September 29, 2014

Denis and Lucas get Baptized!!

Sorry it was blurry...

DENIS AND LUCAS GOT BAPTIZED!!!! Denis is in my right arm, and lucas is in my left, i fricken love these kids!!

Hey!!(:

The baptisms of Denis and Lucas went awesome!! Like all of their family and a ton of friends from their neighborhood came, so church was super packed and super loud on Sunday haha, it was soooo awesome!(: The parents aren't super interested, but we're gonna be working super hard with them this next transfer (by the way im still here in Beja for another six weeks!) because we really want to get their whole family in church! 

haha dont worry, i could never forget about my own momma's b-day! haha, so be on the lookout for TWO packages either the end of this week or early next week!!

and thats awesome! im so stoked to have Joseph out here, he's gonna love it out here! and did the McBride boys ever get their calls??

Make sure you take a ton of pictures of Lax and the Beach pretty please!! i think one of the first things im gonna do when i get home is go to the beach in cali haha, but that's for later(;

we'll get to watch the Saturday morning session saturday night (cuz of the 8 hour time delay) and then the Saturday afternoon session and the sunday morning session and Priesthood session on sunday, so im pretty stoked about that! and speaking of technology, in January apparently we're getting iPads!!! we have to buy them ($400) but then we take them home with us after the mission, so that'll be super dope!! 

and hey really quick, in that package could you throw in some more Flamin Hot Cheetos pretty please?? haha, i think those are one of the things that i miss most! haha

well i love you guys sooo much (i know that you know but ill still say it every week haha) and i'll talk to you again next week!!!(: LOVE YOU!!!!!

I got to baptize Denis, and Roberts baptized Lucas, it was so sweet! 

this was right before we got in the tank

Denis got baptised first, and this was us watching the baptism of Lucas

and this was us 4 watching the baptism of another lady (named Alice) that the other elders baptised the same day..... it was such a sweet day

the is the Jeffers, a new Missionary Couple that is moving down to our city of Beja, and holy crap they're hilarious haha. They took us out to Mcdonalds last week, we're stoked to have them herethis is Elder Ryan, he's a stud from Ireland haha, he goes home this week. and the kid in the back is a smiley Brazilian named elder Altheman (pronounced all-cheh-man)

My son Roberts had to go to the dentist! hahaha

September 22, 2014

Elder Dayton and Elder Roberts are helping the primary grow in Portugal!

i think its safe to say that Denis and Lucas are our new best friends haha

HEY!!!!

My week has been awesome! its been raining like theres no tomorrow here! and yesterday there was some MAD thunder for like 30 minutes straight haha, it was pretty nuts! it reminded me of monsoon season, but its cold here haha, im already not looking forward to winter and its only September haha(: but the week was awesome anyways(: 

And yea i got the package! thank you for all that stuff, that was acutally a really good idea!(: and im so stoked to have some more smores haha(: and the teaching Denis and Lucas is going great(: im so stoked for those two punks(:

i have no idea how long I'll stay here, we have transfers on the 28th of Sept, so this coming Sunday. Most likely ill stay here with elder roberts, cuz training usually goes for 2 transfers, but its not a for sure thing... so pray that ill stay here!! haha, im not ready to leave here yet!!(: 

We're allowed to listen to music that isn't too crazy haha, so don't worry, no Rage Against the Machine or System of a Down... at least until after the mish(; haha, but yea stuff like that list is totally allowed(: 

and holy crud... the boys are getting sooo big!! Brig and Mace look soo stinkin old! haha, it's so cool to see them together at RM like that, they're so lucky to be so close in age! i bet those kids are just tearing the school up haha... i think when i get home im gonna just buy a backpack and go to school with them every day... i've got plenty of teachers that would totally let me stay with them... haha(: by the way, who are all the boy's teachers this year? 

Lately i've just been studying the previous conference talks in the Ensigns like crazy, and holy crud our Prophet and Apostles are amazing. 

well im sorry its such a short letter, but i dont have much time today:/ I love you guys so much, and im hoping that some time during this week i'll be able to send off this package i've been getting ready(: LOVE YOU GUYS!!(:

So this is Denis! He's 8 years old but he's fricken huge! him and his 10 year old brother Lucas are gonna be baptized this coming sunday!!

Denis calls me Robo, cuz i always put him on my shoulders and run around like a robot punching my comp hahaha

This is Lucas, denis's 10 year old brother! i know it looks like im flipping off the camera, but it was just the peace sign... im a good missionary i swear haha

this is Denis with my son Elder Roberts! it was sunday morning on the way to church, and Denis wanted to wear my coat jacket hahaha, this kid is such a stud(:

and this was during church... when i wasnt playing the piano i had to come down and help keep Denis quiet while Elder Roberts worked on keeping Lucas quiet during sacrement haha

playing robots on the way home from church....

