Venâncio Aires Week 2

Week #66

The harvest is a little bit slow, but the ground here is prepared. The members have goals and want to accomplish them. They just need to know how. 

That's why this next week we're organizing a fireside about how members can be missionaries. We're especially going to talk about Elder Ballard's talk in the last General Conference. Even if you remember exactly what it said, read it again. An Apostle of the Lord made several promises we receive through sharing the Gospel.

He also invited everybody to own and study Preach My Gospel. I don't know how much a copy of Preach My Gospel costs there, but here, it's about $1.50. If that's too expensive you can download it to listen or read for free here. Obviously we all want to see wards grow and friends accept the Gospel. The wonderful thing is that we already have a manual that teaches how to do that. 

I repeat Elder Ballard's invitation. Have a copy of Preach My Gospel, a personal copy. Study it. Use what you learn. Share what you learn with other people. Tell the missionaries what you learned. We, as missionaries are told to study Preach My Gospel and the Book of Mormon every day. The two are the words of prophets and apostles. They are both scripture. 2 Nephi 28:30 speaks of line upon line and precept upon precept, but it also says that those who receive will receive more and those who do not receive shall have it taken from them even that which they have. We must accept and use all of the divine resources we have. 

Because the first Apostles and members of the Primitive Church received the prophecies and teachings of the Old Testament, they received the New Testament. Because Joseph Smith received the counsel in the New Testament to ask of God, he received the Book of Mormon. Because he received, translated, and lived the teachings of the Book of Mormon, he received the revelations in Doctrine and Covenants. Because we continue to receive the Standard Works, we are given the words of living prophets and apostles monthly. What a wonderful fulfillment of the promise written by Nephi!

But we must remember that there is a flip side. The world stopped receiving the original apostles and revelation and scripture ceased. Many plain and precious things were lost. The Gospel was no longer fully understood. Men chose to stop receiving and even the Bible was sealed against their understanding. They lost what they already had. The same can happen to everyone of us as well.

I know that God is not silent. He still speaks through His appointed servants. This will never change. President Monson is the Prophet of God. He does not speak as the scribes and Pharisees using only his own interpretations. He reveals the current and unchanging will of our Eternal God.

Elder Dickson

Elder Dias (Cape Verde), Elder Barrus (Virginia), Eu (Elder Dickson), Elder de Araujo (Rio de Janeiro)

Venâncio Aires

Week #65

Venâncio Aires is the national capital of chimarrão, a bitter plant that you grind up and drink with hot water. It's basically the foundation of society in Rio Grande do Sul. The first time I drank it the words that came to my mind were "goat food water." It's an acquired taste, but I like it.

My new companion is Elder Barrus. He's from Virginia (three American companions in a row) and has one of the strongest American accents I have ever heard. He still doesn't understand everything that we say, but he's learning.

Venâncio Aires is a little city that's far away from almost everything. There is one branch here that we share with Elder Dias (from Cape Verde) and Elder de Araujo (Rio de Janeiro). No, I haven't taken any pictures here yet, but I will say the accent from Rio is very different. He talksh like thish. It'sh a little different.

There aren't a lot of stories to tell yet. This week was a lot of inviting people to be baptized and hearing excuses for why people don't want to do anything. One man even decided that he didn't want to be baptized because he didn't want to do Home Teaching or anything else. The moment that we talk about a commitment he doesn't want to do anything. It's normal, but he was the worst case I've seen. We dropped him.

I usually don't like to quote Bruce R. McConkie, but I read one of his statements (in Portuguese, so I'll translate) that people who are not willing to keep all the commandments and be completely devoted to the Gospel for the rest of their lives should not make that promise by being baptized. That's why commitments are so important. Preach My Gospel has a chapter all about helping people accept and keep commitments and says clearly that when we invite people to do or not to do something we are calling them to repentance. If people keep their commitments (or repent) they can be baptized and make greater commitments. If they keep those commitments, they can make even greater commitments in the temple. If we keep those commitments, we receive Celestial Glory which is an enormous responsibility and commitment in itself. 

I'm hungry. Until next week.

Elder Dickson

Last night in Montenegro

Elder Angus's last transfer

Marlene in Montenegro

Elder Dickson and Sister Pithan 

Elder Dickson and Sister Grahl Baptista 

Transfers!

