Matt #14

Man... this has been a tough week everyone.... I found where they sell Nutela and ive put on like 20 pounds of pure choclate but other then that everything is going fantastic! haha :) Gee willicures I dont really know where to begin. We finally are making progress with our investigators and things are really looking up. They still wont commit to coming to church but I feel the Spirit testifying to them whenever we teach and I know that they will eventually do their part when the Lord feels they are ready! We do have one young women who is ready for Baptism and she has been to church but she thinks that she needs time before she can be baptised, we also are still teaching our Preacher (Leandro) Remember him from my first e-mail? Hes a tough man to teach because hes sooo knowlegeable about the Gospel. We gave him Several books to read like The teachings of Jospeh Smith, Gospel Principles, and the Book of Mormon and he read them all in one week and also had a book of notes and questions about what he read.... Its muito dificil to teach him because his questions are crazy hard to answers but he loves us so much and he always listens with an open heart, he always says after our lessons (there is something diffrent about you too?) and Im also like yeah well duh we are teaching you the true doctrine of christ here listen to the Spirit in your heart meu amigo!!! haha but we will keep on trying with him and hope he will change! :) Well not much more has happened, I have survived my first transfer which means im half way done with my training! Yeah!!! Its been quiet the journey from start to finish but ive loved every second of it! My Portuguese is still kinda suffering and there are definetly days I want to lock myself up in my room and hide because I cant understand a word that is said to me but whenever this feeling enters my heart I hurry and run and try and talk with someone on the streets in Portuguese. When we do our best to preach and share the Gospel with those in need, a feeling of peace and comfort with enter our hearts... how true that is! :) I would like to hurry and share with you one thing that I am really learning out here in the field... its called Self-Confidence.... Why is it so hard for us to believe in ourselves and our gifts? Ive never realized it until know but im extremly hard on myself when I dont need to be! We need to all remember that we are Gods children and we have gifts that he has given us to help farther the work of the Gospel. :) Remember your always doing better then you think. Be happy, Be positive, and BE PATIENT with yourselfs. On the Lords time all things are possible whether your struggling in school, or with your marriage or any problem in life for that matter. Look back on your life and remember the one time you felt the Spirit of God the stongest.... now remember that feeling of the Holy Ghost and hold on to it with all your heart! This Gospel is real and I know it is with all my heart! :) I love you all and I miss you like crazy. I just cant believe im actually on my Mission.... WOW haha. :) I love you all and your all in my prayers. Also sorry chris and Jason thats its taken me so long to get your e-mails but I figured when I hadent heard from you that the e-mails ive been using were wrong... haha remember I love you guys and im also praying for you! :) P.S. SEND PICTURES/LETTERS THERE THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD!!!!! haha 

Ben #13

Ok everyone I need to write this fast. I spent all day playing Fotebol with all the Brasiledos in my Zone so I have like 10 minutes to write a quick email and then I have an appointment so I need to hurry, but first mom. I didnt thank you last week for the package. I know its a sacrifice and I cant tell you how much it means to me I love you so much, I havent recieved it yet but knowing its on the way gave me such a boost! Dad, I got your letter with all the emails that you sent. SMART! I have re-read it a thousand times already thank you, you both are amazing parents and like my wise brother said in his last email TELL YOUR PARENTS how much you love them :)... ok lets get to it, Alot happenend this week but I will need to save the stories for next week... actually I will hurry and tell you a quick one.

This week the Lord has once again taught me some powerful lessons. I have really been trying hard to focus on the spirit. We finished a lesson with a tough old lady. We have been teaching here and she wants to be baptized but her emotions are so hard to read. I hope the Lord will bless me with the gift to know what is on her mind. Anyway, when we finished the lesson and left her house we started back up the hill, My companion pulled out his planner to see what was next on the agenda (haha that reminded me of Mr. Wallines class in Jr. High AGENDA! wow back to the story) I turned around and saw a man carrying a cart down the street. He suddenly collpsed! I saw the whole thing. I hurried and shouted to my companion and we began to run down the street. I had no idea what was going on but I just felt prompted t o run down to him and see if everything was ok... We helped him up and began to take to him, he was an old feeble man with tears in his eyes explaining he could not go on... We began to help him... Cool right? Well we talked to him about the church and the spirit was so strong, but then something else happened. He asked us to help him with his cart we happily agreed but then I had the strangest impression something completely different then what I was feeling moments before... The spirit told me this was not the thing to do. I shuggred it off and we started to help him. The feeling kept pressing me but I kept putting it off thinking as a representative of christ, I know this is what christ would be doing helping this man, but it kept coming! The further we went the stronger it became.... I then couldnt hold it back. I said something to my companion about my thoughts about the situation and he with a sigh of relief explained he too felt weird about this. We turned and told the man we couldnt go any further but we would love to come by some other time and talk more of the church... HE bacame upset, but soon, after some ranting, understood, and we left.

