We Found Him (Week 78)

Hey Everyone, 

Baptism Update:  

This week we were supposed to have two baptisms, as I mentioned last week, but they did not happen. There are a few things we need these investigators to overcome before we seal the deal with immersion. So I'll keep you updated on that.

Spiritual experience (We found him):

We found Pedro. We taught Pedro the fist lesson. The restoration. He had a 100% understanding and by the end of the lesson he told us this is what he has been looking for all my life. He also said, 

"I know the things you guys are saying is true. I don't have a doubt in my mind about it. I need you to teach my more."

 This made my testimony grow. I have faith that Pedro will have lots of progress. When we have an understanding of the Gospel, there is no way we can deny the truth. It makes too much sense for it to be wrong. I know that just teaching the simple truths of the Gospel can really help people change their lives forever. Until next week. 

Love, 
Elder Arevalo 

Unexpected Change (Week 77)

Hey Everyone, 

Updates: 

• So this week we had transfers. My companion Elder Fereria is leaving to Belem, while I stay here. I'm going to miss Elder Fereria, as well as the really good hair cuts he gives me. He used to work as a barber before his mission so that was cool. He always cut my hair when it was getting too long haha. He was nice enough to cut it one last time before he left. 

• I am also not sick anymore. I had a sore throat, but that's gone now. I got over it in like 3 days. 

• We are fixing our washing machine right now, so we are currently washing by hand. 

Baptisms:

So we have one baptisms that is 100% going to get baptized, and we also have another that is 50% on getting baptized. Taylor received the priesthood and is going to start prepping the sacrament.

Spiritual Experience:

We are currently talking to Ines right now. We have been teaching her for a while now, but my companion and I felt it was best to stop teaching her. We visited her one time this last week on Tuesday, and we told her about that the things she chooses to do in this life will affect her life and that it is very important for all of us to get on our knees and pray and ask God for help.  

We left that lesson tense and worried for her...knowing she is a young women of 18 years old she has her whole life in front of her, and she needs to make decisions. We didn't see her the rest of the week. Next thing you know we saw her yesterday at church sitting with some members. She was very active in the classes on Sunday, and she seemed really happy, and she said that she feels good here, and that she needs to know more. 
I also fasted for her so she can have a miracle in her life, and she seems a lot different. 
Her father also wanted to go to church. We taught him Saturday, but didn't go to church because of work. 
I saw a change in Ines. You could tell she was in a more happy place in her life, and is starting to chose the right. 

Love,
Elder Arevalo

The Pain Will Go Away (Week 76)

Hey Everyone, 

This week I got kinda sick! It's just a cold, but I am taking medication...nothing to really worry about. I'm sure I'll be good as new in no time. 

Anyways, I had a baptism this week! I will call him Carlos.

He is a young man who visited the church since he was young, but was never baptized. When we started to teach him he was amazing! His mom also knows a lot about the church, but she loves drinking alcohol more. So that is why she has never been baptized. Carlos on the other hand has always been scared to get baptized, because ever since he was young...all he ever wanted was to go to a church activities but his mom hit him, hurt him, and she just did not understand why he wanted to go to the church activities. 

Now in present day...he said,

"I want to be baptized, my mom will always hit me, but the best thing for me is to be good with God first and the hits will go away one day" 

This brought tears to my eyes. I have so much respect for Carlos. To see a young man go through what he has gone through just to be closer to our heavenly father makes me want to become a better person in every way. Let us not take advantage of what we have and who we have in our lives. I do not know why Carlos has this trial, but I hope and pray with all my heart that his mothers heart will be softened and opened one day. PLEASE pray for Him.

-Love, 

Elder Arevalo 

A Message From Elder Belo (Week 75)

Hi Everyone, 

All of us with Sister Stasevskas (Mission Pres. Wife)

Sorry for the late email. I actually didn't get my p-day until today (Wednesday), because I spent my whole actual p-day (Monday) on splits with the AP's. The AP's and I got to visit all my investigators and it was awesome. We got a lot done. My zone even got a training this week with the mission president. He wanted us to spend a day with him getting trained since we are so far away from him. 

Spiritual Experience:

We had a baptism! So his name is Vincios. I spoke about him last week in case you don't remember. We found him by a member named Fabio. He was baptized last Saturday. 

This week (on Monday) Vincios went to a good friend of his that always made fun of the church and gave her a pamphlet. The pamphlet was of the church. He told her "I know it is true, because I prayed...so you need to pray too!"

Vincios is also helping Nadie, who said she would read a pamphlet, but still hasn't done so. He said to her "You still haven't read!? You are never going to know the truth if you don't read. I read the fist pamphlet the first day!"

Vinicios is truly converted, he knows the truth! 

