The Office

YES

WOOHOO

This last week was fetching AWESOME!

We have more marked baptisms than I'm used to seeing when I worked full time, and right now we're in an office trio! Almost everybody marked for baptism went to Church this last week. There's no telling what's gonna happen this week, but I'm sure that it'll be excellent. Because...now I'm seeing the effect the office has had on my missionary work.

As crazy as that sounds, it's a good thing.

I learned to communicate more like a normal person in my time here in Farol. I'm more capable of communicating freely, to focus on the what rather than the how. I had many lessons where I felt completely free in my communication in a lesson environment. I felt as though I knew what to say, and when to say it. I discovered times during the course of the week that I found myself using everything I'd touched on in studies, and in spiritual discussions with my companions. I also learned about the importance of dedicating time to study, because unlike other weeks this last week we did all studies every day, even when it wasn't necessarily convenient for us. I'm certain now that constant study of the gospel is critical in my ability to teach, and know now that it's of utmost importance that I seek every day spiritual treasure, at the desk and on the street.

Yeah. Missionary work was a blast this last week. I can't wait to get back into the fray. We've got so many leads for new investigators and ward plans that it almost didn't fit on the weekly annotations page in the mish planner. We just go down the list until everything's either been successful or worn out.

Hmm. Alright, let me think here, because right now my head's in everything but writing a blog post.

Speaking of wearing things out, another thing that has lent us strength in the last week:

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/123?lang=eng

Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven—

...well, once again I find my head empty. Time's so short now! We're working like crazy just to get people in the water. For now, I only ask that y'all remember to WRITE! I love you people, and you better not go forgetting me just because the only time my existence in publicly acknowledged is through this blog!

Tchau!

-Erich

Time for a change!

Welp, my friends, after the 4 months in the office, I'm winding down the next 2 training the new guy in a few days. I ain't gonna reveal his name, 'cause the transfer's not 'til tomorrow (and I'm always paranoid for info leak) but...a change is as good as a rest.

I'm...actually feeling pretty relieved. I immensely enjoyed being secretary, and I know that my contributions to the office will be appreciated, though not necessarily recognize. I did my best to include a little more computer science wizardry and intelligent modification of the documentation and secretary protocols, and I hope the next guy can do the same. However, I'm also ready to get back to just having a simpler focus on my mission: baptizing the dickens out of the Northeastern people. It sounds silly, but there you have it! I'm gonna be way more focused when I get reassigned now.

In the office, I learned a lot about personal organization and playing one's part. I learned better how to work in a team and get stuff done intelligently. I also realize that there's a way better way to get people in the water than just looking for a dunker on the street - with such limited time, we really have to work with our head! I also had the change to put my greatest personal strengths into the mission, which is everything that's got to do with a computer.

Side note for my UCAS buddies: I came THIS close to slapping Linux on the machine I used...but unfortunately the IT guys'd just wipe everything out if there was ever a problem. :( The Church prefers to just get stuff done, I guess.

It will be interesting to be in a trio again, but time will tell if I'm gonna enjoy it. The house will get harder to organize, and missionary work will be a pain while I work to get the newbie oriented quickly, but he's an intelligent guy. I'm sure that God's got it handled. If anything, that's what I've learned this last week...in spite of any doubt, persecution, or trouble we endure, our faith and followup with what we know we must do is what will set us apart at the last day. T'ain't easy, but reviewing Hebrews 11 and 12 always helps to keep things in perspective. It's one of the passages in the scriptures that I think I might use in times to come when I'm feeling sorry for myself and I need a good spiritual smack in the face. I have no idea when and in what form trials that come will take, but at the important thing is my being able to say I did my best, with all that I had. Perhaps in this way the office was a little mission of its own - looking back, there's always things that I could change with the knowledge I have now, but there's no way I could have that hindsight without going through it. I can say I passed my time here in the office the best way I knew...though it's not over yet! If for some reason I disappear of the face of the earth, I'll bequeath the responsibility of the next blog post to my companion, who'll presumably be alive when the next week comes.

