Elder Lofton Q Bean : Any Moment is a Missionary Opportunity!!

Things are going great here!! Today for Pday we played soccer (sorry mom forgot to take pictures) and threw the football around which was a blast!! This past week, Elder Beale and Elder Huntsman stayed with us before going home on Friday. On Thursday, me and Elder Beale were throwing the football around and... broke his finger. ha. The day before going home to England he broke his finger. He’s hilarious and it only would have happened to him. haha.

We had some great lessons this week. Last night we did a Family Home evening with our recent convert family!! It was very spiritual and awesome. It was with Marcos and his wife Raimunda, and their kids Ritchelle, Gabi, and Marcos Vinicius. We watched an 18 minute church film and had focused on how we can stay faithful and keep to the path even when we have difficulties and shortcomings in life. I am so grateful for the testimony that I have now of the Gospel. I know for myself now that this life truly is a preparation to prepare to return and live with God. To prove ourselves ready and worthy. We were prepared well before this life. We accepted to come here to be tried and tested and to have joy. This life is like an obstacle course. Sometimes things come and hit us along the way that we may not have been expecting or hoping would come. When those things do come, we must fervently pray and never lose faith. There is a quote that I read in the Liahona church magazine that I really like and it says, "If Heavenly Father were to free us from our challenges simply because we asked, He would deny us the very experiences necessary for our salvation."

We will have challenges and trials in this life. Does that mean that God doesn’t love us? Of course not. Does that mean that we should just throw in the towel and give up? Of course not. After the trial, comes the blessings and our strength and faith is increased and stronger than ever. Christ didn’t perform a miracle on someone and then afterwards ask if that person had faith. He asked if that person had faith, and according to that faith, the miracle was performed. I know God is a God of miracles (3 Nephi 27:23, Alma 32:17-18,21) and that His hand is in our lives each and every day. He wants us to reach our potential and become who we are destined to become. Decisions determine destiny. By choosing to have faith and live accordingly to that Faith in Christ, we are determining that we will do what it takes to stick to the straight and narrow path and follow the Savior, and we shall receive eternal life with our Heavenly Father and our loved ones for eternity. (2 Nephi 31:20)

We are teaching a 17 year old named Àlvaro. He is a great kid and is wanting to change his life step by step. He has already changed so much. He use to live a rough life and he is starting to change the way he lives, and stop doing the things that hold him back. He went to church on Sunday and really enjoyed it. We are also going to start teaching Elmo, who was our taxi last night. We had a good conversation with him in the car and he seemed interested and asked us to visit him and his wife and teach them about what we believe!! Any moment is a missionary opportunity!!

This past week we also had an awesome opportunity to be an example to the community and spread around what we as missionaries do. We got invited to visit the Legislative Chamber here in Brasilia and have an opening presentation to the discussion/debate. The discussion was about the youth in Brazil. We got a great group of 16 missionaries together to go. We prepared a song and a special musical number. We all sang, and then afterwards Me and Elder Duarte spoke a little about who we are as missionaries, what we do, and about the youth. How the standards of the church has helped us growing up. And then Sister Huff played the violin and Sister Hill the piano to the song "Hide to Kolob". It was super spiritual and incredible. It was awesome cause throughout the night, state and national political leaders would stand up and discuss things and they mentioned us the "Mormon missionaries" a ton and how awesome our work is and what we bring. How we are all youth, and yet we have chosen to do something bigger. Chosen to make a difference in the world in the lives of others. It was awesome!! President Lundgren also spoke as well and it was solid!! It was a huge hit and made a big impact on the people there. It was a great missionary opportunity to help people here see who we are and what we do. How we are here to help others come unto Christ, and to help people in all aspects. It was an incredible opportunity for all of us that participated!!

I am doing great!!! Enjoyin the mission and lovin the people :) Brasil is awesome!!

I hope yall have a great week!! I love you

Elder Bean