Hello Family!!!

This week flew by once again. Today is transferencias so I don’t have much time. But I’d like to tell you about some of the experiences this week. This week we found a young man named Gustavo. When we found him after lunch, and have visited every day since. He is a little bit closed off, but he has been wanting to change his life. He loved church and is prepping for baptism. We also had the craziest experience with a homeless man. He called to us on the street and began to ask us for a message. He asked us the name of the church. We told him, and he testified that this was the true church on the earth. I made promises, testified and we left as he had tears in his eyes. We turned around and he had vanished. It was a big testifying moment. I want to tell more stories but my time is up. Have an amazing week. Know that I know thing are true!

Elder Bodine

Bucket hat comps

The zone

 Noite familiar

Dragon fruit

Avocado toast

Brownies

Eu Curtir Jesus

 Brownie Time

Jelly Bean time

Pre-lesson game

When your investagator gives you your fave fruit, mango, you gotta be happy 

Opa! Boa Tarde Irmaes and Irmas,

I hope all is well in the Eagle Park Ward. It’s been a while! Probably, most of you have forgotten about me. I can’t believe that it has been over 20 months since my farewell talk. Man the time flies when you’re serving the Lord. I’d like to thank you all for your love and support. I’s also like you to know that I’m loving every minute of the mission and not wanting it to end. I love Brazil because everyday I get to see change in the lives of others. I would like to share a quick experience about an investigator that very much confused me. I remember it was about 8:30 pm, and my companion and I were without plans. We said a prayer and asked the Lord to show us someone ready to have our message. An image of a place came to my mind, so we went there and found a man named Geovane. We taught him the message of the restoration, left a Book of Mormon with him, and we marked with him to pass the next day, he told us to return in 1 week because by then he would have his answer and if he would follow his answer. One week passed, and with a different companion, I returned to Geovane’s humble abode when we sat to share our second message. He told us the night before he had finished the Book of Mormon, that he had prayed and received an answer that the Book of Mormon is true, the Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on the earth. We were thrilled. But when I was filled with joy from hearing his testimony, he said something that I don’t think I’ll ever understand. He told us that despite feeling this truthfulness/answer, it wasn’t his time to follow becoming a member.  We read scriptures, testified, and promised blessings, but his mentality and lack of desire to follow did not change. I left his house confused and almost angry. Many why questions came to my head. In the next couple of days, I tried to identify why something like this would happen. I never found an answer, but a scripture taught me a lesson of great value. 1 Nephi 11:17 reads, “Know thou the condescension of God? “ and Nephi replies, “I know that he loveth his children, nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.” This scripture truly impacted me. I know this life will be filled with trials, challenges, and struggles. Sometimes we don’t and will never know why we pass for these sufferings. But we must learn to accept the will of the Father, love him and grow. My greatest wish is that we can all confide in the Lord, do his work, and be perfected in his beloved Son. I know these things are true, that the Lord loves us and cares for us. I know this gospel is perfect. I know that exists prophets in these days. For these reasons, I stand firm in the faith and am serving a mission in Brazil. I love you all and wish you an excellent week.  In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Elder Bodine

Oi Povo!

This week was interesting. I had some of the most challenging moments on the mish. Many porque or whys came to mind, but in the end, we had several miracles. This week I had a wonderful interview with Pres. Campos. I asked how I could take advantage of these last 3 months. He told me to search for that convert you’ve always wanted. A family, couple, young man who will go for the mish, and more. The interview was amazing and left me with a rush of energy and spirit to have the best last 3 months. Let me tell you why the week was rough. Many of our best investigators discontinued us, and we were having many troubles finding new people to teach. But when I started to get frustrated and was losing a little bit of desire, I found a scripture in 1 Nephi 11:17, where Nephi tells us that he knows the Lord loves him, but does not know the meaning of all things. Sometimes we won’t understand the “whys,” but we can always know that the Lord loves us. With that scripture in mind and really confide and believe that our Heavenly Father would help us. That is when we started to have success in the week….Let me tell you a couple of stories:

After a hard day on Friday, it was 7 pm, and we didn’t have anything to do. I said a prayer, and I remembered a family we had tried to visit, but were unable to find the house. So we began to search. After scouring various alleys, I felt compelled to enter an alley. We entered and after avoiding a crazy dog, we found their house. A family of 6 welcomed us in and offered us dinner. The spirit was so strong as we testified of the restoration of this church. At the end of the lesson, Suelin, the mother of the family, told us how she had lost her father 3 years ago and ever since has been in moments difficults. She has talked with a pastor of another church, and he told her that 2 people would enter in her house, leave a message of peace, and invite her to follow Christ. She cried as we promised her that she would see her father again. Man, it was one of the most spiritual lessons I’ve ever taught on the mish. On Saturday, I had one of my best days ever. We taught many people, teenagers, young adults, couples, and families. So many moments that filled us with Christ’s love. Man, I learned a lot this week. With more than 20 months on the mish, it amazes me that I never stop learning and growing closer to Christ. I love you all. Have a great week and love the Lord.

Dave

P-day hammock life

Double Your Faith

Man mission life is crazy. Haha. You always have to expect the unexpected. This past Wednesday, my comp (Elder Martinelli) and I were returning from splits in a distant city when I got a call on the bus. President told us that my comp needed to pack his bags and head to Alvorada, a city close to Port Alegre, and that my new comp would arrive that day. Man it was rough seeing Elder Martinella go and weird only spending 3 weeks with a comp. But I learned a ton with my sarcastic mineiro comp. After waiting a couple of hours, my new comp arrived.  Elder Tate from Kirtland, Ohio. I lived with Elder Tate for 3 months in Santa Cruz. So we are excited for the work here in Caxias.

This week we studied a lot about faith. My main take aways from my study on faith were that 1. Faith is power. If we have faith anything can happen. 2. If our requests or questions or needs are not responded to or acted upon, we need to double our faith. Double our faith can signify a number of things. Study more, pray with more power and sincerity, serve those around you, put a bad habit or tendency on the alter of sacrifice, or develop Christ like attributes. When we double our faith and put in work, God grants us with our needs. Elder Tate and I had an awesome experience where we asked the Lord to grant us a miracle at church. When we were filling the baptism font, a couple walked in and told us that they were visiting for the first time. They told us how their 9 year old son had tragically passed away and how they were searching for answers. What a miracle to find a couple super prepared and ready for our message.

We also had the baptism of Bianca. Bianca is the daughter of a wonderful family that we are re-activating. Her father is a renowned vocalist and guitar player who has had many troubles with alcohol. But he desires to return and stay firm in the church. Bianca has been a light for the family because of her great desire to be baptized. Now her whole family is coming back strong. Her brother Adam is wanting to serve a mish and everything. Man, they are an awesome family. Overall, I’m stoked with the Lord’s work and trying to double my faith. Love you all and have a great week.

Dave

Caxias parks

Biancas baptism and cake

Chewbacca and Han Solo

Caxias Hills

Midevil swords