Many Great and Important Things"

Family and Friends,

We are all preparing for another transfer, which will take place tomorrow here in the Curitiba South Mission. Eleanor Roosevelt said best when she stated that “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” Here in the mission, many small minded missionaries are discussing people, “Who will be transferred, who will be promoted to a District Leader? Who will go home?” many average minded missionaries are discussing events: “Transfers will be great, to see everybody on Monday!” “Im excited for General conference next week!” I today would like to share humbly an idea, seeking a larger view and a “Great Mind” for us all in doing so.

Hearing the words of the living prophets, seers and revelators brings us the divine opportunity to receive answers to our deepest questions.  Next Weekend we will have that opportunity, and we may seek revelation for those questions we may carry. Revelation is the word of God communicated to His children, whether directly from the Father or the Son, through the ministration of angels of angel, inspiration of the Holy Ghost or the prophesizing of the modern day prophets.  The church and the kingdom of God is governed by continual revelation. The scriptures canonize the revelations of God down through the dispensations. We as children of our Heavenly Father have the privilege of receiving inspiration and direction in our lives, based on our faith, prayers, and humble capacity to listen and learn the will of God.

President Nielson raised a warning voice this last conference: “If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation… in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”

The good news is that we DO have a direct route between our Heavenly Father and us! The great gift of revelation is entitled to each of us, if we are faithful, seek for it, and live worthy of it. “If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.”

Through the ninth article of faith, the prophet Joseph Smith said: “We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”

It is my testimony that this next week, if we seek for it, it will come. That we may be prepared to find answers to our deepest questions. This conference, may we all be faithful and worthy of revelation, searching for it with sincere hearts, that we may be revealed Many Great and Important Things pertaining to the kingdom of God in our lives.

Until next week,

-Elder Matthew Arscott

Fotos:

. Brazilian Mexican Festa

Elder Vilar is a silly goose ( WHO? is being silly?                                                   LOL)

. We played some Goal a Goal and Basketball with                                            President

I love the hammock that we have

The Morning Breaks - The Last Dispensation

9.22.18

Good afternoon Family and Friends!

As a Missionary in the Brazil Curitiba South Mission, you are permitted to wake up at 7:30am, but accustomed to a busy work schedule that we have, my companions and I make the decision to wake up at 6:30am instead and get in some exercise first thing in the morning. During this past week as we met at the nearby chapel to play Basketball, the sun started to rise and due to the foggy environment the sunrise turned into a marvelous scene of colors and awe. The Hymn “The Morning Breaks” entered into my mind and I began to reflect upon the doctrines of this last dispensation, and how grateful I am for the Restoration of the Lord’s Church in these Latter-Days.

For my short message today, I want to share my testimony on the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Christ’s Church once again brought to the earth. I know that the Restoration of the Gospel was brought to pass through Joseph Smith and that he was Pre-ordained to be such a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator in these Last days. I also know that important events such as the First Vision, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and the restoration of the priesthood were essential and a part of the opening of this Last Dispensation. I learned from Elder Mark W. Basset of the seventy in his recent visit with us in the mission that “We are all a part of the restoration… The Gospel has not been restored, it is being restored.”

I love the words of this great hymn already mentioned: “The morning breaks, the shadows flee; Lo, Zion’s standard is unfurled! The dawning of a brighter day, Majestic rises on the world. The clouds of error disappear, before the rays of truth divine; the glory bursting from afar; wide o’er, the nations soon will shine. The Gentile fullness now comes in; And Israel’s blessings are at hand. Lo, Judah’s remnant, cleansed from sin, shall in their promised Canaan stand. Jehovah speaks! Let earth give ear, And Gentile nations turn and live. His mighty arm is making bare, His cov’nant people to receive. Angels from heav’n and truth from earth have met, and both have record borne; Thus Zion’s light is bursting forth, to bring her ransomed children home.”

That we are those ransomed children, and that we may be brought home if we fully embrace the Restoration of the Gospel, is my prayer and testimony.

With Love,

-Elder Matthew Arscott

Photos:

Why you shouldn't play Elder Arscott in Basketball

                                                                              ( OH NO!! His Comp is on crutches!!!)

Conference Pizza (What's an Arscott group email                                                           without a Pizza Picture)

 Early morning basketball

Thoughts of Appreciation

09.15.18

Good afternoon Family and Friends!

