Music Man and Cats; Mission Week 17; Area: Uvaranas, Ponta Grossa, PR, Brasil

 Opa so last email I said I got transfered to Uvaranas. It is definitely different, not bad, just strange since I spent basically 3 months in my first area. I will say the first couple of days I was trying to get used to the new area and now I got it down alright. Our apartment is almost out of our area, haha. We are about 45 minutes from the church and man it is very hilly. It feels like I'm climbing a mountain at parts because of how steep it can be. The ward is smaller than the other two and from what I've learned it's a harder area to work in. Since being here in the Uvaranas ward I now have a new mission goal for all my future areas. I want to strengthen the wards to work with the new members and visit the people who are interested as well as build a strong youth group like in Jardim Florença ward. The youth helped us out so much and if it wasn't for all their hard work and tolerance with us we wouldn't have had as much of a success as we did. So that's my goal for every area from here on out so we shall see how well that goes.

As far as interesting things goes for this new area there really isn't much. There is a road that Elder Gull will not walk at night because only a few weeks ago a teenager got shot there so yeah we avoid that road at night. There are many people who we are working with who are members who have recently stopped going because of reasons and so we have been working on helping get them back to church and it's been going alright. The stake recently announced that they are going to help us out more by doing visits with us so that'll help a ton.

Oh one thing that made me happy and more motivated to turn all future areas like 31/Jardim Florença was the fact that one night as we stopped at the church to see what was going on, JF was having a Pioneer night and all the youth came up and were happy to see me and asked about Elder Blackburn. All of that made me so happy, but it was what Amanda said that really stuck with me. She said that Elder Blackburn and I were her favorites and that we were fun and nice. I don't know why, but hearing that from her pushed me to make the goal of turning other wards youth groups like JF because they have such a great and strong youth which I really enjoyed.

Now let me talk about my new companion Elder Gull. I have never met a missionary so dedicated and so in tune with the Spirit as he is. He not only is constantly studying, but he actively applies it all. He has never been a district leader and he is naturally a supportive leader. He leads by example, but also is constantly making sure to give help and positive feedback to everyone. Before the mission he was in at a music college in Boston and it really shows how he is very musical. Everyday when we get up he is always either beat boxing or humming different songs. He is never not tapping a beat or thinking of a song, but it's cool because we bounce off of each other pretty well. I remember one morning I was studying the Book of Mórmon and then just out of the blue he goes, "Gangnum Style". I laughed so hard after that it was so funny at the time. I will say it's nice how "by the book" he is because it's helped me focus more on my studies and helped me be way more confident. He is a little less talkative when it comes to members and so it pushed me to start conversations and become friends with them more for which I'm glad. Plus he is helping me correct my Português grammar because I still get somethings wrong here and there. All in all, a great companion who loves the pizza that I make.

As for my spiritual thought I'd like to leave a scripture that has been my focus this week.

Alma 37:35-37

35 O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God. 

36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. 

37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

This scripture has stuck with me all this week and I feel like it was what I needed. I would like to testify that prayer really changes you. I have gone from just asking the Lord for help, guidance, and whatever to actually having a conversation with him. I have taking this scripture and applied it. As a missionary we are constantly saying prayers, but when those prayers are offered with a sincere and faithful heart, then they are truly heard. There have been many miracles that I could talk about from my mission from prayer, but then this would be a short novel. I would like to testify that prayer does indeed work. That pouring your heart out unto the lord and then continuing with all your might in faith brings miracles. I know that when you council with the Lord, he truly does help and guide you. If you feel like you ever need help or just need someone to talk to pour out everything to the Lord, and if you don't know how to pray it's simple. 

1. Call upon the Lord (Dear Heavenly Father) 

2. Give thanks for anything and everything.

3. Humbly ask the desires of your heart

4. Close with (In the name of Jesus Christ Amen)

Don't expect your life to change in one prayer because it takes many prayers and you have to put in the work to see the miracles transpire. Even in the Bible it explains how Faith, Prayer, etc without us putting in the effort or the work to bring about what we want is basically dead. You need both Faith and Works.

James 2:14-18

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 

15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 

16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Ok that's my spiritual thought for you all to ponder over. Anyway here are some pictures oh and my P-days changed from the morning to the night so that's why all my emails will be later in the day now. OK pictures!

1. Elder Gull and I

2. A beautiful Brazilian sunset

3.Our District

4.Just something I found in the new apartment, pretty cool I think

5 & 6. The music man and cats

7. No explanation necessary

Elder Hyatt

First Transfer; Mission Week 16; Area: 31 de Marco to Uvaranas; Ponta Grossa, PR, Brasil

 Welp, I've been transferred. I'm now in a neighboring area with a new companion who is a District Leader so now not only do we go out and teach we now worry and take care of all the Elders and Sisters in our district. I'm quickly getting more responsibilities. My new companion is Elder Gull from Utah, but he has been out for over a year now. So we shall see what new stories come from us now in this new transfer.

This past week flew by with both a lot, but also not much happening. It's funny to say but we had 2 baptisms. One was a Venezuelan woman whose husband had the opportunity to baptize her, so that was great to be apart of. The other baptism was Saturday and was an 8 year old girl whom Douglas (one of our great youth) was able to baptize. 

Throughout the week we were visiting a lot of recent members and helping them in any and all ways that we could. We got the opportunity to bring a boy to the temple for the first time and he loved it. It's honestly been a blast in this area.

I wish I had more to say but we got called Saturday and we spent the rest of the evening checking in on everyone that we wanted to say goodbye too. They pulled us Elders out and have moved in Sisters, so yeah, kinda sad, but it'll still be fine. Being with a district leader means I'll have plenty of opportunities to return to my starting area and see some of the people again. Anyway that's basically it.

