10-28-13

Dear Mom and Dad,

They do have Halloween here, but it´s no where as big as it is in the states. Here in the Northeast, they don´t really have the Money or time to do anything big, so they just sell more of the regular candy they have. The Branch here has a electric organ, and many of the members are musically talented, so every once in a while, we´ll here some nice music numbers. The Branch has about 90 people that regurally go to church, and about 30 of them are a part of Primary. There are some sisters here that know how to work magic here.

   Here on the mission we learn a lot about self mastery and doing our best to help others. Brazil is one the fastest baptizing missions, but it unfortunatly has a large problem with the Law of Chastity. In the church, I have seen such a large difference in families, men women and children. They have self respect wear modest clothing and take care of their children. I know that the Restored Gospel is a gift from God to the whole world, but it is the greatest thing I´ve seen here is the Kingdom of God working miarles in these peoples lives. It really has transformed some people and like my companion likes to say,"the gospel makes bad people good and good people better." I´m happy that I´ve been called to serve here in Brazil.

   I´ve performed about 2 baptism and given the Holy Ghost to 5 people. we almost give blessings daily here. I worked a lot more on Sundays in Camocim, but I´ve already given a talk and a lesson here in Parnaiba. The members and leadership are very organized so the missionaries can worry more about the investigators. I feel like the choir is going to miss you, because you relly helped us sing better, even though we were few,

   Brush and Shave every day, with showers in the morning and night. We do work out in the moring, but no for too long since time is short. It is very hot, but Parniaba is really windy, so it´s called the paradice of the mission. Terezina is the place I do not want to serve because It is the hottest place in the northeast, It´s about 80 degrees at night with humidity and 100 or more during the day. There are little markets near by but they don´t have much. But it all Works out in the end.

   That´´s really cool that everybody´s doing well. Could you send some pictues of everyone once in a while? Would i be better if I tried google hangout, intead of Skype?

  I love you both and I pray for you all daily.

                 Elder Shepard

10-21-13

Dear Mom and Dad,

                             Thank you for the message. It´s still great to hear from you, and whatever you send is wonderful. It´s great to hear the the mission work is doing well at home. It´s pretty cool how most of the youth are now going out on their missions. It is a hard choice to make and you do sacrifice a lot. It is said about the frains. It is true that when you hit the age of 18 or above that everyone likes to ask the same questions over and over. Sort of like college. The problem is that it is a great blessing to serve, but people in the church aren´t as understanding as we think sometimes. I run into a lot of gossip and arguments that start over the smallest of things, and if a young mnan doesn´t serve a mission they think less of him.

   It wouldn´t be bad for me to pass by the dentist, even though that´s not going to happen for a little more then a year. A lot of people here take care of their teeth, but many are missing some, or could pass by the dentist. The problem is that things are expensive here in Brazil. It shows through it´s difference in the higher up Rich class, the the poverty that is mostly in the northeast, where I´m serving. Many people live in very bad condtions and don´t have the help they need. There are many who don´t have the will to fight their way out of the poverty. We have a nice house with water, a fridge, beds and a bathroom. We get fed by the members,too. I´ve gained an appreciation of everything I had before the mission, and what little we have now. Thanks for working hard  to raise me. 

   Speaking of food, I do miss American food. The food is good here, but thats only when a member goes out of their way to make something nice. We live farther away from the grocery stores downtown, so we rarely buy to much for us to eat at home. Usually it´s just a little snack in the morning and another at night. I do miss american cheeses, restaurants and all the different types of food, but I´ll be able to truck along for about another year. 

   I´m sorry that I´ve forgotten everyones´ birthdays. I´ve been to focused on everything that´s been happening with me that I´ve forgotten alittle bit about home. Happy Birthday Mom. I hope that it was a good one and that everything will get better by the next one. Happy Birthday,  Dad. Thank you for all the advice and all that you and Mom have done for me, and are still doing for me. 

