One With The Grannies

Good morning! I'm back. 6 months and 1 week here on the mission. We're in the thick of carnaval. Still trekking through the jungle everyday. Let's get right into it...


SPIRITUAL THOUGHT


These week was super tough! We're currently in the thick of carnaval, so everyone's at the beach, leaving my area a ghost town. It also seemed like everyone we talked to had absolutely zero interest in our message. 


But these last two days, something changed. It wasn't the people's hearts, or our desire to serve, or even the ongoing opposition in literelly everything we do.  


 Moroni 7: 44 - 47


44 for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity. 


45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 


46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail— 


47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.


Looking back and reflecting on this week, what changed was our approach. We began to slow down the work a bit and look for ways to serve and show our love for the people. Whether this be stopping and messing around with kids playing soccer, running a couple of games of dominos with some old ladies, or buying a cake for someone's birthday, we began to look at these people with a lense of love rather than a number. 


Charity = pure love of Christ. 


As we approach our lives with charity and view others the way that Christ views them, we will not only bless the lives of everyone around us, but we will strengthen our own salvation. 


I invite you all to find ways this week to put your charity and love on display. Look for ways to slow down, and look for ways to serve and love. I promise that as you look back on your life, this will make a world of a difference. 


HIGHLIGHTS


- SPIKEBALL: Last week after I sent out my email, we ran some spikeball with a bunch of missionaries. Our President brought a set from the US and it was probably the happiest I've been in my life. I'm a bit out of my prime but I didn't let y'all down. President's wife and I went undefeated together. 


- BLACK MAGIC: We were teaching a woman and here family this week and they were progressing super well and were all set to come to church with us. Well... last Saturday we receive a text and her husband is into black magic and promised to curse us and her family if we ever return back there again. I'm not trying to mess with black magic. The opposition is so real in our little area. 


- LET THE MAN SEE HIS WIFE AGAIN: We started teaching this old man named Jose. He's 80 years old, lives alone in a small house, his wife passed away 17 years ago, and his health is failing him. We taught him about the plan that God has for all of his children, and about how he can see his wife again after this life. The entire lesson, Jose was bawling his eyes out crying, thinking about living with his wife again. He accepted our invitation to be baptized and was super excited to come to chruch with us. He also said a pray with him for his health and his faith was incredible and he's feeling better. Well, like I say in every single email, here in my little area, the opposition is so real. In our next lesson, his two daughters show up and shut everything down. They tell us that they have zero trust in us and he can't go to church without them. We invited them to church and they said no. Jose was upset. The man just wanted to see his wife again.


- DOMINO NIGHT WITH THE LOCAL GRANDMAS: On monday night, we saw these grandmas running some dominos in the street like everyone does here in Brazil. I felt prompted that I needed to talk to them. So we talking for a bit and of course I had to challenge them to a game of dominos. We set the time and place and returned on Tuesday. Fast foward to Tuesday. We turn the corner to their street and all of the grandmas start running up to us cheering, with big smiles on their faces! They were so ready! We ran a couple games of dominos and my teammate was so old that she couldn't even see the dominos. Took an unfortunate L, but it was a W because we taught them all a quick lesson and handed out five Book of Mormons. We rescheduled again for Friday, and if we win, they all agreed to come to church with us this Sunday. The stakes never were higher than they are now. 


CARNAVAL: Yes it's currently carnaval. The biggest holiday in Brazil that makes the least sense. It started on Sunday and ends today. Pretty much everyone goes to the beach, so our area is a ghost town. Makes it impossible to make contacts. The only people that stayed behind are either drunk out of their minds, or guys dressed as girls doing dance moves that I never want to see again. 


That's it for this week! Love you guys!


Elder Ware 




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