September 24th, 2012

I spent a long time rearranging my photo album putting the new pictures next to the old ones... Wow, everyone is changing and growing up. It seems like i wanted to grow up and get away, but now i want to stop and go back! I think about jake and cakers going on missions after i get back and what that will be like. Or what happens when i go to college for realz... so close but still really far. I really love you guys and i hope you know that i miss you. Each and every one of you guys individually. The pictures were and are awesome thank you so much. I know how hard it is to take time out for someone that isn't even there with a million other things going on!

  

This week was good. We taught a record number of lessons and are preparing a couple people for baptism. I still get frustrated at times with myself, but i am seeing the Lord's hand in my life more and more. This week we had an intense comp. inventory and i am once again convinced that i will not be getting married ever haha. I guess the problem is i critique myself so much that at times i don't even like me... so how will i like anyone else??? The Lord has been helping me overcome this, but charity is not easy. I feel like the Lord has me on a mission to learn humility, charity, and gratitude.

I learn so much about each of these points every day. We are trying to reactivate a family right now, mom less active + dad alcoholic + 17 yr daughter who has a son + 20 yr son who recently left a clinic for alcoholics. It is amazing how i see MY family in other people and this makes the work a lot easier. I hope that we can do our part because the Lord will do His. We did a division this week and i met ANOTHER missionary from seattle haha. This transfer has gone by soooo fast i hardly believe that it has almost been a year. Now i feel like im racing against the clock! Pressure is on!

I love you guys!

Sept. 17, 2012

Momma e Daddy,

I tried to attach the recording last week and i though it went through so i deleted it to make room on the recorder! ugh! technology drives me nuts some times. But i sent the email to dad again and i just hope that at least the email goes through. So we started a 40 day fast of poor behaviors... and today is day 8. It is not easy and we find ourselves self criticizing a lot, but we are learning patience and humility. We chose english as one of our poor behaviors. the missionary manual says we should use the language of our mission the entire time. So nothing but portguese 24/7. it is already helping and on our lists (individual lists) of poor behaviors it is probably the easiest haha. I am really grateful for inspiration. And i am so grateful for revelation. personal revelation! We visited a family this week and the daughter said: "i don't totally believe in God because i don't know where he came from... but i pray to a higher power or grand achitect" Her mom on the other hand is catholic and believes in God... So i asked: "How do you know that God exists? and that he loves you?" she didn't have a very solid answer (like most people we ask she said - "because sometimes we ask for stuff and it appears so i think he exists"). She didn't like her answer so she asked me how i know. I smiled haha. Looked at the ground for a second and said: "I know He exists because i have an open conversation with Him. I talk to Him and He talks back!" We can't ask and wait for Him to prove Himself! haha. We have to actively seek Him. This week i have been keeping track of some cool experiences. After a tough day i got into my bed to review my purification list (behaviors to stop or change) with the Lord, but i was sad and frustrated.We had sat down with a family to explain the book of mormon and they were not understanding. We were sitting with dad, his brother and the neighbor. They said: "every one has their way of believing and obeying the commandments" to which i said: "That is right, and so does Christ. So what you think and what i think doesn't matter. Only HIS WAY is the right way." ... So the man's wife came out of the kitchen yelling! "Stop wasting our time! we are already saved! you need to find someone that needs this message. We already know the words and will of God." ... to which i replied. "Do you remember the faricese and saducese? The used the bible too and they questioned Christ using it. Our SAVIOR! The one who wrote the bible! So he asked them a question- do you read to scriptures? (here i asked them- you all read the bible?) and christ replied- then you do not understand them." I then explained the book of mormon and the importance of a modern day prophet. long story short we will never go back to that house haha.
I said- "Heavenly Father i am in some serious need right now. You know it and i am asking for a word of comfort. Show me in your words what the Lord expects of me." I had my quad (portuguese... english is not allowed) and i opened right then and there. 2 Nephi 6:17-18:

17 But thus saith the Lord: Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; ^afor the ^bMighty God shall ^cdeliver his covenant people. For thus saith the Lord: I will contend with them that contendeth with thee—

18 And I will feed them that oppress thee, with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine; and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Savior and thy ^aRedeemer, the ^bMighty One of Jacob.

