Hello everyone!
It almost hit 100 degrees in São José dos Pinhais so all of the road development took forever waiting for the hot tar to slowly dry. I truly felt the heat of the sun when I stepped in some tar. I had to sit down on the main street´s curb to peel off the tar with a nearby broken branch. I have learned to love water by drinking it, throwing it on my face, dumping it on my hair, pouring it down my collar, and seeking it at every door we knock (clap) at. I still haven't found the right phrase to describe what it's like to clap hands to call people to their doorsteps. We clap and clap and clap. "missionary children taught as they clapped and clapped and clapped".
Forgive me for the lack of pictures. I need to buy a new memory card.
We´ve been teaching a lot of less-actives in our area to increase the Parque da Fonte Ward's attendance. Teaching lost sheep is an art that takes awhile to get good at and then master. I love teaching the less actives because the majority in Brasil love the missionaries but have some beef with the church members. As missionaries, we sit in an unbiased boat that has to be hit by strong waves of remarks (some unkind) by the members and less actives. We get all the gossip and all the complaints during lunch as we reactivate others. The fact that I have to hear all of this doesn't bother me but what does bother me is the lack of the essence of the Gospel of Christ. Love. We can spread our light through loving others, always. Love doesn't have to be a kiss or a bundle of roses. It just has to be constant and unwavering service. What I mean is this: we cannot forget and neglect those who are around us because of their perceived defects and difficulties. If I look at my neighbor without truly knowing him and making wrongly placed judgement calls, I would be placing myself above him or her. And THAT is super wrong. We are all beggars in the eyes of God. So, when someone comes to us for aid we must give with a kind and forgiving heart. Don´t we always come to the Lord with the same disposition? Don´t we complain about our problems when someone besides us needs much more aid?
My brother Eric sent me a cool email this week that I want to share with you, my friends.
"The answer to your question regarding the Scottish surname Forsyth: from an Anglicized form of the Gaelic personal name Fearsithe, composed of the elements fear ‘man’ + sith ‘peace’… therefore “Man of Peace.” Some early forms with prepositions, as for example William de Fersith ( Edinburgh 1365), seem to point to an alternative origin as a habitational name causing the name Forsyth to be associated with the term “Lowlander.”
In current usage, the name "Forsyth" in Scotland has the stress on the second syllable.
The Forsyth clan motto is "Instaurator ruinae" which means "A repairer of ruin". "
Looks like I need to repair many, many ruins that I have created.
Thank you so much for the emails and the love you all send me! Have a good week!
With much love,
Elder Forsyth
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