Jose's Baptism

Hey everyone!

Well, we had José's baptism this week! It was so great! It was cold outside and the water in the baptismal font was freezing, but it was still one of the greatest baptisms I have ever had on my mission. There were a ton of people from other wards who came to watch the baptism, so there was a huge turn out and it was amazing! I had the honor of baptizing him. I love this man so much. He is such a good guy and will be such a strong member of the Church. I would send pictures, but I forgot my camera at home...sorry!

Also, I have some other exciting news...I'm staying in my area! This morning, President Ferrin called and asked Elder Passos to be the next Assistant to the President. I'm really excited for him and I know he is going to do a great job! It was also really, really good news for me because it means that I get to stay here for at least one more transfer! I love the people here so much and I'm so excited to continue to serve them. 

We had to get Elder Passos to the city this morning, so we had to get up really early to make it down there. That meant we spent our entire P-day traveling to and from our area which is why my email is a little bit short.

I'm sorry, but my itinerary didn't come this week either. I spoke with the secretary and she told me that they had not even purchased my plane ticket yet. Hopefully we will have those arrangements made by the beginning of June. 

Well I love you guys and hope you are all doing well. I pray for you always. I love you!

Love,

Elder McKeon

Temple Trip

We were able to speak to Derek for the last time via Skype last weekend (which is why there was no email). He is doing great and has grown so much over the last 21 months. 

Hey guys! 

How are you all doing? I am doing great here.

We got to go to the Templo de Campinas on Tuesday of last week, which was so awesome. We had to leave here at like 3:30 in the morning because our session was at 10 and it takes 3 hours to get there without traffic. It was my first time going back to the Temple since the beginning of my mission! I had forgotten how beautiful it was. It's on a mountain side that looks over the entire city and EVERYONE there knows that it is our temple and it is such a beautiful place to be and to experience. 

(Elder McKeon with Elder Pasos in front of the temple)

After our session we ate in the cafeteria where I was able to talk to an American temple worker. He was an older guy and I looked at his name tag and it said John H. Hawkins. He asked me where I was from and I said California. He then asked me what specific part of the state I am from, and I told him I was born in LA but live near Sacramento. We kept talking and turns out that he knows Grandpa Buck really well. It is crazy to think that this man and Grandpa Buck were really good friends, but here we are meeting in Campinas, Brasil of all places. That is the beauty of the Church though...it makes for such a small world!

The day after our temple trip, I was able to go on splits with Elder Hanni in Cruzeiro because they needed some help in that area. In those 2 days we taught 11 lessons! We were also able to find new people to teach, and we learned quite a bit from the people we were able to serve. On our second morning, I felt like we needed to do our studying outside on this hill by the house. We went out to study, and we came across a man rebuilding this bridge. We helped him work on it, and we were able to make a new contact with him. Turns out that studying on that hill was inspired.

We have a mission conference with Elder Russell M. Nelson (a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) this Wednesday. I am so excited! It will be in São Paulo, so it will be great to get back to the city.

Well I hope you all have a great week and remember that I love you all so much!

Love,

Elder McKeon

Obedience

Hey guys!

This was a pretty good week! 

We had a baptism in our area! Her name is Sheila and she was a contact that Elder Passos made when he first got here. We didn't have time to visit her during our first transfer, so we never got around to talk to her again. Then when this transfer came around we started to teach her and she really started to progress. She took a little while to be baptized because she had to work a lot on Sundays, but she talked to her boss and was able to get Sundays off so she could go to Church. We taught her a few lessons and her family is supportive. We had the baptism before church yesterday and it was great. José was there with his family and so was Charles. It was so great that they could be there and feel the Spirit to maybe help them with their own Spiritual progression.

(Sheila's Baptism)

This week I did a division in Pindamonhangaba. Yes, that is a real place and that is the name. I was there because the District Leader told me that some of the Elders in his house were not being very obedient and not waking up on time and not studying. So the next day I observed how they acted the first day, and it was not good. I got to their area at 9:30 in the morning and they were just rolling out of bed. They didn't study, and they left the house super late. So that night I got kind of mad at them, because we need to be obedient in order to do this work and receive the blessings from our Heavenly Father. That night I promised them that if they woke up on time, studied, personally and with your companion, that they would feel the Spirit more and miracles would happen. We then all go to bed, wake up the next morning and I still had to help a little bit (and I mean walking into their room clapping pots and pans together to make them get out of bed...) They studied personally and as a companionship. After that, I went back to Taubaté and work in my area. When I call the District Leaders that night to see how their day went, I get a great story from Pindamonhangaba. Those elders that woke up on time and studied received a reference. The missionaries ran into someone that had a list of 15 ready to be taught! They are scheduling individual lessons with all of those people right now. It was just a great testimony builder that obedience brings blessings.

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love, 

Elder McKeon