30 Sept 2013

Hey Mom!

So after 4 months in Sulacap (Madureira stake) I will be leaving the city of Rio for Niterói (Nee-tare-oy). I will be the leader Zone Leader there also and my new companion is from Argentina. I dont know him very well yet but I'm really excited. In my new zone, its really close to the city of Rio. Its on the other side of a bay of water. I hope that makes sense haha. I will have 4 groups of Elders (including me and my companion) and 2 groups of Sister missionaries. I'm really excited. My new area is called Mutuá (Moo-too-ah). I will be leaving for my new area tomorrow morning. Today I will visit a bunch of members in my ward to say goodbye. This was a great week to end my time here though. Saturday made 4 months here and we participated in a Mini MTC with youth from our stake. They walked around with us and we visited tons of people and they got to see a little bit of what missionary work is like. It was a great experience. Also, Saturday night was an activity at church and I sang a short solo in a song that the Relief Society sang. It was a great opportunity and the members really liked it. Sunday was our Ward Conference and we had 114 people in sacrament meeting. We ate at the ward building after church. I'm really gonna miss my companion. Hes one of the best companions I've had in the mission and I learned a lot with him. I'm doing well and trying to use more sunscreen. I still have a ton left though so please dont send me more. ........ Here in the mission I'm doing great. I will ask for a member to send some pics in an email because I dont have a ton of time right now. I've been trying to take more pictures lately. Next week I will have 1 year and 5 months in the mission and will be 22 years old. Its frightening how fast the time goes by. 

Mom, I hope you're doing great. I recieved the box with all of the letters from everyone! Thank you and tell everyone thanks for the letters. If you have any questions about what I'm doing, that makes it a little easier to relate whats going on with me. I'm doing great though and studying a lot. I'm really trying to be more dilligent. I'm super excited for my new area, new zone, new responsibilities (with sister missionaries because I've never worked with them before) and for my birthday and general conference! I'll be really excited to hear about your thoughts on General Conference! I love you mommy and I cant wait to hear from you soon.

Jared

23 Sept 2013

Hey Mom!

Thats so great that Anton (Tony) is going to church!!! I wish I could be there to help him. Please give him my email so that I can talk to him. Hes super funny and a great guy. I'm super excited for him. ....

Thanks for all the awesome pics of the temple. Its great to see the work going forward. When are they thinking it will finish? Hopefully I'll be able to go to the open house and the dedication. I also hope that I'm here in the mission when they have the groundbreaking for the temple in Rio. 

So this week was pretty good. We helped this family, Marcio and Angêlica, to come back to church and it was great! They're an awesome family. We had lunch at their house on Saturday and watched Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration with them. Its a really great movie. Maybe you could watch it with Tony. Ask the missionaries what they think. 

The transfer is next week so I'll let you know if I stay in Sulacap or if I go somewhere else. My companion thinks I'll get transfered but we'll know for sure next monday. How was your week? How're Adam and Jordan? I'm doing well. My week went by really quickly. This next week is 4 months in this area. I almost have 1 year and 5 months in the mission. The more time I have in the mission, the faster the time goes by. I've been thinking just a little about family history work and that I would like to have your help when I get home so I can work on it also. Can you tell me a little about where our ancestors came from? You told me about Anthony (thats buried in the cemetery close to your school. I forget the name right now) that came from Germany or France? Itd be interesting to learn more and also its one of my responsibilites that I would like to work on more after the mission. I will let you know when I get the package/letters. Maybe next week after the transfer. I love you, Mom and am thankful for your prayers and for your help. I'll talk to you soon!  Tell everyone I said Hi and that I miss them all! 

Jared

2 Sept 2013

from 2 Sep 2013 from Elder Jared Knotts 
I hope Jordans not suffering too much (from the heat) in Indy. ...... He'll get used to the heat though. It'll be cold next month in Indiana. Here, its starting to get a little hot again but its not bad yet. Winter is over and now its spring but here they just have 3 months of hot weather and 9 months of super hot weather haha. Its never really "cold" here.......
Do they have any idea when the (Indy) temple will finish? Next summer maybe? .......Thanks for the pics of the temple and thanks for your email. Its always always great to hear from you. I hope you're as excited as I am for General Conference next month! It'll be great to hear the counsels and teachings of our beloved Prophet and other leaders of the church. I pray that we may have faith as they do and as the prophets of old. Like Nephi, Enos, Enoch, the brother of Jared, Daniel, and many others. I read a great talk from April 2012 GC called "Special Lessons" and he said, "Thus another special lesson learned: If you come upon a person who is drowning, would you ask if they need help—or would it be better to just jump in and save them from the deepening waters? The offer, while well meaning and often given, “Let me know if I can help” is really no help at all."
This was a great lesson for me to learn, we must search for opportunities to help and teach and rescue our friends and family. Dont wait! Go and do and serve with love and with the Spirit. The Lord will guide you as you dilligently and prayerfully seek for those that you may bless. I love you mom and am thankful for your support. I hope that I may use this time wisely and serve my brethren with love.

