Week 36: Just Another Week in Brazil

I can't believe it, I've already reached 256 days on the mission! And I can't believe how far away the big round mark of 512 days feels.

We had a few wild encounters on the street this week that always make my companion say "just another day in Brazil."

Yesterday, within 10 minutes, we talked with 3 people. The first was an inactive member that lives in another city. He was pretty chill, but he and his family hadn't gone to church for so long, he didn't even know his city had sisters now! We got his number to pass off to the sisters there.

Then, an old guy came up, suuuper tipsy, and he was the kind of angry drunk who just stares at you when you ask a question, too angry to come up with a response. We don't hear that much about world events here on the mission, but he let us know, according to him, the situation and history of the Middle East ain't that complicated!

Then lastly, a man came up, pulled out a teeny-tiny knife, and asked my companion to hand over his phone! Then said he was just joking, hahaha. Naturally, my companion asked for a picture with him, with the knife!

We've been trying to do visits with our recent converts, and it's been going super well, they've got really good testimonies that they're able to share with our investigators! Our recent converts as well like to share the experiences they've had with dreams and visions, and when they do, me and my companion just kind look at each other, hoping they don't say something too out of pocket.

Hymn of the Week -- My Shepherd Will Supply My Need

I promise to not get super deep into some random personal gospel-related idea and to actually focus more on the hymn this time! This is one of those hymns I heard all the time from choirs and didn't realize wasn't in the hymn book until they added it to the new one! So now, we can sing it in sacrament meeting! :)

Today, while attempting to make fried dough balls, I listened to the very last BYU speech by Elder Holland, "A Saint through the Atonement of Christ the Lord." In it, he discussed trials that we are bound to pass through in our lives and the two basic levels of faith that exist. He explained that the first level is simply believing that Christ is our Savior and Redeemer and that the Church is His true church, pretty easy for some people. But the second level is much greater, and much deeper. It's what I believe is defined well by Ether 12:4:

This second level of faith is this hope, and is what makes important for those who have it. I remember often the thought experiment and criticism of faith of the tea pot. I may have it not exactly right and have no way to look it up, but I remember it roughly going "imagine I tell you there's a tea pot orbiting the sun far from the Earth. There's no way to prove it's there or not, so my 'faith' that it's there is just as valid as your faith in God, in that it's not." This kind of faith, the faith that a fact is a true or not, is the first level of faith, and is also commonly discussed in the scriptures.

(Alma 32:21)

But, then, this second level of faith cannot be summarized by a thought experiment like this, because a tea pot will never help someone get through a loss of a loved one or a harmful addiction. It is this belief that with the perfecting power of Jesus Christ, all will turn out better in the end. It's the belief that families, your family, can live together for eternity, and the belief that Christ already paid the price for our past mistakes so change is always possible. This is the kind of life-changing faith that we all strive to have as followers of Christ, and that I sure am trying to have but am lacking plenty of.

(Dang it, I haven't even quoted the hymn yet.)

This hymn, like many others like it of hope, exemplifies this second level of faith: 

This second verse discusses the comfort and direction we can have in our lives now through our God, but I like the last verse the most, about the hope we can have for a home above, one where we are "no more a stranger nor a guest, But like a child at home."

I know Christ is my Savior. I am saved because of him!! And, I am currently trying to deepen my level 2 faith to trust more in Him and His saving power during difficult times by studying His words through the scriptures and by praying continuously.

That's it for this week!

Till next time,

Elder Haroldsen

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