Week #64

I'm being transferred. Who knows where? I have no idea. I'll find out tomorrow. I have to pack up everything and leave enough records that the next missionaries will know what to do when they get here, so I won't be writing a whole lot today. 

I'll also be writing some letters and sending them with Elder Angus. They should arrive much more quickly that way. 

This was a good week. We met more wonderful people and had some wonderful experiences, but the Adversary also works and he doesn't need to sleep or go home at 9:00. The need for constant following up and obedience with exactness is exhausting. It is well called missionary work. 

Because a picture is worth 1000 words I'll send a few to make up for the lack of writing.

Temple Trip

The District:
Elder Soares, Elder Angus, Elder Pradera, Elder Ribeiro, Elder Dickson, Elder Cardenas,
Sister Taylor, Sister Terrazas

Gulheirmo (Recent convert) Mari (investigator)

Cleonice (Mother) Jéssyka (Daughter)

Temple and Transfers

Week #63

We're going to the temple today. That's why I didn't email yesterday. I'm excited.Transfers are in just one more week and I have no idea if I'll stay or if I'll go. If I go there will be trouble. If I stay it will be double. Probably not, but the song worked. 

It probably won't be double, but there is a lot of work to be done here. I thought of a new example to illustrate how much missionary work relies on members. Yes, I know this is the only thing I talk about. Ezra Taft Benson talked about the Book of Mormon, Gordon B. Hinkley always talked about the dangers of pornography, Elder Holland talks about worthiness, Elder Ballard talks about Preach My Gospel and finding people for the missionaries to teach. I picked my favorite too. 

We as missionaries are called fishers of men. When Christ called James and John, they were mending their nets. Why were they doing that? Because if the net has holes, the fishermen can't place the net in exactly the right spot, at exactly the right moment and hundreds of fish might even touch the sides for a moment, but they will escape. We must mend the net or all of our work, though done perfectly, will yield few results if any. 

The net can symbolize many things, but lately I've been thinking about it as the ward. The missionaries can talk to everybody, teach 50 lessons a week (the new mission standard) and maybe even baptize a few, but unless the ward is intact, those people will slip through the holes and return to the world.

How do we build this net? Relationships. Not just with new members, investigators and potential investigators, but with each other. If warm and loving connections do not exist between the members, investigators will rarely feel that love. We talk so much about integration and missionary work, but how can we integrate if there is nothing to be integrated into?

So, love your neighbor. Love him unconditionally. Love him and serve him even when he lets his dog leave presents on your lawn. Love him even if he doesn't show his love for you. If he speaks against you, speak in his favor. Remember that Christ suffered for the sins of the Pharisees as well as the sins of Peter. 

If we as members of Christ's Church develop Christ's love, Non-members have reason to investigate, investigators have reason to be baptized, and new members have reason to stay because they became caught up in the net of love with every one of us.

I read this quote in the Gospel Principle Manual Sunday. "As we become like Him, our work will become like His work."- David O. McKay

I thought about this and switched the order to be "As our work becomes like His work, we become more like Him."

The work we do is the measuring stick of how close we are to being perfect even as Christ is. (3 Nephi 27:27) I do not think we need to wonder how righteous we are. Our works show us clearly what manner of men we are. 

I'll be using this idea in a talk this next Sunday. You all got a sneak peak. 

Yesterday we took advantage of one of the best things that exist in Brazil. If anybody has gone to Tucano's, Rodizio's or any other restaurant that brings the buffet to you, imagine that, but with just pizza. 

Brazilians are very creative with pizza. It is much more than pepperoni and cheese or the occasional supreme. You can do anything you want with pizza here and yesterday we ate a lot of really good pizza. Imagine pizza after pizza, every one a different flavor, brought to your table. It's wonderful. I have some pictures, but I didn't take any of the actual pizza, but just to give an idea, they even make a type of ice cream pizza. They have another one called Sedução (yes, that means seduction). Very, very good. People that complain about pineapple on pizza would probably die here.

That's all for now. We still have to go to Porto Alegre before lunch. 

Until next week.

Elder Dickson

Whenever I See Your Smiling Face

We received a video and two pictures from Sister Cristiane Grahl Baptista!


Enjoy!

Mission Tour

Week #62

I mentioned the coming Mission Tour last week. It's a wonderful thing to listen to the representatives of the Lord. Elder Leal taught a lot of wonderful things, but the main focus was how to improve the quality of conversion. Let me just say that the Lord's work is not something for the lazy. 2 Nephi 28:24 Zion is not a place of rest. 

