This week, we really became the representatives of Christ that missionaries are.

First week of the transfer down, and I couldn't be more satisfied!! So Tuesday I got up early and made a huge breakfast for me and Elder Rangel and went in and woke him up with the food when the 6:30 alarm went off. (He never wakes up on time) Nothin wakes an elder up faster than a hot breakfast! I did that every day this week and by Saturday he was getting up before the six thirty alarm and calling the other elders in the district telling them to wake up and exercise. 

We completley transformed our nightly planning this week. It used to be us sitting on the beds while he sat there thinking then told me what to write down. It wasn't exactly the most effective planning. Now we actually converse and discuss all the investigators individually. not just what time we will go but actually make a lesson plan. Weekly planning was completly different as well. It was pretty much the same as the daily in the past. Write down some goals and write down who we want to baptise. Yesterday we took well over an hour making detailed plans for everyone and what they need. We did companion inventory and talked about what we need to work on individually and as a companionship. Our studies, our planning, our lessons, our lunches, EVERYTHING magically transformed this week. We are actually doing things right! When you start with the simple things like getting up on time, the bigger things fall into place.When you do well in the small and simple things you feel the success and the spirit in that, and it makes you want to have more. Then you start doing a little more and a little more until you are truly excelling in all aspects. The same goes for the other way too. Whether you are or are not obedient, it creates a cycle in which you will either grow or regress. I've gotten to see both sides of that cycle here in the field and its a lot more fun to watch the good side!! The other thing I learned is you can't do this work alone. You and your companion have to be aligned on everything. If your companion isn't doing his part you gotta lovingly kick his butt into gear, cause you can't do it alone.

   

Our work with the investigators went great this week!!! We did some door knocking this week and it turns out I havn't lost all of my door to door salesman yet! I was pretty discouraged a few weeks ago knocking doors because in English, I'm a pretty smooth talker, but in Portugues I was just stumbling through door approaches. This week Elder Rangel and I decided to knock on opposite sides of the street to get more contacts done. We were able to get in and teach 3 out of the 5 people I talked to.  He also found a family that we taught and we picked up 8 new investigators on one street corner!! Allison (new guy) is super cool. He read the Book of Mormon and prayed and said he wanted to keep reading and felt super good after just one day. He said he wanted to come to church and bring the rest of his family. He's super sincere and humble. I'm excited to work with him. Vilma, another newbee, is super straightforward and outgoing.  She says it like it is and tells you how she feels. Super excited to continue working with her as well. Then the family that Rangel found is great. Mom and three kids and they said they don't attend a church right now, but they have gone to a lot and have a lot of questions and confusion about religion. That's the most perfect concern someone could have! This church was restored because someone had the same doubts. They seem to have recieved the lesson of the restoration really well and we will follow up with them tomorrow. Our other family is still progressing super well! They come to church and do family home evening every week without fail! We are working with them on marriage right now so they can be baptised. She believes whole heartedly in the plan of salvation and said she is going to be married because she wants to go to the celestial kingdom with her family!! 

    

This week finally felt like we became missionaries! Before we were some young guys talking about God. This week, we really became the representatives of Christ that missionaries are. We tried to be obedient in everything and put forth a conscious effort to become better. We were so blessed for this and were able to be very successful this week. Not only were we blessed but we are able to bring the blessings of eternities to more and more families. The Lord really does bless us for everything and we will never be able to repay Him for everything we recieve. 

The luxurious life of a missionary. At night after planning I spend about 20-30 minutes in my hammock writing in my journal and looking at the stars. There isn't anything better at the end of a long day of work.

Love Y'all; 

Elder Little