Week 31:Frogs, Smoothies, and Missionary Work

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a good Christmas! 

Day to Day

The Frog(s): So something that I have noticed lately are there a lot of wild toads, at least in my area. My companion is kind of scared of them. It´s pretty funny because he always calls me crazy when I try to grab one. I have successfully picked up and held 2 frogs this week. 

Christmas Eve Dinner: On Christmas Eve,my companion and I, the assistants to the mission president, and the mission secretaries all went to President and Sister Marsh´s house to celebrate Christmas Eve! We ate some delicious food, watched the new church video about the birth of the Savior, and we played charades! We also each got a "Champion" brand shirt, because President Marsh used to own that company! It was so fun!

Avocado Smoothie: So for the first time a few days ago, I tried an avocado smoothie. Don´t knock it till you try it! It is like my favorite thing now! Put half an avocado, like 2 or 3 spoons of sugar, and like 3 cups of milk into a blender. Blend and enjoy! Also try mixing other fruits in there. My favorite is with banana. I tried it because one of the Elders I´m living with told me if I eat healthier and exercise with him every day, I can look like Captain America when I go home from my mission, so I´m trying it.

"Are They Speaking English?": So one day this week, we were walking by some houses and my companion stopped and said, "I think they are speaking English!" I listened, and they were! Also, it was British English! So I was like, "Oh I need to talk to them YESTERDAY" and I knocked on the door. Another person answered. I introduced ourselves as missionaries and he said he wasn't interested and started to close the door. "Wait wait! Are there other people that live here, too?" I said while pointing to the window where I heard the speaking. "Yeah they live with me." He responded. "Are they speaking English?" I said. "Yeah." He responded. "Oh cool! Can I talk to them real quick?" "No." He responded as he closed the door in my face. I will admit, I was kind of angry afterwards and I was tempted to knock on the window where the speaking was coming from. I wrote down the address, and I might go back and try again sometime.

Spiritual Highlights

This week we had the opportunity to teach a 14-year-old boy who has been staying with one of the families in my ward. He isn't a member, but he is showing a lot of interest in the Gospel. We set a baptism date with him yesterday!  It was really hard to find people to talk to this week because of the holidays. Many people weren't at home and many people didn't want to receive us. But, as we followed the spirit and kept working, we were blessed with a few people to talk to!

This week was Christmas. While it was hard to be away from family, it was also a really cool experience. I was able to feel the love and spirit of Christ so strongly! I know that Because of Jesus Christ, all things are possible. He loves us. He knows us. I know sometimes life is really hard, but I can testify that if you trust Him, things will work out for your good! I hope you all have a GREAT 2020!!!

Elder Tolen

Week 30: Merry Christmas!

Hello, everyone! This email will be a little shorter because I don't want to interrupt your Christmas!

Day To Day:

Transfers: This week we had transfers! I am staying in my area (Planalto), but I got a new companion! His name is Elder Correia. He is 20, and he will turn 21 on December 26. He has 1 year and 5 months on the mission. He is really cool!

"Hey. What´s your name?": It was kind of funny. This week, my companion and I came across a park that a lot of older people use to exercise. While my companion and I were goofing off on the machines, a family came and started using them as well. I felt slightly embarrassed, but I decided to full send it. I looked at the mom and was like, "Hey.... What´s your name?" She told me her name. "Cool cool... My name is Elder Tolen." Then she was like "Cool.. and your name?" She said to my companion. Then I made a contact with her and invited her to church and we talked to her and her family for a little while. It was definitely a fun way to make a contact!

Spiritual Experiences:

Everyone, this week is Christmas. I want to invite you all to watch a new video that the church released. It is really, really awesome. Here´s the link. https://youtu.be/yXWoKi5x3lw

I testify to you all the Jesus lives. About 2000 years ago, he was born. He lived a perfect life. He suffered and died for all of us. Because of Him, we can be healed. We can be perfected. We can have our burdens lifted. Make this Christmas special by making it about Him. He knows you. He loves you. And He will carry you.

Elder Tolen

Week 29: Music and Monkeys

Hello, everyone!! How are you doing? What are you all doing to make this Christmas special? I wanna hear your plans! Send me an email!

