Mission Office- Week 19

We´re going to the Zoo Zoo zoo, how about you you you... lol

Hello World,

This week felt like it really flew by fast. We have been working a lot in the office to help the 

mission. 

The fun thing that we got to do this week on our P-day was to go to the Curitiba Zoo. It was thinking that I was going to see a bunch of exotic animals, but I was pleasantly surprised that here they have all the same animals that they do at home. However, it was a good chance to get out of the office and see a little bit more of the city. 

This past week, we had a really great experience finding someone. The Elders from the ward right next to ours are teaching a lady whose mom lives in our ward. This lady is going to get baptized today, so Elder Gil and I went to start teaching the mom. We went to her house and she was waiting for us at her window. I was surprised because it is usually a battle to get people to come out of their homes. She let us in and we had an amazing lesson about the Restoration. She was super open and shared a lot of life experiences with us and I really felt the Spirit in that moment. She accepted to be baptized and she is going to come to the baptism of her daughter today. We are really excited and thankful to Heavenly Father for having helped us find her. 

Any way, I am having an amazing time. I am learning so much about Heavenly Father and about myself. I am so grateful for the people that I have met and all I have been able to learn from them. Our purpose is to help others come unto Christ and it is an amazing purpose and it has been a miracle to see so many lives change because of the gospel. I know that Heavenly Father lives and that He loves us. He is a part of every single detail of our lives and He makes the difference in everything.

Love and miss you all lots,

Com amor,

Elder Pinkney

Mission Office- Week 18

Hello World,

Happy Valentines day to everyone! I won´t lie that I complete forgot because here they only celebrate Valentines day in June, so it was not on the radar. This past week, I travelled a lot outside of the office. I went to the other side of the city to do to the Policia Federal and other police station. It was a little rough because there were really really busy.  

I was really stunned about the change to the communication rules. I am still a little bit in disbelief. When the assistants called me, I was in complete disbelief. I called him a lier and actually hung up the phone on him. I stopped and got on the church website to see the announcements. I can truly say that this church is true and that the prophets receive revelation. I know that Heavenly Father is guiding this church and leading us to be better saints. 

We had a zone conference this past week where President gave training about being a missionary Preach My Gospel and what it means to be a Preach My Gospel missionary. The point that stuck out most to me was that a Preach My Gospel missionary needs to follow the Holy Ghost in every moment. We, as missionaries, are messengers to all who are looking for the truth. We can speak and testified but at the end of the day the Holy Ghost is the only one that can really change someones heart, change the feelings, and give the force they need to follow. I know that the Holy Ghost is only present one we are living purely and keeping the commandments at every moment. I know that I can not make anyone do anything because everyone has free agency, but I can do may part to teach and invite all. I know that Heavenly Father is at the head of this work and this church. I see it everyday.

All in all, I hope you all have a great week and I will see you all in six months.

Com amor,

Elder Pinkney

Mission Office - Week 17

HELLO WORLD!!!

This week was super crazy. We had transfers and I almost can not believe that I am alive. There was so many things that could have gone wrong. Thanks to Heavenly Father, everything turned out good.

The fun all started when last Saturday, two missionaries had to get a bus ride to Curitiba from a city five hours away. They had to get to the temple at 3:00 for a session. They called me at 7:30 in the morning. "Elder, the lady at the bus station said that there are not any bus passes for us. Did you buy the bus passes?" Head slap. I go to the office to make sure that the order had gotten through. I open up my computer and saw the email that I had bought the bus passes. I called them and told them to double check because I bought them. I got off the home called the bus company. They said they would double check. I was waiting and that's when I looked at my order details one more time. I looked..... and that's when I saw..."bigger head slap." I had inverted the cities. Instead of going from there to here, I bought here to there....yikes. It took me a moment to get together after that, but it worked out that we were able to get an Uber for them, and they arrived before 3:00 to get to the temple in time. (Yes, it was an five hour Uber).

Monday, I received an new companion Elder Machado, who is from Rio Grande do Sul. He will be the new Financial Secretary. You will see in the photos that he is incredibly short.  However, we are careful not to tease him too much. We have a lot of common interests so I think it will be a good time. Starting this transfer, I will also be the district leader again. It was nice to have a little break, but President needed me here because the mission is growing a lot and there are not a lot of experienced leaders that are not already serving in other positions. I will be stuck with the two positions for now. 

On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday we had ten Elders sleeping in our three bedroom apartment. That was crazy. 

On Tuesday, I had another experience. Tuesday is the regular day that all the new missionaries arrive in the field. This transfer, we had one American Elder come directly from the MTC in Provo because he had visa problems. Salt Lake had bought his international flight and I was in charge of his domestic flight from São Paulo to Curitiba. I had organized everything and everything was ready. He was suppose to get in at 10:30 in the morning. The Assistants were waiting for him at the airport, but I knew it all went wrong when at 11:00 they called me, "Hey, Pinkney I don´t think this kid got on his flight." Crap... I went into super mode; calling all over the place just to find out where he is. I was worried because one, this Elder has never been to Brazil before, two does not speak the language at all, and three is now stranded somewhere in an international airport all alone (and not to forgot he lost his other flight to get here). I called the CTM in São Paulo to let them not what happened. I was the phone for a solid two hours. I found him, talked to him on the phone, bought him a new flight, and confirmed that the CTM would pick him up and stay with him at the airport. What a relief.... Elder Castellano safely arrived here that afternoon. He was a little hungry, but other than that he was safe.

On Thursday, I was asked to give a training to all the district leaders at our counsel about how to run a district meeting. It was good, but last minute.

On Friday, President took us out to the Suprema, which is a the best BBQ restaurant in Curitiba. It was super good. I talked with President about BYU classes and the IB program that his kids are taking right now. Luckily, I remember a think or two about IB.

All in all, the week was really great. I am looking forward to the calmness that comes after the storm. 

P.S. I am proud to say that I am proud Grandfather. My son, Elder Salgado, stared training an Elder from Peru (I think). Elder Salgado is my only son in the mission and Elder Ramos is my only grandson, but I am proud of the good work the two of them are doing and will continue to do.

-- 

Com amor,

Elder Pinkney

Mission Office -Week 16

Hello world,

Things week were truly maravalhoso. I had the incredible blessing to get to attend the sealing of Brother Sebastao and Sister Rosangela. They are a family that I taught and baptized the daughter in my very first area, and three weeks after I left, they also got baptized. It has been exactly one year that they are members and they have continued strong in the church and the gospel.

It was the first sealing that I ever participated and truly, it was a very special, spiritual experience. It filled my heart with immense joy to be able to see the blessings of the gospel happen right in front of me. It was an experience that I will never forget and it was testimony building for me to see the work of God happening on this earth. He is making it possible that families can be together forever and the point he wants us to get to is to experience the incredible joy that comes from having our posterity together from start to finish. 

The rest of my week was incredible busy. The last week of transfer is always a killer. There are tons of logistics to figure out and preparing everything for twenty new missionaries to come to our mission. I always say here in the office that it is a miracle that three 20-year-old kids are able to do everything to keep the mission functioning. There is a lot of pressure and responsibility here in the office and we do are best not to lose our minds. Truly, the Lord is the one that makes everything happen. There is no other way that it would possible. Glad to be a part of this great work!!

Love and miss you all,

Com amor,

Elder Pinkney