This past week wasn't too shabby. It seemed to be pretty long as we anxiously awaited our transfers... but it was full of a lot of good and some pretty crazy miracles!! How about them transfers!!! It looks like my journey has came to a close here in Bosque as I have packed my bags and am moving to the other side of the mission. Literally... it is clear across the mission. But don't be deceived... our mission is the 2nd smallest mission in the world, right behind the Temple Square Mission. It is only like an hour and a half travel between buses, trains, and subways haha. I am heading to Riberão Piros to the area of Bandeirantes. My new companion will be Elder Maia (who seems to be pretty cool, and a hard worker like Elder Fortes my trainer). I will also be a Zone Leader. Pretty crazy news if I do say so myself.. I really didn't see it coming. But I am so excited for the new adventure. I have been wanting SO BADLY to go to Riberão Piros, because it is supposed to be the most beautiful part of our mission with tons of trees and some wild adventures in the forests. Ü Of course I am going there with a purpose to help the people... but I will for sure not lose the opportunity to have some fun forest adventures. I am pretty stoked to head there and to be able to serve those amazing people. I am super nervous to be a Zone Leader and all.. but I am excited to be challenged a little bit more as I put my faith in Heavenly Father. Also... I will be the ONLY American in the entire zone... so that should make for a very fun experience. I guess I can just kiss my English goodbye now! Ü But I truly feel so blessed to be able to have this opportunity and to be able to be a missionary of our Savior.
Leaving the District in Sul Saude
I had the wonderful opportunity to interview someone to be baptized this past week. It was a pretty good interview and she passed easily... but the only problem was that she just had so many doubts and just didn't really have the desire of being baptized this week. I tried to help clear her doubts and I did everything that I could to help her understand the importance of the Baptism and all of the blessing that she will have. After two hours of trying to help her... I realized that I was trying to convince her and wasn't trying to convert her. I realized that I wasn't really using the spirit as I should have been. She was kind of getting heated up and she almost walked out of the interview because she just did not want to be baptized. As she finally told me that she wasn't going to be baptized and told me that she would continue praying and going to church and search for her answer... I asked if I could just bear my testimony to her. Irritated she told me that I could and so I did. I bore my testimony on the life changing event that takes place as we accept the Gospel into our lives, I shared with her the importance of baptism, and made promised blessings if she would just act in faith and let the Savior do the rest. As I bore my testimony and stood as a witness of our Savior... the room filled with the spirit. It was so strong that it almost lifted me off my seat. You could see the change happening in her eyes and you could just feel of the truthfulness fill the room and the Holy Ghost testifying of the words that I was saying. After I closed my testimony and asked to say a closing prayer... she cut me off and explained to me how she will accept to be baptized and then bore her testimony to me that she had just obtained. It was a powerful moment and made me realize the difference between convince and convert. I am so grateful for the Spirit and the converting influence that He has in each and every one of our lives. He is the teacher in a mission, lesson, talk, or note. As a missionary... I am really just an instrument and with the help of the Spirit... I am able to change lives. Sure... I can convince people that the Gospel is true... that the facts show there is a God that He gave His son and that we are a part of the only true and living church on the Earth today. But that is only a small conversion, until the Spirit takes over and testifies of what I am saying and touches the hearts of these people. I am not sharing this story to brag or build myself up... but to share with you guys the importance of the Spirit and how this story has changed me. I now know that I am literally nothing without the Spirit... but with the Spirit I am used as an instrument in converting these wonderful children of God into who they chose to be, and share the plan they chose to follow before coming to this lost world of doubt, fear, sin, and sadness. I am grateful for the Gospel and the light that it is in our lives. I am grateful for the love that I feel from the spirit as it testifies to me. I am so grateful for all of my many blessings that the Gospel has brought into my life and the opportunity that I have to learn and grow every day through study, prayer, and experiences. This is the Church of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I know it and I love it... and that is why I share it. I am so grateful to have a testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel and be able to share it to these amazing people in humility and love. I know that testimonies can change lives... I know that, because your testimonies each week have changed mine.
Thanks so much for all you do for me. I love you all like crazy and think about you daily. Have a wonderful week and smile lots!!
Love, your favorite Sky... Elder Abel! Ü
Love, your favorite Sky... Elder Abel! Ü
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