(Elder Mackrory)
Bom Dia!
Again it feels like it’s been 3 days since the last email.
This amazing CTM experience is flying by. Last week, I promised to include the
updates from that week as well, so we'll start there.
We've been getting better at volleyball. Every day we get
exercise time and our district usually plays volleyball. We face off against
other districts and it’s so much fun. As a district, we weren't very good. But
we learned techniques and strategies from other districts and now we are a lot
more consistently competitive. There is one district that has a 6 foot 6 player
who played volleyball in high school that they pass to at every opportunity and
so at the moment they are the best, but it’s like when the Cavs had LeBron. The
really only won because of him.
One of the Elders in my district had a birthday a few days
ago. For the past 3 weeks, we've been spending our vending machine allowance
(each day we get 16 reais to buy snacks from vending machines across the CTM)
on these chocolates called Looks. He really likes them and so we were able to
gather about 156 of them for his birthday. We filled a whole suitcase of then
and now we have no idea where we're going to put these. I guess we'll gain
weight. Thats ok though, in the field I’ll be walking 6-8 miles a day so any
weight I gain in the next month will be lost again in another month.
We went to a cookie shop last week on Tuesday and we got
milkshakes. It was the best milkshake I have ever had. It was a cookies and
creme shake, but the cookie they used was a sugar cookie instead of oreo. They
also broke up a big chocolate chip cookie and put the chunks in the shake.
Amazingly, the cookie chunks were not soggy, but they were perfectly preserved
when you got the surprise spoonful of milkshake with a cookie bite in it. There
was also a layer of caramel coating the inside of the cup.
I have been dreading the hot weather in Rio this whole time,
but recently I've felt the need for a jacket when the room is 73⁰ F. Maybe I’m
adjusting to Brasil weather, maybe I'm turning into my dad. I don't yet know
which it is, but both options seem pretty optimal to me.
This last week has been really eventful, but when I write in
my journal at night, I really only write the things that I've learned
spiritually. The reason being that future me won't really care about the
day-to-day things. The reason I will look back is to review the insights and
personal revelation I received. Perhaps I'll start a list of the Day-to-day
activities that might perhaps be email worthy and then look at that when
writing.
I took down my fort because I got cold again under three
blankets and I needed blankets 4 and 5. Perhaps I am turning into my dad.
This Sunday I accompanied an Elder on piano as he sang
"A Great Work" by Nik Day. It was super easy to play, but the words
in the song teach truth. It's also just a good song in general. I encourage
each of you to listen to it.
I've officially started a series on my Facebook where I play
a song from the Children's songbook on my Melodica (I have given a name to my
instrument, His name is Mel). In these videos, I play the melody, put the
lyrics and a spiritual though into the caption, and put a Baby Yoda figurine in
the background. Not sure which song to do next; I'll take suggestions.
I also brough some grip strengtheners and they are WORKING.
I was on the phone with my dad last week and noticed in the camera. The photo
may be aided by angle and lighting but I def feel like my forearms are growing
in size and strength.
It rained one night and it was so cool. It was about 6 pm
which is about when the sun gets really low and the clouds and sky hang in
majestic gradients of orange, pink, and mango. This night, however, there was
no such poetic beauty. Blackness dominated the once prismatic flow of the sun's
final exertion. At first the lack of vibrance was confusing and saddening. But
as I came to understand the offlandish tendencies here in Brasil, the blackness
grew in my mind from gloomy and disheartening to mystical and of surpassing
majesty. It shares the wonder of obsidian's deep monochromaticity and a black
horse's inspiring stoicism.
Spiritual Thought: I have been thinking a lot about prayer
recently. Prayer connects us with our Divine Creator and Father. He loves us
and wants to bless us with all righteous things. James 1:5-6 says:
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth
to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that
wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
As an extension to this scripture, I would say that prayer
does not only help when you lack wisdom. If you lack any Christlike quality:
faith hope, charity, love, virtue, integrity, patience, humility diligence,
obedience, strength (may it be physical, mental, social, or social), motivation,
kindness, confidence, etc., if you ask God with all the faith you have to
develop any of these attributes, I promise He will aid you as you work towards
them yourself. I have found that developing Godly attributes is very difficult
if God is not part of the process.
Tender mercy: for the first few weeks of CTM, I was really
struggling with getting enough sleep, and therefore being tired during the day.
This annoyed me. I started a habit of sincerely asking for more efficient rest
and for the ability to fall asleep faster. The night I started praying for
this, I found myself sleeping much better, and since then I have not had a day
where I’ve struggled to stay awake. Prayer works!
Tchau!
Elder Mackrory
1. Meo antebraços
2. Typical day
3. Study setup
4. Beautiful CTM
5. Huge matches
6. Dulche de Leche ice cream (if only I had a freezer)
7. Beautiful yellow tree.
8. Blurry picture of a classic mini
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