I know that we need to control our thoughts and behaviors so that one day we can become more like our Savior and return to live with Him. I love the Holy Ghost and I know that He guides us and as we truly listen we can avoid the dangerous things in life whether they be physical or spiritual. I wish the best for you all! Have a great week.

Com Amor,
Elder Fischer

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

From: Elder Jonathan Fischer
Sent: Monday, December 21, 2009 6:51 AM
Subject: Re: MERRY CHRISTMAS

Queirda Familia,

I can´t believe how fast this week went. It was full of crazy incidents. To begin with we did a division on Thursday with the Zone leaders so they could interview our Leidiane (the girl that was baptized this week). So we did the division. It was a crazy day because the zone leader and I visited some less active families and we did a singing Christmas card. Basically we yelled hymns and recited a passage about the birth of Christ. It was cool. Then we gave a dvd on Christmas. It was way cool. Then later that night the other zone leader was doing the interview way out far from the city where she lives. And he missed the bus to come back and so he took the next available bus. But the thing is, the last bus was leaving Cachoerio for Vitoria at 8:00 and he was a on the bus that wasn't going to arrive until little bit after 8, missing the connection! It was crazy so me and the zone leader were stalling the bus. We began to sing!! Haha we did the Christmas card haah it was hilarious because the bus driver was wanting to leave!! And the other bus was arriving!!! And then the bus driver was like, no we need to leave so we got on the bus and the other bus was arriving in the city and then we called them and told them to get off at a certain bus stop and then we stoped the bus and I got off and traded with the other zone leader!! It was intense. It was like a movie!! Haha

Then we had a wonderful baptism on Sunday! Wow the spirit was strong. The mother of Leidiane was telling me how she was thinking more into baptism now. I hope she gets baptized this coming month. She wants us to come back to their house. It was a great experience. Well I don´t have that much time today! What a great week. It was very stressful but good. Very rewarding.

I know that this time of the year is very special. I feel blessed to be a missionary of the Church of our Savior. What a blessing. I have seen so many great blessings during these 1 year 6 months. I will never forget this experience. I have come to feel the power of the Spirit. I have seen children of God receive answers. It's been a great blessing. I know that Joseph Smith resotred this church. I know that we have a living prophet and 12 apostles. I know that as we live the commandments and follow the gospel our lives will be filled with joy and a pay that is indescribable. The burdens that we all have will become lighter and our minds will become opened. I know that God lives. That he loves us. For this we must endure. He has done His part; let us strive and do our best to fulfill ours.
I hope you all have a great Christmas! Im excited to talk to you all!

Com Amor,
Elder Fischer

From: Elder Jonathan Fischer
Sent: Monday, December 14, 2009 6:56 AM

Querida familia,

This week was crazy. It went by so fast. We had a trainning in Vitoria which was really good. Then there was a transfer of emergency on Wednesday. It was crazy; and so I have been running like crazy this week. I didn´t have time to grab the new address.. . . I forgot. Yikes. Now I have a new companion. His name is Elder Ferreira. He's from Sao Paulo. He's a good elder. I'm excited to see the results in this area. I'm actually really exited for this week because we will have a baptism.

Her name is Leidiane. She has been going to church in an area that is really far from our house. She's been frequenting a group for about 6 months. I'm excited because she's going to be baptized on Sunday. It will be great. I pray that we can continue to find those that are waiting to hear the message the restored gospel. This area has a lot of potetial. Well there isn't too much new here. It's funny becuase we have four missionaires in our house and we are all new in the area. So we are just trying to get use to the area. Our district has a goal of 8 baptisms this months. I pray that we accomplish this goal. It's going to be great.

Well it sounds like you all are great. Christmas is arriving ! I'm excited. But Presidente Pickett says that we can only talk for 40 mintues. I need you guys to call me at 9:00 in the morning. I will send the number next week.

