Sunday, August 17, 1969

"Ever and always startling is the swiftness with which time goes, the speed at which life passes. 'My departed hours—where are they?' the poet asked in anguish. The weeks seem hours only."

As time slips ever away, the above thoughts from Richard L. Evans seem appropriate. How starkly true the thought, the realization that weeks seem hours only. A missionary appreciates such a thought, wishing at moments that time were his to control. In about one month, President Johnson indicates, we will be out of the mission office assignments we now hold. The past months working with Elder Stewart have been precious. I love that man so dearly. Realizing we have not much time together, we planned today to make the best and most effective use of that time remaining in serving our Father in Heaven.

For as suggests Brother Evans: "Oh, may we have the wisdom to use the little time, the precious life, to do what should be done, to learn what should be learned, to live as we should live: repenting, improving, performing, with a blessed sense of peace and purpose—not just rearranging our problems—not just rushing around."

Tracting has been our means to "see the people" almost exclusively the months we have worked in this area. Using this method has found us ten baptisms. However, desiring to see more people and to use our limited hours more wisely, we developed a new approach. The new emphasis is on street contacting in the morning before going to work in the mission office. Our study time, taken that period in the morning, will be moved to early evening. We will largely cease early evening tracting.

Yesterday afternoon we saw Victor Flores Ferreira and his son Mário baptized and confirmed members of the Church. Victor's wife, sister, mother, and children all attended the service. Elder Stewart baptized both of them and confirmed Mário. I confirmed Irmão Victor.

Many months have passed since this family came in contact with the Church: Victor heard the first lesson the very same Sunday night William heard it back in March. A heavy work schedule slowed things down considerably for a time. But now he is a member. The silent fear hints that he is not yet converted to activity in the Church. He did not attend either meeting today.

Following the baptism yesterday we had a dinner engagement with Irmã Maria Amelia de Oliveira. This evening when we visited Maria Yolanda and Marcos to give them a short lesson-type thought, a snack was served.