September 28th, 2011

Hey Family,

So this weekend was intense.  We got a call from our APs and they challenged us to baptize this week.  We didn't have any baptismal dates for this Saturday and we were a little frustrated by their invitation.  But then my companion and i learned a very important lesson.  A few actually.  We decided that we did indeed want to baptize.  We believed that it was possible.  If it weren't then our leaders wouldn't have challenged us to do it.  We had the desire and the faith we just needed the works.  We decided that yes, we were going to do it.  Then we went a little crazy running after some people.  After we found three of our investigators that could be baptized we did everything possible to help them be baptized this last weekend.  Everything turned against us.  Our water heater at the church never worked.  All the youth would be away at an activity or in another state.  The parents of one didn't authorize it.  The other parents were upset because they thought it was too soon.  Both of the two young women we were going to baptize were passing through that time of the month and were nervous and didn't want to be baptized.  The young woman's president was going to be out of town.  The member that they wanted to baptize them would also be gone.  We didn't know why but we just knew that the Lord wanted us to baptize them this weekend.  We went to our baptismal font, cleaned it out and kneeled to say a prayer.  We prayed for hot water.  The two girls passed in the interview and were actually excited to be baptized sooner rather than later when they stopped to think about it.  The parents understood that we were just trying to do a good thing that would change their daughters lives forever, we filled up the font and the heater....turned on.  The bishop told us later that it had never worked since they installed it.  The baptism ended up being one of the most spiritual of my mission.

Woohoo!

I love you guys!  have a great week!!!
Elder Romm

September 20th, 2011

Dear Family,

The work continues and the weather is hot.

These last two days we have done some serious walking.  We did a division with some missionaries in our zone and with the absence of my comp i was a little lost haha.  It's so great to have a companion who works and loves to work.  It makes all the difference.

This weekend we didn't baptize but the week before we did, I didn't have to time to write about that, it was awesome.  This weekend we did a fast with two youth so that they could be baptized and they told us yesterday that it worked!  Its actually a funny story because it's been 6 months since they first came to church and have never had permission from their parents to be baptized but when they fasted and their parents found out and they got mad and told them that they could be baptized if they stopped fasting.  woohoo!  Now we have them and two other young men that are super excited too for the 30th of September. 

We've started to read the Book of Mormon again and we are marking all the parts where it talks about any principle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I'm finding a lot of details that I've never picked up before.  The Book of Mormon really does have the fullness of the Gospel.

The tender mercies and little miracles continue to happen and i just love that.  We never feel worthy of them but we just keep on keepin on and doing the best we know how to do, and praying for guidance.  I think my favorite scripture this week is D+C 64:25.  Our whole life is made up of a bunch of todays and if we just focus on making our sacrifice for today then that's sufficient.  A few minutes in the scriptures and prayer, a few kind words (in my case a few more contacts) and we're set. 

Well this work is great, I don't know everything about doing it but I do love trying.  There's just something about the Gospel that keeps you pumped.  Maybe its the unlimited re-dos you get or the promise of divide assistance or maybe the eternal perspective that it gives me.  Its just amazing.  And whats best is that its true.

I love you guys, have a great week!
Elder Romm

September 14th, 2011

Alright family here's the deal.

So last week was independence day in Brazil and nothing was open so my bad on the whole cliff hanger deal.  And now I have two weeks worth of updating to do and it just so happens that these last two weeks were two of the wildest weeks I've had on the mission. Let me make an attempt, if you guys just end up with a half of an e-mail you'll know I tried but failed.

This is the Lord's work and all who deny it will be left kicking against the pricks for eternity.

This week my companion and I have seen many, many miracles.

1. A man who has been coming to church with his family for a year felt the spirit in a gospel principles class and told us that he felt the desire to be baptize.  All doubts disappeared.  Later in the other week we returned to his home and told us that he was incapable of quiting cigarettes and felt that he needed to something else.  After 2 and half hours of battling in the spirit I followed the prompting i had been receiving for quite a while in the lesson.  As I said the words 'I suggest a priesthood blessing' he stopped dead still and said that after all the words we had said this phrase seemed to cut him to the core didn't know why.  Then he got all pumped and said "That's it! This is what I like about this church! Nobody else can do what you guys do!"  We gave him then a powerful blessing, however not removing his personal responsibility.  He will quit.

2.  We visited an English teacher who had a daughter suffering from brain problems and we felt prompted to share a message with him.  In the top floor of his school we taught him the plan of salvation in English.  We sat talking with him a while and the question, "what are you afraid of" kept popping into my head.  Finally I asked him and he stopped and looked at me and said ' you guys are the first people to ask me that question'.  We explained that even if his daughter were damaged that none of it would be permanent and passed to him the hope found in the plan of happiness.  Afterwords he prayed and he asked Father in Heaven to help his own daughter, something he had been struggling to do.  Then he looked at us and said man, I feel something really different.  Do you guys do this with everyone?  Yes.  He told us that something deep inside him told him that everything we said was true.  His daughter is back home and her illness is treatable.

