Recognizing the Spirit, mashed potatoes, and 5 more weeks - July 25, 2016

Unusual rice krispy treat

District Meeting

This week was quite the up and downer really! In the beginning it wasn't great but at the end lots of stuff happened!

Monday: Today was the same as ever... More or less. We had to stay in the center of town for most of the day trying to solve problems on my bank card and that was a bummer really. But that's life. Tonight we ate hot dogs and that was good. I talked to Andre who is the Branch pres's son and he is gonna come to the airport when I get home means how he'll be there visiting some other people! But other then that nothing too great to report

Tuesday: Today wasn't too great. We had a lesson with a church member who is not attending, and one new investigator today and they are great. S. just doesn't go to church because he doesn't like some of the members... So that's a problem. The new investigator, A, has 2 sisters that are members who don't participate, so she knows all about the church and wants to give it a go and see if it really is true. So that was what happened Today.

Wednesday: Today was worse... We didn't have any lessons and we had to knock doors all day and NO ONE would let us in so that was the trial of the week really. Nothing to update there.

Thursday: Today was more or less. We had lunch with the Branch president again and I forgot to take a freakin picture of them again! So that was a bummer. But the lunch was one of the best lasagnas I have had here. So that was good. After that we went and found a guy that isn't too interested, but let us in to listen anyway. After, we cut a few investigators due to lack of interest and progress, and taught another lesson and it was good. P. got appendicitis and had to get a whole bunch of fingers and toes cut off and some of the heel. He really loves religion and we told him about our message and he was thrilled; so invited us over and we taught him. We'll go back Saturday to see how he is.

Friday: Today was district meeting and it was good. I talked about teaching the Doctrine of Christ in a way that people will understand and have a desire to repent and change their lives. It went well. After, we got invited to a restaurant by a nonmember that we know so we ate for free there which was awesome! He had steak and mashed potatoes and other stuff since it was a buffet. That was great. Then we taught A. again today and she is doing well and doing the stuff we ask her to do and she is feeling a difference in our message! so that does make a difference in the week. Tonight we taught a woman who is an inactive member and apparently had to take out a restraining order against one of the other church members because he was "coming on to her" a lot.

Saturday: Today we taught P. again and he said that when he prayed he got a really good feeling.! So that was awesome! We told him about how he felt and how that was the Spirit telling him it was right and he said that he believed it but needed to know more. So we are working more with him. Walking home tonight we were on the road and out of nowhere Elder Valadão went to the side and picked up something and I looked and it was a MOTO G3!!! Someone had lost their phone! So we waited for someone to call so we could return it. They called and we returned it and it was all good. But it was crazy! 

Sunday: Today church was in the afternoon at a different chapel since our chapel in under construction. They are doing a handicapped bathroom and redoing the pulpit. So for the next 2 weeks we will be in the other chapel. We also found a family beforehand which was cool! They are a young family with one child and they seem to like religion. The man of the house has read the bible all the way through and the wife understands the main parts. So they are nice and they want to go to church to see how it's different. Tonight J and E invited us for dinner and that was a really nice thing. Our lunch appointment today was really weak. NOT because the family didn't have much but because the man of the house thinks the missionaries DONT NEED TOO MUCH. But I'm grateful for how fortunate I have been thus far. I know that there aren't many people that have as much as we do. But I know that people are blessed because of the sacrifices that they make for us.

A scripture that helped me this week was D&C 111:10. It helped me remember that even if times get tough in finding people there are always treasures waiting for you. So where ever you are in whatever circumstances remember that YOU ARE THERE FOR A REASON! 

Love you all! HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Elder George

D & C 111:10: " For there are more treasures than one for you in this city."

