Current Mission Address

Elder Dane Edward Eskildsen
Brazil Santa Maria Mission
Caixa Postal 0339

Centro Quarai-RS 97560-000
Brasil

(updated 1/13)

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

January 30, 2012 New Companion Elder de Melo

Oi,
This last week has been one of success. We had a lot of people that  we invited to church actually show up! That is astounding to me, but it has been good. We have been working with some awesome people and we already have a baptismal date marked, and are really close on a few more. The Lord will provide if you simply ask! Also the ward here, Vila Julia is one of the most awesome wards thatI have ever worked with. They pass many references and seem to adore the missionaries. This is gonna be a sweet transfer. That is the condensed version of this last week compacted tenfold for your convenience.



Sunday, January 29, 2012


January 23, 2012

Olá Guris!
This week has been a good one. On Monday night Elder de Souza was mercilessly torn from me leaving me alone,destitute, and forced to wander from Elder to Elder, not having any true home. ( There is a picture of us at the bus station somewhere. I would put an arrow or something pointing to it but I dont know where it will be posted....<---- or ----->       v    ^   ...... There that pretty much covers all the directions. We are both smiling but dont be fooled. It was brutal.) But anyway, for the next several days after that I was bereft of a companion and had to spend time with other missionaries who had already shown up. It was not until wednesday evening that my new 
companion Elder D. Melo showed up. (Photo coming soon). Therefore Thursday was the real day where we
were set into ´´hard working missionary´´ mode. As a result of the fact that neither Elder Melo nor I have much
experience with this new area, we spent most of the first few days discovering the area. The term ´´to discover´´ to 
a missionary does not just mean to explore. No, it means oh so much more than that. We started with a map and 
some word of mout instructions and found people to our hearts content. We found the houses of many members 
and talked a bit with them, and from there got references and water. (It´s been above 40 Celcius here each day, which is like 104 in real temperature). We also spent time visiting the pre-us investigators. And, of course, no missionaries life is complete without the tabooed door to door proselyting. Safe to say we did a bit of that as well, just for safe measure. These past few ´´initiation´´ days opening this area here have been pretty eventful, filled with joy and love and the gospel of Christ.  Yea, I dont have much else. Its time to go grocery shopping.
I hope a wonderful week for all of you where ever you may be.

Monday, January 16, 2012

January 15, 2012 Uruguiana

Olá pessoal,
 
This week has been a littlebit crazy just because things are changing up quite a bit here in the city of Uruguiana. I am losing my companion/ mission dad who is being transferred out of Uruguiana and receiving a new companion named Élder de Melo.I dont know him yet but I have heard thathe is awesome! Im pretty stoked. I alsoreceived word this week that I am being transferred to a different ward in the Zone here. I will be leaving from the Ipiranga ward
to Vila Julia! It´s going to be splendid.That´s pretty much all I got for today, so hope that you are all doing well!
 
                                          Our apartment wearing our bombchas
                                                Paulinho and his wife Camila
                                          Bridge at border of Argentina at Sunrise.  (after our 2 mile run)

Monday, January 9, 2012

January 9 2012

Dear people,
Hello. So, initiated by a bit of reflection, I realized that I have spent most of the time and room on this blog talking about funny experiences that I have had. I have also kept many of the spiritual experiences to a 
minimum because I realize that many of those who frequent this blog are not members of my faith. Ignoring the latter fact I would like everyone to be assured that there is a spiritual side to my mission here. In all reality my life here consists of scripture, teaching the gospel,and feeling the spirit. (For those of you whodon't know much about any of the things aforementioned, consult with one of your Mormon friends or the next missionaries you pass on the street.) I am so thankful for the opportunity that I have to be here teaching something that I not only believe, but know to be true. I have seen changes in the lives of
my investigators that can literally be classified as miracles. I love this work. 
     On a much more secular note, I saw this dog today that did not have a face. Like it literally,honest-to-goodness did. not. have. a. face. We passed this dog on the way to the chapel today and I have been freaking out about it ever since. Where its lips/ snout thing (Not sure whatto call that...nose maybe.) Should have been there was teeth. It was absolutely horrifying. Like a horror film. Whoa. 
    This last week has been quite good, but a bit slow because of everyones lack of desire to let us in or get out of bed before 9 in the morning so as to be able to go to church. We do have some
really awesome investigators though. There will be some awesome stuff happening in the next
week. I have enjoyed all of the letters that I have gotten and am in the process of responding to them at the moment. I am always disposed to receiving more letters! I hope you are all doing very well. Have a stupendous week.        -Elder Eskildsen

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

                                 Giovanni a kid put stickers on my face

New Years

Feliz ano novo! 
   We had a pretty good new years here in Uruguiana as well. I spent the last several days with a mild cold, which only left me without the sense of taste or smell and only a minor deficiency in my life force. This week was also a difficult one in terms of teaching because, as it still is the holidays, no one is entirely disposed to let us in to teach them, but we still got some good lessons in. Right now we are teaching José still, who is in our vision to be baptized this month, and I know that he is ready, and has the desire, yet still has to change a few things. But that is why we are here, to help him make those changes. We are also teaching or fellowshipping rather, the father of one of the members in order to get him baptized. He has been investigating since 1994 or so,  and knows everything, but just needs a little push into the baptismal font. We have also started to teach an awesome family that seems receptive to the message, and I think that we can definitely get them baptized this month because they are awesome.  
     This wasnt exactly a week of monumentous teaching, but it was one of gratuitous amounts of food. Most of which I couldnt taste. I have eaten a lot of Churrasco this past week and lots of sweets as well. I would have enjyed it more if I wasnt quite so sick, but its pretty much all good now, so no problem. So I dont know exactly what to talk about  because I forgot my journal and cant manage to remember anything else that really happened here this past week. We only had one hour of church yesterday. Oh and they really let off a ton of fireworks in every city in brazil on new years eve here. And no one really goes to sleep. We did though. We had bought a lot of food tocelebrate, but given my sick frail condition I did not eat it. 
Oh, also I started reading Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage which is an amazing book, and really helps to strengthen anyones testimony of Christ. It is an awesome book and beautifully written. It is helping me to better learn about Christ, his life, atonement, and role in my life. I love it. 
There is talk of the apocalypse in 2012  here but not a whole lot. At least that i remember. We as missionaries joke about it alot though. 
I have got some great goals set for this next year, and I hope y ou all do too! I love this work, this gospel, and mine and our savior Jesus Christ. Happy new year, I love you and hope that youre year has started and remains to be amazing!