Sept. 21, 2015 - Ezra Taft Benson

So this year we're obviously reading from the teachings of Ezra Taft Benson at church and this week we read about pride. And there was the best quote ever! I hope my portuguese translating skills are sufficient. it said "We have to replace the thought of what do I want from my life? with what does God want that I do with my life?" Super cool perspective of seriously just humbling ourselves and having no pride whatsoever and saying heres my life God, now what do you want me to do with it. Really cool insight. 

Anyway school started here in the good ole country of Portugal. Yes the 3rd week of September is when school starts haha be jealous Americans. But this city is a huge college town. We have one of the best medical schools in the country so there are a ton of college hooligans everywhere now. 

I got a parking ticket. That was a shame.

Maria Jose came to church this week and she was all dressed up in a nice dress and everything! Seeing the change in her is so cool! It was hard though because we have 2 women in our ward who have become best friends with her and we always teach with them but they both weren't there at church! And in a ward of 15 people that's pretty rough to be there at church alone just having to sit with the elders. BUT she still really liked it and we are praying and fasting that she will get baptized conference weekend!

So you know in the book Charolette's Web how at the end all the little spider babies are flying around on their web kite things, yeah thats happening here! We are being attacked by little floating spider web strings all over the place! Haha its weird. 

Other than that we had a pretty chill week. I've been listening to a ton of conference talks and I've been downloading them from the late 90s until now. And for the past 4 months I download about 25\week and listen to them all during the week. And I've realized president Monosn uses the same stories in some of his talks!! Haha I was listening to one from like 2008 and then one from 1997 and it was basically the same talk! Haha anyway I'm pumped for conference and I hope you guys are all prepared!

Love you all and I hope you have a marvelous week!

 

Sept. 14, 2015 - Saude, Dinheiro, e Amor

Bom dia! My subject comes from this random guy who actually came up to talk to us and was saying how we havent been over to his house in years and where have we been then we say well when can we come by? and he says no no hes catholic and we cant come over... haha then he goes off and rambles about soccer or something and we say well do you want to come to chuch with us and he says "the 3 things you need in life is Saude, dinheiro e amor" (or health money and love) then he walks off. I guess hes kinda right... haha

This week we had to say goodbye to Luis who had to go back to LIsbon because he has no money to stay here. It was pretty sad but I'm really hopeful the elders down there will get him baptized! His prayers were always so heartfelt and he felt the spirit so strong theres no way he wont be baptized! 

We were walking and this lady, Teresa, with this big white eye patch stopped us and asked if we had a prayer because she had just been operated on and needs a prayer. So we explained how prayer isnt memorized and we prayed for her and got a return appointment. She lived way the heck out in the boonies like 20 minutes driving up this mountain road. We get to her little town and takes us 2 hours of walking around and asking people where she lives and we finally find her as we're driving home! She was standing on her balcony and she sees us and stops us! Crazy. So we get to her house and she asks for another prayer or a blessing or something. And so we explain priesthood blessings and ask if she would like that and it would only work if she has faith and really believes what we're doing is with the right authority. And to be honest I was skeptical to just give this random person a blessing who doesnt know anything. So I annoint her with the oil and I still felt pretty uncomfortable. Then while my comp seals it and blesses her it felt so right! We say amen and immediately she says "wow i fell so good like something really clean and nice washed over me" Whoa. the spirit is the best missionary ever!! Then we keep talking and towards the end she says "I want to be a part of this church." MILAGRES!! So cool! sadly she lives really far away and there arent any buses on sunday so it will be quite the challenge to get her to church but I believe everything will work out just fine! Cool stuff man. 

Also with 9\11 being this week Im feeling a little extra patriotic. I just want to say how grateful I am for being an American. I am so grateful to be able to have the freedom of religion and I know that America was set apart so that this great gospel could be restored. I am so grateful for all the soldiers who defend this great country and I know we can never repay them. I know this church is true and I'm proud to be an american where at least I know I'm free!

Have an awesome week!

Sept. 7, 2015 - 6

So I'm still here in the beautiful city of Covilhã for my 6th transfer! My comp stayed as well and we have a goal of 3 baptisms this transfer! And as of now it looks so possible so we're pumped! 

We had a sweet Zone Meeting on friday and my Dad is in my zone! So that was exciting to catch up with him! In the meeting we talked alot about our appearance and our language and our stature has to be professional. We are representing Christ so we need to look as if he was walking with us! We arent rebellious dumb teenagers anymore. We have to hold our selves to a higher standard. It was a good reminder! And with that we learned even more that President wants Quality over quantity. He doesnt care if we have 300 lessons a week and 100 investigators in church if we have no baptisms those lessons and investigators are fake and weak. We need to find and teach people with real potential that will help the church truly grow. I got pumped!

We are still teaching Luis and hes doing so great! He is loving the stuff we tell him and the church and the members. He is still living out of his car but hes still pretty happy. On saturday we had scheduled to meet with him but he didnt answer his phone. We still wanted to find him but we didint know how. I remember him saying he was parked by the city park. So I said well lets just walk over there and try to find an older looking car with some blankets in it and maybe he will be there. So we're walking around this park just hoping for a miracle and THERE HE WAS! Just strolling through the park with nothing to do! It was insane. So we sat and talked with him and he was all excited for church and everything! Milagres acontecem! 

Maria Jose came to church again and she loved the fast and testimony meeting! All the memebrs have been taking her in so well and its been awesome! She is always saying how much she loves the people and how happy they all are! I love our members (:

Well hopefully we get some people marked for baptism this week! Stay tuned until next week! Love you all! Beijinhos :D