Mom,
This week went well! Seems like it went by so fast. It was really nice to go back to Timon and be in the city again! I was only able to visit one person that I baptized there. I went and saw Irmã Laureana! When we got to her front door, I knocked and her husband came to the door. I saw that the weeds were pretty big in front of their house, so I jokingly asked if they needed someone to pull the weeds. He just said no and shut the door.... He isn't a member yet and I thought that he didn't like the missionaries anymore. So that made me a little sad. But I decided we should wait. After a minute or two he came back and let us in. When Irmã Laureana came into the living room, and saw me her face just lit up! I almost cried and I think she did too. I think that feeling is about what it will feel like when I come home. Because I felt as if I was in my own home and it was just the weirdest thing!
But it was such a wonderful feeling! It was truly amazing to see how much she has grown spiritually! I really could see the difference! And above all, they opened a restaurant right beside their house! So their house is full of food supplies and kitchenware all over the place! But they are both so happy! It was truly wonderful to be able to surprise her with a visit at her own home after over a year! Back here in my area, things are going well. My comp has just a little bit of trouble with always going to visit the same people when we should only visit them one time a week. And when we go there we stay more time than we should. I am trying to work on a way to bring up the subject so that we can be better about that, but you know me, I´m not one to speak up much. I still have trouble in speaking my mind and my feeling, but it's something that I am really trying to work on lately. So we'll see
how that goes. Other than that, things are going smoothly down here. We will have a Leadership meeting with an Area 70 on Friday! So I am really looking forward to that! The rain (what little we had) has come to a stop. So it's sunny almost everyday. Sometimes we have a cloudy day. But not too often. Glad to hear that all is well and that everyone is happy! I really liked the pictures you sent! Looks like everyone had a lot of fun at the reception! Glad to see Nana and Brittany and Vern and Amy and Eliana all there too! I really miss everyone of them!
Tell everyone hi from me and send the whole family a big hug!!!
Love you very much!!!
Talk to you Sunday!!!!
Elder Cole Gunnoe
Email received April 25, 2016
Mom,
Glad to hear that it was a good week there for you all and that you were able to spend some time with Conner and Renee! I am excited to spend some time with them as well in October! It will be some much needed time with my broski! This week went well down here in Teresina! Here in the city, there are now 3 Zones with a 3rd stake to come very soon (I think it will be official on May 21/22)! So that's pretty exciting! Will be very cool to be here as a Third stake is organized in the city of Teresina! I am excited for that! I have served in 3 of the wards that are part of these two stakes now. I am getting to know the city pretty well! Tomorrow I will be going to Timon to work with the missionaries there and will be able to see some of the people that I met there! One of the men from the ward there is on the High Council and was at my current ward yesterday! I talked for a while with him and he said that all four of the people that I baptized there are very, very active and strong in the church!!! That made me so happy! And he also said that the young man that I baptized (Jerônimo) has helped to baptize 2 or 3 more people in his family!! I really feel now the true joy of missionary work and know what it feels like. I can now see the promise from the Lord in Doctrine and Covenants being fulfilled! (D&C 18:15-16) The man that went to sacrament meeting last week went again this week. He got there a little late, but he got there on his own again! We will be going to teach him tomorrow! His progress is going a bit slowly at the moment, but we are still trying to help him the best we can! My talk last Sunday was on missionary work. As it always is for the missionaries here! The bishop´s counselor told me that I would give a talk on Sunday morning before the meetings started, so I had PLENTY of time to prepare! But it went well. I don't really have a lot of trouble in getting a talk together. But it's always nice to have plenty of time! This last week we came across an amazing woman knocking on doors! She is a single mom of two kids. She works in a hospital as a nurse and is very open and willing to learn! She is someone that we really want to work with her a lot because she has a lot of potential to be baptized! her two kids are a boy of 19 and a girl of 10. Really good kids as well! I am really grateful that we came across her and are able to be teaching her!
