This week was pretty good, we got transfer calls, my old comp is gone, and now I’m with the Elders of Olhao till tomorrow. But I’m really not happy at all about my new comp. I know who it is. Its worse than before. I feel like I deserved to get a new GOOD comp. Worse? I am having a really hard time having the faith in the fact it must be for a good reason. I’m really stressing about it. He is Portuguese which is the only good thing and the fact my Portuguese will improve, but he is super boring and well I won’t go way into it cuz I hate being negative, but I’m not happy. I’m having a hard time. I thought sunshine came after rain. I don’t know, its just not good. I know I need to be positive, but I’m not perfect, so I’m a bit down right now and I’m sorry.
This week we went to the house of a inactive member named Maria Cabral. She is so, so funny, and we also visited Senhor Joao. He is hilarious! So I really loved it. They are just really funny and its fun to be over there. We had this candy lesson thing and he just was acting like a 10 year old it was so awesome. He isn’t a member and it’s fun going over there. We also taught Irmao Pinto again. I really enjoy teaching him because I seem to always be able to feel the spirit in the room and he pays good attention too. We talked about the importance of having the spirit with us and he seemed to really like it and enjoy it. It was great!
Last week we had lunch with Casal Nelsons, we had enchiladas! Oh my goodness!! I miss good food! But I have really grown to love rice! Anytime we eat anything with rice I get all excited cuz there are so many types, I love it! Portuguese food is pretty interesting. The longer I’m here the more I start to like it too.
Anyways well that’s about it for this week. Sorry it’s not a lot. It was just kind of slow with Elder Clark packing and we did a lot of time at the chapel working on this member book thing we are doing. So we didn’t have lots of lessons and stuff. Thank you all for everything. You are all an inspiration to me.
Thank you so much.
Love Elder Gray
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Ponte de Piedad
Sooo..this week has been interesting in a few ways. I have some pretty funky things going on with myself. I have some crazy weird thing going on with my hand. Almost like a super dry problem and it has caused this big crack in my ring finger, so typing with it hurts, I don’t get it. I have been using lotion and stuff too, I don’t know. I need to go to the pharmacy place but I’m just a slacker when it comes to that stuff. I have never liked going to a doctor or anything like that, and it costs money, its just weird cuz its humid here! It should be the opposite, but it is SO, SO HOT! My goodness, I sweat like a pig! It is GROSS! Thank goodness you all don’t have to see me this way. I feel nasty. Ewww, wet nasty grossness!! But it’s still better than the cold. I sleep with a fan hitting right on me every night, its just so hot! And of course there is no a/c here. Duh!
So this mail is a bit late I know, its cuz we went to Ponte de Piedad, in Lagos. SO, SO COOL! We went with the Casals, the married couple missionaries, AND...the best part, so we go down these super long stairs and there are these boats there where tourists go and stuff and you can go thru caves and what not, but we were like oh man lame! we can’t do that. Missionaries can’t go on boats. But...The Casals were like are you guys allowed to do this? I was like no, but, maybe we can call president and ask. So I called president Terry and he said yes! What?! I could not believe it, so we did it! We went on a boat ride and got to check out these crazy cool caves and stuff! It was so, so much fun. I loved it! I was just wishing I had a more fun comp that would say more than just like ya...oh ya, uh huh..oh. Like come on!! Uh Boring! But I had Elder Nelson there with me, so it was ok. Then after that we went to Sagres, it is the furthest point west in the southern end of Portugal. Pretty cool! Hot, and we walked a lot! Then we played basketball which I was not planning cuz I only had my flip flops, but we met up with other elders and played b- ball, so I played in my flip flops, totally worth it. It was a blast! But now...Ouch. My feet are killing me. I split open my right foot. So it really is no fun.
