Letter 3/25/13

Well folks, I think I'm on my last stint here in Jardim São Paulo. I had an interview with President Lanius last week to renew my temple recommend (I can't believe that I've already had it for two years...) We had a little chit-chat....he talked about some the funny things that he sees while trying to iron out the missionaries in this mission. He said that he knows how to ask very specific questions to get an Elder to confess his bobagem (Portuguese slang for mischief). I couldn't help but laugh....he said that he's see quite a few tricks that the Elders try and pull on him....I told him that I've seen quite a few too. We had a good laugh together. I'm thinking that I'm going to be called to train these last two transfers. Opening an area with a greenie would be my dream come true! Let's see what's gonna happen. Transfers are next week. 

Well we were planning on baptize Taynar on Saturday...the ward was preparing a party just for her baptism. We found out that her friend who was responsible for her first visiting the church wouldn't be able to attend the baptismal service this week end, and as a result, Taynar wanted to remark her baptism for next week....It was a bit frustrating, but knowing how it's important to her and how she wouldn't haven't any other way, we didn't have much of a choice. When Saturday night rolled around, something happened between her mom and step-dad (probably a fight or something) and she left home to go spend a few days with a friend of hers....so now we are in limbo with her....let's see what's going to happen...we are praying for the best.

That news left me pretty bummed out...while returning home, we decided to make one last visit to a less active that we met last week. The Lord had an interesting lesson in store for us there. We met a friend of this less active named Marcos Antonio. From the getgo, I noticed that he was very active and upbeat. He was smiling and joking around with us as we conversed with him. When we asked him where he was from, he started to tell us a bit more of his story....he is from Porto Alegre, a city on the other side of Brazil. He's been living in Recife for about a year. He met a lady and moved in with her. They bought a house and started working together....after several months, he noticed that a lot of his things were suddenly disappearing. With time, he learned that his wife was stealing his stuff, selling it, and using the money to buy crack cocaine....yeah...when he found out about it, she had already wiped out his bank account. He left her in the middle of the night, and had come to live with this less active member of the church. That was the night when we found him....As I listened to this man's story, I thought about how I was walking around with my head down because our baptism got pushed back a week. This man lost everything he owned and found out that the woman he loves is addicted to drugs, and was still smiling and talking with us like it was birthday. The Lord taught me an interesting lesson....we are the ones who choose if we are going to be happy or sad. We are the ones who choose if we are going to be blessed or not. We are the ones who choose if we are going to obey the commandments or not. The Father's plan comes down to this: You are what you choose to be. I've  reflected quite a bit on this scripture as I've been teaching the Gospel to others these last months of my life....

Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. (2 Nephi 2:27)

What an incredible power we have over our own destinies. It really is remarkable just how much our Heavenly Father loves us....he loves us so much, that he is willing to let us not choose to follow, serve, and love him. I think this is one of the greatest insights into the extent of our Father's love for us. 

The work goes on!

Until next time, 

-Elder McKinley