Draco Malfoy

- August 07, 2023

Monday, August 7, 2023: Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil:

This week has been long, but pretty simple.

We had an in-person District meeting. There we set super high goals, but I think we can reach them. And goals help us stretch right?

This week I did a division with another American, Elder Bennett. He is from California, and has 1 year and 6 months on the mission, is super white (blonde), and looks like Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter, along with the boy from Home Alone. Pictures don't do him justice.

During the division, it was super interesting to hear him talk to people. He is known in the mission for speaking really good Portuguese. That, along with his good abilities to talk to people were super cool to watch. I need to learn some of his skills.

As a side note, whenever he passed people in the street, he would say 'bom dia', 'boa tarde' or 'boa noite'. (Good: morning, afternoon, night). And he said it super-fast in a voice that reminded me of Star Wars when Obi-wan says his famous line: 'Hello there'. No, my mission hasn't made me forget all the things in my past. It provided some comedy that I could easily explain to him in English :)

That night we ended up talking a lot about our experiences with the language and culture of Brazil. He shared some very helpful advice about some extremes of certain situations on the mission, things he regrets a little as well as things he learned from it. Like how to adapt to Brazilian culture, while not losing some of the virtues from American (USA). Then we also had some companionship study, studying The Book of Mormon in Portuguese, and Elder Bennett gave me some tips for my Portuguese. Then when it was time to end the division, all 4 of us ate lunch together.

This week we did tons of contacting, stopping people in the streets and starting conversations in public. One of our biggest problems has been the sun. It's just so hot. At the same time, it's Manaus, Brazil. Normal :)

We had some awesome lessons with people. It's always good to see people grow. Some need to grow or change more spiritually, while others need to grow and change physically.

A while back I mentioned the Portuguese word for faith, (Fé). Faith is so important. It is a principle of action. But one of the things I like to tell people in Portuguese is that Fé is simple. It has two important parts, F and E.

F is for faz, Portuguese for "to do" (to act).

E is for Espera, Portuguese for "to wait."

When we have faith, we use that faith by making a change, and then waiting for God's timing. When we don't act, nothing about ourselves or situation changes. When we don't wait, we get impatient and think that it was all for nothing.

I invite you all to do both these steps for whatever problems and changes you need in your lives: Make a change, and then wait for God to help you out.

I also hope you all have an awesome week!

Elder David Olson

MANAUS

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