I have no idea what would have happened or if anything even would have happenend but I know the spirit was directing me and my companion. The lord takes care of his missionary´s I KNOW IT. Im so grateful for the spirit in my life and its guidance. Family, Friends... PLEASE do everything you can to have the spirit. Read the scriptures, pray, and live worthy to have it. Do we really understand what guidance is? Its protection! The spirit will protect you! I have a firm belief in this. Do all you can to have it Everyone I love you so much, Thank you for the emails and letters... I wish today I had more time but I dont haha so next week I promise to share more mission stories :) My testimony is growing and the lord is teaching me so much about myself... haha things I wish I would have know when I was in High school HAHA but im growing so much. I hope I can be a good misisonary and serve the Lord with all my heart... Like I said before I have one shot at this, I need to give it my all.

I love you all and thank you for your support!... Oh, and Alyssa good luck in Boston. You will have a great time sown there! :) give me your address when you get one down there LOVE YA ALL! oh, and Elder Clay and I have found alot of great people this week who love hearing about the gospel. Some even accepted Baptism so we will see how they progress... oh, and I have to give a talk this week in church so wish me luck haha!

Love Elder Benjamin B. Doggett

 

p.s. Thanks Dad for the corrections haha but it really is BRASIL! :)

Matt #13

Thank you so much family and friends for the e-mails this week! There always so incredible everytime I read them! And also I got letters this week from Mom, Dad, alyssa, Rachel, olivia, kristin, millie, and clint! Thank you all for your love and supporting letters. They help soooo much out on the mission you have no idea haha :) and the pictures are amazing thank you. And also Im glad to hear you finally got my package of songs and pictures mom and dad. I was actually worried it got lost haha. Dad thank you for correcting my spelling.... I miss you all so much but I need to tell you dad that in Brasil they spell it with a S not a Z haha in america we spell it like Brazil but not here! :) haha Well where do I begin... this week has been crazy busy for me, it looks like we might have 10 people being baptised in the month of July but we will see what happens. Its tough here because everyone is excited to hear the word of God but the minute they have to do their part and pray and come to church they always say that we should just say a prayer for them because their not worthy.... AHHH it drives me crazy when they say that and wont commit haha but I know the Lord will help them as long as we keep doing our part to bring them unto Christ! :) Well this week was incredible... I spent several days with a Brazilian companion because we had Divisions and it was so much fun but extremly challenging because I still dont understand a word anyone says to me. So when I had a Brazilian companion he couldnt translate what people said to English so I really had to work hard and it payed off :) The language is coming a long just fine now and im no longer scared. I know with the help of the Lord I can accomplish all things. One thing I want to share with you that I had the chance to do last night was I had the chance to give my first blessing in Portuguese to a new born baby... I will never forget that experience. The baby has been ill for a little while and a member in our ward asked us to give him a blessing. I will never forget the Spirit my companion and I felt as we excercised the power of Our Lord and Savior. It was kinda funny because I couldnt stop crying afterwards because I remembered all the times I recevieved a fathers blessing from my incredible Father. It made me so excited for the day that I could bless my family with the same Spirit and Power! :) I realized this week how important families in the Gospel really are! We have a less active member we are working with and she and her daughter are the only members in their family. She said to us with tears in her eyes. (I love all my children with my whole heart but in return only one has ever said they love me back...) Mom, Dad I love you both so much. Everyone who is reading this letter tell you parents how much you love them and never forget how much they sacfrice for you. The Gospel is so important within the family and I hope that in my future I can raise a good family in the Gospel. I like to compare what our less active member said with our prayers. We all know our Heavenly Father loves us but have we ever truely expressed how we feel for him? Remember that. Im sorry everyone this e-mail is written fast, I just dont have much time haha im super busy but extremly happy! :) If you cant tell from my e-mail Im just the happiest person alive and I think I scare a lot of people here because of it haha but oh well. I love you all so much and remember your always in my prayers. Love Elder Doggett. P.S. My address is:

Elder Matthew Ryan Doggett

Rue Dr. Luiz Miranda da Rocha

159-8 Andar

PQ. JABAQUARA são paulo

CEP:04344-010 SP

Brasil

Just post that on facebook or something and tell everyone to write and send pictures! :) haha I love you all so much.   