Okay so now some weekly stuff. We met this girl, her name is Tania. Her mom is a member, but very inactive. She hasn’t been to church in like 15 yrs. She was the one that got in contact with a member dude that lives close by, so we were like oh cool she wants to talk! Ok! SO, we go over there, turns out her daughter, Tania, is having a problem with visions. Her dad died 10 years ago, but she said that he is coming to her and she can see and talk to him, and he is telling her she needs to kill herself so she can be with him. Wow. When I heard that I was just wide eyed like what? are you serious?! She was crying and could barely even talk. I couldn’t believe it. She said she just really wants him gone and it’s really scaring her. Yeah, I’m sure! She is 15 by the way. So I was just dumbfounded like what on earth do I say?!?! Right now, think about that, what would you say? Well it was hard for me for a minute. But then I said, “first we can give you a blessing if you so desire,” then I thought for a minute, gave her a Book of Mormon, and said, “look, read 3 Nephi 11, then read Moroni 10.” Then I explained the very importance of prayer afterwards. So we left that with her then told her we can talk more at church. She didn’t come that week, she was sick, but then the next week, this week, she came. And the first thing I asked her was about her reading and if she was praying and she said with a big smile, yes I am. I then got this big smile and I was like good!! Keep going! Then I asked about her seeing her dad thing, and she said it has not happened since she started reading! AH, how cool is that! I was so, so happy! And it was just kind of cool cuz I was the one that thought of what to say cuz my comp just stood there with air in his head so it seems, he didn’t say a word the whole time. Uhhggg! But, ONE more week and I get a new comp! :) But ya, so that was really crazy. I hope she comes this week too and she continues to progress.
Yesterday we had an awesome lesson with a less active member named Irmao Pinto. Stud! but very, very mixed up in stuff, and old. BUT, he was really confused why we cant drink wine. Jesus did, so he thinks it’s totally fine. Another pretty tough question, because of the fact Jesus did, he just holds to that. SO, I just went off, it was really cool. Honestly, I don’t really remember exactly what I said. I really feel that the spirit just came in and took over 100 percent! Whoa! he was paying such good attention too I was loving it. And the Portuguese wasn’t feeling so hard either, so I KNOW without a doubt I had the spirit with me guiding me the whole way. Missionaries are so blessed to be able to have the spirit! BUT Satan is STILL here and working super duper hard on us. I know that. So we have to be constantly on our knees asking for strength.
It really is rewarding when you are doing what is right! The blessings come in like a heavy river flow. I really am so, so grateful for the gospel, for the gift of the Holy Ghost. And how amazing is this work, I love teaching. I love it. I always look forward to all the lessons we have. They are always such a blessing for us, because lessons don’t happen too often at all...but it’s really amazing when we have one. I love this work. And I know without a doubt it will continue to go forward! Thank you all for all you do for me. I love the letters! I would like more to the apartment tho, you are ALL slackers on that one. Except mommy and daddy. Especially not dad :) I love em. And mommy likes to try to make me fat. :/ ha-ha, but thank you so much! (Jason...Are you still alive??)I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! Have a great week! Love Elder Gray
So this mail is a bit late I know, its cuz we went to Ponte de Piedad, in Lagos. SO, SO COOL! We went with the Casals, the married couple missionaries, AND...the best part, so we go down these super long stairs and there are these boats there where tourists go and stuff and you can go thru caves and what not, but we were like oh man lame! we can’t do that. Missionaries can’t go on boats. But...The Casals were like are you guys allowed to do this? I was like no, but, maybe we can call president and ask. So I called president Terry and he said yes! What?! I could not believe it, so we did it! We went on a boat ride and got to check out these crazy cool caves and stuff! It was so, so much fun. I loved it! I was just wishing I had a more fun comp that would say more than just like ya...oh ya, uh huh..oh. Like come on!! Uh Boring! But I had Elder Nelson there with me, so it was ok. Then after that we went to Sagres, it is the furthest point west in the southern end of Portugal. Pretty cool! Hot, and we walked a lot! Then we played basketball which I was not planning cuz I only had my flip flops, but we met up with other elders and played b- ball, so I played in my flip flops, totally worth it. It was a blast! But now...Ouch. My feet are killing me. I split open my right foot. So it really is no fun.
