Dec 5, 2016 | Orgulho de servir aqui, orgulho de ser Brasília.

It really is a weird feeling to see something good end when you never thought it would.

The whole week members have been asking me how I feel about going home, finishing my mission, every question you could possibly ask to a returning missionary has been made. And I don’t really know how to answer any one of them! But I feel at peace with the Lord and with myself.

I can not express enough my gratitude and humility to the Lord for the privilege I have had to serve as a representative of Christ and His church for the last two years. My family and my life and my heart is here with those I have served and taught and testified. I can now say with a firm conviction that Christ is at the head of this church, and He is our master and truly our best friend. I know without a doubt that Joseph was and is a prophet of God, and that by divine power he brought forth the Book of Mormon. That book is incredibly special to me, and has the power to change the hearts of all who read it as it changed mine!

I know that I have done everything I could, and one day I will be able to lay down at the Master’s feet and rest in His presence. I love yall, see yall soon.

Peace be the journey!

E por meus queridos amigos brasileiros que estão aí também:

Só uma coisa bem rápida: Muitas vezes, pensamos ser seres humanos passando por experiências celestiais quando na realidade somos seres celestiais passando por experiências humanas. Nunca se esqueçam do trabalho divino do qual fazem parte! São incrivelmente especiais para mim, saibam disso! A missão é a melhor coisa que tem, aproveitem. O Senhor está consciente do seu esforço e lhes abençoará de acordo com a sua fé. Vocês são da galaxia mesmo!

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With a throwback to my first day in Brasilia. Elder Adams with President Lundgren April 21, 2015
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President and Sister Lundgren
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Baptism of Eliene in Posse
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Baptism day in Posse
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Baptism of Eliene
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Eliene

Nov 28, 2016 | I miss yall

This transfer has been “back like cwazy, man!” (that’s a Sharp family joke) and I’ve had fun and learned a lot. More than I thought I would with the situation I’m in and all else. But it’s been really good. We haven’t had the results we want yet, but I have faith that they’ll come when the Lord decides we deserve it!

 Last week I was in a rush to write and I forgot to tell yall something really special that happened Saturday night. We were out visiting less active members with Irmão Roberto when I got a call from the assistents. Turns out it was Elder Martin (who’s still in Posse)! He told me that Irmã Eliene has been super faithful in her conversion and testimony. She does FHE every week and reads the Book of Mormon every night with her kids and a lot more. She’s super special! Then he said that her marital problems weren’t sorting out and in a leap of faith she decided she would break up with her husband/boyfriend (who works 7 hours by bus away, and only comes to visit once a month to drink with his friends and it has been an ugly battle for her and her sons) and be baptized. She said what was most important to her was the salvation of her family and if she had to do it alone she would. She has an incredibly strong testimony of the church and I know she is going to do amazing things.

Marcos is just an animal my friends. He received the Aaronic priesthood last Sunday and yesterday he passed the sacrament. I’m super happy for him and his progress. He was the most spiritually prepared pastor I have ever seen on my mission! He is an incredibly humble person and wants to learn as much as we can.

Edna and her family came to a weirdly screeching halt this week, due to certain things that my comp has a tendency of doing and we are fighting to keep them moving forward and progressing. We have been trying really hard to focus on the spiritual side of things rather than the social side, and things are starting to pick up a little bit! I’m praying a lot haha but they’ll be okay!

When I think about Duda (Maria Eduarda) now, I think of Rod when he sees his mom with Frank and how she lets him rule their lives. “HAVE FUN BEING MARRIED (or in Duda’s case, just living) TO SATAN!!!” comes to mind pretty often when I see her mom. Haha she has literally been playing the adversary’s role in her home, and she does it EXTREMELY well… it’s pretty sinister. Anyway it’s a long deep and sad story that I won’t get in to that the Spirit told us a couple days ago there and it’s tricky business. But Duda will get baptized, that’s a for sure deal!

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Baptism of Eliene in Posse

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Nov 21, 2016 | Pictures

This week we finally were able to help Raquel and Rosita get baptized!!!

A few weeks ago, we found an amazing family. We were leaving an investigator’s house when we saw Evylin passing by the house and she waved to us, and then disappeared around the corner. We didn’t think much of it as we went to our next appointment, but when we left we both decided to find out where she lived. We turned the same corner and walked straight up to the second to last house on the street and knocked. Evylin answered! We met her mom Edna and we marked to go back the following night. That night we had one of the most intensely Spirit-filled lessons I have ever had on my mission as we talked about the Restoration. Edna told us how she had been praying earlier that week to find “…a more excellent way”, and she waited patiently until we knocked on their door. We helped her realize that “… it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled.” They have been to church every Sunday since and we’re super excited for their family! They have a baptismal date for next Sunday.

Duda is working hard too to get baptized on Sunday, we’re not slowing down this transfer! Joseph Smith said (it was in the Restoration movie so I don’t know if he actually said it, but the quote is still good) “Nothing but the best for the Lord”. That has been our theme for this transfer as we strive to be more obedient and do our Heavenly Father’s will. It’s been working out okay!

