Happiness is...

 Mother´s Day was a real treat. It was so fun and gratifying to talk to my familia over the weekend. I really felt their support and love for me as they told me I had a little accent (well, actually I think it was just Francesca that said that). But I really felt the power of eternal families as we laughed, joked, told each other uzi stories, and talked about our spiritual progression. 

This week I have a strengthened testimony about both the physical and spiritual challenges that face us. This is the 3rd time on my mission where I have been thrown into a new area without phone minutes and not much in the area book to direct us where to go, who to teach, or which members to talk to. Back when I was a little younger on the mission, I didn't really understand and got frustrated when something hard was thrown at me. A tough companion, new area, rocks, etc. This week the challenge was the sad vibes we felt from many people that we visited, investigators and members alike. Just sadness in general. I have a new perspective of my calling as a missionary of the Lord Jesus Christ. We went on splits with the Stake President and he told us that we have "...been called to serve in the ward that needs the most help in the stake, and they NEED us." In that moment my head went down a little in humility and when my chin hit my chest (actually my neck because it's so stinkin long), I saw my name tag. What an important calling I hold. I thought to myself, what would Christ say to these people? Not what would he do, but what would he say and how would he help the spiritual growth of this ward? I am literally His representative. The Lord has confided in me so much and I cannot let Him down. Now, and after the mission. The mission is like a life class that you take. And it is possible to fail. There are many missionaries that go home spiritually weaker that when they came. So, as a servant of the Lord I need your prayers so that I can be the best that I can and invite ALL to come unto Christ. I thank all of you for your humble prayers -- I feel them with every step I take. It's a great support that I will never take for granted. 

This week has been full of "old investigator" seeking. We have found some incredible people along the way. We´re going to teach a "pastora" -- a woman pastor. A ward member invited her over tonight for family home evening. We called her to confirm tonight's appointment and she told us that she is so excited to learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She watched The Other Side of Heaven 10 years ago and felt something when the main character is reading The Book of Mormon. Please pray for us so that we can teach her the true gospel of Christ with clarity so she can understand and be baptized. She seems like a wonderful woman who is animated. 

Also, please pray specifically for Eliane. And also pray for Marielle -- she has a baptismal date.

Love, 

Elder Forsyth

p.s. Children do amazing things when trusted. Think about it. 

Clapping Skills and Teaching Diego

Hello everyone!

The fourth was with me this May, but it was my last Sunday in the Estação Ward. President loves throwing me around to help out and learn from the other missionaries in our mission. I have had so many companions since the MTC. I think 13...14 including my new companion Elder A. Santos. He´s from Brasilia and worked as a band maintenance guy. He hooked up all the pick-ups and guitars and configured the sound board. He is a big music guy, too. I already love his style, he is super kind and loves to talk. I like talking companions, it makes the work seem easier and a little more comfortable because you can talk about any idea that's flying through your head. From the Savior´s atoning sacrifice to Spider-man to the sore feet. I was a little sad with the other transfer because the Lord had blessed us so much in that little part of his garden and I had to leave it all behind and start another adventure here in VILA ACORDES. 

Elder A. Santos and I are both new in the area. That means we are going to clap a lot. Everyone knows that they clap here instead of knocking doors, right? I feel bad if I haven't explained this custom from Brasil. If there is one thing that I have mastered on the mission, it's the effective clapping. Sometimes the gates in front of the houses are really far away from the front door and you have to clap a certain way so that it doesn't hurt but it travels as if it were going through a valley. Kind of like a big echo. 

DIEGO.

Diego. Certified Vigilante, or as they say here, Vigilante Certificado. To sum it all up he´ll be be on the security team squad when the World Cup games hit Curitiba. He is super pumped and got the job because he scored a 100% on all his exams. A Champion. 

