A Beginning

 Happy New Year fam and friends! Hope y'all made some funky fresh new goals for the year, I know I sure did! Some of them are more realistic than others though, like I've got a goal to memorize more scriptures and read each day, and then I've got another goal to learn how to use heat vision like Super Man. Not sure how I'd accomplish that one but hey, a goal's a goal. Superpowers aside, I hope that everyone made a goal of how they can improve their relationship with the Savior a little more this year. We can always learn more from him as an example, and I know I sure as heck can always improve my relationship with him. He's always looking for opportunities to bless us, we've just gotta show that we're willing to do what we need to in order to recieve them. Speaking of blessings, this week was packed full of 'em!


      This week we had the baptism of this little homie named Maria, and she's straight up an inspiration. During this week, Elder Mclane and I have been teaching her all the lessons you've gotta know before you can get baptized, and she's been teaching us right back in return. Everytime we'd ask a question about the importance or significance of something, she'd always respond first with "It's so that we can better follow Jesus." Her focus on following Jesus was inspiring to me, and it was a reminder that a lot of these kids got their priorities straight better than I often times do. Sometimes I can get caught up in the outer details, stories or the things I don't have the answer to, but I've gotta take a page out of Maria's book and just focus on following Jesus every day. Her faith reminded me that The Gospel is a Gospel of simplicity, meant to be understood and not overcomplicated, and that is for sure something I will strive to impliment for the future. 

     Elder McLanes been walking around with a broken shoe. During one of the lessons this week, there was a group of dudes drinking outside the house of the woman we were teaching. One of them said that apparently he's a cobbler and offered to fix Elder McLane's shoe for us, while he was very clearly under the influence. Everytime we tried to talk to this guy he spoke like Crazy Dave from plants vs. zombies, I'm not even sure if he was speaking Portuguese or not but this guy was a miracle worker. We left the lesson, and he gave the shoe back to Elder McLane sewn up and good as new. Truly an amazing lesson to me of... well actually I'm not really sure what the lesson here is but it was an incredible memory. 

      One of my New Year's resolutions is to get somewhat sufficient at cooking, cause if you know me you know I couldn't cook something outside of eggs if my life depended on it. Now as a living, breathing adult man I've decided that I've finally gotta put the box of cereal down and learn how to make actual meals. If anyone reading this has got some favorite recipes I'm all ears! You can send me them as reccomendations, or to flex your cooking knowldge on me. Either way any food advice would be very appreciated. 

      ALSO another one of my New Year's resolutions regards these emails. Once again, anyone that knows me ALSO knows that I am a fervent Beatles enjoyer. Ask me any question about those guys whatsoever and I'll probably know it. But I think that as an effort to not forget my song and lyrical knowledge, for the rest of this year each title of my emails will be either a Beatles song or lyric. I'll be trying my best to scavange the depths of my mind for a song or lyric that applies to the week, only with exceptions on certain weeks. 

     For this week's spiritual thought I just wanna restate/summarize the points I've already said this email. Genuinely I feel that often times (and I am guilty of this) we can play up the Gospel to be more difficult than it really is. We can convince ourselves that Jesus is farther than he is, that it's more difficult to show him that we love him than it is, and that we should be distancing ourselves from him when we absolutely shouldn't. 
Quote from 2 Nephi 32: 
"For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray, ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray."
If anyone reading this has had/is having thoughts of distancing yourself from Christ or easing up on the lifestyle devoted to him, I testify that any thought of things like that aren't that of the spirit. The prophet has told us a good plenty of times that the only way we can survive spiritually these days is by doing the things that we know are right, daily. Practicing these things daily. That's why for New Years day, I extend the invitation to you all to make goals involving growing your relationship with him. I bear solemn testimony that with the short time I've had on the mission, I have seen proof of the fact that he is in each of our lives. That he loves each one of us, and only wants that we love him as well! He is the Lord of Love, the Prince of Peace, and every idea to distance yourself from him is trying to distance you from a greater joy. 

      Alright folks, that just about does it for the week! I feel like I'm missing some details from the week but man sometimes it's hard to keep up with the day to day. Thanks to all once again for those that reads, means a Brazillion million to me! Talk to you all next week, Happy New Year! 🎉🎉🎉

Email Title is from The Beatles' "A Beginning," from the album "Anthology 3"

1.4/24
2. Celebrating the new year the only way I know how (actually was so bomb tho)
3. Maria's baptism!!
4. Showing the other Missionaries whos the real Skull King in Skull King
5. Pics ain't do it justice ❌️
6. WEIRD looking cat bro ☠️😭









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