Service, rain, funny little kids...

- December 12, 2023

Monday, December 11, 2023; Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil:

This week there was a lot of rain, and I think I got a cold from it. But at least it usually makes the temperature cooler.

This week I did a big service project with my District of 8 other Elders. We moved some bricks, knocked down a brick wall, and worked on clearing dirt out to make a garage space. Mostly, it was just removing buckets of dirt.

Our ward held their Primary [Children's] Program [in our worship service], which included all the little kids singing and reciting Articles of Faith, bearing testimony, etc. It brought back fond memories. I especially liked the part during one of the songs when a little boy (maybe 5 or 6 years old) commandeered the microphone. Then a minute later he did it again. All the exhausted parents and leaders. But it was awesome, the kids sang out and the spirit was felt by all. So thankful for the many years of Primary [I attended], with the many awesome leaders and awesome primary programs. Good times :)

My current ward's Bishop talked with us a bunch and encouraged us to take a class after the mission on marketing.

This week we had some really awesome lessons and inspired work. I really saw the hand of the Lord in our work. The small things. The random doors we went to. The people we talked to, who I didn't have any hope for. The Lord makes even the smallest, least likely contacts into mini miracles.

Also, shoutout to the new Apostle called to the Quorum of the 12 Apostles. Elder Patrick Kearon. I was interested to see he had connection/lived in parts of Europe and Saudia Arabia. The Church is a global church after all :) And the Lord knows who He wants and who we need to lead His church.

This week I reread one of Elder Patrick Kearon's General Conference talks. In it he shares a story.

• "As a seven-year-old boy living in the Arabian Peninsula, I was consistently told by my parents to always wear my shoes, and I understood why. I knew that shoes would protect my feet against the many threats to be found in the desert, such as snakes, scorpions, and thorns. One morning after a night’s camping in the desert, I wanted to go exploring, but I did not want to bother with putting on my shoes. I rationalized that I was only going for a little wander and I would stay close by the camp. So instead of shoes, I wore flip-flops. I told myself that flip-flops were shoes—of a sort. And anyway, what could possibly happen?

As I walked along the cool sand—in my flip-flops—I felt something like a thorn going into the arch of my foot. I looked down and saw not a thorn but a scorpion. As my mind registered the scorpion and I realized what had just happened, the pain of the sting began to rise from my foot and up my leg. I grabbed the top of my leg to try and stop the searing pain from moving farther, and I cried out for help. My parents came running from the camp."

(Link to the talk : https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2010/10/come-unto-me-with-full-purpose-of-heart-and-i-shall-heal-you?lang=eng)

This talk is awesome. While Elder Kearon talks about a ton of good points, for me one word in the story stuck out. He 'Rationalized'.

While rationalizing can be a good skill to have, be careful. Sometimes in our rationalizing we cut corners. We leave safety and go our way unprotected. This can be used in a variety of circumstances. This could be going without emergency preparedness because it's cheaper and easier. It could be going to the bar for 'just one drink'. It could be skipping scriptures and prayer for just one day or missing a week of church.

We may save time, energy, money, sleep. Our lives might seem so much easier, less busy, simpler. But in the end, we will get that scorpion. And we won't be prepared.

What if. What if Elder Kearon had put on some shoes or boots? That scorpion would not have been in a thorn in his foot, but a harmless scratch on his shoe. He may have been subject to 10 scorpions but been protected. That could have been the enjoyable walk he was looking for. But no. It was painful.

So, for all of you: It's good to rationalize and save time, energy, money. But be careful to not go unprotected. There are always things to cut from our lives, or things to add. But don't cut things that are important or add things that are dangerous. Read scriptures and pray. Go to church. Avoid addictions and dangerous situations.

So, for all of you, my invitation is to put on the armor of God and trust in God in all things.

That's it,

Tchau!

Elder David Olson

MANAUS

Olson.david@missionary.org

FOTOS-