Olá!!!
Another week has come, gone, and flew by!!!
This last week went by super fast. It was kind of different. All of our lessons fell through except on Sunday, so we ended up just having 3 lessons the entire week, which is pretty crazy. The lessons we did have were super good, though!! We just pretty much went looking every day all day. Lots of door knocking!! We were led to some really cool new people, including a Brazilian family that let us right in!!
On Sunday, Silvane, Maria, Jeff, and Shirley all came to church again. Afterwards, we went to their best friend Fatima’s house. Fatima is a member. A bunch of other members came over - Rita, Liv, Luiza, and Elisangela’s family. It was awesome. We had a fantastic lesson with Silvane, Shirley, Maria, and Jeff. We showed them the “Ask of God” video about Joseph Smith’s First Vision. The Spirit was so strong. Afterwards, we explained why the restoration is so important. Fatima and Elisangela are both converts, and Elisangela also served a mission. Both of them bore amazing testimonies right after thevideo, and it was so cool!! It was awesome because they are such good friends that it was such a natural and loving way of sharing the gospel. After the lesson, we all ate lunch together. They had all brought a ton of food, so that was just awesome!!!
We also had a lesson with Bruno, Daniela, and Bianca. They are the ones that we did a church swap with last week. They made us a really good dinner and are super fun to talk with. Afterwards, we talked about their questions. Bruno is pretty bashy. He won’t really listen or accept anything we say. His sisters, on the other hand, are super cool. They are definitely a little hesitant, but they are trying to understand where we are coming from and are asking a lot of good questions. One of them agreed to pray about the Book of Mormon and ask God if she should read it, and the other asked for us to leave her all of the pamphlets so that she could understand our belief better. It was really cool. I’m pretty sure that if their brother was out of the equation that they would accept the gospel.
I went on two exchanges this week. One of them was with Elder Diago, and the other was with Elder Ballard.
The exchange with Elder Diago was awesome. He is such a good missionary. We had a blast working together and talking through things throughout the day. We had a really cool service project. It was for a 94 year old man from Norway. He was super cool. He was driving an old 1961 tractor around the 5 acre yard while we picked up sticks that have fallen due to storms. He is a holocust concentration camp survivor. It was neat to get to meet him.
My exchange with Elder Ballard went really well also. He is a super good missionary, too. Elder Ballard was originally assigned to this mission, but got sent home with Covid because he was in the risk group. He was allowed to come back in December. It was good to be able to give him some advice about transitioning back into missionary life. We talked about how it is hard because we remember how it used to be, and how our recollection is always slightly skewed. The good memories, and even the bad ones, always seem so much sweeter with time. Sometimes it is hard not to compare memories of how our missions were before the pandemic and paint an unrealistic picture of expectations for ourselves, other missionaries, and the mission in general now. The good thing is that Heavenly Father is in complete control and has a perfect plan for all of us. Covid-19 has shown me that. I am so grateful for this pandemic.
We got our second Covid-19 vaccine this week!! I was completely fine (other than some pretty good back pain), but my companions got taken down. They are feeling better now.
We also had zone conference. This was one of my favorite zone conferences that I can remember. Sister Beardall gave an amazing talk about how important the Restoration and receiving a testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith as the great witness of Jesus Christ in this dispensation. It was so good!! She went through a lot of Joseph Smith History. Here are the verses that stuck out to me:
21 Some few days after I had this vision, I happened to be in company with one of the Methodist preachers, who was very active in the previously mentioned religious excitement; and, conversing with him on the subject of religion, I took the occasion to give him an account of the vision which I had had. I was greatly surprised at his behavior; he treated my communication not only lightly, but with great contempt, saying it was all of the devil, that there were no such things as visions or revelations in these days; that all such things had ceased with the apostles, and that there would never be any more of them.
22 I soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to increase; and though I was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution; and this was common among all the sects—all united to persecute me.
8 During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them; but so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong.
9 My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant. The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists, and used all the powers of both reason and sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were in error. On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others.
10 In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?
11 While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
12 Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.
20 He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, “Never mind, all is well—I am well enough off.” I then said to my mother, “I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.” It seems as though the adversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom; else why should the powers of darkness combine against me? Why the opposition and persecution that arose against me, almost in my infancy?
25 So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation.
Please pray that we will be able to form this Portuguese Branch here!! It is looking like it is all going to work out, but we really need prayers now!! Also pray that we can find and teach someone that is ready to accept the restored gospel!!!
I love representing the Savior in Brasil and Washington, 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 Dudley
Photo 1 - Terrific Trees of Washington
Photo 2 - Zone Conference
Photo 3 - Karate Kid
Photo 4 - A row of identical houses
