From: Jonathan Jarett Fischer

Sent: Monday, March 29, 2010 7:49 AM
Feliz Páscoa!

Querida Família,

Another amazing week in Itapoá. We encountered some great miracles.

On Monday we ate lunch with Tiago´s dad. When we went there he had already read half of the principles of the gospel book. He had lots of questions and had already understood what the priesthood is. It was crazy. Then later we found out that he continued to read and decided to not drink coffee anymore. It was shocking to see his progression. Then we visited him again this past week and invited him to be baptized. Unfortunately he rejected the invitation even though he understood that only this church has the authority to baptize. It reminds of Elder Jeffery R. Holland’s talk that even the elects can be tricked and tempted by the adversary. I know that we planted the seed and who knows if in a couple weeks he will come back to church.

But on higher note, Antonio has been really progressing and his children. Today we will find out if he will get married or separate. He wants to get baptized so bad and his kids are asking basically when they can get baptized. It’s a great family. Also it was great because this week we had Bingo with the scriptures. It was great. Everyone loved it. Ha,ha. I wish we would have had more people, but there were sufficient numbers, about 20 people or more. It was fun.

Miracles happen. I know that as we do our best be are blessed. This Saturday we baptized Peterson. It was a great experience. And then yesterday, Sunday, it was terrific because his mother came to church and watched him receive the Holy Ghost. It looked like she loved church. We are going to go visit her tomorrow. Also yesterday we sang in Church. It was soo cool. A lot of the women were crying haah. It was a great experience.

I know that this is the true church. I know that we have periods of hard times and periods when we are just happy. We need to learn how to act in both of these time periods because the Lord wants us to be the best we can become-His diligent servants.

What a great season we are entering. This week is going to be great! Conference weekend !! I love it. I love Portuguese but conference is so great in English. The fact that we have the blessing to hear the prophet’s voice!! We are so blessed to live in this dispensation. And Easter, a great season to really remember why we are here on the earth and what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us; that we know that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father through His atoning and infinite sacrifice.

I know that this is the true church of Christ. I know that we are blessed to be members of it. But with this blessing we have a tremendous responsibility to share our knowledge. I hope you all have a great General Conference weekend and Great Easter!

Com Amor,
Elder Fischer





From: Jonathan Jarett Fischer
Sent: Monday, March 22, 2010 10:19 AM
Querida Família

Wow. Another great week passed. I can't believe how fast the time goes. Only 3 months that are left now. This is crazy.
This week we were blessed to have the área president in our mission. It was great because I got to learn about the importance of talking with everyone. For example his life. Presidente, Carlos A. Godoy, met the missionaries when he was only 16 years old. He was a normal young kid of the world. Or at least like it was. He had problems with the Word of wisdom and had long hair. Well certainly he became a leader in the church and became a very successful man. Its crazy to think because we are teaching a 16 year old kid that is 16 that is going to be baptized this Saturday. I pray that everything goes well. He reads everything we give him and hás the desire to be baptized. Hes truly the exmaple for his family. Its great.
Then this week we met the neighbor of one of our investigators. Wow! The lesson was powerful. The spirit was strong and he, and Tiago (another one), wanted to go to church. And well, he went yesterday. To say the least he loved it. Hes 25 and reminds me of Casey. He works at the bank and works out at night. His father died of câncer and lives with his family. Hes way cool. I pray that he continues to search for the truth and pray to receive more anwsers that this is truly the true church of Christ. Wow. What a blessing it is that we found him.
Today I´m excited because the parents of our investigator went to church (the father for the 3rd time yesterday). We are going to have lunch with them today and finally we are going to teach the father and mother( for the father is always working in his business).
Also yesterday it was great because I had a great experience. We were putting our things together for church and what my companion would take in his back pack. As I was thinking what we needed I felt to ask him if he had his oil. He Said Yes, and then the Day continued. Then about 8:10, as our appointments had fallen I felt like we should visit a recent convert –for she didn´t go to church. We would share our living Easter card; its a message we are giving to members – (we sing and read a couple of scriptures. Its awesome!) So we went to her house (Arlete). When we arrived there she greeted us with a smile as we were singing at her door. We continued the message as we entered and then as we ended she said she was feeling a lack of our presence. And then I asked her why she didn´t go to church. She said that she was feeling pain in her back. I then asked her if there was anything we could do.. and then an impression came to my mind ´´give her a blessing´´. She said no. And then I asked her. 'are you sure?'; and then she said she wanted a blessing. And we were prepared, for we had put the oil in the backpack. It was a special experience. I know that God knows each and everyone of us. He loves us and cares for us and mom, as you said, through the spirit we are guided and directed and as such we receive the revelation we need so we can complete the tasks the Lord wants us to!
I Love this work, it's so great. I pray that we can continue to find those that are ready to hear the gospel. I pray that I can continue to be worthy to have the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Ghost. I Love this Church. I Love the leaders. I know the Presidente Pickett is inspired and leads and guides us so we can complete the Lord's will.
I hope you all have a great week!