P-day soccer and basketball just got sooooooooooo much better.... USA!! USA!! USA!!

September 15, 2014

Zach is a working with Giants!!

these guys are fricken behemoths... Elder Horne is the one kissing at me, he played D-pole in lax all throughout high school, and him and i are dying to serve together before he goes home in February. Him and i are gonna go hunting together when i get off the mish haha. and the other one is Elder Bryan, he's a pretty cool dude too.... they're both 6ft 8in.... i need to grow haha

Hey Momma!(:

Yea, i got all the packages, i've actually got that football in my lap right now haha, we're gonna go play in a little bit(: We had to get our hair cut today, so i don't have too much time, but i will do my best to answer the questions, and if not ill answer them all next week!

The 4 elder house is a flippin blast! we don't wrestle, but we mess around with each other so much haha. like a few weeks ago the power went out in our house for two days, so at night i hid under elder beckstrands bed and scared the crud out of him haha. 

And Denis wants to be baptised!! this week we worked with him and his mom and his brother to see if they could be baptised, and the mom finally said that if they want to the can, and Denis and his bro Lucas want to!! IM SO EXCITED!! at first they were saying no, and it was really getting me down. i dont know what it is about this kid, but i just love him so much, and so when they were telling us no it was pretty tough. so i decided to fast so that Heavenly Father could open the hearts of his parents, and He did!!! and now they are marked for the 27th of this month!! it was a huge relief, and a huge testimony builder for the power of fasting for me(:

and im good on contacts, but yea im about out of antibiotics and hair gel. and im out of Flamin Hot cheetohs too.... hahaha(;  and don't worry, im good on money(: but i was wondering, do you guys know what my balance is in my personal account? 

i gotta run, but i love you guys so much! if you get a chance, read or listen to Pres. Monson's talk from General Conference in May of 2012 called "Willing and Worthy to Serve" or something like that... holy crud its a good one(: 

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!(:

the other elders (elders beckstrand and mubai) had a baptism on saturday, which was awesome!

So this was our killer soccer game from two weeks ago, but last week i forgot my camera haha. It goes (left to right) Elder Mubai, Luis (a 14 year old kid in our branch), Me (the most important one obviously), Romeo Tavárez (a recently returned missionary who's living in our branch right now) Elder Beckstrand, and Elder Roberts (MY SON!!!!!!!)






the aftermath of our soccer game.... it was dang hot

MY NEW P-DAY GETTUP!!! we play basket ball and soccer every p-day, and now i can rep the good ole States all day baby!!!! much thanks to elder morris haha

looky what Holden sent me for my b-day... such a good friend...

September 8, 2014

Zach's Day to Day in Beja

No photos this week... He forgot his camera :(

Hey!!

first things first... i forgot my camera today, so i'll just have to send pictures next week, sorry(: haha

And about that family from ANGOLA haha(; a few weeks after i left, they went to spend the whole summer in Angola, so i really don't know if they're even back yet, or who is in Tomar now :/ 

and the day to day for us starts off with a bunch of different studies and what not in the morning until about 11:30 (after an intense workout from 7 to 7:30 haha obviously(; ) and then we hit the streets and talk to people, or if we have and appointment we go to that, then come back for lunch at 1pm until 2, then Elder Roberts and I have language study from 2 to 3 cuz he's still learning the language, then after that we hit the streets again(: every thing from knocking doors to talking to people on the street to going to marked appointments to passing members to see how they are, or passing nonmembers to try to get them do stuff to become members haha, cuz we have a TON of nonmember friends here. There's a neiborhood here that everyone calls Texas, and there's an 8 year old kid there named Denis who reminds me soooo much of Ammon. they're like the same size and even kind of look the same, but he's brazilian so he's got dark skin and dark hair, but he's crazy like ammon too. he's like the luckiest kid every cuz i can't help but spoil him, like seriously he's got a special place in my heart that lucky punk! haha, and i've finally got him to really start liking me... so when you guys all come to get me at the end of my mission we gotta come back by here and they gotta meet!!

