All I've Got To Do

And then I said, "gente, esse não e um foto de um macaco, isso é meu irmão Michael!" And then everybody laughed. 

     What's going on everyone! Elder Hillstead reporting to you live here once again from the more Southern region of the Americas, with a juicy inside story on only the best of the best from the week. In this week's cut, we'll be detailing the scoop on the companionship with Elder Lokham, some personal Brazilian food reviews, if dragons really exist in Brazil?!? And of course, the marvelous moments of the week where I saw the Lord's hand in my life. Let's dive right into it.

      Week 1 with Elder Lokham's alreadys been a great time. My prediction from the last week was a rousing success, he most definitely is here to work hard. He's a young cat from the banks of West Point, Utah, so Tapana's really getting some diversity out here. But he's a real nice guy! Anyone who rolls up to the mission field with hundreds of Pokemon cards, Grandpa Beck card games and Legos is an instant brother in my book. But this week with him has already taught me a bunch. He's got a different way of doing things than what I'm used to, but I know he's got some strats and ideas that are gonna do wonders for the Area. Already can tell the transfer with him is gonna be a good one.

      Disaster struck this week with Brazilian Lasagna. Don't know how but somehow citizens of Tapana have found a method to enhance this already flawless dish, and for lunch one day this week our friend Aarão made some for us, which had me mad excited. It's like regular lasagna but they do all this other stuff with it that I don't know how to describe because I'm not a cook, but anyways it's delicious, it's deluxe, and little did I know it is PIPING hot. While we were eating, I got impatient waiting for that lasagna to cool and tried to take a bite fresh after serving, which was an error I will never forget. Imagine the full heat of the surface of the sun inside of your mouth. BURNING hot dude. Delicious, but absolutely scalding. I managed to power my way through the agony of the first bite of the lasagna, but I'm afraid I melted half of the population of my taste buds in the process. To make matters worse, later in the day a wife we were teaching offered us some Brazilian cookie oreo things, which looked scruptious. While I was eating this cookie, a sharp angle penetrated the roof of my mouth and I'm pretty sure started bleeding. My mouth was just not having it on Tuesday. Moral of the story: learn from Elder Hillstead. Eat oreos and lasgna with EXTREME caution, because they are more cunning and dangerous than they appear. 

Do dragons really exist in Brazil???? 

No, they don't. I haven't seen any yet at least. Maybe they live over in Óbidos.

      This week we met a whole bunch of people that we in the business call Elect. People that are super ready and willing to recieve the Gospel. Elder Lokham and I have been going through a lot of the references we've been recieving, and they've led us to some amazing people! We met a Maria Barbosa, who has watched a bunch of those videos the Church made about The Book of Mormon, who has a ton of interest in learning more. We met a mom named Sasha who has seen us walking the streets and wanted to learn more, and who seemed mad interested in the Church when we spoke with her. And we met a Danilson, who's a gentlemen who's looking to turn his life around, who we gave a Book of Mormon and who we've got a lot of hopes for. This week I felt such a confirmation to me that the Lord is in this work right along with us, giving us the opportunity to bless and help others, and helping us be in the right place at the right time. I know that the Lord can see the big picture more than I can, and as long as I'm willing to follow his instruction and listen to the spirit, I know that he will guide me to do what he needs from me. 

To quote 1 Nephi 3: 7,

"I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

      I know that the Lord has a plan for me. I know that he has a plan for everybody here in Tapana. And I know with a surety that he's got a plan for all of his other children across the world as well. I know that All I've got to do is to follow him, and he'll make his will fulfilled. He gives us the situations in our life for reasons, and I testify with a surety that with him we can do anything. We aren't given difficulties to do alone, but to come closer to Christ through them, to ask for his help and to recieve the gifts of the Atonement each time we're willing to use them. Jesus Christ is the path to accomplish everything that is asked of us, and I promise to anyone reading that is struggling with something, that through striving to know him and seek his help more, is how you can recieve the comfort he offers in any situation.    

      Thats gonna just about do it for this weeks slice. If you wanna reach out to me, you'd be guarteed in making another person happy. Just saying guys, there's a blessing lob for you right there. Until next time folks, thanks for reading! Stay safe, love you all!

Email Title is from The Beatles' "All I've Got To Do," from their album "Please Please Me"

1. Choose your character ️

2. Weird looking apple 

3. Wabbit season

4. District Cabanagem 2.0 

5. Winning drawing charades with "the 12 disciples doing the griddy in front of the Eiffel Tower" (Elder Emett's prompt)

6. Moisés has helped so much this week 

7. Drying the wet socks