Oi familia! Como vai?!
It´s been a while since I´ve written a family letter. At least I think so. Time goes by so fast, and I´ve done a lot of replying to your letters, but a lot of times on P-day I get to the computer and really don´t feel like using technology. I guess that´s what a year on the mission does. But I guess I´ll give you all an idea of what´s going on down in Brazil.
These last couple weeks I´ve been needing to push myself a little bit harder. Elder Toebe is finishing up the mission here in two weeks, and understandably his thoughts are in the future, so I´ve had to retrain my mind not to think about home, but to think about what is going on here. And it´s been good. We´ve talked a lot about dreams for the future, which can be distracting, but at the same time, it´s been kind of good for me, because as I´ve been out, I feel like I have a better idea of what I want with my life. So we´ll see how these last two weeks go. Elder Toebe has always been a hard worker, but his thoughts are definitely drifting towards home, so I´ll have to step up.
We have a really great teaching group. We are teaching this really awesome lady named Neide and have been teaching her in her little store called Casa do Norte, where she sells food from other parts of Brazil which are hard to find here in São Paulo. She was a referral from a member, and we have been teaching her inside the store in the afternoon which is kind of fun. Anyways, she has made some awesome progress this week. We gave her the book of mormon about a week ago, and she is already in Alma, and is preparing to get baptized this Sunday with her 10 year old son. The biggest problem is that she has a leadership role in her church, and is nervous to leave behind the people she leads, but I told her that she doesn´t have to leave the behind, she can keep on leading them to the Church of Jesus Christ and eternal life. We´d be happy to help :) I know it doesn´t always work out that way and she might face some rejection and criticism, but still, I´m crossing my fingers.
We taught another guy named Danilo yesterday for the first time who has been going for church for 8 months, but it´s been so hard to get in contact with him and teach him, but we finally did and after 8 months of going to Church, all that is left is baptism. We still have to teach the lessons, but he accepts everything super great and is preparing for June 8.
It´s really great to see the work of the Lord grow and progress. I´m loving this experience with all my heart, might, mind and strength.
I really liked the following in my studies this week in Jacob 4:13
13 Portanto, meus irmãos, quem quer que profetize, que o faça ao alcance do entendimento humano, pois o Espírito fala a verdade e não mente. Portanto fala de coisas como realmente são e de coisas como realmente serão; assim, estas coisas nos são manifestadas claramente para a salvação de nossa alma. Mas eis que não somos as únicas testemunhas destas coisas, porque Deus também as disse aos profetas da antigüidade.
It´s been a while since I´ve written a family letter. At least I think so. Time goes by so fast, and I´ve done a lot of replying to your letters, but a lot of times on P-day I get to the computer and really don´t feel like using technology. I guess that´s what a year on the mission does. But I guess I´ll give you all an idea of what´s going on down in Brazil.
These last couple weeks I´ve been needing to push myself a little bit harder. Elder Toebe is finishing up the mission here in two weeks, and understandably his thoughts are in the future, so I´ve had to retrain my mind not to think about home, but to think about what is going on here. And it´s been good. We´ve talked a lot about dreams for the future, which can be distracting, but at the same time, it´s been kind of good for me, because as I´ve been out, I feel like I have a better idea of what I want with my life. So we´ll see how these last two weeks go. Elder Toebe has always been a hard worker, but his thoughts are definitely drifting towards home, so I´ll have to step up.
We have a really great teaching group. We are teaching this really awesome lady named Neide and have been teaching her in her little store called Casa do Norte, where she sells food from other parts of Brazil which are hard to find here in São Paulo. She was a referral from a member, and we have been teaching her inside the store in the afternoon which is kind of fun. Anyways, she has made some awesome progress this week. We gave her the book of mormon about a week ago, and she is already in Alma, and is preparing to get baptized this Sunday with her 10 year old son. The biggest problem is that she has a leadership role in her church, and is nervous to leave behind the people she leads, but I told her that she doesn´t have to leave the behind, she can keep on leading them to the Church of Jesus Christ and eternal life. We´d be happy to help :) I know it doesn´t always work out that way and she might face some rejection and criticism, but still, I´m crossing my fingers.
We taught another guy named Danilo yesterday for the first time who has been going for church for 8 months, but it´s been so hard to get in contact with him and teach him, but we finally did and after 8 months of going to Church, all that is left is baptism. We still have to teach the lessons, but he accepts everything super great and is preparing for June 8.
It´s really great to see the work of the Lord grow and progress. I´m loving this experience with all my heart, might, mind and strength.
I really liked the following in my studies this week in Jacob 4:13
13 Portanto, meus irmãos, quem quer que profetize, que o faça ao alcance do entendimento humano, pois o Espírito fala a verdade e não mente. Portanto fala de coisas como realmente são e de coisas como realmente serão; assim, estas coisas nos são manifestadas claramente para a salvação de nossa alma. Mas eis que não somos as únicas testemunhas destas coisas, porque Deus também as disse aos profetas da antigüidade.
There is so much information in the world, and so much religious doctrine and belief that just confuses people, at least here in Brazil, so it´s conforting to know that God will always reveal his will in a simple way so that his children can understand, and after, will send the Spirit to testify of these simple truths. And as we study the scriptures, we learn that God has taught the same things since the beginning of times. It´s up to us to follow.
Love you all and hope you have a great week.
Elder McDaniel
