Week 5: Last Week in the MTC!!

I can't believe it.... I only have 4 more days in the MTC. Time has flown by. It feels as if we only just got here, and we are already the senior missionaries in our zone. 

Our District With the Surinames

So it's been a pretty uneventful week story wise. We've been really focusing on getting ready to go. We got our flight plans on Friday, and as of right now everyone except for one sister got their visas. 

We aren't giving up hope yet though, the same thing happened to the Danes, but their visas came in two days before they were supposed to leave, so they did get to go do Denmark. 

We will all be flying together with the other Dutchie District (I don't know if they all got their visas or not) So we will spend all of Monday traveling (fun!) 

Farewell Ritual

It was sad because the Surinames left us this weekend. They are all really cool guys, and we're going to miss them. I put some pictures of our farewell ritual in the picture album.

So just some updates on our investigators, Pip is progressing well, and he has committed to baptism on Nov 7th (He's actually our teacher, so he's not actually going to get baptized). We've had some really powerful lessons with him, and our companionship has really improved on teaching by the Spirit, and not just spouting out information. 

We haven't been able to teach Tony much. We've run out of time in class, so our last lessons have just been us bearing our testimonies to him. Sometimes that's all you can do. As long as they feel the Spirit, it's a good lesson.

Carlos is progressing well also. We taught him the Plan of Salvation and the Restoration. He has a really strong Spirit, and our lessons have been really awesome. It really boosts our confidence as missionaries, because we teach him in English. It shows us that we really do know how to teach, we just need to work on the language. 

So this last week has been pretty tough on our zone. It was really good that we got the talk two devos ago about the adversary, because he's been trying really hard to drive away the Spirit. Through small, unimportant, silly fights between missionaries, medical issues, or other things, he's been working hard to stop us. Luckily we've recognized his work, and every challenge has humbled us, and made us stronger together. He is having the opposite effect on us. He's making us stronger together. As we recognize his influence, we immediately stop what we are doing and talk about it. Most of the time we end in a prayer. It's really helped to battle the discouragement some people have been facing. 

We had a really good devo last night. Elder Godoy spoke to us. (He spoke at Conference in Portuguese) It was actually pretty cool cause we know his son. His son is serving in Rome Italy, and we arrived and are departing the same day. 

Anyway, Elder Godoy spoke about faith and miracles, and the four steps needed to have miracles as a missionary and in life. 

First, we must repent of our sins. We cannot help people come unto Christ if we ourselves are not living His commandment. For some missionaries, just returning home worthy is the best they can do. Good for them, they are for themselves successful missionaries, but we can do more. 

Second we must do good works. Working hard is the only way that we can help people come unto Christ. 

Third, pray continually. We should always have a prayer in our heart. Each night we should have a personal inventory with God. What did we do well, how can we do better? Prayer invites the Spirit into our lives, and with the Spirit, we can help others find truth.

Fourth we need exercise faith. With our faith, we must expect miracles.  Brother Godoy showed us two scriptures in the Book of Mormon about missionaries without faith. They did all the other steps, but did not have faith in the people. "The Lamanites are bad... They won't listen to us.... they don't like us.... blah blah blah. Who cares? Have faith" 

He then showed us a scripture in Alma about the Sons of Mosiah. How even though they were told these same things, they had faith, and they baptized thousands. With faith, come miracles.

Well that's all I have really for today. I uploaded some more pictures and I'm going to put a link to a video we recorded below. It's pretty funny. 

Also, if you could keep my companion, Elder Matos, in your thoughts. He has a cyst in his knee and they are not sure if they are going to have to take it out or not. If they do, his mission will be delayed for about a month.

Alright! We get half a P-Day on Saturday, so I'll try to email again then. It might not be a long one though. 

Tot ziens! 

Elder Muller
How Elders relieve stress: https://www.dropbox.com/s/9u1lm5wysg9iw6q/MAH00613.MP4?dl=0