Hope that you all have a great week and that the Lord continues to bless you in all you do!!
LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!
Elder Cole Gunnoe
Glad to hear that it was a good week there for you all and that you were able to spend some time with Conner and Renee! I am excited to spend some time with them as well in October! It will be some much needed time with my broski! This week went well down here in Teresina! Here in the city, there are now 3 Zones with a 3rd stake to come very soon (I think it will be official on May 21/22)! So that's pretty exciting! Will be very cool to be here as a Third stake is organized in the city of Teresina! I am excited for that! I have served in 3 of the wards that are part of these two stakes now. I am getting to know the city pretty well! Tomorrow I will be going to Timon to work with the missionaries there and will be able to see some of the people that I met there! One of the men from the ward there is on the High Council and was at my current ward yesterday! I talked for a while with him and he said that all four of the people that I baptized there are very, very active and strong in the church!!! That made me so happy! And he also said that the young man that I baptized (Jerônimo) has helped to baptize 2 or 3 more people in his family!! I really feel now the true joy of missionary work and know what it feels like. I can now see the promise from the Lord in Doctrine and Covenants being fulfilled! (D&C 18:15-16) The man that went to sacrament meeting last week went again this week. He got there a little late, but he got there on his own again! We will be going to teach him tomorrow! His progress is going a bit slowly at the moment, but we are still trying to help him the best we can! My talk last Sunday was on missionary work. As it always is for the missionaries here! The bishop´s counselor told me that I would give a talk on Sunday morning before the meetings started, so I had PLENTY of time to prepare! But it went well. I don't really have a lot of trouble in getting a talk together. But it's always nice to have plenty of time! This last week we came across an amazing woman knocking on doors! She is a single mom of two kids. She works in a hospital as a nurse and is very open and willing to learn! She is someone that we really want to work with her a lot because she has a lot of potential to be baptized! her two kids are a boy of 19 and a girl of 10. Really good kids as well! I am really grateful that we came across her and are able to be teaching her!
Hope that you all have a great week and that the Lord continues to bless you in all you do!!
LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!
Elder Cole Gunnoe
Email received April 18, 2016
Mom,
Things are going well here in Teresina! I didn't really miss the heat all that much, but it's not too bad! My new comp is from Rio Grande do Sul! I am in a part of the city that I had only been to once. And that one time was when I got here in the field. My area has the airport right in the middle! So the only time that I was here was when I got off the plane all that time ago! The new area is good! Good people in the ward and good people that we visit and teach. The ward has a pretty small attendance on Sundays. But the members are really nice! We were able to get some good work done this week! We are teaching a man who stopped my comp and his last comp on the street to ask where the church was and how he could get to know more. So we taught him a couple of times this week! We had marked to visit him on Saturday to see if he would go to church, but he wasn't home when we got there. On Sunday I was sitting on the stand (to give a talk) and I saw him enter in the back of the chapel (I forgot what the big room is called where the sacrament meeting happens). When I saw him enter, it made me really happy! He's got a ways to go before he's totally ready for baptism, but he accepted our help for him to prepare for baptism! We also met a woman who heard about the church and went looking online. When she found the church's site, she asked for a Book of Mormon to be sent to her. We went and visited her a couple of days ago. She's a really intelligent woman and doing a course on theology at home! So we'll see how that goes! Other than that, not too much to report on in the new area. Still getting my bearings and getting to know everyone, but I am excited! Teresina is hotter. but not as hot as the last time. It's in the "rainy" season right now, so it's a bit cooler. But not a whole lot!
Glad to hear that all is well!! Have a great week and safe travels!!!
LOVE YOU!!!!
