October 8, 2012

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was an amazing week filled with the spirit, personal revelation and miracles that helped me a lot and blessed the lives of others. It has been hot, humid, and raining this week, there was a night I don"t even think that I slept because I was sweating so bad and there were ninja mosquitoes landing on my face feet arms and flying into my ears. But nevertheless, this week was amazing.

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).

Semana antes Conferência Geral!!! October 1, 2012

Família,

This week was another good week, we had quite a few dissapointers, but we were about to finish the week out very well.
We started out this week, with about 25 people we were teaching, we have cut almost everyone of those 25. haha, we had one person tell us that they didn't want us to come by anymore, and we had other families who just aren't progressing. We are putting our faith in the promise that "the field is white, all ready to harvest" and we are going to start looking for the people. So far we have about 2 people who I believe are truly looking for what we have to offer.
Elder Squires and I were on a bus going to a meeting in another city, São José dos Campos, when a man started to speak to us in English, he was actually sitting right next to me. I explained to him about the Book of Mormon, and he was instantly receptive. He told me that he wanted to read it, and I explained about priesthood authority, and the vision that Joseph Smith had. I have taught him 2 times, and he is so receptive. He is going through some personal problems, so it is hard for him to make it to church. But he told me that everything he has read he has felt to be true. He also said that one day he believes that he will be baptized. He said he has searched every church and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only one he hasn't searched. So now he is reading, he can tell you everything in the Book of Mormon up to 1 Nephi 12 (http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm?lang=eng) Including the introductions in the beginning.
The other is named C., actually the fist time I taught her was last night. Elder Denis (who is serving in the other area of Jacareí with Elder Wilker) baptized a girl in the first area of his mission who is preparing to serve a full time mission. She brought a friend to church named C. who is a girl who has almost no time to meet with us, but she is really reading to Book of Mormon and trying to understand. Last night we taught her, and explained about 3 of the 4 lessons that we teach before baptism. haha, i am excited to work with her, because she is really searching for the truth.
This week as I have really tried to study more effectively and truly feast upon the words of Christ, i have been given inspiration and guidance. I have been thinking about study a lot this week, and I really that I wouldn't be here if it weren't for the study of the scriptures that happened in 1820 when Joseph Smith was studying the Bible and really putting forth effort to know. When Elder Jeffery R Holland came to our mission he said that "you can´t have a million dollar experience with twenty five cents of effort" So i have really been trying to do my part and really put in all I can to have experiences like that. I have felt the spirit more strongly and I have felt more of an intense desire to talk to people. To help everyone have what i have, studying the scriptures daily is an act of faith, and we will lose fear as we continually demonstrate our faith and study.
I challenge everyone to have a simple yet meaningful missionary experience this week. Read the Liahona, or Ensign, and study the first presidency message this month (September). We should be prepared on our side of the field, because there are really people who are prepared to receive the gospel. This is the promise. We are not seed planters, we are harvesters. We should study and pray everyday for a chance to share the gospel with someone who is prepared to receive it. Elder Lutz and I taught Relief Society and Priesthood about this concept yesterday in our Branch. The Lord has people who are ready and looking. Are we, as members of the church, prepared to answer their questions, bear our testimony, and follow the promptings of the Spirit tell us what to do and what to say? This is a question I have been asking myself almost everyday for the last week, and it is bringing blessings into my life as I walk forward with faith and help others know of the blessings that we have in our lives.

Love you guys, the scriptures are sooo awesome!!!
Elder Halls
PS Watch conference!!! Its awesome too!

Mudancas! September 3, 2012

Dear Family,

   How is everyone doing back home! This week went very well, we had interviews and we worked very hard as missionaries. Our mission president gave us alot of advice and told me some things that helped me alot. We were able to work very hard this week and feel the spirit and power of the priesthood as we diligently labored to find people to bring to church and invite to baptism.
    Yesterday was our branch´s first day in a new location that they found which is the second floor of a mechanic´s garage in a blue building. The neighborhood surrounding has almost no members. Except for the family that we will baptize in two weeks, (It is really a tender mercy to this family, they sacrificed so much to go to the other building, and now it is in their front door), but first we need to marry them, which the marriage will also be held there.
     We worked really really really hard on saturday. We walked up and down every road in about 3 neighborhoods, clapping on doors, talking to people, teaching lessons trying to invite them to come to church, read the book of mormon, change things in their lives, and ultimately repent and be baptized. We worked soooo hard. Haha, we started at 10:30, and worked until 9:00. We found quite a few people that said they would come to church, and we had 17 people lined up to go to church, all of which we were going to walk with or call the day before. So we were really excited! We went to bed that night, dead tired only knowing that we would have to wake up at 615 to get to start working at 8:30 to help the Ward with everything at 9 then get everything ready for our Branch at 3:00 until 6. I fasted and prayed that day that everyone would wake up and go to church, and that we would have everyone here so that we could teach alot of people and prepare someone for baptism.

