Sept 7, 2015 - 2 weeks, 2 baptisms

Hello everyone! Thank you all for the birthday wishes!! I love all of you so much!!
This week has been hot. Just checked the weather forecast; only gonna get hotter. I´m thoroughly convinced this is the most physically challenging mission in the world. Only the strong serve in Missao Brazil Manaus. No joke. I´ve heard people occasionally go home early just from the heat alone.
I fasted for the first time here in Brazil. It was rough. The previous mission president asked missionaries to please still drink little bits during fasts. But President Castro says that isn´t real fasting and said no water. Which is fair, but super hard. Here we fast from lunch to lunch. During church on Sunday, I had no energy. It was bad. And as soon as I drank water, and lots of it, it was like turning on the sweat faucet. My body didn´t absorb it, it just poured right out. Lame. Haha I learned that fasting super hard here. But my companion said every time they fast, the blessings are blatently obvious. The hardest it is, the more you are blessed.
We had a good week. Another baptism yesterday!! This was of an 8 year old, T......... Elder Marques baptized him. His mom also attended church and the baptism, and will hopefully be baptized soon too!
Totally forgot last week. I am in Manaus, in the area Cidade do Leste. I have no idea what part of Manaus, but that´s the name of the branch I´m in. 

My companion is Elder Marques de Souza. He is awesome. We are living in a small house right now. Well, small for me, but honestly really big for just two people here. It´s... a house. Let´s just say we are looking for a new place to live right now because Elder Marques thinks the water has made him sick since the day he got here, 5 months ago. I have been feeling good for the most part, but yeah, that´s the situation.
This week we had some sweet experiences. Like every week, I guess. We are seriously blessed for our physical suffering, no doubt. We often leave blessings on homes for our lunch messages with families. We ask people "If Christ were here, what would you ask of him?" and then as representatives of the Savior, one of us prayers and specifically asks for those things for each person. The Spirit is always strong. The Sister who fed us Saturday bore her testimony on Sunday and said she literally felt and saw Christ in us. I have learned a whole lot about my role as a true representative of Jesus Christ here.
I would encourage all of you to study Preach My Gospel. Mom, Dad, Tyler, Cierra, Jennica, Addison, Cinnamon. Everyone. I read a talk today that encouraged everyone to study it, and I know why. That book is amazing. Study it, use it in FHE, do lots of things with it. That is my advice and my request for all of you. As a birthday present :)
I love all of you! Thanks for the birthday wishes! You are amazing!! Keep up the prayers, and I´ll keep praying for you!
Elder Baldridge

September 14 - third week in Manaus

Hello everyone! This week has been super hot. It was about 110 degrees farenheit yesterday. It was awesome. Love it. Sometimes we just have to stop and rest for awhile. I feel like I am always gross. But, it´s all good because I love this mission and the people in it.

This week I also got to experience some things that you think of when you first think of a mission in Manaus Brazil - the "jungle mission". We had lunch with a member that we had to take a bus, walk, and then a small boat to get to. Her kids picked us up in the boat. They live basically in the jungle. It was wild.

Also, yesterday we saw a big old lizzard in the middle of the road. With the tail, it was probably 4 feet long or so.  Just small reminders that the literal jungle is never too far away.

This week was good. I definitely feel the Spirit a lot here. It´s awesome. We have opportunities to teach more than I did in Oregon, so I have more opportunities to bear testimony. But my studies are also better, I see answers to my prayers. It´s way awesome.

For example, two times when Heavenly Father answered my prayer almost immediately. One, we were having a spiritual lesson when the neighbor started blasting music. I said a mental prayer that the music would stop so that everyone could focus on the Spirit. Not immediately, but about a minute and a half later, poof, no more music. The same night, in the middle of another lesson, I all the sudden had to use the bathroom really bad. Here in Brazil, and especially Manaus, you never know when it´s going to hit you.  I once again asked for immediate help, and this time immediately, poof, gone. It was awesome. There is no doubt in my mind that Heavenly Father hears all of our prayers, even over the little things, and that He responds. He will help us when we need it. He is concerned about us at all times and in all things, and is always willing to help. Always remember to pray. Pray for the big things, and the little things. Pray for the things that are on your mind and in your heart. I promise that Heavenly Father is listening.

I love all of you.  I´m praying for all you. Thanks so much for everything!!

Love, Elder Baldridge

August 19, 2015 - Week 1 in Brazil

Ah, so little time!! Hello everyone! So glad to hear from all of you.