I love yall!

Peace be the journey

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on the road
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baptism of Raquel and Rosita
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baptism of Raquel and Rosita
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translates to: “I’ll be back soon, prepare”
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more coloring pages
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Samambaia sky

Nov 14, 2016 | Unlike Bon Jovi, I live on more than just one prayer. They are many.

Fam, the week was weekly. A lot of rain and trials, but the Lord provides.

I literally have no time right now, but here’s the deal: We found a family this week that is absolutely amazing and we’re working with them to get baptized here in a couple of weeks. We spoke in sacrament meeting, and it went really well! The members responded really well.

I seriously have no time, but I got my flight plans today! I’ll see yall December 10th.

Nov 7, 2016 | It ain’t over til its over

FAM

Well like last week I don’t have a whole lot to update on… this was probably the longest and slowest week of my whole mission so far. We’re busy and we’re working, I love this work. We’re starting everything from scratch this week so next week I’ll have more to update on.

I love yall more than yall know! See yall in a few weeks!

Peace be the journey

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Aaron and his super good friend Elder Rodrigues from Sao Paulo

Oct 31, 2016 | A picture is worth a thousand pizzas

FAM!

This week was pretty slow, as Elder Gonzalez went home last Tuesday. So we’re in a trio until tomorrow morning at transfer meeting. And I’m going to end my mission here in Samambaia with Elder Cardona, we both stayed! So we have a lot to do these next couple of weeks.

When I say the week was slow, I really mean it this time because I don’t remember anything. But the highlight of our transfer was this last weekend when Marcos got baptized! Marcos has been on fire. We’re already working with him to get prepared to enter the temple and take out his endowments next year, he has a lot of questions about the temple. He left us happy about the end of the transfer, because of the rest of it was full of trials. We’ll be busy this week putting a new teaching pool together and we’re stoked to work even harder!

Pictures this week, I love you all!

Peace be the journey.

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In Santa Maria so Elder Gonzalez (behind Aaron) could say goodbye
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Streetlight in the MIDDLE OF THE ROAD
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Even in Brasil
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Aaron & Elder Cardona with Marcos
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with Marcos
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with Marcos
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It rains a lot
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Housemates
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Really?
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Elders Adams, Cardona and ??
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fuzzy mop photo

Oct 24, 2016 | Will I waaiittt for youuu

This week was crazy! The elders from Paracatu came in Monday night to sleep closer to Asa Sul since they had interviews with President on Tuesday morning. So the week already started kind of skiwompus.

The week was honestly pretty normal; things are getting better and we’re working harder. We’re still lifting and I’m still skinny. Isabel and Germano are slacking off lately, they’ve become a lot more defensive about their religion and beliefs and everything when we visit them, but they’re still the same incredible people. We love them anyway. Marcos is still rocking steady, we had to delay his baptism a week because of stake conference yesterday so we can do something really special for him, Raquel and Rosita. YES they’re back!!! We were able to talk to their family this week as well. We’re getting after their parents to get married, they’ve been pretty lazy about it as of yet but they know it’s the right thing to do.

So here’s the big story for the week. When I was in Valparaíso almost a year ago, my companion and I baptized a girl named Jhenyfer. She was awesome, but we still had our doubts every now and then about whether or not she would stay super active. Then this week we got a phone call from the assistents (I forgot how to spell that in English). And they said that in Valparaíso there were two people (Jhenyfer’s two youngest sisters Joyce and Laura) that wanted to get baptized, but they wouldn’t get baptized if Elder Adams and Elder Cardona didn’t come to baptize them.

First tender mercy, the Lord calls us where we are needed and with the person with whom we will do the most good.

So Saturday night my comp and I got permission to go back to our favorite area in the mission, and we were able to go to sacrament and see almost every single one of our recent converts active and with callings. It was incredible to see all of them there so happy.

Second tender mercy, the Lord takes care of His children.

Their stepdad Mauro wasn’t super into the idea about Laura getting baptized (she’s 9) and didn’t want to let her do it until she turns 12. So we had already left Samambaia fasting for the Lord to touch Mauro’s heart to let his daughter get baptized. Joyce was all set and she got baptized, but Mauro still didn’t let Laura. But we felt the Spirit touch him as testimonies were born and as we shared a message about baptism and the Holy Ghost, it was a special experience.

Third tender mercy, fasting has a power beyond our comprehension.

And then there was Jhenyfer! She bore her testimony of the church and of missionary work and she came to receive her testimony and I cried like a baby. It was an awesome experience going back and seeing everyone and their continued desire to follow Christ. That is one of the greatest joys as a missionary!

I think that’s it for now, I love yall!

Peace be the journey

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back in Valparaiso
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back in Valparaiso
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Aaron, Joyce, Elder Cardona

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Valparaiso folks
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Valparaiso friends
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sunset or sunrise?
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“funeral” for Elder Nordfelt who completed his mission
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cute little Brasilian dog
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Elder Cardona, ? Aaron

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Oct 10, 2016 | Dearest children, Aaron is near you

Fambones,

I was going to start off saying, “It was another good week this week!”… But I always say that, so… I don’t know it was good. My creativity levels are stupid low right now, I’m hungry.