Love, Jacob

Dear Mom and Dad 10-14-13

From: "Jacob Shepard" <jacob.shepard@myldsmail.net>
Sent: Monday, October 14, 2013 9:58:06 AM 
Subject: Re: Late Weekly Report of Elder Shepard

Dear Mom and Dad,

                             DidI ever get a plack with my favorite scripture on the wall? I think I forget to ask before I left. So a lot of changes has been going on in this mission. There are about 34 missionaries waiting for their visas to come to Terezina. So some places need to be opened when they come and some other areas might be closed down for lack of missionaries. Some missionaries having been argueing with others. The other elders in our zone live in a big house with 6 elders in total. two are fighting so it´s a bit tense and childish over there. Here on the mission, everyone is focused on serving, but some lose sight with numbers and small problems. It is on the mission where Satan will throw everything at you. But me and my companion are doing great. He really knows the scriptures and knows how to teach. Our only problem is finding new people to teach working hard and will find people to baptize.

   So , I don´t get Columbus Day off either. I know how you feel Dad. :) I got a little champaine cup with these figurines of a couple getting married. I might send it to you guys when I can.The member here are really great. They really trying to help us here and improve the branch. Some of the leadership is changing too. We visit a lot of recent converts and less actives here. Luckily, most of the members are doing their home and visiting teaching. 

   How are the missionaries in the ward doing? Have there been any new people in church latley? As a missionary,  I´ve seen a lot of new people in chruch that haven´t had people talk to them or sit next to them. If you guys everyhave the chance, speak with these people, no just shake their hand when it´s the end of the day and skidadle. Also, but could you buy the Infinite Atonement  by Tad R. Callister for me? If it doesn´t work out, thank you for everything. I got the music that you sent me, and it´s really good.

   This last week I´ve been teaching a family that have been going through a lot of problems. The wife felt like the children only respected the dad and she cleans the house day and night, but it´s dirty the moment shes done. So we are now doing family home evening with them. When you have them time, do family home evening. It will bless your lives and bring Trey and Ashley closer together.

I love you all,

                   Jacob 

Dear Mom and Dad 10-7-13

On Mon, Oct 7, 2013 at 12:21 PM, Jacob Shepard <jacob.shepard@myldsmail.net> wrote:

Dear Mom and Dad,

                                 For the missionaries, General conference is a battery charge for us with the Spirit. It was great to here from all the diverse Seventies and Apostles and the Prophet. We got to listen in english, but I saw some parts in Portugese. It´s not to hard to understand, but for me it´s better to hear it in my own language and have the spirit testify to me.

 

I know that Trey and Ashley can do a lot for themselves and can push through the problems that they have. I´ll write to him soon.

   We do have a fridge and we don´t do much on P-day since we live far from anything in the city, my companion likes to sleep and study alone on P-day and we are far from other missionaries too. We are also banned from soccer and no one has any basketballs. I´m good, but if you could send some American food of any kind, that would be nice. We eat rice and beans every day, and it´s really good sometimes but it´s a bit bland at times.

  Here in Brazil I think it´s dry and hot in Fall and Winter and hot and wetter in Summer and spring. they have a lot of Holidays that are based on the Catholic churh and Saints and they don´t have Thanksgiving here. They basically have everything else in one form or another. During carnival they have Youth trips to get away from the crazyness.

    We have found new people to teach here and many of the investigators we have are opening up now. I´ve run out of time but I love you all.

 Love

        Jacob

 

To Mom and Dad 9-30-13

From: "Jacob Shepard" <jacob.shepard@myldsmail.net>
To: "Mom and Dad"

Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 9:33:54 AM 
Subject: Re: Late Weekly Report of Elder Shepard

Dear Mom and Dad,

                                sometimes I think it depends on where you are with the computers. I´m serving in the 4th Branch in Parnaiba. It´s about 15 minutes by bus from downtown. A lot of the stores are more expensive because of the distance from other stores. It has these smaller stores that are opened out of these houses and there aren´t any professionally owned stores. There were better computers in Camocim, but that´s because we found a better lanhouse. This one is just annoying that´s all.

   Everyday we pray when getting up, before going to sleep, before leaving the house and many other times through out the day. I always thank God for having you all for my Family and ask him to bless you for the sacrifices that you guys are doing. Thank you for everything that you´ve done for me and the e-mails that you are writing.

