Cidade do Sol: week 3

zone p-day

I got the package and letters this week! I also got several christmas cards. I love the family calendar and everything else. Thanks for the letters too!

The weekly update is late today because we had a zone p-day. 

Yes, the family that I sent pictures of is still doing well. We go to their house a few times a week and they have been going to church. Yes they are already married which is kind of a miracle here, haha.

I´m happy with this ward right now. It is pretty organized and seems to function well. We actually have a decent number of young men and young women, too. We´ve gotten some great help from members. 

Elder Wilson has a football and we brought it to play with a bunch of neighborhood boys this week. That was fun! 

We might start having some difficulties in a week when Carnival starts. Lots of people will travel or go to the beach and most of the stores close for a few days. From what I´ve heard, this time of year is a bigger deal than a lot of the other holidays! 

I tried to answer the questions you sent to me, mom-

What have you learned about being a missionary that you didn't know before you went to Brazil?  

Missionaries can always find things to complain about or people to blame for things, but it´s never worth it. It seems to me that your attitude determines how good an area or ward is. Even if there are difficulties, it doesn´t do anything to point fingers. And of course it´s always good to look at the positive side of things. You can talk to two missionaries that served in the same ward that have competely different perspectives about how the ward is, depending on what side of things they focused on. 

What have you learned about yourself?  

I´ve realized that before I came on my mission, I focused a lot more on myself than on others. For example: when I would go to church in the past, I would think more about myself and worry if I had friends there or not, instead of focusing on the experience of others and helping them to have friends and feel welcome. This is still something I want to get better at, but It´s something that you naturally learn as a missionary!

How is your testimony different than before?  

My testimony has been strengthened so far by seeing the strength of the church and the members here! And I´ve learned that I always need to be doing my part to maintain it strong (daily scripture study, etc).

Thanks for all of the prayers, thoughts, and letters! I´m praying for you all too!

talk to you next week,

Elder Church