Read, Ponder and Pray (Week 47)

Bom dia!! :D

Another week and another transference has come to an end and I will be meeting my new companion Elder Burt! Here's a link to his blog:elderdavidburt.wordpress.com

Last Sunday we were unable to take any new people to church except Vitor and his family and we were wondering who we could teach and baptize this week. A young woman called Isabela took her friend Cledson to church and it was the miracle we had been praying for. I attended the young men's class to be with Vitor and met Cledson there. He was super interacted and involved with the young men. I only suspected he wasn't a member because he was wearing casual clothes. We got his address and surprisingly his house is directly in front of our house!!

Every day of the week we went there before we went back home and it was a great experience. When we taught the first lesson of The Restoration it was amazing to see his level of understanding and faith. We asked him if he would read, ponder and pray about the Book of Mormon and he gladly accepted our invitation. We also extended to him the invitation to be baptised if he received his answer. He said: "If I know for certain that it is true then yes, I will be baptized this Sunday."

Now let me give you some background information about Cledson. He is 14 and his family, like many other Brazilian families, are devout Catholics. Gladly, they did not oppose but rather were present in all the lesson and supported his decision. When we came back the next day he ran down the stairs holding tightly his Book of Mormon and said: "I read and prayed and I am certain it is true." He accepted being baptised that same Sunday. His level of faith was inspiring. Despite it being something completely new to him, he embraced and began living this gospel from the second he came across it. On Sunday he was baptised and plenty of members, including the girl who introduced him to the church one week earlier, were there to support and greet him. :) We had been fasting that weekend and I know that the power of the fast is real!

This week the Jardim Modelo ward had the "Festa Julina", a tradicional party comparable to a barn dance, but better! :D A lot of investigators came and the hall was FULL of people! We were assigned to a table which was holding a raffle. There was a box for members and one for non-members. Everyone who took part filled out a piece of paper with their names, address etc. So now, they won a prize and we got a bunch of references! :D

Here are some pics of the Partaaaay!! :D

Next week we have Marlene's baptism. She is the mother of a recent-convert here in the area. She has been delaying her big day but with a few powerful lessons and lots of praying and fasting, she finally accepted! :D

Love you all, keep me updated!

Elder Torres