His Will

In Mococa

Hey Everyone-
Hope everyone is doing great. This week was not one of the best of the mission but we made it through. We are still working with Jacqueline and she is close to being ready to be baptized. We are excited about that. We went to Mococa B to help the sisters with knocking doors, We also made plans to help Jacqueline get to know more members as we continue teaching her. We are also working with the Ward council and planning a ward missionary activity. As well as transfers were this past week. I am staying in my area with my same companion, Elder Bahia for another transfer (6 weeks). A lot of good missionaries going home this transfer that I will miss.

With Bahia in Mococa

With a member family - Paulo y Paula and their family

With Elders Castro, Kleinkauff and Bahia

Who knew "Preachers of the Asphalt"  World headquarters of Jesus' Bikers was in Sao Joao?

Parade en el centro

I want to share an experience with you that I had this past week. I have been dealing with a difficult challenge and when thinking about it on my own I was struggling with what to do. Honestly I was not feeling very good about it so I prayed about it. After I prayed about it I did not get an instant answer like I wanted, which happens sometimes. So the next morning I prayed again asking the Lord to guide me and let me know what I should do. It was Sunday and as we were taking the sacrament I was praying quietly in my heart to know what to do and I felt and heard the spirit nudging me to move forward and trust in Him. There was no explanation as to why or how but at that moment I knew I needed to submit to whatever the Lord had planned. If it was His will it would be what was best for me. Then the rest of the talks in Sacrament meeting were about prayer, salvation and how it isn't easy and never was. Then the classes in Sunday school were about the Savior and how we cannot consider ourselves greater than Him because He suffered everything for us, as well as sacrificed all. He knows just how we feel. So there was my answer. It came but not as one big lightning bolt or answer but as many small promptings and through many people over time. I think sometimes we miss the answers to our prayers because we are not listening or seeing what is right there in front of us. Or we are not patient enough to keep praying to find the answers. If we ask, we have to listen and we have to be prepared to accept the answer. I am so thankful for my Savior and for His love for me. I am thankful for the answers I receive when pray and then truly listen. Sometimes the answers are not what we want but when we do the Lord's will we have the promise "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and afflictions shall be for a small moment." He loves us. He is there. No need to doubt or worry.

Have a great week!

Elder Davis

"Never Check Your Religion at the Door"

Joselitos family

Happy Belated Father's Day to all the dads! Hope everyone had a great day. A shout out to my dad for the great example he is to me. He is a great example of how to live a Christlike life. He knows how to be the calm in the storm, see humor in everything and serves others and the Lord without hesitation. I am thankful for all the guidance and counsel he gives me and the love & support he always has for me. So thanks Dad! I love you -you are the best!

 

Jacqueline's Family

Posing with "the Poser" in Centro de Sao Joao da Boa Vista

Honestly this week was a little harder than usual. It was a week full of trials but also miracles. Being alive everyday counts as a miracle right? Wednesday we did a split with the Zone leaders. I was with Elder Christensen and I have to be honest - it was awesome! We were able to visit some people who we're teaching, found some new people to teach, as well as we bought Açaí! Woohoo! I think I am an Acai addict. Açaí is literally the best thing ever. It is a little expensive for the missionary budget but way worth it. I attached some pictures. I also got to practice my English all day, which never happens. It was kind of funny because even though we are both American, we were speaking Portuenglish. Everything was all mixed together! Neither one of us is fluent in English anymore. haha

Elder Davis and Christensen on splits

Elder Davis' favorite Acai with toppings

We had district meeting on Thursday morning with Sao Joao and it was awesome. Then we traveled to Mococa Thursday afternoon to do district meeting there! It was super great to work with the sisters and we had a great meeting. Friday we went to Mococa A which is the sisters Azevedo and Lima. We worked with them for Friday and did some interviews of progress. I really like working with all the missionaries in the district. I learn a lot from them. I love feeling the Spirit as he helps me to know how to be a help to them. I truly have a testimony that when you are given a calling or responsibility for others you can feel the spirit so strongly as you strive to serve and do what has been asked of you. It is true that the Lord blesses those he calls, you just have to be willing to work and listen. Saturday we were able to get some great lessons taught and we also visited Jaqueline again. She is progressing and learning and is continuing to pray and ask God. That is the good thing, she is moving forward on the right path. This week there were some issues in the district so we did a lot of traveling within the district and we were not in our area a lot so we were not able to get with Ademir. But we will definitely see him this week.

