Dec 26

Anyways so the CTM experience in Sao paulo was pretty great ha.  I remember when I first got into the CTM (mtc) and was thinking to myself.  This is the hardest thing i´ve ever done in my life.... By the end of it, it was so easy I was getting bored haha.  And now i´m in Fortaleza.  FIRST missions are no joke haha.  They are so absolutely hard.  Let me rephrase that.  TO be obedient on a mission is so absolutely hard haha.  A lot of missionaries don´t follow the rules (especially here because fortaleza is in the top 3 baptising missions in the world) so missionaries think they are doing a good job so they slack off..... Luckfully my companion (Elder Waldron) is very obidient so that is a ton of help :) it makes it a lot easier when you have someone else being obedient with you.  but yeah the first like 4 days in Fortaleza I didn´t get to bed until like 11:30 - 12:00... and waking up at 6:30.... So tired... but it´s getting better.  I think the true beauty and the thing that god wants us to be doing is constantly pushing ourselves to the limit.  So just when you are getting confortable and/or bored of something he throws a new challenge at you... It´s not a bad thing it´s just because faith is constantly being tried.  And when you conquer it he is going to take you to the next level.  Like right now it´s really hard to keep pushing forward, but I know that when I get used to it, he is gonna give me something to keep bettering myself.... after all that is what he wants us to do. Learn and grow.  But I feel like a mission is a bit different.  I´m taking like LEAPS of growth rather then steps.  Missions ask for a 100% of your well being, mentally, physically, and emotionally.  It´s hard but there is nothing like going and telling Heavenly Father in your prayer that you gave it your all that day.  VERY satisfying :) So I know it will get better I just need to endure the trial and learn to teach and help people with more conviction.  When Christ was here during his mortal ministry he took upon himself the form of a servant!  Missions are basically what Christ did ( except he didn´t have a p day :D ) .  I´ve been really blessed to be able to have the opportunity to get to know my savior better through the service I am doing.  He really does love us and want us to suceed.  Which brings me to the next thing I´d like to say is the one thing that never fails is charity.  Charity is the perfect love of Christ.  It never EVER fails.  I´m trying to develop charity so I can give these people the thing that they need most, and that is love.  It´s what everybody deep down inside wants and the savior has the perfected version of love.  I forgot the scribeture but it tells a lot about what it is I think it´s like Moroni 7?? IDK but yeah hope all is well at home I love you all tons and you´re all in my prayers every night! PS I have two baptisms tomorrow :) later! love you all
Elder Diamond

Dec 12 letter home

This week I learned a lot, I don´t even know where to begin but yesterday me and Elder Davis got to go out proslyting!! We were given 4 books of mormon and had to give them out in 4 hours.... we gave all four out within 45 minutes.  It was amazing... We were so scared to talk to the first person on the street... Why would someone wanna hear our broken portuguese especially coming from 19 year olds concerning religion but we talked to the first person and he seemed friendly.... so we just started going up the street and talking to everyone approaching us. Aw I wish you could see how nice brazilians ( or just people in general ) actually are.  If you have a smile on your face and are geniuine people can feel it and will talk and listen to what you have to say.  After we passed them out we went back to the CTM to get more but they wouldn´´t give us any.  It´s crazy like I litilarly just want to share this message with everyone it´s just about LOVE!!! all you need is love alllll you needddd is lovveee (beetles knew what was up haha)  but yeah just this gospel is about love.  It´s so simple.  It´s what Christ taught was to just love eachother and everything would be okay!  PS i´m almost done with the book of mormon and I absolutely love it!  It is the best book ever and guess what ITS FREE!!

But yeah i´m enjoying it, I know the book to be true and my love for this gospel is increasing SO much by the day!  Portuguese is very hard but i´ll get it eventually.  I can barely hold a conversation but I can somewhat manage to say what I need to say.  But that doesn´t even matter.  People only care and will listen if they know you feel something about the topic.  It´s hard to explain but looking back i´ve learned SO MUCH just in the CTM it´s absolutely crazy.  I went to my last endowment session for two years today :( I absolutely love the temple.  I learn something new everytime.  This gospel is perfect and everytime I talk, think, or go do something gospel related I figure out just how perfect it is.  

