Happy to be a missionary.

I read the most amazing thing in the most random place. I found a book of artistic piano pieces in the bench at our branch. Songs of Everlasting Joy by lynn s lund if you´re curious. But before each song is a little paragraph or two about the song or something. Before the song Come, Follow Me was something so special and I am so thankful that Heavenly Father let me find it out of the blue. I took a picture of it and I´ll write it down here. 

"Two thousand years ago, Jesus left his Father to come to earth. He left behind a state of incomprehensible power, infinite majesty, and indescrible glory and took upon himself the body of a helpless, finite, mortal infant. We know that this was foreordained so he could pay the price t save us from our sins. but do we also remember the other purpose for his coming? in him we would be shown forth the only perfect pattern of mortal life. in all his life he never sinned. in over thirty years he never once gave way to any thought, any word, any action that was leess than godlike, less than perfect. in all history the only one man of all men could point to his own life and, with perfect confidence, say to others: `Look to me for your model. Follow my example.`" 

wow. Those words hit me so hard. I love things like this. Things that help me know who Jesus is better. I love Him more and more everyday. Truly so much more than a Hero. Our Savior and Redeemer the Lord, Jesus Christ. I love also what PMG says about the word redeem. I´m translating this so it´s not that great but it says to Redeem means to liberate, to buy, or rescue, just as we free a person from jail paying their bail. The redemption refers to the atonement of jesus christ and freeing us from sin. the atonement of jesus redeems all humanity from physical death. through the atonement those that had faith in Him and repent also will be redeemed from spiritual death. 

This is my letter to President Fluckiger this week. 

Este semana foi boa. Mas, pensamos que aquela mulher, Lúcia, que estava pronta a ser batizada com aquela passado cumprido, fugiu. Não esta mais a atender o telemóvel nem mensagens e tentamos passar a casa dela mas ela mora numa studio apartamento muito alto no prédio e não tem campainha.. Estamos preocupadas que ela de repente não quer mais. Vamos ver o que acontece. Por enquanto pensamos que o batismo esta cancelada. 
Sei que a única maneira que eu posso estar feliz é para dar TUDO para a obra. Preciso mesmo ser melhor nisso. Preciso parar de pensar quando volto para casa vou... fazer isso ou aquilo. Sei que nunca estive tão feliz de que estou agora, compartilhando o evangelho. Isso é felicidade real.

This week was good. But we think that woman, Lucy, who was ready to be baptized with that long past, ran away. She doesn´t answer the phone or answer the messages and we try to pass her house but she lives in a studio apartment in a very tall building and does not have doorbell .. We are concerned that it suddenly no longer wants anything. Let's see what happens. For now think that this baptism canceled.

I know that the only way I can be happy is to give ALL to work. I really need to be better at it. I need to stop thinking when I come home I will do this or that. I've never been more happy than I am now sharing the gospel. That is real happiness.

I am currently in Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel in the Azores or Açores. We have a beautiful chapel here for our branch. There are two more little groups on the other sides of the island and ours is the biggest as it is the biggest city out here. We have an awesome little branch out here. The branch members though have had some drama and no one wanted to sustain any branch member to be a branch president so they brought in a senior couple and Elder Phippen from American Fork is now the branch president. They are awesome, he and Sister Phippen. We are so blessed to have them. But all the drama is so fun. Don´t complain. ever people. it doesn´t help anything. that is part of long story that i don´t know. haha. anyway. 

Here it´s just as nice and warm as mid September but super rainy. We love the work here. It´s slow (not so many people are interested in learning more) but it´s fun. Yesterday it POURED down on us and we were soaking wet when we went back to the church for branch movie night. We were going to watch Emma Smith My Story but something didn´t work so we just ended up watching Joy to the World which is a movie us missionaries give out to people around Christmas time. I hadn´t seen either before so i was fine. The other missionaries though were bummed the other movie didn´t work out cuz apparently that´s one we watch a lot. At least it´s seasonal and not something we watch all year long. 

I´m happiest when I obey. I need to give up my little disobediences. it is SOO HARD.. Shouldn´t be though. I´m just so proud. i need to give up on myself. to give up myself. to give myself. working on it. I know i can be the happiest when i listen to the spirit. the spirit we have pretty much all the time as missionaries is incredible. i feel like i am drinking it in all the time. especially when i choose to be obedient.  I didn´t realize before getting out here how easy it is to just disobey. there is no one making you be obedient. Its just you and your comp. You can choose to slack. you can choose to work hard. You can choose to stay too long in the house or something and no one is there to yell at you besides your conscience and the lack of the spirit. That´s the worst part. 

K well ya know the deal. the church is true and we the people in order to form a more perfect union establish justise ensure domestic tranquility provide for the common tithing.. anyway yeah pay your tithing people. it´s not worth it to NOT. i´m greedy so i pay my tithing that´s what i tell people. well members that is. but i have a STRONG testimony of tithing and the temple out here is taking forever just because people are not paying their tithing. but anyway do your part and give GOD back just 10% of the 100% that He gave you. hah. i am also praying to not be so scatterbrained. i like birds. birdbrains. i´m tired. 

good day mates. 

sis shumway