Feliz Natal De Novo!! (Merry Christmas again!)

It was super sweet to talk to you guys on Christmas, even though it was super hard to speak English hah, I need to practice my English more with my comps. You guys looked so good and I'm glad that everyone came like Raejeane, the Southwick's and the Neal's. It meant a lot and wished I could have talked more. 

Ha ha mom I want to talk like a Brazilian before I come home but its pretty hard I want to try to lose it in my last 11 months but we'll see. Last week we had another baptism. I don't have the photos but another Elder has them he has to send them to me so I can send them to you guys! But he is a really cool kid his name is Julio and he really likes me. He's always sticking around me and talking to me its funny. This week we also have a lot more baptisms so I'll send you some pics next week. We brought 8 people to church and we also have a standard in the mission like how many lessons we need to teach, new people we need to find and things like that. We doubled it last week and we are definitely seeing the blessings from this. We set a goal at the beginning of last week to do this because it was the week of Christmas, so we knew it would be hard to get people to come to church and to teach people but it worked out for us. We actually had like 20 something people tell us they would come but only 8 came. 

We have been teaching an older lady, Laura. She is 87 yrs old and only has one working eye. Her working eye starting to hurt and she almost went to the hospital on Sunday instead of going to church.  But we promised her that if she went to church her eye would stop hurting and it did. This really showed how powerful our calling's are.  Like it promises in the scriptures that we have this power as representatives of Christ and that he wont let us promise false blessings! This week we are planning to baptise Laura, Julius Cesar, Lucas, Kawan, Italo and maybe a few more.  So I ask you guys if you can pray for them so that they can be baptised this week!

It's raining a ton here right now so we weren't able to do anything today but we did play volleyball and basketball in the morning.  But there isn't that much to say just pray for my week to be successful because it gets crazy here for the New Year.  It will be even harder for us, but I'll also pray for you guys! 

Eu the amo e ter um feliz ano novo! (I love you and Happy New Year!)


And mom I fixed my retainer with super glue! So don't worry about sending another one.

Elder Mauter

Burning shirt to mark 1 year 

Feliz Natal Família!!!! 

This week went by super fast! I was transferred and now I'm in a trio with two other zone leaders Elder Silva that's from Sao Paulo with 1yr and 6months and Elder Queroga who's from Argentina and with the same time, but they are two of the best missionaries in the mission. They have strong testimonies and we have been working a ton here in Panatis which is in Natal! Finally I got to leave the interior haha but I know that I will learn alot with them being trained to be a leader. Its only been half a week and I've already learned a ton!
We have a pretty big group to teach here that we found and we got to baptize a kid named Wesley yesterday which was really cool. Actually a 16yr old recent convert received the priesthood and got to baptise him! Its so cool to see the miracles in our work here and how strong the testimonies of these recent converts develop so quickly and they are so excited to do the work of the Lord! This 16 yr old Daniel was baptised 3 weeks before and has already baptized 3 of his friends passing references to the missionaries. But this Sunday was his actual first baptism that he did. He was pretty nervous about memorizing the name of Wesley haha but he did good! Last week we also had 7 people go to church with us, the parents of Wesley who are divorced and the dads girlfriend. Wesley's mom is pretty cool, I got to talk to her alot and she liked going to church alot last week. It was her first time but the dad and his girlfriend don't talk too much but they are cool people. We are hoping to teach them and I'm sure it will take a lot of time and work but we are up for it! We also have been teaching a girl named Ana. She is super cool and we are preparing her to be baptised this week, shes 14 yrs old. We are going to help her uncle prepare to receive the priesthood so he can baptize her. He has a few things he needs to work on for this to happen so it would be good if you guys could pray for her and her uncle Celestino!!

But the coolest part of my week is that we have been teaching 4 deaf people. One is Ana's brother and the other 3 are his friends and they are 20+ yrs old. They are all super cool. Last week when we met with them they were joking with me saying that they saw me in a boxing movie hahah. Ana knows sign language so she translates for us and we are going to learn some signing too. I know a couple of things like "nice to meet you" and how to say "I'm from the USA" and baptism! So if you see us in pics making a thumbs up but side ways this means baptism! Two of them got to go to church this week and they really liked it. It was a miracle that we have a member in our ward that knows sign language so he was able to be with them translating the whole day.

Last week was also pretty cool, me and my comps went around caroling to our investigators which I didn't like to do before but it was pretty cool as a missionary haha! We did pretty good, we had people crying and laughing at us but it was a pretty cool turn out! I can really see the blessing's of the Lord in our work here, pray for my investigators and try to be better each day.           

eu te amo e estou animado pra ver vocês esta semana!!! 

