Modern Day Prophets

 

This week was great we've had a lot of progress with the people we are teaching, we had a baptism, and my studies have been getting a lot better. We also had divisions and I trained a new missionary for a day it was pretty cool. 

 

MODERN DAY PROPHETS 

This week I have been focusing on reading 1 discourse every day from general conference sessions (where the prophet, apostles, and church leaders preach about topics the feel necessary by the receiving of revelation). Reading and taking notes has helped me significantly because you can find knowledge about almost any topic you could think of. Then I have been able to apply the principles I learn into my work, helping others, and in daily life just in general. 

 

JOY AND SPIRITUAL SURVIVAL- Russell M. Nelson 

This is one of the discourses I studied this week, and it focuses what we can do to feel joy in every situation, good or bad. One of the most important things I learned/remembered from reading this is that all trials will pass and when we focus on having joy it makes trials and difficulties much easier. Presidente Nelson said, " His joy is constant, assuring us that our 'afflictions shall be but a small moment'(Doctrine and Covenants 121:7) and be consecrated to our gain.". From this I remembered that trials are temporary and are here so that we can learn. When we can have joy in these trials, they will pass by a lot faster. 

 

 

STORY AND BAPTISM OF CARMELITA 

Carmelita is amazing and was just waiting for us to find her. The story of Carmelita is amazing, me and my companion were out on the rode teaching people, and we went to a house and started knocking on the door. We were there for a minute or so and we were just about to leave but then the garage started to open, and a car pulled up. That's when we met Carmelita, she had 1 experience with the missionaries in the past but hadn't received and lessons and only visit the church from the outside. We started to teach her and after a few visits and lessons we were teaching here, and she told us that the day we showed up at her door she was amazed because earlier that day she had been praying to know what church she should go to. This was a huge answer to her pray and from there on everything was golden. On Saturday we had the baptism and Sunday the confirmation and she has been loving church and the member. Very grateful for this experience. 

                                        

Just a Normal Week

 

We are starting to enter into the rainy season in Brazil and it is crazy. The thunderstorm is way stronger then in California. It's crazy to think how powerful thunder and lightning are. 

 Normal week 

Not a lot happened this week we had some good lessons and are teaching and finding a lot. We did more visits on the outskirts of our area and there is a lot of nothing in these areas, but we did find some cool people. Lots of rain and thunder we are very grateful for uber. 

 BOOKS ABOUT FOOD

We were out visiting people and we found a lady who is a member but hadn't been to church in years. When we were talking to her, we found books about medicine and cooking and I started to read a little and told her that I like cooking and the books were very interesting, then she said I could use them so now I have 2 books. They are very interesting and one of them has a lot of information about how we can be healthier it is very cool. 

 

That's pretty much it for this week hopefully everyone is doing good. I'll try and do something crazy and put it in next week’s email.

 

PHOTOS

Someone shaved their husky it was so sad. 

                                                 

The Importance of Small and Simple Things

 

This week was good we had transfers and I'm staying in the same area for the next 6 weeks. We had lots of lessons and have a lot of people were teaching right now. Not any major updates this week. 

 

TEACHINGS

Right now, we have people we're teaching who are progressing very well. The lessons we've been teaching have been getting a lot better because my Portuguese is a lot better so people can understand what I'm saying and don't have to ask my companion to translate (even though I'm speaking Portuguese in the moment). But him not having to repeat things has made it easier for us to teach well and people can feel the spirit stronger (I think).

 

SMALL AND SIMPLE THINGS

This week I was reading the Book of Mormon and came to a realization that a lot of times when we can focus on prioritizing the "small and simple" things in our life great things will happen. I read Alma 37:6 and it says,

 

 "6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise."

 

This helped me because I feel like the small and simple things can be the easiest things to forget, but if we can make a foundation with these small and simple things, we can do great things so much easier. 

Then there is that part that says, " by small means in many instances doth confound the wise". At times even the wisest of people can't understand how great things happen by small means. And honestly sometimes we don't need to understand we can just be grateful and continue doing the small things even if sometimes they seem useless or annoying.