Final Thoughts

Well, this is it. My last week in the mission field. I have been trying my best to push until the end and truly tried in Nova Odessa. I was transferred to Campinas to be the Assistant´s companion so that I did not stay in the other mission when they divide today. I made many great friends there and had many great memories that I will always cherish. This week I was able to literally save a baptism and helped resolve problems that a companionship was having in my district. I am just a big ol´ mix of emotions right now. I am so very sad to be leaving the mission behind because of the wonderful friends I have made and the wonderful experiences I have had. The mission literally changed my life and I am so immensely grateful for that. I don't know who I´d be or where I´d be if it was not for these extraordinary two years in the service of the Lord. I have truly come to know the gospel to be true for myself. I have been able to have so many spiritual experiences that I have come to the sure knowledge that God loves and Christ lives. It has stopped being personal belief and has become actual fact that Joseph Smith truly was a Prophet and really did see God and Jesus Christ. I testify that Book of Mormon is the word of God. I am grateful for what I have come to know. I am so glad that I have been able to help many others come to know the true church and gospel and through doing so I have been changed. When I think about my mission, tears of joy and gratitude come to my eyes. As I lost myself in the work, I came to find who I really was. I feel as Enos that ´´I soon go down to my grave, having been wrought upon by the power of God that I must preach and prophesy unto this people, and declare the word according to the truth which is in Christ. And I have declared it all my days, and have rejoice in it above that of the world.´´ I was wrought upon by the power of God and changed, and have done my best to preach unto the people of Brazil. When it appeared to many that I lost everything when I came on a mission, I truly gained everything. With so little, I have never felt I have had so much. I, as Lehi, can say ´´I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew it was desirable above all other fruit.´´ The gospel is true, and through it and the love of God, I have felt such immense joy as I can not describe. It is more desirable then anything the world can offer. I invite each and everyone to truly come and partake of the fruit so that you can feel as I do. Life does not become perfect, but the joy becomes lasting rather than temporary and the hardships serve to refine you rather than break you. I desire what Lehi desired, my family together forever. My honest hope and prayer is that when we meet again, are meeting might be as that of Alma and the sons of Mosiah for ´´Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the truth; for they were men... therefore they had the spirit.´´ I love each and everyone of you and anxiously await to see all of your lovely faces. I share these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. The end nearly, Elder Healy

Second to Last

Hello everyone! This is my second to last email home and it will have to be a short one. I am traveling today and time is short. I hope that you arent mad. We will baptize this week! Come on really, Elder Healy

Hello

I am shoppping today. Does anyone want anything from Brazil? If anyone wants shoes, sent me your size. Love you! I´ll get back on after.

Winding Down....

Dear People, My second week in Nova Odessa has come to an end and what a week it was. We had stake conference and we had a bunch oif investigators go. Hopefully we will see some baptisms this week. We reactivated like two families as well and had divisions almost every night! I am kind of tired because of the rush he have been in, but whatever. I have been studying the commandments this week and have realized there are a lot more than I thought. I love being a missionary and I love this work. I can see the difference the gospel makes in my life and the lives of others everyday. I truly have come to love the people of Brazil and will be sad to leave. Endure to the end is the phrase that has become the most important to me as of late and I know I will. I love you all! Come on really, Elder Healy

Final Area

Hey yall! So I'm officially in my last area on the mission and I am doing my best to work until the end. My comp has 3 months on the mission. I'm having to kind of re-train him b/c he has some teaching problems, but really wants to learn. The area hasn't had baptisms for 4 months, but the ward is really excited and seemed to like me. We already marked an activity for the ward and will have divisions every night. I am excited to be a district leader again and help one of the most struggling districts on the missions. I wish you all the best and God be with you until we meet again. Come on really, Elder Healy

Final Week in Jacare

Dear Family and Friends, My final week in Jacare has come to a close and I am off to my last great adventure here in the mission field. I truly enjoyed the time I spent with Elder Dyas and we were able to help three people be baptized this week. We stayed in a three-some because one Elder in our zone had his comp go home early. That was pretty fun, but the week wasn´t that productive. I think my last area will be a toughy, but we will see what happens. I love you all and look forward to trying my hardest for this last month of my mission. I hope you all the best. Come on really, Elder Healy

Belated but Updated

Hello everyone! I am so sorry for my lack of letters as of late. But here´s a quick summary of what´s been going down. The most important, we had two baptisms on Saturday! One was a man whose wife we reactivated and whom we married. He is such a gone man and was so excited to be baptized and married. The other is a now deacon who stopped us on the street multiple times just to talk and then asked to visit the church with us. He showed up at 8am in the best shirt he had! How cool is that! We are now working to help his mother, aunt, sister, and friend all be baptized! We were able to bring 9 people to stake conference on Sunday. But they had a hard time focusing on 2 hours of talks so we had to try to talk to and entertain them a bit which was a little of a challenge. The zone is doing pretty good. People are baptizing but fault a lot of techniques and scriptural knowledge so I have really been trying to work with them on that. We have had 8 days of divisions in the last 3 weeks which is really draining on me. I will have another today which should be interesting. I am going to enter my last transfer here in a little and look forward to hard work. Come on really, Elder Healy