Ben #12

ok this is a super short one because its the 4th of July and my p-day... Its been a party with the American Missionaries!!!! haha We tried to make Hambugers but they didnt really turn out that well... Its really hard to make Hamburgers here that taste like they do in America you know? haha but I hope you all have a great 4th of July. I missed home alot today as I rode the bus around Campinas. 4th of July´s were always the best, but then I realized its not always you get to have a 4th of July in Brazil! Take in EVERY MOMENT! haha so the homesickness soon went away... all in all I hope everyone had a great time.
Matt... Once again its amazing how close our mission experiences are. This last week was i think was the hardest, most challenging part of my whole mission. Last friday at about 10:00 in the morning, at the start of our second portion of companionship study my emotions came crashing down. I felt so helpless, so alone, and so discourgaed... I just began to cry. I NEVER CRY WHAT IS THE MISSION DOING TO ME!!!!! haha I felt like a little kid again. My companion just put his arms around me... In frustrartion I said in a mumbled voice. "Why am I here in Brazil... WHY HEAVENLY FATHER, Im so useless!?" I sat there... completely broken. You have read in my emails that I have already had some hard times, like when I sat on the curb... I remembered those feelings I had, and the spirit that testified to me of my purpose... but for some reason I allowed my selfishness to cloud that experience. Then a thought came to my mind... Satan knows all of us! He knows our weaknesses. These are the last days and he is NOT going to stop. If he can get us discouraged and doubt our abilities then he might be able to stop you from doing a great work. He might be able to stop us young men from serving missions or in my case make us think we cant succed. He might be able to stop a young women from being married in a Temple of God and the chance to sustain a eternal family with children secured in the Gospel... Dont let him WIN we have the Lord! After that impression I got on my knees and thanked the Lord, as I prayed the Lord brought peace to my soul. I just cried... This gospel is true, So many memories came flooding in of times I never thanked my Lord. He has truely taken care of me. I had so much back home and I just lived in my perfect little bubble, never truely giving him true sincerce prayer. Give the Lord your heart always make him a part of your life. Dont allow yourself to be poisoned by degree dont tolerate it! Never alow the Adversary to pull you down but turn to the Lord and pray with your heart! SATAN CANT WIN! When you feel discouraged never give in cause tommorow will always be brighter.
Sorry time is short this week, but I wanted to thank you for all the support and love. I feel it lift me through the day. This week was a tough one but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. The launguage will come, teaching will come, Love will come... Only through the Lord. Family, Friends... I have such a new understanding of my savior and what he has done. Our brother suffered for us and our sins, after He was mocked, betrayed, beaten, murdered by those whom he loved and served... and then resurrected... I testify he lives... He lives, I know it! Nothing is going to change that belief, that knowledge I now have. Pray to him whenever you are overwhelmed and lost. I know he will lift us if we allow him. You just need faith, I ve learned faith is a choice... so choose faith in your savior.
Everyone I love you and pray for you. Sorry I dont have much time this week to share much about the mission but just know im trying my best... Missionaries following rules... still a tough one out here for some Elders haha, but Im really trying to be an example. Ecspecially to my companion. Stand up even when you feel alone! I love you all and I love this gospel. Im trying to be a good missionary. This week, though tough, I feel like I changed dramatically. My thought process. My view on what things are important. What this gospel really means to me. I wasted so much time back home. Precious time I could have spent with you all. I love you all so much and really look forward to when I can hear from you all again. Dad good luck with everything your in my prayers and know how much I love you! Mom thank you for those points of the mission. I wrote them down in my study journal Your amazing and know how much I love you always, and sisters, I love you more then Brazilians love Fotebol!... ITs great to have parents who are so in tune along with great siblings who have such strong testimonies. haha Matt bro KEEP AT IT. The lord is shaping us in so many ways. Dont allow like I said in this email satan to pull us down cause if he does that then we cant be intruments and progress the work. Smile and remember we are in this together... Love you all again and cant wait to hear from you all again keep the emails coming!!!!! CHURCH IS TRUE! Get me pictures of this amazing 4th of July and stories and details please!!!! haha 
Elder Benjamin B. Doggett 