Elder Mauter 

December 14, 2015

e aí!!!  (Translated "what's up!!!")
I got the package you sent me last week at the mission conference, but i only got one of them! But hahha its a lil too late now mom you should have told me not to open the stuff because I already opened everything!! Thank you so much!!! haha me and my comp were laughing at all of the stuff you put in my package. I liked you creativity with the Christmas tree haha and with those Christmas tree scents. I put all of them up in my room. It was pretty good timing because our house was starting to smell a ton.. but thank you for the cool ties and the games, like Jenga. I think every night since I've played this outside with my neighbors because they don't have this game here.  It's so hot here now, feel like I'm playing ball but I like it.  I don't think ill need anymore socks or pants mom i still have a bunch i haven't even used yet i think ill start giving my old pairs away cause i have like 5 i haven't used yet. 

Catholic Square in my area

My comp doesn't like to do anything in the house but i laid into him this week because it was getting annoying he's a cool kid but lazy.. but its all good transfers are this week idk what will happen I'm pretty sure I'll leave this area but a part of me doesn't want to go. Yesterday at church the Bishop asked me to bear my testimony because I told him ill probably be leaving this week so it was a cool experience and i was glad i was able to share maybe my last testimony and gratefulness for this ward that I have really learned so much from. The Bishop also said a few words about me after i spoke which was cool and i think he was trying to jinx me because he told me ill stay her for 7 months haha but that was really cool I've never had a Bishop do that for me here!

But last week was pretty busy we had our mission conference Tuesday and our President talked alot about the doctrine of Christ. But this conference was really left up to the missionaries because everyone did a lil skit at the end that took up alot of time. It was super funny because there's this kid that imitates our President perfect and was joking with him about everything he says ha ha. But its cool cause our President likes to joke around alot too. 

Last week we found this really cool girl, she is 18 years old and a friend to one of the members here. We invited her and her cousin to church and they loved it.  I'm pretty sure they will let us teach them more. So that's another reason i want to stay. 

At another missionaries house having to use Tupperwear
to drink and a spatula to eat with cause there is
 usually nothing in the missionary houses haha

That's cool that you guys went Christmas caroling on our trailer with the youth last week. I never liked doing that, but it seems like you old people do! Did Gavin end up helping in the activity or did he bail out?  Gavin those pic's of your jumps look sick! Your getting some big air now! i showed all the Brazilians I'm with right now and they don't believe me that was my brother haha! 

Last week since it was my one year anniversary in the mission I burned one of my shirts to mark this.  But I forgot my camera at home so ill send you the pic next week! Freeeak Robbi got engaged! They better wait another 11 months haha. I hope Grandpa does well in his treatment. I'll ask my comp to pray for him too this week and I hope finals go well for everyone too haha good luck!

But love you guys

Elder Mauter




December 7, 2015

UM ANO!!!!!!!  (Translated ONE YEAR!!!!!)

I've finally made it to the last page in my calendar. I remember when you were writing my one year mark at home mom and i was thinking wow it'll take forever to get to that point but it has literally passed so fast. If i find time ill try to write those things you wanted me to write down in my journal. I have literally been slacking writing down what happens in my day every night so just be prepared when i get home cause there wont be a lot.  You can just read my emails over again if you want hahah! 

Last week went by pretty fast and I got burnt a ton by the sun cause its just getting hotter out here. But we are working a ton out here with the leaders to help build up the faith and desire of the members in our ward.  We have been passing by the Bishops house alot to give him ideas and he also gives us some and i have really seen a difference just in our friendship and trust we have with the Bishop. I can also see this because his wife will always  cook us something(;   But yesterday we also wrote up a pretty sweet plan to get this ward started up with activities and stuff but I'm pretty sad because i think ill leave in a couple weeks and these activities wont start until next transfer. But I know the work will continue, so i hope everything turns out well! 

These ladies have always given me free
 hamburgers and hot dogs ever since I've been here.

We have worked really hard in this area and I think i know everyone here... but tomorrow we are going to have our mission conference so that will give me a boost to finish out this transfer strong.  But everything is going good here just no baptisms but we have found people to teach. Thank you guys for fasting and praying for me and my comp it really means alot I know the Lord is blessing us because of you guys.  I'm glad that party went well mom and all of the girls liked it! Dang i see Gavin, hes starting to get some big air now haha but still looks like he needs to hit the gym or eat some more McDonald's haha!!! But i have to go my comp is being annoying and trying to leave so ill talk to you guys next week love ya!

Elder Mauter

Christmas Tree in Natal

olá família!!

Hahha mom, dont worry I'm still alive out here in Brazil! Last week the computer house in my area was closed so i didn't get to send an email to you guys because of it. But it was funny to get a call from the mission Secretary telling me that you sent him a worried email.  He actually told me i could use the internet that day but i knew you guys were at the dunes and plus i already marked to visit some people after lunch that day. But i loved the pictures that you guys sent me from the dunes.

Ill try to send you guys some pics of my area because its looking really cool right now with all of the christmas lights up and stuff. I dont walk with my camera here because they say its dangerous and plus my camera is huge haha! I haven't seen anything yet in this area and I've been to all of the dangerous parts here trying to test it jk mom(;. But i know no one will mess with me, I'm too big.

