"I sure do love this gospel"

NEW SHOES for the boy who walks everywhere! 

Hey Everyone!

How are you all?! I hope all is well with you guys! Things here were great this week! Just a normal, spirt-filled week as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ! I love being a missionary! It is truly the Lord's work! This week was a good one and the work here is progressing nicely! I hope that I can write well so that you all can feel the Spirit and joy of the experiences we had this week!

Tuesday we went to visit Reginaldo and Suely. I seriously can't say enough how amazing and in shock I still am about the transformation of Reginaldo. Out of nowhere he just started listening to us and now is transforming in to a disciple of Jesus Christ. Tuesday we taught in more detail about the Book of Mormon to him and Suely. It was great as I was able to bear testimony of the Book of Mormon. Suely also bore her testimony about the Book of Mormon. It was so special for me to see her expressing her love for the book that is helping her change her life. She shared how much she feels love coming from the pages of the Book of Mormon. That was something that stuck with me a little bit as I thought about it. All the authors of the Book of Mormon from Nephi to Moroni had such a love for the Savior and they really put their love and testimonies into the words. That is why we can feel such a power from the record. It bears testimony of Christ. It was a great lesson and we are excited with the progression of Reginaldo and Suely! Now we just need to help Suely's kids get back. All 3 of them are baptized and the oldest is 20 and youngest 10. We talked a lot about the example that Suely and Reginaldo could give and in time, the kids will start to have that desire to come back to church too! We are praying! 

Wednesday we had a really nice experience too! An older lady in our ward told us about a friend that she had and told us where this friend lived. The lady in our ward told us that her friend had lost her husband and one of her kids in the last 2 years or so in unrelated incidents and that she could need some help. So Wednesday we went by this referill and met Janet! (Shoutout to Nana). Janet is a wonderful woman! She invited us on the first contact and we proceeded to teach her the lesson of the Restoration! About halfway through the lesson one of her friends showed up and she invited her in to listen to the message too! Both Janet and her friend are Catholic and had a lot of questions about some of the things we were teaching but all in all it was a nice visit! We felt a nice Spirit as we taught her about the Restoration and I thought it was interesting to note that when I started to cite the First Vision she got really quiet and started to truly think for the first time about all that we were saying. It was a special moment and this week we are going to pass by again and talk about the Plan of Salvation to see if she really is interested in our Church! 

Wednesday night we had another fun experience! Our ward mission leader, Marival, set up a family night at his house and it was so awesome! There were about 30 people there in total. 8 of them were investigators and had a couple of less-actives there too! It was a great activity! One of the Irmãs in our ward gave a great message about the Holy Ghost and helping people. She told us during the lesson to think of one person that we love a lot and want the best for, and that when we thought of that person, to go and look in the small shoe box she had and not say anything to anyone. Just look and go back to your seat. So I did and when I looked in the box I saw myself! There was a mirror. She then explained about how we need to make sure that we have the Spirit and make sure we are spiritually okay first before we try to help others! I thought it was a great lesson! We also had a funny little game afterwards where everyone got to have fun and laugh and still feel the Spirit! 

Thursday we got to teach Reginaldo and Suely about the Plan of Salvation and it was a special lesson. I always feel so good and happy when we teach the Plan of Salvation. It makes sense that it is also referred to as the Plan of Happiness. Reginaldo enjoyed the lesson and thought it was different than anything he had ever heard before and said that it "answered a lot of my questions." So that was awesome! 

Thursday night we also got to teach Thailane! She is doing great too but this week we didn't get to see her much because she was busy with school and her birthday this weekend! But we did get to see her Thursday and talk a little bit about the Restoration again and see how she is feeling about baptism. She said she is still a little hesitant but praying a lot about it so we will see. She is a great young woman and really wants to follow God! She just needs to put one foot in front of the other and trust God! Her faith is being tested but we are confident she will pass the test! 

Friday I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Brotas and do the interview of a little guy named Gabriel! He is 10 years old and so awesome! The interview was so easy because he knows it all! He has a testimony and wants to be baptized so bad! The problem is that his mom won't let him get baptized! After the interview me and Elder Gil and Elder Lima talked to her for 20 minutes trying to help her understand that Gabriel is ready! She is a tough one. But she said she would think about it this week. So he was planning on being baptized this last Saturday but wasn't. It was sad, especially after we left. He saw us leaving his house and ran up and said, "Did she sign it?!?!" We shook our heads and he got this sad look on his face and said, "ahh man!" It was tough but we have faith that the Lord will work on her and she will let Gabriel get baptized! 

Saturday we had another great experience! So there is this lady in our ward named Regina. Regina got to know the Church through a man in our ward named Jose Alesho. I have already written about him in preivious emails! But Regina has been going to church for TWO YEARS!!! And is NOT BAPTIZED!! It is crazy. She is what we call "membro seco" or "dry member" haha! But in all my time here I have wanted to and tried to visit her and she doesn't let us. These past few weeks she wasn't at church. She finally came back last week and it seemed like she realized she was missing the church not going for a few weeks. So Saturday we passed by her house and she was home. We went in and had a nice visit! We got to know her a little better and then to be direct I just straight up asked her why she hasn't been baptized yet. She gave an excuse and didn't really know what her answer was haha. Then we challenged her to baptism! She has already heard the discussions 3 times or more and is practically a member! So she could be baptized anyday! She accepted the invitation to read and pray to God to see if now was her time to be baptized. I have a feeling He will tell her it is! ;) We will go by this week again to see! 

Sunday was a great day and we did some visits with our High Priests group leader! It was awesome! 

So that was our week! I sure do love this gospel. Jesus is the Christ and the head of this church. I am so excited to be able to listen to our Latter Day Prophets and Apostles this week at General Conference! I hope you all have a great week! I love you all! 

Elder Spencer P. Christofferson

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District Meeting