     So what happens? Haha, we show up at the old church building to tell people that the building changed and to help people get to the Ward at 9:00  (the branch and the ward use to both be at 9am everyday) A bunch of people who we have never met before, and some who we have taught months ago show up to church. We were very happy to see so many people! The Ward finished, we walked and ate lunch with a member, then we walked to start getting people. The first 7 people couldnt go, and the man who was supposed to get confirmed didnt want to go. We actually found out that he has been drinking, so we have to talk to the president about him. But pretty much our hearts were broken, we even got an email from the most promising lady who said she couldnt go, and the elect family we found couldnt go either so anyway to make a long story short, we went to the ladies house who said she couldnt go, and she came with us. We showed up at church, and the members were so kind and loving, and we still we very happy and we had a lot of hope and knew that we tried our best.
    Then a man that we had passed earlier on the street came by and the 1st counsiler asked for me and my companion. We went over to him, and he was a very humble man, he said he didnt know why he turned around, but he was hungry and he was looking for work, and also he said he felt a spirit about this place when he saw us. After a few minutes, the leaders were able to give him R$4 which is about 2 dollars, when I gave him R$10 to go and eat. He asked quite a few questions and we left him with  a few pamphlets and o livro de mormon, and I gave him a blessing. We will go visit him this week, but I dont know if we will be able to find him. All I know is that an answer to my prayers and fasting was given, I was edified as I was able to teach him about Priesthood Authority, The spirit, and Charity, the Love of Christ. I bore my testimony after in the Branch and I felt the spirit so strong. It was about 7 when everyone left the church meeting, and all I wanted to do was teach more people, and go and find families to bring to church. I was so blessed that day, and after 2 of the most tiring days of my mission, I still have so much energy. haha,
    Anyway. Im really sorry for babbling on, I just really love the mission. Sometimes it is really hard, and other times it is really fun, but it is always worth it. The time I have to share the gospel and to wear the Saviors name is a time that I dont want to pass by fast. Remember the importance of Sharing the Gospel. Remember the words of the prophets in the book of Moroni about faith hope and charity. If we have 1 Faith in Jesus Chirst, 2 Hope in His Atonement, and Charity for all mankind, we will become the men and women we need to be to live with God, and be like him. I love the gosepl, never forget the infinate power of the Savior´s atonement. Just move forward, trusting in him, sometimes it will be as the story when you think that this Journey is so hard, you will find that you have been walking next to the Savior, but when you look back, you will only see one set of footprints, showing you that He carried you the whole way. There is a verse in Isaiah That talks about how He carries us from birth, and we dont know it. His way is easy, His burden is light. I know that these things are true. And if you have trust in the savior, you will find strenght, and relief from the pains of the world. I testify in the name of Jesus Christ that if you trust in him, you shall not fall.
Love you guys!!!

Elder Halls

August 27, 2012

Well this week went pretty well, we had an amazing conference with an area
president of the 70 named Elder Godoy. We met with him on Thursday morning
with the other zones that are farther from the capital. He spoke to us
about many things, but the thing that I liked the best was he talking about
why we´re here on the mission. He gave us three reasons:

To save others
To build the Church
To save ourselves

Every reason is important, and any one of those, if forgotten, could result
in not doing what we came here to accomplish. If we baptize baptize
baptize, but the numbers of people in sacrament, priesthood holders and
recommend holders don't grow, we´re not doing our job right. And if those
two aspects grow, but we still have our own personal problems and habits
that we cant overcome, then we are not growing into the people that we need
to become.
A lot of analyzing was done during the conference, which leaves room for a
lot of repentance. I know that this time is truly sacred, and it is a time
given to me to help me grow closer to God, Jesus Christ, The Holy Ghost,
and God´s children in Brazil. Also I have found myself grow much closer to
my family back home and my friends who I love, even though I don't have
anywhere near the same frequency of communication with them, at times I
feel like my communication with them is much more powerful now, and much
more fulfilling. Even if it is just a short letter from a missionary in
Bolivia, Spain, Brazil, the States or from a friend back home, I feel so
much peace in knowing that I made the right decision to come out here, and
often times i feel impressed to pray for people back home and to write to
them.

