Alright, so a lot has been happening here! Quick history:I was called as an Assistant in the mtc and my companion almost left the mission because he didn't have a testimony, but he ended up getting one and made it into the field, bound for another mission in Brazil, Fortaleza. I found out the he ended up going home because of health problems, but I was happy because he got the testimony he needed. In the field in Rio, I was trained for two transfers in the area "Saracuruna," and then I was called to train a new Brazilian in the same place. I started training, and it was really hard at first, but then it went a lot better. In my fourth transfer I got called as a district leader and continued training. Last Monday there was an emergency transfer and I got transferred and called as a zone leader, opening an area with another newly-called zone leader. So now I am a zone leader, and still haven't finished my fourth transfer in the field. So, pretty much everyone is going crazy and wonders what's going on. If you don't include the one new missionary being trained in my zone (which currently has 9 missionaries), I am the youngest. I didn't even finish training my new Brazilian Elder Alves, because I got emergency transferred to here. According to one of the assistants I am the only american in the history of the mission to have been called as a trainer in my third transfer, immediately after finishing my own training, and he said I got called as a zone leader because the month after I got called as a district leader our district was one of two that baptized the most in the mission. (My new companion who is opening this area with me was the district leader of the other). So, yeah, the mission has been non-stop crazy for me and I'm kind of famous here now (which is weird but I am loving the mission and learning and growing so much. My Portuguese is going well and quite a few Brazilians have mistaken me for Brazilian, so that's kind of cool :)
Right now we are opening an area, and the ward here is very small. But I love the people, and I am learning so much :) I love being a missionary!
Also, on July 1st our mission is going to divide. The new mission Brazil Juiz de Fora will be created, and half of the missionaries from Rio will end up there. So, we'll see where I end up.
So that is that. I am in my second area, "Engenho," now as a zone leader, am about to finish my fourth in-field transfer, and completed 7 months on the mission last week. I feel like I am working hard, and am always seeing ways to improve. Our zone has historically been weak, but we are now part of the great work of making it strong :)
As for me, I am seeing more and more how the Lord is using me to accomplish His work. The temptation of pride is great, but thankfully He keeps me humble. I'd rather lose station and fame than His good favor, and He always reminds me before I stray too far. I really don't deserve such great blessings or such great love, being the error prone and imperfect person I am, but I am thankful He loves me and helps me anyways. I really wish I could pay Him back somehow, but then again that isn't the way things work, so I content myself just trying to be everything He sees in me. And trying to see it too.
I love being a missionary. I am so happy and filled with love and peace and joy that sometimes it overwhelms me. Yes, it is incredibly hard to be a missionary. There is a large part of me that wishes to be home, to be the me I know, to have the friends and family and life I used to know, but part of me also already dreads the day when I won't have the title of "Elder" anymore, when I won't be a defender of the faith in quite such a direct and literal way. I guess I'll just have to keep on trusting Him. After all, He does always seem to know what is best.
I love you all so much! Don't forget it! Just because I say it a lot doesn't mean I don't mean it, I really do. Take care me dear ones! I will keep in touch :)
All the best!
Elder Viglione
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