What a Good Week - from Araturi

Hey, all! Sorry that you haven't been getting much news from me lately.

I can't believe that the time has gone by so fast. Three weeks left.......yikes, better not to think about it! (And Mom, forget that I said that. No need to hyperventilate, just think to yourself, "He'll get here when he gets here, and it's going to be great", and then go back to whatever else you were thinking about or doing. That's what I'm doing to try to stay focused and sane.)

This week was such a good week. Thiago, the husband of a returned sister missionary, was baptized! I had the privilege of baptizing him. The firt time I say him, I wasn't sure what to think, because he had talked to so many Elders before us, and was kinda like, "Oh, great, not like I haven't heard this before....." But, he really felt like this is the truth and that this is the right path for him and his family. His wife said to him a few weeks ago, before he had made the decision to be baptized, "I made a goal for us: next year, we are going to the temple to get sealed!" He was like, "I don't even know what the temple is! Don't I have a choice in all this?" And her attitude about it was, "Nope! You don't! We're going, and that's final." This actually opened his heart, and he knew for himself that this is what the Lord wants them to do. They came by our apartment last night to give us some "celebratory" cake, and we said thanks to them. Thiago responded, with meaning and feeling behind his words, "No, Elders, thank you." What a blessing to see all this happening in their lives, and the change in his face and his heart.

Also, a couple that we are teaching went to his baptism, to church the next day, and to the stake devotional about family history and the temple! I asked Allyson, the husband (it's a guy's name in Brazil), what he thought about the devotional. He said, "I loved it! I love everything about the Church!" They are going to be baptized in two weeks probably.

Have a great week, everybody! Remember that I love you all very dearly, and that the time goes by really fast!

Love,

Élder Reid Powell Empey

Update: So Much Stuff! - from Araturi

Hey, everybody! I am so sorry that it has been so long since I have written an email for everybody. Things have been crazy this past transfer, and just keep getting crazier!

So, I am in Araturi, in Caucaia Stake (if you want to see on Google Maps exactly where I am at this exact moment, go to http://goo.gl/maps/YzDtv). I am here with Elder Day, who is from Cottonwood Heights (basically Salt Lake), and we are zone leaders. It is an awesome area, and I am so excited to work really hard for these last few weeks. It is crazy to think that I only have five weeks left to accomplish what I need to get done! Gotta work hard!

A few weeks ago, we had the blessing and miracle of having five baptisms in our ward! All involved some form of reactivation, and we are so glad to see them becoming more and more involved in the Church and its programs. We are going to start working with them and family history. It's going to be sweet:)

Thanks for everything! I will be sure to keep everyone up to date from now on!

I love you all, and have a great week! Drop me an email when you can, I love to hear from you all! reid.empey@myldsmail.net

Love,

Élder Reid Powell Empey

Happy Week, Happy Transfer! - From José Walter 2

Hello, All! 
I stayed in the same area and with the same compasnion for one more transfer! How exciting! It's going to be great. The Lord thought it necessary to let me stay with someone I really enjoy as a companion for a bit longer!

The Sisters in our district had a big change, though. Sister Peres is going to train two sisters at the same time! Because of the explosion of missionary inceases, especially with sisters, they need to do it that way! One sister I know, Sister Costa, is training four at the same time! They couldn't have Elders training Sisters, so they put a bunch of Sisters together:)

Anyway, I am out of time again, but this is going to be an awesome week! I can feel it!

Have a great week!

Love you all, 

Elder Reid Powell Empey

The Weekly News from José Walter 2

Hey, everyone! 

Sorry that I haven't written much these past few weeks, my time has been tight on the computer recently. So many emails, so little time!

Things are going well here. I am enjoying the area, and I love my companion, Elder Pinheiro. We get along really well, and I have been able to talk to him quite openly about everything!. He is quite new here on the mission, but he is energetic and excited to do the work. What a blessing it is for us to be together!

I have been thinking a lot recently about how important our testimonies are, especially our testimony of Jesus Christ, His Atonement, and His Church here upon the earth. I seek to strengthen my testimony of these truths, and invite all of you to do the same. Please, read the Book of Mormon every day. I don't think we realize how important this really is! It will change our lives if we will read it, ponder it, and drink deeply of its truths and words. I seek to deepen and strengthen my testimony through this truely inspired and God-sent volume of scripture.

Anyway, got to go...again! Have a wonderful week, and never forget who you are!

