Monday I worked on buying a plane ticket for Sister Martins going back home to Denver Colorado. I also worked on reserving a hotel and a car rental for Elder and Sister Briggs.
At lunch time we went to the mall to buy some office material and we also ate lunch there. We ate at a place called Pasta Fast. It was a R$25.99 all-you-can-eat pizza and pasta place. I ate a lot. I was dying of thirst because i didn´t buy any drinks. It would´ve been too expensive.
In our area we taught João (coxinha guy) and his wife Priscila. They lesson went well, but João didn´t seem to understand it.
Later we returned to the office at night so Elder Jenkins could keep working on the Mission History ( a project that President is having him do). Because of this project I got behind in putting the baptism papers in the church system because Elder Jenkins was always using my computer.
On Tuesday we taught Manoela about the Sabbath Day. All our other appointments fell through.
Wednesday we had district meeting in the morning and the rest of the day Elder Jenkins and I worked in the office. Around 3:00 we went to the paper store and picked up the 2,000 envelopes that we bought for President. Then I called Valmir (a member) to have him leave to work in our area with Elder Costa e Silva so Elder Jenkins and I could stay and work in the office. Around 8:00 pm we ordered a big pizza from São Paulo Pizzaria (the stuffed cheese one). It was half Portuguesa and half Baiana. DELICIOUS!! We ate it then left to try to follow up on Paula and Josemar. We only found Josemar and he was leaving. He is always busy and told us that he didnt read the pamphlet we left him. He said his wife probably did, so we are hoping that one day we will be able to follow up with his wife. Then we went home and did exercises!
Thursday morning we woke up at 6 am and went running. All of us went (Me, Elder Jenkins, Elder Costa e Silva, Elder Lima, Elder Da Silva, and Elder Nascimento). We ran along the coast to Amaralina and returned to a small outdoor workout spot that has pull-up bars. We did a few exercises then went home. At the office Elder Jenkins finished Mission History. Finally, since he was finished I could work on that computer to enter in all the baptisms that i was behind on. We pretty much stayed in the office all day and all night doing this. We sand some karaoke for a while after we finished too. haha. Then Elder Jenkins and I dropped off Elder Costa e Silva and we went to McDonalds. After we ate we went to Walmart and I bought milk and bananas. It was a great day. We didnt teach a single lesson, but we got a lot of stuff done that was needing to get done. It was fun being with Elder Jenkins. He stayed with us for exactly a week and he left Friday morning. I had a good time with him and i learned some things from him.
Friday it took longer to leave to office. I had a JOIN training meeting online that i watched, then I sent a special cellphone report to President Bangerter. At night we taught Vitor Hugo the Plan of Salvation. He liked it and had good questions. He understood the message and our purpose of teaching him. He even admitted that he just needs to read and pray more to find out for himself. Then we visited a lady whose dad has been in the hospital for a while.
Saturday morning, I woke up late, but it was p-day so I chose to sleep in. I had an interesting dream too. I dreamed that I was on the shore of a lake . I don´t remember if it was lake Lowell or Lake Cascade in Donnelly. . But I was there on the shore and Jesus Christ was in the water about waist deep. There was a tree in the water that appeared to be dry. Christ was out in the lake next to this tree watering it and taking good care of it. I was on the shore watching him. Then he drew his attention from the tree and looked at me. He began to wade his way back in to the shore and talked with me. All I can remember was him saying that He loves me. He expressed His love for me and I was shedding joyful tears. Then, still dreaming, I woke up and wrote down everything that happened in my dream. Then, in real life, I really woke up and thought that I had already written the dream down. I soon realized that I had only dreamed that I wrote it so I got up and wrote about the dream. I don´t know the meaning or significance of it. It might not be super important. But i believe everything happens for a reason. Maybe there is more to come in future dreams that will clarify this one. I dont know. I think the water represents the true restored gospel. I thought about what the rest of my dream could possibly mean. I think the dry tree in the water represents someone who lives in and is surrounded by the gospel, but isn´t fully benefiting from it. It´s not ´´absorbing the water and being fully nourished. That person is living below his privileges. Maybe it could be a person who grew up in the church and is surrounded by the water (the gospel), but is still dry and weak because he or she hasn´t completely accepted the water and become fully converted. I think Christ was in my dream to show that He still personally ministers to each of us and helps us ONE BY ONE. He loves us ONE BY ONE. He is concerned for us and will still nourish us even when we are surrounded in water. When we are dry and struggling he will take care of us. That was my interpretation of the dream I had. I hope that I have more dreams like these that widen my mind and inspire me to be better. Last Christmas at the Christmas Conference he gave a training called Intelligent dreams. He told that that it´s not a bad idea to sleep with a pad of paper and a pencil by our beds, so when we have dreams we can write them down and not forget them. I have been following this and it´s always exciting when I have an ´´intelligent dream´´ . This is a church of revelation. Revelations can be given in many forms, and I believe that dreams is one.
I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints is God´s church re-established here on the Earth. I find lots of comfort in knowing that we have a living prophet that leads and guides us, 12 apostles as special testimonies of Jesus Christ, and God´s authority on the Earth today, all in the same way when Christ lived on the Earth. This I don't know who reads these emails on this blog. The majority are probably already members of this church. For those who aren´t members of the church, I personally invite you prepare yourselves to become disciples. There are no greater blessings waiting for you than here in Christ´s church. He wants you and needs you to be a part of His work and glory. Ask the missionaries or your friends who are members. They can help you! The happiness of being a member of Christ´s church is indescribable. You will see your life positively change. As you learn about the commandments and keep them you will see how God truly does bless families and how he keeps his promises. All these things come at the cost of your own desire. You have to desire to follow Christ and commit to Him. This is His church and He leads and guides it. He invites everyone to follow Him. As a representative of Jesus Christ, I do the same thing. I invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.
This is a scripture that always reminds me of me purpose:
13 Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been acalled of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life
I am a disciple of Christ and I am here to help others become disciples too. I´m grateful for my calling. I know Christ lives and will return. I love my family. I know that families can be eternal, and that´s how they are through God´s plan. I know that God is preparing the Earth for His son´s second coming and this life is our time to prepare.
Love
Elder Hilton
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