Oiiiiiiiiii
E aí minha família! this week has been just crazy! haha we have all new zone leaders, and now Elder Merril is my district leader!!! And president Moreira is leaving in like 2 weeks!!!!!! :( noooo!!!! anyway, i have a lot of stuff to talk about, muitas coisas para falar, muchas coasas para hablar. i think thats how you write it in spanish, i feel bad for anyone who is learning spanish.. haha, português is just so much prettier :)
Anyway, I was having a pretty tough time speaking the language, and being ok with getting things wrong (a lot of times its not because i cant communicate, its because i have fear of not being perfect) but then we had did a division with my zone leader, Elder Renato, which i think i sent a picture of, and he brought some life into this area! he only has one transfer left, and he really inspired me to just always be happy, and to always try to help others feel happy. So since that day, things have been going really smooth. I have been doing a lot better! He taught me a lot of new things in português, but mostly how to be excited while talking to people on the streets, and doing lessons. It was a great division.
So he slept in Jacareí that night, and we swiched back the next day, and Elder Squires and I were doing pretty good again! We had interviews the next day with president, which went really well. Our president is such an inspired man, after the interviews, a van came with all the packages and letters for our zone! haha, it was awesome!!! my house got 5 packeges!!! haha, and 4 of them were from you guys!!!! the other missionaries really like the candy and things that were sent! and there were so many amazing things in there!!! i went into more detail in the other letter, so i will talk more about other things, but pretty much, i have the best family in the whole world, and i loved the letters too from everyone! thank you so much!!! I also made brownies for a family after teaching a lesson, and they loved them! thanks for brownie mixes!!!
So we have been doing a lof of work with the part member families, and especially with a women named, Rosangela, her kids are already baptised, and she goes to church every week, she just needs to quit smoking. we planned her baptism for yesterday, but she still wasnt feeling very ready in the interview. So this week we are shooting for her to be totally done smoking and she should be baptized on sunday. She is so firm and is already sharing the gospel with other people, she just needs to be baptized.
Sunday-
The dedication of the temple was amazing. I forgot to bring my book that had my notes in it, but Deiter F. Utchdorf did the dedication, and also talked, along with Quinten L Cook, and Claudio R M Costa! the same man who dedicated the ground for the gilbert temple! Claudio RM Costa is the President of the Area here.
Deiter F. Utchdorf spoke, then said, i feel impressed to share a story about a meeting here in Manaus that happened in 1977 i think, i dont have my notes. He said that James E Faust was there, along with the mission president, but it was alot of the members in the area, yet still a small meeting. James E Faust asked a boy to give the opening prayer. He said, I would love to give the opening prayer, but please let me also bear my testimony.
James E Faust also asked a girl if she would sing, and she said the same thing, I would love to, but let me bear my testimony also. And so the small meeting of about 40 people went, each wanting to bear testimony of the Savior who is so deeply embedded in their hearts. That story touched me so much. It was definately something that everyone in the room could barely hold back tears while hearing. President Utchdorf talked about how the temple is a manifestation and a result of the faithfulness of the members here, and a fulfillment of profecy (A man named Grant Bangerter profecied that there would one day be a temple in manaus(who is related to my old companion Elder Bangerter))
The rain poured as tears from Heaven as the young adult choir sang Eu creo en Cristo, I believe in Christ. It was such an uplifting meeting.
The work is going good, we met a lady that accepted the book of mormon, and started reading while we were there, and is going to pray about the truth. I am so excited to talk to her next week! we have been finding families, it is just really hard to get people to go to church. We are going to do a lot more contacts this week.
I love you all so much!!!! this week should be great! even though its freezing cold and raining right now. haha
Elder Halls
hel3:35