Elder Cole Gunnoe
Things are going well here in Teresina! I didn't really miss the heat all that much, but it's not too bad! My new comp is from Rio Grande do Sul! I am in a part of the city that I had only been to once. And that one time was when I got here in the field. My area has the airport right in the middle! So the only time that I was here was when I got off the plane all that time ago! The new area is good! Good people in the ward and good people that we visit and teach. The ward has a pretty small attendance on Sundays. But the members are really nice! We were able to get some good work done this week! We are teaching a man who stopped my comp and his last comp on the street to ask where the church was and how he could get to know more. So we taught him a couple of times this week! We had marked to visit him on Saturday to see if he would go to church, but he wasn't home when we got there. On Sunday I was sitting on the stand (to give a talk) and I saw him enter in the back of the chapel (I forgot what the big room is called where the sacrament meeting happens). When I saw him enter, it made me really happy! He's got a ways to go before he's totally ready for baptism, but he accepted our help for him to prepare for baptism! We also met a woman who heard about the church and went looking online. When she found the church's site, she asked for a Book of Mormon to be sent to her. We went and visited her a couple of days ago. She's a really intelligent woman and doing a course on theology at home! So we'll see how that goes! Other than that, not too much to report on in the new area. Still getting my bearings and getting to know everyone, but I am excited! Teresina is hotter. but not as hot as the last time. It's in the "rainy" season right now, so it's a bit cooler. But not a whole lot!
Glad to hear that all is well!! Have a great week and safe travels!!!
LOVE YOU!!!!
Elder Cole Gunnoe
Email received April 18, 2016
Mom,
I've got a little bit more time on the computer today, but not a lot more. It's because I will be going to a new area with a new comp! I am being transferred from São Luís to Teresina! Going back to Teresina again! But this time it's to stay! My comp will be Elder Caetano. Don't really know much about him, but I´m excited! This week was a little bit slow. We had a Zone Meeting on Tuesday and
then my comp and another missionary traveled to a city called Santa Inês to pass the training to them. While they were there for two days, I stayed here with the comp of the other missionary and we worked in the two areas. But on the second day, all of them got really sick. The two that went to Santa Inês got really really sick and the missionary that stayed with me got really sick as well. So on Friday we stayed at home because he wasn't even able to walk. so that was a downer. But now they are a little better and walking at least. I am satisfied with the time and work that I did here in São Luís. I am excited to go to Teresina and be able to work there! It will be a new and interesting
experience. I gotta run because we have a TON of things to do at the apartment! We'll have to quite a bit still to do! But I am excited and anxious for what lies ahead! New opportunities and experiences await!
A GREAT WEEK!!!!
I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
Elder Cole Gunnoe
I've got a little bit more time on the computer today, but not a lot more. It's because I will be going to a new area with a new comp! I am being transferred from São Luís to Teresina! Going back to Teresina again! But this time it's to stay! My comp will be Elder Caetano. Don't really know much about him, but I´m excited! This week was a little bit slow. We had a Zone Meeting on Tuesday and
then my comp and another missionary traveled to a city called Santa Inês to pass the training to them. While they were there for two days, I stayed here with the comp of the other missionary and we worked in the two areas. But on the second day, all of them got really sick. The two that went to Santa Inês got really really sick and the missionary that stayed with me got really sick as well. So on Friday we stayed at home because he wasn't even able to walk. so that was a downer. But now they are a little better and walking at least. I am satisfied with the time and work that I did here in São Luís. I am excited to go to Teresina and be able to work there! It will be a new and interesting
experience. I gotta run because we have a TON of things to do at the apartment! We'll have to quite a bit still to do! But I am excited and anxious for what lies ahead! New opportunities and experiences await!
A GREAT WEEK!!!!
I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
Elder Cole Gunnoe
Email received March 28, 2016
Mom,
Unfortunately I will not be able to send a whole lot this week. We had some timing issues and only one computer to use for the 4 of us in the apartment. And because of that, I got stuck with the least amount of time.
But know that all is well here in São Luís! I am going to Teresina tomorrow and will get the box on Wednesday! Will be sure to enjoy it very much!!