And here about every week we have between 30 and 40, but we're really trying to get at least 55 people and i think 12 priesthood members by the end of this month so that this Branch can become a Ward(: and yes, i am the full blown Pianist every week in church, other than about 5 or 6 songs that i can play with both hands, i plunk along with the top hand hahaha, but it goes pretty well(: and thankfully we have enough priesthood to do the sacrament (2 to bless and 2 to pass) but Elder Roberts passes every week just cuz its good for him to do something hahaha(: and no we don't usually talk in Sacrament, i still havent since i've been here. The Branch Pres here is awesome, and he wants all the members to do it so that they all grow stronger(: but we bear our testimonies every week, which is usally enough haha(: and i would say the most significant growth in my testimony has been how much more i know Jesus Crist. we've been doing so many studies on the Atonement (it is afterall the single most important event in all of forever haha) and to really go into depth about what He went through for us... it's mindblowing. 2 Nephi 9 is an awesome chapter worth giving some time(:

well i hope i answered all of your guy's questions, but im running out of time again, we've got a mad soccer tournement every monday now haha(: well i love you guys all so much and i miss you guys! time is flying by here a little too fast! but ill talk to you guys all next week!! oh and one more thing! PLEASE FEED THE MISSIONARIES!!!!! every set of missionaries always has a favorite member family because they always feed the missionaries, and im getting taken care of pretty well here, so please return the favor!!(: I LOVE YOU GUYS!!(:

He is Doing GREAT!!!

Miss him a TON!!

September 1, 2014

More Baptisms in Beja

Joana (the middle) and Nádia (the right) were baptized on Saturday!!!

Hey Momma!

I'm sorry but i dont have too much time today, but ill try to answer all the questions! haha. yea elder Roberts and i are getting along great! and its so awesome to be serving with this guy. the language is a little tricky for him, but he's got such a killer desire to just be a good missionary that it doesnt even get in his way haha. We talk quite a bit of portugues to each other, but i definitel make sure he gets his breaks, cuz it can get pretty stressful at times. but he's taking it like a champ(: I think by now i can dare to say that I'm fluent, so like with my other comps we would talk in english just cuz its easier haha, and also i like talking in english as we walk around, cuz sometimes people don't think that we speak portuguese and so they say whatever about us, and then we can respond and start talking with them, and i think its hilarious haha. 

The baptisms went great! they we're baptized together and confirmed together the next day. and i think it was a really good learning expirience for me, cuz they have tiny attention spans, so it was cool to have an opportunity to teach so simply. Really get down to the basics of why we follow the Church. 

Yea Sheila (the Branch Pres's wife) is awesome. everyone here is just so awesome. i honestly wouldn't mind staying here for quite a while, this place is just feeling more and more like home haha. 

Well i love you guys all so much, and tell briggy props for getting a date! and Mason just you can't "date" doesnt mean you can't kiss!! just don't go overboard!! haha, and tell Ammon he better start pounding a couple Peanut Butter & Jellys a day to gain some weight, cuz him and I are gonna have one heck of a smack down when i get home!!(; haha, love you guys, talk to you next week!!(:

the Branch in Beja! this isnt everyone, but quite a bit showed for the baptisms, which was really nice!!

they stole my camera... dang selfies...

again...stole my camera... again... selfies haha

August 25, 2014

Zach's a Trainer Now!

THIS IS MY SON ELDER ROBERTS!!!!!!!!! this is when i picked him up from the office, in my spiffy new bday tie haha(:

This is also Zach's Mission President and his wife

Hey!!

my week has been crazy haha. so on sunday right after church i got a call saying that i was leaving to go spend the week in a city called Olhão with an elder named Elder Fossati until our greenys got to portugal. Elder Fossati is from Southern Cali and had a street bike before the mission, and so we were super friends right away haha, and it was a blast serving with him for a couple days in his area. then wednesday night him and i went up to Lisbon, and we spent the night there. then Thursday morning all the newbys arrived, and i met my son Elder Roberts!! Elder Roberts is from Beaver Utah. He grew up playing a bunch of sports and is really cool, he's just a little stressed haha. he actually reminds me a lot of Elder Arnold, my MTC comp. He's having a little bit of troubles with the language, which stresses him out a bit, but he's handling it really well. I cant help but think that i totally got called to be his trainer because so far it has been a lot like the MTC, only this time i know how to help my comp a little better haha. Im loving serving with him and we're already seeing a ton of miracles this week, so im super stoked for this transfer!

okay, and this is from last week.

