Week Of Growth, Goats, And... Tons Of Food

Before I start this email... today is a very special day to me. Today marks three years since the passing of my older brother Brian. There hasn't been a day where I haven't thought about my brother. This one goes out to you Brian! Can't wait to see you again one day! 

Okay so now that those emotions are aside, this week has been so hard (like always) but has also been a huge growth week for me in many ways! I feel like I'm finally able to converse with Brazilians and play my part in our lessons. My love for my companion and the work has grown so much too! This had been the first preparation day where I'm actually excited for the week ahead! Has the work gotten any easier? Absolutely not. But my spirit and attitude has, and that's what makes the difference.

Yesterday we had interviews with our Mission President to access our physical, mental, and spiritual health. After I said the prayer to start the interview, my president, President Boone, paused and said, "I can feel that there is a heavy burden weighing you down." Wow. This man is either phycic or is really in tune with the Spirit. And I'm willing to put money on the second one. I was able to talk to him about everything I kinda put in these emails. He was able to connect with me in so many ways I can't ever explain! We focused our interview on families, because I miss my family like crazy! It's wild that in college I wasn't homesick at all, but being in another country has changed everything. President Boone was able to testify about the eternal power of families and told me exactly what I needed to hear to stay focused and happy!

Spiritual Thought

Since the common theme in this email is families, I decided to just ride that train through my spiritual thought. I know there are many many missionaries experiencing similar feelings and others who have other family issues, so I'm hoping that this email, and this focus, can help at least one of you!

We are always taught in our church, "families can be together forever" or "families are eternal". But what does this even mean? 

In our church, we have temple. And in our temples, we have sealing ordinances. We have the opportunity to be sealed with our families for time and all eternity, kind of like a husband and wife are sealed together through marriage. By the proper authority, we can have the opportunity to live with our families for time and all eternity in heaven! 

This is literally my favorite promise we receive in this church and is a big reason why I'm continuing to push through this mission! I miss my family, yeah, but I'm going to be with them forever! Isn't that just amazing! 

In a vision received by our first prophet Joseph Smith, recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 137, he says...

The heavens were opened upon us, and I beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory thereof, whether in the body or out I cannot tell.

I saw Father Adam and Abraham; and my father and my mother; my brother Alvin, that has long since slept;

After this life, all who have sealed together and all who "fallen asleep in Christ", will have the opportunity to be with their families forever!

But this is going to be for a bit. What should we be doing now? 

In one of my favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon, Alma 43: 47 it says...

And again, the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed.

For those of you who have your families still on this Earth, love them! Protect them! Show genuine intest in them! You don't know how long you'll be able to do that for. And for those who have lost loved ones, I feel for you, Christ feels for you. There are ways to see them again! These concepts have blessed my life so much and can bless yours too! Please reach out to me if you want to talk about anything!!

Okay now for my highlights :)

Highlights 

- Okay, so I've actually eaten really well this week! Almost every person who was scheduled to feed us this week canceled and gave us money instead. Let's just say we hit up a self service restaurant every single day! How it works is you get one plate and you can serve yourself one time. You also get two pieces of meat, so choose wisely. I absolutely stack that plate every single time. Picture attached. 

- In additon to the fire meals at restaurants, on Sunday we were fed by one of the members of the church. She made us some Rubacão (bean, rice, cheese, and cream dish). And when I mean some, I mean an entire kettle pot full. Every time I was close to finishing my plate, she would say, "come mais Elder!!" (Eat more!!) And would fill up my plate again. She also had like 10 liters of coke and would do the same thing no matter what I said. I probably ate like 5 pounds of food, drank 2 liters of Coke, and scarfed down three bowls of ice cream. I couldn't even move afterwards. I don't know what I like more, starving all day or the thought of food making me want to throw up.

- Last food highlight, I promise. This week I probably made my top two purchases yet. I bought myself a box of Frosted Flakes and a big container of these peanut butter candies. Literally brightens my day so much and gives me the energy that I need to get through each day! Also shout out to my mom who sent me some Halloween candy yesterday! I'm so grateful for her and grateful that I now have peanut butter cups (don't exist here).

- Ever since I've been on my mission, I have had so much nostalgia and have day dreamed way too much. Mostly because while my companion is talking to others insanely fast in Portuguese, in my head I'm thinking, "I'd rather be literally anywhere but here right now." Usually I'll think about fun memories with friends and families that I'd rather be doing but sometimes it gets so bad where I'm like "I'd literally rather be in high school taking a Calc test right now!" Now that I look back, I take that one back but seriously, the nostalgia is insane. 

- This week we had so many good lessons and progressing friends!! We met a woman named Anne who has so much faith!! On the day we met her, she listened to our lesson, set a baptismal date, and toured our chapel. The next day, she agreed to stop all of her unrighteous habits and take off work on Sundays for church. And yesterday, my Portuguese was locked in for some reason, and I was able to testify about Jesus Christ with so much clarity that a lot of her fears about baptism left. The Gift of Tongues is real!! 

- We experienced a miracle with another friend this week! When planning for the week we were talking about a woman named Luzi Neide. She wasn't opening her door for us and wasn't responding to our texts, so we wrote her off our list of potential converts. But one of our lessons fell through the other day, and my companion asked me where we should go. I knew that we were close to her house and felt strongly that we should try one more time. I've been praying for diligence and persistence alot this week and knew in that moment that if we were persistent, our efforts would be magnified. We got to her door, and her husband was outside. Clutch! He let us in and we taught them about Christ and the Book of Mormon, and the spirit was super strong! They accepted a book, another lesson, and committed to go to church on Sunday! I could see the spirit of God working on them! Stay persistent!!

- We had a reunion yesterday with all of the missionaries who started their missions at the same time. So many Americans, and so much English!! It felt like a dream! It was so nice to know that there are others feeling the same feelings as me and was so nice to express myself without talking like a disfunctional robot. All of you guys that are in America right now speaking English, count your blessings!

Sorry this one was kinda long. Hopefully some of my words can help some of you out in some way! Your emails literally brighten up my weeks so much, so please keep them coming!! I love each and every one of you! Have a great week!!

Pictures

1) We saw a pack of six goats walking through the streets the other day! Goats are literally the most chill animals on the planet. You can pet them and they won't even flinch.

2) The single plate that we are able to use for lunch! 

3) One of the many, many bowls of ice cream that the kind lady forced me to eat. It was alot more full then this when I started.

4) Top purchase of the week. Tastes exactly the same as in America but better since I'm starving every time I eat them.

5) Pizza night last night with chocolate crust!! P-day eve tradition.

6) Some friends that we met and talked with! Very optimistic about them!

7) Two goats in this picture plus the animal behind us.