My God is bigger than anything else in this world. no matter the obstacles, He is bigger. His church will grow, His truth will change lives, and His justice will fall upon those who deny Him.

Sept. 9, 2012

We had an amazing week as companions and as a zone... in reality, as a mission. We had zone counsel with president and it was amazing. We learned a ton and i am still amazed with how much i am learning everyday here on the mission. I cleaned the bathroom today and as i was cleaning i thought of a cool quote i heard about christ's atonement: "You don't understand the strength of the wind by laying down, but by standing on two feet and walking against it." Christ understands best our trials because he NEVER bowed to them, so yes... better than anyone he knows. As i cleaned the bathroom i thought: "You don't understand how dirty the bathroom is by looking at it (or smelling it...) but when you grab a sponge, a rag, and a mop and clean it on your hands and knees." I thought a little about how King Benjamin worked 'with his people' instead of making them work for him. I need to work more with the Elders to help them out. We had our first zone conference and i was nervous right up until we started... the second we started- butterflies left. Um... what!? We left a really solid training with the Elders and one came up to me after and said: "Usually we have zone conference just to have it, but today was diferent. Thanks Elder Grondel, thanks Elder Banner. we really needed that." How neat? I am so greatful for this opportunity i have to serve and learn to fight pride. This week was hard. I gave into my pride. I dominated the lessons, didn't trust my companion and it really affected the both of us. We started a 40 day fast of poor behaviors and i put 'confiding in myself instead of the Lord and his servants' as one attitude that must be overcome. yesterday, during a lesson i was praying soooo hard that the Lord would help me. I had the bible in my hands and the Lord said: "i need to talk to you" i had been kind of leafing through for the next verse and when i heard Him i stopped and read the first verse: Psalms 121:1-2. I will leave that for you to read! But the Lord showed me that my companion is my relief and my aid. I cannot do this alone. and if i try to, i will not suceed.
I have learned some neat lessons these past few weeks but one is that the Lord really talks with us if we let Him. So this week, when you guys are doing personal study in the book of mormon (because you all study everyday :) I want you to start with prayer and bring a question to the Lord in that prayer. Ask him something about your life. A frienship, school, a problem. And how you can improve or resolve that. In the session, wherever you are, He WILL! you don't have to study by topic to receive answers. I promise if you do this, you will find a newer and stronger relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Amo muito vocês!
-Elder Grondel jr.

Aug. 20, 2012

Hey dad,

Just so you know i have been studying in mosiah 14-18 these last couple weeks and i have found a lot of similarities between the mission of alma and me. It was so cool to read and apply what happened there- alma says he only taught those who accepted him and they were MANY! this is proof that people are prepared to hear our message and there are a LOT of them who are just waiting. But he doesn't stop there, he talks about what the people did to pursue his teachings and seek more! they went into a jungle infested with wild beasts to hear his words. and i love how simply he teaches he says that he taught faith in christ, repentance, and the plan of salvation (redemption). People don't need to know everything to gain a testimony and be baptized. but they do need to be hungry and willing to learn more.

Dad, i just got called as zone leader and i need a lot of help. The assistants came and will be working with us until next sunday, but i know you got called early, so maybe you could send me so ideas of how to help, train, and inspire the elders. also, how to raise the standard for them and push them. I need to love, but president expects a lot and im sure the seventy who calls for the numbers of the mission isn't happy go lucky with president fernandes.

 

I am in a city called videira and i am working with Elder Banner- american- and he is LANDON if he was into musical theatre instead of guns. Same voice, hand gestures, jokes, it is awesome and i love it!

I love you dad and i am so glad that you have so many opportunities to teach. You deserve it! You have worked so hard and it is a great example for me to be able to see the cumulation of all the sacrifices and hard work.

Thanks dad! I love you,

-Elder Grondel jr.

