My New Area 1/9/17
Hey guys I was finally
transfered! I felt like a new missionary again because i have never been
transfered before so i had no idea what i was doing. I am training Elder
Pastene! He is from chile and is learning Portuguese! It is quite an adventure
working with him because i dont know spanish haha. But he is really cool and is
improving every day! I live in 4! It is me, my companion, and the assistants!
Its such a cool priviledge to live here. This ward is so solid in the church.
This area is pretty wealthy but with the help of the Lord we are finding people
to teach. We live in an apartment on the fifth floor overlooking the city of
São Paulo. Its cool, we have a balcony and everything. Compared to my last
house it was like leaving a dungeon to enter a palace. This was a house of
sisters and they left a mess. There was about 20lbs of clothes that i crammed
in a closet and i find hair everywhere. I guess this is another part of mission
life preparing me for marraige. Opening this area is a challenge. We arent
having any progress with information in the area book so we are just doing tons
of contacts to try to establish a base here to work on. I am enjoying it and
learning to work in new ways.
I am so grateful for
the emails that i receive. I read them, i may not respond because of time but i
read them! I love you all, this is truly the Lord´s work. I need to trust in
him more now than in any other time in my life.
Com Amor,
Elder Sanchez
Gratitude is the source of
happiness 2/6/17
Wow this week was amazing! I
am so happy to have recieved galoches this week. Thank you so much mom and dad,
i had no idea that this was coming haha. They are even fancy! Moccassin style!
I think that I and the elders that i live with laughed for about five minutes
seeing the galoches, after we finished entertaining ourselves popping the
little bit of bubble wrap that came with them! I will take and send fotos of
them in action!
I ate this grose
native fruit this week... it is so sour. This girl in Jardim Colombo was eating
them and i passed by and asked what it was. She said the name of the strange
fruit and offered it to me. I ate it and didnt like it. Later i learned that it
is better in juice! I also was walking with Elder Bartling and he stopped on
the sidewalk and started eating these berries. I had never seen this berry
before. He said it was good so i ate it too and it was really good and really
sweet. I still dont know what kind of fruit i ate both times but it was a good
cultural experience!
A family came to
church this week! It was the first time on my mission that a whole family, Dad,
mom and kids came to church. They loved it, I loved it, They want to come
again, they love the Book of Mormon and have growing testimonies of Jesus
Christ. I am grateful to be a part of their conversion to the Gospel of Jesus
Christ.
I am grateful for the
experiences that i am having with my companion in this area. I am learning
little things like how to listen and how to learn. I love my mission president,
especially because i know that his vision for me and this mission is the Lord´s
vision. I can feel it and experience it here in São Paulo West.
I am learning so much
about the nature of the Lord. I was thinking about the creation of the world.
Jesus Christ created the world, but it was under the direction of God. Jesus
Christ, alone, didnt have the power to create a world during that time, He was
how we were, only spirit. But through the priesthood power of God, Jesus
Christ was able to build this beautiful world. Today because He completed His
mission, Jesus Christ has recieved His Glory. Now He too is a source of power
and priesthood. The same principle applies to us. And like Christ before, the
initial power that we have today is our agency to choose. And if we choose to
rely on the Lord, His Son, and His Priesthood we can do anything according to
His will! The power, glory, and joy of the Lord will become ours in humble
obedience, service, and gratitude to God. Endurance in these sacred principles
will lift us to be like our Father. The same way our Brother and Savior, Jesus
Christ, is like the Father. I just invite all to be more grateful and remember
that we are a part of a Grand and Glorious Plan. A perfect plan. We all have
our individual purpose here on earth and in the eternaties.
I love all of you
guys. I am so proud of the Patriots and of Tom Brady for taking the win one
more time through teamwork and professional couching! I could not have asked to
be born in a better part of the country where our country is honored through a
football team that wins! Tom Brady´s wife is also Brazilian! Love you guys!
Have a great week!! Be an example!
Elder Sanchez