In Natal (which is only 50 miles away) Christmas is a big deal since Natal means Christmas in Portuguese and was named that because it was founded on Christmas day in like 1599.  There is this huge tree put up with a bunch of lights, its pretty cool.  If you want to look it up.

It sounded like everyones quads, dirt bikes, rails, razors broke down at the dunes last week- that sucks. I hope you all can get them fixed quick. Thanksgiving wasn't very cool here hahah. One of my favorite members here was going to make us a big Thanksgiving meal that day but she got called into work so she just gave us money to buy food so we bought some pastels for our big lunch hahha.(Pastels are like empanadas).

 I also bought some ingredients to make cookies which i made later that night and but they didn't turn out too well so i ended up not even trying them when they came out of the oven i just threw them away haha. So if you have a recipe i would be thankful!! But I did make some cookies yesterday after church when we were waiting for lunch that took so long... I almost died of hunger but they turned out well this time i know you would be proud(;

Last week me and my comp have been working hard to find people that are married. So it won't be so hard to  get them ready for baptism. We are determined and working hard this week to find people who are wanting to here our message. I'll tell you how it goes.

Read up about captain Moroni in chapter 48-50. When he is preparing to go to battle with the Lamanites.  Really study and think not only about the battle and how he prepares his armies and cities against the Lamanites but also the significance of how we can prepare ourselves against our trails and tribulations in our life. I'm pretty sure you'll find something cool because thats what I studied yesterday and thought it was really cool. I know not everytime we see what the BoM is trying to teach us, but I can see when I really stop. Every time after I read I think and pray i can find something interesting and spiritual that I can put in my life. 

I loved hearing from all of you guys this week. haha thats funny that those girls said that about me mom.  But mom you better be doing your job and getting me the numbers of some pretty girls for when I come home!!

But I'll  keep all of you guys in my prayers. I love you guys. Pray that me and my comp can find people to teach here so we can finish out this transfer strong, these last 2 or 3 weeks. 

Love Elder Mauter

November 2, 2015

Fam!!!
There was an earthquake in AZ last night? Freak, why does all the cool stuff happen when I'm not home.....

There is no Halloween down here in Brazil which I don't understand because everyday is a holiday it seems. Even today is a holiday and everything is closed. We are passing by at a sisters house today from our ward. Transfers happened this week and I stayed but I got a new companion Elder Henrique.  He is also a Brasilerio, from the northeast. Actually not that far from the mission. They keep us Americans with Brazilians so we can teach them English. He is funny and we are going home the same day together. He is really trunkey (means  he's ready to go home now). He found out the date we are going home when he was at the mission office. So next week I'll only have one more year left in the mission.  November 10 I'll be home hahah. 

Not my new comp. I've known this Elder for awhile.

To answer your questions, in the mornings I go to a little market and buy bread, eggs and chocolate milk. At night I usually cook a hamburger or eat peanut butter if someone hasn't made us something to eat. I'm getting the cards and letters from the ward members so tell everyone Thank-You!

Last week we really worked hard and had 6 people come to church and we will try to baptize at least 2 people this week. One couple needs to marry but they want to be baptized. But last week something funny happened.  So Friday me and my comp went out to eat with one sister in our ward and since we were returning late we asked her if she knew a different route to get back home and she told us to go through the jungle by her house. She said we could pass through it and it would end or get close to our house so we went. It was totally dark and we had to jump through barb wire fence and we walked for a while in the dark and then got to a wall. We didn't see an exit and my comp is super short so he couldn't jump it so we kept walking along the wall until we found a house in the middle of no where and all of a sudden three big dogs started barking.  We were like freak lets go back but these dogs didn't stop barking and actually started running after us so we had to run. My comp had a flashlight in his hand and every time he flashed it they stopped but then started again. But it gave us time to get out of there haha.

But that's all that really happened in my week. I went to the mission office and got to say goodbye to some of the elders that I know that were returning home. But your Halloween looked sweet. I bet you guys had fun and that pic with Gavin was that at homecoming?  Dad I have been thinking a lot about grandpa lately and how he is doing with his health.  I hope this will help him and that he can get an electric wheelchair or something.  I know that's what grandma was wanting and know that would help her a lot too because I know she is doing a ton to keep him well. But ya tell Gavin that I'll try to send that hat in a lil bit and a couple of other things but I have to see how much it is cause I'm a poor missionary. 

I love you guys. 

Elder Mauter

November 9, 2015

olá família como vocês estão? 

Everything is going good here. Me and my new comp got used to each other real quick, he's super chill so this transfer will be fun and go by fast I know it. But this week we had Stake conference and we got to hear from the President of our mission and also a Seventy and testimony's from missionaries that just got home and also those about to go out in the field. It really reminded me of when I was leaving.  All the talks were focused on making the right decisions. Like serving a mission, marriage, the sabbath day and following the prophet. It was really cool and there were really good speakers and you could feel the spirit strong in that meeting. I really got a big boost to want to work harder and know my importance here. Which I already know, but it increased.

