At Marco Zero for Pday last week
Yesterday at 10:00 p.m. we got a phone call. Instead of spending the rest of the transfer in Madalena (until Wednesday) I ended up going back to Casa Forte today. I am going to be here for the next two days with Sister Figueira, a STL whose companion went home already. Then my new companion will get here on Wednesday. I don’t trust Sunday nights anymore! Last minute changes always happen.
This week was another week of traveling between Casa Forte and Madalena. The highlight was definitely hearing President Nelson speak on Friday to the missionaries and on Sunday to the church in Brazil. I think my testimony of the leaders of the church has definitely been strengthened on the mission. In the CTM I felt the spirit so strongly during general conference, and I have felt some of that same spirit at the April conference and at the transmissions from President Nelson this week. I am working on remembering these moments — it is so easy to forget spiritual experiences! In the missionary broadcast, he emphasized the importance of talking about Christ’s visit to the Americas. He said we shouldn’t let people start at 1 Nephi 1–that won’t capture their attention! They have to start at 3 Nephi 11, when Christ visits the Americas. It is important not to forget how monumental this is. We have a book about Christ’s visit to the American continent!
8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.
9 And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.
10 Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written.
11 For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written.
We had Family Home Evening with the family of Thais, the little girl who just got baptized.
I have been reading the Old Testament and have really enjoyed the end of Isaiah. There are a lot of chapters of Isaiah that seem difficult to understand or apply to your life, but there are some wonderful chapters of Isaiah. I had already heard the most beautiful verses in church talks before, but it is more moving when you read them altogether in Isaiah!
10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.
11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. . . .
13 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
Headed to Recife 