Slipping and Falling in the Mud
Sunday, April 24, 2011 - Posted by Joe Richardson - 0 comments
Well so this week was great :) Sister De olivieira, sister haygood and i each had our first falls on the mission. pretty good for a year and 2 months. So its been raining a ton. I slipped hardcore on some mud and really should have broken something cuz i fell big time. just a tiny bruise tought. :) Sister haygood slipped in the rain walking up the steps and got a bloody toe and blood blister and sister De olivira slipped without the rain.hahah but she fell right on her knee. and scrapped it up big time. she has knee problems so i was supper worried, but shes ok now. she was the only one that realy got hurt. Weve been having fun thought becuase i lost my umbrela so we just go out in the rain. last tuesday we got poured on 5 times but nobody got a cold :) Weve been having a lot of fun together and learning alot. everyone says trios are hard, but so far we are a great team.



How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace!
Sunday, April 17, 2011 - Posted by Joe Richardson - 0 comments
This is a note from Lauren's dad, Joe.  I just had to get these pictures up on her blog when I saw them.  We are so proud of Lauren and the sacrifice she is doing for the Lord and for the people of Brazil.  He has really blessed her, her companions and the wards where she has served.

This picture below reminded me of some scriptures about missionaries feet. Looks like missionaries throughout history have had to walk for years.  Lauren and her companion walk many hours every day - probably 10 to 15 miles a day in the hot sun!  You can tell by these wonderful tan lines... When Lauren first started her feet and ankles would be swollen by the end of the day.

“And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet!  And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace!  And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever!" (Mosiah 15:15-17)

"How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Rom. 10:15)

"Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace!" (Nahum 1:15)

This is a map of their area.  She says it's an hour walk from one end to the other.  No cars - just feet!  Sometimes they catch a bus but not often.





Keeping the commandments leaves us free - breaking them makes us prisoners
Tuesday, April 12, 2011 - Posted by Joe Richardson - 0 comments
Well Elizete is progressing a ton. This week we went over to teach the first lesson again and she surprised us that she has quit smoking! It’s been a whole week now! She smoked since she was 10! That's 35+ years. She said her mom did in a pipe and she thought it was pretty. 

She is so happy to stop and feels free, cuz she was a prisoner to it, angry and agitated when she did smoke and when she didn’t too. It’s interesting to see how keeping the commandments leaves us free and breaking them makes us prisoners. Another couple is having super difficulties, they drink and drink and the situation just gets worse and worse, cuz they never escape the problem, just worsen it and are not themselves and fight and feel like hurting themselves or others. 

I knew these things were bad before my mission, but here I can SEE how it actually works. I just think of that scripture that talks about the devil leading people carefully down to hell. Because it is so true, starts by a little bit today a little tomorrow and then next you’re the drunk guy passed out on the street every afternoon. Brain-dead. It's sooo sad that people don’t want to listen to the commandments that bless us.

GOT TP?  We ran out of toilet paper and found this in the church.

WOW!  Almost as good as IHOP back home!

Lauren with one of their investigators





General Conference Week
Sunday, April 10, 2011 - Posted by Joe Richardson - 0 comments
Well, work is going good in the new area, bayeux centro. the members are giving tons of references, Thursday the entire day until 7 was references! The members are awesome! Next week we're going to have a noite de integraçao an activity for people to bring their friends and its all about missionary work.

Conference was great! i love the talks and all the things i was able to learn from the speakers and the spirit. it was so neat to hear all the apostles and i cant wait to get the conference liahona to read. especially because the priesthood session is always really good. really cool hearing elder Bednar thinking he got revelation to talk about revelation her in joao pessoa.(read or watch)  What stood out to me most was the talk by and he said we will be Judged first for what we do, our actions and second for what we desire. We might have good intentions in our hearts, God will take that into consideration, but we have to act. Faith without works is dead (James 2:17, 26). You need them both. we had several people that came too and wellington came to 3 sessions. he loved it! Even took out his earring, and we never said anything. ALmir and his mom came, and elizete, elisangelas mom.  

Wiliana is progressing, shes been to church about 2 months now and yesterday after the conference she ran up smiling and super happy to let us know that she knows the church is true. She is a super sweet girl and she deserves to be happy. Well anaflavia is still going and teaching with us and she is thinking a lot about serving a mission! hahah! we are super excited and she totally is liking the idea.