The Zone

People To Pray For:

pray for 

liza 

iryana 

dima 

diana 

mraivonal 

nadie 

Section Added By Amy:

Also, this was something Elder Belo (Kevin's companion) (picture below) said about the baptism they just had with Vincios. He wrote in more detail but also in Portuguese. You can use the translator at the top of this blog post to read it in your preferred language: 

Olá pessoal,

Elder Arevalo & Elder Belo

É com grande amor, que agradeço e sinto a orações de vocês. Gostaria de relatar uma história. Vinícius sofria de solidão, vivia dormindo, e dentro de seu quarto, nada fazia muito sentido em sua vida. Até que ele conhece o evangelho restaurado de Jesus Cristo, e realmente aprende sobre o seu verdadeiro propósito que é de ser feliz. Não foi fácil para ele saber disso. Mas eis que com fé, ele pede uma confirmação a Deus, para que respondesse se o que falávamos era verdade, através de um sonho com sua avó que amava-o tanto. Eis que Vinícius sonhou e teve sua resposta. Através da leitura diária do Livro de Mórmon, logo obteve um testemunho de sua veracidade. Após ter sido batizado ele disse "Estou palavras, mas estou feliz". Vinícius o primeiro degrau, e continua subindo, hoje, seu desejo é de compartilhar essa felicidade com outros a sua volta. Ele realmente passou a amar o Salvador Jesus Cristo. Como o Vinícius outras tantas pessoas, abrem seus corações para ouvirem a mensagem da salvação.

Amo este evangelho. Amo o Salvador, e sei que sua Igreja está nessa terra novamente.

Com amor,

E. Belo

A Dream (Week 74)

Hey Everyone,
For those of you who don't know I was in Belem for a little bit last week. It was pretty cool to see some elders I haven't seen in a while. We even got to see touristy sites, and overall...church yesterday went well. We had 4 new investigators with us. 

Spiritual Experience:

 
So there is this investigator named Vinicios. He wasn't getting his response. So his friend, that is a member, told him to make a deal with God. Vinicios decided to ask God for a dream that included his grandma in the dream as a response. That night he got a response and had a dream with his grandma. Now he is working to get over his addictions of coffee and I couldn't be happier for him.

There is also another investigator João. We are teaching João's sibling Taylor, and his mom knows a lot about the church and she knows it's true, but doesn't want to stop smoking. When Taylor said he wanted to be baptized the mom was very serious and said okay that's what you want. Then she yelled and called her son Joâo and said if Taylor is going to get baptized so will João. We laughed a little but we found a new investigator just by trying to help one person. So we are now going to try teaching João. 

Investigators to pray for:

• Vincios

• Ines

• luisa

• Luana

• João

• Camilia

• Irlan  

Until next week!
Love,
Elder Arevalo

Back to Belem (Week 73)

Hi Everyone, 

My week was really busy this week. We had 26 lessons total these past couple of days last week, and we are hoping some of these will lead to baptisms. 

Flying to Belem

Arriving in Belem with Elder Belo

I also am going back to Belem today around 1 pm. I will be flying on a plane and will be meeting with another zone leader and my mission president. I've only had one meeting with him like 4 months ago when I was with Elder Ferriera. He was just interviewing everyone, nothing big. He asked how I was doing and if my parents are going to look for me at the end of my mission. 

Investigators

Overall the members are great. The investigators are great. We have a possibility of a baptism this week and 2 the next week. I have found that when we focus on one thing and act with all our force we are blessed even when things seem impossible.

My comp and I worked a lot this week and we had some of the most spiritual lessons that I have ever experience in my entire mission so far. I can feel the spirit testifying of my words to Vinicos (investigator) when we where teaching him he felt the spirit really strong, 

That's all for this week. Thanks everyone for alway supporting me in every way! 

Love, 
Elder Arevalo 

Leadership council on the mission

Fake Money (Week 72)

Hey Everyone,

Being a ZL is definitely teaching me so much about life, and about how to approach different situations. The responsibility I have is really helping me grow. I am definitely always looking for guidance from the Lord, and let me just say...he is always listening. By the way. Here are some pictures too.

Special Activity

Game: So we did an activity with some investigators. It was a game where you are holding onto the iron bar, and  

we gave everyone paper money. They each got to chose what to do with the money. They were allowed to go and play games and drink juice or stay in the gospel study room. 

Rules: They lost money every time they went to play games and drink juice, but gained money in the study room. 

Final Result: Once they had their fun...we put them in their different celestial glories depending on how much money they had by the end. This is how we broke it down:

• 0 Dollars:    Outer Darkness
• 1-3 Dollars: Terrestrial Glory
• 4-6 Dollars: Telestial Glory 
• 6 + Dollars: Celestial Glory 

We then explained that the choices we make today...determine who we will be, what we will become, and where we will go after this life. They really enjoyed the lesson and also had a lot of fun. My companion and I felt really good about it.