I need to be pretty quick, because we have some time to go out and

walk around outside the CTM (Missionary Training Center in Brazil)

and use our Portuguese, and we want to use

as much of that time as we can. But I also want to tell you as much

as possible. A difficult task. But here goes.      On my flight from

Portland to Atlanta there was just me and one missionary just leaving

home, heading to the Peru MTC. We didn´t have much time to talk. On my

flight from Atlanta to Sao Paulo, there were like 35 missionaries. It

was crazy. I was like the first or second one there, and they just

kept coming. A lot just leaving home, and a lot coming from Provo MTC

to finish in Brazil. Elder Nelson (AKA Sean), a good friend from my

hall in BYU was on our flight, which was crazy because I hadn´t even

heard he was called to Brazil. Weird.     So, we got here and got

right into it. My district is just three people, all of us were visa

waiters. Our purpose here, as our teachers say, is solely to learn

Portuguese. We already know how to be missionaries. But, at the same

time, we are learning more about that too. Elder Hammond (was in my

district in Provo) and Elder Rodriguez are my companions. We jumped

right into Portuguese, and were teaching 3 lessons our first full day

here. And have been most days since then. It´s crazy. The language is

doing okay, but definitely needs work.     We have already been out

proselyting in downtown Sao Paulo twice. We go out with a teacher, get

4 Livro de Mormons a piece, and go to it. People are super open and

receptive here. And even though I can´t understand everything they

say, it´s easy to pass the books out. They have been good experiences.

The CTM is way different here because everyone is trying to speak the

same language. You can talk to anyone in Portuguese. It makes it so

much easier to speak your language. I have barely spoken English since

Wednesday. It´s weird.      Our teachers are awesome. I have learned

that Brasileiros really like to joke around a lot, and our teachers

are hilarious.     We went to the Campinas temple today. It was

awesome. Super pretty. It was P-Day for all non-native speakers today,

so our session was in English. Kinda nice, and also kinda

disappointing at the same time. But I had a really good experience in

the temple today. Personal revelation is so real.      I need to head

out soon. Sorry I can´t answer all of your questions. But, before I

go, spiritual thought. A few days ago I was really upset with the

language and slightly depressed. I really missed Oregon and everything

that I loved there, and I felt like I had just left to come to Brazil

and not understand people. Leaving a mission is super hard. Then in

one of our lessons, we talked about how Heavenly Father will help us

in all our difficulties because He loves us so much. I bore my

testimony on just that. And as I did, the Spirit confirmed it to me.

That Heavenly Father knew my problems, and will help me because He

loves me. That slight depression or whatever you wanna call it left

as I bore my testimony. And hasn´t come back since. I know it´s true.

He will help me. And He will help all of us. Just trust in Him, and

it´s all gonna be good. It was a sweet experience.    I love all of

you so much! You are amazing! Good luck with everything going on in

your lives! I love it here, I´m starting to love Brazil a lot, and I

know this is where I need to be. Love you!! Elder Baldridge     

I'm Alive and Well!! Arrived in Brazil August 12, 2015

Brazil or Bust!!  Elder Baldridge in Portland, Oregon
 airport on Aug .12 - on his way to Brazil

Hey! I´m so sorry I wasn´t able to call from the airport! Time was

short in Portland, and I wasn´t worried because I had plenty of time

in Atlanta. But Atlanta had no working payphones. So I am really

sorry! I wanted to call really bad. But, twas not meant to be. We got

into Sao Paulo this morning, and are currently at the CTM. It´s really

interesting, but I think it will be really good. I need to learn

really fast though, because these Brazilians are speaking some weird

language or something... I´ll be praying very hard. Anyway, just

wanted to let you know I´m okay and so sorry about the phone call.

That was lame! I love you all! Oh, by the way, our P-Day will be

either next Wednesday or Friday, don´t know yet. But it definitely

won´t be until next week. Until then, I love you!!       Elder Baldridge

New missionaries in the Brazil CTM Aug. 12, 2015
Elder Baldridge is middle row, third from left

August 3, 2015 Final week in America!!

Hello familia! How is everyone doing? Hope it's all going well!

I'm doing well. This week has been another VERY slow, fairly

frustrating week. We did have a fair amount of meetings as district

leader, so that didn't help our proselyting efforts at all. But, those

were good. It's good to see some of the behind the scenes stuff and be

able to take part in it. I'm definitely learning a lot. Sometimes not

in the most fun way, but learning lots haha.

Elder Baldridge as a missionary in Oregon.
He will miss this place so much as he heads to Brazil!

