Elder Spencer Christofferson: "When one is faithfully reading and praying about the Book of Mormon, conversion comes..."

Me and Elder Prado

Hey Everybody!!

How was your week!? Ours was a great last week of the transfer! Yes, I already have a whole 6 weeks here in this area, Imbuí! It went by so fast! We got our transfer calls last night actually, which was a nice surprise as we were expecting them Monday morning. So Elder Alves is getting transferred and I will be finishing the training of Elder Pereira here in Imbuí. It will be his second transfer on the mission! I saw him when he got here at the beginning of this transfer but I can't remember exactly who he is since I met all the new missionaries that day! I guess I will find out Tuesday! But this transfer with Elder Alves was a great one. I learned so much and am excited for the future here in our area! Things are looking great and change is good!

So Wednesday we had a Zone meeting. When I heard about the meeting I was a little confused because we had a Zone Conference with President like 2 weeks ago. Apparently during the round of zone conferences that President Bangerter did in all the zones, he made some adjustments and edits to some things. Since my zone was the first one to have a zone conference we did not get to hear the things he had adjusted so we had a little zone meeting where the Assistants to the President gave a great training on the new information. Elder Prado, one of the Assistants, bore a really powerful testimony that really made me think. He talked about how we need to have the mentality that our work is a matter of life and death. It was really spiritual and made me reflect a lot on my last year as a missionary and how I can get better!

Wednesday after the meeting I had the chance to go on a division (or a split or whatever it is called back home :-) with Elder Santana! My trainer!!! It was really cool too because it was on the day of my one year mark! It was awesome! We had an amazing day! First we went to teach Davi and Michele. They had gone to church on Sunday and we went to see how they liked it and to talk aobut baptism with Michele. Since the first day we met with them and she explained her story we had been careful about talking about baptism. Michele was baptized in the church she grew up in and when she met with the missionaries in Sao Paulo a while back she had felt bad when she learned her baptism hadn't been performed by Priesthood authority. We have wanted to make sure we taught her about the priesthood before we talked about baptism so she would better understand why it's important to be baptized by one who hold the Priesthood. So when we got to our appointment, Elder Santana and I taught a great lesson with them both about Priesthood authority. At the end Michele kind of figured out what we were teaching. We started to ask her if she believed in the Book of Mormon. She replied that now she did. We explained that if she did believe it to be true than that meant Joseph Smith was a Prophet and that the church is true and so on. At the end of the lesson she got a little emotional and explained that she needed to do some praying and we explained that that was exactly what she needs to do. She told us that if God told her she needs to be baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ she will! So Michele has the real intent! It is just a matter of time now! She is one of the most sincere and true people I have met on my mission. She listens so intently when we teach and reads thoroughly everything that we leave with her. She just needs to take that step of faith!! The rest of Wednesday with Elder Santana was amazing! We went and visited a few member families and challenged them to invite a family who aren't members to a family home evening! They accepted the challenge and are excited as are we!

Thursday we were still on the division and Elder Santana and I had some great miracles. We ended up finding this woman named Suely! She is an inactive member. Her son is 19 and active at church. We recently found out that the rest of his family too are members! But his mom Suely is a little tough. At first she wouldn't accept a visit. But Thursday she did! So we went and taught her. At their house, in the front, they have a little place where they sell snacks and drinks and stuff. When we got there Thursday afternoon she was the only one home so we taught her through the bars in front of the window where they sell food! It was funny but actually really cool! I had another one of those, "wow I am on a mission" moments. I was standing in front of a window teaching a lady sitting inside thru a barred window and we were all feeling the Spirit very strongly! I love being a missionary! One thing that I feel works for everyone when they are struggling in life,, whether it be an investigator, a member, or a less active member is the Book of Mormon. I whole heartedly believe that when one is faithfully reading and praying about the Book of Mormon, conversion comes. So that is always my solution! The Book of Mormon is the answer to everything!!

Friday night I had the chance to go to Brotas and interview a man named José for baptism! He was so awesome! It was a very easy interview as he was so well prepared! The coolest part was actually after the interview. We were filling out the baptism form and when I was writing down information about his wife I couldn't remember if he had said she was a member or not. So I said, "your wife isn't a member right?" He replied, "well not yet! But she will be soon. I am working on it." It was awesome!! Haha! I told him that that is the PERFECT attitude. It gave me a good lesson to keep staying positive.

Saturday we had another great lesson with Suely. We sat in front of their house this time on the sidewalk. We just all read 2 Nephi 31 together. After we read these 3 verses Suely started to cry.

"18 And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.

19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastnessin Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a loveof God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

I asked her what she was feeling and she said, "that scripture is for me. I stopped after the baptism and didn't press forward." I then bore my testimony to her about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and then Elder Alves did. It was a very spiritual experience. And guess who was at church Sunday for the first time in 4 years?? Suely!

So I also passed the one year mark this week! I was reflecting on this last year and how much I have grown! I have learned so much and changed for the better. I know with a surety that this is God's true church on the earth and that this work is the work of salvation. I love my Savior and know He is at the head of this church.

I love you all!! Have a fantastic week!

Elder Spencer P. Christofferson