Bom Pastor- Week Three

Hello Beautiful People,

This week was incredible awesome. We had a really big miracle, which was the baptism of Vitoria. Vitoria is the sister of Julia, who was baptized two weeks ago. We had been teaching Vitoria and helping her prepare for baptism also. Vitoria is 12, but does not always understand really well the things we teach. Because of this, we had thought it would take a little bit longer for her to be baptized. However, this week after one of the lessons we had with her, she commented with us, "So if I wanted to get baptized, would we have to like set up a date or could it just be tomorrow?" We were a little shocked, surprised, and excited. We told her of course she could get baptized (She had already received a majority of the lessons). We finished teaching her this past week and she was baptized on Saturday. It was a really special day for her and her family. I have no doubt that it was the Holy Ghost that touched her heart. Really special. 

Other highlights of the week: 

1. I went on splits with Elder Gomes on Tuesday

2. Our washing machine broke, so we had to get it fixed this past week. 

3. We had our Ward July Party on Saturday. It was really cool.

Q/A

Mom: Are you the District Leader?  What have you learned from being the District Leader?

Elder Pinkney: Yeah, I am. I didn't´t want to come right out and say it to be all GH (Gloria dos Homems), but I have been for the past three months now. I have learned a ton. It feels like one of the leadership positions that I had that is really really serious. We live out here by ourselves in a house, buying things, traveling long distances, and teaching the Gospel. I have to make sure that everything goes smooth in my district and make sure that everyone is happy. One of the things that Preach My Gospel teaches is that to be a successful missionary is to also help other missionaries. It is a position where I sacrifice a lot for others. I try to constantly do something to help the Elders in my district. A lot of times is simple things like leaving candy for them or cleaning the house, but it has helped me to think about others. I have also had to be really responsible and accountable for everything that happens in my district.

Mom: I love the Portuguese translation of D&C 4:4 “Porque eis que o campo ja esta branco para a ceifa; e eis que aquele que lanca a sua foice com vigor faz reserva, de modo que nao perece, mas traz salvacao a sua alma.”  Faz reserva… make a reserve.  My mission president always counseled us to store up many spiritual experience during our mission that we would not perish, but bring salvation to our souls.  That has really stuck with me.  Even now, I continue to "make a reserve” of spiritual experiences that help to fortify me through life’s challenges. Any thoughts or insights?

Elder Pinkney: I think a lot of the General Conference talk where the speaker (forgive me I am not going to remember) talked about our "core spiritual experiences". It is the same principal as making up a reserve. Our core experiences are the ones that we can always go back to when we have doubts or challenges. They are the anchor of our testimonies. In the mission, we definitely have experiences that can be apart of our core testimonies, but what I have learned from the Counsel of the Twelve and Prophet is it is important for the youth to have these core experiences before the come on the mission. They need to have already built a good foundation of core experiences. These helps in two ways (1) You can use these experiences to teach others. (2) Your testimony is strong enough to withstand temptation. 

It is really important to have experiences before the mission in the real world. In the mission, the situation is different. In my opinion, without a doubt you will have spiritual experiences. However, we have the mission standards, rules, and routine. This helps a lot to have spiritual experiences. In a certain way, it is harder when you get home, because you have to go back in to the real world. It is harder to keep the habits of prayer, scripture study, and family home evening without already having a testimony before the mission. I am grateful that when I came into the field, I already had a habit and testimony of daily scripture study. I already had a habit and testimony of daily prayer, weekly Sunday attendance, monthly fasting, and the importance of the temple. For more example, I am so grateful for the 1000 Day Challenge. I have read the scriptures daily since Freshman year in High School. I read the Book of Mormon cover to cover, Doctrine in Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, The New Testament (three times), and the Old Testament (expect for some few chapters in the middle). I know the difference that reading the scriptures have. I know that it makes all the difference and I learned all this before I got in the field. It is so important to have a testimony before the mission or you´ll really hit brick walls in the field. It sets you up for your reserve for life. 

Love and miss you all lots,

Com amor,

Elder Pinkney

Bom Paster-Week Two

This week went by super super fast. 

On Tuesday, I got my hair cut. There is a member here that has a Salon and he cuts hair for the missionaries for free. The four of us (Elder Gil, Elder Gordon, Elder Gomes, and I) went and I am pretty happy how it came out. 

We had a zone conference on Wednesday. I learned a lot and I got to see Elder Johnston and Elder Leptich from my CTM district, which was super cool.

I went on splits with Elder Silva (from Fortaleza) on Friday. I got to see a different area, which was really cool. We learned a lot and got to teach some really cool people. 

Other Highlights:

-A Sister in the ward made a Cheesecake for us for no reason. It was super good. 

-We ate at Subway for lunch one day this week. First time at Subway in Brazil FYY: It was basically the same. 

-I gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting. I think it went really well. 

Q/A Time

Mom- How do you remember the Savior always?  

