Conference Week or Week of Conferences?
Hey friends! I am currently on my weekly adventure to the hospital and I am bored to death. Okay well that was the only sentence I wrote at the hospital… we are back!! The last week before transfer week! Deep breaths everyone, it will all work out. This week was General Conference week! Spoiler, it was so so good. Besides that I am going to have to think really hard about what happened this week because it was an eternity.
General Conference!
Okay quick summary for those that don’t know, every six months (April and October) the Church holds a worldwide conference for everyone to watch. This conference is four, two hour sessions held over the weekend. In these sessions leaders and authorities from the Church speak and testify of Jesus Christ and His gospel. It is an incredible opportunity. Lucky for you, all the messages are recorded and transcribed to listen to and study over and over and over! (Click here)
Okay okay. Y’all. The messages were incredible, extremely focused on how we can be better disciples of Christ. Each message was inspiredly connected to the ones before and ones after. That was incredible. Another thing that really stuck out to me is the joy that was visible in every person as they testified of the Gospel. That joy reflected into my spirit and I could not help but smile the whole conference. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the music. The music healed my soul. It brought overwhelming feelings of peace and comfort that I cannot describe. I could sit here and tell you all about my favorite messages and give you summaries but instead I want you to “come and see” for yourself. I promise you will feel the same joy I felt while watching. Not only that but you will find that thing that you are searching for.
Zone Conference
This week we also had zone conference. There were actually a million zone conferences and meetings this week on top of General Conference, it was crazy. Zone conference was good, it was actually so cool to see how inspired the last few trainings have been, let me explain. 9 ish weeks ago we had zone conference and discussed how we could invite and testify better. As we applied it into our teaching we could see how it was truly inspired and that it helped us teach and invite better, feeling the spirit even stronger than before. Ok so that training was something given by Presidente. In between that conference and this one, Presidente took a lil side quest to Rio de Janeiro. There he went to a mission leader conference with Elder Renlund from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. There Sister Renlund trained on something very similar to that which Presidente taught us. Fast forward to zone conference now, Presidente trained this other method that Sister Renlund had taught. Now there are two ways you could think; “wait so the last training just meant nothing and is gone?” or “wait, that last training was inspired to prepare us for this.” As I reflected. I had an overwhelming confirmation that the training Presidente gave was to prepare us for a similar, but little more specific training. I knew that both were inspired to help us be better missionaries. One was what we needed at that time and now this is what we need at this time. A really cool part was when the LZs called me up to share my thoughts just moments after I had received that spiritual confirmation so I was able to bear my testimony that I knew it was divinely inspired and how we could better preach the gospel.
Tid Bits from the Week
Tuesday I made another 4am pajama office trip. We left our door unlocked incase I didn’t wake up the Elders could come wake me up… I woke up at 4:44am to someone standing at my bed (Elder Castillo). Literally 25 seconds before my 4:45am alarm. I was so disappointed
Some sisters gave me a heart attack when they said they were in Curitiba
Almost had to take a side quest to the west mission (twice) but got out of it.
I got to conduct our pre-transfer meeting. Presidente started the meeting and then just said “Urbano, leia” and on we went. It was a hectic but good meeting (as transfers always are)
Elder Bahia and Elder Cadena made an appearance in the Church’s new video called “Dedicate” about the Salt Lake City Temple. I thought that was funny.
Sister Gibson made us pancakes today
Got transfer spoilers from our beloved AP hehe it’s gonna be funnn
I have been picking up the guitar again (for like the 7th time in my mission)
The office was super chill this week. I got to breathe and relax on the couch a bit. That was a blessing. Until everything went wrong (I crashed out on Wednesday night ahaha).
The APs baptized someone that was taught by literally every single missionary in Belém. Even better, our bishop (in his first week as bishop) baptized Him.
God's Hand
On Friday I woke up extremely anxious. As I fell to my knees in prayer I got a million answers to some questions and then proceeded to have the most inspired study session I have had on my mission. The later that day I felt prompted to share what I felt during my personal study with the members we had lunch with and the spirit was so strong. It was really special to me how an answer I thought was meant for just me was used to bless others.
“Hey, I see you”
A simple blessing from Elder Correia
All those that went to get legal documents worked out
Not having to go to the west mission (iykyk)
Someone knocked on our door and asked how he could be baptized.
Seeing and talking and helping some friends at zone conference
Watching General Conference with the zone and seeing everyone’s smiles.
Spiritual Thoughts
“Enabled enduring” is what Elder Kevin J. Hathaway said when speaking about covenants during General Conference this week. It’s incredible if you think about it; as we act in faith to become closer to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, He enables us to continue pressing forward in faith, coming closer to Him. Even throughout life’s challenges. That is what Christ does. He enables. He enables change. He enables love. He enables peace, comfort, and truth. Most importantly, He enables us to return to our Father in Heaven. “Enabled enduring” through Christ and covenants with Him.
Okay! That’s my week! I hope y’all had a week full of miracles and joy. Go study General Conference. These next two weeks are gonna be crazyyyy (as always). Keeping you all in my prayers. Keep me updated. Miss y’all.
Com amor,
Elder Urbano