Well...I'm off! Ta-ta for now, friends and family. I wrote this all in a bit of a rush, but at the very least it'll serve as this last week's post. I love y'all, and hope that y'all remember me every once in a while - I sure do remember a lot of people seeing tons of 'em every day here on the mission. If only a few more would write... ;D But I digress! Don't forget to write, and DON'T FORGET TO BE AWESOME!

Love,

-Erich

Covey Time Matrix

Yes! I'm here! I'm alive!...and I'm writing for more than two weeks consistently while I'm in the office! Woohoo! Perhaps it's because of the peanut butter and fudge (though I might not have received some MMs that were sent), or perhaps because my companion and I are fetching serious about baptizing AND handling all the office chores, I dunno...but life is fantastic. I'm sitting here hoping to wrap this email up soon so we can go contact a bunch of REFERÊNCIAS.

 

And we have an evil plan for more. Just let me be GH que só a boba for a little bit. It's my blog, right? I can do that, if I remember right.

 

This last week was quite interesting because we're focusing on being positive, and finding stuff that gets us excited about the work. Something we noticed is that in virtually all cases, being on the computer for more than a few hours kills all motivation to do more exercise than using the bathroom and grabbing a cup of water. But that's where an intelligence greater than system is needed...and if we manage to do as much work on the street like we did last week, I'm certain we're gonna have a baptizing streak soon. Since our time is more limited, we're forced to use our brains to get stuff done...and it's working way better than in my last areas. That'd be a neat irony, isn't it? God sending me to the office so I could learn how to be a better missionary...that's weird how that works sometimes.

 

Pres. and I have been studying a little bit about personal organization (since he's determined that it'd be something of interest for me), and we're happened upon the Covey Time Management Matrix. D'ya remember THIS?

 

 

Pres. and I actually gave a training on it in a Zone Leader Counsel. I didn't KNOW he'd actually show it to them, but I ended up participating in the a time management part of the training that he included in an impromptu way.

 

Anyway. That's really about it for this week - nothing terribly exciting, though this week was WAY the fetch less stressful than the last. The future is bright, as always, and I'm always updating the photos that I take here on the mish (don't forget to look here every once in a while!). Don't forget to WRIIIIIIIIIIITE! You always win some and lose some with the letters, but I happily gobble up everything you guys send my way (pun intended)!

 

Love y'all! 

-Erich

The Biggest Mistake of My Life (...Nobody Died!)

Whoa. Hey, incidentally, did you know that the first Portuguese triple combination is supposed to come out Novemberish? I think I'm gonna buy it. That way I can maintain my Portuguese better. I've got a feeling I'll be using it way longer than just my mission.

            In other news...welp, here's another 2 weeks come and gone, and they've been stressful for several reasons. I'll try to explain them as best I can, but really it's simple: struggle to survive on the mission!

One of the most stressful things was actually...not so big in retrospect. One of the Elders in our house started to use one of my pairs of shoes without informing me, and I got pretty steamed. I gave him until the next P-day to go buy shoes...and on Sunday he told me he'd gone broke. I then gave him R$50, told him to go buy himself some shoes the next day, and if he for some reason failed to procure shoes he'd be using the old ones he'd torn. It wasn't particularly fun, but at least it was handled calmly, and he didn't resist. Complications should end, as he's got new shoes of exactly the same type. I was in the midst of a bit of self-loathing because I was the loudmouth for cleaning, but the house ended up using a few creative solutions to the work and now the house is good. Life be good there now.

The entire house has developed a better attitude with respect to obedience too, and now EVERYBODY gets on each other's case when the missionary manual says something different than what we're doing. Call me crazy, but I think it's cool. It's kind of more of the bickering style we had (have?) at home, and it works. We're feeling the Spirit much more now, and the house unity has gone up. It's amazing what a redesignation of the DL can do.

            The other big article I want to mention....well, that's the namesake of my title. This last week, we had transfers - I ended up not being able to get anything out to anybody in terms of correspondence, and now that we're following more exactly the P-Day guidelines I'm hoping that'll get turned around. The transfer was the most henpecking one of all...because the arrivals got a day earlier than expected.

Yeah. Let me recount this all.

