Week of loucura

E ai tche!!! This week was crazy. I have never run around a city more than this week. This week, I was able to participate in 5 divisions or splits, travel to 3 different cities, all while my comp got super sick. This week we were able to have an awesome zone conference with Pres. Campos. We talked about how to help our investigators enter in the baptismal waters. The meeting was super spiritual. Pres. Campos made a remark that really stood out to me. He said that in his hotel was a huge conference of the TV Globo (the biggest television channel in Brazil). He told us that this conference wasn’t the most important meeting being held that day in Caxias, but that our conference was far more important. Although the conference had 100s of famous journalists and actors, our conference had 20 journalists, communicators, and representatives of the true and eternal gospel. Man, when President made that bold statement, I felt honored to be a missionary of Jesus Christ and felt the importance of my daily labors.

Like I said, the conference was on helping our investigators be baptized. It was awesome because we could immediately apply with Juan. Juan is a teenager, 14 years old, who was invited to church last Sunday by his good friend Alex. He loved church. We marked a visit with him on Monday. After taking a 40 minute bus to the outskirts of Caxias, we found his humble house. We learned that his brother is member and that his family supports the church 100%. We left a message and at the end, we didn’t even have to invite him to be baptized. He told us that he was wanting to be baptized on Saturday. The next 5 days, we visited him and his family. It was awesome seeing him get more excited for his baptism. On Saturday, his great friend, Alex, was able to baptize him. It was an awesome process and an amazingly spiritual baptism meeting. Yesterday, he received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and next week he will get the priesthood. Overall, it was awesome to see such a change in Juan.

The end of the week got even better when Bira, Helena, and Bruno from Santa Cruz made a 3 hour trip to Caxias just to give me a visit. They are awesome Bira is a 1^st counselor in the YM and prepping to receive the Melchizedek priesthood. Helena is first counselor in the YW, and Bruno leaves in 2 weeks for his mission in Brasilia. They are loving the church and serving to the max. Bira/Helena were excited to tell me that they had recently gotten their patriarchal blessings. Overall, I was thrilled.

“Não pregues coisa alguma a esta geração, a não ser arrependimento; guarda meus mandamentos e ajuda a trazer à luz minha obra, de acordo com meus mandamentos; e serás abençoado.” Doctrine & Covenants 6:9 ("Say nothing but repentance unto this generation; keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work, according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed.")

Love, Dave

Chocolate chip Cookie Cheescake

Laranjão

Juan´s baptism

Bira, Helena, Bruno e crew

Coin Jar

40 lbs. of coins!

Dave the friendly giant

Doce de abóbora ( Brazilian pumpkin pie )

Car selfie with bira e fam

Halo!

Another week in the books. Man, time is flying faster than ever before. I’m loving the mish and trying to take advantage of every second. My comp, Elder Tate, and I have been focusing on opening our mouths so that all can be invited to hear the message of the restored gospel. Upon speaking with more and more people everyday, it’s interesting to see the type of people who exist in this world. There are people who are happy with life, down in the dumps, and every thing in between. Excluding backgrounds, circumstances, cultures, or livelihoods, every one has 2 options upon hearing our invitation: accept or refuse. These thoughts reminded me of Christ’s parable of the sower. As missionaries, we plant seeds (and collect the harvest), everyday. We plant seeds on the way side, in stony places, in the thorns, and in the good ground. We trust in the Lord that he shall nourish these seeds, but at times, with free choice, these seeds reject growth and are unable to produce fruits. Every time I open my mouth, I hope and pray that I plant a seed in the good ground, so that this seed bears fruit. Like Christ taught, he needs us planted in the good ground. When we are firmly planted and producing fruit, we need to help others find and stay in the good ground. Over 21 months in Brasil, I have seen many be planted in the good ground and produce wonderful fruits. What great joy it brings me to see others come unto Christ and be perfected in him. I love this gospel. I love my mission. What an amazing adventure, experience, and chance I have to represent my Savior, Lord and King. May we all be planted in the good ground in hopes to return unto him!!!

