Time Compression

Holar from Brazil!

 

Surprise! I`m still at the CTM! Don`t worry, I didn`t do anything wrong or something like that, I just got an extra day here, which just so happens to be my p-day. >:D Apparently there is an area conference soon, so all the Mission Presidents are here in São Paulo. Makes, sense to delay travel a day, otherwise we'd be arriving at our mission areas with nobody to help direct us. So, I'm just living the life here for my last day at the CTM.

 

We went proselyting this morning as well. Normally we would have done it yesterday, but it rained a lot and that slows the buses down, so we ran into a time constraint X(. Luckily however, we had this extra day on our schedules in which we could try again. Rather than proselyte around here, we ended up going to Paulista Ave. (I think I spelled that right) which is downtown São Paulo. Their they have at least twenty times more people walking around. To get there, we took the onibus, where me and my companion taught someone who speaks English. Apparently she was an exchange student in Indiana, where she went to a Catholic high school. How cool is that! It seemed kind of odd, yet easier to be able to teach in English.   I think it went very well. Once off the bus, we talked with a lot of people. Probably the most interesting thing I've seen so far, is that the people who are most receptive to the truths we have to share, are those who don't normally appear to be receptive, and those who are young. All in all, I think it was a successful day.

 

As for the rest of the day, I've been packing up my things and preparing to leave. This mostly involves washing and folding laundry (something my college roommates can affirm that I dread) and searching for all my stuff that mysteriously disappeared. Surprisingly, the only things I can't find are a few articles of clothing, and a sandwich that went missing a few weeks ago. O_O I really hope someone took the latter. Also, I bought a cheap chess set a few weeks ago that had two black royalties instead of a white one, so I decided to hand the pieces out today and have everyone hide them in rarely seen places. It's like a meaningful scavenger hunt. Just like the right people to teach, sometimes you have to search in the most obscure or unlikely of places. ;)

 

I've been thinking a lot lately about what I could tell you all. Just a few days ago, we "baptized" our practice investigator. Even though she wasn't an actual investigator, it really felt like we had helped another child of God return to the fold. Recently, also, the instructors had a play to show us how we can work with members to help them spread the glorious gospel among their friends and family. And so, I've decided to tell you about faith and fear. In the Book of Mormon, the first people we read about is Lehi and his family. Laman and Lamuel always murmered against their father, a prophet, and the commandments of God. We read many times that they repented and that they began to do righteous things, but they always strayed off the right path because they feared what the future could hold. When asked to retrieve plates from Jerusalem, they tried once and failed.  Fearing they would lose their lives upon a second attempt, they began to doubt God and his power. Please brothers and sisters, be not like Laman and Lamuel, but be as Nephi, and have faith in the Lord and his promises. Fear not to share the gospel, or to do what you know is right. It is likely that we may consider this a "hard thing" to do, and that the risks are high. But please, doubt not, for the Lord will always bless and help those who act in faith.

 

Thank you once again for all your love and support.  I pray for all of you and ask you all to be strong and of great courage. Doubt not for the Lord shall deliver.

 

Stay awesome.

Elder Jess Angus (The best link to my name is McDonalds here. Who knew.)