Fireworks at 6:30😁🎆

 Monday, January 1, 2024; Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil:

Feliz Novo Ano!!! Happy New Year!!!

I hope you all had a good party last night, maybe watched some fireworks  

This past week was ok. It is, however, one of the busiest weeks of the year for many people, what with Christmas to New Years. 

A lot of people didn't want to do lessons this week, so that was fun. 

We did, however, have a few awesome lessons. 

One of those awesome lessons was with our friend Anderson. He talked about some of his problems that he is trying to get over, and we talked about the principle and process of repentance. Repentance isn't a bad thing, and it can help with anything from addictions to bad behavior, any imperfection. Through it we can become better with any part of our life.

Anderson then came to church with his wife. He said he really enjoyed it and will keep coming, which was super cool. 

We had interviews with our Mission President. We got there a little early to find out that they were delayed a few hours. In the end I started my interview about 4 hours late. So, we sat around talking for a while with other missionaries. 

Also, maybe it's a Brazilian thing, or maybe just a Manaus thing... but people here like to drink a loooot of alcohol. All of Sunday and today, walking in the streets many stores were closed, except those selling beer. And there were lots of groups of people, some dancing to music. But you could tell a lot of them were stoned. (That's when it's not a good idea to stop and talk to them). Sadly, drunk people don't receive the gospel very well.

And fireworks. Throughout the last few days, there have been fireworks every 20-30 minutes. Just small stuff, but literally it starts several days before New Years.

For New Years Eve, our Mission President had a zoom call for the Mission, making sure we stayed in our houses. He also gave us some other rules. One of those was to keep our normal 10:30pm bedtime. I was super tired, so I fell asleep a little while before then. I woke up around 11:45pm, but then fell back asleep. I honestly can't tell you how the midnight fireworks were. However. I can tell you how the 6:30am fireworks were. There weren't too many, but every 5 minutes one would go off until around 8am or so. And still every once in a while, I keep hearing them. 

But let's talk about goals. I am starting to make my New Year's Goals. Goals themselves aren't the most important thing. But we use them to become who we want or need to become. 

And did you know what? When we make goals (and strive to do them!), honestly that's like repenting. We make mistakes or have imperfections, and we want to do better. So, we make goals and promises, and do our best to achieve those goals. 

Each of us has our problems and difficulties. But my challenge for each of you today is to evaluate those goals. First, are they S.M.A.R.T. goals? Do they have a good purpose or are they worth your time and energy? 

And second, do they help you become closer to the Savior? Do they help you remember Jesus Christ, and become closer to him? He is our perfect example. And through repentance we become more like him, more perfect. Repentance is literally putting off our natural selves and becoming better. 

Seek Christ with your goals this year!

I hope y'all have an awesome week, don't forget to pray!

Elder David Olson

MANAUS

PICS - Not many this week :(

-Elder Gualip, Missão Brasil Manaus 

    [No picture arrived with the email. Sorry!]

-We helped with the chapel cleaning and got a snack

-Elder Gualip will be leaving this week for another area

-Happy 2024, brownie points if you can read that