We had our first ever meeting of the Portuguese group in Kirkland. We had 56 people attend Sacrament meeting! It was absolutely incredible. I am so grateful. The Spirit was so strong. All of the members absolutely loved having church in Portuguese for the first time since moving to Washington. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience. All 8 Elders were there (Elders Ward, Justeson, Schelin, Buhler, Beardall, Brammer, Ludgate, and me). President and Sister Beardall also came. It was awesome to have their support. They absolutely loved it and were so excited. The amount of people that were there absolutely blew them away (and we were missing about 20 more people that should be there next week).
It has taken a lot of work to organize all of this. This week, we spent so much time on the phone with the stake and ward leaders figuring out all of the details. I am so glad it all went pretty well. We had church for the Totem Lake English Ward at 10:30, and then church for the Portuguese group at 12:00. It was a pretty tight window. We had to set up the seating chart, clean everything, and set up the translation equipment within 30 minutes. We translated Portuguese to English for the Bishop of the Totem Lake Ward (who presided), President and Sister Beardall, and some families that are Brazilian/American.
Elder Schelin was the first speaker and I was the last. It went really well. The Spirit was so strong the entire time. All of the members absolutely loved it. After the Sacrament meeting, they all stayed in the parking lot talking for 30 minutes or so. A lot of them wanted to take pictures with us. It was the best. Many of them have reached out to us through text messages or posted things on social media expressing their gratitude and how incredible it was to have church in Portuguese. One of them in particular was extremely overcome by it all. She sent me a multiple paragraph texting just thanking all of us. She wants pictures of all of the missionaries involved, copies of Elder Schelin and my talks, and some other things so that she can make a scrapbook to commemorate our first meeting.
Other than that, the week went pretty well. We did an exchange with Elder Brammer and Elder Ludgate. It went pretty well. I went with Elder Brammer. It was really good to get to know him better. We also got a new group going for English classes this week. It is a group of 6 people that are all going to be doing English with us twice a week. They are all really funny.
Many of you have probably seen our mission’s English Connect Facebook videos. There is a page called englishconnectseattle. If you haven’t seen it, check it out. It is pretty cool. We have been putting Portuguese videos on there for a couple months now. The page is starting to get a ton of views. This week, we had more than 18,000 views!!
Gabb really needs your prayers. We were unable to teach her this week because she is out of town. She is on date for baptism this week, but it is looking pretty shaky now. Please pray for her.
Here is a copy of my talk from sacrament meeting (translated to english).
My talk is based on some of the teachings of Jacob from 2 Nephi 9. In this chapter, Jacob is teaching the people about the Plan of Salvation. I would like to read some of his words to you.
10. How great is the goodness of our God!
13. How great is the Plan of our God!
19. How great is the mercy of our God!
20. O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it
I am here to testify to you of the truthfulness of these verses. God truly is great, and He has a perfect plan. I want to talk to you about some of the ways that I have recognized how great God’s plan is in the last few months. I pray that the Spirit testifies to you of the tender mercies of God, just like it has done for me.
The story that I would like to tell you starts a little over a year ago. In July of 2019, I arrived in the MTC in Brazil on the exact same day as Elder Schelin, July 31. I met him during those 6 weeks. On September 10, he went to serve in Salvador, Brazil, and I stayed in São Paulo.
The next seven months were some of the best times of my life. I was blessed with the gift of tongues to learn Portuguese. I gained a much greater testimony and knowledge of the Savior than I had ever had before. I saw many miracles in my life and the lives of those that I taught.
‘In February of 2020, I heard about CoronaVirus for the first time. I didn’t think much of it. The situation got worse, and on March 23, I learned that I would be sent home. I was absolutely devastated. I remember that I just lay on my bed and cried for more than an hour. It was absolutely terrible. All of the Americans in my mission were flown back home on March 26. We were blessed with a tender mercy before we left, though. There was a mistake, and we all got to the airport one day before we were supposed to. They decided to put us in a Marriott right next to the airport for the night. It was incredible to be together as a mission one last time. We had a really special testimony meeting, and I got to see missionaries that I hadn’t seen in 7 months. I remember bearing my testimony about a scripture that had been in my mind and given me comfort. Alma 17:16 16 "Therefore, this was the cause for which the sons of Mosiah had undertaken the work, that perhaps they might bring them unto repentance; that perhaps they might bring them to know of the plan of redemption."
In Portuguese, iit reads motivo (motive) instead of cause. I really like this scripture because no matter what happens, the reason we serve is because we know our motivation, we know what our cause is. No matter what is required of us, that will not change.
I was absolutely devastated to leave Brazil, but I decided to put my faith and trust in the Lord and His plan instead of my plan for myself. And He had a wonderful plan in store.
I was at home with my family for 7 weeks. It was a wonderful chance to see them. I was able to use that time, with their help, to prepare to go back out to the field as a better missionary.
On March 19, I arrived in Seattle, Washington. I never expected that I would get to use Portuguese consistently here. I even debated learning Spanish! However, within a few weeks of getting here, the Federal Way missionary Facebook page ran an ad for free English classes. A Brazilian responded. I started texting with her, and she soon sent me the phone numbers for 30 other Brazilians that pretty much all lived in Kirkland. At the same time, Elder Shcelin, who I had met in the MTC was in West Seattle. The Hermanas in Kirkland found out that he spoke Portuguese. They sent him over 70 Brazilian referrals that they had in their area book. A couple weeks later, when I ran into Elder Schelin for the first time at the mission office, we put two and two together and realized that we had the chance to do something cool here. We started talking with President Beardall about what was going on. The next transfer, we were able to get some English classes going over zoom. I remember starting to get really excited. I told my companion in Federal Way that we were going to start a branch.Two transfers after arriving in Seattle, Elder Schelin and I were transferred to Kirkland to be companions. We have had so many miracles since then. We had so much work last transfer that this transfer, all of the other Portuguese speaking missionaries in the mission were put together in companionships to do Portuguese work. We were also blessed to be able to find a lot of Brazilian members. It has been absolutely incredible. I would like to share four things that really show me that the Lord is behind all of this.
