Letter #84- "So What´s it Feel Like to be a Ghost."‏

Dear family. 


It is great to be able to send you an email today. I was thinking this morning how awesome it is to be alive today when we are blessed with so much technology. Can you think how different my mission would be if we could only communicate by letters? Wow!! Snail mail!!! hah. I am grateful for this chance to be able to write you. AND write you every week. It´s a blessing. 


Oh me oh my. I have some neat things I would like to share with you today. It´s been a wonderful week. You all know that I really love Guarapuava (as Eric would say, I have a man-crush on Guarapuava) I would like to start off by sharing some news that I have heard from Guarapuava. So yesterday the secretaries from the mission office called me. They were connecting me with a phone conference with Elder Gabriel (long story, but suffice it to say, he gave me things for me to give to the office and needed to make sure I remembered) but after we talking about that, he informed me that Rosimeri (Gustavo and Henrique´s mom) was baptized on Saturday night! I got so happy! But there is more. While they were getting ready to start the service, an investigator that we were teaching named João was looking at the water, then he looked up at the missionaries and said "Brothers" (everyone here calls the missionaries brothers because they don´t understand that we are ELDERS, even if you explain it like a million times, but it´s fine). He says "Brothers, what´s holding me back from being baptized?" YEA!!!!! They called the district leader over and Elder Rodrigues did the interview and João was baptized with Rosimeri! YES João!!!! That´s my boy! He´s the one that said as he was grabbing the Book of Mormon, "But Irmão, how can I go to war without my weapon!?" hahaha. He is amazing!!! So that was a nice little notícia!

This past week, here in 4 Barras, we´ve been finding new investigators, and finding old investigators. We´ve marked a ton of dates. We have been working our tails off. Poor little Elder Schmidt has blisters. But we´re walking them off. I just love my companion. Talk about a missionary of faith. Leaving Germany and coming to Brasil to teach the Gospel. He is amazing and he is trying so much. Thanks for the prayers family, we are feeling them and keep them coming!!!

So last Wednesday, after p-day, we went out to work. We planned to visit a few people but everything fell through, so we started doing contacts (I taught Elder Schmidt how to do contacts) and knocking doors. Well, like the 5th door we knocked we found a family. They invited us in but said, "Please be fast, we´re on our way out." So we taught the first lesson and invited them to be baptized on the 11. They accepted to prepare. Then we went back this week to leave a Book of Mormon with them (we couldn´t the first time because of time.) They had been praying and waiting for an answer. So we taught them about the Book of Mormon, and invited them to church. They accepted. I was really amazed by their faith. It was so wonderful. The Lord is being very wonderful to us. 

Here´s a neat story... when I was in Timbú, like a year and a half ago, we recieved a reference from the mission office for a family. They lived in 4 barras (but we didn´t know) we went there and taught them a few lessons and when we realized their house was in the other area, we passed the family to the other missionaries. Now I am in the area where this family lives. I thought they had been baptized because when I was in Timbú, they were progressing a lot. Well, I looked for them on Sunday, but I did´t see them. Sunday afternoon we were walking down a street when I saw 2 women talking in front of a house. I got the strongest impression to speak with them. But I thought, "Elder Askins, don´t be annoying, they are practically walking inside and they are talking, don´t be rude." but then the urge to speak to them came again, I´ve learned a little on the mission to listen to the Spirit. So I went. I walked up to them and started talking. I looked at one of the women and said that we wanted to pass by. She said no that missionaires from our church have already passed by her house. I asked when. She said almost 2 years ago and then it hit me. I asked if she remembered who the missionaries were. She said "2 Americans, one who spoke really well, and one who didn´t speak at all." I said, "I know, because I am that missionary that couldn't speak." She looked at me and then at my name tag and then at me and smiled. She invited us to come by the next day. We stopped by on Monday and taught her and her family the first lesson (again) and invited them to read the Book of Mormon and to pray about it and then to go to church on Sunday. They didn´t completely commit, but we'll pass by again this week. As I was leaving her house I felt the Spirit really strong. I thought "God is wonderful, He knows all of His children. He knows who we are and our situations in our lives and He loves that family enough to send the same missionary almost 2 years later to her house." That´s  amazing.

