ELDER HUNTER BISHOP RETURNS

THIS IS IT!!!

Hello everyone! This past week we had Zone Conference, where I gave my last testimony to the whole mission. That was nuts. Also Erizeldo was baptized on Tuesday. It was a very happy occasion.

Zone Conference was very spiritual and very inspired. I felt very proud of how well my mission has developed. However, the whole time I was feeling pretty sick. I got a fever and a bad headache during the conference, and I was feeling nauseous also. Then all the missionaries that are going home were called to give their last testimonies. And I was almost one of the last to bear my testimony! I was very afraid of going up to the pulpit just to toss my cookies on everyone. That wouldn´t be a very desireable testimony. Fortunately, everything worked out all right, and when it came time to bear my testimony, I felt full of the Spirit. Many of my words were not my own. I know that the Lord works through us to fulfill his great and marvelous tasks. 

Erizeldo was baptized! We were so excited to be able to see his baptism. He asked us a little while ago if he could be baptized on the day of his son´s birthday. Erizeldo wanted to give such a present to his son. Erizeldo´s son, João Erick, is a recent convert of a little over a year, and he has literally brought salvation to his family. It was through the efforts of João Erick that Erizeldo decided to investigate the church again. Erizeldo´s testimony has also come from the wonderful example that his son has given to the rest of the family. So, this Tuesday, Erizeldo walked room in the church where the hold seminary dressed in the baptism clothes. João Erick was very excited. The baptism was full of the Holy Spirit of God, and the testimonies given were very inspired. We all ate cake afterwards.

Well, this is my last email. I hope you all have enjoyed hearing about my mission experiences. It´s been a blast. I´ll see you all soon.

Até a próxima semana! Vai ser bom demais!

Élder Bispo

16 DAYS!!!

This week was great! Elder Arana and I are working hard, and the work is paying off. We found a few families that are less active, and we are working hard to reactivate them. This week, Cadu and Caio were baptized from these two families. This marking event surely will be a great support for these families. We are praying a lot so that these families can enjoy the fullness of the gospel once again.

Cadu and Caio have been going to church every week with their aunt. Elder Arana and I were completely unaware that the two hadn´t been baptized. However, during the lunch lesson we had with their aunt, Maria de Carmo, the Holy Ghost spoke strongly to Maria to talk about these two families. We got their addresses and began to teach them. This was when we met Caio and Cadu. They both accepted the baptimal invite, and their parents supported their decisions. 

Cadu and Caio´s baptism was full of the Spirit. They both expressed such excitement to be baptized, and afterwards they started jumping up and down with joy. These boys are an example for their families. We are very excited to work more with these families to help them establish their foundations in Christ.

This next week will be my last Zone Conference, and an Area Seventy will be there! Go team!

Até mais, pessoal.

Elder Bispo

ZONE TRAINING WEEK!

Weeeellll folks, this week was super normal. However, we had Zone training on Wednesday, which was real great. Our zone is very excited, and they are very eager to apply what they learned in the training. 

Also, this week we worked a lot with a woman named Cláudia. Cláudia is very excited for baptism. She went to church two weeks ago, and absolutely loved it. Last week we followed up on the baptismal challenge that we had established with her, and she was all ready for baptism. However, she moved to a city in the country! So we went to the mission office today to hand in her teaching record. The mission will then send it to  the Missão Fortaleza Leste, and surely she will be baptized there. It was a great privilege to help her along the path of righteousness.

Other than that, our week was normal. But this next week will be the bomb.

See you all later!

Elder Bispo

4 WEEKS!!!

Hello everyone! This week was the bomb. We found some wonderful new investigators that really felt the spirit in fast and testimony meeting. Our members delivered some amazing testimonies this week. There were a few miracles that happened in the ward this past week, and the testimonies shared on these miracles were absolutely perfect for our investigators. These miracles will be shared to those who desire to hear about them... After my mission! You´ll all have to wait four weeks. Haha!

Anyway, Eriseldo (in previous emails, I had spelled his name wrong as Eliseudo) has finally accepted baptism. Elder Arana and I have been working with him awhile now, and all this time he has shown the required faith and repentance in order to be baptized. However he has still not been baptized. This past week, he finally accepted a date for his baptism, and the whole ward is darn excited. Everyone knows him already because of his son, João Erik. This young man is a wonderful example of member missionary work. He is a convert, and is only fourteen years old. However he has been teaching his whole family about the joys of the gospel. It is only because of his good example, and his diligent work, that his family has begun to accept the truths of the Restored Gospel. Hopefully, I will be here long enough to see the baptism of João Erik´s mother and sister.

See you all later!

Elder Bispo

5 WEEKS

This week was great. First week of the transfer and one of our investigators was baptized! We started teaching Samara last transfer, and she has progressed so well over the past few weeks or so. The ward was very excited to see her baptism.

Samara was a result of door to door proselyting. When we taught the first lesson, she told us how many years ago she was contacted by the Elders, and started going to church. In that time, the members of this region congregated in the house that the Bishop rented. The Elders in that time were both transferred, and unfortunately, no one followed up with Samara. She soon stopped going to church.

Many years passed by until Samara found us knocking on her door, and very thankfully accepted our lesson. 

Elder Arana and I are extremely grateful to the Lord, who has prepared Samara over a long period of time. I know that the Lord directed us to Samara´s house so that she could recieve the true gospel once again. God prepares his children here on earth to hear the message of the restored gospel. I have experienced this so many times on my mission that it is impossible to deny.

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he loves us. He desires to see the eternal happiness of all the children of God, and thus he accomplished the great work of the atonement for us. 

Daqui á pouco!

Elder Bispo

6 WEEKS LEFT

Hello everypeoples! Tranfers came and I will be staying here in Tancredo Neves until I finish my work here in Fortaleza. This is my last transfer, and I´m determined to make it one of my best. We´ve set some pretty high goals, and we´re excited to try and meet them. I sincerely believe that we will see many miracles this transfer.

Last transfer was pretty difficult for us, however this next one has some great potential. Unfortunately, neither Eliseudo or Samara were baptized this week. However, they continue to progress in the gospel, and have accepted to prepare themselves for this first week of the transfer. We are hoping that they both will be able to accomplish this goal.

In our Zone this past week, one of our missionary couples baptized fifteen people. That is quite a feat! I have never seen anyone baptize so many people in just one week. Just when I thought that I had seen everything that our mission has to offer, I was surprised once more. We are extremely happy for these Elders and this remarkable event that they were able to witness. The gospel of Christ truly does have the power to change.

And that was our week. Tchau!

Elder Bispo