District Meeting in Mococa

Interviews with Sister Lima and Azevedo

Spiritual thought that I want to share with you guys for this week is from a district meeting that has to do with our ethics, values and moral compass. (FYI - I have a lot of sisters in my district - ten out of the fourteen missionaries are sisters so in trying to relate to the majority in district meeting I have to broaden my examples. So no judging. haha) Lets think about our standards, our discipleship, our obedience, our lives and the relationship between us and Heavenly Father and the Savior. Those are all things that are determined by our values or ethics. Ethics and our belief system, are usually a big part of who we are and things that we firmly and wholeheartedly believe in. They come from deep inside us. They determine who we are and what we do. It is the moral code we live by, our moral compass. Now compare that with cosmetics. They on the other hand have the sole purpose to help you look better on the outside without really changing who you are permanently. You use them to look a certain way or improve your outward appearance but they are not something that become a part of you just from using them. They have a superficial effect. You put them on or use them when you go in public, then when you get home, you take it off and remove it. They do not become a part of you. We have to be careful not to use our ethics, standards, discipleship or obedience like we do cosmetics. Applying them to be seen on the outside but having no permanent effect on us. We cannot be disciples 12 hours of the day while we are in public and then when we are by ourselves take off or remove those morals and standards. We cannot be obedient to some things and then not others, we cannot be upholding our standards in some moments and then in other moments with some friends not living by them. As the scriptures say "We cannot serve two masters". We need to choose whom we are going to serve - not just in public but fully in our lives. As Elder Jeffrey Holland said "Never check your religion at the door". Through our actions we are either serving the Lord or the adversary. Its simple. Sometimes we complicate it. Elder Holland also reminded us that the scriptures tell us to "stand as witnesses of God at all times, in all things and in all places", not as some times, a few places and when we want. As we do that, we will come to feel His Love and His Hand in our lives more often. Jesus Christ is my Savior and He lives. He lives to love and guide us. His atonement is how we can return and live with God and Him again. Let us take advantage of that and repent and learn every day, growing closer and closer through our standards and actions as well as thoughts and words.

Love

Elder Davis

"All These Things...Shall be for Thy Good"

District Meeting and Interviews with Sisters in Mococa

Hey Everyone-
It has been a super crazy week. The Lord is marvelous and I cannot explain the feeling of thankfulness I have in my heart for the many miracles and blessings that have happened this week, ranging from teaching here in Brazil to miracles at home. I am thankful for my family and for the blessings of safety and protection that we have been blessed with this week. I am also thankful to the Lord for His guiding hand in helping me do His work here in Brazil.

We had interviews this week with President too which is always awesome. It is hard to express adequately how much I love and admire Pres Bangerter and all he does to serve us as missionaries and the Lord.

Lunch with Sao Joao District after interviews with Pres. Bangerter

I feel it has been a week of miracles. First miracle. Tuesday as I was looking at some of the unknown phone numbers in our phone contact list I had a thought, "I'm going to call some of these numbers." There were a lot that were in there that did not match up with any numbers in our area book. I thought might as well call a few and see who they are and if we could come by for a visit. I called 3 people. The first person I called answered, asked who it was and I said "the missionaries" and the person hung up. I guess they still were not ready! The second person didn't answer at all but the third person did answer. His name was Ademir. I told him who we were and asked if he remembered missionaries visiting him some time back and he said he did. I asked if we could come by and visit him again. He accepted and I asked for his address again explaining that I was a little new in the area. He gave me the address. I wrote it down and we marked an appointment for Friday at 7pm. Friday approached and we were walking to the neighborhood where he lived and I went to look for his exact address in my planner, and when I reached for it it was not there. I could not find my planner. I couldn't believe it. I was thinking YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. I lost my planner and I lost the address. I didn't want to miss this appt. but I couldn't remember the address off the top of my head. I remembered only the neighborhood/vicinity but not the street or house number. I talked to some people on the street, asking if they knew an Ademir on their street but they didn't. They knew a few members that lived close and that was cool, but they didn't know an Ademir that lived near there. Anyway it was the worst. I had a sick feeling. I needed to find this guy. After awhile of looking and asking everyone - it was 8:30 and we were about a 45 minute walk home so I knew we were going to have to be going soon. I knew the Spirit would guide us if we were supposed to find him that night so we said a prayer asking where we should go. I felt an impression to go in a certain direction - down this one street I looked at the street map and everything and I felt, no its not in that direction - that can't be right. Felt the prompting again. "its literally right there, go down this street, and go right and its right there", But as I looked at the map it made no sense because then it would be in the next neighborhood. But the impression came again to go down that street "Its right there". Shouldn't have doubted right? We went down the street and just as we were going to turn right I saw a house that seemed very familiar to me for some reason. So we went there and knocked on the door. A guy came out and guess who he was? Ademir! I was so grateful for the Lord's hand in helping us find him that night. It was a miracle! But wait, its not over. So we went in and taught him, his son and his sons wife. They had been taught by other missionaries before and then had been to a lot of other churches too. They were really searching to find truth. We had a lesson on the Power of the Restoration. We read a lot in the Book of Mormon, answered questions and then invited them to pray about it. They immediately got up and went in to the bedrooms in the back one by one to pray personally. Each person came back praying for the other to receive an answer. And sure enough, all of them received an answer. They knew what we shared with them was true and they wanted to learn more. We invited them to be baptized and they accepted. All of them! Gods presence was in that house that night and I felt it and I am sure that they all felt it too. We will mark a date for baptism with them this week.