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/111?lang=eng

Olympic Torch and Closed Doors----- 7-18-16

Today I have very little to report unfortunately... We didnt hardly teach this week because nobody was willing to listen to us. We knocked doors all week and didnt get into any. So it was a bummer. We are convinced that this week will be much better. We both stayed here this last transfer and I will end my mission here. I am happy about it and we are doing well together. It has been really good to get to know someone so well and get along through thick and thin. My companion has truly grown to be a great friend.

We saw the Olympic torch this week! That was the highlight really. it was kinda like a group of floats going down the road and that was it. It was cool becasue it was the TORCH but the rest was a bit ehhh. So that was the highlight of the week.

I wanted to wish mom and dad a happy anniversary and I hope you had a great day of rememberance of all the happy days! :D LOVE YOU GUYS!

This week I was reading about Zion and I was amazed about one thing that Zion does. Zion people strive to HELP EVERYONE SELFLESSLY and I thought a lot about members of the church everywhere who help so selflessly but about others that NEED a gain out of their help. I thought about the City of Enoch and how they were of one mind and one heart. They did everything in unity and were perfectly obedient. They KNEW they needed to because it was what the Savior would do. WE need to be more concerned about our neighbors and treat them how they can become. If people have problems we should treat them how we expect them to become. We can't treat people poorly because of how they are now-their weaknesses or faults; that is not how we would want to be treated most of the time. So we ought to take some more time thinking about how we can help our neighbors. That is something we applied this week with people that shut their door in our face. We didnt feel mad our angry because that isn't what the Savior would do. We would feel sad, because we know that they would be happier with Christ in their lives, but it's their choice. We cant do anything to make them accept. So when we think about the things that people do to us that aren't very nice, let's us do as the Savior taught and turn the other cheek and forgive them. We'll grow to love them and serve them and sooner or later that person will see the things they should change. They will recognize truth and will seek for it. As for ourselves, because of our faith and efforts to follow Christ, we can become a people that the Savior will be satisfied in seeing when He returns.

I love you all and I encourage the young ones to read about Captain Moroni (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/gs/moroni-captain?lang=eng# ) and learn how to be like him. He truly was a servant of the Lord. If we can be like him we will become a Zion people. ONE HEART AND ONE MIND. I know this is true.

Love you all.

Elder George

Transfer Week Coming ---7-11-16

Well this week has to be a little fast because we are going to Elder And Sister Davis for lunch and they are waiting for us so I'll cover the best things!

So this week we taught AP and she decided to stop taking the lessons. That wasnt the best. She said there are points in the Gospel that she just cant come to grips with. So we had to stop teaching her. It was really sad because we really love her and want the best for her. So that was a sad moment but there are others that need our help too.

This week after District meeting Elder C and Elder Z from our district decided to take on a 2 liter Açaí challenge. It's like a smoothie but a little thicker with fruit and stuff. So they decided to try and take that down. Elder C got to the very end of the 30 minute time limit and couldnt get the fruit finished on time... But Elder Z got it all done in 28:30! HE is a champ. So that was something funny that we did. I'm gonna try it this week ;) (Elder Z is in the black sweater.)

Saturday we had a party at the church and it was basically a Pioneer day party. It was really fun and there was a lot of food there! All kinds of sweets and cakes and hot dogs (that are different than in the states) and soda! There were a lot of people there that either weren't members of our Church or were not actively participating and that is the best part because the easy lay back activities make it so people feel more comfortable and felt the goodness in the atmosphere. I got some pictures of the stuff that we did.

The family from Amazonas isn't doing too well... It looks like they will be cut here in a bit. They just don't show much interest any more. Maybe some other time they'll do more in the Gospel. 

This week is transfers and we are both hoping to stay here together and that's the goal really. 

But for the most exciting stuff that's about it! I'll take some pictures at Davis' house and send them next week! LOVE YOU GUYS! Stay safe!

Elder George

Lots of teaching-One less week 7-4-16

Well this week was okay. We had our mission conference and a few other little things but I'll give a daily update this email.

