9/30/24 - Times fun when your having flies

**Disclamer* No flies were eaten during the training of these 14 missionaries, I'm not sure about others. There probably have been flies eaten, but not by us*

Time is flying by here in the MTC. I cannot believe that I've already been here for 4 weeks. I've only got 1 week left. I head to Brazil next week!

Today we start FSL (Fala Sua Língua (speak your language)) which is where we are not allowed to speak any English for the week. It's total português integration. It'll be fun. On Saturday me and Elder Woodward taught a 25 minute lesson completely in Português it want amazing! So only speaking português for the week can't be that bad.

Tuesday:

For the devotional we had Brother Taylor of the 70 and his wife come and they spoke about repentance. They used the analogy of three balloons. The first balloon is free to fly up to heaven and return to God. The second balloon is stuck in a tree, it's string is stuck and it cannot raise higher, it cannot return to God. It's string is stuck in sin and you need to cut the string free, which represents repentance. When we cut the string that is tied to sin we can return to God. You might be wondering about that third Ballon. That third Ballon represents when we don't repent. Over time, without the progress upwards towards our Father in Heaven we start to deflate spiritually. And we start to sink to the ground. We need to cut that string. Return to God. It will be the best thing we do in our life. 

Wednesday:

We got to help the new missionaries in again this week it's so cool to help the new missionaries arive at the MTC. 

Thursday:

IDK what day it was so I'm putting it here, but I woke on time this day! Actually before one of the Elders in my room, and in my half awake state I said Bom Dia Bethers. And it has been a running joke ever since.

Friday:

This day was kinda wild, I think my district was, for the day, restless and wanted to get out to the field. The classes were crazy and I feel bad for the teachers.

Saturday:

We had the 25 minute lesson in Português as seen above!

Sunday:

The full Conference Choir got together and had a rehearsal. It's so amazing the spirit that music brings. I am so excited for the next week where we get to rehearse in the conference center and sing general conference!

Monday: 

We found out that tackle kickball is really fun. It may not be completely within the rules, but is was fun though. Basically while the person is running from base to base, they are not safe and can be tackled and held down while someone else gets the ball to get them out.

It's been a great week and I think it's just going to get better from here.

Love you all, and I love receiving the emails. Keep them coming!

Elder Bliss 

Here's the link to my google photos 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/EQG3K68BLWXZWLEz8

My friend, Elder Isaac McLaws, who we received our Eagle Scout rank together, is living in the same building as me. It's fun seeing each other. 

Facebook Post 9/26/24

Depois Lei e sua família saiu Jerusalém, seus filhos, Néfe seus Irmãos, foram ordenado por Deus a retornarem aJerusalém para obter as placas de latão. Esse é sua resposta.

1 Néfi 3:7

"7 E aconteceu que eu, Néfi, disse a meu pai: Eu irei e cumprirei as ordens do Senhor, porque sei que o Senhor nunca dá ordens aos filhos dos homens sem antes preparar um caminho pelo qual suas ordens possam ser cumpridas.

Eu gosta dessa escritura porque isso mostra obediência que nós precisamos. "Eu irei e cumprirei". Isso é difícil fora ele tem um atitude bom. E ele era obediente.

Eu convido você a ser obediente a Deus e seguir Jesus Cristo sem hesitação

Then Lehi and his family went out to Jerusalem, his sons, Nephi and his brethren, were ordered of God to return to Jerusalem to obtain the brass plaques. That's your answer.

1 Nephi 3:7

"7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the commandments of the Lord: for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men without preparing a way by which his commandments may be fulfilled." "

I like this scripture because it shows obedience we need. "I would go and buy it." That's hard outside he got a good attitude. And he was obedient

I invite you to obey God and follow Jesus Christ without hesitation. 

9/23/24 - MTC Week 3

MTC week 3

I dont have much time to write this email because I procrastinated, so I'll make it short.

This week has flown by. It does not feel like I've been at the MTC for almost 3 weeks. Time flies here on the mission. 

Some highlights of the week:

Monday:

This week we started Hora de Ouro (Golden hour) where between 2pm and 3pm we arn't allowed to speak English. Only português.

Tuesday:

This day we had choir practice and we sang I Will Walk With Jesus. It's such a good song and it has some really good messages in the song. For part of the song it is sang accapela, you'll be able to hear it during General Conference, but it is meant to represent those times that we feel like God has abandoned us, but at the end of the accapela part the melody is changed and it goes up instead of going down. It is meant to represent us looking and turning to God in those times we feel alone. Telling Him that we will trust Him at all time, especially when we feel alone. 

