Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Possibly the Last Week in my Area
So this is the last p day of the transfer, I am not sure if I will be transferred or not until later tonight. But all is going well. In terms of my knees, no. I am going to see a doctor about them this week.
But this week went pretty good. As I said last week I went to the city center in Sao Paulo which was really cool, although we really didn’t get a lot of time to spend down there. I am hoping to go there later in my mission when I have a little more time. But this week we were able to teach quite a few people. Problem again is none of them went to church this Sunday. My comp and me even woke up early this Sunday to go to their house and bring them to church, but that didn’t work out. One went to a party all night and said she was too tired to go, another left his house to look for his aunt and didn’t come back in time to go to church. It was really frustrating but all is well. As I said last week we have an investigator named Alexandre. He really is progressing well. Yesterday we taught him the restoration, which went really well. It really was the most spiritual lesson I have taught. He is changing his life all for his mother who is in the hospital. The problem is there are not enough rooms in the hospital for all the people so right now she is sleeping in the hall, which is really sad. But Alexandre knows that through his faith and through his willingness to repent and really change his life for good the Lord will bless his life. He expressed to us over and over how he just wants to be a better man; how he doesn’t want the life he had of beer and drugs. How he wants to be a servant to God in all times and places. We really are excited for him. These small moments really are what make a mission worth it, as well as the growth that I am constantly experiencing. I really have been learning so much, both deep doctrine and doctrine that is basic. My favorite really is learning about basic doctrine. Right now I am reading Our Search for Happiness by Jeffery R. Holland. It really is a good book, which gives a basic outline of what we believe as being LDS. It has given me several good ways of explaining basic doctrine to investigators, which will help. One challenge I am having is not sounding like a robot while I teach. The language is a handicap in this because I cannot express a principle or myself in the exact way I want to. It is a little frustrating, but oh well.
I am glad to see that all of y’all are doing well. Thanks again for the emails that some of you sent. They really were great to get. I am glad to see that our family is beginning to grow more united. Every day I teach someone about how the Gospel blesses families, and how it makes them more united and brings happiness. It was just a little hard cause I wasn’t seeing the same thing in my own family. However I can see how that is changing. I really am so grateful for all of you. I know I too have taken my family for granted at times. I am just happy I have the opportunity to really see the importance of it all now. That really is one thing a mission does. It changes your perspective on things and makes you see really what is important in this life and in the eternal plan of things. If there is one thing I want this mission to do is truly convert me to the Gospel of Jesus Christ; to really come out a better man. It is said that once a missionary leaves a mission it is like he passes through a veil of forgetfulness on the airplane ride home. I can see how this is true for quite a few. I do not want this to happen to me. I want to be constantly trying to help our missionaries in every way possible. That is my challenge for all y’all. Feed the missionaries once a month, I know they will be eternally grateful. When they bring an investigator to church TALK TO THEM!!!!!!! SIT NEXT TO THE INVESTIGATOR!!!!! It is not the missionaries’ job to integrate new members into the ward, and if an investigator does not feel welcome at church they wont feel the spirit. Nothing is more annoying than leaders in our ward asking us to sit next to and talk to visitors at church. The truth is we leave after time, but members remain, the conversion social needs to be with members not missionaries. This really will help the missionaries the most. Once an investigator has a friend in the ward they have a bigger desire to return. There really is a social conversion as well as a spiritual. So please HELP the missionaries. They need your help more than you know!!!!
But I hope you all have a good week this week. Know that I am thinking and praying for you all every day! I hope you all continue to grow in the gospel and receive the blessings that can only be obtained through living in righteousness. I love you all! Have a good week!
With love,
Elder Shelton
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