2/17/25 - 1st Week in Jabaquara!

Aperently I like procrastinating so here's another sort of AI created Email!!

**Oi família e amigos!**  

This week has been an adventure! I had the opportunity to open a new area with Elder Wright, who has the same amount of time on the mission as I do. He is super fun, and we’ve already made some funny videos together!  

One interesting experience we had was while trying to visit someone. When we arrived, there were two police cars and four policemen standing in front of the alleyway where he lived. They all had their guns drawn, and one of them was holding an AR-style rifle—so we decided it was best to just keep walking!  

Sunday was a bit crazy too. We were late to sacrament meeting because we were picking up someone we’re teaching—along with his friend, who we didn’t even know would be there (a win anyway!). But we ended up taking the wrong bus, which meant a 20-minute walk to their house and then a 30-minute walk back to the chapel. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time for all of that, so we got there late.  

Today was awesome because we got to hang out at Josué’s house—he’s a legend in the mission! He helps a lot of missionaries, even ordering Ubers for them. He gave Elder Wright a customized Neymar *Santos* jersey with both Neymar’s name and Elder Wright’s on it. And he said he’ll make one for me too! I’m still *Corinthians* through and through, but I’ll take a free personalized jersey.  

I also met my mission grandpa while he was on his way back to the States! 

Also, our ward mission leader is amazing—he helps us out a lot!!

One thing I’ve learned is how important member referrals are. If you know someone who could use the gospel in their life, reach out to the missionaries! Your help makes a huge difference in the work.  

Love you all!  

**Elder Bliss**

Here's the google photos 

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

I don't know if I can put videos on an email, so just look at the google photos or you can ask my mom for it!!

2/10/25 - Transfers!

This has been a fairly slow week because of the end of transfers

On thursday we were walking down the road and there was a random dude who was either drunk, high, or both laying in a hammmock playing the guitar just doing his own thing without a care in the world.  So, we sat by the side of the road under a tree and listened for a while.  It was a fun little break from the sun.  He never even relalized we were there.

Transfers dropped yesterday and I'm going to (actually in right now) Jabaquara in zona Sul with Elder Wright!! Elder Wright arrived with me and we lived together our first transfer and he is really fun! And my trainer, Elder Beaumont, spent 6 months in Jabaquara and he loved it here. So, I am super excited for this transfer!! Also, I am senior comp for the first time so, it will be interesting leading and opening an area.

Quick spiritual thought:

I can't remember who it was by, but there is a talk about some country in Africa where they had a year or so without missionaries.  In that year or so, they had 30-40 people baptized into the church.  When the missionaries came back to the area the ward mision leader/ bishop said to the Elders, "Ah, now that you're here you can help us with our work!"  It is so important for the members to be involved with Missionary work.  Missionary work really is the work of the ward.  We're just here to help teach people what we believe.  So, make an effort this week to find a way to share your beliefs with someone, then send a reference to the missionaries, and visit the person with the missionaries.  This will not only bring blessings to the person you are helping, but to you also.  One of the best ways to strengthen your testimony is to share it!! 

Have a great week

Elder Bliss

Google photos 

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

Elder Wright and Elder Bliss back in Vila Luitza 

2/3/25 - Rain and Water

Olá, friends and family!

The weeks keep flying by! (looking back from the end. They can get pretty slow during the week.)  We have arrived at the last week of the transfer already!

It rained a lot this week.  Almost everyday.  At times, the water was flowing down the street like a river! it was crazy!

On Tuesday we did a division with the district leader, I went with his comp Elder Peres Plaza who is still in training.  We went to lunch with the president of the elders quorum who invited us to do missionary work with him.  Of course we accepted and he drove us around the rest of the day and basically did all the missionary work.  It was an easy day to be a missionary.

 

During this week my companion got sick so we stayed in the house all day.  And then the next day I got sick so there wasn't a whole lot of work done those 2 days.

We had the baptism of Julio Cesar this week!  It was really amazing!  A really special day for everyone!

I bought a Cavaquinho today!  Now I just need to learn how to play samba! 

Tchau, até mais 

Elder Bliss

Here's the google photos along with a video of the rain.

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

1/27/25 - An ant infestation

Well, another week has past and I have pracrastinated yet again.

This week was interesting to say the least.  

There were ants in a bunch of my things and they made a collony in my portible battery and part of one of my suitcases.

I sent my sister a prompt for ChatGPT about my week. Here is what is said. Some of it is incorect, do with it what you will.

Olá, friends and family!

This week in Mawa has been full of great experiences! One of the highlights was a hike we took down a trail surrounded by both forest and houses. It wasn’t anything extraordinary, but it was a cool walk, and it gave us the chance to meet a few people along the way.

Another memorable moment was joining a family for their Family Home Evening. It was someone’s birthday, and they surprised them with cake and decorations. You could feel so much love and happiness in their home, and it was a reminder of how important family is in helping us feel joy and peace.

We also had a super fun activity with the kids in the ward. Since it’s summer here, they set up a bunch of food and water games. We had a blast throwing water balloons, but the funniest (and maybe most dramatic) moment was when one of the other elders slipped and split his eyebrow open. He ended up going to the hospital and had to get stitches. He’s doing fine now, but it definitely added some excitement to the day!

Finally, we’re preparing for something very special—this Sunday, a man we’ve been teaching is getting baptized! He’s so ready to take this next step and make a covenant with the Lord. Watching his testimony grow has been such a blessing for me.

I’ll leave you with a quick spiritual thought from Alma 37:6-7: “By small and simple things are great things brought to pass.” This week reminded me that little moments—like a kind word, spending time with others, or even water games—can lead to big blessings and change.

Thank you for all your prayers and support. I hope you’re all doing well. Até mais!

Elder Bliss 

(Alright, back to actualy me)

Here's the google photos, tchau!

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

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

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

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