Bom Dia!!!
Another fantastic week of missionary work has come and gone. This week definitely had its ups and downs, but I´ve got no complaints. Here are the notable things that happened this week:
4. We were teaching Lucas and Ires this week, and one day, before we started the lesson, they told us that they didn´t feel worthy to be at church. We talked for a couple minutes, and then Elder Hatch told them that we were going to read Alma 24. This chapter is all about the Anti Nephi Lehi's. We read he chapter with them and talked a lot about the principles of repentance that that chapter contains. When we finished, they told us that it was the answer that they needed.
3. This is definitely one of the most notable things that happened this week, but it is bad, unfortunately. Kelly, who is the best investigator I´ve had on my mission, had a really bad experience at church. She has been progressing so much, and she has already told us that she believes in the Book of Mormon and wants to get sealed in the temple. She went to church 4 days after we meet her a week and a half ago, and she went to church yesterday. We were planning on inviting her to be baptized during our appointment with here yesterday, but when we got there, we had to change plans. After every talk at church, Kelly claps. That is a pretty common thing in other churches here in Brasil. Unfortunately, a few members of our branch didn´t have very much common sense, and they said some things that really hurt Kelly´s feelings. Now, it’s going to be an uphill battle to regain the ground we lost.
2. We had zone conference this week, and it was awesome. President Miller had a bus pick us up at 7 in the morning, and then we picked up the rest of the missionaries in our zone. I learned a lot at zone conference and had a really fun time hanging out with so many other missionaries. Elder Hatch and I got called on to give a testimony about how companionship study helps us, and each of us talked for about five or so minutes.
1. I finished the Book of Mormon in Portuguese for the first time this week. I started it 3 days before last zone conference, and I finished it 3 days before this zone conference. Reading it in just Portuguese has really helped my language skills.
Scripture of the week: Alma 24
Best Quotes from Donizete
Donizete is this guy in our branch who is in his 60´s. He is one of three people baptized in the last year, and he is unintentionally hilarious. Here are his best quotes since I´ve been in Cruzeiro:
3. We were in second hour one day, and we had an investigator there. President Pedro was talking about President Nelson´s Last talk about loving or neighbors. He showed a picture of President Nelson to our investigator and then said, "Donizete, do you remember who our prophet is?"
Donizete: "Of course I remember!"
President Pedro went to put his phone back in his pocket, and Donizete said, "Wit, wait! Let me see him just to make sure he hasn´t changed. Yep, that’s him"
2. During the same lesson on loving our neighbors, President Pedro asked everyone to donate spare clothes to a Venezuelan refugee family. Donizete said "Man, those dang Venezuelans, always coming here and talking our jobs! Why can´t we do what Trump is doing and build a wall?"
I think that he missed the point of the lesson.
2. Elder Zundel and Elder Oliveira were visiting Donizete, and they saw two open bags of coffee on his counter. They asked him why he had them, and he said a friend dropped them off. Elder Oliveira told him not to worry, they would get rid of them for him. The next day, he called them and told him to bring back his coffee. Elder Zundel asked him why he need it, and he said he had the right to sell anything he wants in his store. Elder Zundel then asked him why the bags were open if he was selling them.
1. We were in a Sunday School lesson about the Plan of Salvation, and we were talking about the Pre-Mortal life. Renan asked Donizete if he remembered living with God. He said, "Of course I do". Renan said, " Wow! What do you remember?".
Donizete: "I remember living with God and his plan"
Renan: "What do you remember about is plan?"
Donizete: "That it was a good plan"
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
Pictures:
#1 - Finishing O Livro de Mórmon
#2-4 - My scripture study key
#5 and 6 - Christmas Packages that I got at Zone Conference
#7 and 8 - Zone Conference
#9 - Elder Hatch and I with Eveli, Kelly, Dani Ramos and President Pedro Ramos
