I hate holidays on Mondays. Today was a surprise holiday here in Teresina. And it wasn't Halloween. Some random "Commerce Day" decided to complicate our P-Day. Our plans fell through because of it, but that's okay. We made the best of the worst and had a pretty good P-Day.
There's a neat little artesans building place thing in the center of Teresina. I found some pretty neat little things there. There were several shops that sold artworks and crafts that the local people here in Teresina made.
I got to know a bit more about the culture and history of Piauí!
Things are going great. We're teaching a young man named Arnaldo. He's 21 and he's studying to be a veterinarian. He's very intelligent and is understanding what we're teaching him, very easily. He is really liking church. He has many questions that we're answering and I feel he is progressing very well.
I'll let you know how he progresses!
Love,
Elder Rackham
Monday, October 31, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Mission Reflections
The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know. It's interesting, this feeling. I look back on my mission, and I see the progress I've made. I've changed. I've become a better person. I've developed many good habits, and abilities. But the more I notice this, the more I see the necessity to keep going. I can't stop after my mission. There's much more to improve one.
I was thinking also about the people we are teaching. I wonder if they ever ask themselves, what kind of person do I want to be 10 years from now? That's not a common question in today's society. In today's society, we ask ourselves what do we want to do 10 years from now, where do we want to be in our carreer, what do we want to have in the future. But rarely, does society teach us to worry about our character.
To me, that is one of the great blessings of the restored gospel. The desire we have to be a better person, to walk a little taller, to smile more, and be enthused with life, that to me, is one of the great purposes in life. I could have all the money in the world, a great career, house, cars, but if I haven't become a better person, more christ-like, compassionate, patient, humble, diligent, charitable, then what's the point? One day I'm going to die, and where will all that be? Only my character will remain with me.
So recently, I've been asking myself that question: What kind of person do I want to be in the future?
It's a good question I hope we all ask ourselves.
Love you all!
Elder Rackham
I was thinking also about the people we are teaching. I wonder if they ever ask themselves, what kind of person do I want to be 10 years from now? That's not a common question in today's society. In today's society, we ask ourselves what do we want to do 10 years from now, where do we want to be in our carreer, what do we want to have in the future. But rarely, does society teach us to worry about our character.
To me, that is one of the great blessings of the restored gospel. The desire we have to be a better person, to walk a little taller, to smile more, and be enthused with life, that to me, is one of the great purposes in life. I could have all the money in the world, a great career, house, cars, but if I haven't become a better person, more christ-like, compassionate, patient, humble, diligent, charitable, then what's the point? One day I'm going to die, and where will all that be? Only my character will remain with me.
So recently, I've been asking myself that question: What kind of person do I want to be in the future?
It's a good question I hope we all ask ourselves.
Love you all!
Elder Rackham
Monday, October 17, 2011
Transfers!
So we had a transfer.
Elder Marinho is oging to Araguaína and I'm staying here in Angelim. Elder Alencar is going to come in Elder Marinho's place. It looks like I'm going to finish my mission here in Teresina, in the Angelim Ward.
Elder Alencar has already been out for quite a bit of time, I believe he's been out for almost a year and 6 months, so it'll be nice to have a compnaion that has gone through so many different experiences.
Unfortunately I ran out of time, but I'll update you next week!
With Love,
Elder Rackham
Elder Marinho is oging to Araguaína and I'm staying here in Angelim. Elder Alencar is going to come in Elder Marinho's place. It looks like I'm going to finish my mission here in Teresina, in the Angelim Ward.
Elder Alencar has already been out for quite a bit of time, I believe he's been out for almost a year and 6 months, so it'll be nice to have a compnaion that has gone through so many different experiences.
Unfortunately I ran out of time, but I'll update you next week!
With Love,
Elder Rackham
Monday, October 10, 2011
Stake Conference!
This past Sunday was Stake Conference in Teresina. Stake Conference is when all the local congregations of the Church in the local area get together and have a conference. So this past Sunday was just that! Some leaders of the Church came, Elder Godoy was one of them. He's already come to our mission here in Teresina to talk to us, and I loved it. Now I got to see him talking to the local congregations here in Teresina, and it was just as good.
He talked a lot about our responsabilities, and the order of importance. First, we have a responsability for our families, and this responsability comes first. Then we have a responsability for our jobs, and that comes second. Third, is our responsability for the Church, and fourth is our responsability for ourselves. He spent a lot of time talking about our family responsabilities, and used many examples from his family, that happened as he and his wife worked to fulfill these responsabilities and what they learned.
