Cristian's Baptism
On
Saturday we had the baptism of Cristian! I don't think I have ever met
anyone else more prepared to receive the gospel! The way we met Cristian
was a miracle! We were on the bus on our way home from a zone conference
and a boy named Mateus started talking with us. He told us how he was
really interested in the church and he wanted to be a part of the
church! We took down his address and the next day we went to go find
him! We went to the neighborhood he had told us but there wasn't a street
that existed with that name! Rua dos Flores only existed in another
neighborhood that was about 2 hours from where we were! The next day we
went to the other neighborhood and when we got there none of the houses
had numbers... so we knocked on EVERY single door asking everyone if
they had heard of Mateus. This kid doesn't exist! We did meet Cristian
and his Mom and we talked about the gospel and he became very
interested! We returned the next day and started teaching the lessons!
Since
the very first day he accepted everything and was always excited to
learn more! He wanted to know about the things that we can and can't do
as members, and so we taught about the commandments. When we told him
about the word of wisdom and that we don't drink coffee, he said "I am
addicted to coffee!" But at the end of the lesson he said he has the
desire to keep ALL of the commandments and the he wants to make the
changes necessary! The next day when we went to visit him he told us
that he and his entire family stopped drinking coffee! Each day when we
got to his house he was outside reading the Book of Mormon as he waited
for us!
When we invited him to be baptized he
said "YES! I WANT TO BE BAPTIZED! I have gone to so many other churches
and I have always had the desire to be baptized but for some reason, on
the first day that I went to church with you it was as if I heard a
voice say 'GO! Be BAPTIZED'!" His mom told us that this is the first
time that Cristian had ever insisted on anything!
For Lunch one day we went to a member's ranch! We got to feed their cows and see their pigs!
Last
week we had Festa Junina!! It is a tradition here in Brasil! Everyone
dresses like hillbillies and then they have a huge party with lots of
dancing and lots of food! Sadly as missionaries we couldn't dance! But
it was super fun!
Temple trip to Curitiba
This transfer, as a mission we are each reading the Book of Mormon in 6 weeks!
We are reading with the objective to discern the Savior's voice in our
lives, feel more strongly the spirit, feel his love, and learn more
about repentance and the amazing process of coming unto Christ!
"There is a power in the Book that begins to flow into our lives the moment we begin a serious study of its content."
Reading the Book of Mormon again I am finding so many scriptures that I absolutely love! 1 Nephi 15:14
``...And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Israel.... they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved.``
Because
of the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ we have the Book of
Mormon! We have the ability to learn about the essential points of his
doctrine so that each of us can know HOW to come unto Christ and be
saved!
I invite you all to read the Book of Mormon and
follow its teachings! You will have more power to stay on the straight
and narrow path, resist temptations, overcome all doubt and fear,
receive heavenly help in your life and feel even closer to our Heavenly
Father and our Savior Jesus Christ!
I know that this Book has
POWER and that it was translated by the power of God! I know that
reading it each and every day we will truly feel closer to Heavenly
Father and learn How to come unto Jesus Christ!
Sister Hancock
