Hey!

For the first time in like 1 year and a half we had a zone activity ha-ha. Usually there is absolutely nothing to do here in Santa Maria, we usually just listen to conference talks, or watch church movies. But today the Elders and Sisters from Espargos came down here and we played kickball and soccer and stuff, it was pretty fun! For the first time in all my 2 years here I got sunburned ha-ha. Santa Maria is a basically just a giant sand dune. We were in the sand all day and I think it was reflecting and burnt me up. That’s alright though!

We have been working a lot with a less active member named Filipe. He is a very smart man. He understands the doctrines of the church very well, the problem was just putting it into practice. We had worked quite a bit with him in the past and he always, always promised to come back and participate but never did anything. Our visits always had a very strong spirit, and it was hard to really tell what he needed. But, it so happens that this week he called us and told us to come over. At the end of the lesson he actually invited us to continue to pass by every day until Sunday, so we could help him return to church. So we passed every day. Every day the spirit testified stronger and stronger until finally his heart was softened. We spoke about what he was missing, the sacrament. The sacrament is the emblem by which we can enjoy the blessings of the Atonement. We make a sacred covenant to serve God in baptism, but the blessings of this covenant are only unlocked to those that worthily take the sacrament. We then started to teach him about the importance of laws and ordinances. Not just by the commandments are we saved, but the ordinances performed by the Lord´s divine authority. We taught of the Priesthood and then of the temple how we receive other ordinances of salvation there like eternal marriage. Just seeing a picture of the temple brought so much light into his eyes. I have never seen him like that. I could feel that the Spirit of God was in that room with us. Filipe´s entire outlook has changed. His entire vision is to be able to arrive in the House of the Lord and participate of the ordinances there. He knows that he needs to come back to church to get there. And as a matter of fact, after months and months of not returning to church, Filipe came with his wife Katiza to church this week. Now we are helping him to be able to receive the priesthood.

I was able to download a really cool video of the temple. It is the Curitiba, Brazil temple. It actually shows some pictures of some of the rooms in the temple and it has some good music. We were able to show this video to some of the members in the branch, including our branch president. Many of them have not heard much about the temple, so we had a great opportunity to help them to open their eyes. After watching, they just admired what they had seen. We talked about how only he that has clean hands and a pure heart may enter into the temple. This will be a great motivator to strengthen these members and keep their eyes fit on the glory of God.

I have gained such an incredible love for the temple. I really do miss going to the temple so much. It is the House of the Lord. Everything just makes so much sense. The Lord has commanded that His prophets construct temples from the beginning, even with Adam and his altar. They are the most sacred place that exists on the face of the earth, where we can receive ordinances for ourselves and loved ones. We are truly so lucky to have a temple so close to our own homes.

We have been working a lot with Chidi, passing by his house every day. He is having some pretty difficult times, especially with getting all the money together to go back to Nigeria. He was sad when we first arrived, but after reading just 1 or 2 scriptures his entire countenance just shines. We shared the story of Joshua and how the Lord had promised them a promised land, but it was not very easy to get there. The Lord gave Joshua some counsel and this same counsel brought so much hope to Chidi. The words of Christ can do marvelous things, the spirit comes in so strong. He is marked to be baptized this week. I hope everything goes as planned.

Yesterday as we were walking a lady called us over. We were in a very poor part of town. She was smoking and explained to me that she was pregnant and that her boyfriend didn’t want to stay with her anymore and she doesn’t have a job or any means of raising a child. She wanted me, a ´´man from the church´´ to talk to her boyfriend to get permission to get an abortion. I just sat there and thought. I then explained to her in very few and simple words the plan of salvation, that God has granted us the power to create life, he does not want us to abuse this power, he expects that when we use this sacred power that we will take care of the Lord´s precious sons and daughters that He sends, every person is a precious son or daughter of God, the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. By the end of our 4 minute conversation, she concluded that she would not do the abortion, she wants us to teach her now. We explained as the mother of this child, she must take complete care of her baby, especially by stopping to drink and smoke. A very sad case, I know that we can help this woman and her child.

To man it may be impossible, but to God nothing is impossible. I have absolute surety that if we have enough faith we can literally perform miracles in the Lord’s name. Doubt is the opposite of faith, no progress will ever happen where there is doubt or negative thinking. I know Jesus Christ is my Savior and I will dedicate all my life to His work.

Love,

Elder Rice