Mission week 33 (05/20/2024)

Hey y'all, what's goin on?? This week has wipped by! I think that is a good thing cuz those last couple weeks were slow. We had our Temple trip this week! So that was awesome as always! waking up at 3 in the mornin to bus over to the city. somehow i was feeling more tired at the beginning of the week and after the temple i was feeling better and had more energy to do things! One thing that I learned this week is that I need to chill out and give myself a break. i always am thinking i am doing horrible and I finally realized why I felt that way. I was literally comparing myself to Jesus Christ. I wasn't just trying to become like him, I was trying to do everything the way he would, perfectly. AND I am not perfect, so you can imagine that i got frustrated every time. I learned that I am Human, I need to realize that I am human, be human, try to become like him, not to become him literally cuz that's not possible. I am human and imperfect, I am not Jesus. I am a representative of him, and a tool in God's hands. Sometimes I just feel like such a limited tool. But I just need to stop expecting myself to be perfect. to be human, and always strive to be better, but recognize more kindly to myself that I have weaknesses, am human, and imperfect. My work will not be the same as his, but I can and will try. I'll just be nicer to myself mentally lol. I just gotta be me, and not try to become something I am not, improve me. a few random things of the week... - The sunrise on our temple bus ride was amazing and beautiful! It looked like fire in the sky! -Went fishing... almost didn't catch anything, but when I got frustrated not wanting to get skunked I dipped my hands in the water and grabbed a fish with my hands lol. a little minow. One little fish is better than no fish, am I right? - That was last p day and it was really long and tiring, including 4 hours of walking, and more. So when I got home I grabbed a tub of ice cream from the market and chowed down. great way to end the day when you are dead tired. 100% would recommend. - the beginning of the week I was dying cuz I was soo tired, and it's getting cold and rainy so that was all week. Contacting was a little more difficult. but ya cold, tired, rainy and hungry lol. That was basically what I wrote in my journal for more than half the week. - I will say one little bright light of joy this week was oranges. oranges and limes. When we see them in the road we grab it and kick it along until a car comes.... then we kick it under a passing car and it passes over it and it squishes it causing it to explode! It is awesome and like the best thing to see and hear so we get excited everytime we see an orange hahaha. - Apparently I sleep-talk haha. My comp said that I normally say a few random things in English, and rarely portugues. but one day out of nowhere he said that I had spoken during my sleep in perfect Portugues without any accent! so apparently i speak better in my sleep haha. I said, "Ok ja vou! Ja vou!" so now i am curious what i was dreaming and where i was going lol. - my overthinking thoughts haven't stopped which is super annoying but i basically just decided to quit trusting my own thoughts, just trust in God, Trust in the words of the scriptures. and words of the prophets, the word of God. trust God, not man or the thoughts of man (my thoughts). I decided that my overthinking thoughts are just the devil trying to frustrate me, so I just wont trust my thoughts, just trust in the scriptures. they are more solid anyways haha. - I heard some of the most words of apostasy i have ever heard in my life from one guy. This guy loves the bible but he formed a lot of very strong opinions, and it was soo wrong it was wild. Some of it was funny. He said fish is the sacred and holiest meat on earth. Which was interesting, he didn't like that i hunt. but he told me to read the bible (which i am actually already reading) and he said to not read it to share with other people, to just read it for myself... I said ya... how bout i read it for both? lol. - Some people we were teaching me said they liked how I am always focused on Jesus. and i always direct the conversation from other things to be about Jesus, that I was a good disciple and representative of him. that felt really good to hear. - I received a compliment at the temple, someone said that my eyelashes are beautiful. i realized that i had not received a compliment for a really long time, and even though i am a dude i was like dang, thank you! I appreciate it! compliments are rare out here. all you out there in the normal world try to give people more compliments even if it is simple things. be a light to them, small things have a big difference. give more compliments to people! - found a little dog friend that we named faith, because he faithfully followed us, stuck with us all the way on our walk to clean the chapel. When we arrived there we gave him a little treat, he was friendly too! that is rare, most dogs here all just want to eat us lol. yoooo the good news is here guys! it may not be all sunshine and rainbows but i got a bit of sunshine and rainbow for y'all here! Amanda was able to be baptized this sunday! It has been a struggle for months with her because her parents never let her be baptized until now! lots of fasting and prayers for this moment! so it was an awesome miracle for this to happen! i love yall and hope you are all doin great! feel free to shoot me an email i love hearing from yall! you are all in my prayers, all my friends, family and fellow missionaries! Have a great week! until next time... Tchau!! God is Good! God is Great! -Elder Martin Last little note, if anyone has recommended songs that are easy to learn on the guitar send them over, or any guitar tips. I'm tryna learn how to play this thing and it is hard haha but I'm gonna get it! https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZYjR28Ehi9siAcjK9