Vitora, Brazil

Vitora, Brazil

Sunday, January 17, 2016

1 Sweet Year - 29 Sept 14

Dear Family,

I have gotten over the hump with my beloved brother Bryan. I don't feel like we reached the halfway point but I guess so. I am so grateful for every card, every letter, every box, and every word of encouragement. I guess we would have made it to this point without them but it sure was a better journey with them. 

This week went by really fast and ended very interestingly. We worked really hard to confirm visitors at church earlier and get some baptisms ready but week went by so fast that we got to sunday with almost nothing done. it seems like the days i want more time to work go by super fast and the days that we don't have plans take longer. But this week, everything passed in a blur. Leo Duarte passed his interview but wants to tell his family before marking a baptismal date. he said that he is 94 percent converted and i don't know what is holding him back. I felt inspired with some questions to ask him today during personal study. 1. do you want this message to be true? do you desire to be a member of the church? do you desire a testimony similar to Joseph smith's certainty about the restoration? If you answer yes to these questions. you don't need to worry about falling away from the church or not having a certainty right now. That is the purpose of our faith. 

As we were watching the movie. Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration this week with Leo Duarte, I really felt my personal testimony in the restoration grow. I felt a certainty so powerfully that, when we went to our next lesson and a young woman said that if she was is the same situation as Joseph she would never deny the faith that she has, my immediate response was... I know just as much as Joseph Smith does that this Church was restored, not because I got to see it too but because I have no doubt that my prayers have been, are being, and will be answered. After this she said that she was slightly afraid to pray. Why? I felt so sad. My heart was crushed with a small part of the atonements feelings.  Jesus Christ suffered, bled, and died for our sins and we are afraid to sincerely seek his merciful plan of faith and repentance. 

So, on saturday Leo Duarte was interviewed and our District Leader said that he accepted a date for today but the next day he wasn't feeling so sure about it. I know that he is searching earnestly about the answer but i just need to have more patience. He has already read half of the Book of Mormon. Currently reading in Alma 8. And today he said he is going to talk to his mom. i will pray that she feels the spirit of this message too. 

So, the transfer call was yesterday and my companion is leaving. We traded ties and wrote in journals and now have a 11 hour travel together. After 11 hours ill be bringing back my new companion on the same bus. Another 11 hours. Wish me luck. Ill lose two nights of sleep. Hurray. But, ill get to see my trainer before he leaves the mission. 

 Have a great week. Ill talk about my new comp next week


i'm a gangster missionary hehe


our district. maybe youll notice the people that i have already served with



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