E aí pessoal! Welcome to 4 months of receiving missionary emails from Sister Grace. It’s incredibly exciting, I know. This email I felt like summing up some things I’ve learned in the last 127 days.
First, I’ve learned to simplify, slow down, and teach in ways that truly inspire learning. During my first week in the field, I struggled a lot with being understood. Partially because of the language and partially because of my method of teaching. I was using words like restoration, covenant, priesthood, and apostasy. All of which are basic gospel terms in my mind, but none of these are understood by the general populous of Bom Conselho. I struggled more than I care to admit trying to find new words and simpler explanations to teach here. But now, I’ve come to know and love that our doctrine is simple, we just have the tendency to over-complicate it sometimes.
Second, I’ve learned how to pray. It really shocked me the first time I watched my companion teach an adult to pray using the “I’ll speak, you repeat” method. For me, I learned to pray before I learned to read and I was praying on my own in sunbeams. Here, too many people think of praying as a performance, something that you have to develop a talent for. Too many have words and phrases memorized so asking them to pray from the heart is like asking them to speak in another language. I’ve had to consciously change the way I pray so that I can help them be more comfortable praying. I’ve cut out the standard repeated phrases we all hear and use every day for something more sincere and in the moment. I’ve started asking for less and being grateful for more. Through this, I’ve felt a difference in my communication with Heavenly Father and I’ve seen others start to experience it too.
Finally, I’ve learned how to be accountable before God. During a missionary’s training, they have a call once a week with one of the President’s assistants about how they are doing and what they are learning. In one of mine this last week, the Elder made the comment that the number of new people being taught in our area was really low last week. He asked if my companion and I had a problem with diligence. All during this week it really bothered me whenever I thought about it. I know that I am really trying out here, that we are putting in so much effort to teach and find, and that despite what the numbers might show, I am making a difference. I had to get over the fact that in the mind of this Elder, I’m not an effective missionary because I know that my Heavenly Father feels otherwise. As long as I am giving my all to Him, being honest and sincere about my effort, and obeying the rules with gladness, I am doing my part.
In a lot of ways, things here haven’t changed since Day 1. The days are still hot, the trees are still green, the mosquitos still bite, and Portuguese is still hard. But I’m always changing, always growing, and always seeing new blessings of the Lord’s hand in my life and work.
“And this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.”
– Alma 29:9
That’s all folks, Tchau tchau for now!
Com amor,
Sister Alyssa Grace
Bom Conselho, Brasil
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