16 Nov 2011 - Palmeiras Area (Mom)

I'm doing well. This week was a good week. Elder Bednar talked to us and Elder Evans, a Seventy, talked to us on Friday. Elder Costa, Area Pres. of Brazil, will talk to us the 23rd I think.

[We just finished watching the movie 17 Miracles.] Never heard of that movie. It should be good. It was an intense story. Everyone has to die eventually, so why not die there in the cold, frozen plains and end the suffering. Besides Zion is in Missouri, they already saw it :) They will be in a wonderful Zion anyways.

[Are you sure they will not be letting you go to the ground breaking ceremony for the temple?] I'm sure, he forbid it. Only the Bishops and their families and the Stake Presidents and their families will go. Who knows why, but at least Elder Bednar talked to us. He didn't shake our hands for some reason but oh well. It's cool though, the temple is officially being started. I don't know what it is going to look like.

[Mom is keeping a notebook of her thoughts as she studies the Book of Mormon.] That is a good idea. Elder Bednar told us that we should have our own "Small plates" like they had in the Book of Mormon. Don't write down everything that happened in life, large plates, but the small spiritual things that happened, small plates. Then we will have our own sacred record. He also gave us a good study idea. Get a new cheap paperback Book of Mormon and read it as much as you can for 6 months than write a one page report about the Atonement to learn more about it. While reading you will mark things about the Atonement of course. He says he has done it many times since 1995. He says one of his only treasures is all the paperback Book of Mormons that he has in a bookshelf. Each of them answered a different question. He wanted to know more about the Plan of Salvation so he would get a new Book of Mormon and read it and write a 1 page report.

Something else interesting that he did was invoke blessings upon us. Imagine an Apostle invoking blessings upon your head! He blessed us that as we read the scriptures we will gain a greater love and understanding for them. We will learn to love them and always use them in our lives. He said some other stuff but I don't have my notes with me.

Well my time with an Apostle has come and gone, it was too short but it was great.


[Here's a picture of what the Fortaleza Brazil Temple will look like.]