We were (unfortunately) not able to baptize Raquel and Rosita, there is a crazy weird family/ward situation going on since I got here and it’s just now getting resolved, so now it’s FOR SURE this weekend. But we’re excited! We have a new ward mission leader that moved in about 2 weeks ago and the brotha has got some fire in the bones and we’re gonna turn this ward into the best unit in the whole mission, that’s the plan for the rest of my time here. We have all the plans set and we meet with him tomorrow so we can kickstart everything! We’re turning things on its head.

Heloa (recent convert) brought a friend to church yesterday who has been reading the Book of Mormon and has already expressed his desire to be baptized! His name is Marcos, he came to church and I thought he was a member haha, we’re visiting him tonight.

So Isabel and Germano, update on the two of them really quick. They went to conference and loved it, and we were able to go and follow up and see what they were feeling. Isabel said that it all felt so true and right and good, but it wasn’t enough to make her change her religion. Which is awesome because that means she has already thought and is still thinking about how she felt that Sunday. It was a special moment with them and I was able to see some incredible things that the Lord revealed to me of their future as we talked. I know that they will come to know and receive the blessings of the restored gospel.

We continue to improve daily, the Lord provides us with miracles daily, no matter their size or spiritual impact, He always does if we do our part.

I love yall!

Peace be the journey

Oct 3, 2016 | To my friend the chocolate cake

That’s a band name.

Hey fam! So it’s been a minute since I’ve been able to really sit down and tell you all about my feelings and really vent, so I’m not gonna do that. I’ll just talk about my new area and everything that’s been going on since I left Posse!

I have made (once again) a triumphant return to the Taguatinga stake (for the third time)! Haha I’m in Samambaia 1 now, and as much as I grew to like Posse, it’s nice to have a real chapel again. My companion is Elder Cardona from Santa Maria, RS; he’s a good kid! He has lost his way a little bit recently, so we’re working to get everyone back on the right track. So now we’re working harder and things are starting to go smoother and a little happier. I had the chance to spend a lot of time with President and Sister last week and they have been helping me a ton on the importance of family (growth, strengthening our relationships and testimonies, keeping covenants, etc.)  and leading by example. Good stuff, we have been able to apply it all in our work. So we’re working to understand the importance of separating a social visit and a spiritual visit- the social visits give us the members’ friendship, but a spiritual visit gives us the members’ trust, which is much more important in the work that we’re doing. We’re managing our time a little better, we’re teaching and feeling the spirit, we’re lifting, we’re having fun! Which is good, doing the right thing is the best way to be happy.

“Although I may not be my brother’s keeper, I am my brother’s brother; and ‘because I have been given much I too must give.'” -Elder Holland

I started teaching English classes, which is something I have never done and/or wanted to do… But it has been a ton of fun! We were able to meet an older lady named Isabel and her husband Germano. They’re very catholic, but very open to hear what we have to say as well! They went to Conference with us yesterday and loved it! They’re just happy people that want to do what God asks, we’re grateful to be working with them. Both of their kids live in the US and have already met with missionaries (it’s been a few years but it counts) and they had a Book of Mormon already! Well they thought they did… we’ll give them a new one.

We have two baptisms this weekend as well! Raquel and Rosita have been going to church for a super long time and were never baptized because they needed the invite, so now they have one. And they’re getting dunkitated! We’re working with their parents Fabiano and Sandra to get married, they’re a nice family.

CONFERENCE was awesome!!! I don’t have my notes with me, and even if I did I would have to translate them. I learned a lot this weekend, and I hope and pray that yall had the opportunity to receive some personal revelation to better your lives. Something that really stuck out to me was in Elder Bassett’s talk during the Saturday afternoon session. During these last 3 or 4 months I have become super stressed over things that are usually out of my control. Elder Bassett (from what I understood) talked about just that. He said (in a copy and pasted short summary):

[Our] actions can lead us to seek after things that are not necessarily meant to be understood at this time, all the while ignoring the beautiful truths that are meant for us and our circumstances—the truths Nephi described as written for our learning and profit. …Nephi’s example of seeking knowledge included (1) a sincere desire, (2) humility, (3) prayer, (4) trust in the prophet, and an exercise of (5) faith, (6) diligence, and (7) obedience. …Faith and trust in the Lord require us to acknowledge that His wisdom is superior to our own. We must also acknowledge that His plan provides the greatest potential for spiritual development and learning.We were never expected “to have a perfect [understanding] of things” during this mortal existence. Instead, we are expected to “hope for things which are not seen, which are true” [Alma 32:21]. …As we acknowledge that we are the workmanship of a wise and devoted Father in Heaven, “O then,” why not allow Him to guide our spiritual development and learning “according to his will and pleasure” rather than our own? [Jacob 4:9].

In short, I really needed that.

I love you all! Peace be the journey