It was funny because we had to travel to a different church to watch the conference. There were a bunch of people there and I remember I passed this kid and he just looked at me and said whhhhat? I guess because I was so big, hahah. Then when I was sitting and listening to the speakers I heard a couple adults behind me debating if I was Brazilian or not. Then after the meeting a lady came up to me and asked if I was Brazilian, I told her ya and she believed me hahah, but then I told her no.

My Zone

We also had a baptism marked for last Sunday, with a woman named Claudina. She was super excited all week and then something happened and she didn't want to be baptized. I got pretty mad, not the fact that she didn't want to get baptised but the way she was trying to hide it. We got there at like  4o'clock because the baptism would be at 5p and when we were pulling up I saw her run into the house. I thought she was going to get dressed or something but then we asked her boyfriend if she was getting dressed and he said that she wasn't there and I was like what.......and i just looked at him and told him that I'm not retarded, I just saw her when we pulled up. But he still said she wasn't there. I almost walked in the house to prove it to him but I kept my cool. We will go back tomorrow to see what happened.

Other than this my week was really good I think today we will do something cool with our district in the afternoon. Yesterday we met some really cool people outside our house when we were coming back from the ladies house and we got to talk to them for a while. How are the cards doing? and my brothers?

I love you guys,

Elder Mauter

November 16, 2015

Ola Familia!! 

Not much to say in this email because not much happened this week. We tried working with the one lady again and give her another chance. It turns out, her mom was being super annoying and didn't want to let her be baptised so we told her we'll help her through the process and help to build up her faith.  I asked her what was missing for her to be baptized. She has health problems  and she told us that she wants to be cured to be baptized. We tried to explain it doesn't work like that haha. We left a spiritual message with her and talked about Moses and the children of Israel when they were in the wilderness and were discouraged. When the fiery serpents were among the people….Moses made a brass serpent and put it on a pole. He told the people that those who would look up at it would be cured, but the people didn't want to even look. We explained how this represented having faith in Christ and his atonement and we need to look to Christ.  We explained the steps of the gospel and that Christ is only asking us to take these steps to receive these blessings. Unfortunately she didn't go to church on Sunday so we had to cut her. 

We are starting a new group closer to the church. It's a lil harder but it'll help the people that we baptised stay strong and active in the church. So that's really what I did this week. We have some cool people but no one super strong but it'll get better.

Ya I heard about the attacks in Paris that makes me sad but happy you guys got out of there. Tell Gavin he's weak for not trying out for the bball team... and yes finally the Cards are doing good. Brantley told me that the Suns are looking good too so I hope they can pull it out. Send me a pic of Gavin's dirt bike after he finishes putting those new graphics on. And sweet, thanks mom for the package! We don't have much planned today. I think just me and my comp will hangout with some members after this. 

I love you guys. 

Elder Mauter

Famailia!!!


Transfer week!!!! So we'll get called tomorrow and find out where we are going. But im pretty sure that ill stay and my comp will go. He has more time here but we'll see what will happen. Ok, sweet so i dont have to wear these invisalign trays anymore, finally!  Ya, I'm going to get my shoes fixed here but I've been waiting until after transfers because I dont know what will happen. But this week was good. We've been teaching a family thats from Vietnam.. They are super far from our house.  We received a reference for them. What started out with one person turned out to be a bunch of people that we met. But its hard cause they live super far away from the church and they all want to come to church. So Sunday everything went wrong.. so the sister in our ward that gave us this reference told us she would drive there to pick them up. But the night before she got in an accedent and broke her teeth. Then our ward mission leader had to study that day, so he couldn't help.  We arranged a ride with another sister and the morning of church she had to travel somewhere else.  So we only got Julie to come to church yesterday. But we will do better next week. 


You guys think its hot there in AZ. I'm sitting here dying of heat writing to you guys haha! The energy went down in our city but I think it will come back up here in a lil. We are using a couple old laptops at a sisters house for right now. But nothing really happened this week worth writing down.


But dad your bike looks sweet, i dont even want to ask how much it was hahahah. But ya Natal (Christmas) is comng up so you guys better prepare! That sounded like a good trip for the YM/YW (youth) you guys took before church on Sunday. I remember going down to Randolph and helping all those special people too. But love you guys. 

Elder Mauter 

Familia!
I didn't have that much time to write last week because it was a holiday, dia das crianças. Brazilians really like holidays haha.. but did you say you will send more Invisalign trays? How many more? I will start my last tray next week but ya my teeth are like on top of each other.

Dad send me a pic of your new bike!!! London looked sweet in your pictures. We will defiantly have to come back to Brazil after my mission. But what's up with those pants Gavin is wearing? hahah. Next week is transfers so we will see what happens.  I think I'll stay another transfer because my comp has more time here. But my health is good and work is going well.  We should have baptized 2 girls last week but their parents don't want to sign the permission paper and plus they also don't want to talk to us so we are just going to give it time. The girls will turn 18 here in a couple of months so they wont need this signature then haha.