Church was wonderful. I saw a lot of people in 4 Barras that I already had known, and I saw everyone from Timbú. Everyone was coming up to talk to me. It was so nice. I told Elder Grigsby, "How do they remember who I am? I couldn´t say ANYTHING when I was first here." He laughed and said, "That´s exactly what they remember about you." hah. It is good to be back. We miraculously had 2 investigators at church, though at the beginning I thought they were members. It was great to get to know them, we are helping them prepare for baptism on the 18. We are even starting to prepare dates for Christmas. 

We´ve gotten some offers already for Christmas and even offers to use their phones to talk to our families. We will plan it out this next week and hopefully next Wednesday I will have the number and the info. 

I sure do love you my family.
I want you to know that I have a testimony of this work. I know that God lives and loves us. He knows us and cares about us and our lives. He directs this work and this mission. I know that this is God´s church on the earth, the only True and Living Church on the face of the planet and I know this because for many many different experiences on and off my mission, I have prayed to God and asked Him if this was His church and He has answered me everytime. I know any person who reads the Book of Mormon and prays to know if it is true will receive a witness like I have received it. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today. Jesus Christ lives and is the Savior of the World.
I love you all with all my heart. Today I hit my 20 month mark. As landon brough sings, "It´s a bitter sweet feeling." I love you all. até!
com amor
Elder Nathan Palmer Askins 

Letter #83-"It´s Ja for Germany!"‏

Well my beloved family. I´ll explain why I put that as my title! hah!! This past week was fantastically amazing!!!! I don´t think I have ever worked so hard in my entire life. We taught 87 lessons and did like 430 contacts. The Open House for the Chapel in Bonsucesso was amazing! Really it was amazing! We taught a lot of people, but what was better is that we found a lot of wonderful people that were searching for the truth. It was a wonderful experience and I am so grateful that I was able to participate in the Open House. 


On Saturday, we had the beautiful dedication there. I don´t even remember how many people were there. I think like 400 people. It was so wonderful and very emotional for me. Let me tell you why:
About an hour before the dedication, President Cordon walked in and pointed to me and said he needed to talk to me. I thought it was about my temple recommend (I needed to get it renewed) I walked into the room and thanked him for being able to do the interview in all the hustle and bustle of the dedication and he said, "Oh yeah. Well, I need to talk to you about something else." My stomach dropped. "You have a new assignment." you know that face that President Monson does at the pulpit that makes everyone laugh. I felt like that face. "Your mission has been filled with new things. You are being transferred. You are going to train a new missionary. He´s from Germany." How awesome is that? On a scale of one to ten, family, that would be 1,000,000,000. Germans are awesome. President then informed me that he didn´t know how much English my companion would know and he informed me that he wouldn´t know hardly any Portuguese. You see, he had to learn English to be able to learn Portuguese. 

Then we participated in the dedication of the new chapel, which was awesome!!!! and we had 2 baptisms in our area after!!! In total there were 5 baptisms! (2 from me and Elder Gabriel, one from the branch and 2 from 2 other branches) It was super special. Henrique and Gustavo were baptized. I baptized Henrique and Gustavo was baptized by Elder Gabriel. It was so awesome. BRAND NEW BAPTISMAL FONT. 

The next day we had meetings in the brand new chapel. It was a dream. It was wonderfuL!!!!! After we had a BBQ at a member of the district presidency's house. Afterward, I told everyone goodbye. We went to Cenita and Clarinda. We went to Valdir and Zenilda´s house and we went to Henrique and Gustavo´s house. Gustavo cried a lot. I did too. But their mom, Rosimeri said she was going to get baptized. She is amazing and such an example to me. I loved it. We visited Pres. Paulo (branch pres.) and also Juliano and Franciele. Franciele is getting baptized at the end of this week. How awesome will it be!!!!!

Then I came home and packed up. I went to Curitiba that next morning. The first hour I was reading notes that people wrote me and I was crying. It was a weird feeling. I gave everything in that branch. So when I left, I felt like I was leaving a part of me behind. A part of me will always be in Guarapuava. The lady on the bus next to me kept looking at me. I started talking to her and I taught her the first lesson. hah.