It still doesn't feel like I am leaving the country soon. Doesn't feel

real at all. I am definitely sad to be leaving the Oregon Salem Mission. I love

everyone here. I don't think you could find a better mission president

anywhere, and I love all the other missionaries. Plus I love this

area. Next Monday will be very sad...

But, I'm also excited. Excited for new adventures and new challenges.

Probably more challenges than I want to think about right now. But,

you can't grow in your comfort zone. There will be plenty of growing

in the coming months.

I have learned so much here. I have realized that you learn a whole

lot more from the bad times and the mistakes you make then when things

are easy. Bad times don't seem fun when you are in them, but looking

back they are so important. When you are going through something

rough, try to figure out what you should learn from it. That's

something I have learned I need to improve on, for sure.

Anyways, I love you all! Have a wonderful week! That temple picture

was awesome and I'm kinda jealous. Love you!

Elder Baldridge

July 27. 2015 Hey ya' all!!

Hello family!

I'm glad the family reunion sounded so fun! The temple especially

sounds awesome. So cool.

This week has been SUPER slow. Slowest yet. Like 3 investigators

dropped us. I think we taught a total of one lesson. It was not a

super fun week. But, all is well.

I am definitely full of lots of different emotions with getting my

visa. Sad and depressed to be leaving this place. Excited to go to

Brazil. Scared about the language and cultural changes. But, I know

it's where I need to be. The gift of tongues better be real, cause I'm

gonna need it! I know the Lord will help me. I shouldn't be scared.

Trying not to be. But definitely sad to leave this place and these

people!!   I'm definitely coming back to this area after

my mission.

I went on an exchange with the Oakdale Elders this week. I was with

Elder Sallade in their area. We had a really good day, and had tons of

fun. But apparently Elder Sims and Malauulu had a terrible day in our

area. So, I felt bad. But, it was good.

I've been pretty stressed this week. Being a district leader in a

mission is compared to being a bishop. So, you kinda have to deal

with everyone's problems. So, I want to fix everything and help

everyone, but it's not possible to do all that because people still

have their agency. Sometimes that is really annoying. So I got a

little stressed. But, I'm fine. Figuring it out as I go.

There was a summer fest this week in Dallas, just like the fall

festival in Franklin. The three wards had a booth, which all the

Elders took turns being at with members as well. It was pretty slow.

People don't want to talk about church at a fair. But, there were

small miracles that made it all worth it. But, it did take tons of

time from our week, and didn't help the fact that we already had no

one to teach. But, I liked it.

One thing I've learned this week is to look for the small miracles

every day. On our exchange Elder Sallade and I counted the miracles we

saw. On a not so great day, we got to like 15. It made our day so much

better, and was so much easier to keep going. I need to be seeing all

the little miracles in life, and especially on my mission. So I'm

trying to write down at least one a day. I would encourage all of you

to do the same! It's so much easier to see God's hand in your life

when you are really looking for it!

Anyway, I love you all! Hope everything is going well! You rock!

Thanks for all of your love and support!

Elder Baldridge

July 13, 2015 Slow!!!

Hello everyone!  I hope everyone is doing well!
This week has been pretty slow still. Not a ton to report on in terms
of lessons and teaching and things like that. That has been pretty
rough. It's actually pretty frustrating and sad. But, we are trying,
and working to improve every day. And that's all you can do.
Our whole district is struggling with finding new people to teach.
It's hard. But, if missionary work was easy, we wouldn't learn
anything. And sometimes you learn the most when things are tough.
Like Saturday for example. Saturday was horrible. Lessons cancelled,
no one we tried to visit was home, and basically nothing productive
got accomplished, even though we were out and about all day. With
about 25 minutes left in the day, we sat down on a park bench for a
short break. It was super depressing. I really wanted to go in for the
night, and I could tell Elder Malauulu did too. Then I just got this
thought, "what gives you the right to give up?" The time to be most
obedient is when it is the hardest. If Christ had given up in the last
15 minutes, there would be no purpose life because we couldn't return
to live with Heavenly Father. So, we got up and we walked. And nothing
came from it in terms of numbers, but my attitude changed a ton.
President Samuelian once said if you truly understand the Saviors
sacrifice, then you will always want to serve Him, and doing the hard
things becomes easy. I'm not fully to that point, but I definitely
drew a little closer on Saturday. We don't have the right to give up.
Something good came out of Saturday.
I've been super tired this week. Don't know why. But, all is well. I'm
loving being a missionary, even when it's slow and frustrating. I'm
learning so much, that even the slow times are beneficial. Just not as
fun.
I love all of you so much! Hope you are all doing well and have a great week!!
Elder Baldridge