Week 16
April 9, 2018
Hey everyone, it was a great week!
April 9, 2018
Hey everyone, it was a great week!
April 3rd - I didn't get to do much missionary work sadly. I had to go to Porto with Elder Karthigeyan. He had a doctor's appointment and he was taking an English test as well. So we stayed in Porto basically all day for that. I went with him because his actual companion was feeling sick.
April 4th - Lots of knocking doors and contacting people! I also had an interview with the President of my Mision. It was through skype or some video chat website like that. That was great, and nope I'm not in any trouble, yet. Joking, I won't get in trouble.
April 5th - It was my Dad's birthday, shoutout to my hero, and best friend. We got up early because we were going on splits with our Zone Leaders who live in Matosinhos, on the beach. So we travelled there, and I went and worked with Elder Bernardo! He's awesome, and we only spoke in Portuguese the whole time! We went and visited with his investigators. It was hot, and the beach looks dope lol. We saw a guy making some type of drug in the McDonald's "Play Place".
April 6th - We left for Braga (our home). When we travel place to place, we use the metro and trains as well. Portugal's transport system is honestly unreal. When we got back, we worked some more, and for the first time I got into someone's house by knocking doors ahah! We usually just find people by contacting, but this really sweet old lady let us in. She said that she does not like to read so she didnt want a Book of Mormon. But she said she'll call us again. She thought it was crazy that we were only 19!
April 7th - I did my best to speak only Portuguese. I did pretty good with it! More contacting and stuff like that with no luck, and I got shut down hard a couple times which always just makes me laugh!
April 8th - Church, lunch with Lages, and then we went over to the Grando's house (members of the ward). They're so so awesome. I spoke to the father of the family only in Portuguese. I'm at the point where I can communicate with anyone well enough to have a conversation for however long of a time. That being said during the conversation I ask for help with grammer or he slightly corrects me. It was great, we talked about Countries. While I did that, Hernandez was interviewing Leah for baptism. She is married to Israel, who is the Grando's son. All the Grandos are members and Leah decided to join them and be baptized. She was taught all the disscusions a long time ago, but she knows the church is true and decided it was time! When she announced it to her family that night, it was amazing to see the pure joy and happiness in their faces as the all ducked their heads and just cried. It was awesome.
It was another great week, and there is another baptism coming up this week in Braga! I got in a door for the first time! Saw the beach, went and worked in another area. Saw a guy making drugs in a play place. I even received a package from my fam, so that was great!
No super cool story, but I got some American drinks from this one store aha.
And shoutout to those who emailed me! Unreal to hear from all of you! So crazy to think that I'm actually so far away in Portugal right now!
My challenge this week is for you to read Genesis Chapter 24... and put yourself in Abrahams Servants shoes. Ask yourself this, "Would I have faith if I was put in this position?" and "Would I have the courage to do something like this?" In the chapter Abraham's servant has to travel (ALONE) into a different country and look for a wife for Abraham's son, Isaac. Just think about it, he's going into a different country to go get a girl to come back with him and marry a man she doesn't even know. Leaving everything behind.. sheesh.
I'm blessed to have so much love and support from all of you.
Elder out
Mamba out
Elder Parks Stewart Layton
Portugal Porto Mission
Rua de Amália de Luazes, No 23, Sala 1
4200-052 Porto
Portugal
Elder Layton and Elder Bernardo
Elder Karthigeyan and Elder Layton
You can go to lds.org to listen to Genesis 24 if you don't want to read it.
https://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/24?lang=eng
The First Book of Moses Called
Genesis
Chapter 24
Abraham commands that Isaac shall not marry a Canaanite—The Lord guides Abraham’s servant in choosing Rebekah as a wife for Isaac—Rebekah is blessed to be the mother of thousands of millions—She marries Isaac.
1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.
2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
3 And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.
5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?
6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.
7 ¶ The Lord God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angelbefore thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.
8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.
9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.
10 ¶ And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master werein his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.
11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.
12 And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.
13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:
14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.
15 ¶ And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.
18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.
19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.
20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.
22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;
23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?
24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.
25 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.
26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord.
27 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.
28 And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother’s house these things.
29 ¶ And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.
30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.
31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.
32 ¶ And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that werewith him.
33 And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.
34 And he said, I am Abraham’s servant.
35 And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.
36 And Sarah my master’s wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.
37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
38 But thou shalt go unto my father’s house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.
39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
40 And he said unto me, The Lord, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house:
41 Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.
42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LordGod of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:
43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;
44 And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the Lord hath appointed out for my master’s son.
45 And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.
46 And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
48 And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.
49 And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the Lord hath spoken.
52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth.
53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that werewith him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.
55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.
56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lordhath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.
57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth.
58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men.
60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou artour sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
61 ¶ And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
62 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahai-roi; for he dwelt in the south country.
63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.
64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.
65 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself.
66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.
67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
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