Well I'm sure you want details from the past week... We had transfers and Elder Larsen will be going home this week... I wont lie this past week was crazy because he had to get everything prepared to go home. It was a great experience to be companions with him and see him as he prepared to go home... Hes nervous and scarred. Imagine going two years without facebook updates or watching the news or talking with your friends and family. Its kinda a scary thought for me now and I only have 11 months haha imagine someone for two years! :) Hes ready though and I'll never forget the time we shared together. I truly love him so much and hes taught me so much. Yesterday we had the chance to give talks in church (Kinda like a home coming talk for Elder Larsen) and it went awesome. I gave a talk about our potential with our callings and Elder Larsen talked about what hes learned from the Mission. It was a little strange because we each talked for 15 minutes (In Portuguese) and when I sat down I thought to myself "Woah thats crazy... I just gave a 15 min. talk in another language! Back home I struggled to give a 5 minute talk in English about Faith haha the Mission really changes you. :) Afterwards as I was sitting on the stand I began to look out in the adience and I couldnt help but tear up as I looked at my amazing branch. I saw all the recent converts Elder Larsen and I helped bring into the fold of our Savior and they all looked so happy and at peace. I saw our members who I love so much with a fire to work hard. I'm really excited for this coming transfer as it will be one that I never will forget. I will be staying in Campanário mais uma transferência as the senior companion... I'm really excited because we have so much work to do that it should be an awesome transfer! :)
One thing that happened this past week that strengthened me and taught me a valuable lesson was Elder Larsen and I made a stop by our less active member Daniel... I know I talk a lot about it but we are trying so hard to help him stop drinking... Its just so hard for him but hes trying so hard. As we made a stop by his house we heard the T.V. was on but no one was home. We became a little worried and I had the strangest feeling come into my heart and I said "Elder Larsen we need to pass by as many Bars as we can on our way back to the Chapel." He agreed and as we were taking our normal rountine back to the chapel we turned up a side road without thinking and we began walking... Family and Friends I know that this Gospel is true. I cannot tell you why we walked up this road because to this very moment I dont know why... We literally were walking our normal path just talking one to another and we all of a sudden were walking up this hill haha. As we came to the end of the street we noticed Daniel sitting on the ground... His clothes we very dirty and when we walked up to him we knew he was more drunk than we had every found him. He could barley stand and as we were helping him up this man came up to us and said "Its about time! I'll make a promise with you Mormons, that if you can get this man here out of here I'll convert to Mormonism!" I almost said "Sir may we write down your address and pass by your house another day?" haha but dont worry our less active member took care of it by shouting "I AM A MORMON!" Haha it was a little funny because the man looked a little suprised but afterwards I felt heavy in my Heart... As we began to carry Daniel home we passed by the very Bar he had been drinking at... His "so called" friends were there laughing and pointing at us as we carried Daniel home... Like always I tried to lighten the mood with a joke by saying "Look at those old men in the great and spacious bar laughing at us." We began to laugh a little but it was hard... really hard. I felt like we were there holding on to the Iron rod despertly trying to carry Daniel back to the straight and narrow but those evil man in the great and spacious bar were calling him back with their laughs and pointing fingers. I couldnt help but feel sarrow in my Heart and it was hard not to feel alone on the street carrying daniel home. We did however get Daniel home safely and we gave thanks to our Heavenly Father for allowing us the chance to help him during his time of need. I know the Lord put us in his path for a reason that day.
That experince with Daniel was a great learning experince for us and we also had one more learning experince last night when we received our calls for transfers... One thing I have began to notice here in the Mission is a lot of Missionarys base success from Baptisms and the Callings they have within the Mission for example as District Leader Or Assistent to the President. Its so sad to see these sacred callings of leadership and growth within the Mission bring so much pride. We need to remember the Lord doesnt call us into a postition because we are qualifide for it... but that we may learn and grow from it. Last night got a little intense as many Missionarys around the Mission began saying things like "He doesnt deserve that calling" or "He only has that calling because he knows how to suck up to the Zone Leaders!" As I heard these comments from many Missionarys I became sad and began to think a lot about what they said. Callings within the Church are not important... Callings within the Mission are not important. In my Blessing it says that "You were pre-ordained to be a Missionary" It did not say I was pre-ordained to be a Zone Leader or a Assistent but a Missionary for our Heavenly Father... When you think about how many people have lived on this earth and how many few people have had the sacred privelege to serve Missions... Its crazy how few have had the chance. Its a privledge for me to be one of the few to preach the Gospel and bear the name of our Lord and Savior close to my Heart. :) We receive callings to grow from them. For example I'm senior know and my dear friend Brady will be a trainer! :) What a great time for us to grow and learn from this chance to serve others! I know this Gospel is true and I know that we are here to help others come unto Christ. Please dont feel that I am putting myself on a higher stand than the other Missionarys by saying these things... there just my thoughts and how I feel on this subject. Yesterday for example I was talking to our new member Clelie at church. (Elder Larsen and I had the chance to teach and Baptise her during our time together) and you know what she said to me with tears in her eyes. "Elder Doggett... I'm so sad right now..." I then asked Por que? and she responded "There will never be two Missionarys like you two, no one can re-place you both and its hard to say goodbye." Do you want to know how my Heart translated those words that she said to me? She told me that even if the best Missionary in the feild with a Million Baptism and had been Assistent to the President all His Mission came and was the next Missionary in the Ramo Campanário the following week, it wouldnt matter to her. Our investigators dont know what callings we have within the Mission... They only see two young representatives of our Lord and Savior who are bringing a message of joy and peace and to them that is something thats more speciel than any calling in the Mission.
I hope this wasnt a boring/long e-mail to read this week... I feel like this e-mail was more for me so that I could put in order my thoughts about everything that will be happening within the following weeks. I hope you all know how much I love you and I couldnt be happier on the Mission. I'm learning so much and I know this is exactly where I need to be right now. :) I love you all and hope to hear from you all soon. Take care and know that I truly Love you all. Love Elder Matthew Ryan Doggett
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