Elder Logan Bliss Missão Brasil São Paulo Sul

Monday, January 20, 2025

1/20/25 - Mission Tour

What's up everyone!

This week has been pretty slow.

We've had a few good lessons this week, we're still trying to this area up and running.

One interesting lesson we had this week was with this one lady. We showed up to the lesson and we asked if she'd heard about the Book of Mormon, she said she already had one. She then said she didn't understand one of words in one of the first chapters. She then went and got her Book of Mormon and spent 20 minutes reading the first few chapters of Nephi trying to find the word. She found the word and at that point we had to go cause we had another lesson. It was a little weird. Me and my companion had no idea if we should interrupt her reading or what we should do. We eventually had to tell we had to go cause we were already going to be late to our next lesson.

On Wednesday and Thursday we had a mission tour by Elder Mark D. Eddy of the 70. It was so cool to hear a general authority speak. One of the things he said is that Jesus Christ is joy. If we want to have joy in this life we have to have Jesus. It is a direct link. If you have Jesus you will have joy, and if you don't have Jesus you will not have lasting joy in this life and the life to come. A quote he used is from President Nelson, "The joy in your life has nothing to do with the situation of your life and has everything to do with the focus of your life." If you want to have joy, you need to focus your life on Christ. Everything he said is true, so try putting it to practice!

Signing off

-Elder Bliss

Here's my Google photos

https://photos.app.goo.gl/EQG3K68BLWXZWLEz8

Monday, January 13, 2025

1/13/25 - Tio Sam??

Welcome back everyone! I hope you have all had an amazing week.

I don't have a whole ton of time today because again procrastinating. My bad.

This weeks been pretty good, just work like normal.

Fun interaction:

The other day, we ran into a dude here in Mauá who calls himself Tio Sam (Tio means Uncle) as in the US government. he dresses is entirely american fl6ags and carries around a US flag. He has social media and everything all about America. I'm convinced that he only owns US flag clothes. I'll put some photos at the bottom of the email.

Scriptual thought:

I recently read Elder Patrick Kearon's talk from April 2024 "God's Intent is to Bring You Home" It is such an amazing talk and has such an amazing message. "God is in relentless persute of you!" I just want to testify that what he said is true and God wants you to come home to him. he dosen't put up roadblocks to keep you out. exactly the opposite. He is activly seeking you out and trying to bring you home. Elder Kearon says it a lot better than I do. do, you should go listen/read that talk it is amazing.

Have an amazing week. Até next time!

Elder Bliss

(Here's the photos of Tio Sam)

And here's his card with his social media if you want to look him up

It feels like Australia here (this house only) Shout out to Elder McLaws!

The beauty that is Maua

Just a little hill

Monday, January 6, 2025

1/6/25 - Quem não tem cão, caça com gato

Happy 2025!!!

New Years is realy fun here in Brazil. everyone was lighinting off fireworks it was like a warzone. When it hit 12 everyone started lighting of the fireworks, it was amazing. We spent this New Years at the house of a member and her family. They had a bunch of family there and a churrasco. I love Brazilian food, it's soo good! They had a bunch of fireworks there that we got to light off. Yes, I know, Saftyzone and all that, but it was fun. Also, on a compleatly unrealated note, some of the "fireworks" they have here in Brazil are called bombas. There are different numbers of them. I was told the 4 has the power of C4. I'll put some pictures of what it does to a shoe we found in the trash. The members had a Bomba numbero 10, which has quite a but more power.

There is a popular phrase in Portuguese: Quem não tem cão, caça com gato.

It translates to: Who doesn't have the dog hunts with the cat. Basicaly: Work with what you've got. That has been the phrase of the week.

So, this week me and Elder Marçal have opened an area, but also the area we're opening was split right before we got here, so last transfer Magine A and B were one area, now it's two. With spliting an area the people in the B part of the area have to get a new sim card and wait for the area book to be split because all of the people in both areas are in the area book of the A area. So, me and my comp have been using the other Elders area book for the people to visit and then writing what we do in a notebook, when we finaly get our area book we will write what we did there. We did finaly get our sim card today so now we're just waiting for the area book to update.

This week we did two divisions (exchanges). I went with the disctict leaders trainee, Elder Plaza. He's only got 3 weeks in the mission field so I got to kinda lead the companionship. The first one was to the training for the new missionaries, so we just had to navigate the train and metro system, not too dificult. Plus we got pizza at the training so it was the bomb. The second one was to actualy do work. It was in his area so I followed him around. There was no marked lessons so we didn't teach an official lession, but we did do a lot of contacts. I realized how bad at talking I am. Being shy kinda sucks as a missionary. So Elder Plaza did most of the talking during the day.

