Teachings in Brazil

We had a baptism this week! Does everyone remember those random kids that we found in the church that said they wanted to be baptized? Well the first, Lucas, was baptized this past Saturday. It was Elder Imperador's first baptism. This week we are going to baptize the other kid, hopefully along with his mother. The rest of this kid's family have been baptized, but are inactive.

It was really fun to teach Lucas. He accepted everything we taught him with a ton of faith! He also just up and left coffee when we explained God's commandment in the Word of Wisdom. His family just moved here about four months ago, and what's funny is that I had already taught his mother and sister with Elder Brooks. However, we didn't ever meet Lucas, and we didn't spend too much time with his family because they didn't have any desire to go to Church. However, as many members of the Church know, God works in His own time and in His own ways; Lucas's mother and sister went to his baptism, and afterwards both of them said that they had felt such peace that they wanted to come to Church! Unfortunately, they weren't able to come this past Sunday because Lucas's mom got sick. 

We also found a really cool new investigator, Isaque. Or rather, he found us. I was on exchanges with my District Leader, and this guy just walked up to us, shook our hands, and told us that he wanted to speak with us. We walked with him to his house, sat down with him, and he began to tell us a story. Apparently, he has already recieved the missionary lessons, and he has already been to church many times. The other missionaries even had his baptism marked up and ready to go, but at the last second, he got scared and fled to the beach, and didn't return to the Church. That sounds a little weird in English, but that's the best translation I've got. Now, when we taught him, he expressed a desire to return to the church, and to try again with baptism. We are really excited to teach him.

We are still working with Enrique and Viviane, but it seems we've hit a wall with them. Enrique, like many of the people here in Brazil, feels obligated to his ties to the Catholic Church. However, I know that him and Viviane have both felt the spirit testifying to them of the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel. I know that if they both continue to strive and live the principles of the Gospel, they will find the true happiness that comes only on the basis of righteous living and the knowledge and usage of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I pray that they realize the blessings that wait for them in the One True Church.

And with that, I'll see you all next week.

Elder Bishop