Aug. 13, 2012

Another week of AMAZING! just flew by and the answer is yes... i still rock. it is weird thinking that i have been on the mission for 10 months... 5 months here in Palhoça and i just finished training Elder Alison. He is one of the best missionaries i have had the privilege of working with. he is obedient, he is hungry to study, and he wants to help more than anything. he has ideas and stuff he wants to try to go above and beyond the calling. It has been so humbling working with him. Because i got to a point thinking: "how can i help him? or am i failing him?" and yesterday we had our last companionship inventory. It was tough knowing that we will have to say goodbye tomorrow, but i will tell you right now, it was so rewarding and so fulfilling. In tears, he thanked me for everthing, the compliments, the critiques, the help, the patience... a really neat experience that i hope he has here in 3 months- because he just got called to train! The new missionary will take my place and i am headed to a city called Videira! the land of the grapes as they call it here. lots of juice, wine... joke! and coldddd!

We had mission conference with a member of the seventy- Elder Godoy! I barely know him, but i love that man. (more in the recording). Just being around him made me want to be a better person, to think more positively. I think that is what embodies a humble leader. a true disciple of christ lives what he believes to the extent that people literally "see his good works and glorify his father in heaven." What a privilege i had to sit and talk with him one on one!

I was reading what brady said and i think at times i would have been jealous but i, to this day, remember that feeling when i took 3rd at state. Electricity! Pure adrenaline, pride, joy, sadness- an extasy that i cannot really describe. But when brady and the tumwater thunderbirds got to the state finals... it trumped that feeling. When brady filled the hole on 4th and inches and stuck the running back in the backfield..! I remember that like it was yesterday. I jumped up (on one leg cause of my crutches haha) and cheered so loud haha obnoxious loud. And when the game was over i remember fighting through the crowd to hug my brother. I was SO proud!! I got to him and the tears leaped into my eyes. it was a joy that wasn't gained by my accomplishment or my effort, but it was because Brady is a state champion. And when he won the hammer at the banquet, once again that feeling came. And once, will you just show off a little bit?!?

Jacob, remember that you are the best one on the field. Right now. You are the best, most qualified, and hardest working at your position. Go out and be the best Jake every single day. Not for coach otton, not for tony prentice, not for mom, dad, brady, me... do it for you. Cause you love this game. More than the two of us combined. Go out and love it jake. Have fun and always, ALWAYS stay cocky.

I love you guys a lot. I had a chance to meet up with some great friends at the mission conference. namely elder bell (aka my best friend in the world) and elder noel (are you guys friends with his parents on facebook? they live in seattle...). it was so great to see our progress in the language, teaching, maturity... i love these guys. my friends from home have not written me haha. ever. totally deserve it, but the friendships i am making here on the mission, i will have forever, literally. I love my MTC districts 54-E and 49-B. holla! haha.

I love you guys! Have a great week and remember that Heavenly Father is taking care of me so don't worry. Where the heck are my glasses!? :P

Feito com amor,

Elder Grondel jr :)

Aug. 6 2012

Dearest family, how i loveth thee!

So i learned once again that mom and dad are always right. about everything (you will understand in the recording...)

I went on division with elder atoa a couple weeks and ago and we were talking about what we would do if we could go back in time 2-3 years... we both agreed that we would punch me in the face and if that didn't knock some sense into me, we would have to repeat the action. Gosh! you learn so stinkin much to late haha. i sent an email to president saying- "i don't feel good enough president." he responded- "Elder, the day you feel qualified to be a missionary in all the facets of the work, you will be getting on a plane and going home. the same happens with bishops, stake pres, and mission presidents." This all goes back to what my MTC professor (Shout out to my boi Jare bear) Irmão Perry said: "Throughout your missions the Lord is going to bend you and mold you. A little bit here and a little there, but he is never going to stop." He went on to explain that the last 3 months of his mission were the most difficult.

oh, are you guys watching the olympics?! we got to lunch and a family had the olympics on =/ i always loved watching the olympics as a family. i remember we always, ALWAYS watched gymnastics together in the summer and ice skating/hockey in the winter. It's funny what we take for granted. And even funnier the things that stick :)

 

SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE:

-This week when we were teaching the restauration at mari luci and jose's, mari luci explained how the gospel has made her more patient, how her faith in christ has grown, and it was so neat to see someone that has truly been converted to the gospel. She can't read very well, but she wants to so bad. When we extended the invite to read to her friend andre, she added her testimony. "Andre you are a really great person and you deserve this. if you don't read... you don't know what you are missing." (ELDER PERRY- i will come back in 2-15 years and see her and jose in the temple!)

