"I've got blisters on my fingers!" 👟🏃‍➡️

Whadduuuupppp everybody how's it going! Dude so strange, each day this week was slower than molasses but I feel like I sent out my last email literally yesterday. Times a strange thing. But this week was the first in the new area of Paar, and I'm happy to bring the good news that I'm loving the new area already! I've been meeting the members and the folks in our teaching pool this week, and it's got a different vibe than Tapanã but it's all super exciting. Super beautiful area too, I'm overall pumped to get the work going here. Let's talk some of the deets of the week then shall we? 

As the title of the email suggests, I have been walking a LOT more this week than I was walking in Tapanã. Alright so maybe not blisters on my fingers, but fingers and toes are the same word in Portuguese so it checks out. But it's true folks, my days of an area where everything is conveniently close together is behind me. This week, we've been trying to visit people with the most potential, and some of them live an hour walk time away and then some. For sure something we're gonna try and change these coming weeks, cause when people ain't close to the chappel it's a lot harder to get them to church. But anyways anyways, the area of Paar is sweet, it's similar to Tapanã but it's got more dense tree populated areas which is awesome, and it's got kinda more of a city vibe which is double awesome. Pulled up and there wasn't a whole ton of people in the circle of the teaching pool, so looks like we're starting fresh and about to meet a whole bunch of new folks this week, which is exciting! Happy to be here, happy the first week's behind me, and excited to get the ball a-movin and the work a-goin.

As for the new comp, Elder Bertoch is such a stud, love the dude already. He's been spending most his days on the mission in literally the furthest, deepest parts of the mission (straight up jungle area) so before this transfer I'd never met him. But he's super hard working, sociable, speaks Portuguese super well, and best of all dudes a fellow Beatle enjoyer. Looking forward to the time ima spend with him, know for sure I'm boutta learn a ton.

NOTEWORTHY FILLER STUFF 

      - The Paar district is the most fire district of all time?? Landed a district with Elder Bingham and Elder Bradshaw who are both such chillers, and we've got the only 100% American district (I think) in the mission right now 

      - Yesterday the other Elders in our house came home with like, a copious amount of bread outta nowhere. Asked them what was the deal with all the bread and they said this lady in their ward is "payed in bread" at her job  so she pays tithing in bread  guess she just gives the Elders bread sometimes to pay tithing and like, it's 10% of her income so she's showing her faith 

      - Shoutout to Elder Almeida for teaching me how to solve a rubix cube. He's one of the roomates here and he's that one dude that's got like 6 or 7 different types of rubix cubes and knows how to solve them all. One night I asked him to teach my smooth brain how to solve one, and he taught me! Solved the cube last night folks, send your congrats 

Alright now for the actual important stuff. This week's been inspiring as far as the spiritual side goes. We've been sharing a lot more small scriptures with folks with our contacting, which I've been loving. Even if they don't have the time or the interest to listen to a full message, it's great to be able to share direct scripture and bear a small testimony. There is 100% still a strong spirit with testifying of the book of mormon, or the savior and his Atonement, or repentance, no matter how long the message is. One of the favorite scriptures we've shared with people from the week is from the legendary Helaman 5. This here is Helaman bearing testimony to his sons about Jesus Christ, and the importance of having him as our foundation in all that we do. He states the following in verse 12: 

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

I think the verse speaks for itself here. If you wanna be on the winning team, choose Christ. Make him a priority, a foundation, the center in your words, thoughts, actions and all that you do, and the promise which Helaman explains here will be followed through. Satan will have no power over you, to bring you down unto misery. I have seen this in my life and bear testimony of it's truthfulness. I know that I can always better be striving to center myself around Christ in all that I do, and I know that each of us can be striving to do the same. My message for you and the takeaway from the week, is to rebuild your foundation with Christ. Reconsider your relationship with him, what things you're putting above him and maybe the ways in which you're showing him he truly is your foundation. I know that as each of us strive to have him as our sure foundation, in the words of Helaman, we cannot fall. Make the change peeps, I promise the blessings will come. 

Thanks to all for reading and for your continued support! Next week ima hit 6 months on the mission, and I can't thank you all enough for your encouragement, love, and for listening to my yappery each week. You all are very important people to me, and I'll talk to yall in the next one! Take care of ya self, peace out 

Email Title is from the lyrics of The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter,” from their white album “The Beatles”

1-3: District Paar 

4: I freakin love you salgados 

5: Cupuaçu

6: Cake a member bought for the last Elder that was here that we ate (sorry not sorry Elder Copeland ) 

7: Solved the cube ft. Elder Almeida