            So, the MTC had sent me an adjusted transfer schedule a day in advance of our then existing one...and so Pres. adjusted the transfer from Tuesday to Wednesday. Mentally, I was working towards everything happening on the 27th...and I dismissed the itinerary that I received saying the arrivals would be heading out on the 26th. 

On the Tuesday morning of the 26th, we were all hustling and bustling to make the transfer happen as we planned...and suddenly we get a call on the land line. Nothing out of the ordinary. E. Pájaro, who was waiting around for his flight while he hung out in the office, answered the phone (since he was the financial secretary before, this was permissible).

He starts to attend them...and says, "Elder Novaes? Ah, alright, well, hang tight there for a minute..."

The instant I heard that name, I knew exactly what had happened. My face almost hit my desk. I quickly ran over to President's desk and just told him:

"Uh, President...as chegadas estão no aeroporto." ("Uh, President...the arrivals are in the airport.")

"...que?" ("What?")

"As chegadas. Estão aqui já." ("The arrivals. They're already here.")

Pause for 5 seconds. Then the chaos of calls and logistics ensued. It's a very elaborate story, and I'm still getting ribbed big-time. I had some serious emotional downtime for about a day after the transfer was over. But now we've got an inside joke at the office, started by President. Whenever somebody forgets something, we call it Gubler Syndrome. And now, all of that group of arrivals will never forget Elder Gubler...and their first day in the mission field.

THAT was the biggest shame of my life so far. But everything turned out all right, and if anything the mistake has served as a lesson of diligence and using one's own brain. I just hope that I don't make President go bald in the midst of it all (though Sister is more likely!). He's probably the most merciful individual I know, and I'll have to ask him one day how it was to witness Elder Gubler when he entered the office and how he was leaving the office. I've got a list I'm maintaining here for the last testimony and last interview.

I learned something precious about mistakes, too, while it all happened. I withdrew during the transfer, and I felt rather bitter about my mistake, though I was doing everything possible to fix it. However, when I was about to train the mission hymn with the newbies, Sister Gonzaga (probably the most stressed of all in the entire mess!) said something that touched me:

"Tá bom, Élderes e Sisteres, nós vamos treinar o hino da Missão Brasil Maceió...Élder Gubler, cadê você? Esse Élder toca muito bem, vou ter muita saudade dele quando ele partir..."

Translation: "Alright, Elders and Sisters, we're going to train the Brazil Maceió Mission hymn...Elder Gubler, where are you? This Elder plays the piano really well, I'm going to miss him when he leaves..."

It may seem a little sappy, but Sister Gonzaga was actually the person I was most worried about stressing out. She's a high-energy person, and I know she got REAL upset when Pres. made the call that she had to get everything ready "today". I felt touched because even though I'd commited a mistake that affected her so, she still thought me a good person and even expressed that she'd miss me. I wonder just how much they had to endure to develop that sort of love for other people, and I hope that I get to that point someday. From all appearances, it's necessary as a parent and certainly not easy to maintain - less so for people you don't know that well! I still think about that moment, and the relief I felt in that single sentence, realizing what I did. Letting somebody know they are loved is highly important, and an integral part of the work that Christ performed - I'm grateful for the example that was set for me this last week.

Well, my head's been emptied today. It's easy to see how those few events have occupied my head for now, huh? Though I'm not necessarily proud of my mistake, I'm proud to say it was a valuable means for me to become a better person, the effect I had hoped my mission would always have.  I hope I never become blind to those facts, and that the Lord always see fit to humble me should it happen.

I end this record for the week with my usual request: Don't ever forget to write! The P-Day section of the mish manual isn't necessarily my favorite part, but I follow it, and I feel good for it. I hope it just means more blessings...in the form of letters! I love communicating the incredible things I'm receiving as a missionary, and getting updated on what's happening in y'all's lives. Just do it!

Love,

-Erich

This week has been an interesting battle to try and balance being annoying and being too lax with respect to house cleanliness. I'm kind of worried that in the 3 days E. Rios and I will be out of the house that things are gonna go get themselves destroyed. Sound like a familiar battle? I think...I got a little more of a parently perspective there.

Whoa.

