This past week went by super fast! Things here in Vila Sônia are going well. We are starting to figure out the area, we pretty much know our way around.
I'm starting to learn what Patience is... My companion is... a challenge, to say the least. I´ve experienced some of the loooongest days of my life with him. I've never had so many evil thoughts about a person before. haha....Its a continual struggle to be Christlike. But I'm learning that nothing gets done and we don't have the spirit at all when there is contention, which is almost always. So I'm practicing just grinning and bearing it. Becasue if he doesn't get it his way the world explodes and he stays mad for like 2 or 3 days. So its better to just do all possible to try and keep peace so that we can have the spirit. Because without the spirit we are just waisting our time. I've already experienced a couple days when we are fighting and then magically all of our appointments will fall through and then it will start raining and we will have nothing to do but knock doors for 7 or 8 hours. It feels at times like I have those demontors from Harry Potter following me around... It's not very pleasent = Very long day!
So I've just been doing everything possible to not let fights happen, becasue its SO not worth it.
The other day a miracle happened and we found an Elect family. They said the missionaries were teaching them before and they liked it, but then the missionaries just stopped and they don't know why. They tried to look for the church on 2 sepereate occasions but couldn't find it. Then we came along. We marked a baptism/wedding date with them (no one here in brazil is married) they are super exicited! We are just praying that the paperwork for the marriage will go through quickly, usually it takes 6-8 weeks.
Yesterday I started an English class in the chapel. I am doing it from 8-9pm on Tuesday nights. It was sweet. There were like 15 people that went and 3 were investigators. I taught them how to pray in English. Everyone liked it alot, so I think this will be a great tool to do missionary work.
Today we went to the Center. Downtown Sao Paulo. It was sooooo crazy! We went to the tallest building and took pictures at the top (i will send the pictures next week) and we went and ate at a Churrascoria (buffet of meat, its like Tucanos, but way better) and we went to the street where they sell all the fake stufff for super cheap, and I bought a Brazil soccer jersey.
This week I will hit the 8 month mark on the mission. Its amazing how fast time goes by!
I know that what I am doing is the most important thing and of the greatest worth that I could be possibly be doing right now. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints IS the only and true living church. I know that missionary work is not just the work of Elders and Sisters, that every member of the church has the responsibility to open their mouth and invite people to come unto Christ. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that He knows us individually and He is here to lift us up in our times of difficulty and suffering, but we have to go to Him. It's like that picture of him knocking at the door. If you look carefully the door doesn't have a handle. The handle is on our side of the door, we have to open the door and let Him be a part of our lives.
Elder J.D. Schoen
P.S. Shoutout to my best friend Chad Cooley who got his mission call and is going to New York, New York South Mission!!! Congrats!
I am so proud of you!! They say, "patience is a virtue!" Sometimes that is an understatement!! You will be so blessed with all the learning & growing that you are doing-you will look back in the years to come & understand why Heavenly Father put that stumbling block in you path. Chris is having such an awesome time on his mission. It's so exciting that you are both in Brazil!! Both of you will have some one to talk with when you come home!! Chris wants us to learn the language but I have a hard time with the English language-ha! ha! It's so exciting to see pictures of you on your mission! I've posted a few on Chris' blog-he needs to send more. You're mom is the Best!! She has helped me out so much!! I just wanted to let you know how wonderful you are!!
ReplyDeleteLove, Janet Kenney <;