22 September 2014 - ???, Brazil

OK, make sure you're sitting down for this one! Honestly, the most violent thing that happened on my mission in Spain was an old man threatening me with his umbrella, so for me this is nuts! Also, Dad invited Elder Frogley to go to Frontsight training with him and Mom, which teaches firearms training similar to what is taught in police academies. Also, Elder Frogley got transferred, but he failed to tell us where to, but apparently it's somewhere he really likes. Hopefully he'll tell us next week.

Gun class for a few days? Sounds fun! Im down! But anyway, sounds like you all had a fun week full of general authorities! My week was a little more violent then yours was odly. I have some interesting stories and some awesome news! so lets get to it!

First off, that women that we were teaching, Ana Cleide, had some tough times with her ´´boy fried´´ (married guy whos cheating on his handy capped wife with our investigator). We went over there on Tuesday afternoon to talk to her about the future, and baptisim. She was set on keeping her child and was looking like she was progressing. While we were talking to her Sabasteão started callin her, over and over, and over again. We turned her phone off so that she could focus. Shes scared of the guy and when were not there he dominates her. We hadnt really met him yet but when ever were not there, he visits and yells at her about us. After we turned off Ana Cleides phone, we talked for a little while in peace. Then Sabasteão comes bursting through the front door, yelling that he wants to talk to us. We were both sitting and he was angry, so we stood up to shake his hand as he was getting ready to yell at us. Once he saw our size, he decided it would be a better idea to yell at Ana Cleide about us. Shes slightly handy capped and she has brain damage from alcohol use, so she started screaming and treamoring and getting verry angry. He just kept screaming and trying to drag her out of her chair and she got so angry that she started to hit him. At this point my comp and i were close by to prevent anything crazy, so after she hit him in the chest, and he retaliated with a haymaker to her face, forced them apart. He tried to get me out of his way but i wouldnt let him pass and we told him to leave the house, which he did. He went out side the front door and she sat on the chair crying. Her mom came to the front door (its a gheto duplex. Her mom shares the ceter wall and the house is tiny. THe door is split in the middle so you can open the top or the bottom. Only the bottom was closed.) and I told her to call the police but shes scared of police, seeing as shes from a more criminal back ground, so we were kinda by ourselves. Just Ana Cleides daughters were helping. After Sabasteão left i closed the door and latched it, then stayed in the front door to keep him out. He decided he wanted to come back in but i wasnt letting him so he started getting mad and said he was goin to push me out of the way. WHich was an obvious bluff. He couldnt even say it lookin me in the eyes. He started speaking badly about us and yelling, which made ana cleaide even madder. She got up and went to the kitchen. I still had my back to her keeping Sabasteão out and trying to ask him nicely to just leave. Next thing i knew her daughters were yelling ´´shes got a knife!´´ I turned around and ana cleide was trying to sneak past me with a knife to get at Sabasteão. We stopped her and wrestled the knife out of her hands. AFter that every one started to calm down and we went next door to talk to her Mom a little. That was a crazy episode. After that, Ana cleide got really drunk and ended up aborting her baby. Im ready to get out of this area. We made some good knew investigators this week, but most of our old ones all dropped off the map or stopped progressing. But the silver lining? We prayed for help to make news and we made more news this week then in the last 4 weeks combined! THat was cool! 

This week was Zone Conference and i gave my farewell testimony with the rest of the missionaries leaving the mission. It was a strange sensation being in front of everyone for the last time. It was a sad moment cause the fact that im almost done hit me when i was gettin ready to give my testimony. Soooo weird! But i am excited to start my last transfer.

I got transfered, probably because of the episode above, to one of my favorite cities and areas in the mission! Also with a chill comp! Im so stoked just to be happy for the end of my mission! 

My good friend Elder REams went home yesterday and now were all in a trio for today. Were goin to say goodbye to members and im goin to update our records of our investigators for my comp. I told the pres (of the branch) that we got transfered thismorning and he said something that i appreciated. He said that hed be sad to see us go because he sees so many missionaries that pass through and do nothing, but we some of the few that made a difference in the area. I didnt reach my goal of baptising in all of my areas, but its good to know that i made a difference in my time here.

I love you Fam! We had some other run ins with Sabsteão durring the week but he showed us more respect then the first time, i wont tell all the sories because it would take forever, but im thankfull for the pacience i learned her in Viçosa. Through members, to the investigators, to just crazy people in the street to my comp. I learned to realy talk and work out problems. If I had had this experience earlier in my mission, in think i would have punched Sabasteão in the face, instead of calmly telling him to leave and lovingly trying to help him leave Ana Cleide. I think thats what i was suppose to learn here and im thankfull for that.

I love you soo much again family! Shooting camp sounds fun Dad! I get it signed up for! 

Elder Ian