Boa tarde a todos!
This week was... sic. Things are getting going. As the subject implies. We are really hitting this members list hard. We have a big map of our area and we spent some time marking the roads of every member on the list in our area to go and find them. We are currently on page 20 or so of 27. Its pretty crazy. We also have spent considerable amounts of time tracking down these people, talking to them, finding out they have been dead for ___ years or moved ___ years ago. And then we contact those that live there! Its turning out really well and things are going nicely.
When you really get to the bottom of everything, happiness in missionary life is totally dependent on the work. If you are working you are happy. Perhaps you may not be totally effective, but just keep trying and work. Its the best. Pois trabalhando estou feliz! Put your shoulder too the wheel! This was a happy week I believe. We are starting to pick up some promising momentum.
Time for some stories? Last night we had about twenty minutes left to work. We said a quick prayer asking to find someone to talk to or to perhaps teach a lesson. Well we started off walking. We got to a point and looked at our watches and said something like, 'well we should get going home'. So we start heading back and as we are almost at our apartment we see someone walking down a side road towards us. So we turn up the road to talk to him and suddenly we recognize him as this kid we've talked to a couple times before in the road! Nothing heavy. He told us before how he is athiest and not interested. Well, we started talking a bit and he asked us, okay, I don't believe in any of this but tell me what the difference between you guys and Catholics are. So suddenly we have this massive Q&A that was all over the board. Well he has a Book of Mormon and committed to reading it. Pretty cool, but also really interesting. He doesn't understand to well why God doesn't like drugs and was also curious if God would disapprove of the fact that he was incredibly racist. Ya. This is going to be super awesome.
We also found keys this week lying in the road. We marked down some information and took them to the Police Station. We talked to the officer there who turned out to know a member of the church (the member was the police captian or whatever the head man is called) and let us buy really cheap water from their vending machine. It was a blast, and the officer was really happy to see and talk to us missionaries.
This week I ate tripas! Tripe! For those of you who don't know what that is, its intestinal walls! It was a little weird if you thought about it while you ate so you just had to think of it as squishy meat. It honestly wasn't bad. In fact I would eat it again if it was offered. The worst part was just thinking about what you were eating and what comes out later if you know what I'm saying.
Another fun fact this week. We watched the video of the Restauration several times with members and investigators! The message of the Restauration is really powerful. I think we as members sometimes forget the impact of that truth. Something I learned from the video is the importance of real intent. For those who haven't seen it (its like 20 min, just go watch it) it shows the seasons pass in the video. Throughout the passing of seasons Joseph is looking for an answer. Think about that. He wasn't just like "hmm...I wonder which of these churches is true... [next day] ...hey look! James 1:5! ... [next day] I think I'm going to go pray and ask God what is the true church". He really searched. This was a search that lasted more than just a few days, more than a few weeks, this was months. Perhaps even more than a year of searching, rationalizing, and reading the scriptures. It wasn't a passing curiosity but something that ended up occupying everything that he did. It proved both his real intent and his sincere heart. It proved his faith in Jesus Christ and prepared him to receive that answer.
I learned that the Lord has eternal guidelines set in place thru which we receive revelation, success, answers, truth, confort, etc. Many times we receive a blessing or revelation according to the fullfillment of that guideline without realizing that we were fulfilling saidd guidelines. So, in the case of Joseph Smith, we know the guideline we may follow to receive revelation as to the truthfulness of something because of the Book of Mormon in Moroni 10:3-5. Joseph didn't. He had no idea. Steps of Faith, reading the scriptures, pondering, real intent, sincere heart, asking with faith to receive were unknown to him. But that was the way through which the Lord would answer his question. Joseph had no idea that he was fulfilling those principles but because he did, he received. God does not change and therefore he will not and cannot make an exception to the established patterns that are in place.
I also learned from Elder Simpson (in our house) that effective study only will occur with a pen in your hand. If you don't write anything down, your rememberance of what you studied, also the quality of that study will be severely stunted. I have noticed I have received a whole lot more guidance and answers than before applying that.
One last thing. An invite. Watch the video of the Restauration and while you do, ponder two questions and write the answers down. 1) How does the example of Joseph Smith help us to be dijsciples of Jesus Christ? and 2) How can we prepare ourselves to receive and interpret revelation?
You'll learn something new.
I love you guys, hope all is well. Your letters are awesome. I read them all and try to respond to all as well. If you've written me a handwritten letter. Your letter is coming. Perhaps a little slowly but it'll come!
Be wise, what more can I say?
Elder Cordon
P.S. Okay one more thing. Antonio Damião in our ward said a quote that I liked a lot. He was trying to say that the natural man is the enemy of God but slipped up and ended up saying "the natural man is the enemy of man." I found that super profound and awesome. Our natural man is the enemy of who we are, our purpose, and what we can accomplish. I thought this was super cool. Interpret it how you like.
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