Bom Dia!

This has truly been a marvalous week. Weeks like this make me never want to leave the mission. There is no better time than to serve a mission. I sincerely was a child before the mission, but I am starting gain knowledge, little by little, seeing the Lord’s hand in our work. There is nothing greater.

 One of the less actives that we helped to bring back, Gugas, is absolutely incredible. He has SO much desire to serve, to learn to do and to obey. He will be great leader one day. He is currently living with a girlfriend, with whom they are not married and they have some kids together. Gugas wants to marry her, but he wants to make sure that she really is converted to the gospel first. We have started to teach her and have seen some real changes. We are going to help them prepare for marriage.

We held a zone meeting this week, where Elder Otterstrom and I got to do some of the trainings and help our zone gain a greater faith to baptize. Our focus was the Declare Faith and Repentence. As missionaries, we have the right and authority to pronoune the truth by denouncing sin (HOW AWESOME IS THAT!!) It was a huge sucess. I then went out to do a division with companionship that has had a lot of trouble baptizing. We had a fantastic division, and he agreed that he had learned a lot, and now they will be having a baptism for this week!

We went to teach a man named Ubaldo, who is a guard for a Residency where many students come nation wide to stay and go to school here in Assomada. We started to teach this man and we started by singing a hymn. Sooner or later, 3 students showed up and started listening to the hymn. A few minutes later 2 more came then 1 more until we had 9 people present. We taught them about God’s plan and the Restored Truth. By the end, they all wanted to hear more, they were asking us when we could come back. We marked to talk with them and potentially others a few days later. When we came back to teach them we brought 12 Book of Mormons. Before entering we said a prayer so that every thing would run fine. When we showed up another guard said that we couldn’t teach them, and that we would have to talk with the Director. We left, a little bummed out and waited in thought. Moments later, one of the students that we taught showed up and he brought his student friend that is a member of the church. They said they would talk to the director and there wouldn’t be any problem that we could talk with them next week. It was a miracle. After having that lesson fall, we were a bit confused what to do, so we said a prayer and starting walking to another investigator. Suddenly my companion remembered a woman that we have contacted weeks earlier. We called her, found her house and taught her entire famliy. The dad had started going to this church 11 years ago, but was never baptized. I know the Lord placed this incredible family in our path.

 This week we had a fast and we decided mainly to thank the Lord for all the miracles and goodness he has given us. We also asked that he would help us to find someone ready to be baptized this next week, because we didn’t have anyone really solid. After our only potential baptism (Bruno) didn’t come to church, we recieved a call after church. We recieved a reference of a 12 year old young girl that has been coming to church and seminary for the last month. She is the grand daughter of a very strong member family. We talked to her yesterday and marked her to be baptized this Saturday. I know the Lord works with us.

 Ivone´s boyfriend, Herculano finally came to church and really really liked it. He is for open to talk with us and know we are going to help their family be eternal.

I have never been so proud of our recent converts. We go out to teach EVERY SINGLE DAY with our recent converts. Whether it be Ja, Wilson, Hernani, Edimilson, they always want to come out and teach with us. They have incredible testimonies and love to spread the gospel. They are all currently preparing to serve missions!!! They have made some big changes through repentence, but they have truly become great men. They all bore their testimonies yesterday and it was so sincere. I love each and every one of them so much, it’s going to be so hard to say good bye to them one day, they are like my best friends. Its great to know that i will see them one day as we enter into the rest of our Fathers Kingdom.

The mission is incredible! the Lord has truly spoiled me. There is no greater gift than that of eternal life. Only the true gospel of Jesus Christ and his power and authority can get us there.

Love,

Elder Rice