2nd Week in the Sao Paulo Mission Training Center!

This week was wonderful, of course. I'm getting better at the language and I'm getting the hang of things. We say all our prayers and sing all hymns in Portuguese. It's a lot of fun. Anytime I am tired and need encouragement I just read/remember Isaiah 14:3. 2 years is a small time to give for the amount of time we've been given for ourselves. We will all eventually have a time to rest from this busy mortal life, or from a busy mission. Working with 100% effort is the best thing I can do, so I'm going to do it.

 

Yesterday we all got to listen to Elder Holland (via dvd). I had never heard this talk before. He gave it in the Provo MTC. It's the best talk I've ever heard. Some of the things I wrote down:

 

He is a great speaker. He said something to the effect of "Youshould never be less than what little children think you are as a missionary" (that really motivated me)

and

"You're going to medical school, spiritually speaking."

"If the gospel doesn't matter to you, it won't matter to those who you teach."

 

He also said (paraphrased) in his testimony "I am not living my life for a fairy tale....this is not a cunningly devised fable" (this gospel)

 

I loved his talk and wish I could hear it again, but I heard what I needed to hear and enjoyed every moment of it.

 

For those of my brothers who like funny scriptures you can use in mundane or daily conversation: look at 2 Nephi 26:25 and use that the next time you go to a grocery store, haha.

 

I've started the Book of Mormon again and am reading it very quickly to get an overview. I've decided King Benjamin's talk in Mosiah 2-5 is still my favorite part of the BoM, so far. I love the peace and direction reading the word of God brings. I read it every spare moment I have.

 

I have such a strong testimony of what I'm doing is right and that the gospel of Jesus Christ is in no way a fairytale. 

 

I love you all and hope things are going well at home.

 

Also, send me your skype name, dad. My teacher wants to skype his students' parents for us if possible.

 

Love, Bryce