House Hunting

Hi. This week was pretty interesting. So our house is not so good. Its got faulty plumbing, mold, slugs, leaky roof, broken stove, etc. So we have been doing our best to find a new house and get new things. So our mission President came to our area today to get new stuff for us and to resolve the housing issue. So we spent a good 5 hours driving around with President and Sister to find a house. We found a couple of sweet ones and they got us a new stove, refrigerator, microwave, and cabinet. Then we went for Pizza! Pretty dang sweet to ride around in an air conditioned car and talk about the zone. We will be moving in a little hopefully. When we opened the area, my companion and I encountered a zone with a little rebellion and fault of desire to work. So my companion and I conducted the whole meeting to show them how it should happen. I laid it on pretty thick about the importance of obedience to receive the blessings of the Lord. Things improved this week. Yesterday we had the opportunity to teach a family that we have helped bring back to church. Two weeks ago, just the father and one son went. This week, the father, the two sons, and the mother went. We had a touching lesson on the importance of church attendance and eternal families. Everyone was tearing up and feeling the spirit. One of their children is not baptized and we hope to baptize him in two weeks. We will see how that works out. One phrase that stuck in my mind is 创My Eternal Family.创 This truly has becoem my goal and my dream. To have those I love with me for all eternity. I would give so much to have that. It gives me more energy to do everything when I think this is what I am helping others achieve. I love you all and hope for your best. Come on really, Elder Healy

Alligator!

Hey! So like yall know I was transfered! Now I am in a district called Jacare which means alligator in Portuguese. My companion and I are opening the area so to speak because both of the missionaries there before were transfered. They did not leave a very big teaching group nor a much in the area book so we are looking to an uphill battle. But the members are excited and we are as well. The people so far have been receptive and we have been able to get into various houses to teach. Lots of funny things happened. I am so bad at time management... Come on really, Elder Healy

Let the Good Times Roll

Well its that time of the mission again! Transfers! So I was caught by surprise and transferred from Vinhedo while my companion stayed and they opened another area. I had some mixed feelings about this mix up, but I will go where he wants me to go. I feel as if I was able to make an impact for the better in this city. On Sunday we were able to bring a whopping 13 investigators to church. We had plenty of members leaving with us and plenty of references this week. There are a good 12 baptisms that could be had here in the future. I sincerely hope to have a similar teaching group in my next area! I am as happy as can be other than this transfer business. I feel like I am fulfilling my purpose as a missionary, helping others to truly come unto Christ. I feel inspired to talk to others and share my testimony. I want to help my companion and other Elders improve. I have been thinking a lot about faith recently and have done my best to study it as thoroughly as I can. What I have learned is that faith is much more complex than what I had believed from a quick glance. I originally understood it as confidence and belief in the unseen, with a willingness to act on said belief. But it is so much more than that. The Prophet Joseph Smith dedicated an entire book on faith called 创Lectures on Faith创 that has given me many an insight. From quotes I have read, I have learned that to truly have faith in Jesus Christ, 1. You must believe he exists 2. You must have a correct understanding of his character 3. You must have the certainty that your life is in line with his teachings. But it is further than that. Mere obedience and diligence does not guarantee divine help. Most people have faith unto action. If I act now, something will happen later. But the faith we must develop is faith unto power. That through our righteousness and desire to do the Lords will and our utmost confidence in him, miracles happen. In Ether 12:14 we learn that it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that changed the hearts of the Lamanites. It was there faith that changed another. I hope to develop this kind of faith. I love you and pray for you. Come on really, Elder Healy

World!

I´m super sorry that I havent been writing you like I should. I was just a little busy with apps and the like. But I am here and writing now. Much has happened since I last wrote you and I will do my best to sum it all up. This week is the last week of the transfer so we will see what happens. We have 4 couples to marry which would be a grand total of 11 baptisms. Keep your fingers crossed. We divided up the ward and opened a group in another neighborhood. The group had 51 people Sunday! My companion and I are getting along great. I hope to stay in Vinhedo next transfer, but who knows. I have been tired lately for some reason and getting sick, but I hope to get better. We have been able to bring a bun ch of people to church in the last couple of weeks. Hopefully these fruits pay off. I feel myself improving each day as I search the scriptures and try to apply them. I love you all. Come on really, Elder Healy