“Let Virtue Garnish Thy Thoughts Week” is well underway, although we are lacking in follow through since our district meeting on Monday. In that meeting each elder had to think of a specific thing he could do to be a better missionary. Elder Smith suggested letting virtue garnish his thoughts unceasingly. Elder Christensen said he needed to smile more. Elder Blackham: “Only the work matters; love the people.” I mentioned dedication and evaluation.
This week we have been doing a great deal of tracting. It’s surprising what happens when we do that. Elder Blackham and I have three lessons marked, the first of which was for tonight. It fell through, however. Vera’s parents were tracted out by Elders Smith and Christensen and are receiving the lessons. They have now had two.
Tuesday evening we held our second family home evening with Apolinário and Idelta. It is always such a treat to visit in their home. My greatest desire is to see them baptized before either Elder Blackham or I leave Maceió. They consider us as their very own children. I love them very much, and I know Elder Blackham does.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Monday, August 10, 1970
A letter to my family:
Look on page 74 of the June issue of the Improvement Era. The picture in the ad looks just like Dale, or at least as I remember him looking. If Ricks starts school as early as it used to, he should be starting any day now. Que coisa já!
This morning I spent a couple hours reading from the June Era the addresses from the April general conference. Oh, what a special spiritual treat! Truly we can take comfort in the assurance that we are guided by prophets and apostles of the living God. A sad thought entered my mind as I realized that the next general conference talks I’ll be reading will be in the States. The opening remarks of Elder Alma Sonne (on page 86) are particularly poignant to a missionary who soon will be required to leave a people he has so grown to love.
The past week offered no major or critical events—just a lot of routine, hard, enjoyable missionary work. We did a great deal more tracting than we have in several months. And under the hot Maceió sun my nose tried to sunburn. The weekend and today has seen much rain, more than Idaho would ever see in a year.
One last chance. Our branch carnival has been postponed until August 29, which means—if you hurry—that you can still send post-cards, if you have not yet done so.
Until another week, may the Lord’s kindest blessings be yours.
Look on page 74 of the June issue of the Improvement Era. The picture in the ad looks just like Dale, or at least as I remember him looking. If Ricks starts school as early as it used to, he should be starting any day now. Que coisa já!
This morning I spent a couple hours reading from the June Era the addresses from the April general conference. Oh, what a special spiritual treat! Truly we can take comfort in the assurance that we are guided by prophets and apostles of the living God. A sad thought entered my mind as I realized that the next general conference talks I’ll be reading will be in the States. The opening remarks of Elder Alma Sonne (on page 86) are particularly poignant to a missionary who soon will be required to leave a people he has so grown to love.
The past week offered no major or critical events—just a lot of routine, hard, enjoyable missionary work. We did a great deal more tracting than we have in several months. And under the hot Maceió sun my nose tried to sunburn. The weekend and today has seen much rain, more than Idaho would ever see in a year.
One last chance. Our branch carnival has been postponed until August 29, which means—if you hurry—that you can still send post-cards, if you have not yet done so.
Until another week, may the Lord’s kindest blessings be yours.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Sunday, August 9, 1970
Our youth home evening this afternoon was really sharp. We put modern-day scripture on trial. Elder Smith prosecuted, Elder Blackham defended. I was the honorable judge. Witnesses were: the Bible, Vitória; Catholic and Protestant churches, Edmilson; the Book of Mormon, Sônia; the Doctrine and Covenants, Nádia; and the Pearl of Great Price, Simone. Nádia’s Baptist boyfriend, Ezdras, was there and enjoyed it. The only reason Elder Blackham won was because he was on the right side of the issue and the jury was prejudiced.
In Sunday School a new class was started for the youth, giving us three classes now. Elder Blackham will be the teacher. To help out on his lesson, he used a crossword puzzle (stick and candy motivation) with terms from the lesson.
At choir practice tonight we worked on “É tarde, a noite logo vem” [“Abide with Me, ‘Tis Eventide”] and “Meu testemunho” [“My Testimony”]. This latter we will sing in the next fast and testimony meeting. The choir sounds better all the time.
