Companions Are Like A Box Of Chocolates...(Week 59)

Hey Everyone, 

I don't have much time today, so lets get started...

I'm going to miss this guy!

Transfers happened! I am staying here as the District Leader with a new Elder fresh from the MTC who I will be train! His name is Elder Moraes! I'm really sad to see my old companion Elder Ferria leave, but that's how it goes here on the mission. They come and go and the memories of a great Elder are all we have after. 

This past week was great! We got:

6 baptisms 

1 Marriage

AND...I will be training again! I'm so excited! (Elder Moraes)  

Spiritual Experience:

So, when I was teaching Leo and Suelie and their children...they where a little scared about baptism, but they where completely ready! They just where a bit scared, and nervous. I was soon overwhelmed and inspired to open a scripture about continuting til the end, and when I read this scripture...they felt the spirit. I know they did, because I felt it and the spirit was just so SO strong in the room. They all said they will follow the savior and they decided to get baptized, and I know for a fact that they will love there Savior even more. The scriptures have the answer to everything. What a great blessing it is for us!  

My Testimony (Short Version)

My new greenie! I can't wait to serve with him!

I know the church is true. 

I know the Lord has a plan for us and he loves us.

I know that this Gosple changes peoples lives...in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

The Mission Presidents Challenge:

As you all read last week. Our mission president gave us a challenge to 4 baptisms...

How is that challenge going for me you ask? Well, so we where in a trio and so we worked 2 areas at the same time. Of the 5 baptisms...my companion and I only get to count 1 for our area, and the other two Elders get to count THE OTHER 4 for their area. So technically we did the challenge, but we won't get recognition for it.

Don't get me wrong...I feel great knowing that I helped them get these baptisms, but I feel kinda sad becuase they didnt give us the blessings for our hard earned work...BUT who knows, maybe God has a better blessing for us. Only time will tell I guess. I just have to keep an eternal perspective and think positively. 

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the post, and I hope these are enjoyable for you all to read. I don't write a ton every week, but I do enjoy sharing my favorite moments of the week! Thanks all for reading. Love you all.

Love, 

Elder Arevalo

A Unanimous "Yes" (Week 58)

Hey Everyone, 

So this week was a pretty good week. Our mission president gave us a goal for us to reach, and we were all excited to know what he had to say. He told us that if we really did our best to work hard everyday, follow the rules perfectly, and get at least 4 baptisms by a certain date...then we get to have a get together party celebration type thing for all of our hard work out in the mission field. 

I feel so blessed and excited about this challenge. I do not want to just see these baptisms as numbers. I really care about these people, and I want them to find the joy and happiness that I personally have from this church and from this gospel. I am just so excited for the challenge, because its nice to get rewarded sometimes for our dedication to the Lord. 

Anyway I currently have the possibility of 8 baptisms. Five of these people have confirmed that they are getting baptized, and the other 3 are a little nervous about it, but they accepted the date, and that makes me so happy!

Spiritual Experience:

Elder Pinero and I have been meeting with this one family, and have had good success with them. We have asked them to express to us how they feel about baptism and at first they didn't feel too ready for it, but after answering some more of their questions and helping them with what they need...we saw some progress. 
Just the other day we went back to her house and we challenged them to be baptized again, (it would be this week) and when we asked the mother...she immediately said "no", but then I decided to open up to a scripture shortly after. Once we finished reading the scripture I asked, "Are you ready to follow the Savior, be happy and live with your family for all eternity?" They all simultaneously looked at each other with a love in their eyes that you rarely see, and they all said, "yes" to baptism. The whole family is going to get baptized! We are also going to marry the mom and dad this Saturday, So this is going to be a very eventful weekend for this wonderful family. I am so happy for them. 

Love, 
Elder Arevalo 

Wait, am I in Guatemala? (Week 57)

Hey Everyone, 
I hope everyone's Monday is starting off pretty well! Check out this picture! This Elder is also Guatemalan, but his family lives in LA. I'm so glad he had a Guatemalan flag! So cool! haha. 

Elder Duque's parents are both from Guatemala, just like my parents. He is from L.A.

Transfers:

So Elder Santos is officially going home this Friday, but he is leaving today from the area because he is going to say goodbye to some people. Transfers are in two weeks, and I or Elder Ferreira will be getting transferred. 

We Got A Cake: 

One of our investigators made us a cake this week. Her name is Claciani. She is 13 years old and her sister is the only member of the family. She is being a great example for her mother, and she wants to go to church. She likes us a lot, and you can tell she really likes listening to our messages. She is a great young women. I can see how the Gospel motivates people to want to be better. Just the other day, Claciani told us that she liked going to church, because she felt good there. So that's great! I was so happy to hear that.  
The Gospel can touch anyone and everyone only if we let the spirit touch us. It all depends on us. The more we let God guide us...the more we will progress and be happy.

Investigator Stories: 

Haha guys all I can say is that this is ALL happening because of the Lord. I have no idea what I am doing...I just pray for guidance and he handles the rest. 

My investigators are good. Maira add Jose...are a couple, but they are not married. They went to church all alone, and they liked church a lot, but I can tell Jose was a bit more enthusiastic about it. Then there is Claciani, which you read about earlier, and then there is a new family we met this week! They're names are Isabel, Maria, and Romelo. They loved our first message and Romelo said, 

"I liked everything...everything you said is in the scriptures and you didn't talk bad about others...I also noticed you guys are really happy... you guys brighten my day, and I think I am on the right path listing to you guys".  

