Dear Family and Friends,
My companion and I had a hard time knowing what to do this week, we have cut a lot of investigators, and a lot have dropped us, so we´re almost back to where we started. We are trying to work with the members with references, but with how small our Branch is, it has been pretty hard. So we were walking and we didnt know where to go, my companion felt like there was a house we should visit. I thought, yeah... he just wants to go there because they always give us food, but he said the spirit was telling him, so we went. We got there, and it became apparent as to what we needed to do, their family needed so help. They are one of the strongest families in Jacareí, but they have been going through some hard times. We planned to come back the next day and see what else they needed.
We came back, and the mom of the family told us that she wants us to dedicate the house. This is in response to some of her children seeing things, and having very horrible dreams. We planned to come back on Friday, it was Wednesday.
We felt like we should stop by and do it on Thursday, so we stopped by, it was about 8:30 we started by singing hymns. We sang all 5 verses of Mais Perto Quero Estar (Nearer my God to Thee) and i honestly had never heard such harmony for that song in my entire life. And Brazil usually isn't the best with harmony, haha, but this song was amazing. Then we had a opening prayer, I opened my scriptures to a random scripture mastery, D&C 64:9-11 (http://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/64?lang=eng) and had someone read. I bore my testimony about forgiveness and how we need to forgive ourselves. I then felt prompted to open a testimony meeting with the 4 family members that were there. They shared some powerful testimonies, and words cannot describe the emotions that were felt. It was a very sacred meeting. One of the sons who has been inactive, but who has been so strong in the church in the past, with tears in his eyes said that he "[doesn´t] want it to happen again!" Talking about the things he has seen every time he tried to pray or read the scriptures. There was a tense silence for a few seconds, then I asked him if he would like a blessing as well, and he said yes.
We sang As Famílias Poderão Ser Eternas (Families can be together forever) and then kneeled in prayer for the dedication. Elder Lutz dedicated the home, and the spirit was very strong. After the dedication I gave the oldest son a blessing, and I the spirit was really strong. I could feel the words just flowing out of my mouth. We left the home knowing that we had felt the spirit really strong, and we know that everyone´s testimonies were strengthened.
Saturday night, after conference, we went to go do a baptismal interview with a girl named Chiara (Pronounced: Kiara). She has been ready to be baptized for about 2 months now, but her dad wouldn't let it happen. She goes to church everyday, reads the scriptures and you can see the virtue in her eyes. Her mom, Sílvia is a member of the church, but she lives in New York (She lived in Arizona haha, she actually lived in Harris ward by Mesa High). Her mom was born and raised, and baptized here in Jacareí. Sílvia told her that she will give her permission to be baptized, and she will come down to see it.
She planned for Conference weekend, her mom came down Saturday morning, and we went to do the interview after conference. She was very excited, and she had picked me to baptize her, I think because she knew me the longest out of all the missionaries that were here. She passed the interview, and during the interview I talked to her mom, Sílvia who lived in Arizona. Haha, we talked about arizona for a while, she says its the best place to live. She lived in Harris Ward by Mesa High. She loves Tia Rosa"s restaraunt, Mesa Temple Easter Pageant, and she actually has hiked Havasupai, but the craziest thing of all was that she was at the Ground Breaking Ceremony for the Gilbert Arizona Temple. That means, while I was there, as a random boy who just turned 18, was in the same place as her, and in a about 2 years I would baptize her daughter in Brazil! haha, it is such a small world.
Anyway, us 4 missionaries got in the car to go home, and she dropped off her daughter at her dads house, then as we were pulling away, Chiara came back to talk to her mom. Her mom got back in the car, started to drive us home and said, She said she wont get baptized. We were all so shocked. After talking about it, we said a prayer asking that Heavenly Father would give her a feeling that it was the right thing to do, and she would feel peace during conference, and receive an assurance that it was the right thing. When us four missionaries got home, we started to pray individually. While I was praying I had a feeling that said, Jejue in English, Fast.
So us four missionaries began to fast for her, we also decided to cancel or at least post-pone our lunch that we had specially scheduled in another city where we would watch conference. We prayed, pondered, and everyone knew that it was very important, because if she didn't baptize that day, she might never get baptized, because her mom lives in New York, and her Dad and Grandparents with whom she lives are very against the church.
We arrived at conference, and saved spots for her, and she showed up smiling with her mom and another family. She was feeling very good about being baptized, and then she walked out during conference! I though she was having second thoughts, but her mom found her kneeling and praying on the side of the chapel alone. When she came back in, I felt like all of the prayers and fasting that we have done was being answered. The speakers in conference spoke amazing things that seem like they were directed to her. We had the most beautiful baptismal meeting I have ever seen in Brazil, with strong testimonies and beautiful musical numbers. One hymn that was sung was If you could hie to Kolob which was in English, because we don't have that one in Portuguese.
It was a good conference. And the weekend was amazing. I loved what was said, I didn't get the opportunity to go to priesthood session, so Ill have to read those talks. I am so so so excited for all of the opportunities that the Younger members of the church will have with the ability to serve a mission with 18 years for boys and 19 for girls. I encourage everyone to go on a mission. I sure hope that this decision of the Lord is backed up by the faith and action of the members of the church, and we receive a larger amount of missionaries. I know that our mission could be split soon if we have more missionaries, and I think that this is the case for a lot of missions.
Emily, you should serve a mission. I wont tell you that you have to, but it should be a priority to know the will of the Lord concerning this. I"m pretty sure that He wont tell you no. I was thinking that maybe it will be a trend for boys to say that they want to marry a returned missionary, what the girls of the church already say. I know that I would love marrying someone who has served a faithful full time mission, and I would be a huge blessing in my life. Just know that the blessings of serving a mission far outweigh the fears. It"s not a commandment for the young women of the church, but it is an amazing opportunity.
I want to testify that we have a great work to do, missionary work is a priority. We can be a part of it, or not, but the Work of God with go forth boldly nobly and independent, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say, "The work is done."
This is work is true. We need to repent now and become worthy to help with this work and receive the blessings in our lives. Whether a missionary, a bishop, a scoutmaster, a primary teacher, a program organizer or a home teacher. You have a great work to do, we have responsibilities to fulfill. Lets do it!!!
Love,
Elder Halls
PS- Hey i know you just sent a package, but i want an American football.... like really bad.. haha, and lemon drop candies(request from a member).