Well.. I hope you all have a great week. I know that this is the true church. That Jesus Christ is our savior. What a great time it is to celebrate His birth. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet and truly restored the Christ´s church. I know that the Holy Ghost is real. It's power is undeniable. It has truly changed my life. I know that as we truly understand the gospel of Jesus Christ our mode of thinking changes and we begin to comprehend why we are here and our divine potetial.

I love you all! Have a great week! Im excited to hear from you all!

Com Amor,
Elder Fischer

TRANSFERRED/DISTRICT LEADER

From: Elder Jonathan Fischer
Sent: Monday, December 07, 2009 8:07 AM
Subject: Re: Christmas MiracleQuerida família

Wow. What a change. It sounds like you all already know where I am. That’s crazy. Im in cachoeiro, Espirito Santo. It's interesting because it very different than my last area. I'm nervous. This week was very complicated and me and my companion are trying to get everything into action in regards to our area. We had to divide our area with a new dupla that arrived. It should be great. This week was not the best as for finding new people but I pray and hope that this coming week will be better.

I'm excited to work here. There is a lot of potential in this area. I´m just trying to get use to the area. This week we found a really cool young rapaze named Jedson. He went to church and seemed to like it. I'm hoping that this week we can really break into our area and find the elects that are awaiting. Also on Sunday we had a fireside that was way cool. It was focused on the Noah´s Ark idea. It's cool because it will be a great way to get references from the members. I pray that we can really make a change here. The president of the stake was there and seemed to be really excited. Now that there is 2 duplas in the area we can double the success. Also, my new companion is named Elder S. Souza. He is from Manaus, Brazil, which is almost in the jungle. He's great. This is his second transfer. I'm hoping that we can really work together great like my last companion Elder Hein. Elder Hein was a great missionary to train. He was willing to really work hard.

Well this week is going to be busy. In about 1 hour I will return back to Cariacica where I have already worked, to have a meeting tonight with our zone. And then I’m going to go to Vitoria to have a training tommorow. It’s a lot of traveling but what can I do. From here it’s about 2 ½ hours to Vitoria.

I know that this is the true church. That Jesus Christ is our Savior. What a great time of year it is to commemorate the birth of our savior. I love you all and hope that you are all well. Thanks for all you do! Don´t have much time today! Tchau!

Com amor,
Elder Fischer

From: jonathan.j.fischer
Mon, 30 Nov 2009

Querida familia,

Wow. What another blessed week. The work here is really going great. we have been making our goals and have been blessed with outstanding results. It's been great. We also have been teaching Josimar. He's really special. I just hope he continues to have the desire to prepare to be baptized. He has already received an anwser he just needs to remember that he has received it.

Other update. We had an amazing activity in the park in our area. It was on Saturday. It was so cool. We sang, passed out Liahonas and wrote down the names of the people that wanted to receive a Book of Mormon, DVD of Christmas, or another DVD. It was really cool. Also our ward joined us as The President of Relief Soceity had a booth about food storage and the other sister had a booth about genalogy. It was really cool. We received some great references. We contacted three yesterday and they are all new investigators! I'm really excited about the Progress in this area.

This has been a great experience to serve here in Jardim Limoerio. I don´t know whats going to happen with transfers but the mission is taking a huge drastic change. We are going to have trios instead of a dupla. Its going to be crazy. We are receiving 14 new missionaries tommorrow! Our mission has really started to grow!

Well it sounds like you all had a great Thanksgiving. Im happy. I can´t wait to see photos. Thanksgiving was another day in the field. But it was cool becuase a member bought us ice cream which was amazing (never happens). And we had great numbers that day.

And mother HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I hope you're having a great one. I can´t beleive how fast the time goes. I thank you for all that you have done for me mother. Really you have done so much for me in my life. And for this I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You gave me life, you showed me the way. You are such a great example to me. I love you so much. I thank you for all of the packages, cards, and prayers. Really they have helped me through the mission. I pray and hope that you have another great year and never loose sight of the impact that you have made in my life. I feel blessed to have you as my mother. Really you were chosen for only you could help me through my trials. Thank you ! Love you forever!

Well, I hope you all have a great week.

Com Amor,
Elder Fischer