Elder Lindquist 8/26/09

So this last week went great we're making, I should say attempt-ing to make the final preparations for the baptism and we're a little stressed out but I hope it goes well for Teresa she is an awesome lady. The baptism will be held in Mem Martins, (an hour and a half or so from our area) we got permission from Pres. Torgan to do it in the ocean but unfortunately our stake shut us down. Oh well. I don't really remember a lot that happened this week my mind has been pretty scattered, we've just been working with the members a lot to teach Teresa and some other people so things are going good. Wow how the mission is a rollercoaster. It's crazy I can't explain but sometimes it feels like the end of the world but then sometimes you are floating up in the clouds because people are so grateful to you for showing them the truth. We really are instruments in the Lords hands in the mission field that is something that is really cool to me. I'm really grateful for the conversion of my family into the church just one generation ago because that is now rippling to other people that will create generations of other members in the church, and who knows how long the ripple will last. It's cool to think that the ripple of my grandparent’s conversion would spread across the Atlantic Ocean. There is nothing in the world cooler than being a missionary. The script writers for Billy Madison messed up the old lady should have said "if serving a mission is cool consider me Miles Davis". So the B-day went well, thank you all for the packages, letters and emails. Well I feel that this will be the last transfer that I will stay in Torres Vedras but I'm going to continue working hard in this area until I leave, It's cool to see the progress of this area since it opened and it's cool to think that with the Lords help Torres Vedras will have its first baptism in over 10 years. One day there will be a branch here, then a ward, then a stake. Nothing can stop this work from progressing I testify of that. ~Elder Lindquist

Elder Lindquist 8/19/09

Hey sounds like summer is wrapping up well for you guys. This last week went really well for us here and I hope things continue to go well for all of us. Count your many blessings right? There are more than we can imagine. Well the other day we had a family night in our investigator Teresa's house with about five members and we marked her for baptism. She should get baptized in a few weeks and I received permission from President Torgan to realize the baptism in the ocean so we'll see if that's where she wants to do it. These members have been such a help to us, if it wasn't for the members Teresa wouldn't have progressed. Well I should say wasn't progressing I tried for two months to get her to come to church and she never did then the Sunday after we had a lesson with her at the members house she came and was also there this last Sunday. So we're grateful for the members help and we're excited about that. Ha this morning we were doing personal study and we got a buzz at the door, Elder Wheeler jumped up like he always does and was like Yes! A package! So he ran out and shut the door. I was like what do you think you're doing you crazy man and got up to chase after him. When I opened the door he was standing in the hall with Elder Nair and his companion Elder Thomas. They traveled from Cacém to surprise me and play golf with us. So that was really fun we're going to go after we do email and eat. Oh the other day we were knocking some building and this 50 year old not so skinny woman came to the door and was like hello my dears. And I was like hi we're missionaries and we'd like to talk to you about Jesus Christ and immediately she was like do you want to come to bed with me. I was like Guh! My answer was no but that we could teach her how she could be forgiven of her sins. She declined, so that was interesting I've never knocked into a prostitute before and I hope it doesn't happen again. Well I hope you have a nice transition from summer to school/work, I miss you all and thank you for your support. I really love serving a mission it is by far the best decision I've ever made. -Elder Lindquistinho

Elder Lindquist 8/12/09

Hey all tudo bem? Sounds like you guys have had a great week Elder Wheeler and I were stoked about that article that talked about Dallan that was sick. Well we're in Cacém right now (we had a huge BBQ at the chapel here) and we have to catch a train soon so this will be quick. We already had zone conference it was cool and we had a good week with some awesome lessons. One lesson in particular with our investigator Vanesa she said near the beginning of the lesson "since you guys have started teaching us these things and since I've started reading the Book of Mormon we have felt a big difference in our home" she explained that she feels better and feels more peace and she also said she was talking with her mom (who attends the lessons about half the time) and her mom recognized it too it was cool. Because she just brought it up we didn't say anything. They would be baptized soon if they would just come to church! Oh and there's a lady that we've been teaching who said the Book of Mormon is worth more than all the riches in the world. That was pretty cool; we plan on marking her soon. So anyway things are going good, a few missionaries came in this transfer that I know through other people. A DRUMMER from Lindon that is in a band called shake and Echo who is good friends with the band the highwire act who we played many shows with. So that was sick to talk to him at zone conference and he was at the BBQ today. Also a guy from Elk Ridge (Elder Thaught) I've been to his house a few times that was weird. But yeah this transfer is going really good We stayed in cacém the other day before zone conference and I got to teach with my home boy Elder Nair, and today at the BBQ there was like half of our district so that was cool. I really like Torres Vedras the work is going good and I love the people there we have a lot of fun Elder Wheeler reminds me of a mix of Dallan and Jake it's crazy. I hope you all have a good week, next p-day we're going golfing at a professional course that is about 5 minutes from our house we already went there to do the driving range but now we're playing the real deal, (my first time playing golf is going to be in Portugal how funny is that?) so take it easy every one I've got to go catch a train. -Elder Lindquist

Elder Lindquist 8/5/09

Hey all how's it going? Sounds like summer is flying by for you just like the time is flying by for me. Thanks for the package it was awesome; I also received a birthday package from Elder Wheelers family this morning that had some goodies as well. So transfers. Elder Wheeler and I are staying together; we're the only ones in the entire zone that didn't get separated. I felt like I needed to stay one more so I'm happy that I'm still here I love this area. Transfers were insane though like six areas were whitewashed, (both elders taken out at the same time) and tons of crazy changes that no one expected but some cool people are coming to our zone including my home boy elder Nair from the MTC and Elder Coombs is coming to be my new zone leader, oh the great times I had with him down in Beja and Evora. So I'm excited about that. So our branch got back last week from their trip to the temple in Madrid, Spain. Our stake took three tour buses there and 100 adults went and 60 youth so that was cool, soon enough Portugal will have a temple here and the members won't have to travel 8 hours to get there. Wow how I took for the granted a temple 20 minutes from my house. So things are going good with our investigators. But a lot of people are gone for summer break so it's a little bit harder to find appointments and get people to church. But a young couple moved in from Braga, Portugal to our branch and they live about 10 minutes away so we're really excited to have some people that are willing and ready to help us teach! The other day Elder Wheeler and I were cleaning the chapel and we missed the last bus back to Torres Vedras so we caught a bus to stay overnight with the Elders in Mofra, (we weren't going to sleep on the chapel floor again). We decided to play a trick on the elders so I wrote a letter, (supposedly from their landlord) saying that I have to sell the apartment due to financial problems and that they have to move out by the end of this weekend and we dropped it in their mailbox and went and made contacts until it was time to go in. So we got to their house and they were all stressing out and was hilarious. We didn't tell them till the next morning when we left. Well I really love the mission and my companion. I'm learning a lot, missions are not just about working hard but reaching your full potential. We have to strive every day to fulfill our full potential that our heavenly father has in store for us. Have a great week.-Elder Lindquist