Week 23: Antidesestabelecimentoistoismo

Like always, I'm always slightly improving in the language, and one of the "milestones" I've reached is that I've heard all of the prefixes and suffixes in Portuguese necessary to translate what I believe in the longest word in English -- antidisestablishmentarianism. We're not allowed to use AI or the internet so I have no idea if it's correct, but it's just the Elder Haroldsen translation. My favorite part of learning a new language is the connections I've made and yet to make. It's a puzzle, one that I could probably keep completing for another 10 years after my mission.

English Class -- I've also had some fun times speaking English, though less than I'd hoped. Mostly because we had our first english class this week, and no one showed up. We invited the whole branch and every other person we could, and no one came. 😭 The curse of this area held, the impossiblity to get anyone to enter the church building, no matter what it's for. We were pretty disappointed, but we still have faith. Next week it's happenin again!!! (The class that is, not no one coming)

Branquinhos -- Other than our class, knowing English and being American has made for some interesting interactions, especially with whatever the heck is happening in the world outside the borders of Brazil and surpisingly not within the borders of the US given it involves our president. Plenty of people ask our opinion of current events, and as representatives of Jesus Christ and the church in a foreign country, we just say "nothing." 

On day though, while walking past a bar, one women called out to us, 

"What do you guys do??" 

"We're missionaries, we talk to everyone about Jesus Christ," we replied. 

"But you're AMERICANS, what are you doing here in BRASILINHA?? It's not even on the MAP (which technically it isn't, it's a local name for the area ;)). I haven't seen anyone as white as you in my LIFE. Your accent is so FANCY."

This went on for a bit until she left, but then we were able to say a prayer with the bar owner! So, win win.

Favorite Hymn -- I Stand All Amazed: Today, I deep cleaned the nastiest room in our apartment while listening to conference talks--a great combination--and while thinking about our Come Follow Me study this week that was part of the Pearl of Great Price. As anyone who has studied this book of scripture or has even heard of it knows, it can be difficult to understand and get value from it as conversations tend to wander to discussions of its origins or about lines of logic drawn from it with a shaky hand and mind. 

But really, our understanding of God would be much different without it. For one, we know that we lived with God before this life. He knew us and had a plan for us. He wanted to be able to learn how to choose Godliness and be able to partake of His glory. And, like any skill, in order to learn, we must be challenged. When we are born, we leave his presence and enter what is often called a "fallen world," where we are encouraged to choose both good and bad. 

So, why did God allow the fall to happen, something that separated His beloved sons and daughters from Him?

"Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2:25)

The whole purpose of God's plan for us is to give us joy. I can confirm from my own experience that this does mean joy in this life, but especially joy in the life to come. And what is this joy in the life to come?

"For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39)

We know the purpose of God, of our entire creation!! That's crazy. We're not just cosmic space dust, and we're not even just creatures created in a world subject to the sin of Adam. We are His children; He knew us before this life; and like good parents, He wants everything for His children. I don't have time to dive into the other scripture references defining it, but this eternal life told of in this scripture from the book of Moses means partaking of God's glory! Not just seeing it, but being a part of it. But, we can't obtain this alone; plenty of people in the scriptures have tried and failed. And God knew this from the very start.

So, He sent His Son, who descended from His throne divine and suffered not just the pain of the cross, but every pain, temptation, and sorrow we ever will. He knows us perfectly. I stand all amazed that us now, sinners and unfaithful children of the Father, can enter the glory of God at all. I know that this is only possible through Christ's atonement. We can become more. I have already felt how this is possible for myself as I stumble to be more like Him every day.

Also the sun here has been cooking us alive. But, that's it for this week,

Till next time,

Elder Haroldsen

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