Week 35 - Minha Semana‏ (My Week)

Hey, so sorry I didn't write you yesterday (Monday). Ha ha. I was in the middle of emailing you and the power went out, and then it went back on. So I started to write to you again and it went out again. Ha ha.

So to start off, pretty much I've been sick as crap - just sick all week long - for the whole week. But, I'm starting to feel a little better now.
 
Anyways, we have been low on our investigator pool which means a lot of talking to people on the streets. We found some pretty good investigators. It was awesome. But we have been just talking to people like crazy and walking miles and miles and that's really what our day consists of. Ha ha. We walk fast like from one end of our area to the other. It takes a good hour and ten minutes, which means like 5 miles. Ha ha. And we have to walk to one end to lunch and then back right after for appointments. It's so awesome. I think that is why I'm staying in such good shape.
 
My area is like the biggest one in the mission and I've been here for almost 6 months now. It's awesome. I think I have a good chance at staying here next transfer too because the area is finally going to split and so I might just stay. So I am going to have a good attitude about it.
 
But anyways, the miracle for the week is probably this. So this person has been mad at me for who knows why and it's been going on for the whole transfer and he won't tell me what is going on. So I'm just like, whatever and just trying not to be around him because I don't want to be mad. So I've just been trying to keep my space from him. So then this last week I had my very last division with my zone leader, Elder Doggett, before he heads home on the 25th of this month. So I was talking to him about it and this is when the miracle happened. He just tells me to pray about it and everything will be fine. So I did. And the huge miracle is that the Lord softened the hard-headed Elder Blake's heart and got me to go and say sorry for whatever it was that I did and just leave it behind. So I did. And he called me later on that night and said sorry too and he forgives me and all that good stuff. So ya, that is the miracle of the week. (By the way, I'm not that hard-headed, but I was sick all week and kind of a little grumpy, so that probably didn't help any. Ha ha.)

 

Yesterday was also my 8 month mark and I will be heading home a year and four months from now. Pretty crazy, right? Crazy how fast time goes by when you're doing what is right and losing yourself in the work (and having a little fun, too :))! My mission is so awesome and I really do love it. It's so amazing all that the Lord has done for us and keeps doing for us. He must love us so, so, so much because he just loves and loves and loves. It really is amazing. He really does love us.
 
Elder David A. Bednar said this, "To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else." This is now one of my favorite quotes. It is so amazing how true it is. So now is the time to forgive someone that has once offended y'all and leave it in the past and look forward, not regretting anything.

Eu amo voces.. Voces sao maravilhosas. Eu sei que igreja e verdadeira. eu sei que nos somos fracos sem jesus cristo mas atreveis dele e expiacao dele nos podemos ser fortes. disse em Eter capitulo 12 versiculo 27 "E se os homens vierem a mim, mostrar-lhes-ei sua fraqueze. E dou a fraqueza aos homens a fim de que sejam humildes; e minha graca basta a todos os que se humilham perante mim; porque caso se humilhem perante mim e tenham fe em mim, entao farei com que as coisas fracas se tornem fortes para eles." Este escritura e verdade de mais. nos sol precisamos fe e nos podemos fazer qualquer coisa eu amo todos os voces e espera que voces ter uma boa semana.

(This is the best translation I have come up with. I love you. You are all wonderful. I know the church is true. I know we are weak without Jesus Christ, but through Him and His Atonement, we can be strong. Said in Ether 12:27: "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." This scripture is true. if we have faith in Jesus, we can do anything. I love you all and hope you have a good week.)

Tchau,
Elder Blake