March 5,2012

Dear Familila,

Well hello it’s another week here in Brazil. Wow that’s great news to hear that John will be going to Brazil! I think I will get home right before he leaves. He will love the amazing people that live here.

This week was another good week. My companion seems to be getting used to the heat and rain here in Manaus. We with the ward are working really hard to help everyone in our area that we have a temple and that a prophet of God will be coming to speak to everyone here in Manaus. It’s just so amazing being here in Brazil seeing how the church has grown and how it continues to grow.  It just blows my mind!

President has really put a strong emphasis on how important this mark is. It Involves everyone that is a worthy member.  They have different slots open so everyone can participate for example; security, receptionists, choir, and they are going to a dance and a lot of other things. So yeah like I said it involves everyone and everyone. It will be great. 

 We planned another family night tomorrow. Everyone has to bring at least one person that isn’t a member. That was the deal. If they do so they will have a chance to win a prize.

Something I have realized as a missionary is how much your choices could affect the people around you. I don’t know if I already have said this but yeah this work is hard it isn’t the easiest, but it is very rewarding and I am learning a lot. And it helps a lot when you have a great happy attitude about doing it! And you have the spirit which is something that I want to have forever.

Janie you are a character haha you crack me up haha thanks for that. Well… I'm sorry it is time for us to go now. I love you guys a lot. I can't believe that we are in march its unbelievable.  Luv yall

Ty  

 ps my shoes are holding up really well. I should be getting my charger tomorrow, so I can take pictures!

February 19, 2012

Dear Family

I am sorry mom I forgot to email you and let you know that I had received the emails that you had sent me. I only had a little bit of time to read them. 

Thanks for the birthday wishes I enjoyed reading them all. I can't believe that I am 21 years old. I don't feel that old. I really think time flys. It seems like yesterday that I received the Aaronic priesthood and preparing to serve a mission and now my mission is almost over- wow time flys. I have got to take advantage of my time, six months is a very short amount. I still have a lot to learn. 

My birthday was great, surprisingly a lot of members remembered that it was my birthday. I was very surprised it actually seemed really weird that practically everyone knew that it was my birthday. It wasn't until later I realized that Brazil has a tradition that I didn't know about until now. It has to do something with eggs. Thankfully I was only threatened- nothing happened. Whoever has a birthday here usually gets pegged by eggs.
It was fun everyone threatend, but they knew that they couldn't throw eggs on me. Someone baked a cake and gave us dinner. It was a great b- day.
Well I got a new companion this last Tuesday and he is an excellent misionary. He is very excited and happy to be here. This last week he was getting used to the food and the heat. He got pretty sick,but now he is much better. This week will be a good week!
His name is Ferreria. He is Brazilian. He is from sao paulo. He was born into the chruch and has a brother that is serving in porto alegre. good kid! He is excited!
This week was a slow week. We had a member bring someone to church and he already told us that he wants to be baptized he said once he walked in the chruch he already knew there was something different about the church he felt something different. We told him that it was the spirit and asked him if he would like to feel like this always. He agreed and we marked to visit him tomorrow.
I learned today that the temple dedication will be in June the 8th! It will be great! We aren't sure who will be coming, but everyone is very excited! We are all working very hard to get everyone to see this spectacular piece of work.
well I wish I could have responded to everyone (dad sorry) but our time is up and we have got to go.
I hope everthing is doing well
Love you all very much
Elder Ontiveros

February 12, 2012

Dear family,
I don't have much time to write you all. Yesterday was a busy day. We
went to the center and it took longer than expected. It is getting
pretty busy here because of Carnival that will be next week.
This week was a good week our numbers were really great. President was
really pleased with our work. We were able to find a lot of new people
to teach that will have potenial to be baptized. Tomorrow we will
have our zone confrence with president. I'm excited to see what
president has to say in regards of the temple dedication. It is going
to be a great event. We need everyones help, so it will be interesting
to see how we plan for this.
I received an email from an investgator that me and Elder Ribeiro
baptized in Acre. It was a great email! He bore his testimony and was
very grateful to have known us. He said that he is preparing to serve
a mission this next year and that he will give a talk this week for
the first time. He said that he is very nervous.Sleepless nights. But
he will later find out that this is just the begining.
This week is the last week before changes. I dont know if I will stay
or go. I will let you know. I hope I stay. This is a great area.
I love you all. Iz I hope you are doing better. I pray for each of you
everyday. I'm sorry this is a shorter email, but we have got to do our
district meeting.
with love,
Elder Ontiveros

February 6, 2012

Dear Familiy

Well this week flew.  I can’t believe that it’s another p Day. Haha I loved the letter you sent me mom. You are a very funny person. Iz I'm sorry that you´´ broke your nose´´ that isn’t so fun and wow you have to go get an operation…Have a quick recovery!

This week was a great week. Sunday was a great day I learned a lot in church. Everything that we are learning just makes sense! It just makes sense! And it is so simple to understand if you pay attention and have an open heart. That seems to be the biggest problem is that people already have a church, so they don’t want to listen to something that they already have or they don’t want to try something new. There are a lot of reasons why, but it´s important to move on because we know what is right and true or I should say move on with a great attitude even if the person you contacted doesn’t want anything to do with the church. That’s something that I have been trying to work on. At times it’s a bit difficult for me, but it helps to smile or laugh or skip hahaha ohh

This last Sunday I learned how much our Heavenly Father loves us and how much we really have that says that he really exists and prepared a plan for all of us to be able to return to him. Sunday I learned that how we know he created a lot of worlds and in these worlds he had different Adams  (Miguel’s) and learning this just opened another door and really just amazed me that I still have a lot of things to learn and everyday I can´t wait to learn something new.

This is the Chruch of Jesus Christ I have no doubt about it. We are here to be tested and we learn from these tests. It´s through the small simple things that great things happen.  I am so grateful to be a part of this gospel! Thanks mom and dad for teaching us these principles it is such a great blessing.

Mom I sure hope you had a great Birthday yesterday!! I'm sorry I missed it, but I will be home for the next one. I love you soo much! Hope you had a good b day I wanted to send some photos but none of these computers accept memory card, soo we are going to have to go to another lan house to send photos maybe next week. Love ya beija! 

Well I'm going to go now. I love you all. Tell that stinker Jake to write me back! Oh they are planning a bit more for the temple dedication. Apparently Elder Bednar and another apostle came to Manaus without anyone knowing and afterword’s they had a meeting. They still don’t have a date, but everyone here in Manaus is planning for the Cultural activity and other things that they will do for this wonderful event. They will have two or three weeks that the temple will be opened for everyone to see. The goal is get 80,000 people to see the temple. It is very exciting. I love you all hope you have a great week!

Elder Ontiveros