Elder Lindquist 9/29/10

So this last week was pretty crazy. Elder Seraim is getting transferred to be the Branch President and train down in the Algarve. Last weekend our mission broke the record for baptisms in one week (for many years) and we were super excited about that. The mission had 22 baptisms, the mission is starting to progress and go to the next level. Something we have been praying for for a long time. We had an interesting week, I can't even remember half of the things that happen but I just know that we are always running around, either teaching lessons or doing things for the mission. I like it because I don't have any free time to think about home or anything so subsequently I am not trunky, (at least not super trunky) the rest of my group went home yesterday which was kind of surreal. Transfers were fun. We went out to Chili's because it was Elder Seraim's last few days in the office. My new companion is Elder Butler and he's from Chicago. I'm excited to work hard these last six weeks it will be a great transfer. We are working with some good investigators, especially a Brazilian family of four. Please pray for them that they can have the desire to be baptized. The dad’s name is Márcio the mom is Lucimar, (she reminds me of mom a lot) and Arieni and Rafaiela. Things are going good it is getting colder here. We won’t have four elders in our house this transfer so that will be a change. Oh! Pray for our bishop to stop being stubborn and allow his 9-year-old daughter to be baptized. Yes you read correctly... he still hasn't baptized her. But other than that all is well. I'll talk to you all later!
Love, Elder Lindquist

Elder Lindquist 9/21/10

Just to let you all know I'm still alive and I'd like to have more time to explain the last week but oh well. This week we had to travel across the mission to give trainings in all the zone conferences. Last Monday we went to the Algarve. (The very south part of the country) and on the way home I got to go to Beja!!! It was great to see some of the old investigators. I visited that Brazilian couple Edson and Rosa they're still not baptized:( but they are very close to being married so that is good. Then we stopped by Paula Cristina’s and when I walked up towards her building she was alone seated on a bench outside she didn't recognize me at first but when she saw it was me she grabbed me and gave me the biggest hug in the universe! She immediately brought us up to her house and we were treated like kings. Pedro is huge now! He is so grown up. It was weird. Saying goodbye to that family was really hard. She was bawling like a baby, (so was I). We got home super late that night then had our zone conference the next day in Lisbon and I had to give my last testimony since they started a new system that we only have zone conference every other transfer instead of every transfer. That was by far the hardest thing I have had to do in my mission. I couldn't speak for like 2 minutes everything that has happened to me in the last 2 years came rushing to my head and I didn't know where to start. But I was finally able to bear my testimony and I am really grateful for the opportunity that I have had to serve a mission. If there were a word that describes how I feel about this country, the people, and experiences that I have had it would be LOVE. So the next day we went to the Miratejo to do a zone conference and I got to see a lot of the members during our lunch break. (A lot of members there work in the church office that is on the side of the chapel) so that was amazing to talk to everyone again. Elisa Carla and the family came to the chapel after the conference to see me and they brought me a big cake. I love that family! The next day we worked in our area and then on Friday we flew out to the Azores (to the other island) oh by the way I don't think I'm going to be able to go to São Miguel because of the change of time between the zone conferences which bums me out but oh well I guess I'll live. But we flew out on Friday and got back last night at like 1:30 in the morning. We had a good time there it's a really pretty island as well but São Miguel is ten times prettier. It was a good trip. So wrapping it up basically this week was one of the most tiring and most emotional crazy weeks ever. I can't describe it! It was super weird going to my first area then bearing my last testimony I kind of felt like everything was ending and caving in on me and I wasn't ready for it. I'm more stable now and I know that I still have a lot of work to do before I leave! Well I love you so much and thank you for your prayers and thoughts.
Love, Elder Lindquist

Elder Lindquist 9/7/10

Oi tudo bem gente? Hey Mom and Dad just a few things. I promise I will try to send those papers this week. It's super hard to find time. My return date is Tuesday the 9th of November; I think I originally said that it was the 8th. Everything is going well here in Lisbon and I am loving every minute of it. Today for our shortened P-day we went to the Lisbon zoo. Probably one of the coolest P-days of the mission. I was kissed by a seal right below the lips!! I'll send you pictures of it. I want to send a package with a bunch of Azorean souvenirs that I bought but I'll see if I can find time to arrange that. Have a good week! Love, Elder Lindquist.

Elder Lindquist 8/31/10

This week has been crazy. We have had meetings the last two days and I have very little time to write, but everything is good here in Lisbon. We were able to baptize a guy the day he left to São tomé. The church still isn't there yet, but we're going to send him a box of Books of Mormon and he will establish the church there before returning to Lisbon. I'll tell you more next week. (We don't really have p-day in this area due to the meetings). I love you all and I love this work I'll talk to ya soon enough..
-Love Elder Lindquist