The one message I want to share with you this week and you taught me this all growing up but it´s a lot easier said then done.... but it´s all about ATTITUDE.  I promise if you just make the best with what you have and everyonce in a while take a step back and see what god has given you.  Then waking up at 6:30 doesn´t seem so bad.  God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost are there to help us through our trials.  You are NEVER alone, I know that to be true.  It´s getting upon the year mark when I had my most spiritual experience that changed my life.  It was Christmas day.  No one was home and I was by myself sitting in my car crying because of the things that had happened.  Somehow a thought came into my head to pray ( I hadn´t prayed in months) and I said it out loud.  I asked god if he was really there.  I asked him to please help me because there was no way I was gonna get through this by myself.  At that moment I can´t even describe the confort that came over me.  It was so strong it felt like someone was giving me a hug.  That was the pure love of Christ.  and that is why I am on a mission now.  If I can touch just one person and let them know that they are never alone and can feel the love our savior, god and the holy ghost have for me.  I´ve done my job.  This gospel is real mom, I´m so thankful for everything everyone does for me and I can´t wait to come home after two years and continue bring souls unto Christ!  I hope Josh Tracy goes back out, he doesn´t know what he is missing.  I don´t even really thing about home any more.  I just want to serve! Love you lots mom and I hope you have a wonderful week!

Be happy you have a reason to smile! Love you lots!

Elder Diamond

never look back

PIZZA

Here is a picture of Rourke.  
This place I found out about, you can purchase pizza over the internet from them and they

will send a note to the MTC, which is right across the street for them to pick up a package.  It is a surprise for them.  Hopefully, Rourke enjoyed the pizza, chips, and drink.  Enough for him and his companion. 

Letter to Mom

Oi mai! ( hi mom )

 

I lovee hearing from you as well haha, unfortunately I don´t have a lot to write about this week it just flew by! I have SO many fun expierences that I would love to tell you about but an hour a week just doesn´t justify it and I don´t even know where to begin!  But yeah this week has been WONDERFULLLL I love the gospel hahaha so so much!  It´s so simple, people try and look at the gospel to hard sometimes and it really boils down to the point of how a five year old can understand his purpose as much as a 50 year old can.  Just obey gods commandments and be happy... And you got a great life :)

 But yeah anyway so i´ll answer your questions because I really don´t know what to write about haha (sorry my brain is permanantly in overdrive mod, I think 1 million miles an hour )  so just know missions are the best.  I can´t even describe it, I know now why return missionarys that I would talk to would tell me you just have to experience it. 

I am not in Fortaleza yet unfortunately, still in the MTC until december 20th. 

I don´t need money BUT if you can, could you please go to the bank and investigate how much it costs every time I swipe my debit card.... because I don´t want an international charge of 3 bucks eveytime I buy something that costs 50 centavos ( cents) and I use my debit card.  Does that make sence??

So second pair of shoes I think I will just buy them out here if that is alright, i´m pretty sure it will be cheaper and i´ll be better off Thanks though!

I do not need a blanket it´s already so hot in Sao Paulo I just sleep with a sheet haha. thanks though!

THE FOOD where do I begin:!?!?!? It´s pretty legit haha.  Rice beans and chicken and meat and just really good food :) unfortunately Brazilians don´t really use spices or sauces on their food! it´s still good though

As for working out, I work out every single day :) i´ve actually gotten stronger since i´ve been here which is pretty good! My six pack is almost in probably another three weeks and it will be there :) and I can now do 40 push ups compared to like 21 two weeks ago haha.  Gotta hit the ground running when I come home after two years :)

The City is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!  That is probably the one thing I wish you could see is the view I have of sao paulo every night it looks SO pretty!  I´m so thankful for the view and simple things our heavenly father gives me every day :)  The city is kinda poor it´s hard to explain I will later but I am running out of time!

This week was great I feel like my testimony is starting to grow and i´m in the rythm of being a missionary.  I still can´t believe i´m on my mission.  Just another stage in my life I guess.  I´m starting to go into overdrive with my efforts, I can feel my mind honing in on what I need to be doing more and more everyday.  The language of the spirit is becoming more and more manifest unto me by the day,  I´m learning more about why this gospel is what it is.  The gospel is perfect,  The plan of salvation is perfect.  So grateful for all that I have been given I love my life!

 

Have a wonderful week mom love you so so much!

Elder Diamond

Never looking back (that´s my slogan for life)