Day 231

The mission in total baptized 100 people in one month for the first time in 20 years! Unfortunately none of us 4 elders managed any of those 100 in September, but the Sisters here did.

As of today, 8 months have closed, general conference is next week, and Christmas is just three months away (Brasilians don't celebrate Thanksgiving)!

Problem number one in Brasil is legal marriage, in the sense that a mother and father might (or rather, probably will) live in the same house, raise children, etc. for 50 years and never have the legal process done. It’s just not part of the culture, especially not in the southern regions of Brasil.

So this week, we had three investigators at church. One whose daughter was baptized last month, but himself needs to get married and stop smoking. I also think he doesn't *really* like my companion that much. He had a really solid friendship with Elder Lira (who left recently), who stayed in the city for half a year, and also with Elder Williams (still here after 3 months).

Elder Paiva (current companion) suggested something interesting while we were at home called cigarette tea, which is what it sounds like. Tea made with the contents of a cigarette, which tastes aweful. Us three other Elders were skeptical but apparently it’s already worked with other people. "Just one time and they never want to smoke again (assuming there´s a true desire to stop"). The idea takes something attractive due to addiction and turns it purely detestable.

Our investigator does, as far as I can honestly tell, have a real desire to stop. Everyone in the family but him is baptized, they go to church together, and he has a special interest in temple work for ancestors. So we'll try that idea out.

Our other two are a couple with children (one son who was baptized about half a year ago and two others who are never at their house when we are). With them, the obstacles stack a bit higher: they need to get married (takes some time and money), and also need to overcome addictions to smoking and alcohol. But it's clear that one day they *will*, one day, become members of the church. They go to church so often and consistently that I heard most of the people there didn't (or even now don't) know that they aren't members.

Normally, to get someone to church on someday (especially in the south of brasil, famous/infamous for consistent and all-important tea-times and nap-times on the weekend) a missionary usually has to show up at the door the first several times, ideally with a ride given by a member with a car. Even then, hope and pray that they haven't changed their minds after confirming that they'd go at least a few times during the week. Rain of any sort severely reduces chances even more.

Still, it's even more difficult for the ward that starts at 3PM (ends at 6!). That's exactly the set of hours most unlikely to encounter someone at their front door, probably because they´re sleeping/ drinking chimarrão (some sort of extremely hot herbal tea that only missionaries aren't allowed to drink, honestly looks like shredded lawn clippings and hot water, but I won't know what it’s like for the next 16 months).

I know we try, and that we believe what we say. In one of the talks given and broadcast to all of the MTCs in the world, one of the speakers said, paraphrased, that the mission is ideally the place to strengthen and utilize a testimony, and less to gain one for the first time. I find it interesting that converts are required to have one year as a member of the church before serving a full time mission. So, to be clear, a year's foundation of learning and understanding is more than enough. Some missionaries here left on the mission after just 1 year as a member, and also with more knowledge than I've collected in 19.

I wanted to write more but that's for next week...

- Elder Hopkinson