April 15, 2013 “Leaving My Birthplace…”

Well, folks, it happened.  I’m being transferred from this wonderful area of Nova Granada, Osasco.  I’m super sad, but also happy.  And I’m extremely grateful that I was able to serve here the last 6 months.  So this last week was super good, a great end to this chapter of my mission.  I’ll tell you the day by day:

Six generations of missionaries! (Each missionary trained the elder on his left.)
This time I have a "son" - Elder Lucas.

Tuesday 4/9:  We had our zone meeting, and afterwards Elder Lucas and I needed to catch the bus back to our area. The only thing is… we got on the bus going in the wrong direction!  So… 2 ½ hours later, we got off the bus and finally arrived in our area.  Yeah, it was awful!  But I got two letters delivered: one from Mom (Happy Easter) and the other from Elder C. Santos, a Brazilian roommate from the CTM!  : ) Thank you!

Wednesday 4/10:  Wow, I am getting fat…you guys are not going to believe it. 

Thursday 4/11:  Elder Lucas and I have been teaching a special lesson on baptism that we’ve given to lots of our investigators.  It teaches the need to be baptized in very simple and plain terms.  People have responded well.

Friday 4/12:  We had a really special Family Home Evening with a little family I’ve been working with the last 6 months.  I love them like they’re my own family.  It was cool to show them how to have a Family Night.  I made a million muffins for the treat afterwards, and had a ton leftover. 

"Member of Gold" Certificate

Elder Lucas and I also made a special certificate to give to a lady in our ward who helps us a lot with our missionary work, and she cried with gratitude for being recognized.

On Saturday 4/13:  We had a good last “normal” day proselyting in Nova Granada.  I don’t want to leave this wonderful place, these people, my companion!  Oh, man, Elder Lucas is so awesome.  It has been my privilege to work alongside this stalwart missionary.  I learned so much about this work as I was training him.  Elder Lucas taught me to just be a friend, and to not complain.  He also showed me how to teach with true simplicity and clarity.  We had some amazing miracles together, and I love Elder Lucas like a brother.  Boa sorte para ele e companheiro dele nos esforcos deles. [Good luck to him and his companion in their efforts.]  : )

And on Sunday 4/14:  We had almost double the amount of investigators at church than we usually do!  And it’s my 222 day on the mission!  Crazy sauce.  Also a guy who was high on drugs came into the chapel, and Elder Lucas and I gave him a few of the chocolate muffins from Friday and helped him out. : )  It was nice.

And…on today, Monday:  I got the call that I’ll be leaving for the Mairipora ward in the Jacana Stake, and that my companion will be Elder Robison (Eli Robison’s cousin) from Washington.  So tonight I started visiting people for the last time, and well, 6 goodbyes later, I’m kinda a mess, but it’s all good.  I cried and it was hard, but also so good, and it was cool bearing a last testimony.  It didn’t help that all the people we visited cried too.  One of the people I baptized said, “Você vai sempre ficar em nossos corações.” [“You will always be in our hearts.”] The bishop also cried.  It’s so humbling to realize that I was able to do some good here, that I made a difference. Alma 26: 12 “Yeah I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.”  And verse 16: “Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever.  Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord?  Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and or his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men?  Behold I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.”  Oh man, it’s painful leaving a part of my heart here.  Mas, Nova Granada, nunca esqueça que “Lembro-me sempre de ti em minhas orações, rogando constantemente a Deus, o Pai, em nome de seu Santo Filho Jesus, que ele, por sual infinita bonade e graçe, te conserve constant na fé em seu nome até o fim.” [But, Nova Granada, never forget that “I am mindful of you always in my prayers, continually praying unto God the Father in the name of his Holy Child, Jesus, that he, through his infinite goodness and grace, will keep you through the endurance of faith on his name to the end.” ] - Moroni 8: 3.

Well, Love y’all.  Until next week, Love Always, Elder David Bean : )

Elder Bean and Irmao Samuel.  This man is a dynamic leader and friend.

Elder Bean and good friend Fabio.

Tiffany will keep this Nativity always

Elder Lucas and me after a barber destroyed our hair!

April 8, 2013 “Pizza, Beer and General Conference"

This week was super fast, and a little tiring.  Okay, I actually feel dead.  But this week was still good as ever!