Love Dave,

The fresh cuts

Division with my peruvian compatriot Elder Pena

That suprise photo mid journal writing

Homeade guac

Diligence

Another week in the books. Can’t believe how fast time is passing. This week was great because we had a sweet conference with Pres. e Sister Campos in Porto Alegre. Man they are truly inspired. How grateful I am that I could have them as my mission President e Sis. Every time that I can converse or be in their presence, I can feel a sweet spirit and a confirmation that they are truly called by the Lord.

This week my comp and I focused on being diligent. We wanted to have an incredible week so we decided to invite all the missionaries to talk with as many people possible. Through opening our mouths, inviting all to come to Christ, and testifying of his divine grace, many miracles were witnessed. One of my favorites of the week was Vanderlei. We stopped Vanderlei in the street and testified of the restoration of Christ’s church. He invited us to his house. We entered and he told us his humbling story. Vanderlei was an x-missionary of an evangelical church. He lost his way in the path of the Lord, when drugs, prostitution, and pride entered his life. He explained how he felt so unworthy, surrounded by a cloud of endless darkness, and incapable of praying to his father above. I have never seen a person so sincere get so sad. After his desperate plea for help, we could pass one of the most spiritual messages in my mission. We read Alma 36, which relates perfectly to what Vanderlei has been passing. As we left his house, he graciously hugged us. He whispered that to repent will be difficult. But the Lord, Christ, and many others want him to rejoin the flock once more.

This week was filled with wonderful experiences. Jose, Santina and their son accepted baptism dates along with 2 more special families. With my mind, body, and spirit focused on diligently serving the Lord, I could better understand my purpose as a missionary of the Lord. For this reason, I want to make the last 2 months of the mission the best 2 months of my life! I love this Gospel, I love my Savior, and I love this work.

Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Love, Dave

 Convinced my comp to buy a guitar

Taco time

Rasberry sorvete with the comp

Thanks for the sweet gear (He finally got his Christmas package)

HOPE

Hope is certainty

Of what thou canst see

It’s a love of thy God

And who he had made thee to be

It’s the feeling deep inside

That all will be well

Independent of pain, trial, or tribulation

That thee hath felt

Its knowledge of the Savior

Being the man of all men

With his hopeful touch

Thou is cured of what appears thou canst

Hope is a certainty

In the final day

Arriving in his presence

Without any delay

For this I hope, everyday,

In the man above

I know he will save me

Because of his unlimited love

This week I had the wonderful opportunity to study hope. Hope is such a powerful principle. It truly is a certainty of Christ and his infinite grace. I hope in Christ because he is our only path and our only chance. Without him, we are weak, without happiness, and without hope. May we all desire to hope more in our heavenly King practicing his teachings in our life to follow his one path.

As I study hope this week, we could see various trials throughout the week. Gustavo, who loved church last week, decided that following the Lord’s path wasn’t exactly what he was wanting in his life, but I still have hope he will follow him some day. Also 3 or 4 families who promised us visits in the church all decided or were prevented from going to church. Trials can be disheartening, but in studying hope, I realized I cannot give up, get down, or disbelieve. I need to have more faith, works, and desire to change the lives of others. Because of a week full of hope, I’m more than excited to get to work in the Lord’s work everyday. I know miracles are coming my way. One scripture that touched me this week was 3 Nephi 8:1. We learn that, “there is not any man who (can) do a miracle in the name of Jesus save were he cleansed every whit from his iniquity.” I know that we all desire miracles in our lives. To be blessed with a miracle, we must be hopeful, obedient, and pure. May miracles fall upon you all!!! Be hopeful and pure and know that Christ is the only road back home.

Love, Elder Bodine

Brazilian Streets

Me and the perfect sandwich

 missin the estados unidos

 Preppin torta na cara activity

We got destroyed