SNAKEY!

-So when an investigator takes a liking for an Elder or elders we give her the name: SNAKEY! and we got our first one this week. usely a snakey is 5-10 years old and adorable... but our snakey is 20 and assustadora! puxa vida família! haha. we marked to do a visit with the family, but when we got there we realized that she had a totally different view of our visit. Mom was cool, bro was sleeping, and snakey was getting ready for prom! Seriously! She was finishing her hair in a dress and heels with all the makeup. Elder Alison asked: "are you going out?" hahaha. she responded: "no... why?" hahaha. Luckily we brought the ward missionaries with us so the environment wasn't weird. Mom got an answer, but snakey, oh silly snakey, wasn't as interested in the message as she was in the messengers. yeah.

SUPER PDAY:

We went to a less active members house and made candy bars! he taught us how to do everything and oh my gosh they are soooo good! So now i don't need school. WILLY WONKA! :P

Luvs!

Eu amo vocês!

-Elder Grondel

July 30th 2012

I love you guys,

I cannot believe the shirleys are actually going this time. so many times they said, they planned, and it finally happened. WE DONT NEED THEM ANYWAYS! WE CAN HAVE ALL THE FUN WE WANT WITHOUT THEM! :P nah that makes me sad gang. they were always such good friends and brian ... bishop shirley helped me out so much in my preparation for the mission. i will forever be grateful.

That ice cream... i showed it to my companion and he didn't believe me hahaha. they don't have that serving size here and it would be SO expensive if they did haha. This week president came to our ward and it was great. He gave a training that went SO well. i learned a ton about being a future leader- young mens pres, elders quorum pres, bishop, stake pres... he said that the ward grows in 3 ways:

1- baptism

2- reactivation

3-... (the elders and sisters cannot help here) Having babies!

But how can we help? how do we make these 3 happen?

1- Interviews! If you are the president you should interview every single member in the quorum- know where he lives, what he does, family, etc...

2- Executive comitee has to happen weekly (invite the missionaries 10-15 minutes)

3- Visits have to happen- not just once a month home teaching, but visits to members in the quorum, leaders, friends... invite friends over to watch a movie and invite the elders or sisters to drop by after. invite a family over for family night and invite the missionaries to provide the message!

In 5 years as a stake president, 7 chapels became 30 chapels, 1 stake became 3 stakes, and the numbers exploded. President then went on to read D&C 58 where it says that we should always be involved in a good cause and perform much righteousness. A servant that needs to be commanded in all things is not of worth...

I love president fernandes. He is teaching me so much more than just the gospel. he is teaching (us) me how i can be a great husband in the future, a great dad, a better person. How i can be sucessful in business, school, family, church leadership positions...etc. I am so grateful for being here on the mission. This week we found a really special family and we taught the restoration... when we finished the lesson and were about to leave the commitments to read, pray, and visit the mom asked: "so if i wanna visit your church... where is it and what times during the week?" haha. They accepted the baptismal invite and we had a great day! on saturday we got into 4 new houses! that is more than i have ever done in a day... and in some cases weeks! The Lord is preparing the way for us. We found and taught another family haha. We made the contact and he asked how long the message takes. "Can you do it in 15 minutes i have to leave at 6:30?" ... YES! haha. We got in the house, taught the restoration, and the spirit was really strong! at the end he said that his parents were members but they passed away a while ago. They were baptized after he had already left the house, but he would like us to come back so he can learn more.

People are prepared and i realized this week that it is not us vs. them. no. we have a message that is really special. it can change lives and help everyone that hears it. they don't know what they are missing!

The gospel is true, the angel flew, true blue and all the way through! OORAH! haha. oh ps: USA! USA! USA! :D

Amo vocês!

-Elder Grondel

pps: i am thinking about changing my name tag to ELDER THOMAS... because no one says my name write and they end up calling me Elder Grande which means big... or Grandão (Grandow) which means really big.