Hey People!
Well today is the first Brazil game in the World Cup, and people are pretty excited, despite the dissappointing selection of brazilian players haha like I have any clue whats goin on. Although, every one talks about it, so you actually hear a lot, and I'm learning a ton about the cup, and these random teams that won't exist when I'm back, and soccer. Pretty fun, I wanna play!
This week. Well, well start with Wednesday. We had interviews with President. It was a really good interview. Somehow, we got on the subject of school, and football, which i wasn't planning on, but I took the oportunity to ask some questions. I told him that I would be coming home mid-season, and that I didn't know how that would effect things with eligibility and playing/being on the team that year. He told me that the earliest I could go home was Sept 14, unless I wanted a dishonorable release? That last part took me off guard, and he thought it was pretty funny. I told him that wasn't currently my plan - haha.
But he then told me not to worry about it. He told me to do my best as a missionary, and we would figure it out later. Then he talked a lot about the blessings of the Lord, and that I wouldn't miss out on any blessings because of my mission, but they would be multiplied, more than I will know. He then told me to trust in the Lord, and just keep running at that shut door, trusting the Lord will open it. Great advice, if not taken literally. He talked about how many times he has gone into impossible situations, having no idea how to get out, but he just kept pushing forward, and the Lord helped him out. He said a lot more, but that is pretty much the idea. Then, he stopped and told me, "Elder, that was a message from the Lord, not from President Richardson." I felt that, the spirit was really strong. It was all stuff I had already heard and knew, but it was great to hear it again, and feel the spirit as well.
So after President had built up my faith in the Lord he told me that he did not want the two areas to become one. He wanted us to do the work of two areas, have the numbers for two areas.
AHHHHHHH! haha its been a tough week, but we are pushing forward, trying really hard to do our best. the Branch is doing great, but the ward, doesn't have much progress. And I feel like thats pretty much all me, I gotta step it up. So I'm doing my best :)
Wednesday night, we had a lesson with Sandro and Dani. An awesome couple, we are really strong. He will be an excellent elders quorum president (this is one of our goals to baptize a elders quorum pres for the Branch). Anyways, we invited them to be baptized, and they accepted. So I invited them to get married. And we hit a wall. haha. They said yea, we will get married in December! We wanna have a big party, and her family lives on the other side of the country, so we gotta plan way in advance.
Well, I remembered the things President said, I trusted in the Lord, and ran towards that door. After a few mins of questions, trying to understand the situation, the Lord opened the door, and I asked em if they would be willing to get married on paper, and then have the church wedding in Dec, and then the temple wedding the following year. really complicated, but they accepted! Haha I was so speachless after that lesson, so grateful for the Lrod showin me what to say. They should be married any day now :) Baptism is on the 18 of the next month, with his lil sister who is waiting for that day! So pumped!
Also we have Beuno and Erika, and their daughter Bruna. He goes every week, but the other two hadn't. So in our lesson on Thursday, he started off on some long tangent, and it was Elder Perry's turn to teach. So I took the oportunity to teach the bored-out-of-her-mind 9 year old Bruna about every picture in the back of the Book of Mormon. She loved em! She, was really excited to go to church! And at church, she also had a blast. Her parents didnt want to stay for the baptism, but she convincced em. That girl is a good force now, has a load of friends at church, and is keeping her parents excited. Kids have so much power.
The baptism was great! Carlos has changed a lot, and he will be a great member. His lil bro will be baptized next week, and hopefully soon after, the father and mother as well!
Sunday, we did a division (after all the other divisions we planned for the week fell). I went with Fabio, our ward mission leader, and contacted references from the church site. we took his motorcycle! Not gonna lie, I loved that, I gotta get me one of them... Missionary work is so much easier on a motorcycle! haha
Well, I gotta go, I love you all!
Love Jake!
