January 30, 2017: Mustard & Mayo Pizza:)

Hey all!!!

I hope you guys are having the best day ever!! Well this week was pretty sweet... haha We were going to have a baptism last Saturday but it fell through...our investigator wants to have a stronger testimony first. (I´m not sure if I told you guys that last week.) We also found out that the child of an inactive member wants to be baptized. She is 8 but we still have to teach the lessons to her. So this Saturday we should have 2 baptisms. 

A Darth Vader thing from last transfer... I just forgot to tape it first so it got wrinkled.

Anyways this was a good week. On Monday we played some volleyball, which was  fun! We then had a family night with a less active member of the ward. It went really well. We shared a message on President Nelson´s talk about Joy. Last letter I talked about joy a bit, I realize I was a little off on what I said Happiness is the end result. It is Life Eternal with God and Jesus Christ. That is why it is called the Plan of Happiness. We sometimes can think that we are truly happy from things we buy or activities we do. But True, Everlasting Happiness is what we can achieve if we get to live in the Celestial Kingdom. 

So the highlight of the week was that on Wednesday, President Bangerter stopped by and interviewed all the people in the zone. Then after we went to one of the churches to recieve the worldwide mission training. The interviews were cool. I really like our President so it was nice to talk to him again. It was based on how well our planners are though... I guess I was taught wrong how to plan. Because I kinda got destroyed in that interview. But it was good. I made the changes that he told me and now I am planning right. So that was a little stressful. It left me in a worried state of mind.. I was worried that President thought I wasn´t a good missionary and stuff (based on the stuff he said). But then I was watching the mission training broadcast and Elder Bednar said to basically not worry about the numbers and everything else and to just focus on your missionary purpose. So I did that. It got a lot better after that. haha

Focus on your purpose (especially during those "bad days").
Or as my dad coached me in basketball..."Just Relax and Shoot!"

After Wednesday we had a lot of good lessons with our investigators. We also found some new investigators. It was great. I was gonna tell some jokes but I ended up forgetting them.... Darn.  haha 

Oh something weird that I didn´t ever tell you is that the pizza here is different. They dont use tomato sauce. Its good but not the same. And everyone uses a fork and knife. AND they smother it with mayonaise, Ketchup, and sometimes Mustard.. Weird. haha But I believe that is it for the week!

An Orc Dude!

 I just want to bear my testimony on the Book of Mormon. I know it is a real book. If you look at it in a literal way, there is no way that Joseph Smith could´ve lied about the book and made that up on his own. I read that there was even a mock trial about if the Book of Mormon is a true book and it won! But I also know through study and prayer that this book is a book of God. I have learned so much of the power it can have in our lives. I invite all of you to read that book more. It will change your lives, just as it is changing mine. 

Whelp, I love you all!! Have an amazing week!!!

Love-

Elder Davis

January 23, 2017: Being JOYFUL in my life!

Hello all!!!

Well this has been a great week. I have learned quite a bit of things. So the hardest part this week was talking to my companion about what he needs to change to be a better missionary. He is a great friend but it was necessary to talk about these things to help our work flourish. Not sure if I spelled that right... 

Me trying out a new hairdo:)

On Monday, we played basketball... but all of the Brazillians don´t really know how to play... so it was an interesting game. haha There were a lot of fouls and travels. But it was still really great to play finally. haha

My basketball team

We had splits with the zone leaders and I talked with one of them about my situation and he helped me out. The next day I talked to my companion about everything and he was really willing to change and get better. So it turned out great for us. 

The work is going well too. We have committed one of our investigators to baptism this Saturday. His name is Rafael. He is 17 years old. He´s a really cool guy and really wants to be ready for his baptism. Because of this desire, I´m not too sure if he will be baptized this week. But pray for him!! We are going to do all we can to make that happen. 