Diego is an investigator that I have been teaching since I arrived in Estação. He was contacted by the missionaries 8 years ago and then again a couple of months before I got there. We saw him in our area book in the potential investigators section. He didn't have a teaching record but there was a little description that said, "liked the 1st visit, go and follow up". Yeah, well, when I went to his house he had just finished parking his motorcycle and was heading inside. He saw us, grabbed some pamphlets that the previous missionaries had give him and started asking us about modern prophets, but he was trying to tear down the doctrine. We went into a little New Testament/Bible bash and in the end he told us that he didn't believe in God. I realized he was pretty depressed and was into anything that related to God or religion. He really just wanted nothing with nothing (Ele queria nada com nada----many Brasilians say this). We invited him to find refuge in the Church of Jesus Christ and he cussed us off. Secretly I knew he felt the spirit with our simple and loving invite because when he was walking away he gave us a little look over his shoulder and kept looking for a couple of seconds.  I felt confident about our invite. 

That same week his girlfriend's brother crashed his motorcycle on the highway and unfortunately lost his life. He was also a member´s grandson, so the ward held the viewing that same week. Diego showed up right after our exit. We had left some Plan of Salvation pamphlets, Liahona magazines, and Book of Mormons. He felt a calm spirit from the members that were hosting the lamenting family members. He brought all of the materials home and began studying them. The next Sunday he showed up in Elder's Quorum and told us that he felt like he needed to be at church. After the viewing, he had wondered why our Father in Heaven lets us suffer. Well, he found his answer when he followed the invite in the end of the Book of Mormon. He found Moroni´s promise and asked his Heavenly Father with a sincere heart. According to Diego the flying sensation he received was all he needed. After his first visit he invited us over and ever since then he has been a devoted investigator that is doing everything in his power to resolve his life so that he can be baptized. Last night we read Alma 26 with him and he looked at us, crying a little bit, and said that if he went on a mission he would save many souls. Last night when I told him I was going to be trasferred, he said that if we didn't meet up after the mission we would meet up in the spirit world to give each other hugs and talk about our conversion stories together. He has already gone on home teaching visits. I feel extremely privileged to be the missionary that started to teach him. 

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Ready, set, smile!

Daiane's baptism - from a few weeks ago

Happy Easter!

Hi everyone,
This week I don't have too much to say. I´m not sure why. We had an excellent week of work but I feel like sometimes I say the same things over and over again. One of the few phrases that I have been thinking about is: Do what you love, be obedient, be fun, and always keep a smile on your face... just be happy! Obedience to the gospel brings true inner success. You can never go wrong with the gospel.

Things I've learned this past week:
The summary: The gospel is easy to hear and to fulfill. But remember effort, for that is what determines our outcome. And take care of the gospel and the privilege it is to know of the gospel. I want to hear your feedback on these scriptures.

Alma 37:11
Now these mysteries are not yet fully made known unto me; therefore I shall forbear. --don´t explain things you don´t know. 





ALMA 37:43 And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a ^ashadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual.

 44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the ^aword of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.

 45 And now I say, is there not a ^atype in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.

 46 O my son, do not let us be ^aslothful because of the ^beasiness of the ^cway; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would ^dlook they might ^elive; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.

47 And now, my son, see that ye take ^acare of these sacred things, yea, see that ye ^blook to God and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell.

And now for some pictures.  Finally.

Baseball on p-day. I am showing our baiano comps in our apartment wiffle ball and we are throwing around the baseball after we wake up, and on p-day we play 2 on 2 wiffle ball. It's been a good stress reliever to throw the ball and run around the bases. 

Easter egg fun

glue stick boredom

Easter Sweetness

Easter is just so great. I was called to give a last minute talk in my ward and I truly "spirit" winged it. I didn't just wing it because I did pray before walking up to the pulpit. It felt so good to be complimented on my Portugues but at the same time I know that my English is going down hill super fast. This blog probably looks like a foreigner is writing about his travels but can't express himself so well in his 2nd language. The sad part is my native language is my weakness. Through the Savior's sacrifice I know I can become better ;) No but really, lets talk about this "ultimate sacrifice" as the prophet Alma puts it. Why is it the ultimate?

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/because-of-him?lang=eng

It is the ultimate because it is the greatest act of charity the world has ever seen and it was the last time anyone will have to sacrifice something living to suffice the demands of justice. We truly live on mercy. Even when we fall, the grace of God is sufficient for all who humble themselves before Him. Easter lets us be humble. Easter enables us to do marvelous things. A soul can be healed through the atonement of Christ and crying eyes can be dried as we rejoice in Christ. This is our sacrifice: humility and service. We must dedicate ourselves to the service of others.

