Olá família e amigos,
The Sorocaba zone saw a massive improvement this week and me and Elder Braga are looking to keep it up and continue getting better week after week! In our zone meeting we spoke about being more committed with our goals and that's what everyone did!
This week I did a division with Elder Da Silva who arrived on the mission field about two weeks ago. It was wonderful to divide with him and feel his energy and bright spirit! He has only been a member for a year and a half which made me admire him even more. On the division we were knocking doors and found a young man called Carlos. He had crazy blond tips on his hair and a stretcher in his ear but he was super nice and receptive. His mother was busy giving her baby a bath so we spoke to him at the gate and, as we do in most of the contacts, we invited him to be baptized. He accepted! We returned the next day and spoke with his mother Silvia and his father. She said: "Carlos told two men from the church came to mark his baptism so I assumed it was the catholic church. I went there yesterday to mark it but it was closed." Thank goodness it was closed! We taught the restoration and they accepted reading and praying. The next day we taught the Plan of Salvation and Carlos and Silvia accepted being baptized on the 12th of March! These people are so prepared by God and His angels to receive the gospel, it's inspiring to see them change their lives and embrace the church in such a short space of time.
This week we continued working with Kauam's family who was baptized last week. We found out that unfortunately his parents are only married in the catholic church which has no value legally... We will now have to help them get married for them to be baptized. José Caetano, the dad, is much more open than he was. He has been reading the Book of Mormon and even the Liahona. Perhaps they won't be baptized while I'm in the area but I will wait anxiously for the news that they have been baptized and are preparing to enter the temple! Their other son Kaio (10) was baptized yesterday in a simpler baptismal service than Kauam's, but the spirit was lovely still! :) Please pray for Angela Nicole, their 12 year old sister so that she may have the desire to be baptized this Sunday!
Last Sunday, a man called Clébio went to church for the first time with his uncle who is a long time member. Yesterday we went to his house and taught the Plan of Salvation and taught the importance of acting while we have the time. His uncle read Alma 34:32-34 to clarify this principle:
32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.
33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.
I have really gotten a stronger testimony of this on my mission. Why does men often deliberate and evaluate for a long time a righteous decision such as baptism but to open a can of beer or say a bad word they do not think at all? Jesus Christ has taught us throughout the scriptures that we should "leave our nets" and follow Him without hesitating. One righteous decision can save a nation. One wrong decision could condemn it. Let us always anxiously follow God's prophets and His commandments. :)
This week we will have the multi-zone conference which will be a great learning opportunity. I am also very excited for General Conference which is coming around the corner.
I miss you all and love you very much!
Elder Torres