New Addresses

Elder Matthew R. Doggett
Brazil Sao Paulo South Mission
Rua Dr. Luiz da Rocha Miranada, 159
8 Andar
Parque Jabaquara
04344-010 Sao Paulo- SP

Elder Benjamin B. Doggett
Brazil Campinas Mission
Rua 10 de Setembro, 38
Cambui
13023-100 Campinas - SP
Brazil

Matt # 12

Well Im over whelmed right now... The E-mails I read each week bring such a spirit I cannot describe, Thank you all so much and remember I love you all very much. This week was especially hard for me. The Lord really threw some tough curve balls at me to strenghten my testimony and my ability to preach the gospel in portuguese. But I worked hard and I endured another week and it was great! :) This week was super crazy for me Ben I just need to tell you to keep hanging in there and pray always! I thought of that primary song a lot this week that goes :Heavenly Father are you really there do you hear and answer every childs prayer, some say that heaven is far away but I feel it close around me as I Pray: I know I kinda skipped around in the Song but thats what I repeatedly sang over and over again this week because I needed his help.... and he responded. Ben I love you so much and miss you like crazy! Do you remember that one time in sacrement meeting when I was saying jokes to you and you got upset at me and you turned and looked at me with a serious look and said :Matt STOP acting like a GOOF ball... and after you said that we both couldnt stop laughing. haha :) I miss you and love you with all my heart. Well this week has been crazy, Its was around 90 to 100 degrees without humitity added to that tempature. When you go on the internet and look at the tempeture for são paulo remember to add an extra 10 to 15 degrees on it because im in an area called the Baixada and its hot. We are surrounded by mountains on all sides which keeps all the heat in and it hasent rained once this week haha its crazy HOT here. Yesterday when I went outside to proselyet my clothes instantly burst into flames and I had to go back inside and change haha :) its crazy but I love this weather and heat its great! This week was a little tough for me... I tried to only speak all portuguese and it was tough I feel like the Sons of Mosiah right now (Alma 26:27) My afflictions are great but with patience the Lord will give me success. Theres nothing like missionarie work, Ive never been so tired in all my life Physically, mentally, Spiritually, and Emotinally and the language is a frustration Ive never experienced in all my life. Its so painfull when your heart is full of spiritual words but your mind is full of little portuguese haha but I did a pretty good job this week I wont lie thanks to the Lord. Im going to try it again this week and see how well I do. But something I realized this week that I need to share with everyone is its not about me learning a language out here anymore... but about helping bring people unto christ. The Portuguese will come on the Lords time Im not worried about that anymore. My biggest concern for this week is focusing and learning a much harder language, Its called the Language of the Holy Ghost. Its so important as missionaries that we learn to listen to the whisperings of the Holy Ghost when we teach our amazing investigators. I know with time things will come as long as I turn everything over to the Lord. The Lord promises that he will never forget his rightouse follows and how true that is. Thank you everyone back home for love and support. Its means everything to me you have no idea! Letters and E-mails rejuvinate me each week its the best. I love you all and remember the Lord loves you all even more. One incredible story I want to share that happened with us this week was my companion and I were walking to an appointment and for some reason all of our appointments were falling threw. But we decided to go back to our last appointment which was very far away that just fell threw and try again to see if they were home. When we got there.... they werent home. haha So we walked away very sad about our progress for the day and even more sad as to why the Lord would give us the impression to return when no one was home... Then a man pulled up in a Taxi. He said he had been looking for us all day and for some reason he had a feeling to wait in that area, the same area we had a feeling to return too. He had been crying and said he needed God in his life. His name is rubeans and we will be teaching him this next week. We hope things work out with him. The Lord prepares all his children for the Gospel and im so glad I have the chance to be apart of this incredible work. :) I love you all so much and thank you for everything. Also I will try and write letters but its hard haha I love you all and remember I never forget about any of you in my prayers! :)   

Picture Time for Matt

More pictures with the sun rise and of me studying the Language in the morning on our chalkboard haha. 

Alright so I know it's a lot of pictures but I'm sure you'll all love them. There pictures of me in my area and also me in the primary room in Brasil. Also the other pictures are of me, Elder wright, Elder michal, and Elder Heywood who are in the same house as me. It was my first time trying Brazilian pizza that Elder wright and I won because we had the highest numbers in our distract for the week. It was extremly diffrent from American pizza haha.