So there are a pretty good amount of things that have happened, and I'm bad at organizing, so this email will probably be really random!

Day To Day:

Music opportunities: Our English class had a Christmas activity. It was really good. We watched a video about the birth of Jesus Christ and then everyone sang "Silent Night" in English together. We were planning to have the activity in the chapel and I would play the opening hymn on my horn and my companion would play piano with me, but we had to move into a different room that didn't have piano, so I had to play the opening hymn all alone. But it was okay.  One of the assistants and I played a French Horn/Cello duet. We played an arrangement of "Silent Night" that I wrote. We played at the ward Christmas dinner. We played it and another hymn from the hymnbook as prelude music. After the meeting part, while people were eating, I kept playing my horn. Eventually, a lady who is a daughter of some members in my ward came up to me and said she wanted to play piano with me. So we played together on some primary songs. The bishop walked by and at one point later he asked us to play the prelude music before church the next day, so we did. Also at zone conference, the assistant and I played our duet. I think we did better at the ward. Also at zone conference, my zone sang "Away In A Manger". I sang the first verse in English as a solo, and then everyone came in on the second verse in Portuguese (I didn't know the words so I just hummed) and then I joined in with my horn on the third verse. I´m grateful for the many music opportunities I've been receiving!

The Monkeys: We met a lady who feeds wild monkeys every day. It's really cool. She goes up to specific areas and whistles, and a bunch of little monkeys just appear. It isn't something I have really ever seen before.

VIP Club: I feel like a VIP because my mission president invited me and my companion, the AP´s, and the secretaries to his house on Christmas Eve. I´m really excited to go there. 

BOM?: A while ago, my companion and I were messing around and we kept saying "Bom?" (which means, "good?") in a really nasally tone. It's like a way people greet each other sometimes. I was outside doing laundry and he startled me through the window right in front of me by popping up and saying, "Bom?". A few minutes later, I noticed one of the bathroom lights turn on. For some reason I assumed it was my companion. So, I went over there, popped up in the window, and said "BOMM??" Imagine my embarrassment when I saw the startled face of one of the assistants, and not my companion, standing there! 

Cool and Spiritual Things:

Christmas Zone conference: At the Zone conference, we had some surprises for President and Sister Marsh. At the end, Elder Gochnour got up to bear his testimony and received a phone call (from Elder Gomes, the other assistant) and Gochnour said, "What? A video? Hmm okay." Then he opens a video that has a bunch of the missionaries listing reasons they love President and Sister Marsh. By the way, the conference happened over 2 days. The first day had half the missionaries, and the second day had the other half. I was there on the second day, so President and Sister Marsh already knew about that surprise, but we had others. After the video, Gochnour bore his testimony and while doing so, he said, "We have learned how to have peace in Christ." Then we started a flash mob singing "Peace in Christ." It was really funny, because when Gochnour said "Peace in Christ," Elder Barragan (being from Mexico) let out a classic Mexican cheer/scream (startling President and Sister Marsh) and then got up and played the introduction on his guitar for the song. After the song, we all sat down and another video started. It was a video montage that had pictures of President and Sister Marsh showing how their mission came to be, and it includes a video of them opening their call. Part way through the video, "Called To Serve" started playing. When it finished, we all stood up and sang the third verse (which was written for the Brazil Campinas Mission). They gave all the missionaries a gift. The gift was a wooden box with a burned engraving of the mission logo. Inside the box was a metal keychain of the mission logo. The lunch they gave us was also really good. It really felt like Christmas! The Conference was very spiritual. 

I want to invite you all (like I kind of mentioned in my introduction) to make this Christmas special. I know that you can all have an amazing spiritual experience this Christmas. Here are some of my ideas. Read the entire book of Luke. It isn't very long. If you do so, you will feel the Spirit of Christ with you. Pray every day that this Christmas will bring miracles. Have faith and act on it. Grow your faith through prayer and study of the scriptures. Make this Christmas about giving to others. Help others feel the joy that you feel. I promise that as you do these things and as you try to make this Christmas stand out, you will see so many blessings. I love you all and hope you have a great week! Email me some of your ideas on how you will make Christmas special!