If you are one of my friends, or someone that doesn't know me personally, or not even religious, this state of mind works to bring peace to mankind. Humility and service to those we love and .... to those we do not know, so that we can love them, too. We all want peace, right? Well, where does peace come from? Is it an invisible force that we cannot define because we cannot see it?  Or is it something divine? I know it is divine because I have seen with my own eyes how the atonement of Christ has changed a killer to a pacifist, a homeless pot smoker to a six-day-a-week professional worker, an alcoholic to become a family man, and I have seen myself change from a frivolous teenager to someone who knows what it will be like on the other side.

My testimony of the atonement becomes more sound everyday as I serve those I love and those I don't know so that I can love them. We cannot say we love everyone when we don't strive to get to know them. Strive to get to know everyone this Easter season. As you do you will feel a little bit of what it was like when Christ atoned for us in the Garden of Gethsemane as he prayed for every...single....being. He got to know us. I imagine this is partly how he was able to perform that great act of charity. Because of him I can be redeemed and become a better person in general. If you don't believe in God, take hold upon my words and let this seed of faith that I have tried to plant on the website grow within you -- then cultivate it! You will see how a life well-lived is delicious because it sprouts good fruit. I guarantee you that you can find refuge and the light that you may lack in Christ. I find it. What I find that is good, I eat and hold real tight to the taste.

Love to everyone,
Ian

Estação BATISMO!

This week was awesome. BATISMO! But I forgot my camera at home so next week you'll all get to see last Sunday´s baptism. We got to Estação, whitewash (starting from scratch or zero) because an elder had to go back home, and prayed and prayed that we could find someone searching for the restored gospel. When you pray really hard with vigor, the outcomes seem so easy as your give thanks to the Lord everyday for your blessings. 

A young man from the ward (Chris) has regularly been inviting his aunt over for the end of the week day and weekends. For a good time she never wanted to attend church with her nephew until our very first Sunday. Everything just turned out so right. Daiane tagged along with Chris and his friends and absolutely loved all three hours of church. Being new in the area,  I didn't know that she was a first time visitor but I felt the strong prompting to go and talk to the young men and women of the ward to get to know them. I slowly worked my way into the conversation until I caught everyone's attention and then asked the blunt (but useful) question, "who´s a member and who´s not?" Yup, the question worked out because, basically the whole group gave a quick head swing in Daiane´s general direction. THAT ONE'S NOT. Gotcha Daiane. 

From that moment till now she's a different person. Her parents sent her out to Araucaria to get some new friends and to find some direction in her life. At first she did not want to ask her parents because her father is a Baptist pastor. When she told her parents that she passed the baptismal interview, they shouted for joy over the phone and exclaimed that they had been praying so she could find a new life. They told her that their prayers were answered through Chris and the missionaries. She was baptized yesterday and received her Young Women's personal progress and new scriptures. da hora. She also commented that the prophet answered her prayers and on-going doubts. Chris´s mom was at the baptism as well and is now hearing the discussions. Families can be forever.....yesssssss.

Disclaimer: This baptism would not have happened if the members didn't invite their friends. To all of the members at home -- Please just invite your friends to church, it makes the work so much easier. (I almost wrote more easier, but Elder Torrescano from Washington caught me.....Portguês life) Oh yeah, these next 6 months you have to think of a family that you will invite to watch General Conference at the chapel. 

Oh, I forgot. Elder Torrescano from my MTC zone is my new companion. We are on fire. But I hurt my foot today so the walking might be a little slow. It's going to be a great transfer.  

Love, 

Elder Forsyth 

The Load is Needed to get you Unstuck

Conference!

I find myself laughing into a little ball when I hear dorky American slang from my Brasilian friends here, because it has been a while since someone has told me to "chill out," "get with the times" or "take it easy."  I don't know why, but several members from the Estação ward have been talking to me in English, showing off their "american-side-comment" skills. 

It has been a good week and to finish it out, I have felt the spirit so brightly in my heart as I heard the words and voices of the prophets. This time I dropped off my investigators in the chapel and I watched conference in the secretary´s office because Elder Skousen still has some difficulty understanding Portugues when spoken quickly.  It was a blessing to hear the sweet sound of Thomas S. Monson's voice as he guided us to love one another as Jesus has loved us so unconditionally.  I hope that everyone at home will heed the words of our modern day prophets, never forgetting the feelings and thoughts that we all hopefully jotted down, and carry on in righteousness helping others feel the light of Christ.

