Month: July 2024 (Page 1 of 2)

Oiiie!!!

This week was really good! We finally marked some people for baptism!! Unfortunately, they didn’t come to church and aren’t exactly showing much interest today but progress is progress. Just wanted to share a quick scripture then y’all can get back to watching the Olympics.

“And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God.” Moroni 9:6

I know that sounds pretty strong but let me explain. Mormon and Moroni were living in a time where everyone (friends, neighbors, enemies, etc) was against or insensitive to the things of God. It would’ve been so easy for both Mormon and Moroni to give up, live their religion in private, and never risk sharing the gospel. But God doesn’t want us to live our religion quietly, we’re meant to share blessings not keep them secret.

Even if things turn out like they did with Mormon and Moroni, where no matter how hard they tried nobody listened or wanted their message, things will get better. It took generations for the message that Moroni taught to reach anybody and today, his testimony and promise is what has converted millions of hearts and lives for Jesus Christ. You may never see a baptism but your diligent labors and efforts will bear fruits in time.

Tchau Tchauuu

Com amor, 

Sister Alyssa Grace

Ipojuca, Brasil

Well, I actually have very little to tell this week. It was just the usual: work hard, get rejected, work harder. Overall, the week just felt standard and I’m not sure what to write.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of ordinances lately. As a missionary, it’s something we teach a lot. But I’ve been pondering more about what they represent. In everyday life, we use the phase “going through the motions” when we are doing the actions automatically and our hearts or efforts aren’t really there. Obviously, going through the motions of school, work, or any other commitment is better than not showing up at all, BUT, the gospel of Jesus Christ isn’t designed to be lived “through the motions.”

Sometimes when talking about the ordinances, we talk about just the doing. Being baptized, partaking of the sacrament, going to the temple, and everything else. But what about the changes these things are doing in our lives? The gospel moves and the gospel makes, it can help us get through life with a purpose and joy, it’s not something to get through. 

The routines of church membership become burdensome when we forget to look at them as the blessings they are. The sacrament is just bread and water if we forget for what purpose we’re taking it. Baptism is just a bath if the change of heart isn’t real. The temple is just a place if we don’t understand or comprehend the magnitude of the blessings it offers. Nobody wants to lose sight of what’s important so what do we need to do to renew our spiritual sensitivity to these sacred ordinances?

I believe it’s honest earnest prayers. I believe it’s profound scripture study. I believe it’s selfless service and generous love. It’s not easy, there are going to be days when it is just a repeating habit, but when we try and see everything and everyone as what God intends for them to be, we can have continuous spiritual experiences that will help increase our joy and strengthen our weaknesses.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do; Therefore, if ye do these things blessed are ye, for ye shall be lifted up at the last day.” (3 Nephi 27:21-22)

Com amor, 

Sister Alyssa Grace

Ipojuca, Brasil

Got a little math for ya, if 

Alyssa + July 9, 2023 = Sister Grace

Then,

Sister Grace + July 9, 2024 = Old

That’s right folks! This last week I hit the infamous year mark and honestly, it’s brought a lot of unexpected emotions. Mostly just the feeling that I’m close to losing something I’ll never get back and that I’ve just started to discover. But enough of that talk, let’s look at what the last had in store for me.

• Sister Grace

• Comps: 8 (from the following countries)

• Areas: 6

• Brazil x2, USA x2, Bolivia, Guatemala, Peru, Honduras

Countries people have thought I’m from: 

• Australia

• Argentina

• various states in the south of Brazil

• Japan

• England 

• Norway

• Mexico

• Venezuela

• Italy

• and the most common of them all: Germany

Cool things I’ve done:

• been on the radio

• taught English class

• played piano in sacrament meetings, zone conferences, and baptisms 

• made balloon animals to get street contacts 

• ridden a mechanical bull

• killed scorpions (real scorpions) in my house

• learned Portuguese 

• Helped people come closer to Christ 

I started this week feeling very confident and excited for the next 6 months and I still am but this weekend was pretty rough which just goes to show ya, you’re never exempt or past receiving trials but you’re also never exempt or beyond the help of Jesus Christ.

“… Behold, I say unto you, that the good shepherd doth call you;… a shepherd hath called after you and is still calling after you,… yea, and in his own name he doth call you, which is the name of Christ.” (Alma 5:37-38)

I’ve made it this far on the mission and I’m still called to serve so there’s no backing down or giving up. We all gotta keep going so that when He calls, we’re ready to answer.

Com amor, 

Sister Alyssa Grace

Ipojuca, Brasil

It’s been a minute since I’ve written this but I got transferred! I left my Jardim América in the very capable hands of Sister Quispe and met up with the powerful Sister Flores to open an area called Ipojuca! It’s my first branch and it’s been pretty great so far. The missionaries who got transferred out left a list of people ready for baptism and we baptized one of them yesterday.

Paulo, our friend who was baptized, is very cool. We were looking for his house the first night and I saw in his profile that he’d already been to church a few times (aka a very good thing), to my surprise, however, when we found the house, the man who opened the door only had one leg. Brasil in general, but specifically Barsilian sidewalks, were not made wheelchair friendly. But nothing stops Paulo, be it cobblestone streets or unsupportive family members, he was decided, determined, and baptized. 

Yesterday night at the church they held a missionary night where they talked about how the Branch could be doing better at sharing the gospel. There are about 15-20 active members and they want to become a ward so bad. We sure have our work cut out for us but I was filled with so much fire coming out of that meeting that we’re gonna baptize a whole ward out here.

Here’s the scripture of the week that was found in the Come, Follow Me studies.

Alma 21:12-17: “… And they did preach the word unto many, and few believed on the words which they taught. Nevertheless,… they went forth again to declare the word,… and they went forth whithersoever they were led by the Spirit of the Lord, preaching the word of God… and it came to pass that the Lord began to bless them, insomuch that they brought many to the knowledge of the truth.”

I like these verses because even though sometimes I feel completely lost out here and nobody wants to hear our message, I just have to keep going and things will work out. They always have. Amém.

Com amor, 

Sister Alyssa Grace

Ipojuca, Brasil