But last week was a lil slow. We are also teaching a girl my age who has 2 daughters and is married. She is really cool, her sister is a member of the church but it seems everytime we teach her she wants to Bible bash us asking us questions about the smallest things. So we might have to cut her because it doesn't work to teach someone like that because we sit there answering her questions and she doesn't believe sometimes even when we are showing her where it is in the Bible... We are going to keep working.  

We got Lielda confirmed a member this week.  It was actually pretty crazy last week because a member went to pick her and her family up but accidentally locked her keys in her car. So she went back to her house and had to kick down the door to get the spare keys hahaha.  So this just shows you how important the work is! 

I have a really funny story to tell, But I don't know if you want to put this so everyone can read it though. But you can choose haha.  But last week before lunch one day me and my comp got a call from a sister in our ward. She wanted us to give her and her mom a blessing because they were both sick.  So after we got done eating we went over there. She explained that her mom who is 70 or something has been having diarrhea alot and that she has had a headache . So I gave a blessing to her mom who was on her bed, cause shes a pretty big woman. Then we went to the TV room and my comp gave the sister a blessing. Then everything was silent and she was even crying from the blessings.  Then all of a sudden the mom from the other room ripped one.  I think she farted for a good 5 sec just straight up diarrhea hahaha. I laughed a lil but stopped so know one would know and my comp also stopped the blessing but then ended it. Right after we told the sister we had to go because we have work to do and hurried out of the house and down the street then just died laughing hahah. That was the funniest thing ever but this is all for this week.  I love you guys. 
Elder Mauter

Baptismo!!!

Last week was sweet! We finally got to baptize the family we have been teaching for awhile. It was a really cool experience what happened too. But first, last week we had our zone meeting on Wednesday and I ended up staying over with our zone leader in his area while the other Elder came to my area until Friday. It was really cool to help him out and get to know Elder Meilerries. He is from Brasilia and will end up going home in January.

Saturday we planned to baptize this family but ended up only baptizing Max and Robison, the two kids of Lielda. Lielda didn't have enough courage to be baptized because she has a really big fear of water. She couldn't even sit in the front row to see her kids be baptized, if that lets you understand how scared she is. But the baptisms when well.  Max is special and really doesn't need to be baptized but he really wanted to, so we talked to our President and he said we could.  He said it would be a symbolism and plus the Holy Ghost can help him when he receives it.

But then Sunday we talked with everyone to try and mark everything for Sunday when they would receive the Holy Ghost. Lielda said she wouldn't beable to come, so we were pretty bummed about that. So that night we fasted for her and the next day a member who lives near her passed by her house and she was ready to go to church with her kids. During church we were really talking to her alot about baptism.  She still wasn't wanting to at all, so we left her for a lil bit. Then the member who always helps us (shes also a recent convert) was talking to Lielda and she finally committed to be baptized.

It was so cool, she went up to the the pulpit during sacrament meeting and bore her testimony.  She shared what a big a miracle it was to meet me and my comp and to have this opportunity. So right before she was about to enter the waters she started crying so much because she  was afraid. Me and my comp tried to help her and practice with her outside so she felt more comfortable but I've never seen someone so scared. We got this member dressed in baptism cloths too so she could enter with her. Lielda entered the waters super slow and almost turned back 3 times. I can really say that the Lord was there helping her all the way. I prayed about a thousand times for her and we also gave her a blessing of comfort. She ended up getting baptized. 

This was another really cool experience in my mission that I will never forget. It really helped my testimony about fasting.  Everything is going good here, until you sent me those pics of you guys in London.....and then I got a pic of Chase in Hawaii. So I'm super mad now. We are definitely going on a trip like that after my mission. 
But I love you guys. Thanks for everything. 

Elder Mauter

Ola!!!

Sister Soares and Elder Mauter

This day has been crazy. I literally have the best Mission President couple. This morning Sister Soares grabbed us at like 7 o'clock and also the rest of our district. She took us on a tour of Natal, and it was so sweet! We just got back now. Sister Soares took us to all the dunes and beaches here. We got to get our feet wet in the ocean water hahah. I'll send a bunch of pics that I took today with my Ohio State Championship T-shirt Kimber got me! 


Thanks for the package mom. Everything was perfect.  My comp was telling me that you are a missionary too mom!  Because you sent me all those pamphlets and missionary stuff.  But you don't have to send those because we already receive those from the mission. The next package you send me, everything that I said I needed I don't need anymore so don't worry about sending that stuff. I already have too many shirts and my shoes are fine and I don't need those books.

So last week was crazy. We had our mission conference Tuesday which was really good. President focused alot on contacts and gave us some good examples. It was cool and a lot more stuff too, but I'm not remembering everything right now.  So much happened this week haha. Then we had General Conference this weekend too. We watched it in our church building. The Americans got to watch it in English which I like a lot more.  It seems more real because you get to hear their actual voices. 