This week I got a letter from my brother, Eric. It was a talk that he gave in church a couple of weeks back.  I really appreciated the thoughts that he gave as he showed how the Light of Christ is like a mechanism that urges us to choose the right but still gives us our unchangeable right to choose. As we ponder our decisions, we will find that we have innumerable choices that define our day. Some just change our day a little bit, such as,"what am i going to eat to today." Well actually, this question changes a lot for an American missionary in Brasil. This question helps a missionary decide if he wants stomach problems and diarrhea for two days. But I digress.  We have so many choices -- some lead to life changers and some lead to gastric journeys. Think of how many choices you have. Then think how many times something guided you to make a decision and it turned out right.  At times we will be guided to make decisions that change our character. These decisions often lead to a path full of challenges.  But you will come out a champion and leave despair behind if, IF, you carry on in faith and righteousness. 

My favorite talk from conference came from the apostle that usually speaks to me the most. I can't say favorite because God is no respecter of persons, but this man sure knows how to help me out when I need it. Here is the talk that helped me understand why burdens and loads help us grab traction in the snowy tempests of our life:

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2014/04?lang=eng&vid=3438350362001&cid=9

(go down to the bottom for a thumbnail link...)

Listen to me, everyone. When everything seems like it is going wrong and your choices lead you to get stuck, leaving you thinking, "this is impossible to get out of,"  remember, "I will not just sit here." We must try again and again, applying power and making goals. Remember, it was the load of wood that provided the traction necessary for him to get out of the snow to get back on the road and to move forward.  It was the load that enabled him to return to his family and to his home. Brothers and sisters, each of us carries a load. Demands and opportunites. Struggles and blessings.  "Is the load that I am carrying providing the spiritual traction that will enable me to press forward with faith in Christ on the straight and narrow path so that I can get out of being stuck?  Sometimes we mistakenly believe that happiness is the lack of loads in our life. Wrong. Loads are a principle part of the plan of happiness that God has created." This was one of the special phrases that touched me. We have difficulties so we can learn for ourselves. So, when you feel stuck, remember there is always a way to get out of it through the atoning sacrifice of our loving and abiding Savior. You just need to accept Him and repent daily. It will all turn out right as President Monson and President Hinckley have repeatedly explained to us in prior conferences. 

I then finally understood what Jesus was saying in Matthew 11 that his "yoke" is easy. Now I know. Watch the video to understand these incredible and vital life-lessons. 

Things I noticed at conference:

Elder Rasband's baseballl tie that he sported well. Way to go, Elder. I love the personal general authority style. 

Elder Uchtdorf looks the same every conference and speaks English so well. I was wowed as I watched various men speak in front of the world in their second language using professional vernacular. I realize how very far I am from being able to do that, as I work on my language skills. 

The spirit of the Lord lifts men to great heights. Boyd K. Packer and Robert D. Hales showed me this as they let the spirit of the Lord talk through them even if it is the only strength they have. I was truly amazed when I saw their determination. 

I felt prompted to write down the following in my notes when I heard Elder Erying's talk. "We need to run away from temptation as Joseph from Egypt ran from Potifer´s beautiful and sneaky wife. Good. Run run run run run. There are those who run and there are those as well who hunt the father of lies down so that he stays far away from those who wish to run. Often, our Heavenly Father will rely on his children to chase Satan from places that should be held holy, like homes and families. Help others to choose the right by guiding them to the right choices. We need to be ready so that the promptings of the Holy Ghost come through us as we help someone stuck and in despair. Show the light of Christ in all that you do, and be an example of the believers that others can look upon you and see attributes of the Savior. Hunt down Satan and chase him out." I don't remember exactly what President Erying said, but this is what I wrote down more or less.

Love,

Elder Forsyth

p.s. stay sweet and follow the prophet. Mosiah 5:1-7. What we should do after conference? I had an awesome lesson with the youth from the Araucária and Estação ward. We just talked about what we should do with our feelings and beliefs after the prophets have spoken.

