Happy new week to you all!
What's new this week? Just about everything! But in a good way, even if I am two out of the three things in the subject.
To explain how I'm a pack horse, yall need to know that usually we carry small bags for our teaching pamphlets, a Book of Mormon, water bottle, etc. all good and fine because we need those things. Although, after two years of doing so, my companions bag decided to finally give up the ghost and started falling apart while we were walking, sadness. And so, because of this, my comp has just been leaving his bag home, all he needs is to carry a Book of Mormon and a water bottle and he's all set. So I have the honor of carrying all the pamphlets and whatnot. I don't mind though, it's nothing I wouldn't be carrying already. I just think it's funny when we go to a member's house for lunch or see a member and they comment on my comp not having a bag and me being his pack horse. As far as ducklings and church birds, I'm the former. As missionaries we're supposed to walk side by side, and, for the most part, we do that. Buuut on the rare occasion that I walk behind my comp (perhaps to not get hit by a car or something) he calls out "vem cá patinho de meu coração" which pretty much means "come here little duckling of my heart" because it's like a duckling following its mother. (He thinks he's so funny). As for the church birds, I'm not one, but we did catch one. We were at the church one day in the chapel and heard chirping, really loudly. I looked around under the benches, and found a little bird just hopping around, trying to fly. He was just a little dude and had somehow found his way in. So Elder Theodosis, after we all herded it into a corner, was able to gently catch the little guy and put him outside.
A week of miracles:
Every morning we have time to plan our day: who we're gonna visit, when we're gonna go places, etc. and it's really important to plan as well as possible. However, because of our lack of people, we haven't always been able to, despite our best efforts. Despite this, we have been able to fill our days , sometimes more than we're able to accomplish that day. Between lessons, contacts, and everything else, it's been such a blessing to see how the Lord magnifies our efforts as we strive to serve Him without reserve. Another huge miracle has been how we have been guided by the Holy Ghost in the Lord's work. (See more in spiritual thought).
People:
Being able to start actually talking to people has been such a wonderful experience this past week. I feel like I can actually connect with people and understand more about them personally. That's what the Savior did during His earthly ministry: He truly, personally cared for each person He taught, talked to, or saw, and that's what I can begin to do as I learn more of the language and culture of Brasil. For instance, this one guy we're teaching, Lucas, came to church this past Sunday for the first time. Of course he didn't know many people or what exactly was going on, but I was able to keep talking to him and help him feel at home. During lessons, with him and everyone, I'm able to add more to what I want to say and teach, and also teach with more conviction and confidence because what I'm teaching is what the Savior taught and I know it to be true. There's also this family we've been teaching, and they just love having us over to teach. The mom and oldest daughter especially just want to follow the Savior as best they can, and already believe in the gospel, church, and Book of Mormon. It's just wonderful to have front row seats to people growing their testimonies of Jesus Christ.
Menu:
ANBCs far as the food goes, it's all good, no complaints here. What I do want to add is flipping mangoes guys, they're goooood. And they're everywhere. That's pretty much all. 😁🥭
Spiritual thought:
This week has been full of wonderful spiritual experiences and or insights. Friday was our day of miracles for sure. We had been visiting this one young lady, named Fabiola, who had almost been baptized a few months ago but ended up not due to life getting in the way, and we felt we needed to go visit her friday after lunch. During that lesson with her we asked if she wanted to be baptized and she said yes! She has such a testimony of the church and the Book of Mormon. Despite all of her life troubles, she wants to follow in the footsteps of Christ and continue firm. That same day, we didn't have anything planned until about an hour or so after that, what to do? Follow the Holy Ghost of course! Walking the rest of the way back to the city took about 20 minutes and my comp said we should go visit Ohanna, this lady we had "cut" (stopped teaching because she wasn't really progressing), and just read some of the Book of Mormon with her. So that's what we did. We went by her house and asked if we could read some with her, and she gratefully said yes. We read in Mosiah 24:10-16 where Alma and his people were in captivity, but through the Lord were able to be strengthened, and eventually make it out of bandage. After we finished reading, she just talked. She talked about how she's just been through it, and was really struggling because of how difficult life was: separating from her husband, taking care of her two young kids, her past, her family, her dogs fighting each other, just life. And that day, she had thought of taking her life. If we hadn't been prompted by the spirit to visit her, read what we did, and be there to listen and help comfort her, it wouldn't have been good. But we did. And we did so because God is guiding this work. This is His work and we are His children. He knew what she needed, and what she needed then. He guides His servants. The miracles we see in our lives, and the mission, aren't because we're just like so awesome (even if we are awesome, which we all are), it's because God is so awesome, He knows what we need. He will guide us, show us what we need, or what we need to do for others. God does not leave His children without instruction. And in those moments when it seems all hope is lost: look to Christ. When things don't go the way we planned, or wanted, it's because it's meant to be. Perhaps for us to learn, grow, or have a different experience. That's not the point of life, getting our way isn't always in our best interest, even if we sure think it is. We are only able to see a week bit of the grand picture. Our Heavenly Father is able to see the entire picture because it's His picture for us. It's through trusting Him and His plan for us, and constantly striving to invite Him and His Son, Jesus Christ, into our lives that we find ever lasting joy. It is through Christ, and because of Christ, that we're able to prepare ourselves during this life to return to our Father above, we just have to trust in Him and His plan for us. And I know that plan for each and every one of His children is more grand than any one of us can even imagine. He loves each and everyone of us: personally, fully, and without end. Through Him our joy can be full, and mine is beginning to be full through serving Him. It's only been a month, but I feel like it's both been an eternity and millisecond, both in the best ways possible. I wouldn't trade this time for anything, nor would I trade my testimony. To quote Elder Kevin G. Brown's last general conference talk "though 'Heaven and earth shall pass away' [my] testimony and witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ will not pass away". It's meant to be eternal because the Giver is eternal, and so is His plan for us. I sure do love you all and know that all is possible through "Christ who strengtheneth [us]". Yall got this! And to quote Porky Pig, "Th-th-th-that's al folks!" (And man was it longer than planned).
With much love for you all,
-Elder Hyatt
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