Another week(or 3 since I last wrote) down! Things are moving along here in Paraisopolis. We sent Elder Krett to Caucaia and I received Elder Lima. Elder Lima and Elder Krett might just be polar opposites. Elder Krett never turns off his mouth and it seems Elder Lima does not know how to turn his on haha. It has been good. They are both so great and I have been learning lots from them.
We are on the brink of helping a little group of people get baptized. It has been fun. A journey to be with them and literally walk them along this path. We are almost there! To the first big step. Kauã and Estela are getting baptized this Saturday and Fatima, Chiquinho, and Heloiza will be baptized next Saturday. So it should be a good 2 weeks going forward. We have transitioned into receiving our lunches from the Panamby ward this month... which wow. Because we cover 2 wards we do 1 month in one ward and 1 month in the other. And wow. Panamby is fancccyyyyy. Like fancier than most houses I have walked into in my life haha. We went from favela fun to primpy panamby. And maybe primpy is a bad word to use because it has a negative connotation. But seriously, these people have money and their houses are awesome haha. And they are still so humble and dedicated to the Lord.
There really is not anything huge that happened this week out here. Just another week of teaching others about Christ. But I have been thinking a lot about the magnitude and infiniteness of Christ's Atonement recently. I have learned and will forever keep learning, that as we take full advantage of Christ's Atonement, any "wrong decision" we make, can appear to be the best decision that could have happened. This idea may be a little tricky to understand so I want to give a few examples...
Adam and Eve. What was contrary to God's commandments(partaking of the forbidden fruit) was a choice that turned into, for all of us in existence, the best choice for Adam and Eve to have chosen. Because of that choice, we are here on the earth. But that choice only became the "best choice" for them because there was a Savior sent and Adam and Eve believed that and took full advantage of His Atonement.
Alma the Younger. He chose many wrong decisions in his life and as we know was visited by the angel and had a bit of a 3 day conversion. He during the 3 days, caught hold of the teachings of his father about Jesus Christ and his Atonement. In Alma 36 we can read what this experience did for Alma. he says in verse 24, "Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto arepentance; that I might bring them to btaste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be cborn of God, and be dfilled with the Holy Ghost." Because of his wrong decisions, he had an experience that changed his life forever and helped him to become who the Lord needed him to become. One of the greatest Book of Mormon missionaries ever. Even one who was given the blessing to be translated like Moses was. Do you think his zeal to preach the Gospel would have been the same, had he not made bad mistakes previously? His bad mistakes were transformed into choices that were essential to aiding him into being what he was. In my perspective, these choices became the best choices he could have made, because he took full advantage of Christ's Atonement.
My parents. My mother wrote a little bit about her experience recently on Facebook. She writes, "This morning we wrapped up a week at Bear Lake with our sweetest children and grandchildren. Stephen shared some small thoughts right before we prayed and we said our goodbyes. We prayed for our boy who wasn’t with us and we all cried because we miss him so much. It’s our anniversary today. Stephen told our kids that most of our anniversaries have landed right in the middle of family vacations and we wouldn’t have it any other way. This one was special though. To look around at so much love built over the years this week was priceless. Once upon a time there were two young kids that got themselves into just enough trouble when they were together. But their love was bigger than their choices. And more importantly, so was Gods! To think that those two could be living a life full of so much joy today is a testament to anyone that there is always hope. If you’re not happy in your situation or pleased with your choices, you can change. There is ALWAYS hope in a joyful tomorrow. We are a testimony of that. Oh how we love this little family! Today has been a perfect day to reflect on that with the man who holds my heart." My parents' took full advantage in their lives of the atonement of Jesus Christ. And they are still taking full advantage of Christ's Atonement. Any decisions they might have made that they felt unhappy with became decisions that have been essential in shaping them into who they needed to become. I would say, those choices were best for them to make because of Jesus Christ.
And me. My life choices have not been the most stellar at times. I made some poor decisions in my youth (I am 21 now so officially not a youth). But as I have taken full advantage of Christ's Atonement, I have been blessed to now be able to see those wrong decisions, as the best decisions for me. Again, because of Jesus Christ and His never ending mercy. These decisions have shaped my mission to become what it has been. Had I given a more stellar performance, I would have left on my mission in 2018 and come home in 2020 with no real hiccups. But, because of my decisions, I started in 2019, came home for a bit, went back out, came home again for a bit, and then went back out for a third time. With all kinds of hiccups and bumps along the way. But, looking back I am so grateful for what my life has been. I am so grateful for a Savior who makes it possible for me to be okay with my imperfections. Because in that, I am allowing His perfection to right my wrongs. He, in His loving kindness and infinite mercy, has allowed me to see my wrong decisions as essential stepping stones on my path back home. They have become the best decisions for me because they have helped me lean on my Savior. These decisions have encouraged me to take His yoke upon me.
I am so grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ and His Atoning sacrifice. I know He lives. There is always hope. He is here to right our wrongs and help us learn from our time in mortality. The path is always clear to come back to Him. Believe me, I have taken it over 100 times! Let us live and love our Savior. Let us truly repent so that our wrongs can be made into bests.
Love you all! Thank you for reading my sermon haha. Just some thoughts of a missionary in Brazil!
Elder Hixon
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