In Curitiba I got my new companion!!! He is so awesome! He speaks English really well and he will soon be speaking Portuguese way better than me. Our area is called Quatro Barras. Which is right next to Timbú (where I started my mission) I already saw Tutei (do you remmeber him family- my friend?). It is neat. We spent the whole day cleaning. We have seen some miracles already (like arriving in our area without a problem.) This morning we bought some cleaning materials and were coming back to our house and a girl started shouting and running and came up to us and said that she had lived in Utah for a year with a Mormon family and loves the church but hasn´t been able to go here. So we told her where the church was and then we will baptize her. How great! I love you family! I am so grateful that we can be together forever, please pray for my new companion, Elder Schmidt. AND FOR US. I love you
com amor
elder askins

Letter #82- "This work´s gonna fix what don´t work anymore!"‏

Oh my goodness family. This has been a wonderful week. We have worked a ton. 


Julio got baptized. He was so happy. He was crying after his interview. He wanted to be baptized so bad!!! He stopped smoking and drinking coffee and our Branch Mission Leader (LMR) baptized him. It was wonderful. 


We have been making all the preparations for the dedication of the new chapel in our branch. Hallelujah. I feel so blessed. I don´t know how many missionaries passed in the area wanting to be here for the chapel dedication, and I have the opportunity. How great is that?! I am blessed. 


Yesterday we worked so hard. Almost 100 people yesterday visited the chapel. It was amazing. We did tours inside and showed all the rooms and the members explained the organization of the church. Everyone that walked in and did a tour was like an elect. It was perfect. I am amazed. For so long I was going out and trying to find people and for this week, in the open house, we stay in the church and people come to us. It was amazing. I did a tour for one man and at the end he said that he was like Joseph Smith, searching for the truth. He is gonna come to church on Sunday. Elder Gabriel did a tour for a man and he really enjoyed it. HAH at the end Elder Gabriel was getting his address. He said he lived next door (next door is a baptist church). Elder Gabriel "At the baptist church?" and he just looked down. "Are you the Pastor?" hahahah he LOVED it. 

Yesterday one of our most favorite families kind of cut us. But I think they will come around. It has nothing to do with not getting an answer, as much as being afraid of change. Their son is so awesome. He really is enjoying all of this church stuff. I know he has been praying and getting answers. He is a good kid. 


Henrique, Gustavo, and Rosimere will be getting baptized on Saturday. Please pray for them!!!! Also, Marcio and Lucimara have dates to get baptized. They are struggling with the Word of Wisdom but I have never seen 2 people that have such a determination to stop smoking. They will be blessed. Please pray for them as well. Please pray for Franciele. She is Juliano´s wife. She wants to get baptized on Saturday (to be the first person baptized in the new chapel) but she is also fighting the cigarettes. Please pray for Lucas as well. He is so awesome and is praying to get an answer. The chapel will be dedicated on Saturday!!! How awesome!!!! I am trying to upload some photos to send to you all, but it´s being really difficult.

This past Monday at district meeting, we had a training on the Doctrine of Christ (See 2nd Nephi 31) and in the meeting we had a testimony meeting. I started crying in my testimony. It hit me that I wouldn't be a missionary with the name 'Elder' for too much longer. It broke my heart.  Don´t get me worng family, I love you all and am happy that I will see you again. But the Mission is a huge miracle to me that changed my life for forever. I have been so blessed because of the Mission. I love the Mission. This is the best thing. I would totally do it over again. The Mission is the best thing. I love it so much. I know that this Church is true. God lives and calls prophets. Jesus is the Christ and this is His church. 
Com Amor!
Elder Nathan Palmer Askins   
p.s. the fotos won´t upload. sorry :(

Letter #81-We can build a brand new home.‏

You are not alone.

Dear family.

My word, I love you all so much. I am so grateful that we are a family and that we can be together forever someday. That is the miracle of the Gospel. That is the purpose of missionary work. Our purpose is to bring people to the temple to make covenants with the Lord for all time and eternity. Consequently, you have to first be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that this church is true. I love this church. I love this work. 

I had a dream a few nights ago that I went on divisions with Elder Oaks from the Quorum of the 12 Apostles. THAT would be pretty awesome. Well, this week was fantastic!!! We are teaching a family: Rosimery, Henrique, and Gustavo. I´ll just start off by saying they are amazing! They will be baptized at the Chapel Dedication (which will be on the 19) They are so awesome. We taught them the first lesson last week. Gustavo and Henrique went to church on Sunday (we had 11 investigators!!!) They loved it. It was super awesome. They want to serve missions!! Henrique can go in a year! They will be fantastic missionaries. Rosimery told us yesterday that Gustavo used to be very rebellious, but from the day that we passed by, he has completely changed. He will just grab the Book of Mormon and read it. He reads by himself, he´ll read it to his mom. He has changed because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I am really gaining a huge testimony of the Book of Mormon. I know that any person who reads it with real intent will receive an answer and know that it is true. I know that the Book of Mormon changes our nature. It increases the Spirit in our lives. I have grown to love the Book of Mormon here on the mission.