Ilheus! (View from the other Elder's apartment)

View of the beach

I had been preparing to give a talk about reverence this week. I didn't end up giving it this week but next week I will. But it really strengthened my testimony about the power of Revelation. I was studying and was definitely led to find the material that I found. I also learned a lot about the connection between revelation and reverence. It is necessary to be reverent to be able to recieve the revelation that God has for us. Super cool.

A Joyful Sunset!

Also, lastly I was studying this morning the conference talks from last conference. I read President Nelson´s talk about Joy. I love that talk. It was really cool. He talked about how we all can have joy through focusing on Christ in our lives. It made me think about the difference between happiness and Joy. Joy basically is everlasting happiness. We can be joyful in whatever situation that comes up in our lives. Happiness is generally something that comes and goes. It is an emotion that isn´t as longlasting as joy. Nothing we can buy can give us the joy that comes from the knowledge of Jesus Christ and His Atonement. I love this gospel. I love being a missionary and being Joyful in my life! Love you all! Search for Joy in your life. "Men are that they might have Joy"

Love,

Elder Davis

January 16, 2017: A pretty "fruity" week!

Hey everyone!!!

This week was a great week! It was filled with some good stuff! haha

So we played volleyball for Pday which was really fun. Tuesday.... I honestly don't remember what happened...but we had a family night which was good. 

Me and Elder Vander Werff

Wednesday we had a Zone Conference which was really cool. I got to see Elder Vander Werff an Elder from my district in the CTM. He honestly is one of my best friends. He's a great guy. So that was awesome to be able to see him again. 

My Zone

Also, we had to go to the doctors again because my companion has warts and stuff... So that took like all day! Also, I bought a harmonica that day. So we both have harmonicas and we are starting the harmonica club. We are not accepting new members at this time. 

Thursday, we had weekly planning.. which was just wonderful. You gotta love planning. haha But honestly, it's a really important part of the work. We made a plan about how we are gonna help fix this branch. Because they have a lot of problems... haha 

Friday we went to lunch It was kinda a jungle forest place.. The lady there gave me some cacao to try. Which is the fruit that chocolate comes from. You just suck on it! It's really good.. hahah And we tried some coconut water straight from a coconut too! So this week has been pretty fruity. haha 

Cacao Fruit

On Saturday, we had a really good lunch. It was at Irmao Messias´s house. We had like a BBQ... it's just a little different than America. But it was really really good. After we went around the town with him and visited people that he knew. It was a good day. I gave a blessing for a lady in the ward. They had me do the second part of the blessing and I didn't have the missionary handbook with me to read the stuff in Portugues first. So they just told me what to say and then said to go off what the spirit says. I was pretty nervous. But I said it just fine and gave a good blessing. It was a cool experience. Because the words were just coming out without me having to think about what I was saying. I know that priesthood power is real!! 

Brazilian pizza is different than how it is in the US. They don't have tomato sauce... but it's still pretty good. 

On Sunday we talked with the branch president about how we gotta do something about reverence here and he said well, Elder Davis, why don't you give a talk on reverence next week..... hahaha So I hope that I can give a good talk next week to help with the problem. Anyways, I know this church is the one and only true church. I know it is the same church that Jesus Christ established when he was on the earth. I love the gospel! 

Love, 

Elder Davis

January 9, 2017: Life in Ilheus!

Hows it going everyone?!?

This week was good! and kinda boring to explain maybe...haha

This is a picture of my favorite investigators in Porto Seguro Sandro e Joice

But lets start off with my companion. My new companion is Elder Fernades. He is a really really cool guy! He is very crazy... but it's awesome. He likes to do croquet.. I think that's how you spell it. (Like when you use a needle and thread and make scarves?) Well he made a pretty awesome pink scarf.. lol!!! Also he is really good at making dream catchers! haha Yeah, also, he is 24 and he has been a member of the church for 2 years. His girlfriend introduced him to the church, he proposed to her and then went on the mission. With less then one month out, she sent a "dear John" and ended things with him.. hahaha But it's all good now. He has a year out on the mish so now he just jokes around about it.

A weird photo of my comp I just edited on my camera.

SO in the week.....

