10/27/14 Don't Judge a man until you walk a mile in his shoes.

We spent 3 nights in a row sleeping on the bus traveling. We had what we called a sanctification day, one day dedicated entirely to cleaning our homes. Elder Reynolds and I went and did house inspections in our zone of missionaries who live 6 to 9 hours away. 

It was very fun. I felt like I was on a road trip with my best friend. Elder Reynolds and I had a lot of laughs traveling and getting to know new places and missionaries. We gave training's and did divisions. 

One night, we got off the bus at around 2:30 am, with a zombie-walk of tiredness, we traveled down a road for 20 min to find the home of the missionaries. We managed to do a contact with a man walking with us, I think we were so tired that half of what we said could have been in English, and I wouldn´t have noticed. 

We got to the home to be greeted by what looked like angels. 4 missionaries were sleeping in baptismal clothes, saying they were so excited for our visit that they knew a miracle would happen and that they would baptize that week. (2 people were interviewed and baptized). They gave us a good laugh. 

We enjoyed celebrating a birthday with elder Williams, by smashing eggs on his head. 

We met one missionary, whose shoes were horrible. They were all torn up. I was dumbfounded how one  with only 6 months could have worn his shoes out so quickly. I didn´t think a lot of it, until we were headed home and I saw my companion wearing those same shoes, a size to small and well-worn. I was touched by Elder Reynolds charity. He had given his good pair of shoes to this Elder in need. Elder Reynolds offered his shoes, because he´ll be going home soon. We later learned about how grateful the elder was, for his feet were bleeding and he didn´t have the means of getting new shoes. 

We didn´t have 1 whole day in our area this week. We were worried about our  investigators, we didn´t have the chance to visit anybody. We feared that they wouldn´t be at church, and that some may stop progressing. But we learned a great lesson when we arrived at church. The chapel was full of our investigators and less-actives. I had such a feeling of peace as I heard the Lord´s voice ´This is My work, I am in Control here.´ We feel so grateful to be here serving, and know that the Lord is doing a marvelous work and wonder. I know He is at the Head. 

Love you! 

Knock and it shall be opened or use a hammer and a chisel. 10/21/14

October 21, 2014

This is a photo of our zone with President Costa. It was really cool. 5 missionaries of the mission were chosen to have have an interview with him. I was chosen as one. It was amazing. I asked him a lot of questions. He gave answers, some that were awesome, and others that I´m still trying to understand. When I asked him for what advice he had for me, I was surprised he specifically said. ´Take care of your sisters. Do a brother- sister date when you go home, if their dates don´t show up or something. Help them to have fun. 

Valmir and Creuza were baptized on Sunday. (The photo is from the wedding) Such an amazing family to have in the ward. They are so dedicated. They have run into so many challenges since they started this journey. It took them months to do marriage papers. They had people tell them lies and try to put doubts in their heads. But they keep moving forward with humble dignity to that which they feel is true.

There´s another couple whom we love greatly, named Lucas and Emily. A young couple. Emily is pregnant with her 3 child. We met them on the street, and they gladly received us in their home. They enjoyed to make us dinner when we were close to them. We had lots of laughs together. I loved to teach them. The area in which they live is very loud, so we used to walk them to the church and teach them there inside, we had many spiritual experiences together. One Sunday, we went to go walk with lucas to head to church. He was running late and weren´t ready when we got there. As Lucas opened the door and came out to talk with us, he door shut behind him and locked himself out. The keys on the inside in the door. But Lucas was determined. He said ´nothing is going to stop me from going to church!´ After trying various methods of getting in. He grabbed a hammer and a chisel. ´There´s no time to do anything else.´ He explained. And we watched as he smashed a hole into the side of his house, and grabbed his keys. 

He was there. On time.I still don´t know how he explained that to his wife. 

I love you all! We have been praying not to just find people, but to have people find us. People have been finding us. Today a man just walked into the church, while we were there to ask when he could come and visit. He just walked in, because he had watched the movie the other side of heaven, and now is really interested. That´s cool, go Disney. 

Ate na próxima semana. (until next week)

A letter from The Mission Presidents Wife

Since Daylen did not have time to write us this week I thought we would share a letter we recieved from Sister Lisonbee. Sounds like he is doing an awesome job over there.
Destry

Dear Sister Pollard,

I want to tell you about how in our Mission Council Meeting President Lisonbee asked if any of the missionaries wanted to recite the Joseph Smith story by memory.  Your son volunteered and what he did will go down as one of my all time favorite mission memories.  He stood and with humble confidence he told the story in Joseph's own words.  His Portuguese was beautiful and the Spirit was so strong there was a hush in the room.  It was remarkable.

