Gettin' the Job Done & a Very Special Person

The following e-mail was received today:

 Well what a week. This week went by really well. I don´t think I've ever gotten so much done in one week than this one. When I got here, the area didn't really have to much going on. The last elders had foot problems, so they weren't able to do much. Through some people that we knew (and other ways), we were able to talk to a bunch of people, and we had two baptisms this weekend!  

We had to go to the center this week to sign for a wedding. There are two recent converts in our ward that we are helping get married. Also this week I gave a training to our district about church and why the investigators need to attend church. I thought that it went pretty well. 

This week we met a very special person--well at least to us. As we were walking at night trying to find something to do, a member called us and asked us to go with him to his friend's house. We met up with him, and he said that his friend recently got in a bad motorcycle accident...where sadly his wife was killed. His son survived. This man, Kleber, barely got out of the hospital with metal rods coming out of his leg. We went to his house, and we talked to him about the Plan of Salvation, and how it is possible for us to live with our families forever. We explained that his wife was learning the same things that we were teaching him. And we said that it would be possible for him to live with her forever. Just a fact that there was something special about Kleber. He really did need this message. 

 (During the lesson, a crazy drunk guy came over and started to yell at us and wouldn't leave. Finally we were able to get him to leave.)

A few days later, we returned and the metal rods were gone. He was at the hospital, and the doctor said that by a miracle his leg was better. He was going to have to amputate it, but he no longer needed to. [Kleber] also said that he felt that these things were true. We marked [a time to] come back this week, so we´ll see how it goes. 

Really I was able to have even a greater testimony from this situation. Truly God does answer prayers, and He looks after his children and takes care of them....even when it doesn't seem like it. Though Kleber´s story is tragic, he might not have been able to know about the gospel before.  Now he has the chance to live with the ones he loves for all eternity. What a blessing. 

Until next time.
 
With love,
Elder Castagno

Small Town Transfer & New Companion

The following e-mail was received today:

The last week of the transfer has passed, and guess what? I got transferred. I for sure thought I was going to stay, but my time was up there. Kinda glad though because I was a little tired of the place. There were great members though--and great recent converts. I love all of them. For sure I will miss all of them. 

Well my new area is Tancredo Neves. It´s really close to my last area. It´s way smaller though. It takes ten minutes to walk from one end to the other. Glad that I won´t have to do those long walks any more...

My new companion is Elder McNeil from Oregon. I seem to just get American companions...haha. He served for a little while in California until his Visa came; he got here about five months ago. We will be living in a house with two other Elders...don´t know them very well yet. 

This last week was great though. We had a bunch of people to teach and were able to have a baptism. This next transfer for that area should be great. A bunch of people are set up to be baptized. Well, I´m looking forward to this new area. I've heard that it is really great here, so we will see. 

All is good with me, no sickness or injury this week. Until next time.

--Elder Castagno

A Virus, a Hospital, and a House out of a Horror Film

The following e-mail was received today:

Well, another crazy week here in Fortaleza. We had an interesting few days. My foot healed up enough that I could use shoes...but what do you know, the next day I got extremely sick! Bad enough that I decided it would be best to go to the hospital. When we got there, I had to wait an eternity to finally get attended to by a doctor. Then they hooked me up to an I.V. and just left me there. It seemed like they did that to about anyone that walked in there...haha. Then they did some blood tests to see if it was anything serious; that took another few hours. Finally the results came back, and all was good. Just a bad virus that was going around. I´m all better now. 

The next few days weren't that great though. We went out to teach and everything just seemed to keep falling through. No one was ever home. Finally Sunday came around, and I was expecting just about none of our investigators to show up, but then the Lord once again showed His hand in helping us out. We had many members bring their friends, and also some of our old investigators came to church! Also, one of them said they wanted to be baptized! A miracle! This whole transfer has been rough, but now at the end I can see the fruits of our labors. It really is worth it to endure to the end--even when the end isn't in sight. 

Elder Castagno's current housing (in my imagination...)

Also this week we are going to be moving into a new house; the one we are in is super small and basically destroyed. The walls leak....it looks like something off of a horror film...but instead of blood, it´s just water.

Well, have a great week!

Elder Castagno

Happy Easter 2012

 The following e-mail was received today:

Happy Easter! This week was pretty good for the most part. We were able to get some members to help us out with people that we knew. Working with the members is always so much better than working alone. Because it is them that will keep the recent converts active in the church. 

We found a few great families that we are starting to teach because of the help of some members. Things should start looking up. Also this last Friday was a very special day. Of course it was the day that Christ died on the cross, and also the day that the church was restored so many years ago. I reflected on what all of that meant. Really the whole purpose of the church is based on the sacrifice of Christ--and also how important that is to us. I feel that the more we understand about His sacrifice for us, the more we come to understand our purpose, and what we need to do during our time on this earth. It makes trials during our life more understandable also. God wants us to be polished out to be perfected. That´s why we need the experience that we get here on earth. It´s interesting. I´m thankful for all that Christ has done and for the atonement that we have. 

On a somewhat different note...about ten minutes after I emailed the last time, I was walking and I slipped and cut the top of my foot open. It wasn't too bad, but bad enough that it would hurt to put shoes on. So I rocked flip flops in church clothes for a little while. Felt super weird...but gotta do what ya gotta do!

Until next time,

Elder Castagno

Looking for Answers & Friends Stick Together

The following e-mail was received yesterday:

Well, another week has gone by, and so has another [General] Conference. Seems like last conference wasn't even too long ago. 

Looking for Answers

This week for sure had its ups and downs like most do. We have this one investigator that we are teaching that does everything we ask. She reads The Book of Mormon, she prays....but she still hasn't received an answer...at least she doesn't feel that she has. I´m not quite sure what to do with this one. I've been trying to find answers, but nothing has come yet. Also many of the other people that we have been preparing are not working out. Just have to keep going though. There has to be someone out there that will accept. 

Friends make the burden easier.

On the other side, I am very very thankful for all the great friends I have here on the mission. They make things so much easier. The other day our lunch fell through--[as did another missionary's lunch]. So we got together and made a churrasco for lunch. It was really good, and it was great just to talk to them for a while. Making sure to always have a good time really makes the difference. I´m thankful for all of my friends here and back home. It´s something that really is important--especially as a missionary. If you are not friends with the people, they won´t want to accept anything you have to offer. 

Love all you guys and hope you have a great week.

 

--Elder Castagno