Best Two Years That Prepare You for the Best of the Rest of Your Life

With Elder Kleinkauff and Castro at Stake Activity

Hey Everyone-

First of all Happy Birthday this week Dad!! Thank you for your love and your example. I love you and feel blessed to be your son. I hope all is well with everyone! This is going to be short. This morning we are going to Poços de Caldas for Pday to hike to Cristo Rendentor with Pres. Bangerter and the zone, so my time is really short today. The week was pretty good. My investigators are doing well! We marked 2 dates for baptism so we are super excited and working hard for that. We had a ton of training this past week at our multi-zone meeting and that always gives us a boost. I am stoked to apply all of it. Our biggest challenge in this area is getting those we teach to church and since it has been winter and it gets really cold up here it seems to be even harder. I have to admit it is cold! I sleep with 3 blankets! haha It is usually so hot here in Brazil it is hard to adjust back to the cold. But FYI- I do go to church even when it is cold! haha Things are going good and I am excited for the next few weeks.
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Yes, that is the baptismal font OUTSIDE of the church in Espirito Santo do Pinhal. It is crazy cold in the winter months up here in the mountains.

Underneath the church building in Espirito Santo do Pinhal. We were there for interviews and the sisters told us about the history. The church is in an old historical building where there are still tunnels and hideaways underneath. They were built  before the building was a church. They were used to hide slaves. Espirito Santo do Pinhal was one of the first places in Brazil to abolish slavery.

Underneath the church building in Espirito Santo do Pinhal with Elder Bahia and Sister DeJesus and Sister Nascimiento. 

With Elder Xavier one of the APs @ Multizone

The short Chilena - Sister Mendez

At Multizone with Elder Azevedo and Elder Silva

In Pocos de Calda with the Zone Leaders

No scripture today but I would like to share my testimony of Christ. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve a mission. You always hear about how the mission will be the best two years of your life and it is super great. But I think a truer statement is that it is two of the best years of your life that prepare you for the best of the rest of your life. It is an experience that has changed my life as I have come to know my Savior and Redeemer better and has helped me become a better person. I know with absolute surety that Christ lives and that He made the ultimate sacrifice for not only our sins but for our difficulties and challenges. He loves us and knows each of us by name. He knows of our trials and our needs. If we turn to Him and our Heavenly Father with a humble heart in sincere prayer they will guide and bless us. I love them and am so thankful for the blessings they have given me in my life and the opportunity to repent and return to live with them. The gospel and the spirit of Christ will teach us if we let it, all things and truth that is necessary for happiness in this life and the life to come. If you doubt this, pray and come to know Him through prayer and the scriptures. He will let you know He is there. I know that is true.

Thank you all for your love and support. Have a great week!

Elder Cole