Listening to the Spirit

Hello!

Brazil is just AMAZING!!! I really do love the area and I love the people, food, and everything! The food is delish! Beans and rice every meal and it is so great! We are blessed to have lunch with the members each day. They are amazing! The fruit is also amazing...it is a billion times better than the fruit in the US. Hard to explain but I probs eat like 3 bananas a day.

The people are super humble and love God, and have lots of faith in Christ, but there are also those haters! But it's alright because the haters are my motivators haha! I could probs go on and on about how much I love Brazil, but I just don't have the time or space.. truly is amazing!!

So this past week I have been struggling with feeling needed here in Brasil. I have been praying for experiences to feel needed and for special experiences to help others feel of the love of our Savior and our Heavenly Father. There are two experiences that I would like to share. First is this super cool experience that I had as we were walking up a massive hill to knock doors. I stopped and looked to my right and saw a sketchy path. It was covered in overgrown trees and just trash everywhere. I felt like we really needed to go up there. So I looked at my comp and said that we need to go up there. He did not agree. I then said to him that the Spirit is really guiding me to go up there, and that is what we need to do. He still declined.. so I just walked up there by myself and made him follow. As we walked up this path there was a small house covered in trees. I went up to the gate and gave a good ole clap. This man came to the gate and I could have sworn that I have seen this man before. He looked so familiar. I introduced ourselves and explained to him why we were here. I explained that we have a message about Jesus Christ that I know will change his life. My comp hopped in and said some things as well. It was such a humbling experience. The Spirit is such an amazing gift and gives me so much strength and guidance. Without the Spirit I can't do this missionary work. The Spirit is who finds, teaches, and touches the hearts of the people.

Another neat story was something that happened the next day. We had a reference to a person named Luciana. We searched for her house, but couldn't find it. We then were about to give up, when we both felt prompted to walk a little farther up the hill and approach a lady standing outside her house. We approached her and she asked us to come pray with her. Her mom was super sick and needed a blessing. We went in and gave her a blessing. It was so powerful and such an amazing experience. The spirit was overwhelming. We talked to her afterwards and she told us how she had just prayed to God and asked for some help. Then as she closed her prayer.. there was Elder Abel and Elder Fortes walking up the hill. Such a neat experience and such a privilege to help others through the guidance and trust in the Spirit. We also had 5 other really neat opportunities to give blessings to 5 other people. All in which we have contacted and they have seen immense progress!!

I am so grateful to be a missionary. I KNOW that I am needed here in Brazil, but I KNOW more that the Spirit is needed here as well. Through the Spirit.. and only the spirit.. the Gospel can touch lives. I am so inadequate without the Spirit. But I also am grateful for the blessing I have to hold the priesthood. It is such a powerful and amazing authority to be able to bless the lives of others through the power of our Heavenly Father. I am grateful that I have a Dad who honors his priesthood. Who is always worthy of it and who is the greatest example to me! I am also grateful for my brothers, brother in-laws, grandpas, uncles, and the way they honor their priesthood. I am truly so blessed to be a member of this church and to be a missionary of the only true and living church on the earth. I want you to know that I know this church is true and I want to share it. God lives, Jesus is the Christ. Only through them can we obtain the greatest gift of Eternal life! Lean on them and know they are there. They can help any broken heart, and bring peace, comfort, and joy into your life!!

Look for the blessings that you have and follow the spirit. I also challenge you all to read your patriarchal blessing and study it. It will bring you peace and joy. I love you all soo much. I am so lucky to have you in my life.

Love, Elder Abel! (: