Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Week 40 ~ Congratulations Josh & Lindsay

e-mail
September 3, 2012

Hello Family!

So this week was pretty much just another normal week.  First off it doesn´t look like Elder Carrell and his companion are going to be coming back.  It is just Elder Millett and I for the whole area now!   This past week we have been running back and forth from our investigators to their area, (now our area).  Moises couldn´t get baptized this week because he drank a little bit of beer on Friday after 2+ weeks of stopping, but he brought his wife and his son with him to church.   We are going to see what happens with that this week!  Maybe baptize him and his wife on Sunday...and wait two years for the son because he is only 6.  The picture of us at the table is when Moises and his wife offered for us to eat dinner with them on Saturday night!!!  Firm investigators right?!  It was a blast and they really liked church and really like us!
I did not send a tie in the package, I was talking about the tie President Monson is wearing on the cover with all the country flags.  There is the U.S. flag, right next to it are the Brazil and Argentina flags!  So I just thought that was pretty cool and INSPIRATION.
I can't believe Josh is married now.  Tell them congrats for me!  It looks like it was good!  Thank you for all the pictures, I can't believe its almost been two years since that picture with all the guys!!!  Keep the scores coming and let me know what Utah does in the ranks and games and all that.  GO UTES!!!  Have a great relaxing time now with Alec especially, and make sure he tells you guys that he loves you because its coming fast!!!  P days we usually e mail and eat, then go buy stuff and sleep or write letters because we are exhausted, but today we´re going to switch it up and see if we can find some cool stuff in the center after eating and buy some shakes the members told us about.
Well that is about it for this week!  I hope you guys have and awesome week!  Tell the peeps back home hi for me, and that I love them.  Tell Alec, Jackson, and Pep hi for me like always and tell them I love them!  Thank you for the great updates and keep the football coming now ha ha.  
Love you guys tons!

Love,
Elder Halpin

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Week 39 ~ Happy Birthday Grandma Jane

e-mail
August 27, 2012

Hello family!

Wow it looks like you guys had a great time in Florida, even though it is probably super hot there with humidity!  That's how it is everyday here though... hot and walking A LOT, especially this week.  When and where did Jack get that North Carolina jersey?   GET ME ONE!!!   Tell Alec that it is almost his time but just to have fun, especially these last two months.
This last week was a little bit of a struggle but still good.  Tuesday, all the new Elders got here in Apucarana.  But Elder Castro had been transferred to be with our other Zone Leader, but he had twisted his ankle and needed us there to stay with him for the day... so we didn't do much that day.  The rest of the week was pretty normal until Friday when Elder Carrell got a call from President Tavares saying he would be transferred to Londrina.  Saturday we stayed with Elder Carrell´s new companion, Elder Rife and worked our area and his area.  We walked around 13 or more miles on Saturday, and a good distance yesterday too!  We had a baptism scheduled with Moises, a guy that had stopped drinking for a week and was improving a very sad life, but then he didn´t come to church.   President Tavares called again yesterday and said Elder Rife would go to the center with the zone leaders.  He also said that maybe in a week either Elder Carrell will come back, or maybe he´ll get a new companion or maybe he´ll just stay in the center the rest of the transfer.  Only God and President Tavares know!  But we waited outside of Moises´ house all night waiting for him to get home but he never showed up.  Now it´s just me and Elder Millett in our house.  Today we are going to make the brownies from the package, and yes I already got it!  Super FAST!  Thank you for the shirts and all the things.  We´ll make the brownies today and the cake on my birthday!
Well that´s about it for this week.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA JANE...I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY!  Say hi to everybody for me, especially the Pep and the boys.  Thank you again for all you do!  I hope you have a great week!

Love,
Elder Halpin

p.s.  sorry no photos...I have some to send, but when I turned the camera on here it died!

p.p.s.  can you send me the recipe of the good Dallis ribs, and the Cafe Rio recipe of the sweet pork and chicken???  The members want some recipes!

Week 38 ~ Chatting with a Jehovah's Witness

e-mail
August 20, 2012

Hello family!

One more week come and gone!  This week has been a lot of work and running after Luiz.  We showed up at his house a lot of the times we had scheduled with him, and he wasn't there.  We finally talked to him though a couple days before the marked date and he was excited.  Then the next day he said his grandma wouldn´t allow the baptism, and we talked it through for him to at least have an interview.  The date fell through but he said he would go to church, but surprise he wasn't there.  Sometimes it gets pretty frustrating with people, but I still love them.  But we don't know what to do with Luiz now, sometimes its just tricky.
The other day we were knocking doors and met a Jehovah´s Witness.  Now those people are always fun!  He said we had no idea what we were talking about but we just read some scriptures with him, bore testimonies, and told him lots of stuff.  It was pretty interesting because we could see he started to get scared and shaking and all that, so it was just crazy being bashed but then just through simple stuff he knew he was wrong.
Transfers are today and of as right now it appears I will stay here with Elder Millett another 6 weeks, but there is confusion right now, so I have no idea for sure.  It is really good here, but sometimes I am the type that would like to move around a little bit and get things switched up every once in a while.  I guess we´ll see what happens.
It looks like you guys are having an awesome week!  I can't believe you guys are back there in Florida!!!  How are the rides?  Anything else new there?  That sucks that those idiots stole Mailee's purse!  Tell her I´m sorry for that!  But keep the pictures coming!!!  I hope you guys continue to have an awesome week.  Keep safe there in Florida and know I always love you guys!!!  Tell Al, Jack and Mailee hi for me.
Thank you again for all that you do!

Love
Elder Halpin

Monday, August 13, 2012

Week 37 ~ A visit from the Kaelin's

e-mail
August 13, 2012

Hello Family!

It sounds like your week has been pretty good!  And it sounds like this next week is going to be really fun too!  Send lots of pictures from Florida OK?  What exactly are you planning to do there again???  How did the Olympics turn out???  Who won everything?  Did the U.S. do good in b-ball and all that? 
This week was great!  We had some problems with the companionship.  When I try to help Elder Millett he doesn't want to accept the help.   We did a division, but now things are much better.  Also we had interviews with President Tavares here in Apucarana this week.  He asked how you were all doing and I told him about Alec's call.  He was excited because his son just went into the CTM here!  He is such a great and loving man for all of us.
We confirmed Edineia this week and she is really strong and always has questions and comments on everything.  She is truly happy in life now!  She also asked us to do a fast with her from Saturday to Sunday to help her family.  It really is great finding people like her.
We are helping a few families now, so continue to pray for all the people I teach here to help them receive the gospel with open hearts.  Tell Seth that no matter what, that God is always going to love him, and to help as many people in life as possible.  I don't really know what to say right now, maybe can you find out more for me and next week I can send him more info...?
The other night we got a call from Elder Kaelin and he said he´d come stop by our house.  I got the shirts, and yes his mom gave me a big hug (which was a little weird ha ha)  We talked a lot and its weird just speaking English now.  I came out speaking Portuguese to them ha ha.  Then the next day they stopped by in the morning to record my testimony, so hopefully you get that.
That is about it for this week, no baptism but the work is going good.  We have a baptism lined up in 2 days, so pray for Luiz...  Say hi to everybody especially Al, Jack and the Pep.  I love you tons and hope you have a great time in Florida!

Love Elder Halpin


Joey Kaelin, Susan Kaelin, Elder Halpin & Elder Kaelin
Special Delivery Package straight from Salt Lake City

Monday, August 6, 2012

Week 36 ~ "Baptizers" of the mission

e-mail
August 6, 2012

Hello family!