3.) Denise is a friend of a woman named Mila. Mila was baptized when she was 13, but for the past 15 years or so she has seperated herself from the church. she never lost her beliefs or testimony, just stopped going. but before i got here in Beja, my last comp Elder Boyd and his comp were knocking doors, and they knocked the door of Denise's house. But whats funny is that Mila was there at the time, and Mila is the one who answered the door. so they started talking with Mila and found out that she's a member. Then the week after I showed up here, and we worked for a few weeks to reactivate Mila, and now she's fully reactivated(: And Mila and Denise are always together, and so we passed a lot and began to be friends with Denise too, But Denise didnt want too much to do with church. then we had a mini activity (the one with s'mores and we did a tour of our chapel) and when we showed them the Baptismal Font, we explained what you have to do to be baptized and why we're baptized, and Denise decided she wanted to be baptized too! so we started teaching her, and a week later she was baptized! And now what's happening is Mila (the member for a long time now) has a daughter named Joana. and Joana is best friends with Denise's niece Nadia. And this coming weekend, on August 30th, Joana and Nadia are going to be baptized together!! WE'RE GONNA COMPLETE A FAMILY!!!

and i still have not gotten the packages. I'm a little worried that they got lost somwhere in the mail system :/ Because you guys, grammy and grandad, and Holden all sent me packages, but i havent gotten any of them. i may get them during this coming week, but if not they probably got lost somewhere:/ but no worries :)

Yesterday we had a really cool expirience. Nadia (Denise's niece who wants to be baptized) needs her moms permission to be baptized because she's only 12. so yesterday she called her mom and asked her, but her mom said no. Nadia's stepdad is super catholic, and wouldn't allow her to get baptized. So Nadia started crying because she wants to be baptized super badly, but there wasn't anything we could do :( eventually we had to leave and go to other stuff, but while elder Roberts and i were walking, i got the impression to just stop and say a prayer. both of us were really bummed to see Nadia so sad, so we just sat down on a bench on an empty road, and i said a prayer in english (hahah like the first one in like six months) and we asked The Lord to touch the heart of the mother and change her mind. well we continued on with our day. at the end of the night when we returned home, while we were planning for our next day, we got a text from Denise saying that the mother had changed her mind, and Nadia could be baptized!!! the first thing we did was get down on our knees and we thanked the Lord for changing the mother's heart. it was just so incredible to get such a powerful response to our prayers(:

well i don't have much time left, i just got to say the I know God lives. and He does more than just live, He loves us. He's always there to help, we just need to take the leap of faith to ask Him(:

i love you guys so much, and i'll talk to you all again next week!!

Pictures from the BBQ/Zach's Birthday Celebration

i can't remember what was so funny, but i think our Branch Pres said something hilarious or was making fun of my comp or something hahahaha. this was while they were singing happy bday to me haha

I absolutly LOVE this picture of Zach!! It shows how much fun he is having as a missionary!!

 Here's my last comp Elder Boyd and I at our big branch BBQ/my birthday party... i was batman and he was spider man haha

the branch pres.'s family got me a cake(: "parabéns" means congragulations, but its how they say happy birthday haha

 so it goes Elder Mubai (from Mozambique), me (in my sweet pink tie that some members got me for my bday hahaha), my son Elder Roberts, and Elder Beckstrand (him and i were in the same district my first two transfers here in portugal) all 4 of us live in the same house now. cuz our area split to a 4 elder area, and now we party all day (when we're in the house haha)

and this is one more of me and my new son Elder Roberts... IM A DADDY!!!!!

August 18, 2014

Zach's Officially 19!!!!

IM SO OLD!!! hahaha

1. my birthday was pretty sweet(: i'll send pictures a little bit later today, and don't worry, i have a bunch haha(: ya we had a big ole BBQ, and initially it was just a branch activity, but they turned it into a birthday party at the end and brought cake and all sang and what not haha(: and no not yet. i got the birthday package from you guys, but i left my area sunday afternoon. right now im in a different area, but im only here until thursday. im down here cuz my comp elder Boyd got transfered away, and IM GONNA BE TRAINING!!!!! IM GONNA BE A DADDY!!!! hahaha, so on thursday i go to Lisbon to pick up my son, but until then im in a city called Olhão with another elder who's gonna be training, cuz we cant be alone. and so thursday we'll go to the mission office together, then thursday night i go back to Beja, so the package should be waiting for me there haha(: 

2. so im staying in Beja. it was a 2 elder house, but it's getting split into a 4 elder house, and im going to be training, and another missionary is going to be training also! and the other missionary is Elder Beckstrand!! he was in my district my first two transfers of the mish when i was in Tomar, and this guy is so sick!! he's the tall one who loves rough housing and messing around haha, im sooooo fricken excited for these next two tranfers!!! (cuz training is two transfers). so i still don't know what my son is like, i just know that his name is Elder Roberts. so next week i'll be able to send pictures(: 

im super sorry, but i don't have much time to write today cuz this week is kind of a funky situation haha. but next week i'll do my best to answer the rest of the questions! i love you guys all so much, and im praying for you guys every week!! dont be afraid to share your testimonies with those who need it!!(:

No Pics this week :(