Osvaldo Cruz Merry Christmas

Note: From Elder Pinkney's Mother

No blog today because we got to skype with Elder Pinkney. He has been in his new area for only one week. We were thrilled to get to see him and talk to him for an hour and are very grateful for the member of his new ward for hosting him in their home for the skype call. He is doing well, his Portuguese is doing well. He said that every new word he learns in Portuguese, he forgets one in English. He is speaking, thinking, and now dreaming in Portuguese!

Christmas Eve, we received this photo from a family in Elder Pinkney's new ward. This is the same family who hosted him for the call. He was able to enjoy Christmas Eve dinner with them.

Osvaldo Cruz- First Transfer

Today, I was happily surprised to find out that I was being transferred to a new area.  I will no longer work in the same community that I was in before. I´m in a part of Curitiba closer to the center of the city. Instead of walking on dirt roads, I am hitting up city blocks now. I am with my new companion Elder J, who is from Guatemala. He has almost a year in the mission now and he is a really nice guy. We should have a really great transfer together. But now, I want to recap the past week.

We were really busy this past week. We had a Zone Christmas Party, which was a lot of fun. There was a talent show, a gift exchange, and lots of fun. It was the most Christmasy thing I have done here in the traditional sense. I got to have a really great picture with President. 

We had lunch on Friday in the house of an investigator who cooked the coolest BBQ I have every had. He cooked the meet on gigantic swords over an open fire. It was really sweet. 

We had an activity with the young men to fly kites. Flying kites is not really a childish thing here. Flying kites is serious business. 

On Sunday, we did a family home evening in the house of an investigator that was super fun and they really like it a lot. We did a bunch of silly activities that went really well and we popped popcorn for everyone. 

We played a practical joke on the other Elders in our house. One night before they had arrived in the house, we pretended like the house got robbed. We turned off all the lights, knock over our table and chairs, threw clothes all over the place, and hide all our really valuable stuff so it looked like we got robbed. Elder L and I hide in the backyard and waited for them to arrive. It was really funny and they were really scared. I laughed really hard. I took a video to show how it went. (I will see if my mom can post it on the blog.)

We have been talking lots about Christmas and I am really exciting. I am definitely missing the snow a lot. It has been good however because of how much I have been able to share my testimony of Jesus Christ. This past Sunday, I also spoke in church and I shared about Jesus Christ and about our purpose to learn all we can about Him. To have true eternal happiness in life is to know our Savior Jesus Christ. We celebrate Christmas to remember the birth of our Savior, who suffered all that we might have a chance to be saved. Heavenly Father gave His only begotten in the flesh that all of us might return to live with Him and He did this because He loves us.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year. 

Com amor,

Elder Pinkney

Rio Iguacu- Week Eleven

Hello all!!

I have been seriously missing the snowy and cold weather of Virginia this past week. It has been 30 degress celesius. Not the best weather for our work and not what I have been use to here. 

Elder A, Elder S, Elder L, and I had a lot of fun this past week.  We are really excitied for Christmas.

The highlight of the week was that we got to take the family of S  and R  to the Curitiba Temple for a visit. They both are preparing to be baptized and in one year sealed in the temple. They are simply an incredible and miraculous family. They have three children, two daughters and a son. The youngest daughter was already baptized and the other daughter will be baptized the Saturday before Christmas. Elder L and I are so excited and simply in awe of this family. I can´t wait for their baptism.

This past Saturday was the ward Christmas party, which was a blast. The missionaries were glad we were invited. It literally lasted almost all day. They had a trampoline, ball pit, music, soccer, and LOTS OF FOOD. It was a good time.

The message we have been sharing a lot has been about Being the Light of the World during this Christmas season. When Christ asked Peter three times "lovest thou me?", Christ was teaching a profound doctrine here. If we truly love our Savior we will have a desire to do the things that He did. We will "feed {His} sheep". There are many that stand in need of the help and service we can give: both temporaly and spiritually. During the time of Christmas is a opportunity for us to Be the Light of the World, The Light of Christ, to really do the things that he would do if he was here on the earth. I am grateful to be one that has the privledge to were His name over my heart every day. Jesus is the Christ. I know He lives. 

Zone Conference- LIGHT THE WORLD

Love and miss you,

Com amor,

Elder Pinkney

Rio Iguacu- Week Ten

This past Monday, the Brazil Curitiba South Mission had the opportunity to perform in the " Ele é o Presente" Christmas show. It was a show that the church with members of the community coordinated to start the Christmas season. There was lighting, dancing, singing, acting, and missionarying. We spent our whole Monday at a huge college theater where the show took place. Thew show was about how Jesus Christ is the focus and the true Christmas purpose.  Our part of the show was to come in at the end and sing "Um por Um" by President Bednar. It was an incredible experience and a great opportunity for non-members to have exposure to the Church. 

This past week was really hot. I have been missing the Virginia Fall weather. I have had to be more mindful to drink water, wearing sun scream, (and eat ice cream.) 

We have a fantastic week for the work. It is truly incredible to see the changes that the Gospel can have in the lives of the people. The Gospel is a gospel of changes. Every day of our whole life is an opportunity to improve and be more like Jesus Christ. The change does not have to been fast or big but is slow and small. Often times, we rarely see the change in ourselves, but Heavenly Father knows and those around us know. This week was a week for me not to be discouraged that I am not improving as fast as I want to be. I had to remember to have faith a continue to be steadfast. 

This past Saturday, Mighty M was baptized. He is 9 years old and his older sister was baptized the week before. He is a funny and energetic young man. He loves neck ties and when we brought him to church. He asked every Brother(gentlemen) for a tie. The members were so kind and he left with a hand full of ties.

We did not forget to have a little bit of fun this week. Pictures include the birthday party of J, who was baptized this past month and a photo shot we had with a panda graffiti. It was a great time.    

Q & A...

1. Have you had a chance to use your piano skills since you have been on your mission?

My first day in the field, one of the assistants asked around who plays piano. I said I did so every zone conference I have been to I play for the missionaries. We have a great pianist in our ward so I do not play for sacrement meeting. 

Sometimes I play for family home evenings in the houses of members that have keyboards. Pianos are not as wide spread as they are in the United States. 

2. How is your Portuguese coming along?  Do you feel amazed that you’re speaking another language?

Everyone says my Portuguese is pretty good. I have fewer and fewer "what the heck are they saying" moments now. I can talk and say bascially everything I want to say. I have developed my style of talking. It is way amazing that I am speaking another language. I never thought I really would, but here I am. It is starting to feel really normal and natural now after three months.

3. What is the weather like for you?

Summer is starting here. I miss the cool fall days. It is hot and rainy.

4. How is your ward?  Are you working well with the ward mission leader?

The ward is really great. It is small, but mighty. We get along really well with the ward mission leader. We often visit his family on P-day and eat snacks there. 

5. How was your Zone Conference on Nov 22?

Zone conference was short and sweet. There was not much that needed to be address and we will be having another conference on the 14 for Christmas. President Cuvelier is a really great president. 

6.  Did you participate in the Mission Singing thing I heard about from some of the other moms on Facebook? What was the occasion?

I did participate. It was a Christmas Spectacular. It was a way big event that the missionarios of the Curitiba and Curitiba South Mission particpated in. It was a Christmas show to start the Christmas session. It was at a huge college sized theater and thousands of people were there to see it. Way cool.