Sundays are full days now: Starting at 8:30 with priesthood meeting, 10:00 for Sunday School, dinner (usually at Aldo’s), district planning meeting, 3:00 for youth home evening, 5:30 for choir practice, 7:30 for sacrament meeting, and finally weekly planning and evaluation session.
In Sunday School a new class was started for the youth, giving us three classes now. Elder Blackham will be the teacher. To help out on his lesson, he used a crossword puzzle (stick and candy motivation) with terms from the lesson.
At choir practice tonight we worked on “É tarde, a noite logo vem” [“Abide with Me, ‘Tis Eventide”] and “Meu testemunho” [“My Testimony”]. This latter we will sing in the next fast and testimony meeting. The choir sounds better all the time.
Sundays are full days now: Starting at 8:30 with priesthood meeting, 10:00 for Sunday School, dinner (usually at Aldo’s), district planning meeting, 3:00 for youth home evening, 5:30 for choir practice, 7:30 for sacrament meeting, and finally weekly planning and evaluation session.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Saturday, August 8, 1970
Thursday evening we held family home evening with Aldo and his family. “Obedience” was the theme of the lesson.
Yesterday was unusual. Both sets of elders tracted about four hours straight each. All of us were somewhat sunburned and quite tired. I worked with Elder Christensen (Elder John to the members) while Elder Blackham together with Elder Smith worked in our area. At night we taught a lineage lesson to the Paulo Santos family. They have a bit of a problem in bringing their whole lineage neighborhood to church. Suely gave up her boyfriend last week. He finally gave her the choice between him or the Church, and she chose the right one. Too bad Hévia doesn’t do something similar with her boyfriend.
I nearly forgot to mention that last Tuesday Nádia had a good long talk with me, about an hour and a half, telling me all the problems she has had and has. She is so very sharp though and does an outstanding job at confronting those problems.
Tonight’s MIA sponsored Elder Smith’s lesson and an interesting game of spin the bottle.
Yesterday was unusual. Both sets of elders tracted about four hours straight each. All of us were somewhat sunburned and quite tired. I worked with Elder Christensen (Elder John to the members) while Elder Blackham together with Elder Smith worked in our area. At night we taught a lineage lesson to the Paulo Santos family. They have a bit of a problem in bringing their whole lineage neighborhood to church. Suely gave up her boyfriend last week. He finally gave her the choice between him or the Church, and she chose the right one. Too bad Hévia doesn’t do something similar with her boyfriend.
I nearly forgot to mention that last Tuesday Nádia had a good long talk with me, about an hour and a half, telling me all the problems she has had and has. She is so very sharp though and does an outstanding job at confronting those problems.
Tonight’s MIA sponsored Elder Smith’s lesson and an interesting game of spin the bottle.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Wednesday, August 5, 1970
Monday was a big day in Elder Blackham’s life. After six months of patient waiting, he was finally able to see Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. All the rest of us had seen it several times (this was my fourth time), and we had always told him so much about it.
If all that wasn’t enough for Elder Blackham, I gave him the opportunity to conduct Monday’s district meeting on the theme of “Example and the Missionary Image.” We discussed the power of example and motives behind proper example. If we have the pure love of Christ as a motivation, we cannot lose. I was really proud of my companion for the great job he did.
Aldo and family ate dinner Monday night with us in our new house. We ate baked potatoes, which they had never seen before, and really enjoyed them. Afterwards for home evening we showed the general conference films at their house.
More records yesterday. Zezira has finally figured out her Relief Society reports.
Elder Blackham and I even found time to tract today, not a thing we find every week. We also visited Adolfina today. She is always thrilled with our visits. She is progressing in her reading of the Book of Mormon. She has finished Jacob.
If all that wasn’t enough for Elder Blackham, I gave him the opportunity to conduct Monday’s district meeting on the theme of “Example and the Missionary Image.” We discussed the power of example and motives behind proper example. If we have the pure love of Christ as a motivation, we cannot lose. I was really proud of my companion for the great job he did.
Aldo and family ate dinner Monday night with us in our new house. We ate baked potatoes, which they had never seen before, and really enjoyed them. Afterwards for home evening we showed the general conference films at their house.
More records yesterday. Zezira has finally figured out her Relief Society reports.
