Gooood new week y'all, it's that time again, officially this time.
News about transfers:
I get to stay in Jardim Ingáaaaa! And I get to opportunity to be a district leader and train at the same time. So how that works is that the mission is very well organized. There's "areas" which usually are cities or parts of cities if it's big. For example, I'm in an area called Jardim Ingá 2, because there's one other set of missionaries here. Then there's districts, which are groups of areas, and zones, which are groups of districts. As district leader I get to help all of the missionaries in the areas in my district. Which is about 14 missionaries in total. That'll be really cool. And then I'll also be training a new missionary, Elder Rodriguez. I'm not sure where he's from, but I hope he's Brazilian so he already knows Portuguese. We'll see.
News about popcorn:
On Saturday, the Tabernacle Choir, the Choir of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, had a "concert" more or less in São Paulo, but it was broadcasted all around the world pretty much wherever people speak Portuguese. So we had the opportunity to bring people we're teaching to the church and watch the concert with them. My goodness was it amazing. They sang about 20 or so songs in total, and it was truly a wonderful event. I could truly feel the spirit through music (see more in spiritual thought.)
News about água:
We had another baptism! Who got baptized? Vinicius! He's the son of a member here who hasn't been to church in a while, but about a month back he said he wanted to get baptized and go to church. That's awesome! He's super excited to be able to go to seminary, learn more about Jesus, and truly follow in His footsteps. He was able to be baptized by a family friend of his that has known him since he was a really little kid, so it was truly a special opportunity for him that way as well.
People:
The people here are just amazing, that's for sure. Micaias, the husband of Stephanie that was baptized the first week I was here, is preparing to be baptized this upcoming Sunday, and he's already so excited! It truly is wonderful to be able to see how the spirit touches the people as we teach them and help them learn more about their Savior. Then there's Letícia and Celio, a married couple that are liking our messages, they just haven't had the opportunity to go to church yet. And there's Sheyla, who got really sick and bit ago and, as a result, has been wheel chair bound since, but her faith in Jesus Christ is so strong and her determination to follow Him as best as she can is motivating in itself.
Work:
There's nothing to complain about here. The only thing we're doing here is fight against Satan: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:13) What better work to be wholeheartedly engaged in than this? Não existe- does not exist. This is the best thing I can be doing right now. Wherefore we shall take unto us the whole armour of God, that we may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13). And dawn the Armour of God we shall. Or, in other words, we'll do our part here. And it'll be awesome.
Spiritual thought:
Let's reel it back to the whole popcorn deal real quick. I like music. Everyone likes music, right? You know who else likes music? God. God likes music. What kind of music? Good question. The Lord Himself responded to that very question in Doctrine and Covenants 25:12 which reads "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads." Y'all, God likes, no, He rejoices in the song of the righteous: the music sung from the heart to praise Him above or invite His spirit. How cool is that? Our own Saviour, Jesus Christ, before going up unto Gethsemane, sang a hymn with His disciples: "And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives." (Mathew 26:30). What comfort it must have brought. Truly, music can invite the Comforter into our hearts. We also can praise our Lord through music. President Dallin H. Oaks taught that, "Sacred music has a unique capacity to communicate our feelings of love for the Lord. This kind of communication is a wonderful aid to our worship. Many have difficulty expressing worshipful feelings in words, but all can join in communicating such feelings through the inspired words of our hymns." (Worship Through Music October 1994). In short, music is awesome y'all. I'm thankful for music, for hymns, for the ability to sing and enjoy music. God's given us this gift because He loves us, and I love y'all too! Y'all rock! Go listen to a hymn or something now.
-Elder Hyatt
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