Fiery weeks

busted up missionary shoes

These weeks in Estação have been fiery. We have been praying so hard for the Lord to bless us as we work diligently every minute. These prayers have been our secret weapon because we are finding a lot of great people who start to open up when they hear about a church that isn't just centered on what we call "religion" but exaltation as well. I find it extremely interesting when people's faces change when they hear about how the Church that Christ established is here on the earth today. People find that so interesting. I have been studying the New Testament more than ever these past months and it is really paying off. When you can prove to people that Christ organized a church with prophets, apostles, priesthood, true baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, new commandments...and then you testify about it, it is really difficult for someone to say no. Firstly because they see the evidence in their own Bible (p.s. it's really fun to show people that they don't know what they are saying in their own Bible that they swear by....well it's not that I am mean, but I just show them that what I am teaching is in their sweet Bible) and then they feel the Spirit confirm through illuminating feelings and thoughts.

This week I was on exchanges with the Elders from the Araucária ward and some "evangelicas" hunted us down until there were 5 of them and 2 missionaries with a young man. They started to ask about how our chapels were constructed, if all of the legal documents were in the name of Christ, if I received a salary, and so on. It was really ridiculous to be quite frank.  As they tried to break us on our doctrinal knowledge I felt the strong urge to blurt out the question, "Do you believe in prophets?" They said "Anciently, they had to exist"..."Why?" "Because people didn't have the holy ghost to guide them"...."So you don't believe that a prophet should be on the earth to guide us these days because all of us have the gift of the Holy Ghost?"....."right....only false prophets."...."Why? Actually, can you show me in your Bible where it says that prophets ceased to exist?"....He looked at me for a while before he started to talk about tithing again. "Can I show you in your Bible some of the things we believe?" "Sure."  And so I did. As we shared about 20 verses with them and testified that there is a living prophet on the earth, the Spirit backed up our words strongly. We explained to them that our Heavenly Father loves us so much that he sent his Son to die for us and to show us the way that leads to eternal life. We testified that the primitive church has been restored through a prophet of God, Joseph Smith. They had no words after our simple and vigorous testimonies. As the 5 of them started to turn their backs and go home, one of them turn back again and asked if we would be able to pass by sometime and share a little bit more about this "restoration you speak of". I said for sure we can.

Lots of these types of situations happen here in Araucária.  Many people want to know if you "truly" are a missionary. If you don't know your scriptures you have a problem. There are a lot of religious people here that want evidence. Well, like Elder Ballard has said in "Our Search for Happiness" --- we can't rely on physical evidence when we want a testimony from God. (2 Nephi 25)

I know that being a defender of truth and righteousness brings blessings. We all have to defend what we believe and testify to others that the kingdom of God is here on the earth led by a living prophets and 12 apostles and that the Book of Mormon is a testament of these spiritual and physical truths. I know that missionary work only accelerates as we share our happiness with others. We have to be proactive to gain what we love and adore. Not just 80,000 missionaries world wide is going to get the job done. A growth in the number of soldiers does not mean that you win the fight. But when the soldiers have a conviction of what they fight for, then, you win the fight. 

By the way, I've been called as the new district leader here. I have two sister companionships, one elder companionship, Elder Skousen and me. 

Spiderman District Leader notebook

This week was a roller coaster of fun and I am super tired. Nap time will commence in about two hours after we go grocery shopping at "Condor". 

News: 

Elder Forsyth needs a haircut

Elder Forsyth misses his guitar.

Elder Forsyth likes to make pancakes now.

Elder Forsyth finally learned how to clean house.

Elder Forsyth wants more food.

Elder Forsyth is happy

Love,

Elder Forsyth

p.s.  https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/a-house-divided?cid=HPWE032614622&lang=eng 

Let us be united in the work of the lord. 

"A good man, out of the good treasure of the heart, bring forth good things....for by thy word thou shalt be justified."

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=3267475157001

"please apply the following: stop it" On the mission I have grown the love the Savior's divine help in our hardest of times. Be a friend to everyone in your sight.

The Araucárias and Pinheiros that are a unique touch to Paraná. We entered into a favela that didn't have an exit and we ended up in the middle of the forest. We tried to find our way out but we realized that the entrance was the exit. I'm certain the police pass by that place because there is no exit...at all.