July 16th - "As we learn and humble ourselves before God, we will be changed..."

haha wow, it seems like so much has gone on this summer with everyone! There are so many things i wish i could reply about! I love everyone back home, and i hope everyone is doing great!
So, we went to the doctor, and they gave me some anti-biotics, but in the mean while, some members have been trying to help me out. Did you know that if you put a bees wax cotton straw in your ear and light it on fire, it creates suction? Haha, you learn things like that when you have an ear infection and you tell the members.
This week was kinda a downer, we met some awesome, big families, but none of them went to church. It is also getting really cold and rainy! We are starting to work better with the members, we are awaiting some referrals and family nights that sound like they will be really awesome!
The Ward had a baptism this week which i feel a little a part of! There was a boy who went to the Festa Junina, and really enjoyed it. then Elder Merril and Steele went to his house to show him the restoration video, which he really liked. The next day, Elder Merril and I were doing a division, and he told us he wanted to be baptized, and then bore his testimony to the investigator that i brought. It was a very amazing experiance. He told about how he prayed and how it changed his life in 4 days, and he didnt want to do anything wrong, and wanted to be a new person. The gospel is like that, as we learn and humble oursleves before God, we will be changed and we will not have the same desires that we used to.
I love you all!
Elder Halls

Monday, July 9th - "We are really excited!"

Oi Família!!!! Tudo Bem?

     How is everyone doing? I just want everyone to know that I recieved some amazing letters this week, a lot of faith building testimonies from everyone and some wonderful, inspired experiences. I dont have much time today, because we are going to eat lunch, and then go a park with some members today. This week was pretty tough here. Elder Squires and i were doing really well on monday, tuesady but wednesday came, I got really sick with I think strep throat. We still worked a lot, but it was definately pretty hard. I am pretty much better right now, and I am hoping this week will be great.
     We had 2 or 3 meetings with our ward leaders trying to get them excited about missionary work, and I think they´re getting excited! We are going to start doing a family night with a family almost every night if we can! We are hoping that everyone will come on board especially because we only have like 6 or 7 families in the ward. haha, every family night will be an opportunity for us to bring a non member or for them to bring a non member. Also, we want to involve some of the many less active members in the area. We are really excited for this and i think that it will help us alot!
      One amazing experiance this week was on friday. Elder Squires and I were walking and making visits to a ward party, Festa Junina (Or Festa Julila haha because it is no longer june). And we decided that we would stop in and see if we could use somebody´s truck to help us move some things for a family that we are teaching that is moving. We had some difficulty getting over there, but felt it was really important, and when we got there, The man we wanted to talk to was asleep, and his wiife told us to just call that night. So we were about to leave, when we popped our head in the house of another family in our ward inside of the same gate and we saw our secratery sitting there. He was lying on a bed with bandage all over his knee! We had given him a blessing a couple weeks back, and he asked for a blessing saying that he just had surgury on his knee from an accident. We annointed him with oil consecrated for the healing of the sick, and then I gave him a blessing. It was a very neat experiance. I remember blessing him that his family would be provided for financially while he is resting. After the prayer, he said that he will be out for 2 months, and then after that he will have physical therapy for a year.
     We also had a Festa on satuday night!!!!! It was awesome! Alot of people came, and we we able to get some new people to teach. We ate Bolinhas Caipiras (which makes me so hungry just thinking about. haha) and had a lot of people there! I would send pictures, but I forgot my chord today to send pictures. Anyway, they had square dancing, and food! And a big room dedicated for missionary work! It was a great oppotunity! I wish i knew how to send you videos!
   Anyway! I will respond to your letters next week, I love you all!  I am so grateful for a mom so close to the spirit. I love you and dad so much!
  I love you!
Elder Halls
PS- Do you think that I could get a calander or something with all the cousins birthdays? I would love to write some of them, maybe all. haha I love you! Enjoy the heat! We are in winter here!

"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