Letter From 9/15/14

I loved this week, it was incredible! My companion and I saw that as we did our very best, God did the rest. This week we found this man who was absolutely horrible. He invited us into his house, and instantly started getting angry. We said ´can we start with a prayer´ and he was already upset. He started yelling and telling us that Joseph Smith wasn´t  a prophet and started getting pretty violent and hitting stuff...so we ended up just walking out. But the feeling I got when he said that Joseph Smith was a false prophet was indescribable. My companion and I felt really strange and then we were able to bear our testimonies, and we actually felt powerful. It was actually really cool. Of course he didn´t hear any of it, but it really strengthened our testimonies. I know that Joseph was called as a prophet and restored this Gospel, and it is the only true and complete gospel on the earth!

But anyway, right after that we walked into a wonderful little family. They were so perfect, and we´d actually talked to the dad in the street the week before. They loved the lesson, and they have baptismal dates.

On Saturday, we had so many people from the passed weeks confirm that they´d be at church on Sunday...but that always happens, so we went to go pick them up. And guesssss whatttt. EVERY ONE of our old investigators said no. All of them. Just flaked out and said no. So, we were super disappointed, and we went to catch the bus because we were late to church. When we got on the bus, we saw one of our investigators from that week was sitting there with a huge smile on his way to church too! That´s so crazy, because Castanhal is really big! And he was there! Then we went and picked up that family that I talked about earlier, and they were all dressed and ready to go! And THEN we were in Gospel Principles and one of our investigators (Neide) from the day before walked in! It was a huge miracle! None of our investigators from the passed week went, but our new ones from this week did. That never happens! It was a miracle, and Neide is getting ready to be baptized this Saturday. Woohoo! If you guys could pray for her, that would be lovely!

So it was amazing. Oh, and the reason Neide walked in late was my fault...I´d called her that morning, and I understood completely incorrectly...I thought she said she wouldn´t be able to go...but she actually said something like `yeah I´ll be there, just pass by so I know where it is!´ HAHA. Language barriers. Oh well, she figured it out and absolutely loved it :D

Have a wonderful week!!

Sister Neal

Letter From 9/8/14

This week was fantastic, and I really gained a huge testimony of service and how extra service projects really help the work. 

We baptized Talison, and he has a friend named Klebson who just wanted to get baptized with all he had. He wouldn´t drop the topic. The only problem was that his mom wasn´t having it. This poor kid´s family lives in a bar and he´s seen things that no one should ever see. He doen´t even sleep at his house, he spends all of his time at Antonio´s house ( He´s a recent convert) And Antonio teaches him about the Gospel and what he should and shouldn´t do. He´d been going to church, but his mom didn´t want him baptized. So we went and talked to her again at her bar. And we have a lesson about the Gospel and the importance of baptism..and the bar was all ears. Everyone was looking at us and participating, and the Spirit was incredibly strong. They loved it. Then some one there, (Maria) said something about having to work in her yard and how it was really difficult. So we said we´d be there the next morning to help out. No one believed us. So we left and went to her house the next day. When we got there, 3 people who were at the bar were there to help too. So we did A BUNCH of work in her hard (they don´t have any electrical stuff...so it was interesting...and reallllly really burning hot...) but we helped! And then Klebson´s mom called and asked if we were actually there...and when she heard that we were, she got emotional and said that her son could be baptized.

We stopped by her house, and she said ´our life is like this (gesturing to the bar) but we can and will change. we just need your help.´ WHAT. This was a huge change! I know that service and really showing that we care opens people´s hearts. Through the example of her son, she is being changed. We´re so excited to work with her.. Miracles are real!

Also, I really love 1 Nephi 17:51. Nephi has so much faith in God´s power. If He can do so many miracles, why can´t he help me build a boat? If God wants something done, He´ll help us...we just have to be diligent and do our part. 

Love you all!!!

Sister Neal

Klebson, who was baptized on Saturday

Letter From 9/1/14

This week was just one huge miracle! Our district of 4 sisters had a goal to baptize 9 people this month, and we DID IT! We only had 8 until the night of the baptism! Andre showed up and said he wanted to be baptized! It was beautiful. We had 4 people baptized on Saturday. Lindalva´s kids and André and an old woman (78 years) named Isabel. It was so spiritual. They were all confirmed yesterday. The ward is really growing now, and the members are helping so much. There´s one man in our ward who´s goal is to baptize his whole street, and he´s getting there! He´s already got 5! So we´re getting a lot of referrals from him, and they´re all helping out. I love this work, and I see Father´s hand in every part of it! We worked very hard this month and were very blessed for it. WOO HOO!

I was also reading D&C 58, and it was super good. I learned a lot about how we have our agency, and we choose to do good! We need to use our angency and choose to serve our God! Let´s show him that we´re willing to do His will in all things! I love you all!

