Elder Carlos A. Godoy

Hey Fam!

This week was super busy! We were all over the place!  The weather was like 65-70 and mostly sunny all week so it was like heaven :) We drove to Helena on Wednesday for the Mission tour and stayed till Thursday for mission leadership council. Then after MLC we had to drive from Helena to Bozeman to pick up a missionary and then drove to Missoula.  It was lots of driving but totally worth it because while in Bozeman we stopped by John (The Fresh Rapper) and Heather's and got to visit with them!  They are getting married! And John has his first solo album out and is a legit Mormon Rapper! He said he is gonna send a box of CD's home so Cutler and Jaromy can pass them out to help him get his name out there. They are doing well and it made me really happy to see them. :)

I learned so many awesome things from Elder Godoy while he was here.  During our leadership meeting he went into all the different trials that Lehi and his family had to go through on their journey out of Jerusalem and into the new world.  He talked about how we typically remember Nephi as the courageous stalwart prophet who endured all these crazy trials and overcame so much but we forget that his brothers, Laman and Lemuel were right there with him the entire way.  Yes, Laman and Lemuel were the cause of much of the suffering Nephi had to go through but they went through all the same hardships; building a boat, sailing across the ocean, wandering in the wilderness, etc. The only real difference between the two was their perspective.  Nephi did his best to look at things as God does rather than just have the dark perspective of only seeing what was happening in that very moment.  It changed everything.  I believe God gives us the knowledge of His plan for us so we might have a hope for the future and so we can be happy even in the darkest of hours when the world seems to cave in on us.

Elder Bishop and I match ties like every day and our recent convert, Matt, wanted to match with us so we got 3 matching ties :)

Elder Godoy is a convert to the Church. He explained his entire conversion story in his home town, Porto Alegre, Brazil.  He is seriously hilarious! We had a great time listening to and learning from him.  He really does hold the mantle of his sacred calling as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. 

I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Each day is a blessing because I get to share that unique message with fellow brothers and sisters. I am reminded of something that was taught by Elder Boyd K. Packer, the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Only when they (those struggling with the Church and their faith) have some knowledge of the plan of redemption will they understand the supposed inequities of life. Only then will they understand the commandments God has given us.  If we do not teach the plan of redemption, whatever else we do by way of programs and activities and instructions will not be enough." -All- Church Coordinating Council Meeting, 18 May 1993.

I invite all of you this week to ponder and focus your studies on the Plan of Salvation.  Focus on where we came from, why we are here, where we are going.  I promise you that as you keep the Plan God has made for us even before the foundation of the world that whatever battle you are fighting at this moment will be lifted and you will be able to bear the problems you face.  It will also help you see and understand the need for the Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to take upon himself the sins of the world.

I love you all and am so grateful for the Gospel and your love and support as I share it with our brothers and sisters here in Missoula.

Elder Holland