I got to Ilheus on Tuesday. The house is pretty big because there used to be 4 missionaries there but now it's just us. LETs see, so there´s a senior couple that was gonna come to our house on Saturday and check out and see if our house is clean. haha So we literally cleaned EVERY DAY until Saturday morning. hahah we deep cleaned EVERYTHING. It kinda sucked guys. But we made it! We survived!  Also, the first day my companion didn't have any clean shorts so he just put a shirt on his legs... I'll send a pic. hahaah it was really really funny. 

There is his beautiful bottoms....haha...and he is very short!

Well, also my comp got sick so we went to the doctors. So that sucked we were there for 4 hours... hahhaha The only other notable thing this week happened on Sunday at church... So first of all sacrament meeting was very irreverant. People were getting up and walking around all over the place. It was weird... we are gonna work on that. haha Also, at the end of church in the priesthood room there were two brothers in there. One of them wanted to leave, the other didn't... So the one that wanted to leave got really mad, yelled at him and then started a fist fight... In the church! It was like punching the face, choking each other fist fight. Really ugly. Anyways they got pulled apart but it was weird man. haha So hopefully that doesn't happen again here. But I´m doing good everyone! I hope you all have a great week! Take time to remember Christ EVERY DAY.

This is a pretty good sunset... I have seen way better but never had my camera with me. haha

Love-
Elder Davis

December 25, 2016: Skype with Josh!

Christmas Skype!!!

Today we got to Skype with Josh!  The wifi connection was pretty bad so most of our call we just listened to his voice!  At the end of the call we were able to get this video of him bearing his testimony in Portuguese!

January 2, 2017: The Best Year of My LIFE!

Welll Hello Everyone!!!

2017!!!! This year is gonna be so awesome!! My lucky number is 17!!!!!! So this year has gotta be the best year of my life! haha

This week has been very lame. It was the last week of the transfer. Being the last week my companion got very lazy. He slept in a lot more and he didn't work as hard. I decided not to get mad at him because I didn't want his last impression of me to be that we got in a lot of fights. I shouldn't have done that. I should've stood up for the rules and guidelines of the mission. Anyways while he would sleep in more I studied and then studied some more and other times just sat and thought. I hate doing nothing out here on the mission. I hate wasting my time. It's pretty funny because before the mission it didn't really matter but this time is the Lord´s. Anyways let me fill you in on the highlights of the week.

Monday. We played ping pong and some card games. haha It was really funny. We didn't have a ping pong table but we made it work. It was very ghetto but it was fun. 

Playing Ping Pong

Tuesday I watched the District and finished my 12 weeks of training. We did a lot of verifications. There's a huge number of inactive members in our area. So we went around trying to find them and figure out why they stopped coming to church. We are trying to reactivate all that we can. So that was a good productive day. 

All the other days seemed to merge together.... hahaha It went by very slow and I was a little miserable. I will never let something like this slide again. But this week I did talk to my companion again. I basically lectured him for 45 minutes that he has gotta change and become better. I felt the spirit while doing it though and afterwards he wasn't mad at me for it. I believe that he is now inspired to better himself. He said that he has made some goals and he is going to change. I guess I don't know how much he will change but that fact that he is willing to put in some effort is worth it. New Years Eve was also good. During the night it was as if the whole city either left or was drinking. I guess in the center of town they had a lot of parties and concerts and a lot of other people went to the beach to pull an all nighter. So we visited a member and then spent the night at Elder J. Sousa´s house. He is such a cool guy and a really good friend. We played some card games and stuff. It was pretty cool. 

A donut thingy I found. It isn't as good as normal donuts!

So also, I am getting transferred. I am going to Ilheus and my companion will be Elder Fernandez. AND I am officially a FULL missionary!!! My training is OVER!  BOO YA! haaha Well that's it for this week. Pretty lame. But I did learn a lot from Jesus the Christ too. My testimony of Him continues to fortify. I know He lives and loves EACH and EVERY one of us. Love you guys!

Love

Elder Davis