Essence of Conversion

I am so very happy for Claudenice!

This week has been good!
We had a baptism this week! Claudenice was baptized this Saturday. I cannot describe to you the happiness that I have felt in my heart to see her take this step. She will be blessed so much in her life and I am sure that it will be a moment in her life that change her forever. She was baptized by Renato, a great member and example in the ward here.

With Claudenice, Renato and Elder A. Silva

She told us a story at the baptism. She got up in the front during the baptismal service and asked for the opportunity to bear her testimony. She said that there was a time that she was really doubting if everything was true, and we invited her to pray and ask God about everything, She received an answer but she was still bugged by something that was always on her mind "Will I be good enough? Will I be able to be forgiven for what I have done? Would God really accept me back into His presence?" She said that we told her that in the moment that she would be baptized, when she came up from the water, she would feel it in her heart as if God Himself was speaking to her in her heart that everything was forgiven and the reconfirmation of truthfulness of this gospel. She then had a dream that night. In the dream she was at a funeral looking on and she came to know that it was her funeral because her whole family was there. But something was very different. Everyone was happy at the funeral and joyful. She was confused until she saw a woman call her family over to the corner and say "I have something here that marked the life of your mother for all eternity. Something that changed her life forever." She then gave a white jumpsuit to them. For the whole day on Friday she didn't understand the dream. But when she was baptized on Saturday and she came to the understanding of the dream. As she came out of the water she realized that this dream had come to pass as if God had told her Himself "Do ye not remember the dream I have given thee?" She said she has come to the understanding that it was her funeral because of the fact her old self had passed away and was buried and the new Claudenice had been born when she was baptized wearing that white jumpsuit. She was so full of joy as she shared this testimony with us all and it truly touched our hearts. The next day she was at the Autosuffiencia course at the Church, as well as doing Family History to start preparing to go to the temple. How great the joy was in my heart that day to see her so faithful and so strong, trusting in the Lord for just but a moment to make the first step into the unknown and then to be guided to the Light. I thank Heavenly Father each day for the privilege I have to be a part of His work and the privilege I have to dedicate my time in His name.

Leadership Council

With Elders Hansen and Simmons

With Elder Craveiro - notice all the bug spray in the background,
Sister Bangerter is doing her best to save us from
yellow fever, zika and dengue.

The one and only Elder Cifuentes

Saw Elder Soares from my old Rio Claro zone.

With Sister Jesus from my old zone in São João da Boa Vista

We also had the Leadership meeting this past week with all the district leaders and zone leaders as well as the sister trainers. We talked a lot about conversion. One phrase that I liked a lot was by Elder Bednar "Knowing that the gospel is true is the essence of a testimony. Consistently being true to the gospel is the essence of conversion." Thinking on this, are we truly converted to the gospel? Or do we just have a foot in and a foot out? Do we sometimes keep the sabbath day holy and sometimes not keep it holy when other distractions pull us away. Do we obey the commandments when it is convenient and not when it is more difficult. The Holy Ghost as a companion as well as the Lords promises/blessings are not like a winter coat or rain coat that we wear on certain days or in certain seasons depending on circumstances. We cannot simply just decide to take it off if it is not "raining" or "storming" in our life. We cannot simply "take off" the Holy Ghost and then expect to "put" Him back on as if nothing has happened when we are need of guidance or blessings. The Lord knows our hearts and knows our doings. We have to be true to what we know is right at all times and be worthy of the companionship of the Spirit. Heavenly Father, is the source of miracles. He is the provider of blessings, the provider of happiness, through His plan we can gain Exaltation. And the price for these precious blessings is never going to be material things such as money. The price will always be sacrifices made in faith and with integrity. We have to be willing to sacrifice all things even those things that are precious to us. A good example is keeping the sabbath day holy. We have to be willing to give up those things like watching the super bowl so we can go to church, study the scriptures, or do our home teaching. Maybe our thinking is its something that comes only once a year and it will be okay just this one time. But through our actions we show what we value and what we love. I know the Lord wants to bless us immensely with miracles that are indescribable and immeasurable. It just depends on us.
Have a great week! Love you all!

Elder Davis