Oi família!
So, this week was buckets of interesting. We had a good time and some pretty cool
miracles happened. We had a legit tender
mercy that happened. We had to go to
Centro (which is like the downtown district here) to mark a marriage for a
couple we´re teaching. As we were
walking I hear someone call out "Élder!" The family in Parquelândia with whom we spent
New Years was at the exact same intersection.
I stopped and introduced them to my companion and we talked for a little
bit. Basically, I was just pumped to see
them. Major tender mercy to see how the
Lord´s timing is truly perfect.
But as we returned home, we were super excited to
teach. We had a bunch of referrals lined
up and a bunch of awesome contatcs marked to visit that day. And every single one
of our plans fell through. We were more
than a little bumbed. Élder Bradley was a little discouraged and we talked as
we were walking. He expressed his
frustration that we hadn´t had the opportunity to teach much that day. As we were talking I remembered a scripture
dad sent me a number of months ago as I was serving in Kansas in Doctrine and
Covenants 64:33-34. It speaks of how we
are "laying the foundation of a great work" and that the lord requires a cheerful heart
to reap the good of Zion in the last days.
The next day we awoke, studied, taught our first english
class and headed out for the day. Our
first appointment fell through because his house doesn´t exist. Or we just couldn´t find it. The address is painted on the side of the
villa, but for some reason, his house just wasn´t there and no one knew where
it was. We were more than a little
frustrated. We headed to our second
appointment, a woman named Elizabeth. We
had contacted her the day before when the referral we received for her neighbor
fell through. When we arrived she
already had the chairs set in their places and warmly invited us in. As we were beginning her son-in-law came in
and sat down with us. We began talking
with him and during the conversation he said "well, I heard you were
coming over today and I wanted to sit in with you. I´m actually a member of the church but I
haven´t been in over 10 years." The
next thing I knew the words sprang from my mouth "Well, what are the two
of you doing tomorrow morning?"
Elizabeth: "Nothing really"
Us: "Great! How
about coming to church with us?"
Elizabeth: "That would be great!" I would love to
go!"
Regis (son-in-law): "You know, I would really like to
go too."
Bear in mind. We
haven´t yet taught this woman a single thing yet, and she already accepted the
invitation to go to church. The Spirit
was already super strong and we hadn´t even prayed. We prayed and began the lesson and as we
taught and testified of Joseph Smith seeing God the Father and our Savior,
Jesus Christ the Spirit was burning up the room. Then another question sprang from my lips:
Us: "Elizabeth, how are you feeling right now?"
Elizabeth: "I´m feeling good"
Which is actually a typical response from the people
here. But then she went on.
Elizabeth: "I´m feeling really good. In fact, I´m feeling a really strong
peace. Yesterday when you were talking
with me at the gate I felt the same peace and I´m feeling it again. It´s wonderful."
Us: "Elizabeth, that is the Holy Ghost. His purpose is to testify of truth. Knowing that this really is the church of
Christ reestablished on earth, are you willing to follow this feeling?"
Elizabeth: "I am"
Us: "Are you willing to follow the example of Jesus
Christ and be baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God?"
Elizabeth: "I am"
Us: "We will be holding a baptismal service on April
27th. Will you prepare yourself to be
baptized on that date?"
Elizabeth: "I will"
Pause for a moment and think about what just happened. The Spirit was so strong she could not deny
that these things were true. The next
day she and her less-active son-in-law came to church and loved it. I was talking to Élder Bradley afterwards and
said "You know, I don´t think she understood 100% of the doctrine, but she
felt that what we were saying was true.
That is true conversion."
and then I followed that up by saying "Elder, you need to be sad
more. When you get sad, miracles
happen." Sure, it wasn´t his
sadness. But remember, the Lord, at
times, will give us trials, so that we may better appreciate the
blessings.
The next day we taught another lesson where a previously
uninterested investigator accepted a baptismal date. That night we made contact with a woman who
wants to raise her children in the "Mormon Church" so they can be in
the right way. One way or another, the
Lord makes miracles happen. Sure,
weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning.
The Lord loves us.
More than that, He restored the fulness of the gospel of His Son through
a prophet. We have a living prophet
today. I know it because the Spirit
testified to me. He is testifying to
you.
Até o próximo!
Élder Evans
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