3.  We did a contact with a MMA fighter in the street and set a time to return and teach him.  He's a big tough kind of guy but very humble.  As we shared the story of the Restoration of the Gospel he listened intensely and as we handed him the book of Mormon it was obvious to see the goose bumps shoot up his arms and tears fill his eyes.  When he looked at us with a surprised look he said, when I touched your book I felt something different,  I invited him to be baptized by one hold the priesthood authority of God and he said "yes" Then as I went to mark a date his cell phone began to ring loudly, but he didn't pay any attention.  The timing was to perfect to be a coincidence, but the spirit overpowered the distraction.

4.  While doing contacts in a division a young man who had visited the church Sunday night stopped to talk to us and asked if we were on our way to the chapel, we said yes even though we hadn't really planned on it.  We walked with him talking about what he has been thinking about the church.  He said that he started going to seminary everyday that week and that something in his life was changing and that he was even sleeping better.  We taught him about the restoration and invited him to be baptized, he accepted and after the lesson showed us the goose bumps on his arms and with teary eyes only said "thank you"  that was the best feeling I've had as a missionary.  Last night I talked to him and he is already in the 20th chapter of 1 Nephi and his grandma told him that if he wanted to be baptized that he could.  He then brought three more friends who also loved how they felt when they were in the chapel.  We will teach them later tonight.

5.  While walking on the street a 24 year old guy walked by me and I just stuck out my hand and said ' hey, how's it goin."  We started to talk and discovered that he had talked with a missionary on a bus 4 years ago while he was traveling, he invited us to go with him to his house to show us where he lived so we could come back and teach him and his girlfriend.  We're going there tonight. 

6. Yesterday we traveled to Curitiba for a training and in the crowded bus I felt like I should talk with a young man seated in front of me.  There were many people surrounding him and I thought to myself, if those people leave then I'll talk to him.  Not 3 seconds passed and all those people got off at the bus stop.  I said a prayer and just saw myself standing in front of him shaking his hand the the next thing I know I was actually shaking his hand.  I don't know where the courage came from.  I taught him the Restoration and gave him a book of Mormon.  I don't know if anything will happen, all I know is that the peace that I felt after having taught him with something I would go to the end of the earth to feel again.

My companion and I have decided that we like to be used by the spirit and every single day we get to experience these miracles.  This is the work of the Lord and his only true church, anyone who doubts it needs to take their blindfold off and spend a day with the missionaries.

When obedience has become a quest, confidence and testimony in the things that are true become immovable.

I love you all and I'm out of time!
Elder Romm

August 31, 2011

So my comp is gone.  It was so fast.  Now I'm here with Elder Smith from Colorado, he got here today.  He too is the man.  I was his first Zone Leader when he got to Brazil and now he's my companion.  It's gonna be great because he, like Elder Brown, has never heard the words 'Slow down' and only knows how to teach and baptise.  The Lord is like really trying to kick my trash these days.  But its what I wanted and asked for.

We baptized two people this weekend.  We have 2 more here in two weeks that we have to prepare, we have to learn the area together because its huge and I know nothing.  Its usually in these situations that you recognize how much the Lord is really involved.  We've seen a lot of tender mercies and really seen how we are literally used as tools in the Lords hands.  That is my favorite feeling.  I had written down a bunch that I wanted to share but left my old planner at home.  They are all awesome.  I remember one time we prayed to find new people to teach that wanted to really learn and progress, then not even 10 seconds later a car came to a brake melting halt right next to us and the girl inside asked if we were Mormons and where and when the church was.  Then she went the next week and now we are teaching her.  Another time we went looking for an address but it didn't exist and we were just standing in the road looking at each other wondering what to do, then a kid on a motorcycle stopped right in front of us.  It was a guy we taught in the street that works as a delivery boy.  He stopped and told us that he read the Book of Mormon and felt really good.  And we taught him a lesson right there and then he drove away.  Coincidence?  i think not.  There are so many others too!  It's so awesome!  One time we knocked on an investigators door but she was alone and we couldn't go in, but then a member came walking around the corner at that instant and we asked her if she could enter with us and she did.  She said she almost never takes that route to her house but that day she just felt like it. 

Another thing I've been able to see is that the Lord uses us to reach all of his children that need him.  We were walking the other day and we just started talking to a man beside us, Getulio, we found out that he was a College Professor of Theology, and that he was paid by the Brazilian Government to study in the united states to introduce a post doctorate program into Brazilian education.  He speaks fluent English, Portuguese, Spanish and Hebrew (at least).  Plays and writes many types of music on many instruments.  And he is Catholic but said that he is aware of many of the faults in his own religion.  He had heard of the Book of Mormon but never received a copy.  We had the opportunity to teach him and testify of it's truthfulness.  Later that same night, because of many other unseen delays and cancellations we found ourselves on a street corner next to a drugstore.  There we met David.  David was kicked out of school before learning how to read.  Is 21 years old and addicted to drugs and alcohol, and earned what he could shining shoes.  He recognised us as representatives of Christ, and asked us for help.  We talked with him about the love the Lord has for him and about his potential as a son of God. We gave him our number a bag of cookies that we bought. 

