Miracles happen

Miracles happen.

 

After that super boo-hoo letter I wrote home about throwing up the the middle of the Portão terminal, alone and crying over our lack of success in the area, I started to self assess myself. I read Alma 5 and started to burn myself. Does burn makes sense? In português it does. Eu me quemei...I not sure.... but I'm kidding about reading Alma 5. We use the word "burn" when our leaders start to.....speak words of harsh encouragement. I don't know how to say it in English any more.  

 

We are finding investigators and marking baptisms. Miracles happen when you self assess, pray, self assess again, pray, make a plan, pray, revise your plan, pray, walk around a little, kick the soccer ball in the back yard, revise the plan, pray and say, "I think I'm good now."  Then you splash some water in your face after you look in the bathroom mirror and say, "Am I the missionary my family thinks I am?" pray some more, commit yourself to be humble and obedient, eat a banana from the produce market in front, see a cockroach in the bathroom and then leave your house towards the street. Then miracles happen but you have to pray a lot and think of the three names your represent on the name tag. My last name, Christ, and His church. Not my first name or the high school I went to. I think I have forgotten a lot about myself and I have remembered more of who I really am. I'm no longer that half way hipster kid that played a lot of guitar in college and had a nasty mustache for a time, or the high school goof ball. But who I really am is a missionary of my Heavenly Father who made me before he sent his son, Christ, to create the world. I was already pre-ordained to carry out His work here in Parigot de Souza. I am a missionary that eats a lot of ice cream and speaks a lot of Portuguese. I want to be like my brothers and work my butt off.  I love my mission.  I love helping people feel good. Feeling good doesn't mean giving them hug. Feeling good means a change of heart so that your heart always feels great. Give something so special that will bring a happiness without end to someone who thinks that life is the end. I have a testimony of second chances. I have a testimony that anyone has the chance to become a rich man. The wisdom that one can obtain in Book of Mormon is more valuable than the belongings of the richest man in the world. Riches does not mean a Ferrari. It means goals. It means purpose. And it for sure means happiness.

 

Luan, our recent convert, has received the Aaronic Priesthood and passed the sacrament.  Yessssssss.  His super sweet blue suit blows everyone out of the water. He is progressing very well. He is super humble and does many things independently. He is only 14 years old and he does things right.

 

My face is brown and my legs are white.

 

Love,

Elder Forsyth

zzzzzzzzzz

Luan.  Looks a little like Will Smith, right?