Mission Conference

General Conference was really spiritual. I liked it alot seeing the new apostles getting called and hearing their testimony's. I especially liked the talk from Elder Holland, because he talked about moms and their important role in our lives. It really got me thinking and I am so grateful to have you mom in my life. For your help raising me and putting up with me. Also getting me out and supporting me on my mission. You are really one of a kind and I love you! And of course the person after talked about fathers, so I cant forget dad! Thank you guys for everything. I know I wouldn't be where I am today and know the things I know without such good parents to give me a kick in the butt when I needed it haha love ya!

So much has happened today and I'm pretty tired so I'll keep this one short. We have some baptisms coming for this week which will be good and especially with everything last week we'll have a bigger spiritual boost than before to do the work.

Tchau fam,
Elder Mauter

opa fam!! 

This week was kinda crazy i lost my hearing in my right ear.  I used that candle thing to pull the junk out. I've never seen so much wax come out, freak!  But even after that i couldn't hear.  I used another candle and a ton came out again.  I waited a couple of days and on saturday i had to go to the hospital because i still couldnt hear. It sucked because there was a huge line so i stayed there all night with my comp and a sister from our ward that drove us there. Hospitals are the real deal here in Brazil.  When i was waiting i saw people who were shot, beat up, people who were hit by cars.  When i got in the line for all the people who have ear problems.. some lil kid had a bean in his ear, another a popcorn seed and then some old dude that was straight up bleeding out of his ear... It turned out that i had a bacteria in my ear so I'm going to take medicine this whole week and then get my ear cleaned out next week. I know when i was there at the hospital everyone was just looking at me like "that white kid is fine" hahha while everyone else was half dead! ill get better so don't worry(:

Last week we have been working with those two families a ton and its going well so pray for them. One lady that we are teaching is Amanda.  She is 19 and has 2 baby girls.  She's pretty cool, her sister is a member in the church so we have been teaching with her a lot.  She has some doubts because what we teach is different than what her church teachs which i dont understand because of course our church teaches different things or i wouldn't be here trying to tell her about the restored gospel? Its been good, she tried to Bible bash us this week but before she even got to the scripture we told her what scripture she was looking for and she was shocked a lil because we already knew what she was looking for. We told her its because everyone uses it against us. We explained it to her. Her and her husband really like our church so we are going to either baptize them this Sunday or the next we just have to work with them some more.

We also have one girl whose 17 and a kid 13 that we will baptize this week and maybe his mom too. We are hoping but shes a lil harder to get her to commit.  But yesterday the members rounded up a bunch of clothes and toys that they don't use and we brought them to her house so that was really cool. Then we have a girl named Julie who read the BoM before she went to church.  She really wants to be baptized.  she knows the church is true but her dad is like the 1 counselor at his church and in their church they have a book just about the mormons that teach about us so he doesn't want to let her get baptized.  We need his authorization because she is 17 so pray for her. We have a member that is visiting them and teaching them. Who is actually her aunt so i think that will help a ton. 

But ya that was my week. I didn't get transferred and everything stayed the same, my comp stayed to. Tomorrow we have conference with the mission so we will see how that goes.

Love you guys, I hope everything is going well. The Moab bike trip sounded sweet thanks for the pics dad. I bet you'll have tons of fun up there in Idaho mom.  Tell Gav and everyone hi and that i miss everyone. 
com amor 
Elder Mauter
ill send some pics of this week. We went to lunch at a members house that has a ton of turkeys and turtles and stuff.  Then, beaner packing a car with 13 people on the way to church with our investigators and some members.

Fammm!

Last week flew by fast, it was a good one and also a bad one. So ill give you guys the bad news first.  So this week we had Dos Anjos ready to be baptised on Sunday. We had everything set up but then Saturday we got a call from her and she told us that after we left Friday her husband got into a big fight with her and told her that she can't be baptized in our church and if we passed by in their house he would fight with us. She told us that she knows the church is true and that she has been searching her whole life to find the peace and spirit she feels there. So I almost went over there to fight this guy last week but I kept my cool and we are going to give it time and prayer.So after this day we were pretty bummed and mad. But turned this into our favor Sunday because we brought 7 people to church with 2 families who have babies (but that doesnt count) and 2 girls. It was really cool.

Me and my comp got sick after lunch on Saturday.  There was a ward activity where there was swimming, volleyball, soccer and a barbecue.   But me and my comp couldn't do anything but just watch everyone.  All the youth were joking with us and we just told them to wait until they serve missions haha. They didn't cook the meat well enough or something and so that night we spent the night in the bathroom and when I woke up I looked and felt like death. But I made it to church. I took some medicine and drank some coke and I'm already felling better. Later that day we had a missionary work devotional or activity with the youth.  We also got 3 investigaters to that meeting  also. After the meeting all three of them told us they want to be baptized.  So will work with that.

I don't know what will happen with transfers this week. My Portuguese is good but I still have an accent that I'm trying to get rid of. It's hard because i have a thick voice and I have an accent from Sao Paulo also because pretty much all of my comps are from there and I just picked it up. I'm trying to learn more words and that book that mom sent me will help. I don't have time to study the language a lot cause we study Preach My Gospel, BoM and the Bible everyday.  So I'm really just learning by talking everyday and Im helping my comp learn english too. 