To the Lord there is on difference between Getulio and David.  They both needed him that night and we had the opportunity to be the ones to help them.

My time is up, but I love you guys, if this letter doesn't make sense it's because I wrote it flying!
Elder Romm

August 10th, 2011

Hey family!

Sorry but I only have about 8 minutes today so I'll be really brief. 

My week was awesome.  Our zone is getting way better and we are having seeing more results and the other missionaries are seeing miracles as well and that is the best part.  We have been teaching the first lesson to anything that moves and it has been awesome.  Everyone is learning about the restoration of the Gospel whether they want to or not.  We have taught some members as well lately and the spirit has been so strong.  I really know that Christ lives and that ever since the beginning of the Earth God has called prophets and revealed to man how to be happy and that this knowledge was restored by the prophet Joseph Smith!  We have been able to see how this little bit of information can really change someones life.  I have some pictures that i wanted to send you guys but my little connector deal went belly up again and i don't know how to revive him. 

I think one thing that i have learned in this last week is that the Plan of Salvation gives us the right perspective to be happy.  I learned that the trials and endless challenges are part of the game and after this 'light affliction that lasts for only a moment' even thou it seems heavy at the time will lead us to where we want to go.

I love you guys, have a great week!  Remember to read your scriptures!

Elder Romm

August 3, 2011

Family,

Yea I'm still a ZL.  I personally think that Pres. put me with Elder Brown in hopes that all his knowledge and work ethic doesn't end when he dies.  Its a bit of pressure but I'm down. 

We have been playin basketball lately on wed. mornings.  Today was the second time we went, and it was pretty fun.  I don't know if this rim is regulation but the two hand slam is still happenin.  At least two times...then it dies as my legs lose all force.

This last week went by so fast.  We baptised again, that was sweet.  But it rained a bunch and the rain makes missionary work complicated.  People don't usually like to stop and talk to us.  It was pretty funny though because my companion has zero shame and talks to whatever moves which usually ends of bringing about some funny stories and awesome experiences.  We started talking to this drunk guy with a huge back pack then all of a sudden the cops came swooping in and took his butt to the ground out of no where.  I just put my hands up and started walking away.  My whole life flashed before my eyes.  I think we helped bust a drug dealer that day.

I hope Jess is leaving some fish in the water for me.  That was a nice walleye, but I think that mine was bigger....yep, ya it was.

How is Brad doin?  I haven't heard from him in a while.  Is he gettin stoked for the mission?  I'm getting pretty excited for him. 

Well I love you guys, have a great week and be happy!

Elder Romm

July 27th, 2011

Dear Family,

Well i have had a pretty sweet week.  We baptised my first Saturday in the area so that was like a sweet bonus all of a sudden.  His name is Daniel and he is a detective for the police.  He is like 6'3" and speaks perfect English.  It was pretty cool to teach him a little bit before his baptism.  I'll send the picture when i take it off my comps camera.

We've had so pretty interesting experiences lately.  We teach an English conversation class every Saturday afternoon.  Its basically us talking in English with whoever wants to come.  This last week we had Daniel and another guy.  And while we were talking with them we discovered that this other guy, Evandro, is the reining world champion Brazilian Ju jitsu fighter.  It was hilarious.  My companion was talking with him and we were thinking we had just misunderstood him but nope.  Elder Brown was said 'Wait, like champion champion?  Of the whole World?'  That's not somethin that happens everyday.  He already came to church and he's gunna come this week too.  Then a few days ago we were walking in the street and my companion did a contact with a young woman and then after talking a little with her we found out that she is the 'Miss Morreits', number one model of a nearby city.  We taught her about the Book of Mormon and she was very interested.  You get to meet a lot of cool people when you talk to everybody that passes you on the street haha. 

Well i am extremely tired.  We played basketball for the first time on my mission since the mtc.  My comp loves basketball too. 

So i saw those pics of brad and that one chick.  Was that Kayla?  If so she is more ripped than i am!  That is extremely depressing!  People always ask me if I'm the oldest boy in the family and when i say 'yes' they look at the picture of brad and jess and say, 'heh, ya but i bet you get your trashed kicked ay.'  Now if they find out that my little brother's girlfriend can beat me up too I'm done.

Alright well i haven't got much time left.  We are always running.  Everyone says that missionaries get tired at the end of the mission.  My companion missed that memo.

Love you guys!!  Have a great week! 
Elder Romm