Love the People of Porto

At Stake Conference with Harrisson, President and Sister Bangerter

Hey Everyone-
THIS WEEK WOOOO! So yet another week has passed. Man does the mission pass fast. That is one fact that is super true. So today we heard about transfers since tomorrow is transfers. I am getting transferred to Hortolandia, I don’t know which area yet. I will find that out when I arrive there. My companion will be Elder Vieira. I know you guys are thinking "again?" Haha But, Elder Vieira, my trainer, ended his mission and returned home. So this Elder Vieira is a new missionary also from Brasil and I will be finishing his training! He has been out in the mission six weeks with another companion but I will finish the rest of his training. I am also going to be a district leader. I was a little surprised to be called as a District Leader because I have only been out 4 months but will do my best to serve the Lord and all the missionaries I work with. I will really miss the members here in Porto and it is hard to leave the people we are teaching as well as my comp. But the mission is always awesome so I am sure there are great things ahead.

Pirrasununga District

Our district running to catch the bus in the downpour after Stake Conference

Anyway, I will get on with how my week was. In our District meeting on Tuesday we discussed about following up with investigators. I thought about how this applies in our lives as well as our missionary work. Sometimes we think about doing good things but we don’t follow up. We don’t actually act. We need to do the second part and act on those thoughts, study the gospel, pray for answers and we will receive that which we seek. Sometimes if we do not get the results or answers the first time then we forget it and do not keep seeking our answers or result. We need to keep following up, keep working for what we need and seek. There are so many experiences and skills that you develop on the mission that transfer over into regular life. Wednesday we did baptism interviews for the Sisters in Pirassununga 2! Their investigators are awesome! One of the baptisms fell through and then we talked to her, answering some of her questions and she ended up committing to baptism again so that was a blessing! Thursday we had splits. I was with Elder Rubens and we did our baptism interviews here in Porto (Manoel, João Pedro, and Harrisson). They all turned out alright except Manoel, he didn’t end up coming to church so we couldn’t baptize him this past week. I am sad I will not be here for his baptism but happy he is making the choice to be baptized. Elder Sander will baptize him next week! Our baptisms were this Friday since we had stake conference this weekend on Saturday and Sunday. It was awesome! The spirit was strong and we were all touched by the spirit that was there. Marilene (the aunt of Harrisson) made a cake for everyone! It was so delicious. I told you I am a bit of a cake addict. Haha Anyway the baptisms all went well! Harrisson is super awesome and I know he will stay firm in the church. He truly wants to do what is right and has such a good spirit. His mom is not a member yet but his Aunt and her family are so he has support. I think he will be the one to bring his mom and dad into the church. João is super cool too. He has had a tough time in his life and now things are going well for him, I am so happy for him and I know that his baptism is the beginning of great change for him and many great blessings are in store for him. After his baptism he was speaking to me about the spirit he felt and how he knew this was the Holy Ghost testifying to him that he was making a good choice. I am proud of both of them and their courage to do what they know is right.

At the Baptisms of João Pedro, and Harrisson

Like I said, we had stake conference and it was really good. Our Mission President, Pres Bangerter, was there and actually spoke. It was really good. There was another talk that really touched my heart too that I want to share a little bit of it with you. This person talked about the importance of Sacrament meeting and how a lot of us have become casual about that meeting. Sometimes people stay for the meeting but are not engaged in what is happening. Or they stay and partake of the sacrament then they leave after. This is the meeting in which we actually participate in an ordinance, the only ordinance that we do more than once in our life – the sacrament. We should prepare ourselves and be totally engaged in this meeting. Our hearts need to be open and we need to be ready to receive inspiration and revelation from the talks and testimonies. We are responsible to be prepared. He told us, when we share our testimonies, which can be 1 minute or 1 phrase, we will strength it until it is like unto God and the talks that people give in Sacrament are through the Spirit. We will receive revelation and answers to our prayers through listening. I think we all have had times when we have been asked to give a talk or have gone up to bear our testimonies and we do not say what we planned but end up saying something else that has come to our mind. This is the Lord answering someone’s prayer and letting you be the instrument in the revelation. I know many times I planned to speak about this and that and planned to say this and share that but it never turned out that way. I always ended up on a different note sharing something different then what I was thinking and I know that to be the Spirit helping me help the people that were there. It is the same as we teach as missionaries. We need to always be worthy of the spirit so we can hear what we need to hear and say what we need to say. One of the great ways to start the week with the spirit is by attending sacrament meeting, being engaged, and taking the sacrament worthily. It will bless your life and get your week going in the right direction.

Harreson and his mom at Stake Conference

Irma Araujo with us at Stake Conference

A great member family from Limeira

Got to get going so I can pack for transfers. I love the Lord and love being a missionary. Thank you for all the support and love I am receiving from everyone, especially all the emails! Love you all and hope you have a great week! Listen to the Spirit the FIRST time, and act!

Um abraco,

Elder Davis