Well lets get down to the nity gridy of the events of the week shall we... This week I learned another valuable lesson.... I'm not sure I can describe to everyone what the Mission experience is like, Sometimes I wish you could all be here with me walking the same roads, teaching the same people, feeling the same feelings I feel everyday here. I just cant describe what is happening to me... It's an unreal experience. Well I'm not sure where to go with this E-mail (Like usual) :) but I pray the Spirit will guide my words and somehow I can touch someones heart or answer someones prayer. These past few weeks I wont lie have been pretty interesting time for me. To be honest I became pridefull these past few weeks but I never noticed (That tends to happen with pride in our lifes huh?) I was becoming a little caught up with all the success and blessings the Lord was pouring upon us that my purpose was becoming a little distracted if that makes sense. I didnt notice any of this until last week I sent my e-mail off and then noticed My Brother had just sent his, as I opened his e-mail and read his inspiring words I realized that I was being a little "G H" (Gloria o Homem) Which is the Missionary term for being pridfull here in Brasil haha. His e-mail touched my heart and it really showed me how important it is to have humility and an open heart. I realize now that my e-mail time is something almost Sacred... I love to joke around and tell you all my funny stories haha thats just who I am! I love making people smile and laugh... But I also realize that I dont have much time to be set apart as a Missionary. After 2 years this time is gone, so I want to try my best to bear my testimony as much as possible and try my best to teach by the Spirit through my e-mail. This week I learned many many things about myself but something I want to focus on is just how important it is for us to recognize the Lord in ALL that we do here in our lifes. These past few weeks I've recieved many blessings... I've had Baptisms and I recieved an incredible companion and we've had a lot of sucess in our area... Life was good on the Mission! I was beyond happy and just kept working and working! Do you all remember Nayane? Her brother Alexandre was Baptised awhile back but I never wrote much about what exactly happened after Alexandres Baptism. For some reason she just lost the desire to be Baptised and we tried everything! Last week ago we had what we called a "Final" Lesson with her. This was the lesson that would determine if we would keep teaching her about the importance of Baptism or let her make the decison in the future. Now dont get me wrong when I use the word "Final" that doesnt mean we would be done teaching her, we would never give up on an investigator who still has intress in the Gospel but she just wasnt progressing when it came to her Baptism... We went in to the lesson prepared only with the Spirit and hoping for the best. I will never be able to describe what happened during this lesson but I understood everything she was saying in portuguese and I responded and talked about everyone of her doubts... it was an unreal experince and when we left I couldnt really remember much that I said only that I felt the Spirit, but the intersting thing about this was that at the end of our lesson... she still didnt agree to Baptism. I was confused and sad but we just kept on going hoping for the best and hoping that our final words about Baptism to her would make the diffrence. Well all week she kinda doged each apointment we marked with her because we told her we wanted a answer and well yesterday she came to church and told us that we better be prepared for next sunday because it would be the day of her Baptism... I was in shock and I didnt know what to say... Once again the Lord has poured out his blessings. :) Family and Friends Im not doing anything diffrently with the work here in my second area than what I wasnt doing in my first area... but the Lord sees fit to pour out the blessings upon these great people here in Campanário. Remember he has complete control always in our lifes.
This week has been a pretty incredible week full of so many blessings and I wont lie but its tough as a missionary to try and sum everything up that we learn during the week in one e-mail... its almost an impossible feat! Haha we just are always learning. I hope everything made sense in this e-mail and I hope nobody thinks Im bragging or being G.H. I'm just doing my best and the Lord is blessing the people here in Brasil. This work is unreal and I love every second of it here. One thing I should tell you is of course I have my low days. This week I had an especially low day that was almost depressing, This strange thought entered my mind that everyone back home that I know and love will forget about me in two years and when I return I will be completely alone.... I know what a selfish thought that entered my mind but it was there and very real. I was scarred and probably more homesick then I have ever been on my Mission! I thought of all my friends and family and those I worked with and I became scarred that things would never be the same once I returened. Well thats actually the great blessing in this life is that nothing will every stay the same. Things are always changing and well things are changing fast. I mean come on Jenny has a I-pad mini and I dont have any clue what that is! Haha :) What a change! Im scarred and to be honest I'm not sure what things will be like when I return. One thing I do know is that I wont be alone. I read in Doctine and covenats when Joseph Smith was in Jail and he wrote in 121:9 something that brought me much comfort. :) Family and Friends I know this Gospel is true and I will never forget these experinces. I feel myself growing each week in the Gospel and I hope once I return those I love will be able to see my love for this Gospel because I know it is true with every fiber of my very soul. I have seen so many peoples lifes change because of the truthfullness of this great work and Gospel. Never give up and always do you best in this life. Thats all the Lord expects of us now and forever. Just do you best. :) I love you all and I hope this e-mail made sense and helped in some way. I hope you all know how much I love you and no matter what I am always here for everyone. Thank you all for your examples and I love and I cannot wait until the day we meet again. :) Love Elder Matthew Ryan Doggett
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