Love always,

Elder Reid Powell Empey

P.S. Have a great trip in Germany, Claire and Eric! You're gonna love it!

Hey, Everybody,

I got transferred!
Now, I'm in José Walter 2, with Elder Pinheiro, and I am totally stoked. Unfortunately, I am also totally out of time. So, I will tell you all all (wow, Portuguese gets to ya....) about it next week.

Tchau! I love you guys, and have a good week!

With love as always,

Elder Reid Powell Empey

Hello! from Maranguape

Well, this week was great! We nearly had a baptism, but Angela nees a little more time, and we met a bunch of new people, so this week is going to be busy! I am excited to see how things will turn out, and I am loving the time I have with my new companion, Elder Patino. He is from Columbus, Ohio.

I ran out of time again, so I will just have to explain things more "detalhado" next week! Hope you have a good one!

Send me pics and quotes and stories of how your wonderful lives are going! If any of you are heading out on a mission, please send me a letter and your mission address so that I can write you back!

Love you all,

Elder Reid Powell Empey

The News - from Maranguape

Hello, all!

So, I have a bit of a sad piece of news. Elder Tibbitts, my companion, because of the headaches that he has been having (nearly six weeks without stopping now), it has become necessary that he return home to try to resolve the difficulties. He hasn't been able to study, nor walk a lot, or much of anything, and so it will be much easier for him to relax at home. I have a new companion, Elder Patino from Ohio, and we are already getting along really well. Elder Tibbitts is flying out on Wednesday. So, my "son" will be continuing his adventures and service elsewhere for the time being. The Lord has a plan in everything, and I am so grateful to have been Elder Tibbitts' companion during this time. I know that the Lord has His hand in all things in our lives.

So, Vitrória and Daniel were confirmed, and now all the members of their family that can be baptized are baptized! I am so happy to see them progressing in the Gospel.

Anyway, I gotta go, but I love you all, and have a wonderful week!

Tchau!

Até o próximo, 

Elder Reid Powell Empey

Quick!

So, another quick email!

We saw a few miracles this week. Márcio was baptized and confirmed, and then, even though I highly doubted and never thought that it would actually happen, Jacinta's daughter and son were baptized as well! Vitória, her daughter, is getting along well with the young women in the ward, and Daniel, her son, is attending. He is very shy and timid, but the young men's president is going to work more with him to help him out.

So, this has been an amazing week! Sadly, the headaches of my companion continue to be a difficulty. We are trying to not do anything to aggravate the situation, which is hard considering that the pain is aggravated by basically anything we do, walking, speaking in Portuguese, studying, the hot Cearense sun, etc. So, we are just doing the best that we can, and trying to keep moving forward!

I'm way out of time, but I love you all, and wish you a happy New Year, 2013! I never thought we'd get this far because of 2012, so I guess I'll have to re-think my life plan......:)

Love always,

Elder Reid Powell Empey

Happy Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy 2013! - From Maranguape

Hello, all. 
I hope that you are having a wonderfullly, awesomely, splenderific day! I know my sister Joslyn is, because she's still out of school on break:)

So, this week was great. Oh, sorry, by the way, that I didn't send an email last week. I was a bit too busy talking to my FAMILY!!! On Skype:) It was awesome:)

This week was good because of Christmas and all (by the way, I got my Christmas package, Mom. I finally ate one of those giant Reese's today, and it was amazing. And, please tell my companion that the other one is for him. He refuses to believe that it's for him, and insists that I eat it), but it was still challenging. My companion, Elder Tibbitts, is having some very difficult health challenges. He has had a headache for nearly five weeks, and it hasn't gone away. He already got a tomography, with and without contrast, and a CT scan, but everything checked out normal. We are not sure what to do, especially because we did what the doctor said and rested this past week and took some other medicines, but it didn't really help. Please keep him in your prayers so that we can find the solution. The Missionary Department is working on it right now.

Jacinta was confirmed yesterday, and her two older kids finally went. Also, Márcio, a young man who is 19, is getting baptized this Saturday, and confirmed on Sunday! He's awesome, and I'm so excited for his decision to do the right thing.  Please pray for him as well, that he can have the strength he needs to confront the difficulties that he is facing and will continue to face. Pray for Jacinta as well!

I love you all so very much! Have a wonderful week, and don't forget that I'm thinking about you, and pray and hope for the best for you all!

With love as always,

Elder Reid Powell Empey