love,
Jared
picture of Indianapolis Temple as of 19 Aug

26 Aug 2013

from 26 Aug 2013 from Elder Jared Knotts 
Hey Mom!
I really havent thought of any that I'd like for my birthday. I would rather have you save your money. I know you wanna send me stuff but I'd rather you not send candy or peanut butter, etc. I have everything that I need and things that I dont have, I can just buy with the mission allowance. I'm doing great though. We're working hard and we should have some baptisms this next Sunday. Its been a while since our last baptism so we're really excited. Thats awesome that the (Cincinatti Mission)missionaries got to meet Dallan H Oaks. I've never met or seen an apostle. Yesterday was our Stake Conference here and I got to meet a 70. It was a great experience. I didnt really get to talk to him but it was great to here him speak. We had several of our investigators at conference yesterday so that was awesome!
I'm excited for Jordan and will be glad to hear of everything thats going on with him at Butler. He will absolutely love it there. I remember a little bit more than 3 years ago when I moved into BSU. Seems like such a long long time ago. Time is a strange thing. I'm glad for the time I still have in the mission to work and teach. We cant waste our time doing things that arent important. I'm glad that the Lord has blessed me with an opportunity to serve. I read a really great talk this morning. I've read it several times before but still learn each time. April of 2012 General Conference. The Merciful Obtain Mercy by President Uchtdorf. I love the bumper sticker that says, "Dont judge me because I sin differently than you". He also cites John 8:7 that says, "He who is without sin, cast the first stone". It is obviously not our place to judge others and we should be understanding and loving and kind with others because they are imperfect as well. I pray that we may be patient and supportive of those who have circumstances and challenges more difficult or just different than ours. These people need our help and we would be selfish to think that others do not "deserve" our forgiveness or help. I love Pres Uchtdorfs words when he says,"Brothers and sisters, there is enough heartache and sorrow in this life without our adding to it through our own stubbornness, bitterness, and resentment." How true this is. I cringe to think that at times I am part of the problem and not the solution. What am I doing to help others and relieve their pain and carry their burdens. May we be forgiving and like our Savior who is willing to forgive us on the condition of repentance. I love my Savior and am eternally grateful for His love and that He accepts me. To quote one of my favorite hymns (Lord, I would follwo thee) the 2nd verse says, "Who am I to judge another when I walk imperfectly?" Mom, I love you and need to go now but I'm thankful for your prayers and for all of your help. I look forward to hearing from you next week. I love you.
Jared

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-merciful-obtain-mercy?lang=eng

19 Aug 2013

from 19 Aug 2013 from Elder Jared Knotts 
Thanks for the pics of Elder Selvey and THE TEMPLE! It makes me so happy that he served and is home safe now. He looks great! I'll be very excited to see and talk to him in less than a year when I get home! I've got a lot more to do right now though. I'm staying in Sulacap (Madureira Stake) and will be with the same companion. I love him and we're working really well together. I've got a lot more to learn but I've got more than 8 months left. I'm so glad that you're sharing the gospel and helping the missionaries. I hope you liked the couple spiritual thoughts that I sent last week. I always think about stuff during the week that I can share with you. I've got a really great one that I found this morning. I was looking in an old Liahona and it had a talk that had a scripture theme. I didnt recognize the scripture so I went to look it up this morning in my personal scripture study. I spent an hour reading this chapter and scriptures with the same theme! It was amazing and I learned so much. But before I share that I wanna start with another scripture. The first one is Luke 15: 3-7. Then go to Ezekiel 34 (the awesome random scripture I found). Read the whole chapter but then read again verses 2, 4, 6, 11, 16, and 31. This chapter and message really touched me. I thought of the shepherds that the Lord commands to repent (verse 4) which led me to D and C 121:39-44 which says that we must teach and exhort with love. Christ commands the apostles to "feed His sheep" in John 21. ALso, in John 10:11-12 he says he is the good shepherd. I love you mom and will talk to you soon
Jared
(Picture is of Elder Knotts' cousin Elder Selvey who recently returned from his mission in Nevada)