Okay so now some weekly stuff. We met this girl, her name is Tania. Her mom is a member, but very inactive. She hasn’t been to church in like 15 yrs. She was the one that got in contact with a member dude that lives close by, so we were like oh cool she wants to talk! Ok! SO, we go over there, turns out her daughter, Tania, is having a problem with visions. Her dad died 10 years ago, but she said that he is coming to her and she can see and talk to him, and he is telling her she needs to kill herself so she can be with him. Wow. When I heard that I was just wide eyed like what? are you serious?! She was crying and could barely even talk. I couldn’t believe it. She said she just really wants him gone and it’s really scaring her. Yeah, I’m sure! She is 15 by the way. So I was just dumbfounded like what on earth do I say?!?! Right now, think about that, what would you say? Well it was hard for me for a minute. But then I said, “first we can give you a blessing if you so desire,” then I thought for a minute, gave her a Book of Mormon, and said, “look, read 3 Nephi 11, then read Moroni 10.” Then I explained the very importance of prayer afterwards. So we left that with her then told her we can talk more at church. She didn’t come that week, she was sick, but then the next week, this week, she came. And the first thing I asked her was about her reading and if she was praying and she said with a big smile, yes I am. I then got this big smile and I was like good!! Keep going! Then I asked about her seeing her dad thing, and she said it has not happened since she started reading! AH, how cool is that! I was so, so happy! And it was just kind of cool cuz I was the one that thought of what to say cuz my comp just stood there with air in his head so it seems, he didn’t say a word the whole time. Uhhggg! But, ONE more week and I get a new comp! :) But ya, so that was really crazy. I hope she comes this week too and she continues to progress.
Yesterday we had an awesome lesson with a less active member named Irmao Pinto. Stud! but very, very mixed up in stuff, and old. BUT, he was really confused why we cant drink wine. Jesus did, so he thinks it’s totally fine. Another pretty tough question, because of the fact Jesus did, he just holds to that. SO, I just went off, it was really cool. Honestly, I don’t really remember exactly what I said. I really feel that the spirit just came in and took over 100 percent! Whoa! he was paying such good attention too I was loving it. And the Portuguese wasn’t feeling so hard either, so I KNOW without a doubt I had the spirit with me guiding me the whole way. Missionaries are so blessed to be able to have the spirit! BUT Satan is STILL here and working super duper hard on us. I know that. So we have to be constantly on our knees asking for strength.
It really is rewarding when you are doing what is right! The blessings come in like a heavy river flow. I really am so, so grateful for the gospel, for the gift of the Holy Ghost. And how amazing is this work, I love teaching. I love it. I always look forward to all the lessons we have. They are always such a blessing for us, because lessons don’t happen too often at all...but it’s really amazing when we have one. I love this work. And I know without a doubt it will continue to go forward! Thank you all for all you do for me. I love the letters! I would like more to the apartment tho, you are ALL slackers on that one. Except mommy and daddy. Especially not dad :) I love em. And mommy likes to try to make me fat. :/ ha-ha, but thank you so much! (Jason...Are you still alive??)I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! Have a great week! Love Elder Gray
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Sand World P-Day
Ola minhas amigos!! Tas fixe?? So...This week was pretty good, a bit slower than last week, but we for sure had a few really good lessons and what not. We have this couple named Jefferson and Jucileia, they are from Brazil. Brazilians are awesome!! (Josh you are lucky to be going to Brazil!) Anyway, they are way fun to talk to every time we go over there. Lots of times we talk about English, they really want to learn English so every time we go over we teach a little bit of English then give a lesson. It’s really awesome. They are really fun. I just hope they will read and pray. They do pray a bit but not quite the same way, they are Evangelical, so I think their prayers are repeated prayers. And I haven’t quite figured out how to go about that yet. But I will soon. I think it would be hard to be told you are praying wrong and need to change it, so we are just giving it time till the right moment arises. But so far so good, we asked them to read Alma 32 yesterday, so I really hope they take it serious and find the time to read. The people really like to make up excuses for not being able to read cuz they have NO time. Granted, yes I know time is hard sometimes to find, BUT I also know that everyone has at least a couple minutes for our Father in Heaven so I’m never a big fan when people say oh I’m just too busy. Ahhh, NO, your not. It’s just not a big enough priority, but we will just keep working at it.
The other day we were going thru the cell phone and found a number of some dude named Koky and we were like who is this? So we just called him and he said we could come over so we did and he ended up being just a total stud! So I’m way stoked to teach him more. We have a big activity thing on Saturday and he said he would come so I really hope he does cuz I think it will be an awesome experience.