We ate pizza with our member friend Fabio in the bishop’s office.  It was nice of him to give us pizza.  And I don’t know if I’ve talked much about Fabio…well, Fabio is a recent convert to the church, and he’s the man!  He helps us out so much, and he does so much to help the church.  Fabio is preparing to serve a mission, and I love him. He’s also hilarious, people.  But yeah…pizza here in Brasil is really, really good. : )

We carried cases of beer to the bar of our non-member friend as an act of service! : ) Baha.  For those of y’all that don’t know why this was a little humorous, I’ll tell you.  Faithful members of the church don’t smoke, drink alcoholic beverages, or consume coffee or tea, because a prophet of God received a revelation from out Heavenly Father in 1833, and promised we would be blessed for our obedience (see Doctrine and Covenants 89 – this revelation is called “The Word of Wisdom”).  So it was just funny as we were giving this service: two missionaries carrying beer cases over to the bar!  The owner was grateful, and gave us some soda there - so there we were, drinking Fanta in the bar…yep.  : )

General Conference April 2013 

We watched General Conference on Saturday and Sunday!  We were able to bring a few people with us, too.   I saw Elder Barton in the chapel, and it was crazy to think that we were watching General Conference in the CTM six months ago!!!   Time - oh my!  I didn’t understand a lot of what was said because the translator spoke really fast and with a heavy accent. 

But, I had a miracle talk where I understood almost everything!  Yep, Elder Holland.  So good!  He talked about how we need to “hold fast to what [we] already know,” and that it isn’t the size of your faith that matters, it’s the integrity of your faith:  “Be true to the faith you do have.”  Oh, so epic.  : )  

Last two things: 

1) I bore a strong testimony to a few non-active members, telling them that it is in the small things that personal spirituality and progression are discovered:  waking up on Sunday to go to church, calling the family for prayer, kneeling, opening the scriptures, paying tithing first, keeping the commandments. Ahhh -!  It’s so simple: put God first, and everything else will work out!  

2) Today, all of our P-day, Elder Lucas and I made a framed piece of art for two of our recent baptisms.  It was a picture of all four of us dressed in white at the baptism.  Surrounding our picture was a border of pictures of Christ, also dressed in white.  It’s beautiful!  Anybody who knows me, knows I love making “artsy” things, and I was grateful we could make something special for these special friends.

Hey people, I love you all - like a lot!  Okay?!  Remember, I pray for you all the time.  Do what is right. : )

Until next week!  Love, Elder David Bean  

Elders Nogueira and Bean

Elders Grosbeck and Bean

Card we made

Chorrasco - Brazilian BBQ

April 1, 2013 "Three More Miracles"

Early in the week we had a division with Elder Young, one of our zone leaders, and he invited five of our investigators to be baptized this last Saturday (March 30^th).  Four of the five accepted the invitation!  Three were, in fact, baptized on Saturday, and the fourth will be baptized on the 27^th of April.  And one didn’t like the invitation, and has stopped visiting with us. 

So, to explain the three that were baptized:  we’ve been teaching the first two, a mom and her 23 year old daughter, for a couple of weeks, so their acceptance to be baptized was not unexpected.  In fact, they showed their faith in accepting the need to be baptized during our very first lesson!  They’ve been trying hard to prepare, and be ready to act on their desires to follow Christ.  They are both so wonderful, and it has been a privilege teaching them.  They are inspiring.

Now, about the third baptism:  she is the young adult daughter of the investigator who is scheduled to be baptized on the 27th.  As we missionaries were walking out the door, Elder Young asked the investigator’s 22 year old daughter if she had faith in Christ.  She said yes.  He asked her if she’d been to church before (yes), read The Book of Mormon (yes), and thought they were true.  She said yes.  He asked her if he could talk to her to ask her a few more questions.  She said yes, and about thirty minutes later, the two of them returned with big smiles and a baptismal form in hand!  As we were leaving, Elder Young told me that she was “ready and wanting” to be baptized, and would be baptized in three days, to which I replied, “Elder, what’s her name?”  Uh-huh.  That’s right.  I’d never taught her before.  But the Spirit was strong, and confirmed she was ready and prepared.  She had some questions and concerns during the rest of the week, and we prayed hard for her.  It took her faith and our faith to overcome some adversity, but in the end, she had the faith to move forward.  It was like a complete miracle.  It is wonderful to me!

True faith is to keep going and doing your best until the last moment.  Then God takes it from there.

All three ladies were radiant on their baptismal day!  Baptism allowed each to receive a remission of their sins.  Wow, God is good.  And on Sunday it was wonderful being an instrument in God’s hands as each convert had the gift of the Holy Ghost bestowed upon her.  The gospel is true, folks, and so good. : ) 

One year and three days ago I opened my mission call.  Time’s going by fast?  Uh Huh…yep.

People, thank you for your prayers, I feel them. : ) 

And thank you to Uncle Mark, Elder Matthew Woodruff, Elder Andrew Woodruff and Maren Young for your letters!  : ) You’re the best.

Okay, I love you all. Until next week,

Love, Elder David Kirkwood Bean

P.S. Happy Birthday, Nick Walton  : )