Missionary Monday - Week 3 in Jardim Roberto

We had interviews with President Dalton this week and he is THE MAN. In his opening remarks before the interviews he told a short story that I really liked. It went more or less like this: Once upon a time there was a group of turkeys, doing what turkeys do. The turkeys were a little jealous of the other birds that could fly, but they had come to grips with the fact that they were turkeys and turkeys just can't fly. Then one day one of the turkeys came running to the group so excited claiming that he had learned to fly. He offered to teach the others to fly as well, but they didn't believe it was possible. After some debating the flying turkey basically said, "Look, either you want to learn or you don't". So they all accepted and went to a nearby field to practice. Sure enough after some practice, all the turkeys were flying! They were so excited and decided to go on a road trip and fly to all the places they had previously wanted to go, but were too far to walk. Then at the end of their night on the town they landed back in their field giving high-fives and glorying in their accomplishment AND THEY ALL WALKED HOME. 

Here is the Jackson interpretation of this parable. You can take it for what you will. We "normal members" of the church are the turkeys. We read in the scriptures and see and hear about prophets and apostles doing amazing things and we think to ourselves, "Man, thats really cool. Good for them". Then we ourselves learn to fly (I'll say this happens on a mission. It did for me anyways). We realize that its not just because prophets and apostles are special, but that we all have this potential. Its just a matter of applying ourselves. Then we return home. Everyone loves to swap mission stories and show pictures. Then, maybe with out even realizing it, we return to living our lives walking (spritually). This principle sank in a little deeper on Sunday when two fairly fresh RM's were on their phones during all of priesthood looking at facebook and playing poker. Without being too judgmental I think I can say that they might have missed the point. I was quick to judge, but then when the three guys that I live with started railing on them as well I didn't feel like they had a whole lot of room to talk and that made me take a look at myself. In what ways am I missing the point? Its always easier to point out the flaws in others.

We visited a pentecostal church this week. It was fun, but I almost went deaf. 

Alexandre and Cristiane were married and baptized! Whoo! They were super addicted to coffee and cigarettes. I couldn't be a witness to the marriage because I'm not Brazilian... racist! cough, cough. That was a bummer, but on the whole it was a very satisfying experience. I baptized Alexandre and Élder Oliveira baptized Cristiane.

Élder Beck