Man, you have no idea how happy I was to hear that from him.  

Another Miracle (Week 56)

Hey Everyone!

Last picture with Elder Spock

So this week we saw a Miracle!

I was at a school speaking English, representing the United States

Lyandra (an investigator) was challenged by my companion and I to get baptized. She passed the interview, and decided to get baptized! It was great! Unfortunately, the day for her baptism she was scared and gave us many excuses. I sat down and listened to her for about two hours, and she still had some excuses. I then read the story of Jesus at the garden of Gethsemane. She felt comforted, and we have picked a new date for her baptism. The Lord can do all things. We just need to trust in him. 

People To Pray For:

• Lyandra 
• Edisangla 
• Bruno 
• Claciani 
• Jucilani

Old District (I'll take a picture with my new one this week)

We Met Our Goal (Week 55)

Hello family and friends...

Our Zone made our baptism goal for the Month of September, we all got a zone reward by the Mission President. Conference was great, I really enjoyed the talk from K. Brett Nattress. I also had the opportunity to PPI (Personal Priesthood Interviews)  with my district and it was a really great opportunity to get to know them better in a personal level. All is great in the District and my companionship.

A lot of people have recently asked about my health, and its good! Thanks for asking everyone! Brazil is my second home it is sometimes hot, but it is beautiful and the people are awesome here. I just love the Brazilians.

My spiritual experience for this week:

Follow the Spirit.

Friday we went to an investigator house and we read 3rd Nephi 11, we felt the spirit so strong. While reading she felt the Spirit and said that it is all true, everything you Elders are saying and the book is true. Joseph Smith was a Prophet, and I know that God love us. I know she felt the Spirit, I know she did, and she knew that she got her answer from God.  Then, on Sunday we went to get her for Church, but she give us lots of excuses, so gave her lots of solutions for all her excuses. At the end even after resolving all her concerns she said today I am not going, I could see it in her eyes that she felt really bad about not going to church, she had no other plan but still she did not wanted to go to Church. From this I have learned to never forget what the Spirit tell you, because in only 2 days the daily activities and peer pressure probably made her forget the Lord response to her prayers. I know that when we follow the Lord we can be blessed, and even more if we do the Lord's will and follow the prompts of the Spirit it will make you happy. This is what I have learned this week KNOT to forget the testimony you get from the Spirit, and even if you forget is never to late to listen to the Spirit.

This is all I have for this week. Please pray for missionary work. we need the all the prayers .

Love Elder Arevalo

A Short Read This Week (Week 54)

Hi Everyone, 

I don't have much time today to write, but this is a spiritual moment from my week! 

On Saturday we went over to a members house. She is the only member in her entire family, and so we decided to do a lesson with the entire family. The member said that her family is very shy, but that didn't seem like the case at all when speaking to them. I saw the Gospel enter their lives and I could see that they were truly interested. They wanted to change, they wanted to make a difference, and they wanted to start living the commandments! I can see the Gospel helping people in ways I never thought were possible. I know the Lord has truly prepared people for use to help. 

That's it for this week! Sorry its so short! 

-Love, 
Elder Arevalo 

Unexpected Surprise (Week 53)

Hey Everyone!

I hope you've all had a great week! I definitely had a better one this time, and here is why...

Some of the members out here threw me a surprise party! Why did they throw me a surprise party? Simply because I have been out here in Brasil for a whole year! So they thought they would do something nice for me to celebrate such a great time in my life. I felt the love they had for us missionaries. I was so grateful and blown away by the kindness of these people out here. I know for a fact that the members out here in Brasil have firm testimonies of missionary work and missionaries in general. What a great blessing it was to receive this little surprise from them all. 

Also, being an District Leader is becoming a little easier and fun. I am trying to motivate my district, and I think its working. The zone reached our goal of 15 baptisms! So that's good! I know numbers aren't the most important thing, but making goals are important and reaching them are even better!

I also want to thank everyone for their kind emails I received this past week. It really helped me to hear from family and friends from back home. 

Spiritual Experience:

My spiritual experience was when we went to conference. I learned that the Lord puts people in our lives to help us learn. When we went to a conference, Elder Antunies -one of the 70- helped me see that I need to be a better example to our investigators, and that we need to help others see that we are members of the church of Jesus Christ. We are the light! We should never try to hide our light from the, because in reality we are ones who will help others guide humanity to happiness that is eternal. I now see better, meaning that all my companions: Elder Numbers, Elder Luiz, Elder Graça, Elder Deque, and Elder Ferriera have all helped me move, and become a better person. I also know that before my mission....all my friends, and especially my family have helped me became the ball of happiness and person I am in general. I am going to let the Lord help me through the examples of others, especially from our brother Jesus Christ who was the best example for us in the world. 

One of our investigators said any church that makes great young men who want to help and serve others is truly a church of God, and makes me interested and makes me want to visit. Our example never goes un-noticed especially from our Father in Heaven. 

Investigators To Pray For:

Lyandra 

Ana 
Nane
Rodeval 
Wallace 
Renata 
Xilie

Love you all so much! 
Elder, Arevalo