   Trey is going to turn 19 pretty soon, isn´t he? I know that if he makes it a goal to at least make a few applications for jobs a day, he´ll find work soon. I know that here in Brazil, the people are still learning to do all the right things, like going to activites or Family home evening, but the way that they have fully integrated there lives with the church is amazing. I know that if everyone at home right now trys to do Family home evening, reading the scriptures together and pray together at night, that you all will have the strengh and comfort of the spirit to get through these problems. I love you all and I know things will get better. In 2nd Nephi, Lehi talksof how we need to have an opposition in all things. With this in mind I read Acts 14:22 Paul takes of how we need to pass through trials to enter into the kingdom of God. On top of this, Joseph Smith´s Pray and Answer from God in DC 121 and the following sections have helped me understand how we can work through our problems with the understanding that Jesus knows all of our sufferings because he felt them also. I bear my testimony that our Heavenly Father is very concerned with our lives and happiness and that through him we will get better and do better.

   I just got my hands on the Infinite Atonement by Tad R. Callister, and it´s one of the best books I´ve ever read. I think this time I have on the mission is the only time I will be able to study and learn about the gospel like this. I think some missionaries get home and are unsure what to do because they didn´t keep the habits of the mission and didn´t plan ahead.

   I do get to see confernce live and I´ll be taking notes. I know before the mission I didn´t pay as much attention or thought that it was all that great, but now Conference flys by and I hang on every word. Also, one thing we can do to understand the importance of the Book of Mormon and the Restoration is to read the Book of Mormon cover to cover. The testimonies of Nephi to King Benjamin to Moroni have blessed me here a lot.

   My toe is better and I´ve found some cream for it. It still bugs me, but it`ll get better soon. Parnaiba is bigger then Camocim and it has more wind. We had a record number of people in church a little while ago of 93, but the average number is 70 to 80. How many people go to church at Arlington Heights? Here, a lot of the youth grow up poor, without a mother or father or both, are influenced by violence and drugs in the streets and are living in a pleasure based society. When I see them in church or any one changing their lives, it really is a miracle. I appreciate growing up in the Church, the food, the schools, everything. I love you both, Mom and Dad. Thanks for helping me.

    Love,

            Elder Shepard

9-26-13

Dear Dad,

I know that when we do good things, it is easier to do better. When we do bad things, its easier to get worse. We are never motionless or stopped in our progression. If we are stopped, we are regressing backwards down the path we came. If we are walking i´t´seasier to get that running start.Tank you dad for the email. I hope that you are in good health and that you ask someone to give you a blessing. Have you read any good scriptures lately.? I´ve been Reading in Roman 15. 1 through about 9 talk about how we need to help those that struggle and not thanks ourselves for what we´ve already done. I love you and pray for you everyday.

Love Elder Shepard(which is Pastor in Portugese)

Re: Late Weekly Report of Elder Shepard 9-23-13

From: "Jacob Shepard" <jacob.shepard@myldsmail.net>
To: "Mom and Dad"

Sent: Monday, September 23, 2013 10:10:32 AM 
Subject: Re: Late Weekly Report of Elder Shepard

Dear  Mom and Dad,

                                 This is the worst computer I´ve ever used. I´ve not been able to get on email for a while before, and unfortunetly, all the other comperters are in use. I´m really liking it here in Parnaiba. Everything is going pretty well, but it´s hard to find new people here. I´ve met a few other missionaries that have gone through hard times and one of the missionaries in my old district went home. He was more or less forced to serve because of his Family. I know that this work is true and that I am here because I choose to. I also know that we are blessed to have the book of mórmon in our lifes. When you have time, read the book of mórmon together and pray every day before you sleep . I know that doing these simple things, you will feel the blessings of the Restored Gospel in your lifes. We have a lot of people here that have to get married or divorced and that´s why we don´t have a lot of baptisms set up yet. Thank you for the súpport and your love. I hate Brazilian computers, or at least the ones they have in the internet café.

    I love you all,

                         Jacob