Whatever the case, I'm REALLY EXCITED to go back to Aracaju for a little bit. I'm probably not gonna have time for members, but I'll certainly have plenty of time in the car with Pres./Sister (since it's the secretaries' turn!) and my comp. I'm looking forward to it. And also giving a kickbutt training that DOESN'T leave everybody sleeping. I already gave two of these, and now we're up to the last bit - I'm hoping it'll be a blast like the first ones! But I'll save my "GH" moments for later. If I'm lucky, I'll have a few photos...and a refresher on the difference between the two states in my mission. I really do want to get to know the rest of Brazil, because of E. Rios - he's a Mineiro, or rather...he's from Minas Gerais. Which is supposedly one of the most developed states in Brazil. I might live there if I had a good reason to stay in Brazil for a bit (no epic foreboding intended!). :P

I've actually been thinking a lot about personal righteousness and sacrifice. I'm reminded of how even the

Did y'alls challenges change as you guys lived together, Mom and Dad? How have the battles to live the gospel changed as your family matured and got to this point? I'm beginning to realize the importance of surrounding oneself with good influences, and how it can greatly affect the ease with which one lives the gospel. Environment is an important thing mentally, physically, and spiritually. I think that that's one of the great reasons that modern prophets have invited all young men to serve as missionaries: so they can come to know a more spiritual atmosphere. I wonder now how different my development as a person would be if I hadn't stepped into the Provo MTC on December 28th, 2011. I can't imagine it being better than what I've got now. That perspective helps me immensely when I count my blessings. Counting even the tiny blessings, enumerating them all on perhaps a sheet of paper, is something I tried doing at the suggestion of an RM friend of mine. It's kind of weird how being grateful simply dispels most of any stressful factors from my mind when I need it, when I'm more focused on just making the decision to be happy. It's an interesting experiment - you should try it! I'll send a more detailed example in a letter - right now there's other things I need to toss in here real quick!

All in all, the mission's going well here - no complaints, and in two weeks we've got another transfer coming. Hoo boy...that's gonna be a lot of screen-staring and mental work. But it'll be worth it. And at the end of the day, the most satisfying feeling is knowing that I literally worked my best. I want to keep the habit I've got of giving a good account to God every day, for it results in the greatest satisfaction I feel on it. Shawn, this is something good to do - start, pause in, and stop each day to pray and converse with God about the day's trajectory, and your proposal to Him about how you'll spend your time. You'll be surprised with how you feel at the end of the day. And you'll want to repeat it, and make it a habit if you're living right. Just remember John 3:21, and that the greatest thing we have to offer to God...is our willingness to change.

That, my dear brother, is what it means to be in the service of God - it is to seek to realize His will, without regard to your old habits and what needed to be modified within you so that it happens. E. Holland referenced to it as he cast a creative light upon Christ's visiting the Apostles as they fished again - doing the same thing, in the same place, after walking with Him for 3 years. Once again, Christ called them to help Him to realize His work, casting themselves from the ships of their old lives that they had returned to, and thus Christ questions to Peter provide us an example that is instructive in application: "Do I love Him? Am I showing this love in all that I do, or do I seek His spirit just when I read the scriptures and am in seminary? Do I think about what He did for me when Mom and/or asks me to do a boring chore, to do my homework, or to drive safely? Am I thinking about that same love when I talk to my friends and people around me that perhaps still aren't?" You'll probably be asking that last one to yourself most frequently on your mission. It's a very different work from anything we've ever done before, and I hope that when I get home I can help you to prepare for it. It's certainly an adventure.

Mom and Dad, I wrote that to Shawn, but I know you guys will think about it too. I hope that these thoughts I've recorded will push you to greater heights, because right now that's the perceived purpose of my life. In a fashion, these emails I send to you are a record, and in the Book of Mormon we have an example for this too - Jacob 4:1-4. Don't ever be afraid to write something spiritual! Who knows, perhaps I'll get something spiritual when I get an email from you guys tonight? ;) I always look forward to your correspondences, because they always build me up too. Thanks for helping me get to this point, everyone! It's because of small things like that that my mission has been such an immense pleasure.

Hmm...well, my head's been sufficiently emptied for now. Tchau for now! Don't forget to wriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiite!

Your loving son,

-E. Gubler