I got moved to Uvaranas which is the neighboring area. It is a lot larger and now we live about 45 minute walk from the church rather than a 5 minute walk, but that's ok. Anyway I'll hopefully be able to update more next week after I get all settled and have time to put everything down into proper words. Anyway until next week!

Elder Hyatt

Birthday! ; Mission Weeks 14 & 15; Area: 31 de Marco; Ponta Grossa, Brasil

 Firstly, thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday. It was a great and busy day, but very fun. I didn't have time last week to write an email so I'll do my best to cover all my bases.

Last week passed by pretty fast with some funny moments. We ended up doing two splits, one with Elder Cutler and Elder Johnston and the other with Elder Trickett. They were busy days of contacting and talking with members. I would say more about the week, but honestly there was a lot going on and not anything too crazy or important to share.

On last P-day we had a birthday churrasco for me and Elder Abreu (his birthday was on the 4th). We had a fun time with all the other Elderes as we played American football and cooked all kinds of meat out of a washing basin. Yep, we made a grill out of a washing basin and cooked food. It was great and then I was surprised by Bispo Jonatas and his family when they brought out a cake for me. It was a great birthday. (Birthday Party - AJR playing in my head)

This week was busy, but nothing too interesting either. Except for the past 5 weeks I've had Christmas songs stuck in my head because Elder Blackburn is always singing Christmas songs and loves Christmas. Literally 'Christmas in June'-AJR.

Oh yeah, the Stake divided last Sunday and now we have new leaderships and will be getting a new Bispo for 31 de Marco so that will be interesting. 

This Sunday we had an interesting experience where a man followed us to church. He was high and smelled like he wet himself, but he walked all the way to church and stayed. He was planning on staying but he left before sacrament and started crying because of how he smelled and how dirty he felt, but he asked if he could come to church next Sunday so let's hope he wants to.

I wish I had more to say, but we are currently eating lunch at a members house.

I'll update you all more next week.

Fotos:

1. A group of kids that asked for Books of Mormon

2. Elder Trickett put this puppy from the Invasão in his bag.

3. Some people I met had a baritone but a tuba mouthpiece.

4. Our birthday churrasco (BBQ) grill built out of a washing basin

5. Us with Mateus, Ariane, e Yan

6,7,8. Our lunch today

"Is it difficult to love?"; Discourse given on 25 June 2023; Ala 31 de Marco, Ponta Grossa, Brasil

 Good morning brothers and sisters. I am Elder Hyatt and I am from the United States from a place called Missouri which is right in the middle of the United States. I grew up on a small farm area, basically in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees and larger farms. To get to my house you have to descend a small road and our house is tucked away in the back. Now when you first turn onto my small narrow lane, you will first notice a row of mailboxes to your right and directly behind them there used to stand an old shack. In that shack lived an old man, Bud, who would sit outside everyday and smoke. When we first moved there we didn't know the man, but we always saw him mow the grass, remove the weeds, take care of his little garden, and clean the mailboxes for everyone. After a little under a year living there my parents decided to visit him, and began to visit him a few times over the years that we lived there, however, I never knew that until about 5 years ago. 

One year sometime before Christmas my mom asked me to deliver him some food that she had prepared. I told her that I didn't want to go because I didn't know the guy and that I was uncomfortable going. Well, she made me go. I went to his old shack and the man opened the door with a face of surprise. He looked at me and asked if I was Doctor Hyatt's son, and I told him yes. He smiled and then noticed that I brought him some food. I watched as that man shed a single tear and proceeded to tell me how for many years he has just lived alone in his shack and no one ever visited him or gave him anything until my parents showed up one day. He said he never forgot the first day and how happy it made him. That day I felt pure joy. 

It is sad to say that he passed away a few years back, But I was blessed to have the opportunity to talk to him a little more before then. Before I met the man I never wanted to talk to him. I always saw him outside smoking and I judged him for that, but I stand before you all now, a few years after, and I still miss him. 

Jesus Christ said, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you." Brothers and Sisters I'd like you to ponder about this simple commandment, and then ponder this question, "Is it hard to Love?" What is love? Love is charity. Love is simple acts of kindness. Love is serving others. 

In the words of Joseph Smith, " Love is one of the chief characteristics of Deity, and ought to be manifested by those who aspire to be the sons of God. A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world anxious to bless the whole human race." Brothers and Sisters don't be like younger me who saw that old man everyday for 4 years and didn't once stop to think about him or even wanted to get to know him. Follow the example of my parents. Their simple acts of kindness and compassion made his day. He never forgot the little things my parents had done for him. I never forgot that first encounter I had with him for it was a life-changing experience. 

Always remember the words of King Benjamin,"When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." As we devote our time and our talents to anyone, we are showing love; for love without service is like faith without works, it is dead. 

Brothers and sisters is it hard to say hello and to give a smile? Is it hard not to judge a person by their appearance, by their acts, or what they say? Is it hard to take 10-20 minutes out of your day and just get to know someone? Serving others does not imply laboring for them, it means to put a little effort into them, care about them, and maybe share some of your talents with them. Sometimes the smallest things that we do for others means so much more for them. "Is it hard to Love?" 

I know that as we choose to love others and as we put effort into them, our lives will be blessed more than we think. we become more humble and can feel pure joy.

I'd like to leave a little testimony that I know Christ lives. I know his love that he has for each and everyone of us. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the restored church in our days. I know that when we choose to love and care for people we are also changing and blessing our lives. I love the question given in one of the children's songs: "Have I done any Good in the World Today?" I know the Savior would have us love one another no matter what and to help others in all things that you can out of the pure kindness of your hearts. I leave this short testimony with you all in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.