Yet another week (April 14)

Hello, family!

I'm seriously learning so much this transfer! This week was another awesome learning opportunity! We worked so hard, and saw very little result (as far as new investigators that have a lot of potential).

My week really can be summed up by the primary song, "pioneer children" replacing pioneer children for missionaries...
[sister missionaries] sang as they walked, and walked and walked, and walked".

Some of the crazy hills!

By the end of this week we were absolutely spent, but had little to show for it. We were pondering what it is we need to do differently to work more effectively. Our problem is not diligence or obedience, but it is working effectively. President Hinckley said this about the importance of members, "So many of us look upon missionary work as simply tracting. Everyone who is familiar with this work knows there is a better way. That way is through the members of the Church. Whenever there is a member who introduces an investigator, there is an immediate support system. The member bears testimony of the truth of the work. He is anxious for the happiness of his investigator friend. He becomes excited as that friend makes progress in learning the gospel."

We taught 20 lessons this week, and only 2 of which were with members, and all of the investigators were found through tracting. There's a reason the church is stressing the importance of member missionary work, and it's because tracting is just not effective. Even here in Brazil where people are open to letting you come in, and to hear about the gospel, it is really so much more effective to work with the members. So we decided that we're going to do everything we can to work with the members, and hopefully we'll be able to be better instruments in the Lord's hands.

In Alma 29:9, Alma explains his purpose and his goals for being a missionary. It is one of my favorite scriptures about missionary work.

"Sei que o Senhor me ordenou, e nisso me glorio...que talves posso ser um instrumento nas maos de Deus para trazer alguma alma ao arrependimento; e esta e a minha alegria"

I want to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to do his work here, and I'll do everything I can to accomplish this task.

I love you all and hope that you have a great week!
Sister Pennington