Mission week 37 (06/16/2024)

Hey guys whats up! Great things goin on here in Brasil! 2 great miracles were 2 baptisms! one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Sophia and Luiz! W's. Also Happy fathers day to my Dad! To my Grandpa's, to the dads of my friend's, and all others around the world! Love and appreciate you all for helping me and raising these awesome people that have come into my life with everything that you have taught them and sacrificed for them. Yall are awesome!!! My comp told me that he was talking with others the other day, about me. He said that I have potential but the only thing that is stopping me... is me. So I have been trying to change my mindset about things. trying to not have fears, and to trust more in God and have faith. I was asking how people baptize a bunch, and he said the people that baptize the most... are fubecas. why? because they don't have fear of anything. they don't fear the rules and all, but while working they don't fear to just invite, bulldoze in and baptize. so imma try to eliminate fear for me, but still respect the rules of the mission. Fear is the one thing that also blocks faith. so just trust God and have faith. Also other thought. I gotta control my thoughts, because what I think about myself, is what I am and will be. direct my mind to believe that i am and can be Great and Baptize a bunch and I will (with God's help). just trust and have faith. and don't wait, act. We had another amazing miracle this week! our friend Fernando, the dad of our recent converts got smacked by a car on the road. he literally broke his skull and head open and wrecked his body, lost teeth and all but he lived. When we finally got to see him, we passed by his house and he limped outside to talk to us! the first words he said were super powerful. the first words out of his mouth were, "God exists". and continued to explain what happened and how it is truly a miracle that he was standing and talking living still. prayers up for him to continue healing and eventually come to church and follow the path of Christ! and we are goin fishing when he is healed already confirmed. TEMPLE!!! lets gooooo i love going to the temple!!! We got to go and wake up at 3 in the morning and I was soo tired but it was a super good experience! Also one of my friends from the CTM was there and gave me a little toy Buz Lightyear which was awesome. cuz i look like him in the movie haha I didn't have many random things this week, I was just grindin but here are some thoughts I don't want to forget about my mission in Brazil that I have learned... ●How to close a car door... the right way... lol thanks Thiago ●use cool socks ●Gifts are really a good heart to heart way to give something and connect and to remember people, and a part of the giving culture in Brasil. (My comp has gathered a lot of cool things during 2 years haha it means that people like you as a missionary) ●i learned to appreciate hugs more, cuz we get less of them ●Maté, Chimarrão and Terrere. ●cuscuz is fire, food from northern brazil ●coxinhas, pastels, cakes and other breads, sweets or simple foods are amazing. ●Pudin... it's just amazing. ●chicken stroganoff has no right but it is soo good. ● Churrasco Brazilian style is freaking amazing ●I love dogs, but not street dogs that try to eat you. So that excludes many here ●i want a motorcycle ●i need to visit the recife beaches ●appreciation and a little more understanding for temples ●kites, pipas are awesome and how to really use them ●futebol is litt, and now i know how to play somewhat ●i still love fishing, any place in the world ●knowledge of Gospel and church principles, Scriptures and and about God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost ● a greater love for coca cola, other sodas and fruit juices. ●I learned that I need to fear less in life about things and trust God more and have faith. ●I learned to write things down more. thoughts, experiences, promptings, ideas, and more. ●Brazilians are kinder, more outgoing, inclusive, and more giving than Americans especially with people they don't know. ●I have learned to love studying even more ●learned more importance of obedience and our covenants ●music is powerful, i love it, learnin the guitar still, and a little uke. ●I learned to have even more appreciation for Family and friends. And technology to talk to them. ●I learned about batata Palha, Farofa, Pimenta, popcorn with Brazilian seasoning. ●Learned even more that I need to watch a bunch of movies because I don't know what people are talking about with movies... so I need to watch all the important ones. And.... video games, gotta game when I get back and learn the games, and stay connected with my friends around the world... by gaming. And learn about all the games and movies I have been missing out on. lol ●chains. It is a necessity. And they are freakin sick ●Brasil is a very clean place. People really focus to keep it clean and tidy. Clean houses, clean cities ●Perfumes or Cologne are emphasized bigger here. Which is a huge W. Cuz there is a lot less Body Odor smell and more good smells. And people shower 3 or more times a day cuz they like to be fresh, clean and smell good all the time. ●haircuts are sickkk but i can't get any of the designs right now cuz i am a missionary. One day tho. ●I learned to like beans and rice. But feijoada is actually super good! ●My love for food has grown lol, and I learned that I need to find a wife in the future that can cook some good food. It is a necessity and needed attribute lol cuz i love food. I can cook too, but cant be just me. ●learned how to follow the Spirit better and act. ●Learned how to help others better ●Oh ya and i also learned Português I have been able to overcome a bit more of my very annoying overthinking problem. A few lightbulb moments, prayers and advice helped. learning that my biggest enemy and roadblock from me progressing is me. my mind, thoughts and overthinking. A few questions I had to sort out and make them solid but other than that i need to forget myself more. to stop overthinking... but maybe my mind can't completely stop thinking, but what I can do is redirect those thoughts to help other people. and to find, teach, invite and baptize people. simple. just focus more on helping people be baptized making their first step and covenant with God to unlock the gate and path literally to the Kingdom of Heaven. so forget myself and get to work, ya know. Also my mind complicates things is directly of the devil. Because the Lord works in simplicity! and the devil works in complexity. just simply help others. Other lightbulb helpful moments. My question about knowing or just having faith was kinda answered. here. Have I been to Africa? no. but i know it is there right? or is that just faith that it exists? i came to realize and know that yes i wont have a perfect knowledge that it does until i physically go there. but i know it is there due to gathered fruits of information that show it. The same thing for me. By gathering miracles i have physically seen, experiences, information, and fruits of these things are true as much as the same way i know that Africa is truly there. there is faith involved but i can happily and confidently say i "know". because the spirit has testified it to me, experiences that saved my life, miracles i have actually seen, and others that i have heard, by the records of the true scriptures the Book of Mormon, the bible and words of the prophets. I can be more at peace saying I "know". What I know is not a full knowledge of all things, but with some faith too, I know that this Church is true, the Book of Mormon is true, God exists, hears and answers our prayers, and miracles still happen. God is Good! God is Great!! Until next week, tchau! -Elder Martin https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZYjR28Ehi9siAcjK9