It was just a little over a year ago from this time that we had the opportunity to witness a great event. Newell explained it this way: "Not long ago, people across the country put their lives on hold for a few minutes, gathered with friends and strangers, and gazed into the heavens to see something that happens here only every few decades—a total solar eclipse. The moon passed between the earth and the sun in the North American sky. From the perspective of some observers, the sun was completely eclipsed, and day turned to night for a brief, stunning moment. 

What was it that made the eclipse such a powerful experience for those who witnessed it? For some, it served as a reminder of how truly beautiful the heavens are. Sun up, sun down, day in, and day out—we don’t even think about it, but the universe functions like clockwork. Perhaps it takes something like an eclipse for us to even notice these remarkable, heavenly spheres. But the sun and the moon, the earth and the stars continue to shine and rotate and move throughout space. This truly is an astonishing universe. 

But then, at least part of the significance of this event came not from what we saw in the sky but what we saw around us. Something wonderful happens when we gather to experience something sublime and transcendent together. Our sights and our thoughts are lifted beyond the here and now, beyond the barriers that divide us. We are reminded that we all live and breathe on the same magnificent planet, with plenty of common experiences that bind us together. 

Just as we don’t appreciate the sun until it’s gone for a moment, we sometimes don’t really appreciate our loved ones, our health and our blessings, our neighbors and communities, until something changes. The recent eclipse gave us an opportunity to reflect on this beautiful universe, the people in it, and our shared humanity. But let’s not wait another several decades for the next opportunity. We can look up to heaven and look to each other a little more and glory in our wonderful world and the people in it. Amazing things can happen in the heavens and in our hearts if we look for them."

Have a great week, sure love you all.

-Elder Matthew Arscott

Independence Day parade BrasilElder Arscott and Elder Haight

Another from the Seventh of September

The legendary Elder França

The Temple

Only pictures today

9-8-18

Matthew didn't have a lot of extra time today for his p-day. He is doing fine and sent home some pictures. I don't have a description for them so he will have to add that when he get home. LOL.

Our Heavenly Father

September 1, 2018

Good Morning Family and Friends!

This week we are having to email early due to some blackouts that we will be having in our Chapel here in Brazil. This past week we were able to teach one of our couples “Anderson and Ana” about our Father in Heavens love for us. My question to you would be to ask yourself: “What are some things that testify to you that there is a God?”

The Gospel Principles states:

Alma, a Book of Mormon prophet, wrote, “All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator” We can look up at the sky at night and have an idea of what Alma meant. There are millions of stars and planets, all in perfect order. They did not get there by chance. We can see the work of God in the heavens and on the earth. The many beautiful plants, the many kinds of animals, the mountains, the rivers, the clouds that bring us rain and snow—all these testify to us that there is a God.

The prophets have taught us that God is the Almighty Ruler of the universe. God dwells in heaven. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, He created the heavens and the earth and all things that are in them. He made the moon, the stars, and the sun. He organized this world and gave it form, motion, and life. He filled the air and the water with living things. He covered the hills and plains with all kinds of animal life. He gave us day and night, summer and winter, seedtime and harvest. He made man in His own image to be a ruler over His other creations.

God is the Supreme and Absolute Being in whom we believe and whom we worship. He is “the Great Parent of the universe,” and He “looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard”

Because we are made in His image, we know that our bodies are like His body. His eternal spirit is housed in a tangible body of flesh and bones. God’s body, however, is perfected and glorified, with a glory beyond all description.

God is perfect. He is a God of righteousness, with attributes such as love, mercy, charity, truth, power, faith, knowledge, and judgment. He has all power. He knows all things. He is full of goodness.

All good things come from God. Everything that He does is to help His children become like Him. He has said, “Behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man”

It is also my knowledge that there is a God, that he is our Heavenly Father, and that he know sand loves each one of us with a capacity that we cannot comprehend. And I hope that we may this week be able to increase our relationship with him by Believing in him and knowing that he loves us, studying the scriptures, praying to him, and obeying all of his commandments. It is my testimony that if we do so we will come to a better knowledge and have a better relationship with him, we will be building upon as we read in Helaman: “a foundation whereon [we] cannot fall.”

Until next week, keep on keeping on.

-Elder Matthew Arscott

Photos:

On the balcony at Palladium

Dinner with the Revers Family and our recent                                                  convert João

Practicing for those future 4th of July family cookouts

 Brazilian Barbecue we made ourselves

The final result