Something funny that happened this week. You know 'my son' that I have here that always calls me dad?  Well this week he was asking me where mom is? I was like, I don't know her yet, your going to have to help me out with that. So later that week we were at his house teaching a girl that we always teach there and that kid started calling her mom. He told me that he's going to marry us right now and when we left that day he was yelling at me to kiss her hahha! Me and my comp died laughing.
I love you guys. Thanks for all the support.

Te Amo

Elder Mauter

Ola família!!

This last week we worked a bunch teaching people and passing by members homes to get them more involved in the work. Yesterday I got a call from some of the members in Mossoró(my first area). It was really cool to talk to those people that I haven't seen in a while.

Last week wasn't a good one for Dos Anjos because she was visiting her daughter and then when she got back she had to work a ton because her husband is lazy and doesn't do anything. So Sunday we didn't baptize her because when she works late she stays there to sleep.  Where she lives its dangerous and she doesn't want to get killed on her way home at night. She tried getting home before church but wasn't able to. So we'll get her this week. Shes a really cool lady and she doesn't talk that much anymore so its even better. She had a response from God that changed my mission when she visited the church.

This week we were visiting the lady we gave the blessing to and she has been getting so much better with her thoughts and about religion. Especially when we started visiting her regularly. Because she just had surgery she cant come to church yet. We've also been working with her sons, one of them victor we actually met in the street a while back riding a skate board.  He's super cool and he was actually baptized in the church but never received the Holy Ghost. This was 6 years ago he said. He said he never went back to church because he didnt know how to get there. All the times he went there before he always was taken in a car. Victor also has a girlfriend and we have been teaching her and we taught them about the restoration and gave them the Book of Mormon and 2 pamphlets to read. The next day we saw them they had read both pamphlets and a lot of the BofM and she told us that she knows everything to be true. Me and my comp kinda were in shock when she said this and looked at each other speechless hahaha cause this doesn't ever happen!  The other day she brought her friend and me and my comp split up so he could teach one and me the other so they didn't have to listen to the same lessons twice.  I've never met kids my age like this wanting to know the truth about things.  So this was a really cool experience. They weren't able to go to church this week because they already marked something for this Sunday but next Sunday they said they will come.

Today we are going to Natal with some members from our ward because they want to play basketball with me. So today will be pretty cool. Last Pday president didn't answer his phone so we didn't get permission to go to the beach but we got to go on this cool trail in the dunes.  Next Pday  I'll send some pics.

Also last week one of that ladies that we are teaching has a boy who is 10 yrs old and has some mental problems. But I think I won a son because every time we show up there he always comes up to me and calls me dad and calls my comp uncle Bobby hahah!  Its so funny and he always gives me hugs and asks me when I'm going to teach him to play basketball and everything I know. He always asks me if he can do something before he does it and then does everything I say haha.

But I love you guys.  Be safe and don't forget who you are!
Elder Mauter

Opa fam!

How are you guys doing? Last week was pretty sweet but this weekened wasn't very good because today is Brazil's independence day and everyone was gone on vacation last weekend. It was so hard to find people, I swear we passed 12 peoples houses that we teach and no one was home... but what can you do? We didn't have a baptism last week because Dos Anjos traveled to her daughters house over the weekend and is going to get home tomorrow so it'll be this week. 

Last week I got a package from Kim and it had the crazied things haha! She sent me some sweet socks and these pens that you can use to write on peoples car windows. So me and my comp have been messing with members and writing dumb stuff on their cars haha.  

A funny thing that happened last week. On Wednesday we woke up and left to go to downtown to do something and when we left our house there was about 100 Jehovah witnesses in our neighborhood it was insane! I've never seen so many in my life it was like an army haha but they are scared of us.

I had a really cool experience last week. We were walking and knocked on a door and a lady came out and said she was busy. She said she was helping her daughter that had surgery.  We said if she wanted we could help her and give her comfort.  So this old lady left and entered her house without saying anything, so we were about to leave but then she invited us in. We were talking with this family and then two people came in from a different church and they began to teach but everytime the man said something he always looked at us to see if we agreed with what he said. Then he asked us to join in his prayer so we agreed and it was the craziest thing ever!  He just started screaming and me and my comp just looked at each other like 'what the freak' haha!  His wife was doing this weird thing to the woman who was sick like putting her hands on her. They finally left and we got the chance to listen to her and see what was going on in her life.  She has 5 kids and pretty much told us that she has given up on life because she has sufferd so much. We talked to her about the atonement and gave her a blessing and it was the most spiritual moment in my mission.  She was crying and we were too, it was cool.

 I love you guys- this letter was just something quick.  

Tchau,
Elder Mauter

Ola Fam!