Com Amor,
Elder Fischer
From: Jonathan Jarett Fischer
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 7:39 AM

Querida família,
Wow another amazing week in Itapoã. I love this area. It has stopped raining which has been a great blessing. We have been working really hard to reach our goal of 2 baptisms for this month. WE have some really great investigators.

Tiago has been progressing and is doing really great. He stopped using some the substances he was addicted to and to do this we did the cigarette tea. I know what you are all thinking; cigarette tea? Haha It's amazing. You boil ten cigarettes in two cups of water and then filter it. Then you add lemon and sugar to taste. You need to drink one cup of the tea and leave the other in the fridge in case you have the desire to smoke afterwards. It works. For Tiago did not like the tea. Haha. He's been smelling the other cup that’s in the fridge when he has the desire to smoke. I hope that he continues to resist to smoke. He wants to change his life for the better. Its so great helping him. I feel like a life coach. It's been an amazing blessing to work with him. He has a date for the 4th of April to be baptized. It's going to be awesome.

Then we have Peterson. He's a great kid. We been trying to intergrate him will all the youth here. He went to church for the second time yesterday. It was a great experience this week with him. He said on wednedsay he was thinkning about the baptism and had doubts. He then read the pamphlet about baptism that we gave him and he found the scripture in John 3:5 about baptism. As he read he confirmed his desire to be baptized. He's great. I pray he continues to progress so he can be baptized on the 27 of this month.

Antonio is great. He and his sons went to church with us this week. They loved it. His wife would have went but she was working. I pray she goes this Sunday. For we are going to mark a baptism date with them and his two sons tomorrow for the 28 of march. I know the Lord wants this. Also we have been working with Rachel. She went to the English class and church yesterday. She's great. But she is trying to decide whether to frequent our church or the Methodist. I pray that she continues to pray and read so that she accepts the date today for the 28 of March.

Also this week we went to the presidents house for a training. It was great. And we also had a great acitivity on Wednesday with the ward. It was great. WE did a scavenger hunt with the scriptures. It turned out good but there wasn't as many people as we hoped.

This is truly the Lords work. He wants the best for us. The Lord knows our trials as 1st Corinthians says. The Lord does not give us anything that we cannot overcome. We need to be faithful. We need to do our part. As we read the scriptures searching for revelations to guide our lives, WE WILL RECEIVE Them! I know that this is the Lord´s work. I know the Lord loves each and everyone one of us. Let us remember the importance of prayer. Miracles happen. Miracles are real! I pray that we notice the miracles in our lives and that we can do our best to be worthy of more miracles this week

Com Amor,
Elder Fischer

LOVE MY NEW AREA!

