Bringing the Gospel to Brazil: The Week is Gone!!

I honestly don’t know how this week passed so fast. I feel like I was here yesterday typing this email. The week was fantastic! We were hoping to leave the week with a couple baptisms but our investigators still need a little more time to prep. So next week we should have a couple.

This week I continued to focus on prayer, and we had a marvelous experience. On Thursday, all of our lessons had fallen through, and we were left with nothing to do at 7 pm. In our daily planner, my comp’s back up-back up plan was find a family. So we said a prayer and went off. I was feeling pretty in tune with the spirit and was praying constantly. I felt that we needed to cross Avenida dos Maias, and work a neighborhood we’ve never worked before. When we crossed the street, I knew that after the 3 roads we passed we needed to take a left. The third left we walked into a beacon (don’t know in English cul de sac). Then we arrived to a green house, and I had the strongest feeling to knock here. So we knocked (clapped), and a teenager named Alan came out. I chatted it up with him and asked if we could share a message. He said of course, went back out in the house and grabbed his dad. We talked with his dad Clairton who said that we could come in. He went back in the house and 5 minutes after, he came back out and let us in the house. After all the waiting, I was confused, but when we got in the house, Clairton’s wife, Isabella, told us that she had just got in bed to sleep, when we arrived at the door. Her husband wanted to hear the message, she decided to get out of bed and listen too. She told us that the “message” better be good. After a super spiritual lesson, Isabella asked how we found their family? And how we convinced them to let us in? We explained about the prayer we said, and that we are truly messengers of Jesus Christ. After they excitedly received her new Book of Mormon, she told us we have to come back. They also gave us a reference of a family who lived across the street. The next day, we went and found a family of 6 who loved our message of the plan of salvation. The mom cried during the message. After this experience, I thought, “Why can’t I always be so in tune with the spirit, so focused?” In that moment, I was so full of faith and power that I knew what was going to be the result. I love 1 Nephi 7:12 that tells us God is able to do everything and anything for us if we exert faith. The miracle never comes before the faith. After reflecting on that quotation, I realized that I am able to always be super in tune with the spirit if I’m willing to develop more faith, pray always be obedient, and focused on my purpose as a missionary. I’ve always loved 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” We have to be firm, steadfast and immovable in God’s work. As a missionary no extra effort is in vain. I love this work and this Gospel. Nothing compares!!! I love the people and culture of Brazil! I love the power of prayer! I love being a member of my Heavenly Father’s army. I love seeing my own spiritual progression and the spiritual progression of others. I love my Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ. Have an awesome week.

Dave