Last week was a good one. We are working with alot of people but most of them need to be married so that makes it difficult. We got a new reference from a member in our ward this week, Dos Anjos.  She lost her child 3 years ago and then saw someone got shot outside of her house recently. Because where she lives its really dangerous.  She said this just reminded her of everything with losing her child. We went there the first time with a member who knows her.  We really listened to her for a long time.  It was crazy and it really made me realize how easy my life has been and about how important my job is here. We taught her the plan of salvation. It turned out perfect.  She also asked us why we have so many churches today. We came back another day to teach her the restoration and it went really well. We do have some difficulties with her though. It's just that this woman loves to talk your ear off. When we are trying to give her a lesson she will just talk about random things and talk over you -haha. My comp had to tell her pretty much to stop talking because we were there to help her. She ended up being quite the rest of the lesson haha and we got her to go to church on Sunday. 

João the guy we have been teaching has a health problem where every morning and night he has to take a depression pill that makes him sleepy.  Its difficult to get him to church. He's a super cool dude and he is super relaxed all the time. I could defiantly see that the lord blessed his health last week because he had so much more energy he said. The other day when were teaching him he gave a pamphlet of the plan of salvation to a friend and he explained it to her. It was cool to see this but President doesn't want to baptize him yet because of this problem. He wants him to continue in the church which I can understand.

Saturday night me and my comp got a call at 9 o'clock and were told 2 people that were suppose to talk in church dropped out. So I had to give a 15 min talk haha but it went good. Me and my comp were wanting the opportunity to talk and help remind the members about missionary work.  So we got our chance but we had no time to prepare a lot for this but that's the life of a missionary!  I shared dads conversion story about his friend who was always a good example to him in school and how that prepared him for when the time came to hear the gospel. I don't even know how I remembered that. It literally came to me as I was sitting there before my talk. 

Didn't you say that you got those Ohio state champion shirts? If you have one send me one.  But i cant think of anything else I really need. Just send little stuff that i can give as presents to the people here from the U.S. I fixed my memory card finally.  A guy told me to put all my pictures on a pin drive and then delete them on my camera every time i take 100 pictures so it wont do that again.

But i love you guys. I forgot my funny stories this week but I'm sure ill remember them in a lil. We are going to go on a trail hike today.

Amo Vocês 

Elder Mauter

Whats up fam bam!!

So this week went by so fast! Parnamirim feels like such a different place because it stays like 85 all the time and sometimes it will rain in the morning.  It's not as painful to work in the afternoon like it was in my last area because of the heat. Plus we are always working so time just goes by faster.

Ya mom me and my comp have been eating and drinking the coconut milk a ton. The inside isnt that good but sometimes I'll eat it and we still have a ton in our fridge. We don't really eat tapioca a lot.  We get it sometimes its good i like it. Its pretty much flour then you put some cheese in it or you can put meat too if you want. But about the jello i dont think they like it that much.  I've only eaten it once here but you wanna know what they love is beans rice and chicken(; no but i eat this dessert called moose. Its condensed milk and a package of tang of whatever flavor that you want.

So my package arrived back home. Dang that stinks that you have to send it again- but ya everything in there seems good. Add some tweezers, mine broke.  Did you talk to the orthodontist about what Im supposed to do about my overbite?  I only have 5 trays left and then my 2 final ones for at night.  What retainers? Also put a couple one dollar bills in the package too. I can trade them with missionaries here for stuff and plus its cool to show people.

But dang everyone is growing up back home-haha! Thats sick about Dillion's Jeep, i wanna see a picture of it.

This week we have been working with this man João, who we made contacts with on the street. He's 47yrs old living alone. He's a really relaxed guy. We got him to go to church yesterday and marked him to be baptized next Sunday and he accepted!

We are also working with this other guy that is 37, we call him my friend in english because he always calls us that haha. But he's a cool guy. Its just that he isn't married and is living with a lady thats 46. He smokes a lil but he wants to quit.  He doesn't want to get married because he already got married once and it didn't  go right. So this week we have really been straight up with him and showing him how big of a sin it is to do this stuff we got him to go to church yesterday an he liked it but we are going to have to work with him alot more.

The other 2 girls that we were working with didnt go so we are going to pass by there and see what happened and if they don't have a good reason we are going to cut them, but we will see.

Yesterday we met these two cool kids while we were walking in the street. Me and my com heard this girl speaking a lil bit of english so I came up to them and asked her how long she has been studying. She said only for a year but she knows a couple of things. The other kid already went to church a couple of times and said he will go again. I told them I can help them with their english and time because I already taught in Mossoró.

But other than this we've been working with this young inactive couple too and helping them get back to church. Its just hard for them because the husband works every day.

But everyday I have been here I've had dinner haha and sometimes 2 times because sometimes we'll be passing by and theyll have food and invite us and I can't deny it haha. I had a cool experience with those 2 ladies at that hotdog stand. The one lady has been reading and praying alot and she had a dream of someone in white talking to her but she forgot what happened.. so pay attention to your dreams. I've only learned this in my mission becasue no one told me this before. But its just hard for them because they work everyday too and her husband is in the army so it makes it really difficult.

Love you guys.  I think we are going to the beach and I will take pics later. We are going to call President and see if he will let us.
Elder Mauter