This week was much better when it comes to health and everything.  So while we were all sick, we called Sister Tavares and the doctor of the mission.  They told us that we had a virus or something we ate was bad, and they said we couldn´t leave the house for a few days...so Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday we stayed in the house all day!  It SUCKED!  But the Lord will always bless us through trials!
We worked a lot this last week and found some great families that moved to our area from another area here in Apucarana, so now we are working with them and some other of our investigators.  This last week we baptized Edineia, who is Bruno´s (boy we baptized last week) mom.  Also we confirmed Bruno.  They are super strong and really awesome.   Even though I am here in a different country with different types of people, I can really feel the love for them as brothers and sisters.  This week now has made 3 weeks in a row baptizing for Elder Millett and I and we are now "baptizers" of the mission!  So the work is going really good and I´m doing the best I can to do the things I´m here to do!  And work for the Lord!
It looks like you guys had an awesome week.  I can't believe you sat by Donny on the plane dad!  I bet that killed you mom ha ha!  And yeah, the Olympics are on at most places we go so that's pretty cool.  Who is winning in the gold medal count???  How is the U.S. in basketball???   Keep continuing to have fun back home and before you know it I´ll be back because time is flying now!!!
Dad, keep the stories from the mission coming!  Especially baptisms!  Also, what other positions did you have, callings, all that good stuff.  Keep the pictures coming too!
Well, that's about it this week, work, eat, sleep, and BAPTIZE!  I hope you guys have an awesome week!!  Tell Alec to stop using those red shorts!  They´re my favorite article of clothing ha ha.  Tell the boys and the pep hi for me.  Also could you send more pictures for me to put on my camera and print out here to show people.  Me with friends, all that good stuff.  Well I love you guys tons and pray for you all the time.  Just know I´m still learning A TON and it's great here.  We were sick, Elder Carrell is feeling a little better, but things are good now so don´t worry!

Love you tons!

Elder Halpin

P.S. what have you done with the memory card i sent to you guys after the first few months.  and are the pictures backed up on a few things just in case anything crashes or whatever???

Edineia's Baptism




Sunday, August 5, 2012

Week 35 ~ Bruno's Baptism


e-mail
July 30, 2012

Hello!
What an interesting week this has been!  So Monday was p day and I went on splits with our zone leader so he could meet up with our other zone leader to do stuff.  We made tacos, and just relaxed during the day.  We got back and Elder Millett and Elder Carrell had left to go teach some of our investigators.  Then Elder Castro (zone leader) started to feel sick, so we headed back to the house after getting to a members house to do a family night.
Tuesday, I went on splits with Elder de Aruju who is training, and we visited all his investigators in his area.  He is being trained by our other zone leader Elder Valiati, and they are really good.  It is always fun to get to see other areas and help other missionaries in the work.
On Wednesday, Elder Millett started to feel really sick while we were out working.  We visited Dívina and taught her more about the Holy Ghost, and how she would be confirmed on Sunday.  Afterwards we visited another one of our investigators, Edinea and her son Bruno.  She is definitely an elect!  One night she had a dream she was laying in water (baptism!!!) and 3 demons appeared above her saying "why wont you believe?  do you want to be like us?"!!!  crazy huh.  We taught about the gospel of Christ, word of wisdom and law of chastity and set the date for yesterday for Bruno to be baptized.  Then we went back to the house a little early, and Elder Millett started to throw up!
On Thursday we called Sister Tavares and she told Elder Millett to just chill and relax, so we stayed in the house all day.  I just studied.  Then at 8 we had a meeting with one of President Tavares´ counselors, but Elder Millett and I missed a lot of it because he was still throwing up!  That night we stayed in another missionary house in the center.  We had pizza and it was great, that is until the middle of the night when I started to throw up too!  But first of all the story starts with Elder Carrell a few weeks ago getting sick, then Elder Castro, then Elder Millett then finally me!  So Thursday night/ Friday morning I stayed up the whole night throwing up and then I started to have the runs, that's always fun right???  But yeah it sucked because I threw up like 10 times.
On Saturday Elder Carrell and I visited Edinea while Elder Millett stayed in the house.  She said that her boyfriend didn´t like the law of chastity, shocker right?  Also that her family is talking bad and all the opposition that happens, so we just told her to come to church.
At church she told me she decided not to follow Christ and family was more important...but God seriously knows what he is doing and everything in church yesterday was about eternal family.  After she said she wanted Bruno to be baptized!  So that's one of the pictures.  I totally know that the Lord will always win and help us to do whatever we can.

