"Teach them to walk in the ways of Truth"

Elder Castro leaving for home

This past week. How do I describe this past week. Crazy? Rushed? Miracles? Awesome? All of the above haha. It was super awesome. Thing

s have been pretty hectic! Good example of what the week has been like, one day when we were trying to get to Espirito Santo do Pinhal for a baptism interview and a baptism, we were almost at the bus stop and the driver drove off just as we got close. He must have been having a bad day! So we had to turn and sprint up the street to beat him to the next stop because we had to be on that bus or we would not make the interview or the baptism! It was a pretty high energy week going to work in all the other areas with the sisters and elders of our district. We did a lot of progress interviews and met a lot of the people that are being taught by the missionaries in our district. They are all great people who are progressing so well with their testimonies of Christ. It honestly impresses me and strengthens my testimony to see the changes in the lives of the people who have never prayed in their life, or never gone to a church, or never read a verse of scripture, now doing those things and receiving answers/personal revelation from God. There is no greater joy then to see the happiness they have as they change their lives forever. It is such a privilege for me to see that! I am thankful for this opportunity to serve a mission.

Took a picture so I could remember the full on race to catch the bus to Espirito Santo do Pinhal

At the baptism of Robinson

Celebrating Sister Nascimento's 3 month mark after District Meeting

With some of the sisters at the church after a PDay activity

So this week we taught and worked with Ademir and he doing better with the challenges he has. It is by taking consistent steps that changes are made and he is working on it. We also had a great lesson with Vanuza this week. We actually went with the sisters to team teach her. She is from the area of Brasil B, where Sister Costa and Sister Montaño are. We actually did a cool demonstration/activity with her that we planned. Some of you may have done it as youth, it is sometimes called a faith walk. We put a blindfold on her and then put a picture of Christ at one end of the room. We then told her there would be one voice that would represent the Holy Ghost and would speak to her so to try to guide her to Christ. And then there would be other voices also but they were of Satan, trying to confuse and steer her away. She had to discern who was who and who she would listen to. After the activity we spoke with her about how we are able to discern which voice is the Holy Ghost and the one we should follow. It was a great activity because she realized the importance of making an effort to hear the right voice and follow it. Sometimes we have so many distractions and so many voices from the world telling us things that just aren't true. We have to be able to recognize that still, small voice of the spirit and the feelings we have when the Spirit is speaking to us.We also spoke with her about how the pathway to Jesus Christ is not always easy and its a lifetime journey that will always have temptations. But through baptism and the gift of the holy ghost, we can have the lifetime companionship of the Holy Ghost to always help us and guide us away from bad things and temptations. Overall, it was super spiritual and great lesson. When we left, I had a longing to go back to her house to return to teaching and talking to her because I felt that sweet feeling of the Holy Ghost so strongly.

This week I would like to share a scripture with you I have been thinking about, it is Mosiah 4:15-19.

"But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.
And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.
Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—
But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.
For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

It is sad but true that sometimes we find ourselves not helping because of something that the person has done to us or others, or even sometimes to themselves. We think that because of their past we are justified in not helping them. We may think "They brought this upon themselves. They chose to do that so its their fault and they will now have to deal with the consequences." I have been guilty of this before in my life, I don't think I realized I was doing it most of the time but I was and it was completely and utterly wrong. We cannot stop helping or caring about someone because of something they have done. We need to continue to help. Just think if our Heavenly Father acted that way with us we would all be in trouble. None of us are perfect and everyday we are forgiven as we repent and it is forgotten and remembered no more. Thank heaven our Heavenly Father doesn't say "I am done with him and I am not going to forgive him anymore". He doesn't do that, yes He will let us learn through consequences but if we come unto Him He NEVER stops helping and loving. Neither should we!

Have a great week! Love you all!
Elder Davis