Elder Tolen

Elder Tolen and Santa	Christmas party with Santa
Musician Tolen	Mission Key Chain
Mission Logo engraved on wood box	Mission treats

Week 27: The Miracle of Music!

Hello, everybody! How are you all doing? I wanna hear about what´s going on in your lives! Shoot me an email!

Day to Day:

Fransisca: So, everyone. Lemme tell you a story. I may have told part of this story before, but there is new information now. A while ago, President Marsh picked us up and we all drove together to zone conference, because we live very close to him. While driving, President Marsh said, "French Horn is 'trompa' in Portuguese, right, Elder Tolen? Because in December, we will have our mission zone conference and talent show for Christmas..."

Ever since, I have been looking for a horn without any luck. We even went to a music shop downtown, but they would have to order one in and it would cost me around $1,000 dollars. But, last week, while we were helping some members, one of the members said, "Let's go search online and see if we can find a horn." I had basically given up on finding one, but I agreed, and we looked. On a website kind of like Ebay, we found a horn at a good price. And, I ended up buying it! So, I currently have a French Horn in my possession! It has a pretty good sound. It is a single horn (which means it only has 3 rotors) with a removable bell. The brand says "Eastman," but, my horn teacher said Eastman has never made a single (3 rotor) horn with a removable bell. She said there are a lot of pirated horns our there, so it may say "Eastman," but it is entirely possible that it isn't. She said it is probably a Brazilian brand. I named the horn Fransisca. 

Performance Opportunities: Another story. So, a few days ago, before our English class, I was playing hymns in the chapel on my horn and my companion was playing with me on piano. A lady came up to me whom I haven't met before. She said she was from another ward. And she said, "I was talking to President Marsh a while ago, but he wasn't sure if you were gonna be able to get a horn or not, but now that I see you have one, would you be willing to play at the stake Christmas program on Sunday?" I accepted. On Saturday, there was a rehearsal and on Sunday was the performance. I played 2 verses of "Angels We Have Heard On High" with another Elder playing with me on piano. I also played with the choir and piano (and congregation on first verse) on "Silent Night." I felt kind of special. People treated me like I was a guest artist or something. For example, the piano player was confirming with me: "So, I will play the introduction and then you will come in on the verse?" I said yes, and he called to the director and told her. She looked at me and said "You can play wherever you want to play!" The only thing she requested was that I play loud. After the show, I received multiple compliments from people, including President and Sister Marsh. It was really fun! 

One of the Elders we live with also bought a cello, so I´m writing a duet for us to play at the mission Christmas conference. With all of these Christmas performances, it feels like I'm back home again!  

6 Months!: So, can you all believe that I have already reached my 6 month mark on the mission? Time is going so fast! I can´t believe it! I'm already 25 percent done with my mission. How strange!

Spiritual Stuff:

"You´re American.":The highlight of this week is just a pretty cool experience my companion and I had. One day, while we were walking, a lady passed us and said, "Voces tem um livro?" (Do you guys have a book?) "Sim!" We responded. "Eu posso ter um?" (Can I have one?) After I gave her a Book of Mormon, she looked and me, pointed at me and said "... You´re American." I said "Yes. You speak English!" Then we conversed for a little bit and got her information. She told us she read the Book of Mormon a while ago, but she's a teacher and sometimes the kids talk about Book of Mormon stories and she wants to understand. She was a very sweet lady, and it was a cool experience!

Testimony: I want to testify to all of you about miracles. They are real. I mean, the Lord provided a French Horn for me in Brazil, for one example! I promise you all if you have faith, if you pray, if you are obedient, if you fast, if you study the scriptures, you can experience life changing miracles. I know this to be true! Keep going and trust in God! 

I love you all so much! Send me emails! I wanna talk to you guys! 

-Love, Elder Tolen

The "new" French horn!	Unboxing the new horn
Elder Tolen &Sister Sampson (from CTM district)	Something tasty...
Wild Monkeys	Monkeys enjoying their lunch
Monkeys...	Toads in the cracks and crevices!