Aim Small, Miss Small

I am writing today because of Brasil´s big game against Colombia. VAI VAI VAI O BRASIL!!!! Eu falo a verdade, este país fica super doido e legal quando ele joga futeból. fica um pouco complicado, mas vale a pena por estar aqui nesse país maravilhoso (GO GO GO BRAZIL!! I speak the truth, this country is crazy and super cool when they play futbol. Gets a little complicated, but worth it to be here in this wonderful country).

If you stop doing the right thing before it starts working, you have done the wrong thing.

the book of elizabeth chapter 1 verse 1

I want to write about this for a just a little bit, ok? 

How many times are we prompted to make the right choice every single day? I don't know. at least 100 times for sure. Some choices seem harmless but there only exist two powers in this world. The righteous and the evil. So pay attention to the small stuff. Like Mel Gibson's character said in The Patriot when counseling his sons in the middle of a dense forest full of British infantrymen, "aim small, miss small." This is soo true and applies as much to our professional as our spiritual lives. Pay attention when you are gliding through life. Pay attention when you think you know everything in your profession. Pay attention when you walk down or drive to your work because you´ll notice someone or something new. Pay attention when you read and understand between the lines. Pay attention when you finish your work. This last "pay attention" phrase is something I didn't do too well back at home. When I finished something worthwhile I always found myself heading over to facebook or sitting on the couch. When I stopped doing something marvelous I went over to something that wasted time. It is strange that we can make such good use of our time and then sometimes go back to our old pastimes. On the mission I have learned a little bit more about paying attention to the small stuff. I try to aim small to miss small. Paying attention to the small stuff keep you safe from a large error margin. You can dream big and achieve the dream because every step of the way is done with care.

This week we have been following up with our good friend Ivandro and everything is going smoothly. A couple days back he found us in the favela on his way back home and stopped us in the middle of a street contact. I had to leave Elder Gale´s side because he pulled me over just to talk to me about Joseph Smith´s testimony, The three and the eight witnesses of the Book of Mormon (find in the beginning of the book). He started to talk about the divine nature of the  scripture and then took a little pause before looking into my eyes. He took a deep breath and said, "I prayed and I received an answer that I already had. The church is the church of Christ and the 12th I will be baptized." Yesterday we taught him about the plan of salvation and I had the privilege to explain the enabling powers that I soaked in as I relied on my Father in Heaven when I lost my father. I love to bear testimony of the reality of the spirit world and the spiritual realness that my father is a part of. I shared an experience that my brother Daniel told me of one time. It was when he was in the temple and prayed to know if he was supposed to have another child. From what he told me while he was in the celestial room his mind and eyes opened up spiritually and he saw dad walking with young men into a room. Ivandro got so happy when he knew he could save his family members that are not too turned on to spiritual truths and ancestors that have passed on. 

Everyone at home -- pray that when Ivandro talks to his boss at work he can get a break on Sunday morning so he can go church. 

Until next week,

Elder Forsyth