Last p-day we went to Sand World. WOW! Talk about an amazing place. I couldn’t believe all the talent of the art there! There was some really cool stuff. I went nuts with pics that’s for sure. I think everyone did, it was way cool. For sure a good p-day! Last week in church, we had some visitors from England! That’s not too common, so because it was fast sunday everyone bore testimony and during the meeting Elder Clark translated for them, but then he got up to bear his testimony so I figured I might as well try to translate for them. Man I tell you what, translating is HARD! It’s very tough and I did just ok. Not too great. I kept saying stuff in Portuguese but then realized like duh, you are supposed to be translating! Ha, ha, it was just really weird, but way fun. Cool new experience for me. My first time being a translator! And I don’t want to do it again. Just playin. Well at least not for a while, tho it was cool to see what it was like, and that its hard!
So guess what...I’m learning the piano!! (Kiley, you better step up your game ;) ) I have learned a couple of hymns, not too well, BUT I can play one FULL hymn with both hands! Ha,ha! Cool eh?! I started by just teaching myself, and was doing alright, but then a couple days ago as I was playing, a girl in our ward, (she is like 21 and she is also learning the piano, but she is way, way ahead of me) She walks in a sits down next to me and well pretty much just started giving me pointers and started teaching me! It was pretty awesome! So I started another hymn that is more complicated and I’m getting it down! So I really am hoping to keep myself going and keep learning more, cuz I LOVE the piano! So that was really fun. We will see how that goes. :)
Well that’s about it for this week...thank you all for all for everything! I love the letters you send, even just the little itty bitty ones!! I love em! Thank you so much! I’m so, so grateful for all of my family and wonderful friends. I know I have been very extremely blessed. I am really thankful for my opportunity to be out here and serve my Heavenly Father in Portugal. Missionary work is amazing. How lucky are we to already have the knowledge of the truth?! I am so, so grateful for everything we know and the comfort it brings. I know the church is true without a doubt! I love you!LOVE Elder Robby Gray
The other day we were going thru the cell phone and found a number of some dude named Koky and we were like who is this? So we just called him and he said we could come over so we did and he ended up being just a total stud! So I’m way stoked to teach him more. We have a big activity thing on Saturday and he said he would come so I really hope he does cuz I think it will be an awesome experience.
Last p-day we went to Sand World. WOW! Talk about an amazing place. I couldn’t believe all the talent of the art there! There was some really cool stuff. I went nuts with pics that’s for sure. I think everyone did, it was way cool. For sure a good p-day! Last week in church, we had some visitors from England! That’s not too common, so because it was fast sunday everyone bore testimony and during the meeting Elder Clark translated for them, but then he got up to bear his testimony so I figured I might as well try to translate for them. Man I tell you what, translating is HARD! It’s very tough and I did just ok. Not too great. I kept saying stuff in Portuguese but then realized like duh, you are supposed to be translating! Ha, ha, it was just really weird, but way fun. Cool new experience for me. My first time being a translator! And I don’t want to do it again. Just playin. Well at least not for a while, tho it was cool to see what it was like, and that its hard!
So guess what...I’m learning the piano!! (Kiley, you better step up your game ;) ) I have learned a couple of hymns, not too well, BUT I can play one FULL hymn with both hands! Ha,ha! Cool eh?! I started by just teaching myself, and was doing alright, but then a couple days ago as I was playing, a girl in our ward, (she is like 21 and she is also learning the piano, but she is way, way ahead of me) She walks in a sits down next to me and well pretty much just started giving me pointers and started teaching me! It was pretty awesome! So I started another hymn that is more complicated and I’m getting it down! So I really am hoping to keep myself going and keep learning more, cuz I LOVE the piano! So that was really fun. We will see how that goes. :)
Well that’s about it for this week...thank you all for all for everything! I love the letters you send, even just the little itty bitty ones!! I love em! Thank you so much! I’m so, so grateful for all of my family and wonderful friends. I know I have been very extremely blessed. I am really thankful for my opportunity to be out here and serve my Heavenly Father in Portugal. Missionary work is amazing. How lucky are we to already have the knowledge of the truth?! I am so, so grateful for everything we know and the comfort it brings. I know the church is true without a doubt! I love you!LOVE Elder Robby Gray
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
A compliment on my Portuguese!
