(Sorry for the bad spelling and stuff today, I´m using gloves because The guy has the door open and I´m sitting write in the door way)
Tuesday:... You know what, I´m not even going to lie, the week was rough, not a lot happened because winter came back, and it came back mad. \\\\\\\\ \\\the whole week was walking in a ghost down in the freezing cold rain trying to accomplish something without a lot of luck.
\our baptism isn´t going to happen this week because of stake conference there´s no way to confirm her on Sunday, so hopefully on 7 of Setember (But this is independence day here so maybe not) And if not 7, the 14 for sure, we just don´t wanna keep putting it off.
At church there were only 30 people there, it was freezing and seeing as only a few people have a car, the church was pretty empty... I´m just happy that we live close.
Well, now lets do a little bit of reflecting on this accomplishment of year...
I´ve seen a lot of things happen, right from the first 24 hours in ``Brasil``(MTC) I knew that it was going to be a lot different. Even living in the most american par of the country it was easy to see the differences. No Dr. Pepper, mcdonalds is expensive, they eat rice and beans EVERY DAY, I thought I was going to die with this diet after the first 2 days, though, I know how blessed I am, and that I´m supposed to be here in POAS (Porto Alegre South) When I was in the mtc eating beans, I always got sick after, every day, I couldn´t eat brown beans without feeling sick, though when we had black beans once a monh or so, I loved it, I ate them more than anything else... I got nervous about that when I got clothes to coming into the field, thinkijg I would get sick everyday but I[ve been blessed. The people here in the south only eat black beans... Less than 5 times I´ve had brown beans here... I love black beans so much now that it´s going to be difficult coming back home where the people don´t eat anything good.
I also learned to like a weird green drink called Chimarrão, it shouldn´t even be good. It´s just herbs with fire hot water that you drink through a metal straw, But... Here I am drinking it everyday, loving it more and more as time goes. I Now love fat on the meat, I continue to love chocolate milk and bolagna; I learned to appreciate the good things in life (Chocolate bars and hot dogs). Though I didn´t just change my eating habbits. I learned to love the word of God. I´ve knocked the book of mormon out a couple of times. I read my blessing daily I´ve even taken down the new testament oh, and I´ve read the whole missionary reference library and preach my gospel a good amount of times.. all of this with a lot of time in the front. Time to do it all in a different language, a couple weeks ago I started O Livro de Mórmon with a real intent to understand it and finish it this time... I´m just about done with 2nd Néfi and I´ve learned way more until now reading in portuguese than I ever did in English.
I´ve seen the gospel bless lives, not just my own, but the lives of my Gaucho familys as well as I´m learning how to gain an unconditional love (it´s coming, slowly but surely) I´ve seen 9 people enter into the baptismal covenent, and been a hand in WAY more than just these 9. I was blessed with the opporitunity to baptize, and confirm by the power of the preisthood, I´ve seen healings, and watched/participated as evil spirits were cast out of houses AND people. I´ve seen the difference in people after baptisms, and also how sad the people are that have gone inactve... I don[´t know how many RM´s I[ve seen that have fallen away and look like their lives don´t have a purpose. Mdaybe I haven´t done everything that i WANTED to in the first year, no I haven´t seen a whole family (Dad, mom and kids) Enter the gospel together, but I KNOW that my efforts are being seen, that one day I will. Maybe it won´t be on the mission, but one day it´ll happen. Maybe I didn´t give 100%, 100% of the time, but I know that my efforts were rewarded.
I gained a testimonehy about fasts, before the mission I just starved myself... Now, I do it KNOWING that I or someone that I love will be blessed because of it. I´ve seen it happen twice with 2 of my best friends (João and Letícia) in the last 2 months. I know the Lord watches over us, he´s watching over Carol who had some difficult times before her baptism, and still has difficulties, but keeps going with faith and hope that things will get better. He´s watching over Paulina who took the step late in her life, but is now less than 3 months away from going to the temple (She´s already done baptisms there) He´s watching over Tiago and Helena, protecting them as Tiago continues getting better every day from his terrible addictions. He´s watching over Gabriel, giving him the chance to see his parents baptized just months after he set the example. He´s watching over Milena (I actually don´t know what´s happening with her). He´s watching over João as he blesses the sacrament. He´s watching over Letícia as she´s being an example in her family for her sisters, doing the right things, reading and asking questions. Learning more and more and helping her classmates as a newly called member of the seminary presidency. He´s watching over me, and you.
As João 8:32 says... E conhecereis a verdade, e a verdade vos libertará
The gospel only helps, it doesn´t give us rules, just promises us blessings for doing the obvious things.
This is my short reflection after 1 year... Sorry if it didn´t answer some questions.!!!
Amo vocês!
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| All the letters I have received in the first year |
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| Me with Utah! |
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| Being goofy |
