March 18, 2013

   Hey mom,

  Well we were cleaning out our icebox today and my buddy Elder Valterlaus was using a knife to break the ice, (it builds up like crazy so you have to clean it out every once in a while) and he burst the flourine tube so a bunch of gas came out.  We will have to fix that and it was kinda funny. We are going to talk to some people today to figure out how to fix it. As far as the work, it's going really good!  We are meeting lots of new people and working hard and not many people here know about the church but are really good people so we have lots of work to do.  I am doing really good teaching and language wise.  I am using those temple Liahonas you sent me a lot.  I loan them out to people to read because they are moms and they like showing their kids the pictures of the temples.  They actually like reading that more than they like reading the Book of Mormon. LOL  If you send me more I'll give them away.  I give tons of stuff away because I have lots of stuff that I pack around already.  I am feeling great and taking good care of myself!

I love and miss you all.

Elder Krause

Kyle and Elder Bassi

This kid that I baptized in Serrinha did this to a photo that my com (who just went home) put on face book then sent to me.  I thought it was pretty cool!

March 4, 2013

     Well my new area was a bike area, one of the very few in Brazil because it is massive!!!!!!!! But Pres. Hart had a meeting with the area President and they decided to take out the bikes, so now we are like the rest of brasil, foot missionarys, but we used the bikes just a little bit, and we will give them away here in a few days. So i got to fulfill my dream of being a bike missionary for a whole of 3 days, but its ok my butt was hurting sooo bad after the first day so ya i am ok to walk. 

So I will tell you about this week. All the kids in our ward got back from efy so they were super excited and loved it!! We have a few trouble makers in our ward but they are getting better. 

We had a pretty funny lesson this week. So we had left a Book of Mormon with this 21 year old kid and marked the introduction for him to read and we would talk about it next time we went there. When we went back he was excited, and partially drunk but he read the introduction and payed attention. He said he had never heard of some of these names and asked about who Moroni was and why he was able to add a few more words. It was a little tense it seemed like, he was almost shouting, but I think that was because he was drunk. So we took it slow with him and dispelled out doubts  and cleared up all the questions that he had, and he said he wanted to read the rest of the book just out of curiosity, then asked us to mark another part for him to read, so we did and we will go back tonight to teach him. But I felt pretty good afterward because the Book of Mormon makes so much sense, and he agreed with us he seemed pretty happy after we explained for him. It strengthened my testimony that if people really read and listen to the missionaries they will come to know that the Book of Mormon makes sense, and is true, people just have to listen, even if they are a little tipsy. 

So ya that was a pretty cool experience that I had this week, and not too much else. Well let me know how everyone is doing there!!! 

I love you guys and I’ll talk to ya next week!!!

I've been transferred to Luis Eduardo Margalhaes!

Feb. 25, 2013

OK well I will write you what all has been going...

 I don't not have a lot of time today because we are sharing a computer and have lots of stuff to do!

     Me and my companion were both transfered, so we have got to clean house pack and lots of stuff.

Look on the map of Bahia for Luis Edaurdo Margalhaes, its close to Barrieras, the end of the world and its a branch there! And guess what...they ride bikes there!!!!! YAY

But I am really excited and I  will get a new brasilina companion. It should be good.  

    People here go for a week long trip to the temple and usually spend all week in the temple, and they sleep there too its crazy!!! 

I want to go some time on a caravan like that, but while I am on the miss, its a no go. 

But someday!!!  

Alright well I dont have tons of time but next week I should have lots of time to chat but that is the exciting stuff for now!!!!! 

Tell Kevin congrats on the mission call to Mexico, that will be super cool!!!

Alright I love you mom!!!

Elder Krause

January 21, 2013

Hello everyone!  
     Well I finished my first transfer in Dias D'avila.  And my comp and I are both staying here for another one!  
     One cool thing in this area is that we had a missionary return home in this ward so that was exciting!   
     One not so cool thing is that my comp got sick and we had to sit at the hospital for 7 hours!  It was terrible, the public hospital here is horrible.  He had an intestinal infection, but they gave him some medicine and he's doing better now.  The public health here is free but it's also terrible!  We have an insurance plan so if I get sick I am going to a private hospital!
     I don't have any pictures this week because my camera batteries went out so I will buy new ones today.  
     I got your letter about indexing!  That's so cool that you guys are doing that as a ward.  They got really into that in my singles ward, but I never indexed one name!  Lame I know and yes I was playing video games instead and yes I have repented! :)  I want to learn to do it now.  I could do the Portuguese ones!  I wish I could be there to be in on the competition!  I'm sure you'll kill it mom! I know how competitive you are!  But that's something good to be doing.
   Last pday the Elders in our district had clippers so I cut my comps hair and two others elders hair too!  Then he cut mine.  It looks pretty good I think!
   I am going to start teaching English classes here again so I'm making a flyer for that.  I think lots of people will come here so that should be fun.

Well I love you all!  Talk to you next week!
Com abraco,
Elder Krause

January 14, 2013

Hey everyone!
     So we met an English guy here in Dias D'Avila and we went to his house for lunch today and played chess with him!  We first met him on day when he was out working in his garden.  We just stopped and started talking to him for like half and hour.  I told him I liked to play chess and he invited us to come to lunch.  When you only meet an American once every few years in the midst of Brazilians he was super excited to talk English with someone!  And he is the type that really likes to play chess.  Brazilians don't really play! His wife cooked for us and it was a very English meal.  Baked onions, chicken, cooked bananas, boiled peas and carrots and baked potatoes-English style! It was very good and different.  She is the first Brazilian I have met that speaks English and says, "bloody" and "rubbish" with a british accent!  It was crazy !We didn't really teach him because he has already known lots of missionaries and really isn't interested.  Probably next time I will try and teach him a little something.  We talked about religion quite a bit and about the church and stuff but I want to build a good foundation with him first.  With most people here they already have somewhat of a Christian background.  I have never met an atheist before.  He is a rich, british author so it's pretty interesting.  I told him we would come and play chess with him again on another p-day. 
     I bought a Book of Mormon in Italian and am going to read it.  President also challenged me to read the D&C too so I have a big reading list!
     I'm so excited about everyone's mission calls!  How exciting so many new missionaries!
Well I love you all!
Elder Krause

January 7, 2013

Thank you all for the awesome Christmas Cards!  That was so fun getting cards and letters from everyone!

 These are 2 of my best little buddies!

This is Jaka, my new favorite fruit!  We ate this and popcorn for New Year's Eve!

Some of my Elder buddies!