NEW MISSION ADDRESS!!!

The Sao Paulo North Mission office has moved to a new location!
The NEW and PERMANENT address for Elder David Bean is:
Elder David Bean
Brazil Sao Paulo North Mission
Avenida Nova Cantareira, 1146 fundos
Tucuruvi
Sao Paulo - SP
02330 - 001
BRAZIL

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  : )

March 25, 2013 Seven Miracles in Nova Granada

I could also title this "Suffer the little children to come unto me."  Read on to find out why.

Five miracles and counting...

So this week (Oh, Hi everybody!):  Our zone’s goal was to have 7 miracles be baptized, and while as a zone, we didn’t have seven miracle baptisms, Elder Lucas and I did have 7 miracles happen in Nova Granada.

#1 – We are teaching a woman who just two weeks ago said (I’m translating into English): “Okay, Elders, you’re great and I like what you’re teaching me.  But just to be clear, I am not going to be baptized, understand?”  So what did we do?  We planned a special lesson on baptism (teaching that Jesus was baptized, He showed us the way, etc).  And you know what?  When I invited her to be baptized she said yes – that she wanted a change for the better in her life and it felt like the right thing to do.  Wow.

#2  – Elder Lucas and I are strengthened beyond our capacity.  Who would have thought that an American gringo and an Argentine newby – both learning Portuguese – would be doing the Lord’s work together in Brazil?!  Life is so good.

#3 and #4  – We’ve been teaching two families: “Family A” and “Family B.” Daughters in both families wanted to be baptized, but Mom A and Mom B were both apprehensive about it.  We had the baptismal interview with Girl A, and found her to be completely ready, but her mom declined permission, saying no, she would not approve (which is her right, and the Church respects parents’ wishes).  As we explained the concept of baptism, the mother’s heart softened and she decided to sign the permission form after all.  Mom B supported her daughter in her choice, and also signed the permission form.  So…both young ladies were baptized this last Saturday.  3 Nephi 11: 37-38: And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things.  And again, I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.

#5  –  I was able to confirm one of these girls, in Portuguese, and did so fluently, without making some horrible language mistake.  I love the power of confirmations!

#6  – We were walking down the street close to the church, and this man on crutches came up to us…(well, actually he staggered up to us because he had been drinking).  He asked us if we had any money because he was hungry.  We couldn’t give him any money, but we told him that if he’d wait we would get him some food.  We ran to the church and were looking for someone who might be able to help, when lo and behold, we found a giant platter of tuna sandwiches!  In the church! (Insert heavenly voices here :D !!)  Elder Lucas and I took a few back to the man.  Isn’t that awesome?!  The Lord provides in unexpected ways.

#7  – Repentance.  It is such a humbling experience to see the miracle of true repentance as it transforms the lives of people.  Christ lives and He loves us so much.  We can change our lives for the better though faith in Him, and a sincere desire to come closer to Him.  The church I represent isn’t just another good church, I testify that this is THE Church of Jesus Christ – the one He organized and ordained. 

I love you all.  Share your testimonies. 

Until next week, with all my love, Elder David Bean

Putting on white

March 18, 2013 Helping others take baby steps to the non-smoking elevator...

The news is old...but newly posted...so new to all you BeaninBrazil Blog readers!

Hi, everybody! Elder Lucas and I had a great week.  It was a super busy, a little stressful, kinda painful totally worth it, awesome-sauce week.  So what’s new?  Well, I’ll tell you:

Scriptural thoughts attached to cigarettes -
helping good people break a bad habit

1.  We’re working with some people who need to overcome their smoking addiction before their baptisms, and we are coming up with the craziest ideas! We've written scripture references on their cigarettes, made fake cigarettes for them to hold and encouraged them to tally how many cigarettes they smoke in a day on a picture of Christ.  It’s crazy, but the results are good!  From 3 packs a day (about 60 cigarettes) to ½ pack (10 a day) — They’re really progressing!  It’s so cool seeing people trying to “leave the world” behind.

2.  We don’t have any credits on our cell phone, so to talk to anybody we’ve been having to go there “ by foot” and talk face to face!  Ahh!!

3.  I’m the stroganoff wizard!  I’ve become really good at making rice and a good ol’ stroganoff.  Cool, huh?

Elder Groesbeck and Elder Bean

4.  We had a wonderful conference on Tuesday with a few other zones, and I learned a ton!  Our zone leaders (Elder Groesbeck and Elder Young) taught a great workshop on our purpose: to baptize.  Really, everything we do points to baptism, and I learned how to preach baptism in all I do.  Sometimes missionaries don’t want to invite people to be baptized because they don’t want to offend, be rejected or feel uncomfortable.  But when we treat baptism like a normal necessity (which it is), the people also see it as normal.  We learned a lot of other cool stuff, and as we’ve started applying it in our day-to-day work we’re seeing major differences already!  It’s super.  I also got to see Elder Petersen (my first trainer and companion in the field) at the conference. :)

5.  The “mantle” of responsibility I’ve been feeling is still heavy, but it’s also happy.  I love this work!

6.  If you had told me four months ago that I’d be teaching an Argentinean the Portugues language, and taking the lead in the lessons and making decisions for the work, I would have said you were crazy. I’m in Brazil, folks, on a mission, and so happy to be here!

Until next week!  Elder David Bean

Love, Elder David Bean

Mar 11, 2013 I stayed!

J

 I’m still here in Nova Granada and it feels so right that I have a little bit more time in this wonderful area with these fantastic people.  I am excited, too, that I’m training!  An Argentinian!

Elders Lucas and Bean

Yes, I now have a “son” [nickname used by missionary trainers for those they train]:  Elder Lucas from Argentina.  J  It’s super cool, and a little scary being the senior companion with responsibility to lead and teach/train, but still, I love it!  I’m learning a lot—sometimes I think I’m learning more than my new companion.  I’m trying to set a good example and show this new elder what missionary work is all about. It’s awesome being reminded of what I was experiencing and how I was feeling only four months ago.  Time...wow.

Anyway, what I learned from Elder Nielsen was to be bold, really friendly, to conjugate in all the weird tenses (subjunctive, imperfect, conditional, etc.) and to simply do your best every day.  We had a great nine weeks together – thanks, Elder Nielsen J.  He and ten other people left out zone this transfer. And guess who is now in my zone?  Elder Barton, my companion from the CTM!!  J  Cool, huh?!  And!  I got a letter from Sister Whitaker (also from my CTM group) and Elder A. Wheatley. Thanks J. 

My twin sister Emily is going to enter the field tomorrow, and I hope and pray that she gets through the hard times and loves the good times!  She is so cool.  It’s so cool having a twin on a mission at the same time as you.  Andrew, Matthew, am I right or am I right?  Baha.  But yeah, good luck out there, Sister Emily!  J 

Well, that’s about it for this week.  Here’s some profound advice for anyone who wants a better life:  

Do what is right.

Hey, I love y’all, and I mean it.  Until next week - Love, Elder David Bean