"Be the Light of the World"

Me and Elder Brito, one of the APs!! He is the man

Hey there everyone! 

How is everybody doing?! Well it's December. The time is flying and not only is it December and I'm almost 20, but it's also almost 2018.  It is strange to have more than a year on my mission. Now when I think "This time last year I was..." I fill it in with a mission memory! Earlier that phrase was filled in with a "This time last year I was at home" so it is cool to feel experienced on my mission! Anyway, our week was great! It felt a little slow at times but we talked to a lot of people and had a lot of lessons. I will hit on a few highlights we had this week! 

So Tuesday we had a cool lunch! It was at Ingrid's house! Ingrid is a lady in our ward in her late 20s. She has 3 kids and has been together with a man named Jefferson for 6 years or something something like that. Ingrid was inactive in the church for a while but is started to come back to church about 6 months ago after her 4 year old son said that he didn't know who Jesus was. She came back but Jefferson, is not a member! The sisters have been teaching them for these 6 months. Like many couples in Brazil Ingrid and Jefferson are not married. The whole situation has been going slowly but they are progressing and it's exciting to see. Tuesday we had lunch at their home with the Sisters and it was just amazing for me to see Ingrid so happy. She said that she has changed so much for the better and that she is excited where her life is giong! Her son Miguel is the best little dude! He knows how to say my name perfectly, without any accent. Only a small number of people here can do that! He loves being with us Elders and talks everyday how one day he will be a missionary too! It is so awesome and Tuesday at lunch we had a great time! I shared the message and we watched the Light the World video! It was so great and we are all doing our best here to #LightTheWorld, or as it is called in Portuguese #SejaALuzDoMundo which directly translates to "be the light of the world!" I love it!

  

Wednesday we had another cool experience at our lunch! We went to a lunch far away and while we were there at Irmão Jose's house his son walked in. His son has already moved out of the house but still lives close. So we started to talk to him and get to know him. He isn't a member so we were excited for the possibility to teach him. Then we found out that he lives in a TREE HOUSE! When he told us we thought he was joking but he wasn't because after lunch we went over to his house! He literally lives in a tree next to the freeway haha! It is crazy. He built the whole thing and it is just his bed and stuff because the rest of the house is down below on the ground. But it was super cool! The one sad detail; we didn't have our cameras with us! Next time though! 

Thursday night we went to visit Marlene and Evely. We wanted to see how they were doing and we wanted to get real with Evely and see if she really wants to be a member of the church! We talked to her but didn't really come to a conclusion yet. She doesn't like serious conversations but she is still a work in progress! So that's good! Marlene, on the other hand, is doing fantastic! We are so happy with her progress and that she came back to church! She also takes care of us very well. She makes us dinner too!! We love her! 

Friday we had our mission leadership council! It was so great and I learned so much! We are all excited because the Area Presidency changed the goals for Brasilian missionaries. Per companionship the goal of baptisms in one year was 15. But now they doubled it, so it's 30! That means that we got to get going here in our mission! The work is hastening and everyone is excited for the changes that are starting to happen. It is not going to be easy, but will be worth it! 

At the conference I loved being able to see a bunch of mission friends and spend the day at themission home with President and Sister Bangerter! I felt the Holy Spirit strongly again during the closing hymn! But I will write more about that at the end of my email! 

Saturday we saw what is called "marcha para Jesus" or March for Jesus! What is it? Well I learned on Saturday because of my companion. A evangelical church that is near our house had this event where they had this HUGE bus with a band on the top and the bus drove around the city real slow while the band played music and the people walked with the bus cheering, dancing, and singing! It was way cool! It finished where it started, which was at their church, right in front of our house! So Saturday night when we were home we sat at the window watching them as they finished and it was really cool because at the end the pastor said a prayer. The prayer made me grateful for being in this wonderful country and city! He prayed, thanking God for this city of Salvador, which is named after Christ. He said a nice prayer and when he said amen every yelled it! It was really cool to see the faith of another denomination and see that Christian values are still highly valued in the world! 

Sunday was a great day too! We had testimony meeting at church and I bore my testimony. I love bearing my testimony! It is funny though because I still get nervous when I do it in church even though I do it everyday on my mission! I still was a little anxious as I stood up at the pulpit! But I love bearing my testimony and am so grateful for the opportunity I have to share what I know is true and the things that have brought me so much happiness. 

 

Going back to Friday at the council meeting: I felt the Spirit fill me with happiness as we sang the closing hymn "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing". As we were singing I just got so happy and excited and grateful for Christmas. I started to remember all the past Christmas seasons and the joy that I always feel during this time of the year. 

I am so grateful that our Father in Heaven sent his Son to be our Savior. I am grateful that we can worship Him a little more during this time of the year and during everyday of our lives. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I know that He Lives! 

I love you all! Have a great week! 

Elder Spencer P. Christofferson

 Our new district! Elder Barreto is brand new in the field! He's from Cape Verde

A selfie of us and the sisters in the mission home! We were excited because we got there first! 

The white board President Bangerter used. Do you understand any of it? 

Me and Elder J. Sousa. He is one of the ZLs of the other zone in Salvador! He is from Elder Estevam's group so he will go home next month but we have become good buds!