The fact that all of this is happening in the Seattle Washington Mission with President Beardall. This mission is one of the top 14 percent of most open missions in the world. It was the last mission to go into quarantine in Washington, and the first to get out of quarantine. This is because we have such an amazing mission President that wants the work to go forward. He has definitely given us lots of instruction to protect ourselves and others and prevent the virus from spreading, but for President Beardall, there is no stopping the work. Also, from the very first transfer that all of us reassigned missionaries started getting here, he has really emphasized using us. He was super excited to mix all of the mission cultures and to learn about what has worked in missions across the world so that we can all learn and implement those things here. He is all in on the languages. He told us in Zone Conference a few transfers ago that as he pondered why all this was happening, one of the impressions that he received was that it was to get more work done in all of these different languages. He has really pushed to use all of the 21 different languages that we speak in our mission. He has been so excited and helpful.
The Spirit has guided us in many ways. Here are two experiences with this. Elder Schelin and I knew that our biggest struggle in getting a branch going would be having members. We did not really have any way of knowing if we had any Brazilian members. One day, as we were driving to visit some people in Redmond, we saw a man unloading a moving truck. We kept on driving, and I felt impressed that we should turn around and offer to help. It turns out that he was a member of the Renton stake. We talked with him for a little bit, and ended up asking him if he knew any Brazilian members. He gave us the contact information for a Brazilian family of members in Renton! Wemet the family the next week, and they were able to give us the phone numbers for several other families of Brazilians in Renton! That was an incredible testament to me of listening to the Spirit and how the Lord was guiding us. The second experience happened a few weeks later. We were in a park in Downtown Bellevue with our free English class signs. A Brazilian lady stopped and talked with us. She thought it was so cool. She posted a picture of us with our Whatsapp number on a couple Brazilian groups on Facebook. We received 20 messages requesting English classes in the next 24 hours. Not only that, but she told us she had a friend who was a Brazilian member of the church. Seh gave the member’s contact info to us, and that member then passed us the contact info for many more Brazilian members. It was another example of the Lord guiding us to be at the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing.
The third was an incredible tender mercy that happened during General Conference weekend. We took our friend Gabb to watch General Conference with some of the Brazilian members here in Kirkland. We had already had an incredible lesson with Gabb that week, and she had accepted to live some of the commandments that were very difficult for her. The only session of General Conference that she watched was the one that both Elder Soares and Elder Godoy spoke at! She got to hear two Brazilians speak, and she loved it, especially Elder Godoy’s talk on angels. It was an incredible experience that really showed me that the Lord does bless us with sweet tender mercies.
I know that the Lord prepared all of this to happen. There are too many incredible things happening here for this all to be a happy coincidence. He is truly involved in the details.
Just like President Nelson taught us in this last General Conference, we have to “let God prevail in our lives”. Lots of the time, this requires a sacrifice on our part. However, we know that sacrifice brings blessings of heaven. The pioneers that crossed the plains knew this very well. They were willing to sacrifice it all. Because of their willingness to let God prevail in their lives, millions have been blessed.
Sometimes, sacrifice isn’t a choice. However, the way that we react and move forward always is. All of the missionaries serving right now know this. None of us chose to serve during Covid-19, and especially for those of us that have been reassigned, it has been really difficult to leave the places and people that we love and adapt to new circumstances. However, we have submitted ourselves to the will of the Lord, and he has consecrated our sacrifice for our good and the good of many other people. 2 Nephi 2:2 "thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain". God will always consecrate our trials for our God as long as we are willing to consecrate ourselves to Him. This challenging time has been a blessing in the lives of so many people. The other night, as I was praying, the Spirit touched my heart, and I realized the Covid-19 has been one of the greatest blessings in my life.
My invitation that I would leave with you is to contemplate the goodness, tender mercies, and plan of God in your life. Ask yourself what you are willing to sacrifice to let God prevail in your life.
Mosiah 4:11 And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God
I can personally bear my witness and attest to the greatness of God, His plan, and His mercy. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen
I loved representing the Savior in Brasil, I love representing Him in Seattle, 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
Photos 1-2 - Awesome Trees
Photos 3-4 The first Portuguese Group meeting!!!! These are all the Portuguese Elders. Left to Right - Elder Dudley, Elder Buhler, Elder Justesen, Elder Ward, Elder Schelin, Elder Brammer, Elder Ludgate, Elder Beardall
Photo 5 - The Portuguese Elders with President and Sister Beardall at the first Portuguese group meeting
Photo 6-8 - The Portuguese Elders with Elisangela at the first Portuguese Group meeting
Photo 9 - The Portuguese Elders with the Carlton family at the first Portuguese Group meeting
Photo 10- The Kirkland Zone activity - The Kirkland Olympics
Photo 11 - The Kirkland Zone with President Sowby of the Kirkland stake. He brought us all burgers!!! Left to right - Elder George, Elder Lai, Elder Breinholt, Elder Buhler, Elder Collignwood, Elder Fulmer, Elder Taylor, Elder Dudley, Elder Schelin, Sister Gneiting, Sister Misi (Slightly to the front) Hermana Mathers, Hermana Christensen, Hermana Fredrickson