Quick spiritual thought

God knows your struggles. And he will help you through them. He loves you. Remember that. The scriptures say remember a lot, so do it!

With love and a new year

Elder Bliss

Here's the google photos

https://photos.app.goo.gl/EQG3K68BLWXZWLEz8

The shoe before the C4

The shoe after the C4

FELIZ ANO NOVO!! 2025 (HAPPY NEW YEARS!!)

On the way to the New Year's Party

Welcome to Maua (that's not even close to the biggest staircase here)

We've got lizards

Monday, December 30, 2024

12/30/24 - Christmas and Transfers

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas! This really is a special time of year.

Every families Christmas traditions are different and it's escpesialy different in another country. For my family, on Christmas Eve night we all settle down get into pajamas which we get as our first Christmas present, and read stories. Some stories we read are "Davy and the First Christmas", "The shiniest star", and "The Night Before Christmas". But, here in Brazil, at least the family we spent Christmas with, Christmas Eve night is more like a New Years party. We stayed up till midnight eating, singing kareokie and talking, and did a count-down for midnight. Towards the end of the countdown everyone got in a circle and help hands. When the clock struck midnight everyone shouted "Feliz Natal!" And there were songs sung as we hald hands and swayed like the Whos from The Grinch. After everyone went around and said feliz natal to everyone in the circle. Some of them kissed. And then everyone went and opened presents.

For Christmas I was able to call my family and for Christmas Eve too, so I wasn't really homesick which is good. I brought a box full of presents with me since Christmas was so close so I had some presents to open. Also my parents sent a package with a bunch of candy and other things for Christmas so it's felt farely normal. I've also been worried about eating all my candy because of transfers, don't worry though, it was taken care of. One of my presents was a keyboard which will be realy nice to write emails on, sadly, I had to write most of this one without the keyboard cause and I'm writing this in the Uber on the was to our new area. but I was able to finish on the keyboard. It is really nice.

Guess who is out of training!! I guess I'm a full fledged missionary now. Still the junior companion, but I'm out of training!

Transfers are today. Yep, right after Christmas and right before New Years. A little weird, but there's nothing I can do. But I'm moving again. I am also staying with my same companion, which is not very common to stay with a companion and move areas. We are going over to Magine B which is in the Mauá Zone. I've heard there's a ton of hills over there so, bring it on.

So, that's basically my week.

Christmas is such a special time of year. You should go watch the Christ child. It's am amazing depiction of the first Christmas and how special. The spirit is so strong while watching that video.

See you all next week, tchau!

Elder Bliss

And as always, here's the google photos.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/EQG3K68BLWXZWLEz8

Old square body trucks are everywhere here.

First burger in Brazil. (12/24/24) I've had better, but it was pretty good!

The aftermath.

Monday, December 23, 2024

12/23/24 - Polícia!

Alright this weeks been very Interesting.

Also, it's almost Christmas already? How'd we get here

On Wednesday we got to go to the Temple with Daví's family to visit the Vilazinho De Belém (little village of Bethlehem) exibit they have going on there right now. A ton of lights a massive Christmas tree, and the Temple. It was amazing. And Daví's mom and a bunch of questions we were able to answer. It was a really amazing experience for us and especially for them. Also, Daví was baptized yesterday!! It was so amazing. Daví chose the Bishop to baptized him and then I had the great, but scary experience to confirm him a member of the church, give him the gift of the Holy Ghost and give him a priesthood blessing. I didn't find out I was going to do that untill a few minutes before. Also, as a reminder, everything had to be in português. The bishop saod that he would help me out, so that was really nice to have him there, but along with him the gift of tounges was right there too. It was an amazing experience. I'll put photos of both the Temple and the baptism on the email and also the google photos (https://photos.app.goo.gl/EQG3K68BLWXZWLEz8)

The other exciting event this week happened on Friday. We found out Thursday that we would be doing a division (an exchange as it's called in other places) and I would be going to the Polícia Federal to do all the leagal work so I can stay here in Brazil for next couple years. So Thursday night I packed my bag for an overnighter and got in an Uber with another greenie, Elder Zaehringer at around 10:30pm. We got to the house of the office secretary missionaries at around 11 that night and ot wasnt untill around 12 that we finally went to sleep. And then at 5am we got up to get ready to go to the Polícia Federal to be there by 7. I think there was around 13 in my mission that went that day. We went there with the missionaries who are in the Brazil MTC and a few other missions including the Campinas mission who there was a Sister from my MTC district there Sister Nelson. Most of the Polícia Federal was waiting around and it didn't take too long so it was good. Then after we went and got lunch with the secretaries at a buffet near the mission office. The food was pretty good, but I don't know if buffets are truly buffets if they run out of food. Overall the expected was really fun. 10/10 would recomend.

