Let me begin by saying that the Lord is great. He is wonderful and wonderful are his works. He truly knows how to bless and how to help people. He truly has power to work miracles. Let me catch y'all up on the crazy past two weeks.
Curitiba!
We started off the week with the new missionary training in person. We gave a training and then President Bikman spoke and then we spoke with the trainers. It was cool to hear about all of their experiences. Then we ate lunch at Garom (It's a cheap buffet livre we eat at anytime we are at the escritório. Then we went home, packed our bags and raced to the bus station. We almost missed the bus, but we made it. Our first stop on this long ride was Ponta Grossa!
Ponta Grossa!
So there we were, arriving in Ponta Grossa at 16h. We go to the LZ's house and we wait for probably 15 minutes until they arrive. We leave our stuff and split. I went with Elder Eyring (yes he is the Grandson of President Eyring) and we went and visited some old members and some people who have gone to church and during that time we met an awesome girl. We were trying to find her mom, however, Elisa came out and spoke with us. We spoke for a little bit and then she started opening up and we all felt the Spirit strongly present. She said that her grandmother had recently passed away and that she was praying for comfort from God. We ended up leaving a Book of Mormon with her and she gave us drawings that she drew. It was really special moment. That night we ate a Pizza Train(just a big pizza)
The next day we divided with the Dalcol Elders, and Elder Mortenson and I just went to work visiting people I used to know. I saw all my boys that I helped baptize! Apolo, Misael, Dudu, Eduardo, Bianca, Leo, and a few others. They all jumped on top of me and gave me a big hug. It was really nice to see them all again. It's crazy to think that it's been over a year since I was there. We then ran into one of my favorite families, Rubiane, Emerson, and Nicole! We spoke with them and they bought us food. It was so nice to see them again and to talk about a lot of things. Wish them the best as they continue to expand their shop! Also on this day I began to get sick. This is important to note that it began on this Wednesday in particular.
Thursday we went with the other Elders of Dalcol and it was awesome. I was with Elder Glauser from Alaska! Turns out his dad is like a super crazy hunter who had his own show at some point. Anyway, it was really fun working and talking and visiting a bunch of people. This day I had a horrible cough and was basically working in Zombie mode. When we got back to the LZ’s house, Elder Eyring was in bed very very sick. Elder Fisher had given him a blessing, but he was still with a very bad fever and body chills. I broke into the Elder Hyatt pharmacy and pulled out a bunch of medication to treat all his symptoms and to knock him out. He took them all and slept like a rock. I also took them all and slept.
Friday and Elder Eyring woke up at 90% and had no pain nothing. He thanked me and gave me a hug, while I got worse. I basically lost my voice, but other than that my body was fine. I felt like when you put your phone on low battery mode. I was basically just following Elder Pincay and Elder Ribeiro. It was a great day, but I was so dead and it was so hot. I started to basically drink the Halls cough drops to just stop coughing. My tongue felt like it had a layer of cough drop. That night I got a blessing from the boys and slept.
Telêmaco Borba!
Saturday morning we got on a bus to Telêmaco Borba. I was still sick, but doing better by that time. We got up there and ate lunch at Bom Prato. It was good and then I went with Elder Lima where we visited a bunch of people and confirmed them for church. Then we went home and slept.
Sunday we brought people to church and then I went with Elder Brown and we found some cool people. It was a pretty chill Sunday where I was still dying in Zombie mode.
Monday, we played keep away with a volleyball and got haircuts and then got on a bus to Tibagi.
Tibagi!
We arrived and got an Uber to their house because it was so hot. I got a lot better, but still had a very bad cough. We relaxed the rest of the time until we got back to the road and visited a few people.
Tuesday I went with Elder Boblett where we were basically running around half of the city trying to find some people, but with no success. We then decided to visit a less active family and turns out they were praying for help and we appeared. It was such a spiritual moment. They then said that they had more family that lived in the Vila. We went up to the Vila and then we came across this family. They let us in and we started talking about the church. They then confessed that minutes before we arrive they were fighting and screaming and there was no peace in the home. Then we knocked and they said the Lord sent his angels to help them. We felt so much love and spirit in the house with them. We also learned that their kids were baptized 2 years back however the parents wanted to be baptized, but weren't married at the time. We invited them to get married and baptized and they got super excited and started grabbing their documents so we could help them. This Friday they will be married and baptized! I'm so happy for them!
Castro!
Wednesday we got on a bus to Castro. We got there and met up with Elder Paramore and Elder Groscost, we went to lunch and then split. I was with Elder Paramore and it was a great day. We were laughing and having a great time the whole time. That night we got a meter long pizza and it was so good!
Thursday we went with the other Elders of Castro and I went with Elder Letner. We talked a lot about planes and flying it was great. We also found some really good families and people that we were able to help that day. We then got on a Van and returned to Curitiba that night.
Thursday we went with the other Elders of Castro and I went with Elder Letner. We talked a lot about planes and flying it was great. We also found some really good families and people that we were able to help that day. We then got on a Van and returned to Curitiba that night.
Campo Largo!
Friday we kept our suitcases packed because we then went out to Campo Largo. We got there and hit the road. I went with Elder Jackson who was starting to get sick. We were working in the sun and the humidity and boy were we sweating. Our friend Artur came to church to play soccer with the members and he loved it. He is really cool.
Saturday I went with Elder Benjamim and we helped all the people who were preparing for baptism. We also fasted during that time and truly we saw the miracles of the Lord.
Flex Time!
Who said an AP can't baptize? We helped 11 people be baptized and I worked my butt off to help these 11. I will not lie it truly was not easy because the Devil was really trying not to let them get this blessing in their lives. From hour long interviews, to lies being told to them, to reading the scriptures to prove the why, to recognizing the hand of the Lord and bringing them to church. It was a fight, but it was amazing and all so worth it. I would've gotten in the water, but the new missionaries need the experience hahaha.
I truly love all these people, but shout-out to Irmã Cida who stopped smoking 3 boxes of cigarettes a day to 0 in only a couple weeks. That's the power of the Lord and his perfect Gospel!
I love this work, this mission, this opportunity that I have had to serve and to continue to serve. It has truly been and still is a marvelous experience. I think all the time to these scriptures:
3 Nephi 5:13 - Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.
D&C 4:2-5 - O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day. Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work; For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul; And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.
Moroni 9:6 - And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God.
Jacob 1:19 - And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day.
D&C 18:14-16 - Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people. And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!
Alma 36:24 - Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
Alma 29:9 - I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.
Until next time
~Elder Hyatt
