August 17th, 2013
Before I start, I'm sure everyone saw the big letters spelling out a well known name down below. Go ahead, read that part first. It's FINE. Then come back
We good? Bom,
Primiero, Elder Williams and I now officially have 2 long term investigators; Guilherme (Willherm haha) and Stepherson. We have taught Guilherme three times and Stepherson twice. What's cool about our investigators is that they are our teachers and the people they are acting as are people they really know, even people they may still be in contact with. So when we talk about them or to them, we are really referring to someone. It makes it cooler because we know we really have to respect them and think of them and their needs. That's something Elder Williams and I have been focusing a lot on. We are looking for things we can learn about the investigators that will tell us what they need to learn and how we can help them come unto Christ. We are really focusing on teaching people, not lessons. We have had some cool experiences this week and look forward to more. We had to say goodbye to one of our teachers this week, Sister Steinbeigel (spelling?). It was super sad because we all think so highly of her. She came in as a substitute for Brother Dodge for two weeks, and she just hooked us. She knew how to like "chastise" us, not really, but how to like tell us that we need to be better. It was good to hear. It was nice having a sister in the room. I mean we are 14 teenage and early 20's boys and she knew how to bring the Spirit like it was her job. I mean, I guess it was. Still. We got her a Stripling Warriors shirt and we all signed the back.
We started TRC last P-Day which is when volunteers from outside of the MTC can come in and we talk to them in Português. It's cool because it is so real. We talked to a lady in her late 20's last week from Hawaii and she said she knew the Tukuafus (Spelling? I'm sorry). Yeah that was super cool! She also knew Elder Williams' family there too! It was a great bonding experience. Then we talked to a man who served his mission in São Paulo South just like mom! His name was Scott Loghlin. He said he probably missed you, mom, by like 3 months. Maybe not, maybe you know him. Anyway, we have that again tonight and we can't wait!
In personal study we were asked to read the entire Livro de Mórmon while we are here. So we had to start over when we got here. I am in Alma, so I'm a bit behind, but I'm getting there. I spend some of my personal study doing that and then some reading Pregar Meu Evangelho. I'm also going through minha escrituras em Português along with the English ones and looking for scriptures that I want to have highlighted or underlined, keeping in mind specific investigators, or even just ones that I know I want to understand in Português. So far I have found some really great ones! I am loving Mosias 24:13&14. It's about how o Senhor knows our covenants with Him and he sees our trials. He talks about how he will take our trials off of our shoulders so much that we won't even feel their pains anymore. I mean we know all about this, but it's an Òtimo visual!
Portuguese is coming along, we get new missionaries every Wednesday and during break time we usually run into some of those who are newer than us. It's fun to talk to them in Portuguese and them having to ask us what that means because they haven't learned that word yet or that phrase. It makes me feel like I am actually learning the language. We have a good time learning it and we really enjoy all of the things we get to do to learn.
So as for Devotional this Tuesday, RICHARD G. SCOTT came! It was so RAD! When we walked into the Marriot Center, there were extra chairs on the floor and the stage was set up more more fancily than usual. So we knew it was going to be at least a GA. We have had retired and former 70's come already which have been great. It was so cool though when he walked in. He talked about prayer. Yeah yeah everyone talks about prayer, but I really needed to hear what he said. I feel like a lot of the time we get tired of listening to talks on topics we feel like we know all about. I guess I know nothing about prayer because I learned SO MUCH. Something he said was that out of all of the Cosmos and people on worlds, we can personally talk to Heavenly Father. WHAT. I mean everyone can, of course, but it is just so cool to think about how each and every single individual person can have personal one on one time with Him. So cool. Something else he said was that we need no appointment. It's like picturing Him doing something and right when we start praying, He drops what He is doing and we have is undivided attention. I mean He is perfect and is a personage of light so He can literally do everything at once, but it's cool to think that one of those things He is doing all at once is talking to us and listening intently. Something else Elder Scott said was that there are 3 types of answers to prayer: A feeling of peace and warmth - like a Yes, a stupor of thought or confusion - a no, and then no response. Number 3 is the worst haha. But he then said that we have to realize that we are not the ones calling the shots. We are on His time and everything is according to His will. We can't murmur about getting no answers (which I have been) and we can't get discouraged about how hard it is (which I have been). It was like a punch in the face, yet a kind one because he is an apostle of God and they were OBVIOUSLY things I needed to hear. So Elder Williams and I have been focusing on being grateful for what Heavenly Father is giving us and praying for help to accept His timing and learn what he wants to learn. One last thing about Elder Scott, he said one little phrase that just set my heart and mind rolling, he said "He is at the helm". Well shoot if that doesn't get me going! You know I love sailing, even though I have never been, but just imagine that! I big ocean ship (Pirates of the Caribbean style) with big white sails and there Heavenly Father is, at the helm. We may be the ones on the journey, but He is driving. Man I wish I could paint or something because I just can't stop imagining how COOL that is. If anyone wants to paint that for me, I'm in. If it isn't exactly how I picture it, though, I'm sending it back. Nah, but really. Muito Òtimo!
We are going to the temple for the first time while being here and our entire district seriously can't wait! I am excited to have that experience with all of these people who are so close to me, who have become close to me in such a short amount of time.
I want to thank everyone who helped get me here. This is the greatest experience I have ever had and it's just beginning. So many of you have sacrificed so much for me, whether it was words of advice or a gift. This has been so great and I wouldn't be here if I didn't have the influence of all of you! Muito Obrigado!
Thank you to everyone for all of the Dear Elders and packages and letters and everything!!
I'll get some pictures send to Becca so she can post them on the blog or something!
Love from the MTC,
Elder William Craig Kesler
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