I'll tell one quick story. He said that when he first heard that that fathers should interview their children (sit down individually and talk with them openly about their goals, desires, challenges they're facing, etc) he came home and told his wife, "Honey, I learned today that I need to interview our children." At the time, their oldest daughter was 4 years old. His wife agreed so he called his daughter and said "Renata, daddy needs to interview you." See got all happy and and ran to her room. Elder Godoy was a little confused by this, why she ran to her room, until she came back with a toy microphone, ran back to him, held it up to him and asked "Who do you want to send a kiss to, Dad?"
I got a chuckle out of that. But, he explained that he was talking to his 4 your old daughter as if she was an adult, and that we need to adapt the teachings to our families according to the ages and situations of our family members. So I learned several things from this, that I can apply when I'm a father.
Well, until next week!
Love,
Elder Rackham
He talked a lot about our responsabilities, and the order of importance. First, we have a responsability for our families, and this responsability comes first. Then we have a responsability for our jobs, and that comes second. Third, is our responsability for the Church, and fourth is our responsability for ourselves. He spent a lot of time talking about our family responsabilities, and used many examples from his family, that happened as he and his wife worked to fulfill these responsabilities and what they learned.
I'll tell one quick story. He said that when he first heard that that fathers should interview their children (sit down individually and talk with them openly about their goals, desires, challenges they're facing, etc) he came home and told his wife, "Honey, I learned today that I need to interview our children." At the time, their oldest daughter was 4 years old. His wife agreed so he called his daughter and said "Renata, daddy needs to interview you." See got all happy and and ran to her room. Elder Godoy was a little confused by this, why she ran to her room, until she came back with a toy microphone, ran back to him, held it up to him and asked "Who do you want to send a kiss to, Dad?"
I got a chuckle out of that. But, he explained that he was talking to his 4 your old daughter as if she was an adult, and that we need to adapt the teachings to our families according to the ages and situations of our family members. So I learned several things from this, that I can apply when I'm a father.
Well, until next week!
Love,
Elder Rackham
Monday, October 3, 2011
General Conference
General Conference! Woo!
It was absolutely wonderful fo rme. For those unfamiliar with what General Conference is, it's a conference that the church holds twice a year. This conference is divided into 4 individually-unique sessions between Saturday and Sunday, with a 5th session for all male members ages 12 and up. During these sessions, the leaders of the Church speak to the members of the church as well as the general populace of the world.
In preparation for General Conference, I wrote down some questions that I was hoping to receive answers to. At the end of all 4 sessions, I was able to see all 4 of those questions being answered by one more more talks that were given by the leaders of the Church. It was very special to me, because I could feel that I have a loving Heavenly Father that wants me to learn and grow, and He answers my prayers. I felt with a surety that God speaks with his authorized servents today, the prophets and apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
It was amazing to see how God answered all of my questions in a very specific manner. I also was amazed to see how clearly the answer came to my mind. The answer did not necessarily come from the words that were spoken, but in most cases, the answer came from the thoughts and impressions and feelings I had that were caused by the words that were spoken. I know realize on a more deeper level, how the Spirit talks to us. He speaks to us in a very simply, but profound way, that is not easily forgotten.
The guidance I received strengthened my faith, my dedication to the Lord, and my desire to become a better person. It was a great blessing to be able to see General Conference. And it was definitely worth the time that I sacrificed to see it.
I hope all who sought for spiritual guidance was able to find it in this past General Conference.
Until next week!
Love,
Elder Rackham
It was absolutely wonderful fo rme. For those unfamiliar with what General Conference is, it's a conference that the church holds twice a year. This conference is divided into 4 individually-unique sessions between Saturday and Sunday, with a 5th session for all male members ages 12 and up. During these sessions, the leaders of the Church speak to the members of the church as well as the general populace of the world.
In preparation for General Conference, I wrote down some questions that I was hoping to receive answers to. At the end of all 4 sessions, I was able to see all 4 of those questions being answered by one more more talks that were given by the leaders of the Church. It was very special to me, because I could feel that I have a loving Heavenly Father that wants me to learn and grow, and He answers my prayers. I felt with a surety that God speaks with his authorized servents today, the prophets and apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
It was amazing to see how God answered all of my questions in a very specific manner. I also was amazed to see how clearly the answer came to my mind. The answer did not necessarily come from the words that were spoken, but in most cases, the answer came from the thoughts and impressions and feelings I had that were caused by the words that were spoken. I know realize on a more deeper level, how the Spirit talks to us. He speaks to us in a very simply, but profound way, that is not easily forgotten.
The guidance I received strengthened my faith, my dedication to the Lord, and my desire to become a better person. It was a great blessing to be able to see General Conference. And it was definitely worth the time that I sacrificed to see it.
I hope all who sought for spiritual guidance was able to find it in this past General Conference.
Until next week!
Love,
Elder Rackham
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