The House of the Lord

10.27.18

Family and Friends!

It has been a while since I have been able to send out a letter as the past few weeks have been full of work! I received a new companion from Washington DC named Elder Pinkney. We have expanded our teaching group and our current family that we are working with are refugees from Venezuela. We have been studying Spanish and have seen the gifts of the spirit touch our lives and influence our actions over the past few weeks. Many experiences have filled our time these past few weeks, including visits from General Authorities, Meetings with people from different cultures and backgrounds, service, and more. But among all that has happened over the past three weeks, the best experience i had was at the temple last week.

Temples are places of learning. They are holy places of worship where individuals make sacred covenants with God. In addition to being a place where sacred priesthood ordinances are performed, the temple is a place of peace and revelation. It is a place where spiritual guidance can be received for crucial decisions or concerns. The Lord blesses those who attend to the sacred ordinance work in the temple. And the blessings He gives will not be limited to the time spent in the temple. Those who do temple work will be blessed in all aspects of their lives. Their labors in the temple will strengthen them and refine them spiritually.

President Thomas S. Monson promised us great blessings through his 2015 conference talk where he said: "My brothers and sisters, in our lives we will have temptations; we will have trials and challenges. As we go to the temple, as we remember the covenants we make there, we will be better able to overcome those temptations and to bear our trials. In the temple we can find peace."

My promise and testimony is with President Monson's, that our trials and difficulties can be overcome through the spiritual strength that we encounter in the temple. I am so grateful for the power that comes through the great gift of the temple. 

Keep on keeping on!

Until next week,

-Elder Matthew Arscott

Photos:

 After a really rainy night

Água Verde Ward Crew

My favorite kind of exercise

My conference experience

Temple trip

Updates from Mom

Elder Arscott has been very busy in Brazil. He has been so busy that another week goes by without a group letter. SO I will do you a brief summary of 'catch up'.
     He enjoyed General Conference and was able to watch and listen in English. He and companions watched upstairs in the office while others were able to watch it down stairs in Portuguese . He said they were all very reverent UNTIL the very last minute of the very last talk when President Nelson announced a new temple in WASHINGTON COUNTY UTAH. He was the ONLY one that cheered and everyone laughed, including those downstairs.
     He is training a new Executive Secretary, Elder Pinkney. He loves this Elder. They lived together in a four group before. He speaks highly of him and is so excited to be companions with him for this training.
     He told me that he couldn't write much again today as they 'had to leave for an appointment of someone they are teaching'. Today was the only day they could meet.. I am thankful that he would give up some of his p-day to teach.
     I can tell how much Matthew has matured. So much of me misses the "Matthew' that was my buddy through his high school years, BUT my heart is FULL as I watch him grow and mature into an excellent young man. I know the future will hold many more happy memories for us. I will always tuck those memories and moments made in the past in a safe part of my heart. I can say that he has been MY rock when I have needed it most.
    Ok, Ok, enough....before I get too mellow. LOL
I am going to attach all the pictures he has sent to me so far this month. There are only a few descriptions. I just might make up my own. Hehehehee

How many Elders does it take to take apart a bed? TWO, the rest must be supervising. Hehehehe

How many Elders can pose for a Selfie? Apparently, all of them. Hehehehe

How many Elders does it take to look scary?                                                 Zero!! HEHEHE.....

Happy Elders...

Work hard, teach hard but also PLAY                                                  HARD!!!

Elders Arscott and Pinkney

Elders Arscott and Pinkney

Curitiba Brazil Temple, Elders Pinkney and                                  Arscott

Temple

Mail from ???, LOL. 

Elders Arscott and Pinkney

Temple, Elder Arscott

Hmmm, pretty dark there. Are you home on time. LOL

Subway!!! They will survive!!! LOL

I don't know who the other Elder is but FB wants to post Matthew's name to him??Brothers from another Mother?? HEHEHEE

The office Crew....

Watching Conference. 

More from Conference.

Elders ?/Arscott/?