Hey Mom! …. I'm doing great and I'm feeling great. So many new things are happening. My new area and calling are incredible. I love the people here and the trainings that I gave this week went really well. Its awesome to be closer to President because he is so inspired. We ate lunch at his house yesterday and I shared a message with him and Sister Lima after lunch. I'm really excited to go to church tomorrow. President said that our Bishop sings classical music so I'm excited to meet him and sing with him. I'll need to practice for sure. Not all of our area is beach and big buildings but some of it is. Leblon (which is right next to Ipanema and Copacabana) is the most expensive place to live in South America and its one of the most expensive in the world! How crazy is that? I'll be sure to take tons of pictures. How are you doing? How was your week? How was Adam´s birthday? Jordan turns 19 Monday! I'm excited for him. I'm not sure what else to say right now but I hope you're great and happy and doing well. I love you so much and am thankful for your wonderful example and for your testimony and conversion to the gospel. I love the Lord. "In Him my soul delights." These are lyrics to a song that they made other lyrics for the Hymn Be Still My Soul. They took many ideas from 2 Nephi 4. I absolutely love this hymn. Its sang by the BYU mens choir and its incredible. Read 2 Nephi 4 and then listen to this song. I promise that the Spirit will testify to you that the things you read are true. I know that the Book of Mormon is true because it has caused a mighty change in my heart. This is conversion. I have received a testimony but to be converted is to give all of my heart, might, mind and strength to defend, preach and testify about the wonderful truths that the Spirit has taught me. I love the Lord. In Him my soul delights.
I'm inspired and am very pleased with your wonderful experience and how you are sensitive to the Spirit! Keep going!! These ideas come from our Heavenly Father and He is using you as a tool in His hand. I have a part of my Patriarchal Blessing that talks about my mission and how if I work with the Spirit, the Lord will use me to do His work. Keep going Mom! Pray for opportunities to bear your testimony and spread the Gospel. These people desperately need you... So much more than you think they do. … the Lord has made many promises that He will seek for His lost sheep. He knows where they are and when they are ready and He sends us, imperfect people, to find them and heal up their wounds and cure their hearts. They need our help. Run to their rescue. I imagine the Savior running to save me when I fall. He picks me up and carries me in His arms. He is gentle and loving in deed and in thought. The Savior wants to help us and is coming to our rescue. Mom, the Savior is asking you to fulfill your baptismal covenant and to run to the rescue of the hurt, the suffering, the sad, the depressed and the lost ones. I promise you as a representative of Jesus Christ that as you run daily to the rescue of the Lord's lost sheep, that He will heal your wounds, comfort your heart, strengthen your weaknesses and He will run to your rescue. You will feel your Savior's love in all the world around you. I know this is true because I also feel it. You're never alone. God knows you and loves you so much and He is proud of your sacrifice and service. I love you so much and can’t wait to hear from you next week!
Élder Jared Knotts
Hey Mommy!Sorry I didnt send an email last week. This week was really great and today is the last day of the transfer. I will be transfered to a new area (and probably my last area in the mission). My new companion is.... Élder Maciel again! I'm really excited to work with Elder Maciel again! This time though I wont be Zone Leader. I'm the new Assistent to President Lima. Out of the, more or less, 150 or 160 missionaries, There are 22 Zone Leaders and 2 Assistents to the President and now Elder Maciel and I will be the Assistents. ........ I wont be working as much in the street and knocking doors and stuff like that. I will still work and teach and baptize but now I will travel A LOT over all of Rio and I will be giving tons of trainings for other missionaries and also I will do a lot of number and technical work. My new area is called Jardim Botânico which would be Botanical Garden in english. My area includes Copacabana, Ipanema, Le Blaun and several other parts of the South Zone in Rio. Its incredible. I'm gonna go there tomorrow. President Lima and his family will be members of my new ward. I cant believe it! Its really exciting and now I'm even more excited to work hard and teach and give everything I have for my last 3 months in the mission. Its gonna be incredible. ..... Its gonna be awesome! I'm so glad that Mia ate with you at home and went to church. We gotta do everything we can to help... And dont wait! Serve people and you will see miracles happen. In our ward, the 2nd counselor of the Primary was called to be the Relief Society Presidetne and she said something really interesting in the Ward Counsil yesterday. SHe said that in the Primary, you feel close to the Savior because the children are pure and innocent but in the Relief Society you learn to serve and be like the Savior. I thought this was really special and essential in our callings and in our duty as members of the Lord's church and as His disciples. As we serve others every day, we will grow to be like the Savior and truly come to know Him. I love my Savior, Jesus Christ and I want to be more like Him. I feel His love for me and this love motivates me.... To lift up the hands that hang low and to strengthen the feeble knees. I am constantly reminded of those simple words in the Primary Hymns. Especially in "Im trying to be Like Jesus", "try to show kindness in all that you do, be gentle and loving in deed and in thought!" Reflect through out the day. Am I showing kindness for others? Am I being gentle and loving in my deeds (what I do) and in my thoughts? I hope you're doing great and I hope to hear from you soon!
Elder Knotts
