We are seeing miracles!!!

                                                                                                                            Jan. 11, 2016  

Oi Familia,

 

Yesterday we had 7 of our investigators in Sacrament meeting!! What a blessing!! Robson, Wesley, Almerinda, José (Almerinda´s husband), and a mother and her two children who were investigators in the past that decided to return to Church all of a sudden
.

We have really been seeing miracles this past week. Sister Caleira and I have been trying to contact many referrals from other missionaries, from the mission office, and from members, and these referrals certainly have potential to be baptized.

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to contact a woman named Marinalva. She didn´t know where her keys were to unlock the front gate in front of her home, but we taught her a lesson about the Atonement of Jesus Christ outside of her home, and she kept expressing how grateful she was for our visit. We originally hadn´t planned to contact her yesterday, but we changed our plans a bit, and ended up finding her. She has a son who has some drug problems and she is really concerned. But I know that the Lord has been preparing her for our visits because of this trial she is going through right now.

We are going to teach her this Saturday. The minute Sister Caleira and I walked away from her home, we could feel the spirit rush from our head to our toes while talking about her, and how she will be baptized. 

 

This past week....a surprise happened!! KLEBER RETURNED!!! Kleber accepted a date to work towards for baptism--31 of January, but unfortunately every time we invite him to go to church, he has fears of what others will think of him--especially his parents. He is 23 years old, but has some  problems which make it difficult for him to get rid of some irrational fears of his. This week we are going to testify of the Atonement with him, and we are going to find a worthy Priesthood holder to give him a blessing of comfort so that he can understand the importance of the priesthood, and see that the authority of God was restored to the Earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. He still has some fears in regard to baptism, and how great of a step it is in his life, but he always wants to do what is right, and trusts in Heavenly Father much in his life, and because of this, he has much potential to be baptized soon. 

Almerinda hasn´t been reading the Book of Mormon lately, but VALERIA has been reading and reading and reading way more than we have left behind for her! One day we found Valeria walking in her neighborhood, and we asked her if she had read the chapter we left with her about baptism. She said she did, and she said that she had read many more chapters after it. I immediately was overcome with so much joy and felt the Spirit so strongly after talking to her shortly. We taught a lesson with a member who is about her age, and now Almerinda and Valeria know of the importance of being baptized as Jesus Christ was baptized--by immersion. They both were baptized as babies in the Catholic church, but they are willing to be baptized into the Church in order to follow Christ´s example. Almerinda is the cutest (older) lady! She could only stay with her husband yesterday for Sacrament meeting, but she loves the peace that is there in the meeting, and as she departed from the meeting, she grabbed my hand for the longest time, with a huge grin on her face. 

This past week Sister Caleira and I had the opportunity to teach a neighbor of a member here in Cotia. She doesn´t know how to read very well, but she has a heart of gold. We were teaching the Restoration to her for the first time this past week, and near the end of the lesson, she said that she could feel such a warm peace in her heart. I started to cry, and said that Sister Caleira and I could feel it too, and we testified that she (Marilene) was recognizing the Spirit. 

There have been so many tender mercies this past week I can´t even count them. 

This transfer we were given a challenge to have at least 3 baptisms and 1000 contacts, and that is what Sister Caleira and I have been working towards. We know it´s not going to be easy, but we are trusting in the Lord, and relying on him for strength in everything we do, and we know that everything is possible with His help. 

I love each and every one of you!! I pray for you each day, and I look up to each one of you as faithful disciples of God!! I have been so humbled this past transfer with the huge responsibility to train, but it has truly been a blessing. Sister Caleira is seriously my best friend. And when we teach together there is always a special spirit in the room. 

Have a wonderful week Family!! You are all amazing!! TCHAU! BEIJOS!!!