Hello family!
Well it was a good week.
Zone Conference!!!! Zone conferences are the best! They used to happen every transfer and now they are every 3 months. President Prieto talked about how we aren't doing as much as we could. We have to use our time better and work harder. We talked about the Book of Mormon a lot and how we need to trust more in the promise of the Book of Mormon and give more importance to it in our teaching. He said that it is one of the best things if some says "i'm going to prove that the book of mormon is false" haha. He said that if someone says that, "go ahead and mark their baptismal date" haha. This is true because those who read the book of mormon and do the promise, that is ask God, will receive an answer. The mission was challenged to read the Book of Mormon in one transfer. The assistants prepared a packet that has one quesiton for every chapter. In order to finish in time we have to read 12 pages a day. I have studied the book of mormon in english. But i decided to do this and i will read the book of mormon in portuguese in one transfer! When i first heard about this about a week after the transfer, i thought it was a dumb idea and i told myself that i wasn't going to. But i felt the spirit testify and Pres Prieto made us 3 promises if we read the book of mormon in one transfer. He said
1. We will come to know Jesus Christ
2. We will find families to teach
3. We will gain or strengthen our own testimony of the book of mormon
I will finish 2 Néfi tomorrow. I have learned so much already. It will be something to always remember.
I'm not able to attach pictures for some reason today. Next week.
Transfers are next week. I have a feeling that i will be transfered even though i have less time here in Batatais. I will let you know.
This week was hard because there were holidays on thursday and friday which lead to a four day weekend. Everyone was either drinking or with family and so not very many people wanted to hear us. We are still looking for people to teach. We find people but then they run away because they heard something bad about the church. This has happened a lot here. The city is very Catholic.
Church was good. We had a branch conference. Oddly enough, not a lot was talked about the Savior. Just in Sacrament meeting which was good. None of our investigators went to church. But the Lord blessed us with 4 other people that we will try to teach this week. We will have a baptism next week. Hebert has 9 years old and his family is active, he just wasn't baptized before he turned 9. So he will have to be interviewed and everything. Should be good.
Things are still hard at times with the comp. I learned this week about Charity. It has been easy for me to do what a missionary does, contacts, teach. But i think a lot of the times i have just gone through the motions. I must BECOME a missionary. I must have charity for my companion and investigators. I am working and improving this. Charity is hard to develop. Charity is a lot about attitude. We can think about what someone else isn't doing, or we can do it in the attitude of service. Sometimes we think "that's not my responsibility". When we think this we are being selfish. We will be judged for what we don't do as well. It would be easy to not do something because someone else doesn't. We must have charity. Don't know if this makes sense. I think i dont' even understand yet ahah. Hopefully at some point and time i will.
Congrats Rachel on the ACT!!!!!!! That's awesome! Lets see if you can get me though HAHAH!
I love the gospel. I had an interesting experience. I had a hard day with my companion one day. The next day i decided to think more about Jesus Christ and ask myself "what would Jesus Christ do?" all day long. The day went smoother. I was happier. and the Spirit was with me. I think i have more to learn, but it was a good experience. Jesus Christ is our perfect example.
Something i have a hard time is talking about what i'm thinking or telling people how to improve. Sometimes i think i shouldn't say anything because i'm wrong. I know that it is something i need to learn, but definitely not easy.
Last week for pday our district we watched the Joseph Smith movie in the institute building in Ribeirão Preto on a projector screen. It was awesome! The 2 brazilians in our district understand english. Today they will watch Emma, but we are going to stay here.
I love you all very much! Thanks for everything! Have a great week!
Elder Hawkley
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