The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Hey friends! Jesus Christ and P-Day. Those are the two lights at the end of the tunnel. This was a long week with a lot of walking (surprise, surprise) and not a lot of finding but hey we made it through.
Conferência da Zona
As always with the start of a new transfer we had zone conference! This zone conference was probably the best one I have had yet. We got really good trainings on the power we have as missionaries as well as how we can work well with members of the Church. President Andrade showed a video clip from a talk by Elder David A. Bednar where he talked about how people can tell when we have the Spirit with us. We should be doing all that we can do to have the Spirit with us and carry out the work of the Lord; we aren't missionaries from 10am to 9pm, we are missionaries 24/7/365 so we should act like it.
And zone conferences are always good because I get to see and talk to other missionaries. This time most of district Continental was there: S. Hernandez, S. Lopes, E. Eysser, and E. Gonzalez. The best district reunited in the interior. I got to see Elder Bingham again which was so good. He gave me some good advice as he always does. I also talked to the APs and President too. Last but certainly not least, after what felt like years, I got to see the Sister Tew again. The last time we talked was during our greenie training so it was nice to catch up (even if President interrupted our conversation ahaha).
Thursday
Let me just summarize this day was. Woke up, showered, read some scriptures, planned a little… normal so far. Then just sat there in silence for like 30 minutes. Not one of us four said a word. We attempted to do weekly planning but we all got super depressed because nothing is happening in our areas. Being all depressed we realized the house was never dedicated (the mission bought it a week before transfers and the other Elders didn't want to dedicate it). Everyone decided that I was the best person to dedicate it because I was the least “off.” We got on our knees and I dedicated the house. As soon as I started praying we were overwhelmed with the Spirit. I have talked before about how blessed we are to have the Priesthood, the power of God, on this Earth and this was a testament of it. Immediately after I dedicated the home we all started feeling a little more light.
We didn't have a member lunch so I suggested we make pancakes. The Brazilians made American pancakes, that was funny. During lunch we played a board game which was super funny because my comp couldn't win, let alone even get started before someone killed him. After lunch my comp and I started the hour and a half walk into my area. We got there, knocked literally one door and it started to pour. A torrential downpour. In our plan for the day I put “Encontrar se Deus quiser (Translation: Finding, if God wants). At that time I was thinking, “well looks like he doesn't want us to.” After about 40 minutes of taking shelter next to a couple it finally stopped enough to knock some doors. Knocked some doors, ran into some members, then I called an Uber because a member offered us dinner. We went there, had some food (that I don't really know what it was but it was good), and some cake.
We then had to call an Uber home because we were a little late and had a zone call. The zone call consisted of the same three questions that everyone in the mission asks but no one seems to know the answers to and then us four Elders making fun of the other Elders. It was very funny. We then sat and chatted a little past curfew but made some good memories and helped out my comp a little bit. I then hit the sheets and blacked out. So… if anyone asks you what a normal day in missionary life is… just show them this; Normal doesn't exist.
Random
Did a kidnapping training this week
It was really hot this week
Got a milkshakeee
The finding isn't finding
My legs are dead
Went up to part of my area that has a really pretty view
Moo‘d at some cows
Saw some good rainbows and sunsets
I really want to find a fishing hat
Cut Elder Kubik’s hair, gave him a nice fade
The other Elders had a baptism
Quotes
“The best way to mitigate against a kidnapping is to not get kidnapped” [Church Security Director]
“Aqui é céu e ali eu não vou falar o que é (Translation: Right here is heaven and there… I will not say what it is)” [Elder Souza, 2/15/2025]
God's Hand
Rainbows and sunsets
I didn’t die of thirst
I only ran out of energy at the end of the day
Spiritual Thought
I read and listened to a bunch of cool and interesting things this week. When I was thinking about which one to write about in this week's email every single one came to mind. The problem was that all the topics were so different that I couldn’t figure out how to connect them all. Then, I remembered the council that Elder Patrick Kearon gave to Elder Clark Gilbert, which he recalled in the February 2026 Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults (26’).
Elder Gilbert asked Elder Kearon when he should give closing remarks at a Sacrament meeting when he presides. Elder Kearon responded that he should when he is prompted by the Spirit but in the case that the meeting was not centered on Christ he was obligated to give remarks.
This made me ponder, yes, I learned a lot this week and I studied various topics but Christ is at the center of all of them. Christ is the source of all living and all that is good as he states in the Book of Mormon.
“15 Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning…
“18 I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.” [3 Nephi 9:15, 18]
That is what we need to remember. There is so much we can learn about or discover in this life but we ought to remember Him first; The sacrifice that he made for every one of us.
Alrighty, I will end on that note. I love you all. Please email me, the days have been getting kind of long so your email would make my day. Let me know if there is anything I can pray for! With that we are on to next week. Sorry this week was boring, hopefully next week is better!
Amo vocês,
Elder Urbano
