Hey friends! Shout out to my fellow cougars. I hope y’all are feeling great these days, especially with our win over Notre Dame. This week was exhausting… like that is new. We had transfers, two days worth of new missionaries, and two other trainings, and a whole lot of food. I think I gained like 10 pounds this week. It was wild. By Friday night I was dead (and fat).
Transfers, Novinhos, More Meetings
The week started Tuesday at a bright, wait no, dark and early 3:30am. The funny part is that I didn’t even try to wake up, I just happened to hear some keys jingling and knew it was the APs going to the airport. Which means that either way I had to be up to get their Ubers. I tried to go back to sleep but that was hopeless. I was basically on call all morning. Transfers then started at a nice 8pm with some sisters that had been emergency transferred during the week coming in to get their suitcases. Oh my gosh they had so much stuff. The APs and I ended up having to walk them to the subway station because there were so many bags. It was hilarious. After that we over saw transfers and I worked on some financial stuff that I knew that I wouldn’t get to during the week. Tuesday night I said bye to my Mexican AP, Elder Lopez. We prepped some stuff for the next day and that was that!
Novinhos day!! A nice crisp Wednesday morning had us over at the office at 7am to get the new missionaries’ bags unloaded. They did not show up until 8:15am though ahaha. I told them the game plan and the new arrivals were off. I then attempted to get in a quick study. I got as much as I could in the 30 minutes of peace. I don't even remember what we did in the morning but it wasn't nothing. After I made some nice kraft mac and cheese with sausage for lunch we got the call that the novinhos were on their way to the office. We hit them with the welcomes and got underway with the secretaries’ trainings. I didn't train this time I just ran around like a chicken with its head cut off helping where help was needed. The day wrapped up with some pizza that your's truly spent an hour or two negotiating but it was worth it. I was scared because, the last two times I negotiated with some pizza places, President did not like the pizza but I did good this time. Don't worry. I got home and immediately got a phone call with some issue to be solved… drumroll please… the folders were see through. Like come on bruh, at least that was a semi easy fix.
Thursday morning I loaded all the new missionaries up in a van (wow that sounds sketchy) and took them to the new temple grounds. I was President's translator once again for his little devotional part, then he headed out and I gave a bilingual tour around the grounds. I love that part. We got back to the office and the APs hunted me down to tell me that I would be the translator that day. Not only that but it would be 100% live translation for 3 hours. I did not come upstairs right away and as I was literally making my way up, Elder Correia called me. It was funny because my phone started ringing and Elder Correia heard my ringtone (my ringer is almost always on) and went “ope never mind he is here.” Ok let me explain something, there are three main types of translations that I do; reading, intermittent (breaks in-between sentence), and live (translating at the same time they are talking). I had never translated live and oh my gosh it was an adventure. It is not easy at all. I have no clue if what I was even saying made sense but hopefully they got the gist. Afterwards I sprinted up the stairs to eat because I was starving. I ate so much strogonoff. Immediately following lunch we went right into sending the new missionaries out, the most hectic part. This time it was chill though because I am used to double the amount.
We rolled right into the next meeting, District Leaded Training. This one I didn't have to do much, just get 25 pizzas and 24 liters of soda. No biggie. By the time that meeting and dinner were over it was almost 8 o'clock and I still had to go grocery for lunch the next day at another meeting. We sprinted over there, bought 80 hot dogs, a bunch of other random stuff and açai, getting home just after 9pm. I knocked out just to wake up for the First Responder training Friday morning. I welcomed everyone and then we ran over to the store to get some fresh bread. At that point my work was over and all was said and done. We planned our week then visited some recent converts and their parents and that was that. I hit my bed and was out.
Miracle Sunday
On Sunday we had stake conference which, if I am being so for real, I did not understand much of it because the audio where I was sitting was so bad. However, there was a miracle. The other Elders asked if an irmão could sit next to me and of course I let him. I texted to ask them if he was a member of the Church of a friend and they responded saying they did not know. Right before the meeting I asked him and he said he was a member that was returning to church. Okay cool. I just sat back and watched the meeting. A little bit later I thought I would look at his membership record but I couldn’t find it. I felt prompted to ask when he was baptized and I found out he never was baptized! He had just heard of and attended the Church in the past. I asked if he wanted to be baptized and he said “yes, I want to be firm this time.” I followed that with “Do you want to be baptized today?” and he said “No, not yet” and by that time the next speaker had come up so I left it at that.
As the conference continued I knew what I needed to say after the conference. The conference ended and I asked if we could read a verse together and he accepted. We read Moroni 8:25-26. After reading and explaining the verse I asked if he would be baptized the next week. He told me he needed a few months then he would decide and that he would be traveling. I returned to the scripture and this time, as we read, I testified that baptism was the next step for him, that his journey didn’t start nor end with baptism and that the Spirit he would receive would guide him so that he could press forward with strength. I then invited him one last time to be baptized on the first, the Sunday he would be back. This time I saw and felt a change in the invite. He looked at me and he said “ok, what clothes do I bring?” I smiled and went to introduce him to the bishop and pass him over to the other Elders. As we walked up to the other Elders he said “I will get baptized on the first.” I smiled even bigger this time, he said it was not me. So yeah that was my little miracle. Please pray that it will all work out. When it does you will see me baptizing a guy 3 times my size ahaha pray for that too.
Fun Facts
7 trainings and meetings in 3 days.
I bought over 45 pizzas this week. I lost count.
No one showed up to EnglishConnect on Saturday
I got a package from my mom!
I am now a professional at waking up to the sound of keys, my ringer, and someone saying my name.
God's Hand
Having energy to get through the week
Pizza showing up on time
Everything going smoothly
People that checked in on me during the week
Sleeping well, even if it was quick
Still getting studies in
Being able to help others smile
My Sunday Miracle
Being able to testify and preach, feeling that I was Christ's representative
BYU won :)
Prayers and fasts answered
Spiritual Thoughts
Okay I had two really spiritual experiences this week.
On Friday many missionaries came to the office. I wasn't planning on being there early enough to see them get there but I was prompted to be there. As each one of them walked in I could not help but smile and give them a big welcome and let them know that I was happy to see them. It was something that I didn't think I had energy for, yet every time someone walked in I was even fuller of energy and happy. As I welcomed them I saw a light come across their faces. I was reminded of a quote by Elder Michael John U. Teh during the April 2026 General Conference.
“Our windows were not facing east. How did we ever get the morning sun? Upon further investigation, I learned that the sun’s rays were being reflected into our apartment by the tall building in front of us. I was reminded that when we strive to follow the Savior, He will use us to bless others. Through our example and service to others, they will feel the Savior’s love for them.”
I do not doubt that I was used in that moment to reflect Christ's love to people that were needing it at that moment.
The second experience was teaching our recent converts and their parents. We were leaving a message and we were not getting anyways. I was very strongly prompted to make it very clear and direct on what they needed to do. If you know me you know I don't like to call people out or be extremely direct but in this moment that is what the spirit permitted me to do. As I did that some accepted my invite and others straight up denied but even though they denied I was at peace because I knew I did what the Savior would have me do and that He used me to speak for Him in that moment. As missionaries that is where our joy comes from; not the success but our efforts to be like Him. I share these thoughts in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Okay, watch out for a Day In The Life vlog coming soon… I may or may not have made one. We will see how it turns out. You'll see that all I wrote about in action (hopefully). Okay I am gonna talk to my family now. Love you all! Goodnight!
Até,
Elder Urbano
