Bleeding Hearts of the World Unite!!!

July 16, 2012

This week was full of miracles, sad choices, laughs, bible ´study´(bashing) and interesting experiences.  We talked to a young woman on the street named Maria João Duarte.  Eleita.  And the whole family is elect also.  They have hearts open.  They are Catholic- and there was a time in my mission where I dreaded Catholics because of the whole Í can´t be baptized because I am Catholic´- only reason they can come up with.  The whole tradition thing blows.  But now I welcome Catholics.  These couple of weeks of been full of Testemunho Jehovahs and Aventista do setimo dia (´God rested on the seventh day, we have to have church on Saturday’s well read Atos 20:7.)  These guys do not have hearts open and believe that the Bible has everything and that we do nothave prophets today with authority.  Been a long week concerning these things.  But many other people ready to accept prophets and the Book of Mormon! YEAH!!!  These week with our Revelado Vitor, who I wrote about last week, was tough.  He believes in everything and knows it is true, but just can´t give up drinking and smoking.  we need to help him understand that there is NO sin that the Atonement doesn´t cover.  That even though we sin, we need to come to church- that is where we will be healed.  Needless to say his baptism fell through yesterday.  Our other revelado, Carlos- we haven´t been able to talk to him ALL week!!!  But you NEVER give up on your Revelados, so Saturday we finally encountered him and we had a nice chat.  He knows without a doubt the Livro de Mórmon is true.  YES!!  That means he has a base testimony about everything else!  He kept saying he will be baptized by Hélder, a recent convert in the ward and his good friend.  We said okay, for sure Hélder can baptized you! He didn´t understand that Hélder has the authority now to do that!  So... we invited him to be baptized the next day and he accepted!!!  It was incredible!!!  The spirit was SOO strong.  We prayed together so he would feel that that was the day Heavenly Father wanted for him and he said he felt so good and FREE.  We had him write down his feelings so he wouldn´t forget.  (it is good to show investigators what they wrote when they have hard times or don´t want to get baptized that day that they initially felt).  We were SOO happy!!! Then comes the next day, Sunday morning-. yesterday.  We see Carlos and he said he can´t come to church be cause of work.  And he said he talked to Hélder and Hélder ´counseled´him that he should wait to be baptized to study more.  AHHHHHH.  Satan works just as hard, people.  And He is so cunning.  He uses members all the time to stop people from being baptized.  Okay Carlos, we will talk to you after work at 4:30 and help you know that you are prepared. Then we went to go pick up other investigators and revelados and NO ONE wanted to come.  It was horrible.  If this was a physical war instead of a spiritual war, at this point in the morning- before Sacrament meeting we would be bleeding profusely.  The thing was I was genuinely sad that no one came to church.  ( we actually ended up with 4 people, but initially was awful...)  I sat in Sacrament meeting and cried.  I felt like a failure.  I prayed and asked Heavenly Father what specifically I needed to change to help others come unto Christ, specifically through baptism.  I received lots of answers.  But as I was taught in the MTC- I needed to shake it off and step up.  So I repented and turned positive.  I read Alma 17:11 that says if we are patient with the Lord´s time and we are obedient and faithful, many souls will be saved.  No one was baptized yesterday, but they will be.  We have three marked for this week and I am totally PUMPED!!!  I am so grateful to be doing the Lord´s work.  I know that we need to do our part.  But when we do our part and bring the Holy Ghost, individuals need to chose to follow the Holy Ghost.  99 times out of 100 when people don´t follow the spirit, it is because they don´t want to give up a sin.  I don´t want to be like that.  I want to get rid of anything that may stand in my way from receiving exaltation.  and I want to help others get rid of anything that may stop them from receiving exaltation.  NOTHING can stop the work from progressing.  All hope is never lost.  It is important to always look UP.  We work hard, but Satan works just as hard if not harder- but this should never b ethe case, we should ALWAYS work harder.  I love our Savior, Jesus Christ.  He is the way.  I love  2 Néfi 25:24-30.  I absolutely LOVE the scriptures.  I LOVE general conference!!! I am so grateful for the words of Prophets TODAY!  Read Elder Scott´s talk about revelation and Elder Holland’s first talk- INCREDIBLE!!!  I know that when we are humble and have pure hearts and are faithful, obedient and dilligent miracles WILL occur, even with opposition (which will always come).  I am sorry that these stories are sad, but many miracles happened this week also.  But remember to always work on your testimony.  Read the Book of Mormon EVERY day and pray constantly for continued confirmation that it is true.  Our conversion is the most important one we need to work for.  Satan is cunning.  We need to be strong to withstand his blows.  But he has no control.  We are ALL stronger than he is.  

Vanessa, Helena, and Carlos are marked for baptism for this Saturday.  Please pray for them to stay strong and to continue to keep the commandments and read the Book of Mormon.  Pray for Vitor that he can overcome his difficulties with the word of wisdom and his family´s hearts will be softened, Maria and her family that they will continue to have open hearts and accept the Restored gospel, Sian-Joana that she will feel the Lord´s love and have faith and trust in Him, Paulo Silva that he can have no doubt that the Book of Mormon is true. 

Thank you for your testimonies and examples.  I would love to hear about what you are reading in the scriptures.  I would love to hear from return missionaries about helpful things they learned on the mission.  I know that Jesus Christ lives.  I know that He loves us.  I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.  I know that Jesus Christ is the head of this church and that we have authority- the Priesthood.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is a true Prophet.  I know that we worship on Sundays because we worship Christ who was resurrected on Sunday and we remember that he died for us, but that He LIVES and that we can live with him one day.  :)  I know that Jesus Christ is Jehovah.  (ha ha I am sorry, but it is good to bear testimony of these things :))  I know that I am here for a reason and I pray that I am doing all I can to fulfill those reasons.  I know that Jesus Christ is at our side when we keep the commandments and he is always ready and willing to reach out his hand- just like he did for Peter on the Sea of Galilee- when we are sinking, all we need to do is yell out to Jesus Christ and he will catch us IMMEDIATELY.  I love you all.  I love my mission.  I am so happy to be here.  HURRRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!

Irmã Tingey