The First Presidency has asked that all missionaries work more closely with recent converts. We are now expected to maintain close contact with all converts for at least one year. We also are expected to teach every principle in Preach My Gospel Chapter 3 before baptism. That includes Family History, Eternal Marriage, Callings, everything. It makes sense and I don't know why I didn't apply this before, but the I think the goal is that every convert should be able to build up the Kingdom from the moment they are confirmed. They should be able to teach the principles of the Gospel, occupy callings, and be completely integrated as members of the Lord's people. 

I thought about some examples from the history:

Peter went from denying his relationship with Christ three times to baptizing 3,000 people in a little more than 40 days. 

Paul went from persecutor to Apostle in a few months.

Joseph Smith went from a fourteen-year-old boy with a question to seeing The Father and The Son in a matter of minutes. 

I came from Utah without a habit of daily scripture study or prayer (if that's you, change) to Brazil where I study everyday and find great treasures of hidden knowledge. When I teach, I feel the Spirit testify of my words. I have seen people change. 

This is what the Gospel does. This is what the Atonement does.

Elder Angus and I thought of this yesterday and today. It's all about how and of whom we give referrals to the missionaries.

Level 1: Friends

Level 2: Acquaintances

Level 3: Enemies

Level 4: Strangers

Level 5: Any name and address that you find.

Let's all be Level 5 Member Missionaries. You can even make T-shirts saying "I'm a Level 5 Member Missionary!" with the phone number of the missionaries in your ward. 

Amulek was the key to Ammonihah. He was just a normal person who decided to follow the invitation of God and help the man called to preach in his city. When he (the member) testified, people started to pay attention. Alma 10:12  Missionaries need this. 

I know that as we work together miracles can happen, but it cannot happen without the members. The ward must be ready to accept the Lord's children. The members must be willing to invite every person. The ward must support its leaders. The ward must remember that success is not measured by how many people say yes, but rather how often we invite.

Firmes Segui!

Elder Dickson

Cachorro Quente Brasileiro (Brazilian Hot Dog) 

Cachorro Quente com Batata Palha (Brazilian Hot Dog with  Potato Sticks)

Left to right: Elder Angus, Elder Ribeiro, Elder Pradera, Sister Terrazas, Sister Taylor, Elder Soares, Elder Dickson

Tired, Sick, and a Little Hungry

Week #61

We got a lot done this week. We had a lot more help from members and had a lot of really great lessons, but still no baptism. It's also been really hot these last few days. Here, heat means rain and the rain here is brutal. It messes with everything. Nobody is in the streets, nobody can hear what we say, nobody wants to open doors or windows and we get soaked.

That explains the tired.

These last few days I have been gripado. It's not the best thing in the world and sleeping doesn't work very well. One thing that is great though is that what we think of as cough drops, everybody here thinks of as candy. The packaging and advertising are different, but it's the same Hall's brand and product just cheaper and in other flavors. They even have a scale of how cold each type will make your mouth feel. They've been a staple of my diet these last four days. Que coisa boa.

That's the sick.

I'm only hungry because I was so tired this morning I didn't move fast enough to have enough time to eat. 

Jessica is a young woman who should be baptized soon. She reads everything we leave with her, she's already received an answer to her prayer, she stopped smoking and drinking coffee. The only problem is that she needs to go to church and break up with her namarido, which isn't a real word. It's a combination of namorado (boyfriend) and marido (husband). Other than that, she's progressing very well.

This week is our Mission Tour. Wednesday we'll all go to Porto Alegre to listen to Elder Leal of the Seventy and learn some things to help us here in Rio Grande do Sul. Our District will also sing "Savior, Redeemer of My Soul" there. Guess who's playing piano.

We also ordered a pizza. Pizza is very special here. It's also very expensive.  I'll send a picture. First, this pizza was very good and we chose 5 flavors (Chocolate Strawberry, Stroganoff with straw potatoes, Chicken and Creamy Cheese, and Pepperoni and a chesse stuffed crust).  This pizza was about $30. Worth it. 

Brazil is great. I don't think I'll come back afterwards. I just want to eat black beans and rice every day for the rest of my life. 

I know this is the one true and living Church of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Elder Dickson