Wednesday:

My district got to help bring the new missionaries in to the MTC, to help them have a good first experience here. Also, Elder McLaws got here this day! He ended up being in my building so I get to see him almost everyday.

Thursday:

Me and Elder Woodward had our first Helping others in português. I don't know half of what was said.

Friday: 

We had a helping others in English this day it didn't go so great.

Saturday:

Today went pretty normal, nothing too wild happened this day(I think)

Sunday:

We had another Go and Do experience it went pretty well, I figured out how much money Zeezrom was offering Amulek to deny God. It was 42 times a Wiked judge's daily salary. It was a lot of money, but Amulek didn't even have to think about it, he knew God was there, and he could not deny it. There was also a devotional by the MTC President, President Calderwood. At the end he invited us to make the decision not to be fully converted to God and Jesus Christ now. So, when the time comes where things get rough you have already made that decision to be fully converted, and, like Amulek, you will not deny or defy God nor His commandment.

This email turned out a little longer than I thought it would be, sorry bout that. 

I love all the emails that I have been sent, thank you.

Sincerely 

Elder Bliss 

Here's the link to my google photos.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/EQG3K68BLWXZWLEz8

Facebook Post 9/20/24

Eu sei que Jesus Cristo vive e Ele é nosso Salvador. Através dEle, nós podemos voltar para Deus, nosso Pai Celestial.

I know Jesus Christ lives and He is our Savior. Through Him, we can return to God, our Heavenly Father.

Facebook Post 9/17/24

 Quero testificar que Jesus Cristo vive, e Ele expiou por todos os nossos pecados. Através de sua expiação podemos ser salvos. Eu sei que Deus é nosso amoroso Pai Celestial, e ele nos ama muito. Deus fez um para nossa felicidade. Eu sei que famílias são eternas. Eu sei que O Livro De Mormon é verdadeiro e d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias é a verdadeira Igreja na Terra. Em nome de Jesus Cristo, amém.

 

I want to testify that Jesus Christ lives, and He paid for all our sins. Through His Atonement we can be saved I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father, and he loves us very much. God made one for our happiness I know that families are forever I know that the Book of Mormon is true and the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church on earth. in the name of jesus christ amen

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/mZbqNZyWRWdXLn7Q/

Pics and Videos of my 2nd week at the Provo MTC

Ran into his cousin, Elder Kylan Chivers!  He is in the MTC preparing to go to the Spain Madrid Mission

Ran into another Delta gal, Sister Styler

A highlight of the week was a concert by The Nashville Tribute Band.  They sang songs about the Book of Mormon!...

The videos taken are too big to add here:  Visit my google album to hear them!

Here's the Google photo link if you wanna join.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/EQG3K68BLWXZWLEz8

9/16/24 - Dom De Línguas é real

 MTC week dois

We started Integration this week, it's kinda crazy how much I can understand.  And how much I can speak. It's a lot more than I thought.  The gift of tongs is definitely helping a lot, cause I know it's not me.

Something that I forgot to mention last week is the the first dinner I had at the MTC President Calderwood and his wife sat next to me and my companion.  We got to chat with him for a while. I learned that his dad used to keep bees as a hobby. So were able to talk about bees for a while.

I've met a few more people that I know here (no pics, sorry) I've met Elder Lovell, and Elder Chivers, my cousin from Washington. It's super cool seeing people I know here.

This Sunday the Nashville tribute band came to the MTC and played for us their tribute to the Book of Mormon. The song that stuck out most to me was Wiked man.  It's crazy how much is said by Omni in ust 3 verses. You should look into it it's pretty cool. Omni 1:1-3

Also this Sunday I was reading a conference talk by Ezra Taft Benson 1989 and I had the realization that the Book of Mormon was written specifically for our day. I have always thought that the Book of Mormon was written for the Nephites and the Lamanites but we could also apply it to us.  But those people never had access to the Book. It was compiled after most everyone had become wicked.  It was written for us.

34 Behold, the Lord hath shown unto me great and marvelous things concerning that which must shortly come, at that day when these things shall come forth among you. 35 Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing. (Mormon 8:34-35)

Eu testificar que Jesus Cristo vivi e ele é nós Irmão. Eu sei que Deus é nós amoroso Pai Celestial. Eu sei que O Livro De Mormon é verdadeiro. Eu sei que d'A Igreja De Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias é o verdadeiro Igreja no Earth. Em nome de Jesus Cristo,  amém. 

Love

Elder Bliss 

Here's the Google photo link if you wanna join.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/EQG3K68BLWXZWLEz8