Mission week 22 (03/04/24)
Another week, another dollar, or Bap? jkjk but this week we have learned about lots of people who need to be baptized and are just ready to go! One lady in our ward simply does not have her record that she was already Baptized so we will help her put that on the record. and many others. Lets goooo!
Zone meeting last monday and the President was there so we had our interviews. in mine, the main things that helped me was to try to be more simple, not to think so much and complicate things, and that Temples, Jesus and our covenants are the only thing we need to focus on so keep it simple to just those things and don't stress soo much about everything else. let the spirit guide with the other parts.
My President is a smart, funny guy.. he has what lots of people call the "dad lore" and a lot of it. He will go on and on with stories and usually they are hilarious! He is actually a smart guy and he loves to humble people and especially cocky people who think they are all that. so he just completely wrecks people. just blows them out of the water haha. not just by a little bit too. every meeting he will destroy one of the missionaries pride, and call them out on something lol. It is the funniest thing ever! but one day it will probably be me getting wrecked so imma hold my tongue.
But ya this week i just wanted it to be a lot less stressful, so i tried not to think so much stressing like crazy, just let the spirit guide and help people.
On P-days in the past we have played basketball up till the bell when we have to go home. but this time we got cut short. The new bishop came in while we were playing with some of the youth and said that on Mondays the chapel is supposed to be locked and closed at 6:00. so he shut it down and we all went home a little sad. welp no more p day evening basketball. but it's ok we still love our new bishop
the new bishopric got called last sunday and they are actually dope! The bishop's son likes ballin with us and is our good friend. His name is Nefi too! Nephi in portuguese.
We actually had a litt lunch this sunday. it was at the stake President Roques house, and it was with the whole Bishopric and their families! It was super fun! it was like sitting at the table with all the big decision makers haha. and the food was awesome!
We had a fun day tuesday.
We decided to go and visit some dots on the map at the farthest points in our area on our map. It was super awesome and successful and we taught lots of people and gave tons of Book of Mormons! we got to the last house that was at the farthest point and the address was wrong... so we knocked some doors nearby cuz we were already there. we found someone who loved our message and we taught her and gave our last book of mormon, completely emptied our bags of BOM's. Then we felt a raindrop. heard thunder and the sky it up with lightning... and all heck broke loose! Rain started bucketing down! Crazy winds started blowing and the rain going sideways! and The lightning we had literally striking right next to us constantly! it was deafening thunder continually!
I had my little umbrella.... and it was broken haha. and we had a 1 and a half hour walk to get back to our house, at night.
so we said our prayers and booked it for the house. It is safe to say that we got a little wet. we got SOAKED!! It got to the point that I just stopped trying to use my broken umbrella and if I saw a river of water or a puddle I would just walk in it or jump in it and it would make no difference. I got an early shower that day. By the end of the night we got home safely, we were dead tired and exhausted, legs feeling like led. but it was actually kinda fun, after we just accepted that we might get struck by lightning and couldn't do anything about it, we just had to go. but we made it!
Random stuff of the week!
-Someone asked me this week how much time overall i have on the mission and i didn't realize but i've got 5 months! Crazy realization.
-Our good friend Juca is dope, he used to be a bishop, stake president, temple President, and some other dope callings. But he gave me this awesome hat! ive been needing one for the sun and he just gave it to me so that was awesome!!
- I gave out Book of Mormons in 3 different languages this week! Portugues, Espanhol, and French!
- I twisted my ankle a million times this week, many times on the road, but the funniest time was in our house trying to smack a wasp with a water bottle! the first swing i hit but not directly, and after it flew onto my hand! I freaked and flicked it off. Then I went for one more swing... and my ankle just died, and I fell to the ground! it was super painful but super funny and i was still at the same time terrified that the wasp was gonna sting me. Then the final blow of the water bottle killed the wasp. Wasp:1-<-Me:2 .
-we one night decided we were gonna hand out all of our chastity and word of wisdom pamphlets before we got home. so we did, we gave it to a bunch of druggies. One guy actually rejected it though and said that him doing drugs was a good thing. I felt sad that he actually believed that and he continued to say he worshiped the devil. and soo i felt even more sad cuz he is rejecting it all for that and after this life ain't gonna be fun for him. but there was nothing I could do to help him cuz he rejected.
