[Combining emails to Mom and Dad this week because some of the content is common.] My area isn't bad at all in robberies and that kind of stuff. There isn't a place where the missionaries don't want to go. Robberies and stuff happen all the time here in Ceará though. A lot of people die too here, the most in all of Brasil. No doubt the culture here of beer and laziness plays a big role in these statistics. Every member has a story of getting robbed, but nothing bad has happened to me yet. Oh and no missionary has died yet from robbery, just a smash in the head by a gun ;)
[(Dad) Good to hear your MTC district finally made it there. What did they do while waiting for visas?] My district was in Nebraska serving their missions, with a part of South Dakota too yippeee. Some of them were on Indian reserves, others no. It will be a big change from Nebraska to Ceará, minus the drunk people of course they will be use to that.
[(Mom) When I pray at night, and get to the "Missionary" part, I pray for ... you ... by name. When I say your name aloud (I pray aloud now) always a warm glow fills me. It is confirmed to me each night that He is pleased with your service, that you are a valiant missionary.] It's good to hear that, it seems mothers usually always know what to say. One of my biggest concerns is doing all that I can and working so that I don't have any guilt. Baptisms etc don't really matter to me, I just want to be able to live the rest of my life without regret of what I could have done more on my mission. I think if I do this, the other successes will come, baptisms, spiritual experiences etc. It's good to hear that He is pleased.
[(Mom) I am happy that you were not shot. Have you shared those experiences with the mission president?] I didn't tell the President, this kind of stuff happens a lot here though (The whole mission). The area I'm in right now isn't bad at all, it's safe and there isn't really a place that I fear going.
[Mom commented about a book on prayer she has been reading.] I agree with praying aloud. It's hard in the morning to just pray because you think about other stuff and you want to sleep. I used to just mouth the words when I prayed in the MTC so that I could focus better. I haven't done that for awhile and I always told myself that I needed to do better.
I had a baptism this past Saturday. I was chosen to do the baptizing. I have was really scared, kind of. It wasn't fear but nervousness I guess. I said the baptism prayer a million times in my head so that I wouldn't mess up. We baptized a 16 year old girl whose cousin is a member. It was interesting because she has been taught by the missionaries for 3 years but never did anything. We taught her and she started going to church alone, without help from her cousin. Her cousin helped her a lot to prepare though. One day when we came over to teach they were super excited because the girl had read and prayed and received an answer. The baptisms went well, the font was a little low on water though. Afterwards when I was changing in the bathroom I just sat down and thanked the Lord with all my heart. I just sat there and looked at the wall and I felt the spirit and the weariness that I felt from all the worrying just left me and I was grateful. I'm so grateful that we have the authority here on the earth to perform baptisms that mean something. I'm grateful I was given the opportunity to do the baptizing too. Whenever I think about the baptism I feel happy because I know what a blessing it is. Even though I really only remember the water temperature from my [own] baptism, I know that it is the right thing to do. The rest of my life wouldn't have been the same and because of this I know baptism changes your life. I hope to see many more baptisms, not to add to my "glory" but the feeling is wonderful when you see your investigator get baptized. Whenever I think about the baptism I feel an indescribable happiness, not because it was my first but because I know it is a saving ordinance and this girl can feel happy for eternity. I know the power and authority is real on this earth. I have already had this confirmed to me in my short time here. I know Jesus is our Savior, I know He died and that he suffered for our sins. He didn't suffer them with regret or urgency to finish. He suffered them gladly, one by one for each person. I was reading in the Liahona general conference edition and someone said that He didn't suffer our sins in a mass. He suffered one by one and He thought about each one of us as He suffered. I know this is true and this is why He knows our names and our pains.
[(Dad) Good to hear your MTC district finally made it there. What did they do while waiting for visas?] My district was in Nebraska serving their missions, with a part of South Dakota too yippeee. Some of them were on Indian reserves, others no. It will be a big change from Nebraska to Ceará, minus the drunk people of course they will be use to that.
[(Mom) When I pray at night, and get to the "Missionary" part, I pray for ... you ... by name. When I say your name aloud (I pray aloud now) always a warm glow fills me. It is confirmed to me each night that He is pleased with your service, that you are a valiant missionary.] It's good to hear that, it seems mothers usually always know what to say. One of my biggest concerns is doing all that I can and working so that I don't have any guilt. Baptisms etc don't really matter to me, I just want to be able to live the rest of my life without regret of what I could have done more on my mission. I think if I do this, the other successes will come, baptisms, spiritual experiences etc. It's good to hear that He is pleased.
[(Mom) I am happy that you were not shot. Have you shared those experiences with the mission president?] I didn't tell the President, this kind of stuff happens a lot here though (The whole mission). The area I'm in right now isn't bad at all, it's safe and there isn't really a place that I fear going.
[Mom commented about a book on prayer she has been reading.] I agree with praying aloud. It's hard in the morning to just pray because you think about other stuff and you want to sleep. I used to just mouth the words when I prayed in the MTC so that I could focus better. I haven't done that for awhile and I always told myself that I needed to do better.
I had a baptism this past Saturday. I was chosen to do the baptizing. I have was really scared, kind of. It wasn't fear but nervousness I guess. I said the baptism prayer a million times in my head so that I wouldn't mess up. We baptized a 16 year old girl whose cousin is a member. It was interesting because she has been taught by the missionaries for 3 years but never did anything. We taught her and she started going to church alone, without help from her cousin. Her cousin helped her a lot to prepare though. One day when we came over to teach they were super excited because the girl had read and prayed and received an answer. The baptisms went well, the font was a little low on water though. Afterwards when I was changing in the bathroom I just sat down and thanked the Lord with all my heart. I just sat there and looked at the wall and I felt the spirit and the weariness that I felt from all the worrying just left me and I was grateful. I'm so grateful that we have the authority here on the earth to perform baptisms that mean something. I'm grateful I was given the opportunity to do the baptizing too. Whenever I think about the baptism I feel happy because I know what a blessing it is. Even though I really only remember the water temperature from my [own] baptism, I know that it is the right thing to do. The rest of my life wouldn't have been the same and because of this I know baptism changes your life. I hope to see many more baptisms, not to add to my "glory" but the feeling is wonderful when you see your investigator get baptized. Whenever I think about the baptism I feel an indescribable happiness, not because it was my first but because I know it is a saving ordinance and this girl can feel happy for eternity. I know the power and authority is real on this earth. I have already had this confirmed to me in my short time here. I know Jesus is our Savior, I know He died and that he suffered for our sins. He didn't suffer them with regret or urgency to finish. He suffered them gladly, one by one for each person. I was reading in the Liahona general conference edition and someone said that He didn't suffer our sins in a mass. He suffered one by one and He thought about each one of us as He suffered. I know this is true and this is why He knows our names and our pains.
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