These last few weeks have been pretty crazy here! Everything is going well. Even though the other Elders in my district say that Cruzeiro is pretty much the toughest area they have had, I love it here. We have a pretty good amount of people we teach, even though Elder Wilcken says that no one wants to talk to us here (I can only imagine what the actual city is like if this is the hardest teaching area). My language is continually improving due to the Gift of Tongues. It’s amazing how much I am able to understand now. Sorry that I didn’t email last week. It was a pretty crazy P-Day. Here are the interesting things that happened:
4. We had the chance to go to some awesome waterfalls last P-Day. One of the guys that comes to our English class, Gostavo, took us. He is attending college right now and is super cool. It was about a 30 minute drive and a 10 minute hike to the falls. We hung out there and just chilled. It was super pretty and really fun. Gostavo then took us to a place where there are a bunch of little ponds. Elder Wilcken and I had brought coconuts with us, so we used our coconut punch to open them up and drink them. I have discovered that drinking coconut water straight from a fresh, green coconut is amazing! After we were finished there, Gostavo drove us to his house, where we ate dinner and taught him the first lesson. All-in-all, it was the best P-day!
3. I went to my first Zone Conference this last Thursday. It was super fun! We received some great training from President Miller, Sister Miller, and the APs. It was super fun to hang out with so many missionaries.
2. We also had the chance to watch General Conference this last week. Even though it was in Portuguese, I still understood a good amount. I obviously would have learned more in English, but I still had the chance to receive some great personal revelation. I really enjoyed President Eyring´s talk on holiness.
1. We have this awesome new guy we are teaching named Fernando. We met him as we were walking down the street one day. He pulled up to us on his motorcycle and just asked us for a Book of Mormon and if we could come teach him! It was crazy. We have been to his house to teach him and his girlfriend Renata several times since, and it has been awesome each time. Fernando is the rare guy that understands what we teach, remembers it, asks questions, and applies what he learned previously in the last lesson. The Spirit is really working on him!
Scripture of the week: Alma 33: 21-23
21 O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?
22 If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.
23 And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye will. Amen.
There is one other thing that I started thinking about during General Conference. It is not really a complete thought yet, but I´m pretty sure that the principles of the Gospel just come down to Faith, Obedience, and Repentance. As we develop those three things, we develop other Christ-like attributes. As we do that, we come to a conclusion of being filled with charity. As we do that, we become like our Savior, which is our goal.
I love representing the Savior in Brasil, I love my companion, I love the Gospel and Atonement of Christ, I love my family, and I love my Redeemer. I am ready and excited to work harder, learn more, and love better this week!
Love,
Elder Warren Matthew Dudley
Week 3 pics - The Hike to the Waterfall with Gostavo
Week 4 Pics-
#1-2 On the road at the farms outside the favela
#3-4 Rio Parabaíba on a Cloudy day
#5 Sunset on the Streets
#6 Sunset on the Rio Paraíba
#7 View of Cruzeiro from Fernando’s house
#8 Elder Wilcken and I at Fernando’s house
#9 Elder Wilcken, Elder Ward, and I drinking coconuts on the way to zone conference
#10 Guaratinguetá Zone Conference
