Week #15 Dec 8, 2014 Batismo!

Elder Hess, Gabriel, Elder Keller Baptism Dec 6, 2014

Gabriel e eu!

So yeah hes white like most of the people here because theyre all european. he was actually born in italy and moved here when he was nine! he thought we were doing a thug pick that time so hes not smiling haha but hes in the back in the pic up top!

Selfie time with the Bispo and all the youth in the ward during a family home evening! The Bishop here is a little crazy haha! Gabriel is in the back

Gabriel got baptized on Saturday and it was super awesome! So in our last lesson with him we were asking him who he wanted to baptize him and confirm him and so we explained about the confirmation and told him that whoever would confirm would have to give a blessing, in português... I thought i made that super clear! Not because i wanted to baptize him but because i dont speak portuguese haha. So i was sure he would just let elder hess confirm him and it would be all good but then he said elder hess would baptize and i would confirm him and i think he immediately saw the fear in my eyes cuz he asked if we wanted to switch haha but elder hess was just like nope, he'll be able to do it. So basically i was totally freaking out for like 3 days and i hate to admit it but with totally weak faith. So i fasted this week to be able to say everything in portugues and that it would all work out. What happened the first time that elder hess confirmed someone was his trainer already spoke english so hess just switched to english and then the comp translated. So i figured if it came to that i would just switch. So sunday finally arrived and i was super nervous and we went up to do the confirmation and i was just praying my guts out and then it was weird cuz the fear just kind of went away. And then everything came really clearly and the portuguese just kind of came with it. It was such a cool experience!

Im thankful for the power of the priesthood in my life and that God really lets us use his power when we really can never say that we are worthy of it. Its cool how much you start to learn about the atonement on your mission. All the time in studies, emails from our president, conferences, and just day to day things while working with people you really are focusing on Jesus Christ and his atonement. I cant remember if i sent this last week in my email or not but we watched this awesome video about the atonement! it was brom a BYU devo from 2011 i think? The guys name was brad wilcox and he really puts things into perspective so well! I totally recomend watching it.

Also I've been trying to read all the talks from conference because i didnt understand any of the portuguese ones and dang this conference was amazing! Every single talk i feel like just rocked the house! And mom thank you for sending me Elder Uchtdorfs talk first, "Lord, Is It I?". That talk was just awesome and really has been a great lesson for me to learn in my life. And it was nice to read it before reading the rest of the talks because i learned to try to find something in each talk that i can apply to myself and not other people like Uchtdorf suggests. Its so true though! I feel like i do that all the time! Ill learn something or a principle of the gospel and just think that it doesnt apply to me which is totally wrong! We can apply anything to ourselves in life because were probably not going to reach true perfection in this life. If we did we'd be translated haha.

But anyways as to other work, we have really just started focusing on members in the ward. Elder Costa taught some awesome things on how to use members better because that is the only way we will help baptize people and get them to the temple. The only baptism here right now was through a member. We teach tons of people but its hard to progress without them having a support in the church. So its cool teaching them because were discovering that really everyone has a problem that they need help with so for now were going to focus on strengthening the ward here in pato branco so we can better use the members to do missionary work. Who knows, maybe ill get transferred in 2 weeks and wont be able to work with them but really our purpose is to invite others to come unto christ through faith repentance baptism holy ghost and ENDURE TO THE END. Members are in that stage of enduring to the end.

One thing elder Costa taught is that we as companions have to be super close and united to be able have the spirit with us. Its the same thing with the ward. If they arent united then we cant use them to do missionary work. But elder hess and i have been growing a lot closer lately and it makes the mission life way better! No matter how awkward it might feel or how much you dont want to do it, you just gotta talk things out! But im really glad that we have become so close because now we can truly have the spirit with us.

But anyways I love and miss everyone and hope your week goes well! Cião! Um forte abraço por todos.