Newsie letter

COMING HOME SOAKING WET.

His Kitchen area.

The Bathroom.  Look how clean. :)

His bed on the left. 

So first thing is first, my little package arrived this week as well as some letters from Sister Doughman. Send her my love, she is too great. But that package was awesome. I have already eaten almost all the candy and stuff that was in it. I have had a American sweet tooth lately. Usually I save some of the candy to last a while, but not this time. :) So thanks a ton for the package, I loved it a lot. Its always great to get something from home.

This week was really great. Last Monday I taught a family night to Liley and her 3 daughters and it was super good for me. I myself learned so much and am grateful that I have the opportunity to teach people the doctrines of Christ. I taught on how our personal problems and challenges of this life can be made easier through 4 things that Elder Scott taught 2 conferences ago. I used the talk ``make the exercise of your faith a priority.´´ In his talk he talks about prayer, scripture study, family home evening, and the temple. It was a very spiritual night with them and I know the importance of these things in our lives. 

Something funny this week that I just remembered is that I taught Elder Fernandes how to throw rocks... No one, and I mean no one from south american knows how to use their hands, throw a ball, or catch. haha! They are good with their feet, but when it comes to hands, its so sad. I felt like dad in the backyard as I was teaching him how to throw ``throw from the top! Extend your elbow, throw, and step through it!!!!´´ hahaha. It was good fun :)

And mom, you asked about seminary. I only didn´t teach last week because of the family night we had, but this week we taught on obedience. It was way awesome and I love teaching people. I taught about what the word Obedience means. It was super humbling to learn before hand during my preparations that obedience means doing the will of our Heavenly Father. I remembered as well that Christ was literally the perfect example in all things and remembered that he said 3 times during the Atonement ``if thou be willing, let this cup pass. But not my will, but thine be done.´´ It really made me think about how I can be doing the ``will of the Father´´ better in my life. And I super love the scripture in Mosiah 2:41 that says we are happy when we keep the commandments of God and are blessed spiritually as well as temporally when we do those things. Sooo cool. 

Saturday we did a service project that was exhausting. At a members house we cleaned out their backyard, if you can even call it that. It was just a jungle and we had a machette and a sickle to chop everything down. It was so hard and everyone was sore after. The backyard was like a jungle and the weeds were about 12-14 feet tall. We didn´t even finish, but just took a dent out of it. We will have to finish sometime this transfer. I will try and send pictures for you all! ha :)

Sunday was awesome because I helped prepare the sacrament and we had some investigators in church! One of which is our little 13 year old JW. She is practically mormon now and the young women of the ward really accepted her and she has tons of friends in the church now. It made me so happy to see. We are still working on baptism with her and her mom was baptized 5 months ago and is helping her as well. Its probably the best situation we have as far as baptisms go.

So something else that I have been thinking about a lot this week is about what Bishop Parker, Bro. Beottcher, and Bro. Day always emphasize. The 4 T´s:  Time, Talent, Treasure, and Temple. They are such inspired men and I know that they are teaching 4 things that will make us all happier in life and make our testimonies grow. These 4 T´s are so important and as I have seen members here in Brasil that spend their time in a worthy cause and give all their talents and treasure to Lord, they are truly happy. They know God and love him. They have strong family relationships and strong testimonies of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. They don´t retreat when life throws in a challenge or two, but press onward with faith. It is truly inspiring. But I have also seen the other side of it. The families that don´t implement these 4 T´s. Those families (of the church even) have a lack of trust, faith, love of Christ, and are weak in their own testimonies. I truly hope that everyone back home takes the advice of our priesthood leaders and tries better to do these 4 T´s that are so basic, but yet so powerful and important. 

I myself am forever grateful for these 2 short years that I have to serve my Father in Heaven and my Savior. I know that I am not the best missionary ever, but I am trying my best to do the things the Lord asks. I have really improved in my companionship as well this week. I have tried to really express Christlike love for him and the other missionaries I am with and now I am just happy as a clam here! I hope you all know that I have a testimony of this church. It is the only true church on the face of the earth. I KNOW it is true. I talk with people from all different types of churches everyday and we are the only church that has all the truths of the gospel! Love you all and I pray for you all always :) Until next week! 

com amor, Elder Patterson