More Holiness

District Meeting in Rio Claro

It has been a great week. Highlight of the week was on Saturday when we taught Gabriel and Ana, we talked about the temple and sealing their family. We had already taught them about that stuff but we revised our lesson and reviewed it again. Their hearts were touched and they have decided to get married so they can be baptized and then sealed as a family forever! Pretty awesome! So they will get married in a few weeks and then they will get baptized. I don't know if I will be here in Limeira for it but I am super super happy for them! One of the great moments of the mission! I love that family and want to see them grow in the gospel together!

P-day activity with some Elders from the Zone

Last Monday we had a district pday and played soccer at the church. It was super fun and it was a great activity to have together to excite everyone in the district. Its been a while since I have played and I realized my soccer skills are not what they used to be! haha Here in the mission we usually aren't allowed to play because it can get very competitive here in Brasil and people can get injured. But every once in awhile we get the opportunity but not very often. When I get home I will have to practice I have definitely lost a little skill . haha.

The week got off to a slow start on Tuesday and Wednesday Elder Cifuentes was really sick so we had to stay home. It knocked him down for a few days. So I got some good study time in and a bit of exercise too. Thursday we had a district meeting in Rio Claro. We did a cool activity based on Alma 24. Just like they buried their "weapons of war" and promised to God that they would be "peaceful". We buried our "sins" or our "weaknesses" and promised God that we would be obedient and faithful. So we wrote "our weaknesses" on a paper and then buried it outside. We also did a plan of salvation for our missions, before the mission, during the mission and after the mission. So we took a picture we had from before the mission and took a picture we had of during the mission and then Sister Azevedo drew everyone after the mission. We thought/wrote the goals of our mission, how they would be accomplished and then how others & ourselves & our families would be blessed by the mission. Was super cool.

Our weaknesses

Burying our weaknesses & committing to overcome them.

Our Plans of Salvation for our Mission

Sister Azevedo's drawing of my future after mission goals

Friday was my Bday but it was pretty much like any other day in that we worked. But that is what made it great! haha Thanks to my family for the great birthday packages. The chocolate chip pancakes and syrup were a great birthday breakfast. And thanks again to everyone for the birthday emails. I apologize I am still trying to answer a few. We do not have a lot of time in the LAN House on P-days. But I appreciate all the messages. Maria Diogo who is like my Brazilian mother from Hortlandia wanted me to come to Hortlandia to have lunch together because she has the same bday as me. But as you can guess President didn't give us permission to go. So what did Sister Diogo do? She said if you cannot come here, the mom will go to you! So she came here to Limeira on Friday and ate lunch with us! I love her and I am thankful for her kindness and the love she gives us as missionaries. It was super awesome. We also had cake at the house of Mara and Adilson. I love them so much. They are awesome. They made me a cake and sung happy birthday which was super cool. We also had a cake that the Bishops wife gave me and we ate that in our house. But before we ate the cake my companion and the other elders that live with us were singing me happy birthday and then at the end, snuck up on me and broke an egg on my head! That's a tradition here as well as to throw flour on top. I was happy we didn't have flour in our house! hahahaha It was super funny. Tried to give my companion a hug after to share the "love" that was shown but he didn't want a hug, I wonder why? ;)

Celebrating our birthday with Sister Diogo

For the spiritual thought this week I want to share the lyrics of the Hymn "More Holiness give me"
1. More holiness give me,
More strivings within,
More patience in suff’ring,
More sorrow for sin,
More faith in my Savior,
More sense of his care,
More joy in his service,
More purpose in prayer.

2. More gratitude give me,
More trust in the Lord,
More pride in his glory,
More hope in his word,
More tears for his sorrows,
More pain at his grief,
More meekness in trial,
More praise for relief.

3. More purity give me,
More strength to o’ercome,
More freedom from earth-stains,
More longing for home.
More fit for the kingdom,
More used would I be,
More blessed and holy—
More, Savior, like thee.

That is what we are all striving for to become more like Him. Sometimes we can get overwhelmed or feel we can't make it or do it anymore. If you get to that point where you don't have desire to improve, don't have a desire to read the scriptures, pray, go to church, or continue onward, - get down on your knees and say a prayer. Ask Him to give you a little of that great desire that He has for you. He will "loan" you a little, give you "a seed" so you can begin to nurture that into a big ole tree that will bear many fruits! He is there for us if we but ask for His help.

Have a great week!
Elder Davis