Dear friends and family
This week was super good.
So, its supposed to cooling down, because down here is going
into winter, but its been pretty hot here. Like an oregon hot summer day pretty
much every day. Bento is also a very hilly area, there's a lot of elevation
change. So, walking up and down hills is super tiring making me sweat a TON!
but it'll cool down here in a little bit, so tudo bem!
So, we had a baptism this last week, a guy named jonecir. He
is amazing, and super elect. So here~s his story. He started dating this less
active member, who left the church when she was about 14 years old. But, while
they were dating, she told Jonevir that she is Mormon, and told him a little
bit about it, and he became super interested. So, one day (about five to six
weeks ago, before I arrived in Bento) he walked in the church. The second
counselor in the bishopric, Brother Cunha, found him at the door, and talked to
him. Brought him to us, and we helped him out a ton. Started teaching him. When
I arrived, they had already taught him a few things, and in the first lesson I
had with him, he asked us what he needed to do to be baptized. and that was
miracle. We set a date for his baptism, and had his baptism last Saturday. A
little more than a week ago. Then he was confirmed the next day. but anyway, he
is amazing, and a super fun person to hang around. Hes elect, and was prepared
by the lord to receive the message of the gospel.
The other day, we talked to this one man on the street who
tried to convert to his church. which is located in central somewhere. it was
an interesting conversation, because, basically, he told us that we were
wasting our time on the mission... I got to thinking about that statement for a
while. How There are many people who think that about us missionaries and
members of this church. that we are wasting our time doing this work. well,
those people usually back up their opinions by either stating that god doesn't
exist, or that the church we represent isn't true, or any other reason. these
opinions usually originate from a lack of faith, or faith choked out by
elaborate theories and scientific facts. or lies which Satan places in the
hearts of man of anti-church statements. they all wonder why we are
missionaries, or why we continue being faithful members of the church of Jesus
Christ. Well, for those who never exhort a little energy to learn about god, and
don't walk where he walked will have a hard time knowing who god is and
believing he and his Son Jesus Christ exists and requires something of
us.
If life eternal is eternal joy, then what does life eternal
mean: During Johns ministry as an apostle, he shared this eternal truth about
Heaven. that ^Life eternal is this, that they might know thee the only true
God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent^(John 17 Ç 3). We come to know
Christ through doing what he did. We come to know Christ through learning about
him reading the scriptures, receiving testimonies if him and his doctrine
through the holy spirit and regularly attending his restored church. We come to
know God through praying to him each and every day, and pouring out our souls
to him. for those who don't do these things, faith is a difficult thing to have,
a testimony suffers, and the soul of that person thirsts and hungers for
eternal truth. So, I guess that brings us back to our original questions. What
causes us to even do the things we do as members and missionaries. There are
many many answers that could be said. The things we try to do, and commandments
we obey are the same rules and commandments which Christ and God keep and kept
perfectly. Thus, doing what we do brings us closer to him, which also brings us
closer to his love and his goal for us, which is life eternal. in the name of
Jesus Christ Amen.
Sincerely
Elder Shurts
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