For me in this moment, it is testifying of Jesus Christ and the difference He has in our lives. However, for me too it is trying to do the things that the Savior would do. It is also remembering to repent daily and forgive the wrongs of others also.

Mom-You have almost been on a mission for a year.  What is the biggest change you have seen in yourself having spent a year on a mission in Brazil?

Elder Pinkney- I think two things. Church is a lot more serious for me now. I have learned a lot of things about the scriptures and application of gospel principles in my life. I feel a lot better prepared to face challenges in life because I understand how the gospel helps me and blesses me. I see also a lot of the other side of the coin (a life outside of the church). I am so grateful for the church in my life. 

I have learned to make sacrifices for other people and I have been greatly blessed for those sacrifices. 

Bom Paster- Week One

This past week was super great in my new area Bom Pastor. Elder G spent the week showing me around in the area and meeting our investigators. We walked and worked a ton. This area to me is a lot like Pennsylvania. There is a lot of land and little simple houses. The Curitiba airport is in our area also, so we see a lot of airplanes. It is pretty annoying actually because we will be teaching a lesson, get to the telling of the First Vision, and the an airplane passes really low to the ground and you can´t hear anything. Veoooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!  We get a good laugh out of it. I am really excited because I am in the zone of my companion in the CTM: Elder L. Today, we played basketball will him and his companion at the Stake Center. It was a load of fun. 

I had a meeting at the mission home this past week, so I got to see a lot of my old companions (Elder S, Elder G, Elder J). It was a good time and we learned a lot.

We had the baptism on Saturday of Julia. I have only known Julia for one week, but she is really special. She is eight years old and she has a lot of friends in the church that invite her to come to the activities. She has some pretty complicated family problems, but we are teaching the rest of the family in hopes of baptizing the rest. I got to use my piano talents for her baptism. It was a really special day. 

I have been thinking about how once in a life time the mission is. I don´t think I will ever get to do all the things we do again in my life. Doing all of it in Brazil!! I still have a hard time wrapping these realities around my mind. I am loving the mission a lot. I have learned so many things and a lot of things about myself in particular. I am grateful for all the experiences and trials that Heavenly Father has given me.   

I love and miss you all lots.

Com amor,

Elder Pinkney

Jardim do Sol- Week 16 Transfer to Bom Pastor

I got transferred!!!!!! I left Jardim do Sol (Garden of the Sun) and moved to Bom Pastor (Good Shepherd). I am super excited to be in a new part of the city that I have never been. My new companion is Elder G from São Paulo. He has six months in the mission, so he is still on the up hill. It seems like President recently is justing putting me with companions from São Paulo, and for those of you that know people from Sâo Paulo understand better. This is my fourth in a row. However, I am really excited to get going at a new chapter in my mission. I am really excited because Elder L  (my companion from the MTC) and Elder J from my district in the CTM are here in the same zone with me. I will get to see them here more often. Elder L  is the zone leader and, I being the district leader, we will get to do some division together. That will be super fun.  

This past Sunday (when I was still in Jardim do Sol), Elder B , Elder G , Elder Z  and I preformed a special musical number in Sacrament Meeting. I played the piano and the others sang. It went pretty well for being a little bit on the spot. 

I don´t have a lot more to write. This week was pretty normal. One thing interesting is we taught a history teacher. It was a pretty different type of lesson because he had a very different points of view. He put everything we said in historical context and he asked a lot of question. He had some pretty cool books. He had a Jewish Bible and a collection of all the books taken out of the Bible (Apocrifios). It was cool to see that. 

My thingy for photos is not working, so I will try to send them next week. Thank you all for your support. Love and miss you all.

Com amor,

Elder Pinkney

Jardim do Sol- Week 15

This past week, I had a chance to do one more division for this transfer with Elder N. Elder N is from São Paulo and he is a really great Elder. He is 23 years old so he has that extra wisdom and experience that us young-ins don´t have yet. I enjoyed a lot getting to work with him this week. 

We had a pretty normal and work-fullness week. The highlight of the week was that we received a reference for a less active member in our area and that same day we decided to go check it out. We meet at super nice lady that right away let us in and started talking and talking and talking. We sat there a while just listening to the life story of this lady, but it was super cool. She has a son who is 11 years old who is not baptized. Our new goal is to start working with him to get baptized this coming month. We are excited!!

We had a super big blessing today, which President Cuveilier allowed the mission to watch the Brazil vs. Mexico World Cup game. Sadly, the US did not make it in to the World Cup this year so naturally I routed for BRAZIL! We took advantage to watch the game with a less active member and can I just say that I have never been so involved in watching a sporting event then this game. It was fun to get to try this other side of me and.......BRAZIL WON BABY!!!! Without a doubt the best part about the game.

Thank you so much for all the love and support. Also, Happy Fourth of July for everyone. We are going to try to do something special this week to celebrate and no they don´t celebrate the Fourth of July in Brazil. 

Com amor,

Elder Pinkney