-Some crazy homeless drunk guy kissed my comp on the head, he tried to do the same to me but I stiff armed him. I have learned from past unexpected experiences to just stiff arm people. It is a normal part of culture here for people to hug and kiss on the cheek as a greeting, but... that is a problem for us. because we cannot do that. we are missionaries lol. It has happened only one time and now I always just stiffarm people. blocked.
Division with the Zone leaders! and they slept over here! It was awesome! and thanks to that amazing family who sends us Pizza every thursday night ahhh i love them they are a lifesaver it just makes any day a good day. we all had pizza, played guitar and had a ton of fun! the next day we grinded out contacting and we got 2 bap dates. I gave all my 4 BOM's and had to grab more at the house, and I worked with this dope Elder who is from Missouri and loves hunting too! Elder Hyatt. he is super good with the guitar as well. but in this division he made a bunch of videos and they were actually pretty funny! Lots of them are me saying or doing random stuff and it was hilarious to watch.
We had a pretty downer day this week and 4 of our appointments in a row fell through. we were pretty frustrated because we had confirmed them the day before and that day 3 times to lock it in. but things happen. The other downer was that we were planning on meeting them and teaching at the chapel... and then President Bikman showed up! He showed up right at the time we were expecting someone to arrive and he first of course questioned us what we were doing. I happily replied that we had 4 appointments and one person should be arriving then. but then sadly no one showed up. The president didn't see that part but I just felt terrible. but a little miracle later was the bishop telling us an old lady needs to be baptized cuz they dont have the records.
There was a lot of downer parts of the Week, but there were also a lot up Ups! but that is life. It doesn't always go the way you want and not always good things 24-7 but just try to focus and remember the good. This week I needed to do more of that and focus on the positive. I was not very good at doing that to be honest, but I will try to be better.
There really are a lot of great things coming up and hopefully those Baptisms will go through! lots of people to teach! lots more to find!
One cool thing is that the lady I helped over facebook in Alaska now is on Baptismal date!! I was super happy to hear this! That I was able to help her and connect her with the missionaries there! She is super happy and excited and so am i! And I know her Father in Heaven is too.
solid stuff this week
during one of my studies in the morning i had a thought and impression of inspiration that was really cool! so i wrote it all down and now it is like a dope talk that actually surprised me. ill put it in here for you guys to read as well.
Scripture of the week is Moroni chapter 7. Talks about faith, hope, charity and love. very awesome powerful things but i liked to focus on the part about Charity versus 44-48. Give it a read.
Always remember yall God is Good! God is Great!
Always turn to him.
Until next week, Tchau!
-Elder Martin
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AVATAR DISCORSO (the inspired moment of the week)
Lots of people like to play video games. And usually when you play a video game you control a character or Avatar to do what you want it to do. You control it completely. You can even sometimes change, modify and choose what your Avatar looks like, what it can do, what abilities it will have and more!
If I had an Avatar I would definitely make it super strong and look huge. Haha.
How would you make your Avatar?
Now imagine this, or think about this. You all individually have been given this life, this opportunity to literally build your own personal Avatar! It is you! Your life, and your mind, your spirit and your body. God gave you all of this. For this life to Create your Avatar and learn.
Now ask yourself again, How would you make your Avatar?
Would you want it to be strong? Would you want it to be knowledgeable? Would you want it to be smart? Would you want it to be healthy?
I know that I would want to always improve and make my Avatar better! In all kinds of ways!
But, the one thing I would make sure to focus on is, I would want my Avatar to be like Jesus.
Jesus is and was the perfect example. His attributes are what I would strive to become better at, and to become more like him.
Now, ask yourself again, how would you make your Avatar?
This life is your life. This Avatar is yours to create with your free agency and choices. So go, grow and try to become the best version of yourself you can possibly be. Go and try to become like Jesus. Jesus was perfect. So he is exactly who we must strive to become like and follow in his footsteps.
I know that as you strive to build your Avatar and live in a way to become more like Jesus Christ you will live a happier, more fulfilling, peaceful and joyful life. That is a promise. I know that we are here to be tested, and it is not easy at times to follow exactly in the steps of the Savior. It is not supposed to be easy, but it is supposed to be possible. But as you try and give your best to God, you will be blessed.
I know that Jesus is the Christ and the Savior of the world. I know that he loves each and everyone of you. I hope to share this love he has and I have for you. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ truly has been restored on this earth. And that this Church is Christ's church. I know that you are all my brothers, and my sisters, and I love you all.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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