Here are some scriptures I found that help me and would like to share with everybody that could use them...also pass for Alec to to use during the mission!
Alma 26 whole chapter
Galatians 6:9
Alma 48:17
John Ch. 15 esp. verses 16 and 26
Isaiah 40:31
Philippians 4:13
1 Timothy 1:12
1st half of Proverbs 17:22
Ephesians 6 which is the Armor of God

So that's about it for the week.  Don't worry about it now, I am feeling much better, even though I have no idea what passed through me.  The doctor said maybe a virus, but I´m totally fine now after eating lots of salts and drinking lots of Gatorade!  It was an adventure week for sure, but the Lord definitely blesses us after our trials.  Its still rough sometimes with Elder Millett because I´ll tell him something to help him, but he just wont listen and he´ll just try to cut me down, but its all good with God.  I´m just here to do my part serving these two years.
I love you guys a ton.  Thank you for all you do.  Yes I did get the package with the Chalula sauce, and in the next one you send all I want is more m&m´s, red vines, and mac and cheese please.  Have a great week!  Tell Alec, Jackson, and the Pep hi for me.  Thank you again for all that you guys do for me!  Thanks for the info. Dad, keep it coming!  I love to hear the crazy stories!  I love you and will talk to you next week!

Love,
Elder Halpin
me with our "Hunters of Apucarana" poster

Here is a chart/goal paper idea for Alec to be able to use on his mission! 
Split the time into 3rds...setting a final goal, but making it look and feel much easier!

Elder Millet, Edinea, Bruno & Elder Halpin ~ Bruno's Baptism

"Baptizers of the Month" list

Week 34 ~ Divina's Baptism

e-mail
July 23, 2012

Hello family!

This last week was awesome!  We met some great people to teach, but more importantly we helped Divina, mom of an inactive, enter the waters of baptism.  It was awesome.  Yesterday, during church she had an interview with our District Leader and said she wasn't ready but would come to a baptismal service later.  There she talked to our Zone leader for like an hour and when they came out she wanted to be baptized!  So it was a great day yesterday!
Before in the mission, the most one zone had baptized in a month was 28, but as of now for July, we have 39 baptisms for our zone!  So we have destroyed the record and still have one week!  Our new goal is 50 for our zone alone, and in comparison with the goal of 200 for the whole mission per month, it will be great when we reach 50 for just our zone!!!
Elder Millett and I have had a few bumpy times.  He has 4 months in the mission now and passed through the CTM.  He is from Seattle, Washington and is really funny, but I am trying to help him realize that our purpose during the mission is to help people, and the best way we can help is to baptize them and give them eternal life!  We´ll have arguments and stuff, but that is just normal.  Something big I´ve learned and still need to work on is PATIENCE!  But I know with the Lord, all things are good and Christ made the example for us in all things.
Also this week, I went on splits with two Elders still being trained.  It was a real adventure, and we taught a bunch and it turns out that a lot of the people we taught were baptized this week, so that is awesome.
Other than that, we just worked normal and met a few people with possibilities this week. So just keep praying for me, but more importantly our brothers and sisters here on the earth that they can reach eternal life and realize that this is the true Church!  Seek missionary opportunities back home!  Also, Dad could you tell me more about your mission, some experiences, baptisms, goals that you had, all that good stuff.  Sorry I never asked you before, but I would love to hear about your mission too!
I hope you guys have a wonderful week.  Tell everybody hi for me and that I love them.  It is really cool that you are meeting up with all the moms, keep that up because these Elders out here are great!  Tell Al, Jack, and the Pep hi for me.  I love you tons!

Love Elder Halpin

Making Pizzas for Family Home Evening

Elder Halpin, Divina & Elder Millett ~ Divina's Baptism