The Sun is Shining in Fortaleza

The following e-mail was received today:

E-mail Subject Line: The Sun is Shining in Fortaleza

Hello once again! It´s strange to think that another week has already gone by. It feels like I was writing you guys yesterday. So this week went by pretty good. Things are starting to look up. I went through a lot of experiences this week. Most of which strengthened my testimony and myself in general. 

But first, I must say that I found an amazing sushi restaurant last Monday! It´s called Wasabi and they have a sushi buffet...A SUSHI BUFFET! It was awesome. I don´t think I've ever eaten that much in my life. They even had a dessert sushi with strawberries and chocolate. Yes. 

So this week was our zone conference. Our zone and a few others met up in downtown Fortaleza for a meeting with the President of our Mission. He talked and trained us about many things. How to improve our work, and how we can do that. We talked a lot about diligence and the importance of it. Without diligence, missionary work wouldn't, well....work. Diligence is working hard, but also working smart. President said to work with our heads more than with our feet. I agree 100%. Throughout this week I´ve been working on how to use the Holy Ghost more in my teaching. I´ve decided to completly rely on the spirit, but to do my part in studying and talking to people. It was amazing to see what happend. My teaching skills went up a bunch and I felt the Holy Ghost more in my life. I know that it is very important to rely on the Lord in all that we do. The Lord gives us faults so that we may be humble. But when we trust in the Lord, He will help us strengthen our faults and ourselves. I know that diligence is an important aspect in this work and in life. Love all of you and hope you are well!
 
-Elder Castagno

Remember to write and/or ship goodies to Elder Castagno

              A package or just a few words of encouragement can really brighten a missionary's week!

"I know that miracles can happen..."

The following e-mail was received today:

Hello everyone! This week went by pretty good for the most part. All of the work that we have done has really payed off. This last Sunday we had a confirmation and another baptisim! Yes! Her name is Erislania. 

The way we found her was very interesting, and it proves that the Lord really does prepare people to accept the gospel. About a month ago, we were walking down the street and my companion had inspiration to knock on a certain door. A guy answered it, and he let us come in. About halfway through the message, his sister came in, Erislania. She was just passing by to pick him up to go to the gym. We left a pamphlet with her, and we didn´t think much of it. A few days later, she called us and said she had dreams about what we were teaching and about the Book of Mormon. We taught her for a few weeks, and then she accepted baptism! 

I know that miracles can happen and that the Lord does labor in his vineyard with his servants. Read Jacob 5 in the Book of Mormon. I know that this work is important and that this is the only true church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Love you all!
 
Elder Castagno
 

"The sun is hot, the road is long, but there is much work to do."

  The following e-mail was received today:

Hello everyone! Well, I've made it to the end of my first transfer! And today makes two months that I am on a mission! A transfer happens every six weeks, and me and my companion will stay in this area for this next transfer. My companion is now district leader! Which is pretty cool. Now I'll get to see how the leadership works. 

This week went by pretty well. We really pushed ourselves to find new people, and we got 23 new investigators. And.....we had a baptism on Sunday! It went really well. It was this lady named Francisca. She seemed really happy and she knew she was making the right choice. We also have a few people that we are really working with to help them more understand about the gospel. 

Looking back on these two months, I've seen that I have learned a lot--and also on how much I have to learn. Me and my companion study all morning, but sometimes it doesn't feel like enough. There is just so much that there is to learn. This week I am working on extending commitments to people and helping them understand our purpose as missionaries--which is to offer them and teach them about how they can come to Christ and have eternal life. Little by little and day by day I feel that I am getting better. I never thought that I´d talk to this many people in my life! The sun is hot, the road is long, but there is much work to do. Love all of you and have a great week!

-Elder Castagno

Photos of August 2011

                                             Cathedral in Centro (downtown Fortaleza)

                                                  He can hardly contain his excitement.

                                                                 That's more like it.

                                                          Oh yeah...looking debonair.

A Bit of an Upswing

                                                            Lost and Found by Greg Olsen

The following e-mail was received today:

This week seemed to go by a bit better than the last one. It was still full of disappointment, and many didn't want to hear us, but you just learn to accept it and move on. There are more people that need the message. Thank you again for all of you that wrote me! It´s good to hear from you, and it makes the load a little easier. 

 

So one of the days this week I went on a half day division so I could go with a missionary for a wedding. We got to the downtown area around nine in the morning...but then found out the wedding wasn't until two. So we walked around for a long time with the couple until the time came. It was a civil wedding. And it lasted about thirty seconds. We just walked in and the judge pronounced them married. Strange. But they seemed happy and it was a good thing for them. 

 

We taught numerous people as usual, but only a few accepted it. Earlier this week we went to a lady's house that we were teaching, but she stopped progressing for a while so we didn't see her for about a month. Me and my companion had an impression to go there. We talked to her for a little, and she said that she wanted to be baptized! She just had a personal problem that she had to resolve on her own. So this next week we should hopefully have two baptisms. 

 

I know that all our efforts will pay off. At times I have thought about what I am  doing here. But I am reminded every time, that I´m here to bring people the invitation to Eternal Life. What greater gift could be given? Nothing. I realize now that we are in a constant war with Satan and the influences of the world. A literal war. There´s nothing more that Satan wants then to have us be miserable like him. All we can do is fight back with truth and the Lord´s hand. I know He is at my side every step of the way. There could be nothing greater than living with our families forever, and every single person has an opportunity to receive it if they choose. 

 

Love you all and hope to hear from you soon.

 

-Elder Castagno

Tough Week of Adversity

The following e-mail was received today:

 

Well another week here in Fortaleza. This week was tough. Real tough. My companion said this is the hardest area he´s been in his whole mission. We talked to lots and lots of people. Many of them rejected us right off the bat. We said one sentence to people and they´d just close they door. The ones that we taught were never home the next time around. Eleven people committed to coming to church, and they seemed pretty firm. But only one went, and she left part way through. 

 

I know that my companion and I are working hard. We do our best to help people understand the importance of these things, but they don´t care. The Lord must be working on my faith and my patience. Elder Pili got mad at the devil, haha. He went off for a couple minutes talking about how he was working especially hard in our area so the people here wouldn't go to church or accept us. We´ll keep working hard though. The blessings are just around the bend. 

 

Last Preparation Day we went to the Centro, or basically downtown Fortaleza. It was really cool down there. Basically the Manhattan of Fortaleza. There were a bunch of people and all types of shops. We visited a cathedral down there, and it was cool. 

 

We are working with that same girl that I was talking about last time. Her name is Erislania. She went to church. She said that she had dreams about the things we were talking about. We hope that this works out and that she will listen to the promptings of the Lord. 

 

Love all of you and hope that you are well!

 

-Elder Castagno