Our Search for Happiness

Happy Valentines Day and Happy Six months for me on the mis! Goodness the time has gone so fast I cannot even believe it! Here in Brasil, they only have Valentines Day in June and its actually called Day of boyfriends and girlfriends, which is the literal translation which I think is quite funny. Anywhoo... this week was super fast and a whirlwind and also quite normal, but really lets be honest a day on the mission in Brasil is never Normal! Well last week, Monday and Tuesday, we were led by the Spirit and found two awesome couples who really want to learn about the gospel. We have started working with them. The focus of our ward is families and priesthood holders, for this branch to split this year, we need more priesthood holders, so our focus is finding and teaching families together! They were not able to be in church this week, but they will be next Sunday for sure! We spent Wednesday in the Hospital because Sis Lima has some pretty bad pains in her back and spine, so we spent the day in the hospital doing xrays and tests, please pray for her that her pains will go away! The rest of the week was great because we finally had rain! I have been praying for rain for weeks because it has been sooooo deadly hot here! We were able to help the young women a lot this week with their fundraisers for camp, making desserts, painting nails, and doing hair for all the ladies in the ward was super fun! I am just grateful we were able to help some of our less active young women be there and feel the happiness and spirit the other girls have! funny experience: Maria Isabelle gave me a ride on her bike, I sat on the handle bars and thought that I would die going up and down hills here in Patos de Minas, but we somehow made it safely :) Last, but not least, honestly, the most important part. This week I have been reading the book Our Search for Happiness by Elder Ballard and it is seriously amazing. He invites everyone to read this book to learn and understand the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He talks about our purpose here as children of God and why we came to this earth. The first and ultimate gift that we received in Heaven before this life was mortal agency, to choose right or wrong before this life and here on the earth. Elder Ballard says Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ entered into a covenant with us before this life that they would do everything possible to help us return to our Heavenly home, IF WE SO CHOOSE. This life is our choice. We need to choose now to accept the Lords will in our lives. We need to choose now to accept the Atonement. We need to choose now to change and become better, because we cannot return to live with our Heavenly Father without the help of the Savior. It is only through him that we can return. But first, everyone, all the children of God need to know there is a better option, there is a better way, and that is the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is why I am a missionary. That is why I will proclaim the gospel to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people. Everyone needs the opportunity to hear and accept the gospel. Elder Ballard closed with this thought which I loved If during the course of our time here on earth, we learn to use that wondrous gift of agency in positive ways to bless our own lives and the lives of others then our journey will have been successful. This is sooooo true! We need to live our lives in reflection of the Savior, blessing the lives of others. Love, Sister Brotherson