(Elder Mackrory)
Good tarde beutifuls!
Feliz ano novo! This holiday is superfluous! Anyway, the
greeting today is from a text that I got from an investigator that had me
busting up for a full minute. Many things happened this week that made it a
spiritually strengthening week. Through trials upon trials, I'm finding that
the Lord is there for me and supports me in my efforts. When you truly seek the
savior, he makes himself known to you, and the joy that he brings is unlike
any.
We'll start, as always, with the fusca count. I have no idea
what happened. But I missed the quota by quite a bit, bringing 365. Which is
actually a cool number to hit on the 365th day of the year, but I would have
preferred to hit 375 like I expected.
On Tuesday, we had our district council. They introduced a
point system for doing good missionary things, such as 2 points for waking up
on time, 2 points for doing exercise, 2 points for personal study, 5 points for
a lesson, 2 points for a new person, and so forth. This is great for building
good habits. I'm really glad they introduced it because, as I'll demonstrate
later, those habits are lacking in our district. But for me, those habits are
already built. I do all those things already. And so to participate would
actually be bad for me. My motivation would change from doing good things
because they're the right things to do, to doing them for points. I feel like
Luke 20:25 and Matthew 6:2 explain my perspective well. The things I do are the
things of God, and to do them in exchange for points would be to render them to
Cæsar. Also, since the points are a competition, to seek the ice cream that
awaits the winner would be my reward rather than more worthwhile blessings.
On Wednesday, we worked in a neighborhood called Mirante da
Lagoa. It had been a while since we worked there, and so we actually had a lot
of success knocking doors. We spent the day visiting old friends. Lots of them
had moved, and so we found some new people who were the new residents. It's a
lot easier to get people to talk to you when you have someone you're looking
for rather than just saying “O de Casa” (who's home). We made several
appointments for Thursday, and so we also worked there on Thursday. It was
perfect actually because we had lunch with the stake president, which is close
by. It does mean we take the scenic route through the jungle. We found a spider
about the size of a golf ball. More new friends and old friends.
On Saturday, I had a split with Elder Levie. We taught the
restoration to a mother and her daughter, which had me, my companion, and the
two we were teaching in tears. The first vision has true power in testifying of
Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. For lunch, we went to the supermarket and
got supplies to make burgers. They were amazing and tasted American. That
night, we had a noite familiar and shared an object lesson I will never forget,
and nor will the family that we shared it with. We shared a dance. And each
dance move represented a principle in the gospel of Jesus Christ. If we had
more time, we would have taught them the dance, but unfortunately, we didn't
have the time.
Yesterday was kinda crazy. It started out with me traveling
back from a far area (from splits) for church. After church, we were chatting
with a member family and arranged a churrasco that night for New year’s. After
that, we went home and organized the house a bit, and got in our mandated study
time that we weren't able to get in due to the Sacrament. After study time, we
left for the churrasco. I stayed in missionary attire, but the other elders in
our group decided it was a “business casual” event, and they didn't need to
wear a shirt and tie. So we left for the churrasco and had so much fun. I love
food. And a surprise was seeing Elder Nascimento and his new companion who had
traveled from their zone to be here with us. We had a good talk catching up and
chatting with one of our investigators who we taught together way back when.
Since it was new year’s eve, we were allowed by our mission president to stay
out until 10:30 when usually it's 9:00. So anyway 11:00 rolls around and
another Elder and I are trying to get everyone rolling, but they weren't even
close to wanting to leave. So we hailed an uber home. What we failed to account
for is the key situation. So instead of getting sleep, we had to wait for the
rest of the year until they got back (haha I’m funny). But seriously those
fubecas got back at 2am. So the time from 7-10am today when I usually write my
email was spent sleeping. So that’s why the emails coming later than usual.
The trials and trials I spoke of earlier are this: there is
a lack of the spirit in our home. After I exercise, eat, and shower, I do not
leave my desk until it is time to walk out the door for lunch. My headphones
in, I can listen to music that brings the spirit and blocks out normal music
that I've lost a desire to listen to. My desk is a sanctuary of study that is
the only place I know where the spirit resides. The conversations and music of
the other Elders in my house does not allow for us to be edified, and so I am
completely focused on my study of the Gospel and the language until we need to
leave for lunch and the work of the day. I also feel a lack of influence with
the Elders, and often go on splits with Elder Levie in our district who is
motivated to be obedient. While I can perfectly say what I need to say to
encourage obedience, because I am American and still have an accent, my words
make no influence. I thought that that would go away once I left training and
they would move on from seeing me as a greenie. Such is not the case. To a
Brazilian, it seems I'll always be like a whiny child who can't speak right.
But their respect is not something I'm seeking. I'm seeking favor with the
Lord. And His favor is manifested when I can speak with love and authority to
those I teach.
I love my companion. Although sometimes he is in the
disobedient part, he is really just there to be friendly with the other
missionaries. When it is just Him and I working together, he is motivated to do
good. This week I will be trying to influence him in the mornings.
SummaRio:
Fusca count only grew roughly 20 this week. 365.
My district introduced a point system to encourage good
habits. I was reminded of scriptures that were good for the situation
On Wednesday and Thursday we worked in an area we hadn’t
worked in while and had lots of success.
On Saturday I had a split with Elder Levie, and we taught a
lesson that had all of us in tears from the spiritual power of the first
vision.
On Sunday we had a new year’s eve party where I had to wait
3 hours for the other elders to get back to apartment to let them in. They came
back at 2am.
There has been a lack of the spirit in our house. I also
feel like they don't see me as a legitimate person. But in my studies I am able
to feel the spirit abundantly.
Tender Mercy: on my split with Levie, we stayed later than
we planned at our lesson, and we were very anxious that we would be late to our
family night. The timing definitely should not have worked out, but by a
miracle, we were able to be there on time.
Spiritual thought: due to my recent extensive studies, I
have many scriptures floating around in my head throughout the day. In a
moment, one will stand out to me and I will know what next to do. Memorized
scriptures guide, comfort, and protect me as I go throughout the day. An
example is Luke 20:25 and Matthew 6:2 in the one of the above paragraphs. I
encourage you to find a scripture you like, and memorize it, so that it can be
a guide, comforter, and protector for you.
Photos:
- splits with Elder Levie
- burgers with Elder Levie
- burger at a nice restaurant
- sunset
- I love that all the houses are a different color here.
- giant spider
- noite familiar with the 1st counselor for the stake
- smaller, cuter jumping spider I named Charlotte (the best
spider name)
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