8/25/14 Hastening the work

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!! PARABÉNS PARA OS MELHORES PAIS DO MUNDO! I love you so much. All the kids are growing up so fast. I agree with what you said mom, I have found my place, my people, my language, I´ve found who am I am. I´ve never been more confident or more sure of things. I feel the work is about to start hastening here, and take a different spin. We´ve been having meetings with our mission president and stake presidents and other church leaders. This past week we´ve been visting area´s of our missionaries and giving training's and learning from them. I´ve learned this week that we become confident in ourselves and our personalities, only as we think about others. As are thoughts are entirely focused on serving those around us, we will lose ourselves, and thus find who we really are as we serve him. We shall not be afraid to open up with people, because we won´t be thinking of ourselves, but who we can bless the individual. 

At the end of a day I spent with another missionary he told me, he learned about charity that day. He said he never met someone who knew so little about, but shared so much with him. I´ve learned we must share with people who we are, not what we know. We share it often through our talents, we receive more as we serve more. 

This week, i´ve learned the great value of standing in Holy places. There is no other place here that I feel so at peace and so safe, than the church chapel. When things get rough and we feel we are being attacked by the adversary, we return to the church building, to receive strength, then we get back to work. 

We are busy, started going with members and searching for the less-actives here. Now, We have more than we know what to do with. What I have learned as we´ve met with so many amazing people is that we are so much more than our weakness, the savior loves to forgive, and through Him we can do it. I hope that we never doubt that perfect character He has, and who quickly He comes to help us as we just decide to act. 

Dinese is an active and always cheerful member here. Her daughter is Kelly, who after our visit, went to read scriptures instead of going to a party, and has been returning to church. Dinese has been very so kind to us, and this week she asked us for a blessing. Before we gave it, we asked what she was feeling. This last week, she´s gone to the hospital, and found she has cancer. We could not hold back our tears, for it was only 5 years ago that she had lost her son, who was 21 to cancer. She reassured us with a smile, ´don´t worry elders, I have faith in the Lord, let it be according to His will, the question isn´t if I live or die, it´s if His will is done, there may be others needing me on the other side.´ As the spirit filled our hearts, we gratefully gave her a blessing, in it, we gained another witness that death is not the end, and that these people on the other side live. 

I am so grateful for my family, and how we are all safe and well. I love you. Things are all good. My camera isn´t working, so I don´t have photos to send yet, but I´m going to try to have it looked at today. Tchau!