Letter #78

Dear Family and Friends,

As you know, Vitória has been a war zone this week. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid 2.0 visited. But, I've been safely isolated in Campos. Where nothing happened. Interestingly, after the first couple days of bloody warfare, it did settle down a lot. I think the robbers and looters got tired. Or died. People even have been returning stolen fridges and cars, according to the news.

(Saying goodbye to the Bishop and his family)

And today, I was transferred! My time in Rio de Janeiro (10 months) has ended! I´ll be going to Colatina, Espirito Santo, and staying as a zone leader, and I´ll be serving with an American for the first time! My new companion is Elder Dial from Utah. Colatina is my first area in the northern part of the mission. Unlike Vitória, the city is relatively new.

Jose Fernando is on fire. He brought some friends to church yesterday, and is wearing a white shirt and tie now. He brings a lot of energy and excitement to the ward. We taught him about the priesthood once before baptism, and once after. After the second time, we went out to visit some of his friends, and without warning, he put his hand on the forehead of his friend and started to bless him! Don´t worry, the new missionaries here will go over this lesson again. And the prayer of faith works miracles too!

(Saying good bye to my companion and the ward mission leader)

As a mission, we've started reading the Book of Mormon, learning about repentance. In Nephi´s vision of the tree of life, he says, that the love of God  "which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore it is the most desirable above all things...yea, and the mot joyous to the soul. "

Through repentance, we can feel that love of God. Repentance isn't something awful, rather it's a gift from above, that allows us to become better, and become closer to our Heavenly Father, So, Repent!

Love,

Elder Schenewark