Not Planning is Planning - but for Minimal Success

Our "call of death" day - the call you get telling you what day you will be going home from the mission. Elder Torres and I are in the same group.

It was a good week. It started well! Like I said in my email last Monday we went to the center of Hortolandia and had lunch with Adriano and Samara! Little did I know how great a decision that was until later in the week. I will tell you about that later. He is doing well! They are truly family to me. We spent some time there and then we came back to have a FHE with Milton and Elaine's family! We ate some Mexican food in honor of Elder Torres! We had chili as well as guacamole! It was a great throwback haha.

Always happy - love these people!

FHE with Milton Cirineus family and Elaines family

FHE - a great night!

Tuesday we had the opportunity to go to Hortolandia A's Area to help Sister Davila and Sister Ferreira find some new people to teach as well as help them with some people they are teaching. Jefferson is one of the people they are teaching. He is a really good guy. He is 18 yrs old and has an open heart to find what the Lord wants him to do. He was hung up a bit about his age and making such an important decision. He wanted to make sure now was the right time to follow the Lord- it is sometimes difficult to change for people. But we spoke with him about the importance doing what is right when you know it is right. So we had a good discussion and he marked a date for baptism for him for the 7th of April!

With Elder Simmons on splits doing interviews for the Sisters

Going to miss the killer juices here in Brazil

Wednesday was Multizone! We talked about a lot of things but mainly it was focused on planning and small/simple things that we need to do daily. Through small improvements good becomes better and then best. It is always great to see everyone again!

Thursday, Elder Torres and I were able to get some good visits and lessons in. We also found some new people to teach as well. We visited Fernanda and her parents (Reinaldo and Sonia) and taught them the last lesson about Tithes and Offerings. It went well and she marked her baptism for Saturday! Our zone is doing so well we have 12 baptisms scheduled for this week and next.

Friday! We were on splits. I was with Elder Simmons and Elder Loureiro was with Elder Torres. We visited some other people to say goodbye (I will explain a little bit after) and also went to visit Wendrell. Unfortunately he is not ready for baptism right now but hopefully later he will be ready to accept. We talked to Juninho. He will be baptized on the 7th of April. Amanda as well will be baptized that day. Then we went to Fernanda for her interview. Everything was on track for her baptism Saturday! We also had "Noite de Integração" in the Ward. Its an activity to create fellowshipping in the ward as well as integrate new people into the church to get to know the gospel! It was great! I am glad I got to see a lot of the members.

"Noite de Integração"  in the Ward

Saturday. Elder Simmons and I did another split. We went to Interlagos and did some interviews as well as went to Horto A and interviewed Maria who got baptized this week! We then went home and I got my bags and left the city to be transferred. Wait...what? Yep. I was transferred during the middle of the transfer. President had a few problems with some areas and some people were transferred. I ended up being transferred too so I could possibly help with some of the things that were going on in one of the areas. So after only 3 weeks I left Saio (Zion) Hortolandia to go to Rio Claro 4 in the Rio Claro Stake. I can't lie I am going to miss Hortolandia and the great people there. They are the best. My new companion is Elder Theodoro. I was transferred 3 hours before Fernandas baptism happened ! :( But she was baptized and confirmed so I am happy for her!

With Fernanda and her parents Reinaldo and Sonia

The spiritual thought I wanted to share is about planning and how we need to plan with God. When we keep the eternal things first in our mind as we plan we are more likely to end up where we need and want to be.We have to involve the Lord and our Heavenly Father, we need to know their will for us. Because they know what is not only good for us but what is the best for us. It is through the small and simple things that we do daily that helps us know their will and will help us continue forward on the right path and get to the destination we want. It is also important to realize that by not planning we are planning but for minimal success and achievement. Righteous daily choices, the small and simple things such as being true and honest, genuine in our prayers with our desires and thoughts as well as in our fasting, scripture study and our daily interactions with our fellow men. All of this is what really helps us become who we want to be and should be. It also brings happiness. We become who we want to be by making choices and doing the things the person we want to be would do. Then little by little, day by day we become more and more that person we desire to be. Becoming like Christ and following him requires a lot of consistent righteous choices and righteous actions. We have to work towards perfection daily, step by step, relying on the Lord to guide us in our decisions and become better disciples of Him. I know Christ lives. I know He was resurrected. May we seek Him and realize all is possible through Him.

Love,
Elder Davis