Seeing as my email is so short, I´ll make up for it with some pictures!!
Love you so much!!!!!!!!
Elder Cole Gunnoe
Unfortunately I will not be able to send a whole lot this week. We had some timing issues and only one computer to use for the 4 of us in the apartment. And because of that, I got stuck with the least amount of time.
But know that all is well here in São Luís! I am going to Teresina tomorrow and will get the box on Wednesday! Will be sure to enjoy it very much!!
Seeing as my email is so short, I´ll make up for it with some pictures!!
Love you so much!!!!!!!!
Elder Cole Gunnoe
Email received March 21, 2016
Mom,
Things are going well here in São Luís! This week was a tiring one! One Tuesday we had planned to work with another set of missionaries from our zone (forgot how it´s called in english...) and it went well! Just had one little surprise. When we were getting ready for the district meeting on Tuesday morning, the assistants showed up out of nowhere in our apartment! They just showed up! And said that they would be working with us that day. So we had a division, and a surprise division on top of it all! But it was really good! I was able to work with Elder Lunt from my district in the MTC! He´s one of the Assistants. Then on Wednesday, I went to Santa Inês. Things went well there. One of the missionaries wasn't feeling all that great. But I was able to work with his comp a little bit. Then Thursday until today were pretty normal days. One of the things that I learned in Sacrament Meeting last week was that we shouldn't "improvise" our life. We shouldn't just take things as they come to us. We need to have plans and goals and a structure in life so that we can do all the things that we need to. This week was a good meeting too. Half way through the talks, the power went out! So we had to make do and the speakers just talked a bit louder. It was interesting, but good as well! I believe that next week, I´ll be going to Teresina for the leadership counsel meeting. Not 100% sure, but I think it'll be sometime next week. So I will be able to get my box and any letters that have gotten here. One thing that has been messing with my sense of time is that Easter won't be on Conference weekend this year... This Sunday will be an Easter Sunday a bit different. But I am very excited for General Conference! I've gotta start thinking of things that I want to find answers to in conference. Gotta be prepared! Glad to hear the spring is off to a good start there! Fall started probably the same day that spring started there. But it's still in the cooler part of the year. Not long from now, it'll stop raining and start really heating up! Not looking forward to that! But it'll all be alright! As soon as it's getting really really hot here, I'll be going back to the really cold! Have a great week and stay out of trouble!!!
LOVE YOU!!!
Elder Cole Gunnoe
Things are going well here in São Luís! This week was a tiring one! One Tuesday we had planned to work with another set of missionaries from our zone (forgot how it´s called in english...) and it went well! Just had one little surprise. When we were getting ready for the district meeting on Tuesday morning, the assistants showed up out of nowhere in our apartment! They just showed up! And said that they would be working with us that day. So we had a division, and a surprise division on top of it all! But it was really good! I was able to work with Elder Lunt from my district in the MTC! He´s one of the Assistants. Then on Wednesday, I went to Santa Inês. Things went well there. One of the missionaries wasn't feeling all that great. But I was able to work with his comp a little bit. Then Thursday until today were pretty normal days. One of the things that I learned in Sacrament Meeting last week was that we shouldn't "improvise" our life. We shouldn't just take things as they come to us. We need to have plans and goals and a structure in life so that we can do all the things that we need to. This week was a good meeting too. Half way through the talks, the power went out! So we had to make do and the speakers just talked a bit louder. It was interesting, but good as well! I believe that next week, I´ll be going to Teresina for the leadership counsel meeting. Not 100% sure, but I think it'll be sometime next week. So I will be able to get my box and any letters that have gotten here. One thing that has been messing with my sense of time is that Easter won't be on Conference weekend this year... This Sunday will be an Easter Sunday a bit different. But I am very excited for General Conference! I've gotta start thinking of things that I want to find answers to in conference. Gotta be prepared! Glad to hear the spring is off to a good start there! Fall started probably the same day that spring started there. But it's still in the cooler part of the year. Not long from now, it'll stop raining and start really heating up! Not looking forward to that! But it'll all be alright! As soon as it's getting really really hot here, I'll be going back to the really cold! Have a great week and stay out of trouble!!!