Another random experience this week, we were walking to the store on Saturday to grab some bread and this drunk dude at a churrasco told us to come grab some food and some drinks (they had soda). Also, it's really hard to understand drunk people in foreign toungs. Half the time he tried to communicate with me he just looked at me with a drunk smile and noded his head, then he'd point at the food. Really strange but interesting experience, also 10/10 would recommend.

I've started reading Saints this week and it's such an amazing reminder of what the early Saints did and the sacrifices they made. There are so many examples of people who literally gave everything they had to offer for this restored gospel. We can learn so much from the early Saints. They were such good people (in general and not indidualy). They had to have so much faith to give everything up, they really had an eye single to the glory of God. They were hard working, you had to be to travel thousands of miles by foot/waggon. There are so many examples of good traits that they had that we, especially me, need to work on in our lives. My invite for you this week is to pick a trait and think of it like a pioneer, try to live with that trait like your life depended on it, it was like that for them. And as always this Christmas season remember Christ our Lord. Remember he is the reason we celebrate Christmas and the day he was born is one of the most important days in history.

Have a very...

Elder Blissfull Christmas

Daví's baptism!!

The Christas at the Temple with the Christmas tree reflecting on the glass

Christmas Tree!

Tiny lizard i caught in the chapel. Just look at the light in his eyes. After I grabbed him he just chilled on my arm for about an hour untill I went to play soccer, then I let him go.

Massive moth I caught also in the chapel

Grabbing strange animals/insects is fun.

Monday, December 16, 2024

12/16/24 - Partys!

This week has been reallly fun, but really slow with the work. I'll explain later.

Tuesday we had our Christmas Zone Conference, basically a party. It was so fun! There was food, a talent show, bingo, games, a video compilation from our families at home, presents and a special guest. I've got videos of it on my Google photos, go check them out *subtle hint* https://photos.app.goo.gl/EQG3K68BLWXZWLEz8

Presendent Queiroz and everyone else got really into the bingo game and everyone was yellling. Presendent Queiroz had a blast running the game and it was so funny to see his face while we were playing. I got a new tie as a Christmas gift from Presendent Queiroz to all the Elders, also on the google photos if you want to see. It nice to have another tie to choose from now. The special quest played Moana in the Brazilian version of Broadway. She also sings in the Portuguese youth album. She is a really good singer. She sang How Far Ill Go from Moana in português it was super cool. Her name is Nicole Luz.

Wednesday was a slow day cause Elder Marçal got sick and was dying. We got some work in that night but he was dying the whole time so it wasn't a lot.

Thursday he got a little worse cause he pushed himself too much but i got some good studying in.

Friday was pretty much the same.

Saturday was the second party of the week. The ward Christmas Party. It was super fun. Tons of food, a special message about Christ, a ton of investigators (huge win for us) and a bunch of desert after. And some members gave us a Christmas gift of a bunch of candy. The gift of toungs really came in cluch for this party. I was able to talk more português than I ever have in my life. I was chatting it up with all the people there, which is great cause I'm a pretty quiet person, so it was more than just the gift of toungs in a language sence. One of the members even said to me, "I came here to eat not to talk, go get some more food" (he speaks English) that's one of the first times that's happened to me so massive blessings this week over here.

Sunday:

I mentioned last week that we had Daví on date for this Sunday but it got moved to next Sunday, so next Sunday will be good. And the other Elders in our ward had a baptism yesterday so that was amazing to see. There really is a special spirit there when you get to witness someone making their first covenant with God.

Spiritual thought:

This week I've been reading a little bit in Genesis.

Genesis 25: 31-34

31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

It reminded me of Brad Wilcox's talk in October of this year. He said members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are entrusted with a birthright. A birthright is a responsibility to take care of others and because of the added responsibly we get more of the inherentance, extra blessings. Use those extra blessings to serve those around you and like Brad Wilcox said, Never give up this birthright you've been entrusted with. My invite for you this week is to go read or listen to his talk, it is so powerfull, and then after right down what you're thinking and feeling. And then act on those promptings!

Tinha uma ótima semana!

Elder Bliss