Tatuí, Sorocaba, Itapeva! 10/6/14 & 9/26/14

This last week has got to be one of the weeks where i spent the least amount of time in my area! It was not super fun, but that happens. On Monday we found out about transfers and already on Tuesday we left early in the morning, passed through Itapetininga (it was fun to see my old area again briefly) and then I spent the day in Tatuí waiting for my new companion to arrive on the van from the capitol. We got into our area at about 10 pm and the next day we worked for an hour or two, ate lunch with a recent convert who also happens to be a saint and wonderful cook, irmã Benedita, and then that afternoon we already had to go to Sorocaba. We worked in the area of some Zone Leaders there (I worked with Elder Carr, he is from my group so that was fun!) and then on Thursday we had Leadership Council. It was really really good, Presidente Farnes is wonderful and he and Sister Farnes taught us so much, I felt very much so edified and that we have the clear directions and tools that we need to help our zone. We returned that day and finally on Friday we were able to have a day of work in our area. It was great, we are talking with literally everyone. Everyone. We have been opening our mouths like madmen and trying to help these people hear the good news of the gospel. On Saturday we had General Conference!!!!!!!1 I loved it. It was seriously so so wonderful, I loved being taught and instructed by the servants of God, His chosen representatives here on the Earth at this time. The talks we incredible. I actually watched in english, I could have watched in Portuguese but it was a nice opportunity to have it in english so I watched it with two of the other elders from our zone. We had it shown at our church building here in our area but the other two areas in our zone have houses that are rented by the church and didn´t show conference so they came here to watch it with us. Elder Godoy gave an absolutely incredible talk and I went adn watched it in Portuguese. His son was my teacher in the MTC, and it was such a great talk, I was glad to hear and be taught by him. I was looking at my notes this morning during my personal study and loved it. President Eyring´s talk on Sunday afternoon was so so great and I loved the talk that President Packer gave about "the old ship Zion." I received yet another powerful personal witness of the truthfulness of the gospel and especially that President Monson is a true prophet of God and that we need to listen to and heed the words we had the honor of hearing this weekend. So many people lived during hte Great Apostasy and other times of apostasy on the earth and did not have the opportunity to be instructed from on high, an today many many people do not know about this opportunity either. We need to remember what an honor it is and acutally apply these counsels in our lives. And then help others to receive this knowledge as welll.
Yesterday during the interval of the sessions we went and were doing tons of contacts and we found this young man and his sister and we had a GREAT lesson with them, it was awesome. They truly felt the Spirit and accepted to be baptized and follow our Savior´s example. We are excited for them,. their names are Rodrigo and Mônica. Also Mom, I got the package you sent me!! THANK YOU! It was awesome and my companion loved trying some of the american food and candy, thank you for that. Also, thank you so so much for the CD´s, we are jamming out to Vocal Point and the new EFY CD as we get ready each morningf now, so thank you! 

Love you all, have a great week!!!
Elder Carney

 9/26/14- Itapeva, chuva, transferências, conferências!

 This last week was just crazy busy! It was insane! But also really good. We were able to go to Sorocaba on Tuesday night (it is a 4 hour bus ride) and we slept there so that we could be there on Wednesday morning for our Multi Zona Conference. It went really well, Elder Albuquerque was going to go to do a bunch of things for the conference but in the end couldn´t so they asked me to do the things for them there and to give a training about referrals and using the church´s referral system... haha except I had never seen the training before so that was interesting! It was Elder Irineu, Elder Mussin, and I doing things there so we kind of felt like we had never been transferred from being secretaries! But it went welll! Mom I remembered that time that you gave me your talk to give in sacrament about the Nauvoo temple because you were sick! But the conference went so well, I felt hte Spirit really strongly and I have been so glad to see the effect it has had on the zone these last couple days in how much faith they are showing and how obedient they are being! President Farnes is truly inspired and I am glad that we were able to be taught by him and Sister Farnes. 

The rest of the week was good, we went on exchanges and Elder Irineu came and did a baptismal interview here for one of our investigators. her name is Cida, she is the sister of a recent convert and she is really great. It turns out that she passed but is really wanting to wait a little more, we felt bummed but also really peaceful about it and she will be baptized here in two weeks. We have been working so hard this week and praying a lot. We had a little miracle in that a recent convert brought her friend to church! I love it when members reach out to people! Speaking of that, on Sunday night we had a branch fireside! it was about missionary work and the branch president had us give a training for the entire fireside! We did pratices with the members, haha they felt a little uncomfortable at first but it was good as they were able to practice and see how it feels to invite someone to come to church, to meet with the missionaries, and to really just open their mouths. It was great and we had some people share really great experiences. These members just have to remember, lmost every single one is a convert to the church. At the end we had someone play the piano and we distributed papers and had every person/family write down three names of people who we can teach and the address/info if they had it with them. It was wonderful. So we ended up getting 42 referrals last night!!!!! We are so psyched! It was a wonderful experience and several members came up to us afterwards asking if we could go on visits with them this week to these people! We are being blessed and we know that as these members show faith they will be blessed ands this branch will grow.

Today we found out about transfers and Elder Singleton got transferred and is going to be comps with Elder Frazier, an elder from my MTC group/district who got to Brasil three weeks ago. My new companion is Elder J. Silva. I am really excited! I have heard he is just the most humble and obedient missionary in the mission and i am psyched! It is going to be good and President called and said we are going to have miracles here, we are really excited. I am also really glad and excited for General COnference, it is going to be so wonderful. I know that God has called  a prophet today and twelve apostles. I know that the heavens are open and we just have to listen what God is telling us. I am so grateful that I will be able to listen to these inspired men and women this weekend. 

Well, love you all, open your mouths!!

Elder Carney