Week 30: Meu Aniversário

Hello family and friends,

Some people look forward to their birthdays for months. They make plans for meals and desserts, invite all their friends, and write out all the things they want.

Others just want to get on with life.

On Thursday last week, my companion asked when my birthday was. He was surprised to learn that it was Sunday (yesterday). By the time Sunday came around, he had nearly forgotten, but remembered in time to inform the other missionaries in our zone. We also had dinner with a member family (which was scheduled previously), and they were informed after we arrived that it was my birthday. They did not have a cake for us, but did have brownies and ice cream.

Also, when we got home yesterday, we checked the mail and there was a package for me. It contained socks.

Doutrina e Convênios 78:19
E aquele que receber todas as coisas com gratidão será glorificado; e as coisas desta Terra ser-lhe-ão acrescentadas, mesmo centuplicadas, sim, mais.

Recebemos muitas bênçãos de Deus cada dia. Recebemos ar para respirar, a terra sobre a qual andar. Nas escrituras, Deus nos promete que ainda mais nos abençoará. Aqui, nos diz que para receber as mais bênçãos possível, devemos ser gratos pelas bênçãos que já recebemos. A gratidão nos faz mais felizes e menos preocupado com as dificuldades que encontremos. Essa semana, quero que vocês tentem ser mais gratos pelas bênçãos que receberem. Sei que as bênçãos prometidas virão se guardarmos os mandamentos.

Doctrine and Covenants 78:19
And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more.

We receive many blessing from God each day. We receive air to breathe and ground to walk on. In the scriptures, God promises us that he will still bless us even more. Here, He tells us that to receive the
greatest blessings, we need to be grateful for what we have already received. Gratitude makes us happier and less worried by the difficulties we encounter. This week, I would like all of you to try to be more grateful for the blessings you receive. I know that the promised blessings will come as we strive to keep the commandments.

Thanks y'all,
Elder Hiatt

P.S. The package with socks also contained some phone chargers, a stack of origami paper, and the Portuguese Children's Songbook that Elder Bulkley bought for me while I was in Brazil.

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