"One way I have found to repent is to seek the word of God, bear testimony and live it" ~Elder Halls

I love you mom! Haha, you sent me the message amost exactly 30 seconds after I got on. I dont have to much to write this week, not much happened!!! Haha, I cant remember very much other than the feelings. I am so jealous that you guys went to Lake Powell!!!!!! haha, to the people here, if you were to bring them to Lake Powell, i think they would think the´re in paradise. Or maybe that is just what I would think being there, having been on my mission for 4 months already. Man, I wish you guys spoke portugues. haha, its way fun to speak, and I made an oath to myself that I will only speak portugues when possible for now on. haha it has been going really well, and i am amazed at the things i have learned in just 3 days of not speaking english. Haha, in other situations it probably wouldnt be so hard, but living in a house with 4 americans and one of them being newer than me, its a little hard, but the more i speak the language regulary instead of english, the more i feel the spirit testify to me that this is where i need to be, that I am called to be here, and that either I am supposed to teach these people, or that they are supposed to teach me, which i am just about sure that it is the latter.
That is just what I said in my testimony yesterday in front of Ramo Jardim Liberdade (Jardim Liberdade Branch) haha, i have been really loving my studies and waking up early lately, and when it came time to bear our testimonies yesterday, i was the first person up. haha, its really funny how when you have the spirit with you and are seeking through faith to follow the scriptures how you literally have no fear.
Let me back track a little. This week, was a little tough, we had a rough start, and we were in a slump. We realized that pretty much everyone we had been teaching, we arent going anywhere with. We were having little success, and it was making us discouraged. During a companion study, we talked about it, and we talked about how to get out of the slump, how just 2 weeks ago we were sowing and reaping miricles, but lately it just wasnt happening. So i made a few commitements to myself that I know if i am faithful i will be able to keep. One, I will be exactly obidient to the rules. I will not look to how i can strech the rules, but i will look at how i can more fully accomplish and keep the rules. Two, I will speak portugues at all times even with americans, even if it is hard, i will ask how to say things and learn while i am speaking, even if i am in a house 3 other americans. haha, three, I will make 20 contacts a day. This is something that President Moreira spoke about alot, which is very hard for each companionship to get 40 contacts everyday, but it is very possible.
Anyway, haha, I have been doing some praying, and alot of thinking and pondering at how i can improve. Friday and saturday i was thinking all day. Saturday i woke up early at 6 so I could finish the book of mormon from where i was at and have time to pray about it. I thought all day about what i should do to become the missionary i want to become. Oh, haha also, this week (sorry for jumping around so much) I had a vision. A dream, about me walking into our house on Woodside way after my mission, getting picked up from the airport. The temple was finished, we were going to do a session before i got released. And I walked in the house through the garage, got to the laundry room, and just broke down in tears. I couldnt bear the feeling of longing to continue on my mission, to serve the Lord, to love the people of Brazil, my companions, the Branches of sometimes just 40 people. Wow, i am about crying right now as I write this. But anyway, feelings like this, reading the book of mormon, bring people back to church that havent been in such a long time, (we walked with 2 children in a family who almost begged there parents to let us take them to church), watching the baptism of a family in the Ward of the other elders, it has just brought a lot of things into perspective.
So i want to act. I know that i will cry when i get home, and i will be filled with saudades for the people here and for my call as a missionary. But i want to be able to look into the eyes of everyone i meet and say, i gave everything i could, i worked as hard as i could, i loved them more than i loved my own life. Once i can do this, i will be a successful missionary.
Anyway, so I love the opportunity we have to repent and to come back to the savior. One way i have found to repent is to seek the word of God, bear testimony and live it.
 I hope everyone takes every change in there life as an opportunity to repent and become the person you want to become. This life is so short to not become who you want to be, you need to choose now, now is the time. Life is too short to fill it with excuses or i things you wish you would have done. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ, we can change our lives. But we first need to humble ourselves and pettion him to show us how we can change, that through his sacrifice we may be saved. I love the words of Ether, the prophet, at the end of the history of his people `34 Now the last words which are written by aEther are these: Whether the Lord will that I be translated, or that I suffer the will of the Lord in the flesh, it mattereth not, if it so be that I am bsaved in the kingdom of God. Amen.`
I want to have the same surety in the Lord. Read The Book of Mormon, read the Bilble, read the words of the prophets, read Jesus the Christ, treasure up the scriptures.
I love you all, i love the people here in Brazil, I love this church I love our savior Jesus Christ. I remember the words of Jeffery R Holland to us saying, One of the many truths we brought the world is the image of a weeping God. Jesus Christ is calling us back always, his arms are always outstreched seeking to gather us in. All the challenges in our lives can be a way to learn and grow if we but put our trust in Jesus Christ.
Com Amor,
Elder Halls