MONDAY:  Monday as usual was PDAY and we emailed and we had lunch at Subway. Then we went looking at stores just to pass time. I found a friend here who is going to school with me; so he is gonna be there in January because he goes home in November. He is Elder C! So he is a cool guy and I lived with him for a while in Joinville and he is cool and it would be cool to live with him. I got to study a packet that I made about the Atonement and that is great. There are a ton of talks from the 90's and the early 2000's. I think it is interesting how the words of certain people like Pres. Monson seem to echo through the years and define who and what those people stand for and think is most important. 

TUESDAY:  Well we went to an eye doctor to see if my companion needs to use glasses and apparently he has Glaucoma. After he did the test he Dr came out and explained it and he said that one day his eyes would just fall out of their sockets out of nowhere!  I ask him is he gets worried and he says that his brother has the same thing but nothing seems to be wrong. SO he isnt worried and we joke about it. We had our appointment with the sister we are teaching, AP, and she talked about how she can't seem to believe that the Plan of Salvation* is how it is. I testified of the Book of Mormon and how it helps us understand more about the plan and other parts of doctrine. So we'll see how it goes Friday. (See FRIDAY) We also taught a few other people that are going well. We are basically finding people all by ourselves (without referrals) so teaching and baptizing is a little sketch but we are going on!

WEDNESDAY:  Well today we taught our 9 year old convert, who was already baptized, and that as always is a little hard since she is 9 and doesnt really like to cooperate. But she knows everything and we just teach her because after baptism we teach the lessons again. We also taught some people from Amazonas this week and they are really cool! We found them tracting and they seem to be interested. The mom has a sister in law that is a member and she came to visit her so we taught with her and the lesson went well. Hopefully they come to church... (See SUNDAY) We also found a pastel place that is incredible! THey do GIANT pasteis and you can create your own flavors and it is outstanding.

 

THURSDAY:  Well today was mission conference and it was one of the better ones since I have been on the misison. The assistants did a training about mythbusting on the misison and it was cool. Mission myths are like things on the mission that missionaries say that arent true. For example: it isnt possible to find a new investigator everyday. So that was cool becasue they used Rocky to make it a little more fun! It was funny. President's training was great. He talked a lot about teaching and how we need to teach how the Savior, Jesus Christ does. It really hit me. The lunch was at a resturaunt and that was normal I guess. I took some pictures with people that I probably wont see again for a while. :D

FRIDAY:  Today I hit 21 months and that is pretty freaking intense. Life is moving forward. We taught AP and we diecided to go back to the basics and go through faith, repentance, and recieving a testimony about the Book of Mormon. She said that she still doesnt know if it is true, but she knows that she has gotten closer to God through the study she has done in the Book of Mormon. SO at least we accomplished that part of our purpose. We also talked to a lady today... Well she came to talk to us to give us a "hug from MIAMI BEACH" because a relative of hers told her to! SO BIZZARE! We asked her if she would want to recieve our lessons, but she said no... Sad day. But thats life!

SATURDAY:  Today was better on teaching and we taught 3 lessons and they were all good. We taught the Restoration** to all of them and it looks like our families from AMAZONAS are coming to church tomorrow! We also talked to one of the church branch member's neighbors and that was kind of awkward becasue the guy is SUPER agnostic... The member kept at him more then I would have but it was good to see them working in missionary work. 

SUNDAY:  Today was church and our families that we have been teaching went to church and it was amazing! The members included them and helped them feel welcome and it was awesome to see them helping us. The teaching was a little weak for us that afternoon, but we did find a new person today that let us in. We'll see if he goes far! We had choir as well and that was kind of annoying really. Some of the people really get to bickering. But we are doing our part which is what counts. 

But that is what happened this week! I Love you all!

ELDER GEORGE


*Link for Plan of Salvation video:
https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/missionary/our-heavenly-fathers-plan?lang=eng


**Link for Restoration video:
https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2008-06-01-the-restoration?lang=eng