Oi família!
Well, there have definitely been things this week that have
tried my ability to laugh, but I´ve tried to keep to it. Like I said last week, we´re all going to
face challenges and tests in life. I
won´t lie, the mission is a grand test.
Trevor described it to me once as "The refiner´s fire on steroids
(or something to that effect)" but there are still amazing things
happening every single day when we search for them. So, review last week´s letter. I throughouly enjoyed that talk. And that´s the news for the week.
Kidding.
So, to say we had some awesome experiences last week is an
understatement. To be real, it was an
awesome week, even with it´s difficulties.
Much like the e-mail from a few weeks ago instead of one grand
experience I would just like to relate a number of mini miracles that happened
that I particularly loved.
Aluizio
Aluizio was confirmed yesterday! I was able to stand in the circle as he was
confirmed and the Spirit that was felt was marvelous. I can´t really describe it in words. But what happened before was even
better. Last Monday we had a mini party
at his sister-in-law´s house with happiness and Elder Tribino and I left the
message of the night. We talked about
eternal families and the power of the temple in our lives. Aluizio and Regylani are so excited to go to
the temple and be sealed as an eternal family.
We visited them during the week and talked about Enduring to the End and
that was a great visit as well. They
have other relatives that have fallen away as well during the past few years
and we´ll be visiting them this week.
But the best part was yesterday during the Gospel Principles class. There Regylani made the comment that they we´re
experiencing some hard times and challenges during their lives and they were
unsure of what to do. Then, we showed
up. She said that we were truly sent
from God. Wow. Emotion time.
I don´t cry much, even as a missionary, but that one hit home. Changing lives.
Joaquim, Eliane, and sons
Joaquim, Eliane, Tailon, Joaquim Jr. and Thynã are a family
we´ve been teaching that was a referral from a member in the ward. They´re awesome! All of them are on date for baptism this
coming Sunday. Thynã has already started
doing seminary and he´s reading the Book of Mormon faster than his entire
family combined. Joaquim (father)
generally has to work on Sundays but yesterday we prayed that they could come
to church as a family and the Lord granted our request. Miracle. All of the children are willing and
want to be baptized. Miracle. Then yesterday after church Joaquim said "We
felt like our faith was weakening and then all of a sudden, you guys showed up
in our lives." Miracle.
The Rest of the Week
This whole week in general was a blessing. We´ve been blessed to teach a large group of
people, and we´ve found a large number of new people who are actually
interested. We´ve been blessed to find many new ways to teach effectivey and
one of the greatest blessings in general is that Elder Tribino and I have start
working together like never before. He´s such an awesome missionary and I´m
learning new things from him every single day.
I know the Lord put him in my life for a reason and I can´t wait to see
more miracles.
Wellington Ward
Remember the Wellington Ward where I served in Kansas? Elder Weaver recently e-mailed me to say that
they were able to really get the work moving after we left. The ward is becoming more unified and the
missionaries have been blessed with more refferals. Sure, I´m not there anymore, but I left part
of my heart in Kansas and I´m just happy to know I helped start a new era for
them.
I guess my message for the day is that we´re always exactly
where we need to be. Aluizio and
Regylani. Joaquim, Eliane, and
family. Other investigators. My dear beloved Wellington Ward. Whether we serve with a nametag or not, the
Lord has placed us in specific locations for specific purposes. We just need to look. I can promise each of you (and remember, as a
representative of the Lord Jesus Christ my promises are always valid) that if
you look this week, you will see miracles.
You will find someone to help.
You will be able to help someone com closer to Jesus Christ. Yes, you may have to look, and look, and look
harder. But, miracles never come without
faith, and faith is a principle of action.
Até mais! Vos amo com
todo de meu coração. Certamente O Senhor
nos abençoa em grande maneiras todos os dias.
Elder Evans
No comments:
Post a Comment