HELLO:

What a wonderful week it has been! Lots of hard work here in Maio! We are getting closer and closer to a branch. From what I have been told the application for the branch has already been sent and now it is just a matter of waiting a good 3-4 weeks! Super exciting!!!! Super crazy, how we have been here since the beginning with nothing and now it has already grown to a branch, what an incredible sight, the Lord has blessed us and strengthened us immensely.

As I went to get breakfast in the kitchen this morning, I found a rat in our garbage bag rummaging. He jumped and I started freaking out, he went underneath the fridge, so I blocked one of his exits. I almost caught him with a metal bowl, but he barely made it out. He managed to escape, but he hasn’t won the war.

This Sunday, and Monday we were in Praia for interviews with President Oliveira. We took the boat on Sunday. President is so inspiring, every time I talk to him I just want to be better and more Christ like. What a blessing it is to have him in our mission. While in Praia, we got to hang out at the Assistants house and also at our Zone leader’s house. It was a super fun trip!!

We had a SUPER awesome miracle happen with our investigator Dona Ducha. Just a quick summary, when we found Dona Ducha, she was just straight up sad and miserable. She had no money, she had a huge debt to pay the light company and couldn’t run her salon and earn decent money. The only work she had was to sell alcohol, but that barely made enough to survive for her and her granddaughter. We taught her and she began to keep the commandments and began to be much happier. We prayed with her, we fasted with her and she felt more and more love of the Lord in her life. At times she lost hope and would say it wasn’t possible, but then she would pray, come to church and gain more strength. Miraculously, she was able to receive a help from the Fast Offering funds, after receiving an interview with the stake president when he came to Maio to visit. He approved the money for her to put light in her house (a debt so big that she would literally never be able to pay by herself). On Friday, the light came back on in the house and she started up her salon again. I have never seen her so well dressed, so happy and so thankful. On Friday, her daughter, Elizandra, came back, from Praia. Elizandra had left 10 months ago with the sole purpose to find work to be able to earn money to send to her mom to pay off the light bill debt. She literally found no work for 10 months. When we talked to her she thought she had failed, she was very emotional and was crying. We asked her, ''Why did you leave?'', ''to earn money for my mom, but I didn’t.'' ''Why?'' ''To put light in the house''. The EXACT same day that Dona Ducha's daughter came home after finding no work, light came back into the house. That is a miracle of the Lord. The Lord put us in Dona Ducha's path so we could bring the Gospel of Peace and Happiness, and now she is happier than ever, she has truly prospered. Now Elizandra is regretful of her past and wants to change. We taught her and she came to church, her life will never be the same, if she continues to give heed to word of the Lord, she will live happy forever! Such an incredible family.

Dona Ducha will be baptized this week with Fatinha (Maruca's wife). It will be an incredible week!!! We have been waiting for so long for this. I will never forget the experiences I have had with these people. They have strengthened my testimony of this true gospel.

We had 27 people in sacrament meeting this week!!!!! SO awesome!!! That is the most that we have ever had. We should have had like 30-32 people, but a few just didn’t show up for unknown reasons. The work is progressing with such speed and strength; no impure hand could ever impede this work.

I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ that has the fullness of His pure and perfect doctrine, with the power and authority to perform necessary ordinances. The Church of Jesus Christ was restored by the Prophet Joseph Smith in these last days. Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God that reveals His true gospel and guides the world today. I love this gospel; nothing in this world could ever take me away from this work or this church.

Love,

Elder Rice