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| Working with the Zone Leaders - Elder Costa & Ricarte |
Oi-
Hope everyone is doing great! I am going to have to make this quick. Wow this week was crazy busy! I know I say that every week but every week really is! One day I had to go to a different area to do an interview and had to walk an hour and a half to the interview and an hour and a half back. It is was out there! haha I don't have to worry about putting on weight here - we walk it all off. This week was spent mostly on working hard to find new people to teach. We are working hard to really connect with people and understand their individual needs and concerns. So when we are trying to make new contacts we try to start conversations with people by asking them questions of what they are looking for in life or what they would like to have that they do not have. Here in the mission they call that the Gato Gordo (which translated is the Fat Cat - not sure why it is called that but yeah that is what it is called! :P ) So we did a lot of knocking of doors this week and were asking people what they felt they were lacking that would bring more joy or happiness in their lives. We get a lot of different answers some say something like a job, health, or more peace in their home. Whatever anyone says it is pretty easy to apply it to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is so complete and as I study and share it I realize how really all answers can be found within the gospel. We are so blessed to have so many resources to guide us in choices but also help solve problems and be better. When we hear people talk about wanting better health we share with them the word of wisdom and the blessings of the priesthood. When people talk about needing a job or a better job we talk to them about blessings that come through tithing, putting the Lord first, we also share the ldsjobs website and the autoefficiency classes the church offers here. When they talk about wanting peace in their homes we talk about forever families and how to be one, Family Home Evening, also principles with promise and the organizations within the church that help families grow individually and together. The list just goes on and on.. We all know those things but we sometimes take for granted how complete the gospel of Jesus Christ is. If we live the gospel so many things in our lives will improve and become better. We really don't have to look elsewhere in the world for answers - the gospel has the answers. After speaking with them we invite them to church and if they come to church we know that they are serious about wanting to change and to find answers. Then we are able to teach them based on their individual needs and concerns. It is an awesome approach because it is focused on individuals.
It is still rainy season and rains almost every day. Sometimes the rain helps us out a little because as we were knocking doors people are very kind and want us to come in out of the rain which gives us an opportunity to talk to them. Double blessings! :) Brazilian people are super awesome. They are a very generous and kind people. I love that about them. One day we knocked doors all morning and didn't get in one door, which is not normal. But we kept the faith and kept on going. It wasn't until later that night it all worked out. Sometimes things are rocky at first but if we keep going forward strong with faith, it will smooth out and everything will work out the way it is supposed to! So that night we surprisingly found about 5 people who are not members but are family of less active members. They all came to church on Sunday and we also had 4-5 other people that went who had been there last week from our contacts doing gato gordo. So we had a pretty good group at church. We are teaching a family that is super cool. Carol, Luciana, Gabriel and the dad Ademir. So Ademir is really never really home but we have taught carol (14 yrs), luciana (the mom) and gabriel (9 yrs). They are all doing great with the lessons. They had questions about the need for proper authority in the priesthood and the restoration but they understand now that no one can just be a prophet or establish a church, you have to be called of God and have the AUTHORITY to do so. Anyway, it was a tough but great week. This next week we will have a multizone on Wednesday so it will be great to see all the mission friends and Elder Sander again.
This week's thought is a scripture about Nephi and the Liahona. There is so much we can learn from Nephi's example. 1 nefi 16:28-30.
28 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the pointers which were in the ball, that they did work according to the faith and diligence and heed which we did give unto them.
29 And there was also written upon them a new writing, which was plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things.
30 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did go forth up into the top of the mountain, according to the directions which were given upon the ball.
The three things that were needed for the Liahona to work are also needed for the spirit to work in our lives; faith, diligence and heed or attention. We need to have those things daily. We need to have faith in God which leads us to pray & search the scriptures to know His will for us. Then we have to be diligent in this seeking to know and to repent and be better. because sometimes it does not come right away. Then we have to give heed to it by following the promptings we get when it does come. Those three simple things will help us accomplish many great things. I want you all to know that I know that God lives, Christ lives. He atoned for our sins and was resurrected. He is always with us and will always love us. We have a loving Heavenly Father and He knows us each individually. One day, we will return and live with Him again if we follow the straight path which he has set for us. I know that to be true. Love you all and hope you have a great week.
Elder Davis
It is still rainy season and rains almost every day. Sometimes the rain helps us out a little because as we were knocking doors people are very kind and want us to come in out of the rain which gives us an opportunity to talk to them. Double blessings! :) Brazilian people are super awesome. They are a very generous and kind people. I love that about them. One day we knocked doors all morning and didn't get in one door, which is not normal. But we kept the faith and kept on going. It wasn't until later that night it all worked out. Sometimes things are rocky at first but if we keep going forward strong with faith, it will smooth out and everything will work out the way it is supposed to! So that night we surprisingly found about 5 people who are not members but are family of less active members. They all came to church on Sunday and we also had 4-5 other people that went who had been there last week from our contacts doing gato gordo. So we had a pretty good group at church. We are teaching a family that is super cool. Carol, Luciana, Gabriel and the dad Ademir. So Ademir is really never really home but we have taught carol (14 yrs), luciana (the mom) and gabriel (9 yrs). They are all doing great with the lessons. They had questions about the need for proper authority in the priesthood and the restoration but they understand now that no one can just be a prophet or establish a church, you have to be called of God and have the AUTHORITY to do so. Anyway, it was a tough but great week. This next week we will have a multizone on Wednesday so it will be great to see all the mission friends and Elder Sander again.
This week's thought is a scripture about Nephi and the Liahona. There is so much we can learn from Nephi's example. 1 nefi 16:28-30.
28 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the pointers which were in the ball, that they did work according to the faith and diligence and heed which we did give unto them.
29 And there was also written upon them a new writing, which was plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things.
30 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did go forth up into the top of the mountain, according to the directions which were given upon the ball.
The three things that were needed for the Liahona to work are also needed for the spirit to work in our lives; faith, diligence and heed or attention. We need to have those things daily. We need to have faith in God which leads us to pray & search the scriptures to know His will for us. Then we have to be diligent in this seeking to know and to repent and be better. because sometimes it does not come right away. Then we have to give heed to it by following the promptings we get when it does come. Those three simple things will help us accomplish many great things. I want you all to know that I know that God lives, Christ lives. He atoned for our sins and was resurrected. He is always with us and will always love us. We have a loving Heavenly Father and He knows us each individually. One day, we will return and live with Him again if we follow the straight path which he has set for us. I know that to be true. Love you all and hope you have a great week.
Elder Davis
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| After 9 months of avoiding it I fell victim to one of the dangers of missionary work -dog bites! haha |
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