With Wender, LZs Elder Castro, Bahia and Kleinkauff at a member's home

We are also continuing to teach Jacqueline and have marked the 24th of June for her baptism. We are super excited for her! Miracles are happening in Siao Joao! So the work goes on. As we listen and follow the promptings we are given, great things will happen. One thing I have thought about a lot about this week is that Gods plan for us at times is hard for us to totally comprehend. Because we are mortal there are some things we will not be able to totally understand but I do know that He does have a plan for each of us. It is a plan that is made specific to our needs and growth. At times we do not know why certain things happen but later we then understand why they had to happen and see the ways we grew from having it happen. I am certain that things happen how they should when we are living close to our Savior. Like in D&C 122:7 the Lord says "know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.". If something happens to us, it is usually because it is something that will help us in our future and is something that is essential that we pass through. We will not always know why but when we focus on exercising our faith in everything we are able to say "Come what may and love it". We cannot control what happens to us but we can control how we react. Let us love God and His plan, no matter what happens. Always trusting, always doing His will and loving what comes!

Have a great week!

Elder Davis

First Baptism in São João da Boa Vista

Wender's baptism - he is an incredible guy!

Oi todos-
Hope everyone is doing great. We had a pretty great week! The highlight of the week was the baptism of Wender! We spent the week focusing on helping him towards his baptism date which was Sunday and it went well! It was awesome to see him take that step. We have been talking to him about a mission and he is super excited and is thinking about going. He is so in tune with the spirit and well, he just is "the man". He is so ready to do what he needs to do to change and follow Christ. During the week we had talked to him about the law of chastity and about respecting our bodies because they are created in God's image. One night we were at a member's house to have dinner with him and the members and talk. He got up and excused himself to use the restroom and came back without his nose ring in. He had felt the truth of what we were teaching and what he needed to do and did it without us mentioning it. We knew in our hearts that the spirit would touch him and trusted in that. He listened and followed. He is so awesome and as he continues along the right path to learn and grow he will do great things. I am sure of it. He is already such a good example. I am super happy for him.

A great day!

We also had a Multizone meeting on Thursday in Rio Claro that was super awesome! President gave us a lot of great counsel and training. There are always changes taking place, improvements being made and efforts to do things more effectively. We learned some new techniques that will help us in our teaching. They have also reduced the zones now to 10 in the mission so I have 4 more sisters that were added to my district. They are in towns farther away so there will be a lot more travel for interviews. This week I will be going to Mococa for a baptism interview, a city even farther north in the mission than my first area of the mission, Porto Ferreira. It is out there - about an hour and a half bus ride I think from here. It is almost in the Brasil Ribeirão Preto Mission. With the changes I will have a total of 14 in my district. It's all good. We work hard to support one another and have fun together.

Pirassunga, Rio Claro, São João da Boa Vista, & São Carlos zones @ Multizone Conference

With Sister Cardoso at her last multi zone as a full time missionary

Sister Cardoso, who was in my last district in Hortlandia and is now in Botucatu in São Manoel was invited to our multizone. It was great surprise. President invited her to come to bear her last testimony to us as a full time missionary. She goes home this transfer. She is a great missionary and I wish her all the best as she goes home. She, along with the many others in my district, were a great help to me when I first became a district leader 7 months ago. I am grateful for those who have helped me along the way.

Group picture at Multizone

Multizone

We are pumped to start using some of our training as we build our teaching pool . As you know, when we got to the area it was pretty much a blank slate so we are still trying to build that teaching pool. Since we baptized Wender we currently only have a few people. This week we are just gonna be on fire! I have faith great things are going to happen. The Lord will bless us, I am sure of it! We also have interviews with President this Wednesday which I always get super pumped for. He is a great man and I am very grateful for his example! So there are a lot of great things going to happen this week.

With Wender  eating Acai -love that stuff!

I wanted to share with you something I have been thinking about a lot this week. As a missionary we often speak to people who feel they are stuck in the past with the mistakes they have made. They concentrate on what they have done wrong and wish they could have been a better son/daughter, brother/sister or mom/dad or friend - whatever it may be. We all have made mistakes and if we concentrate on them it will can make us pretty sad. I have done that before myself. Sometimes we think if I would have done this I would have been so much farther ahead, or would be in this place in my life, or this would not have happened. But sometimes those things have to happen for us to learn and gain strength. We have to realize that we are not perfect and that is why we needed a Savior and Redeemer to save us from not only physical death but spiritual death. We needed Him to make repentance possible. We are going to make mistakes but we have to open our hearts and sincerely repent of them and let Christ take that weight from our shoulders. We don't want to totally forget our mistakes because we need to learn from them but when we have repented we need to forgive ourselves and look forward and be better. Remembering or constantly living with regret hanging over us is not the Lord's way. His way is one of love, forgiveness and progression. He is always there for us and understands what we are going through. He truly is our older Brother, our Comforter, our Redeemer and Savior. Every day in prayer we have the chance to come to our Heavenly Father and ask for forgiveness and be healed from whatever is bringing us down. I know Christ lives and He is the literal Son of our Heavenly Father. They both love us and know us individually and through them we find true happiness in this life and exaltation in the life to come. We need to open our hearts to them and be made whole.

I love you all. Have a great week.


Elder Davis