LOVE YOU!!!
Elder Cole Gunnoe
Email received March 14, 2016
Mom,
Things are going well down here in the Southern Hemisphere! This week was a pretty tiring one! Started off with planning the Zone Meeting all afternoon and night on Monday, then the actual meeting on Tuesday. On Wednesday I went to another area with another missionary to do a baptismal interview. That day we were going after a lot of people that have passed some time away from the church. We received a list from the Stake President and he asked us to visit those people to see what the chance of progress was. That day we walked probably around 5 or 6 miles! We went after 10-15 names and addresses and found 5. Of those 5 addresses we found, 3 of the names were correct. So we actually found 3 more people to visit. Which is great! 3 people that the missionaries
there can help bring back to activity in the church! But it was a very long day! On Thursday, we were working here in my area with the same kind of list. We were only able to find 3 or 4 people, but it was good! Got to know the area and people better! The on Friday we were organizing and inviting everyone we could to a ward ice cream night. We were responsible for the message and activity. But at the end of it all, the whole activity wasn't very well organized. More than 40 or 50 2-15 year old people showed up just to eat ice cream. So needless to say, it didn't go as well as we had hoped... But we got to eat ice cream! So that was good! Then on Saturday Elder Pinheiro was sick and we stayed home the whole day. I think it was some bad food that he ate and got sick. But he´s all better now! Sunday we spent the morning resting so that Elder Pinheiro could get his strength back. The meetings were really good! I was able to learn a lot. I learned quite a bit with the talks in sacrament meeting! Some new things that I can put in practice in my life! Other than that, not a whole lot going on down here. This week will be a busy one. I will be going to Santa Inês to visit the missionaries there on Wednesday and Thursday. So this week will probably go by pretty quickly.
Hope that all is well there at home and that everyone is happy and healthy! Have a great week and stay out of trouble!!
LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!
Elder Cole Gunnoe
Things are going well down here in the Southern Hemisphere! This week was a pretty tiring one! Started off with planning the Zone Meeting all afternoon and night on Monday, then the actual meeting on Tuesday. On Wednesday I went to another area with another missionary to do a baptismal interview. That day we were going after a lot of people that have passed some time away from the church. We received a list from the Stake President and he asked us to visit those people to see what the chance of progress was. That day we walked probably around 5 or 6 miles! We went after 10-15 names and addresses and found 5. Of those 5 addresses we found, 3 of the names were correct. So we actually found 3 more people to visit. Which is great! 3 people that the missionaries
there can help bring back to activity in the church! But it was a very long day! On Thursday, we were working here in my area with the same kind of list. We were only able to find 3 or 4 people, but it was good! Got to know the area and people better! The on Friday we were organizing and inviting everyone we could to a ward ice cream night. We were responsible for the message and activity. But at the end of it all, the whole activity wasn't very well organized. More than 40 or 50 2-15 year old people showed up just to eat ice cream. So needless to say, it didn't go as well as we had hoped... But we got to eat ice cream! So that was good! Then on Saturday Elder Pinheiro was sick and we stayed home the whole day. I think it was some bad food that he ate and got sick. But he´s all better now! Sunday we spent the morning resting so that Elder Pinheiro could get his strength back. The meetings were really good! I was able to learn a lot. I learned quite a bit with the talks in sacrament meeting! Some new things that I can put in practice in my life! Other than that, not a whole lot going on down here. This week will be a busy one. I will be going to Santa Inês to visit the missionaries there on Wednesday and Thursday. So this week will probably go by pretty quickly.
Hope that all is well there at home and that everyone is happy and healthy! Have a great week and stay out of trouble!!
LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!
Elder Cole Gunnoe
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