 

Sister Neal

Letter from 8/25/14

Oi gente! This week was fantastic! Lindalva got baptized!! Her baptism was so perfect. She was so well prepared to take this step in her life. She had such a great understanding of the covenant she was making. After she stepped out of the water, she gave me a big hug and said that she felt amazing and new and ready to start her new life. It was so beautiful! Her two kids are getting baptized on the 30th. She didn´t want them to get baptized yet because she wanted them to get personal responses. Her daughter, Taynara (14) went to mutual and absolutely loved it, and started telling everyone there that she was getting baptized the next week. So...that surprised us, but of course we were happy :) And her son, Talison (12) was super difficult. Probably just because he´s 12...but whatever. He would  never pay attention to any of the lessons, and never answered any questions, so we were never sure about him. But right before his mom´s baptism started, he ran up to us saying with the biggest smile on his face that he wanted to be baptized. 2 MIRACLES, GUYS. We´re so blessed, and we´re having such an awesome time helping these people. 

So, I was studying D&C 50 this week, and I absolutely loved it! It taught me a lot about how us, even as missionaries, are ALWAYS developing our testimonies. During this mission, I will grow more than I will in my entire life because I´m always testifying and trying to use the spirit to guide. My companion and I are always trying to develop our teaching skills with the spirit, and my testimony really has grown. I love it!  I also started reading in Moroni. The end of the Book of Mormon is so sad, but I absolutely love Moroni´s example of faith and diligence. Everyone who believes in Christ is dying...but Moroni says bodly that he will NOT deny the Christ, and he walks alone, not knowing whether or not he will die...and he continues writing in hopes that it will bless people later. Look at that faith! We need to always stand up for what we believe, and always be obedient to the commandments, even if we don´t understand them right then. I love the Book of Mormon, and I know with all of my heart that it is true. We have it as our map, we have SO many examples of prophets and good people, and if we just follow the instructions that are written, we will be saved! It´s our choice! I love you all and I hope that you guys have a fantastic week!

Love,

Sister Neal

Letter from 8/18/14

This week was wonderful and full of miracles! Ávilla was baptized. But, as you guys may or may not know, something bad always happens the week of the baptism. She started getting super doubtful, not knowing what she wanted to do. But my companion and I went and visited her, and were able to take away all of her doubts. It was incredible how scriptures just kept coming to our heads and the right words to say came to help her out. She loved it. It really showed me the importance of personal study and letting the holy ghost work through us. It really strengthened my testimony. 

Also, we have a woman named Lindalva getting baptized this Saturday. she really is a miracle. She has such a huge desire to be baptized. Her kids will too. We´re super grateful for them, and it´s so great to work with them. 

We were also super protected this week. My companion and I got robbed, but nothing bad happened to us. We lost some stuff...like our cameras..because it was the day of the baptism....but we were safe. After the guys who stole our stuff left, I felt so much peace. Worse stuff could have happened. I know that the Lord is on our side and protecting us in this work! I love being here as a missionary, and am absolutely loving the miracles we´re seeing. No impure hand can stop the progress of this work. I love you all!!Have a wonderful week!

Sister Neal

Letter from 8/11/14

Hey everyone!

This week was another great week. We have an investigator named Ávilla, and about a month ago she came to church all by herself because someone invited her. Now she´s getting ready to be baptized. This shows that some people are just waiting for the truth, but they don´t know where to find it...our purpose as members of this church is to invite people come unto Christ! An invite doesn´t hurt anyone...and miracles happen. Sunday we also had a family just show up to church because a member invited them too. You guys help so much in this work, but we definitely need your help. 

The field is white and ready to harvest...but it´s also a really BIG field...and missionaries that come from far away don´t know where to look. Work can happen randomly...but it´s a LOT easier and way more effective when the members show the missionaries where to go. References are AWESOME.

Miracles are really happening! We´re working on baptisms this Friday for Ávilla, her sister Patricia, a woman named Lindalva and her 3 kids. We´re having such a good time and getting some great work done. I´m learning more all the time. I love you all, have a wonderful week!

Sister Neal

*She sent 6 pictures this week with no captions.

Letter from 8/4/14

Hey everyone! 

This week was really awesome. We had a great experience with that family I talked about last week. We went and visited them to teach about the word of wisdom, and Dary (the wife) stopped us and said, ´Oh, I know, I went on the church´s site and read everything, we already stopped drinking coffee, we just drink chocolate milk now. We decided that we wanted to follow the rules exactly, otherwise there´s no point.´ ...WHAT. That was incredible, people here drink coffee like crazy. It really shows that the spirit prepares people. We invite the spirit and challenge people to do stuff, but the change comes when they feel the spirit, not because of our words. 

We also ran into a lady who was baptized as a kid, but is inactive. She invited us to her house and asked us to give the first lesson just to hear it. We did, and she had TONS of doubts. Tons of doubts that we´d never even thought about. But my companion (Sis. Nascimento) and I just kept super calm and were able to answer every single question and take away all doubts. She absolutely loved it, and wants to start visiting church again. 

I was also reading in 3 Nephi 9. I absolutely love this chapter. Verse 14 says that HF and Christ are always waiting with their arms extended towards us. They will receive whoever comes, we just need to do our part. Verse 22 says that we need to humble ourselves and repent. If we don´t...we really aren´t fulfilling our purpose at all. Our purpose here is to grow, and return to the Father. If we´re not humble, we can´t do that. Christ saved us ALL from sin, so let´s use it. When we fall, we´ll get up again and try even harder. Every day is a constant fight, but we can win. It´s our choice.

Love you all, tchau!

Sister Neal