From: Jonathan Jarett Fischer
Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 6:11 AM
Querida Família

Wow. This ward is great. I'm loving this área. This week we had some great experiences. We were doing contacts on the street and we met a man named Tiago. He is 29 and lives in Itapoã and works at the bank and studies. He lives with his parents and is desperately seeking spiritual and physical help. Well, we marked a day to visit him and then we went there. He said that He was needing a change in his life. When we went there, it was great we realized what we needed to do to help him have a better life. We told him that we could help him with his addictions through the gospel. We taught the first lesson and the spirit was so strong. To say the least it was powerful and a great lesson as we bore testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and how we are representatives of the savior and have the power to help him become free from his addictions. He accepted a baptism date for the 27th. He's great. He went to church and his parents came with him! It was a great experience. Wow.

Also we have been teaching a young man named Peterson. He is 16 and is pretty quiet. He went to church and seemed to like it. He also accepted a baptismal date for the 27th. I pray that we can help these men realize the importance of the restoration so they can enter into the waters of baptism on the 27 of March. I know Heavenly Father is on our side and we just need to teach them and help them walk in the path of Christ.

This week was pretty crazy also. It dumped water here. It rained so hard that the streets were flooded like crazy!!! Next week I Will send fotos. It was insane. I'm exited for this week for we are going to have a great activity that were putting together. Its a scavenger hunt in the church using scriptures. We also started our English class this Thursday. It was great. I Love teaching.
Well this week is going to be great we will have training at the President's house. I Love going there. Its like the temple.

Well it sounds like everyone is doing well. How’s Elder Hadfield?

Muito obrigado por tudo! Com Amor,
Elder Fischer

TRANSFER~ITAPOA!
















From: Jonathan Jarett Fischer
Sent: Monday, March 01, 2010 8:03 AM

Querida família,

Wow! I have been transfered!!!! Im so excited about this area!! Its amazing! Im in a area called itapoã!1 And I'm training!! I' m so happy. The ward here is great!! I'm training an American called Elder Hall, which is a friend of my other son, Elder hein!! Its way cool. We started running in the mornings. Its great. Elder Hall is a great elder and really wants to work hard. This ward has a beautiful church. Wow its two stories and brand new. Next week I will send you a photo ! Its amazing. We have been really working hard trying to find news and we have been blessed with great members and their references. I love this area. I'm in the part of Vila Velha, which is really close to Vitoria. Im actually in the Elder Maiers zone. Its way cool.

Here's my new address for mission ties:
R: Miracema #129
Itapoã
Vila Velha, E.S.
29107-195
Send me missionties please!!

Also i feel so blessed I received my contacts and package from Valentines Day! Thanks mom it really makes a difference. I feel spoiled to have contacts.

Well there isn´t more to tell. I love training Americans. It's great,. Oh and another missionary that arrived with my ´son´´ said that his mom was reading my blog!! Way to go mom! I can´t wait to see it! Only 3 more months! Can you belive it!! In a little bit I will be home. I just need to find the elects here in this area before I leave.

Well that’s it for this week! I want to hear from you all! Whats the latest! It sounds like Niki is excited now! She's going to have a girl!! Ha ha ha! I can just imagine a little browned black haired girl running around screaming with Casch! Ha ha what a riot!

I know that this truly is the Lord´s work. The Lord loves each one of us. He wants to have the joy he has. But we must do our part. As scripture for this transfer says. We need to have charity. We need to love one another. I know that this is true . We must become true disciples of Christ. I know that God wants the best for us!

Eu espero que vocês tenham uma boa semana! Eu sei que através das coisas pequenas e simples as grandes são realizadas e por isso devemos orar sempre! Lembre-se que as escrituras são nossas fontes da verdade e fazem com que sejamos fortalecidos contra as tentações que nos acercam! Eu sei que esta é a Igreja de Jesus Cristo!

Tia Susan! All Will be fine. As missionaries we are protected. Without a doubt your son is with good health. Trust in the Lord and not worry, for not long you will hear from him. Love you!

Com Amor
Elder Fischer