This last week was actually really good. From the day I got here in Tavira to now, I have already seen a difference. I think I had a few techniques that Elder Clark just never thought of….weird, since he goes home in 22 days, ha-ha. I am enjoying the teaching that we do. It’s really amazing, I love it! I love to teach! There’s not much like teaching the Gospel to someone who has no direction in their life, pretty amazing.
We have an investigator named Carlos, he was born with no legs. And he asked me about that the other day, if God is such a great God then why don’t I have legs. Wow! That was really tough to answer. I really had a hard time with it. But I tried my best to explain, and he seemed to agree and understand. We are trying to get him to come to church but getting people to church is SO tough. It is so nice when we have more members to help and invite people. There are just so few, and more than half of them don’t care much to talk with the missionaries I feel like, so we just keep going and try to get into their house. Sometimes I feel like I may be annoying, but hey, they need to do more! Do their part! Like Preach My Gospel says...about the members helping out! So we are trying.
We had Zone Conference this week, it was really good! It was President and Sister Terry’s last one! We are getting a new President. It feels weird and kind of scary. But I think he will be a great guy.
We went over to a less active member’s home, and after a little bit of talking he asked me, “how long have you been in the country?” I said “well, almost 5 months.” His eyes got huge and he was like, “wow Elder! Your Portuguese is amazing! You speak very, very well!” I couldn’t help but smile. I loved it! I love to hear that. But I am STILL having troubles understanding people. I can say nearly anything I want for the most part, but boy it’s tough to understand some people!
Last night we had a ward activity and we played The Price Is Right. O Preço Certo. It was way fun actually. I didn’t think it would turn out very good but it was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed it! The members all really enjoyed it too. Now we just need to get our investigators to come to our activities! That’s the next step.
Well, things with my comp are going fine. It’s boring, but it’s going okay. I entertain myself and things go fine, ha-ha, but we are getting along okay. We had our house checked last night by the Casals, which means “the married.” The Elder and Sister couple down here in the Algarve, and they were AMAZED about our house! They said they have never seen something so, so clean! I loved that. Being clean really does pay off I tell ya!! I’ve got to get on to a couple other e-mails, so thank you all for everything! I love you all so much. Have a great week!
Love, Elder Gray
We have an investigator named Carlos, he was born with no legs. And he asked me about that the other day, if God is such a great God then why don’t I have legs. Wow! That was really tough to answer. I really had a hard time with it. But I tried my best to explain, and he seemed to agree and understand. We are trying to get him to come to church but getting people to church is SO tough. It is so nice when we have more members to help and invite people. There are just so few, and more than half of them don’t care much to talk with the missionaries I feel like, so we just keep going and try to get into their house. Sometimes I feel like I may be annoying, but hey, they need to do more! Do their part! Like Preach My Gospel says...about the members helping out! So we are trying.
We had Zone Conference this week, it was really good! It was President and Sister Terry’s last one! We are getting a new President. It feels weird and kind of scary. But I think he will be a great guy.
We went over to a less active member’s home, and after a little bit of talking he asked me, “how long have you been in the country?” I said “well, almost 5 months.” His eyes got huge and he was like, “wow Elder! Your Portuguese is amazing! You speak very, very well!” I couldn’t help but smile. I loved it! I love to hear that. But I am STILL having troubles understanding people. I can say nearly anything I want for the most part, but boy it’s tough to understand some people!
Last night we had a ward activity and we played The Price Is Right. O Preço Certo. It was way fun actually. I didn’t think it would turn out very good but it was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed it! The members all really enjoyed it too. Now we just need to get our investigators to come to our activities! That’s the next step.
Well, things with my comp are going fine. It’s boring, but it’s going okay. I entertain myself and things go fine, ha-ha, but we are getting along okay. We had our house checked last night by the Casals, which means “the married.” The Elder and Sister couple down here in the Algarve, and they were AMAZED about our house! They said they have never seen something so, so clean! I loved that. Being clean really does pay off I tell ya!! I’ve got to get on to a couple other e-mails, so thank you all for everything! I love you all so much. Have a great week!
Love, Elder Gray
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