We love your son and the only problem we have with him is that we cannot clone him!  We wish he could be everywhere in the mission!  He is pictured here with his great companion, Elder Reynolds.  They are accomplishing wonderful things together especially in terms of working with the members and gaining their trust and confidence.

We were blessed to have the president of our Area, Claudio Costa come and tour our mission this past week.  In the meeting that your son was in the President asked your son to share the Joseph Smith story to about 100 of us that were there.  He did not have any prior warning, but he told us later that he had a feeling he would be asked to do this.  Once again it was so special.  I hope you will have him do it for you when he returns.  It won't matter whether you can understand Portuguese or not, you will feel the Spirit.

Thank you again for sending us such a fine young man.

All the best,  Sister Bianca Lisonbee

"Daylen fell that Investigators might feel Joy"

Last week I asked that you would pray for our investigators. It´s making a difference. Pedro Lopes and His wife Elonise are progressing wonderfully. They study the scriptures together everyday. Elonise responded for Pedro when I asked if he had been reading the Book of Mormon, she said ´Ha! I can´t get him to stop! He would sit and read all day if I let him.´

They come from some of the most humble of circumstances. But I have faith that the gospel will help them in all things. They live in a small home, incomplete is walls and ceiling. A dirt floor. No bathroom. Our Ward mission Leader is a plumber, so he´s going to help get a toilet in there for them. Despite their humble conditions, their home is filled with peace, due to faithful prayers. 

This week we´ve gone over and taught the plan of salvation. Due to lack of chairs, they usually sat on an old tank of water to listen. I offered them our chairs, and that we could sit on the tank so they could be more comfortable. As I sat on the lid of this old water tanks, it shattered from beneath me. I fell in, luckly no water in it. After being pulled out, and me giving some apologies. We all had a hearty laughed. We laughed a good while. Later, we explained the fall of Adam and Eve, Pedro didn´t understand 2 Nephi 2;25 Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy. 

So I explained it based on what happened. We were all feeling normal as the visit started. Then I fell in the tank. Creating worry, embarrassment, opposition. Due to the opposition, the joy we felt after was so much greater. We all had a great laugh. I am convinced, for every tear of sadness, the Lord replaces it with a 100 tears of joy. The greater the opposition, the greater shall be our joy.  

We learned that Elonise has had 9 children, but 5 passed away young. She loved the concept of baptisms for the dead and they´ve committed to go and do the work shortly after their baptism.

We taught the Celestial kingdom, and about Celestial marriage. We plan to get the papers done for marriage this month for them, it´s going to take some money and a 8 hour travel to do papers, but they are willing to sacrifice everything to do it. They love the idea of temples and having a marriage for eternity. 

They are good christian people. They were fully active in another church before we meet them, in fact, they were baptized in that church just 6 months ago. But now that they´ve found the full truth. They´ve accepted it all. 

This Friday a wonderful couple that have been going to church for 7 months now every Sunday, are finally being married and then shortly there-after baptized. Valmir and Creuza, they already have their 3 children that were baptized in the church, and they look forward to joining them, and making their way to the temple to be sealed as a family. 

General Conference was so good. I was so pumped. I said and thought things of ´wow! The talks are so much better! That was so much more powerful. The best general conference!.´Until my mission presidents wife, sister Lisonbee told me that all general conferences are like that. It´s not that it´s changed, but I have. 

We watched it in English. But I loved the Brazilian who spoke, and it was awesome to watch him straight in português. It was an  awesome talk. 

I made a list of 10 questions I had. All were answered in general conference, either directly or by subtle whisperings of the spirit. I also found, that General conference gives answers, even when new question are actually formed. It answers present, past, and future needs. 

Eu sei que este é o unica igreja verdadeira e viva do senhor Jesus Cristo. Eu Amei de ouvir dos Profetas e Apóstolos. Eu reconheci o voz do bom pastor, atrás de estes vozes de servos. Ele Vive. Ele é a cabeça de Sua Igreja. Em nome De Jesus Cristo, Ámen. 

Eu Amo Todos De Vocês

I know this is the only true and living church of the Lord Jesus Christ. I loved to hear the Prophets and Apostles . I recognized the voice of the good shepherd behind these voices of servants . He Lives . He is the head of His Church . In the name of Jesus Christ , Amen .

I Love All of You