We are also teaching a wonderful family that is now on the quest to stop smoking. They are doing really well and will only continue to do better. I am super excited for them.

We also brought a family to church. They are super catholic. Everyone went except for the mom. It was wonderful. Their dad said, "We are only going because we promised you a visit." He liked it fair enough but the problem is that his kids loved it. They are planning on coming next weekend! How neat. What a wonderful problem. They are reading the Book of Mormon and are praying for an answer. 

Franciele (Juliano´s wife) has almost completely stopped smoking and will be baptized at the dedication. Everyone is super exicited and we are working like bees to get everything in order for the open house and the dedication. 

I love the Lord and I love the mission. I was reading the scriptures and I found a part in Alma that described a mission perfectly. It says:

"26 But behold, my beloved brethren, we came into the wilderness not with the intent to destroy our brethren, but with the intent that perhaps we might save some few of their souls.

27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to ^aturn back, behold, the Lord ^bcomforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with^cpatience thine ^dafflictions, and I will give unto you success.

28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.

29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their ^asynagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been ^bstoned, and taken and bound with ^cstrong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again.

30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our ^ajoy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.

31 Now behold, we can look forth and see the ^afruits of our labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are ^bmany; yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us." (Alma 26:26-31)

This is the true church. This is the work of the Lord. I love this church. I know that God lives. I love Him and I love His son Jesus Christ.

Don´t Stop Believing! See you soon!!!

Com Amor!

-Elder Nathan Palmer Askins

PICTURES! Happy November Friends!

Letter #80-"When dark clouds fill the sky, like there´s no hope, You are the light.‏

You tell me to live. You tell me to live"

Hello my wonderful family! I love you all so much!!

This week has been so wonderfully great! Last week (Wednesday) we did a division with some other elders and I went to the center of Guarapuava. I spent the day there. It was neat. Elder Gabriel and the other missionary, Elder Sardinha, found a ton of new great people!!! I was so happy. They found a family: Julio, Laura, Marcio, Vando and Lucimara. They marked dates with all of them! They are a fantastic family! Julio, Marcio and Vando went to church this past weekend and LOVED it!!!! 


Also a week ago we talked to a man called João who is just awesome. (to imagine him, he looks like Steve Carrell from the office- just as a Brazilian) Friday night, I did a division with Elder Rodrigues (he lives with us, he is our district leader- he is one of the best missionaries I have ever met). We went and taught João that night. We taught him the first lesson and it was so awesome. He and his wife accpeted dates to be baptized. So now we just need to accompany him and teach everything else. He went to church and loved it!!!!! On Monday night, Presidente Paulo (the branch president) had a family night and invited him. He loved it!!!! 

On Sunday we went to Laura, Marcio, Julio, Vando and Lucimara´s house. Laura´s daughter was visiting with her daughter. So we taught them the first lesson again and marked dates with them. We taught a good lesson, but what was even better is that the Spirit was super strong there. When we identified the Spirit, We asked Marcio, "What do you think Heavenly Father is trying to tell you?" He responded, "That I need to be baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." That is a fantastic answer!!!

So yesterday (Tuesday) we went to Ponta Grossa for Zone Conference. Let me tell you. Zone Conference has to be one of my most favorite meetings that I go to as a missionary. Well, it was awesome. We watched a clip from a movie (Challenging Giants? That would be the translation) Where a football coach challenged one of the players to called another player on his back while crawling, without touching the ground. it was a powerful video that really touched me. We also watched a video about John Rowe Moyles, who worked on the Salt Lake Temple. It was about acting and not beling acted upon (2 Nephi 2:26). There is a quote that said, "He was the Sort that acted and didn´t wait for something to happen" or something like that. It was a great video and a wonderful conference. 

So when we came back from the conference, we were all pumped and spiritually inspired (which happens after every meeting you have) so when we finally got back in our area, we went to teach Marcio and his family. We taught them the Word of Wisdom. We tried to apply all the things we learned in the Conference. I can tell you what, I have never taught a lesson on the Word of Wisdom with the Spirit so strong. It was amazing. I walked away from the lesson wanting to repent and do better and keeping the word of wisdom and I know for an absolute fact that they felt it as well. 