Elder Blackham and I even found time to tract today, not a thing we find every week. We also visited Adolfina today. She is always thrilled with our visits. She is progressing in her reading of the Book of Mormon. She has finished Jacob.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Monday, August 3, 1970
A letter to Mom and Dad:
Today is my birthday. Thirteen years ago today I was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. It is strange how memory works at times, because even now I can still remember with somewhat clarity that day in my life.
I hear by the grapevine that Lyle and Barbara had a baby girl [after seven boys]. I didn’t even know they were expecting, and I thought they specialized only in boys. They won’t know what to do with a girl.
What ever happened to Sister Yorgason? About seven or eight months ago you wrote saying she had cancer bad and would live only a few months longer.
Also I have never heard anything about what I need to do to vote by absentee ballot. It must be getting rather close to the necessary deadlines. It has been several months since I wrote asking about it.
Did anybody ever get my priesthood line of authority from President Hurren? It has been well over a year since I asked for that. Now that I am a branch president I need it badly. Please!
I do hope the postcards are on their way by now or they’ll never make it on time and that would wreck our carnival plans for the branch.
Everybody is wholly silent on what is wrong with Jerry. Is he better now? He never has mentioned a thing in his last two letters.
When does Dale go to school? It must be beginning soon.
May heaven bless. Smile.
Today is my birthday. Thirteen years ago today I was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. It is strange how memory works at times, because even now I can still remember with somewhat clarity that day in my life.
I hear by the grapevine that Lyle and Barbara had a baby girl [after seven boys]. I didn’t even know they were expecting, and I thought they specialized only in boys. They won’t know what to do with a girl.
What ever happened to Sister Yorgason? About seven or eight months ago you wrote saying she had cancer bad and would live only a few months longer.
Also I have never heard anything about what I need to do to vote by absentee ballot. It must be getting rather close to the necessary deadlines. It has been several months since I wrote asking about it.
Did anybody ever get my priesthood line of authority from President Hurren? It has been well over a year since I asked for that. Now that I am a branch president I need it badly. Please!
I do hope the postcards are on their way by now or they’ll never make it on time and that would wreck our carnival plans for the branch.
Everybody is wholly silent on what is wrong with Jerry. Is he better now? He never has mentioned a thing in his last two letters.
When does Dale go to school? It must be beginning soon.
May heaven bless. Smile.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Sunday, August 2, 1970
Yesterday afternoon we learned that Virginia’s grandmother died in Recife. The funeral is this afternoon in Atalaia. Therefore, Aldo and his family attended neither MIA last night nor the meetings this morning. Elder Blackham and I spent most of the afternoon with Virginia, trying to give some consolation. She took it all pretty good. Inez was really hit hard.
In MIA we showed films of the October 1968 semi-annual general conference. It was a special spiritual treat. None of the members had ever seen or heard a general conference before. We saw both President David O. McKay and President Joseph Fielding Smith. The Tabernacle Choir was beautiful. I have seen these particular films twice before here in Brazil, but it was great once again.
Today’s testimony meeting was particularly good, the Holy Ghost animating so many to testify. The choir had its second practice this afternoon.
Tonight at our house we held the first family home evening for the youth of the branch who come from part-member families. Present were Sônia, Simone, Fátima, Nádia, Edmilson, Vitória, David, Moyses, and Márcia. We played College Bowl using the Joseph Smith tract. Next week will be at Nádia’s place with Sônia in charge of the lesson.
In MIA we showed films of the October 1968 semi-annual general conference. It was a special spiritual treat. None of the members had ever seen or heard a general conference before. We saw both President David O. McKay and President Joseph Fielding Smith. The Tabernacle Choir was beautiful. I have seen these particular films twice before here in Brazil, but it was great once again.
Today’s testimony meeting was particularly good, the Holy Ghost animating so many to testify. The choir had its second practice this afternoon.
Tonight at our house we held the first family home evening for the youth of the branch who come from part-member families. Present were Sônia, Simone, Fátima, Nádia, Edmilson, Vitória, David, Moyses, and Márcia. We played College Bowl using the Joseph Smith tract. Next week will be at Nádia’s place with Sônia in charge of the lesson.
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