Going to California

I actually had planned to go for either "Exit" by U2 or "Exit Music (For a Film)" by Radiohead. Both really good picks, but I just gotta go for the classic Led Zeppelin (I think that's how you spell it). It's just so blunt, I love it.

This week was perfect. We had an incredible FHE at Neusa's house, a whole lot of new investigators, and some incredible testimonies yesterday. It didn't even feel different in any way, but when we had evening church yesterday it all just hit be like a ton of bricks: I'm going home. I'm not going to be here anymore. I almost lost it as I saw my recent converts and close friends bear heartfelt testimonies.

Not a whole ton to report. Emelly got baptized and confirmed this past weekend, and it was an incredible experience! Rui is so darn close as well. The registro is making them wait another couple of weeks to choose a marriage date, and it's taking so long that Rui decided to move out of Albertina's house for the time being! He has so great faith, and he's told us how he's changed since he started this journey. He asked if he could be baptized before the marriage, he wants it so bad. We told him that we'd (or Elder Olsen and his comp would) go over the baptismal interview questions next time and make the decision then. I feel so blessed to have known them.

I'd like to leave you all my testimony, and I think I'll do it in Portuguese and then translate, because I don't know what else to do with this time I have.

Eu sei por mim mesmo que esta igreja é realmente a igreja de nosso Salvador Jesus Cristo, que foi restabelecido aqui na Terra. Sei que Ele vive, e que Ele cuida de nos e está a esperar nossa volta para a presença Dele. Sei que O Livro de Mórmon é verdadeiro, pois tem mudado a minha vida. Sei que Joseph Smith foi um Profeta de Deus, e que ele realmente viu Deus e Jesus Cristo no Bosque Sagrado quase 200 anos atrás. A Missão tem me ensinado sobre vários coisas, mas talvez o mais importante é que se seguirmos a vontade Do Senhor em todas as coisas, vamos aprender os mistérios Dele e tornar-nos semelhante a Ele. Amo O Senhor e quero compartilhar este amor com tudo o mundo em qualquer situação. Este é meu testemunho que deixo com vocês em nome de Jesus Cristo. Amém.

I know for myself that this church is really the church of our Savior Jesus Christ, which was reestablished here on the Earth. I know that He lives, and that He is watching over us and is awaiting our return to His presence. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, for it has changed my life. I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, and that he really saw God and Jesus Christ in the Sacred Grove almost 200 years ago. The Mission has taught me many things, but perhaps the most important thing is that if we follow the Lord's will in all things, we'll learn His mysteries and become like Him. I love the Lord and I want to share this love with everyone in every situation. This is my testimony that I leave you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Thank you all for the support you all have given me. I can't wait to see most of you soon, and for the others I hope it doesn't take too long. :)

Signing off for the last time,

Elder Jordan Penner

#GETSTOKED

          Sick Noite Familiar at Neusa's place

EMELLY WOO

Me making CousCous prepare to be amazed when I return

The Souza's made a cake for those being transferred and me. The cake says "FUI" which means "I went" and I almost cried I was laughing so hard. feat the district​

Death and All His Friends

"And, in the end, we lie awake and we dream of making our escape."

This is it. I will have time to email this next week, but I don't think
I'll even take up the full time to write, honestly. I've waited a long time
to put this song as my title, it just happens to be my favorite song by
Coldplay, and one of my all-time favorites. In the mission, you talk a lot
about new missionaries being "born" and old missionaries "dying" and things
like that, and I've finally come to the latter end of that spectrum.

I feel as though I'm learning 50 times more now than I was at the beginning
of my mission. It's a real shame because I wish I could have more time to
use these principles, but at the same time I love what I'm learning. I feel
as though this transfer I learned the lesson that I really needed to learn
on my mission. It's not about me, it's about giving everything I have to
the Lord. I had heard it over and over again, but I didn't get it
completely until just now. Life is fascinating.

As for how things are going, I'd like to point your attention to Emelly,
who's name I finally know how to spell correctly because I just filled out
her baptismal record! She'll be baptized this upcoming Saturday! We're
working out everything so it'll be a sweet experience. As for Rui, he was
supposed to mark the date for his marriage last Thursday, but Albertina had
a bit of trouble with a couple of documents, so they should know by when we
talk to them tomorrow! This month for sure!

Conference was a great experience, although we totally missed the first
hour of the Saturday and Sunday morning sessions due to some weird
technical difficulties. I loved so many of the talks this time around.
Shoutout to Elder Bragg for sharing the scripture on my plaque and basing
his talk on it. Maybe I'll just use that to do my homecoming talk, haha. We
had an investigator unexpectedly show up. Augusto showed up for the last
session of Conference, even though the last time we actually talked to him
was last Tuesday. He just happened to show up in the session where Elder
Costa gave a talk directed towards investigators, which was niiice.

Well, I think that's all I have to say about the week I had. I'll be sure
to send something next week, but I don't think It'll be quite as long. Hope
you all have a great week and a half! After that I know you'll have a good
time, cause I'll be there to join you! I'm making the best of this last
week for sure!

Abraço,
Elder Penner