Im sorry i didnt write last week, we've been having a busy couple of week and its been full of action, i hope all can read my highlights today because theres some really great experiences ive been having!
Division with Elder Herlin: I love being able to participate in Splits with other missionaries especially throughout different areas and times in my mission. This week i was with the Zone leaders, one of them at leat, named Elder Herlin from Boulder Colorado. He is an amazing young man and i learned a lot from him as well. While we knocked a lot of doors and talked, we had some crazy experiences from an old crazy woman trying to have us live with her to another woman talking our ears off about the other churches in the area, its all part of th work and was so much fun. I learned with Elder Herlin that no matter what the lord watched out for us and through our patience, especially in the misison, are we made whole.
Speaking of Door-Knocking: This past week we knocked doors for almost SIX HOURS which for my mission is a new record. It was really a great experience and taught me so much patience. We met about six new families and we even had the opportunity this last week to invite a family to be babtized here in the next upcoming weeks so we will continue to work closely with them. One experience I had this week was with a family named Emmerson. this family is really speacial and the parents are trying to quit smoking. We're helping them by tearing up all the cigarettes that they buy and also by reading the Book of Mormon. This past week Emmerson explained to me about some struggles he was having knowing the truth of things. I helped him by explaining that through the "Power of the Holy Ghos" is possible to know the truth of all things. (Moroni 10:4-5) This is also one thing that my Dad expalined to me in his email this past week, his email couldnt have come at a better time.
Parade for Independence Day: I included below a couple of pictures from our big activity this past week. The 7th of september was our Independence Day here in Brazil. I hope i spelled "Independence" correctly because truth be told Ive forgotten haha. But we woke up at 4am to catch the bus into downtown where i saw many of my old friends, including my CTM companion, a member of our district from the CTM, President, and old companions as well. It was really good and it was so fun. Around 9:00am we lined up and i met a group of youth from a ward in the Curitiba mission and they were super neat as well. I stood next to a Brother in the same ward who has a son serving in Japan right now that i met in the CTM as well! its a small world for all of us. The parade was super fun and we had to wear these apron type things that were super chessy but it just made me laugh even more which in a parade everyones looking for the big smiles so that wasnt to hard for me(; It was a great expereince and we got to march through downtown curitiba and by the govenor of the state and the general as well which i dont know truly how important they are but it was really cool. The parades here in other countries are kind of weird, nothing like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parades back home in the good ol' USA but it was neat to be a part of it. Afterwards we had to take an uber back home so i had the opportunity to talk to the driver about the book of mormon and share a copy with him as well. It was super neat. I tried to include some pictures below i hope you guys get them, my computer still isnt working with pictures.
Blitz!!! So this past week we got to have a "blitz" of an area which is where all the missionaries in a district go to one area to work their butts off for the other elders for three hours. its actually really fun and it was even funnier trying to explain the word "blitz" to brazilians because nobody here knows a thing about American Football. The blitz was fun and we taught one new family which was strugling to give up smaoing and drugs as well so to teach them about the gospel of jesus christ was exactly what they needed and they formed a connection with us almost immediately. After the Blitz though we lost our house keys which was not fun. We had to sit in the heat for three hours waiting for a locksmith to open up our house because our spare set of keys was IN the house. It was good though because I got to practice my Hymn singing for a few hours. That night made up for it as a member invited us over to eat chicken heart with them (thats not something you hear everyday) and that was really fun to visit with them.
Some Missionary Tips: For all those out there serving missions or just looking for a little bit of some tips on how to better preach the gospel youve come to the right point in this e-mail today. Tip: When your companion is introducing the First Vision of Joseph Smith word for word, so ever quietly Hum "Oh How lovely was the Morning" ever so queitly as to help the enviroment of the lesson for the investigators. They will testify afterwards that they could "almost hear angels themselves singing".
Other fun things: Im running out of time so ill give you guys a quick update on some other fun things that happened this week. I got a phone call from my good old friend Elder garlick which was so good and great to talk to him. We pulled weeds as a companionship in our yard to the frustration of my companion but funny, we had a service project this week in the house of a member working with concrete and painting so i got a glimpse into the painting life of my good friend Elder Ray, and we had a missionary fireside last night that was all about missionary work and was really spiritual and uplifting.
Thought: I will try my best to explain everything i want to in the short time that i have today. This is my last spiritual thought on the christlike attributes, this attribute being one of my favorites, that being Faith. Faith is a very deep subject and there are so many aspects to Faith that we need to take a veiw at. Faith is taking another step when you cant, or dont want to. It is the first principle of the gospel and is a principle of power. All miracles are wrought by faith and it is only through Fatih in our saviour Jesus Christ that we are saved. Christ himself said: "If ye have faith as a grain of a mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove, hence to yonder place, and it shall be removed, and nothing shall be impossible unto you." (Matthew 17:20) Faith leads us to action, including repentance, obedience, and dedicated service. You accomplish what the lord wants you to accomplish. You help bring about good in your own life an in the lives of others as well. Doubt and fear are opposed to faith. Our faith will increase through diligent study, prayer, dedicated service to the Savior and his work, and obedience to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and the commandments. Our faith in Christ grows as we become better aquainted with him an his teachings. As we explore the scrpitures and search them, we learn of his ways, his love for all people, and his commandments. My testimony on faith and on all of these christlike attributesis the same, that through these sacred actions and ways of being that we will be able to better fulfill the two great commandments, to "Love our God with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength...and to Love our neighbor, even as ourselves". Im so grateful for this gospel and for the opportunity i have to be a divine servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, to represent him in all ways and to help all come unto Him.
Thats all i have for these two weeks folks. Im only an email away if anyone needs anything. I love you all and continue to invite all to "Come unto him".
Until next week,
-Elder Matthew Arscott
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