Today we are catching the bus and going to Curitiba and we have the Zone Leader´s Council. I am super excited but it will be a humbling experience to explain about our super hard month. Like Coach Hornbeck always said in weights class, "Yesterday ended last night." October is over. Hallelujah. 

Some funny things that happened:
Elder Rodrigues ran into a closed sliding glass door (I just about died from laughter!) 
I was walking, tripped and fell into a pile of rocks (it was super funny)
Elder de Magalhães (who lives with us) ran into a fence this morning
and some other things that I can´t remember. 


Well my family. I love you all so much. I know the church is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. President Monson is God´s living prophet of the earth today. Jesus is the Christ!!!
Don´t Stop Believing!!!
I love yous!
Com Amor, Elder Askins!

Letter #79- "This is my work and glory, if ye love me feed my sheep.‏"

"Love with your heart wide open.. and you´ll see the world through Me." 

I Love you family. It´s great to hear that everything is going great there in good ol´AZ!!! Everything here is fine. Last night I was thinking about what exciting things I could tell you: 
1) Hearing Sister Cordon say "Boo Yah Grandma."
2) A drunk man who bought me and Elder Gabriel free chocolate milk 
3) President Cordon signing the papers to the chapel and almost making a date for the dedication. 
4) Franciele (juliano´s wife) has almost stopped smoking 
5) Finding an awesomely awesome family and teaching them BY THE SPIRIT 
6) Eating a lot of Açai!!! 
7) Sleep talking and waking up in the middle of the night screaming because I thought a spider was on top of me. 8) Elder Rodrigues saying 'flirt to convert' all the time.

So this week was pretty great. President and Sister Cordon came down to look at the chapel and sign the papers. Sister said "We will sign the papers, have an open house, dedicate the chapel and then Booyah grandma..." hahahaahaha. We love her. 


One night we were coming home. We stopped by a super market to buy milk and this drunk man came up and bought us chocolate milk and said "I love you Mormons, because you go to people´s houses, teach them to pray and then teach them the truth." He may be drunk but he got it right. 


Like I said President Cordon signed the papers to the chapel. I don´t think I have said yet that Bonsucceso (the area that I´m in) is getting a chapel. We´ve been meeting in a little house. Well, in November we will be going to a BRAND NEW CHAPEL. How awesome is that!? Franciele is Juliano´s wife (the one who we baptized a little bit ago) and she secretly has been lowering the amount of Cigarettes per day. We are going to mark a date for her to be baptized at the dedication of the chapel!!!! She has´t told us that she has been slowly stopping but Juliano told us yesterday! He gave his first talk in Church on Sunday and it was GREAT!!!! 


On Sunday, we taught this awesome family. FUNNY, I talked to the mom on the street Monday night. She said no and didn't pass the address. Then on Wednesday, Elder Gabriel did a contact with the dad and his 2 sons. (we didn't know it was the same family) We went by Friday and he wasn´t home. (we don´t teach without another man present) We went by Saturday as well and he wasn´t home. But on Sunday, we passed by and he was home and we taught him and his wife and one of their sons and their daughter and her boyfriend. They did not accept dates and the lesson was good, but something was missing. At the end we hadn´t talked about the Book of Mormon and we had already passed a lot of info. I felt super strong that we needed to talk about the Book of Mormon (I don´t think I had one with me, I had already given it away) I thought that is crazy because I don´t even have one, what would I say "this is the Book of Mormon, it is a great book that will change your lives but you can´t have one?" We closed the message, and I felt it super strong, so after we closed, I just started teaching about the Book of Mormon. They really opened up and started asking questions and then the woman says "you guys sure are persistant. Why are you so persistant?" And that took us by surprise, "What?" she pointed to me and said "I already talked to you this week and you asked for my address and I told you no. Then you talked to my husband by chance and then already passed by like 5 times this week. Why are you so persistant?" and then I knew that THAT was why I had to talk about the Book of Mormon. "We are so persistant because it´s YOUR salvation. because WE love you; It may be crazy to think that we love your family but we do. You have to read the Book of Mormon and pray and ask God if these things are true because you have to know because it´s your personal salvation and your eternal happiness!!!" They were very impressed. So we are going by tonight to give them a Book of Mormon and see how everything is.

I know the Lord lives and that this is His church. i love you all so much!!!
Don´t stop believing!!!!