Hey Everyone!!!!

I love the mission so much. I get to meet so many new people, bring the gospel to those that have not. This gospel has the potential to make a person happy (1 Nephi 8) and I have the chance to share it with my family. Bomb! I am currently in Praia right now because they are having a missionary leadership conference with President Oliveira!! I’m so excited to here his revelation that he has for us. I know it comes from God. He is an inspired man and I feel privileged to be able to attend this conference. I came here with the zone Leaders of Fogo, Elder Fogelberg and Otterstrom. My MTC companion Elder Heagney also got invited and we are temporary companions, it’s awesome!!!!

We have been meeting with this man named Domingos. Domingos has a mother that is like in here 90´s that is a member. His mom always goes to church and walks like 45 minutes to show up to church every Sunday, she is incredible. She was telling us how her son Domingos is always drinking. We started to teach him and it was almost impossible. He was SO drunk!!!! He did this for like 3 visits and we started to teach him the Word of Wisdom and gave him a baptismal date. Since then he has drank ALOT LESS and is so much more happy. We gave him a calendar and set up a plan to quit alcohol and smoking. He came to church this Sunday and didn’t drink, it was so amazing!!

We also met this man named Maruka. Maruka is looking out for this house for a house owner that is in the United States. Maruka is very poor right now, but is still very happy. We have been teaching him and we have committed him to baptism. He says his only concern is that when he is baptized he will not be kept on the records if he goes to America. We assured him he would be in the records. He showed up to church like 20 minutes early and love every minute. He said he learned so much, but was a little shy to respond to questions, he is awesome. We also started to teach Tony. He is the husband of our recent convert Rolina. He has a problem with drinking but his family is being a good support to help him to be baptized. He is a awesome guy but understand no Portuguese, only Creole. Its intense.

We are teaching a young man named William. William is very spiritual matured. he has been catholic his whole life but has a HUGE interest in the Book of Mormon. He says he reads it every day. He has told us he feels that it is true and that he has received a spiritual witness that it is the word of God. The only thing that is holding him back is that his whole family is catholic he has been catholic since birth and it would be very difficult to just change. We are going to continue to help him gain a testimony of the book of Mormon.

The work is going great! I love it so much. There is nothing that brings more joy to my heart knowing that I am helping others develop faith in Jesus Christ. This is the best work in the world. I cant wait until i am a old and I can serve like 14 missions with my wife, I'm so excited. This is the Church of Jesus Christ. I feel it in my heart, I have received a spiritual witness that I can never deny. Nothing could ever tear me away from this church, even until death. Look to share this message, it is the fruit of the tree of life and it can make a person happy, I know it, I have seen it.

Love,

Elder Rice