There Can Be Miracles!!!

First off. I'm really tired. But that's normal!

yesterday night I participated in my first missionary farewell for missionaries going home. We ate at president's house and everyone bore their testimonies. It made me more happy that I have a few months than trunky. Some really great guys that helped me a lot, it was good to hear their testimonies.

We got home way after a missionary should go to bed, and then this morning we had to drop a passport off to a sister to catch her flight at 6 a.m. Tomorrow we'll also be busy with the 12 new missionaries that will get here!

I wasn't transfered, but I've known that for about 2 weeks! haha. My new companion will be Elder Bruno!!!  (brazilian, he doesn't know yet) He's graduated from college in software and computing, and goes home this next transfer, will also get married in November. I think we'll get along well, he seems really chill. Reminds me of Bo Law.

This week I was devestated that our investigator won't be able to get baptized because she is struggling with smoking still. We won't give up on her, but we've got some new people that are fantastic.

We're teaching the oldest person I've ever taught, she's a referall from an elderly man in our ward. We're never too old to do missionary work! Also this week we were passing our investigators houses to wake them up for church when we saw two people at the buss stop. They excitedly waved us over and told us they were on their way to church! We had taught them a few weeks ago. Never thought they would go to church! haha.

Also, Alfter our baptismal date fell through, I had really prayed letting Heavenly father know I was sorry we hadn't baptized anyone for a while, and that I knew we were supposed to bring fruits and that I would keep doing my best.

At church there was a young women visiting that ran up to meet me excitedly. She lives in another ward in Goiânia, but apparently I had taught her mom in Barra do Garças, more than a year ago. She had gone to visit her mom, went to church and asked to be baptized after her first visit! She excitedly told me that she was preparing for a mission these next few months!

Later that day I got a call from Uberlândia and Rio Verde, two people I had taught there had also been baptized!

 I knew Heavenly Father was showing me that My labors are not in vain.

Love you all,

Have a fantastic week,

Se- cuida

Elder Wallace

JACA

This week the stake split was AWESOME!!! We got a ride for our investigator and all the missionaries got rides or rode the bus or went by foot. It was fantastic! Hilda went and she's excited to get baptized this Saturday. 

The best part was President Aidukatis's talk about obedience. He talked about how ready God is to bless us all the time, but his blessings depend on our obedience. Our patriarchal blessings are also dependant on our obedience. Like it says in DC 82:10 He is bound when we do what He says, But when we do not what he says, we have no promise.

Aidukatis is still known as the missionary who baptized the most people in Brazil. Legend has it that he brought bussloads of people to the church. I don't doubt it. He said in the mission he always told the investigators that Satan would send 3 angels to dissuade them.

1. The angel that says "Ha! Please, you don't believe in all this, it's ridiculous! False!"

If the person says "Yes! I do!"

2. He sends the next one that says "Alright, so it's true. But it's not for you! You're a sinner. It's a culture different than yours, you can't fit there, you don't want to change"

and

3. If the person is really faithfull he sends the last Angel who says, "Alright. It is true. It really is fantastic. But why do it today? You can always start tomorrow...."

That is so true! with our investigators and with us. Even in life outside of the mission (which is hard for me to imagine haha) 

This week I also ate the craziest fruit that I have ever seen. Jaca. It looks like an alien or dinosaur egg. Next week I'll send you some pics!

Love you all!

Elder Wallace

3 Stakes in Goiânia!!!

This next saturday will be the division of the Stakes! They've been waiting for this in Goiânia for about 15 years! So everyone is pretty excited. The funny thing is a lot of people think it will change the ward boundaries (rumors in our ward about having a new bishop) But really all that will change is which wards will belong to what stake.

We're all excited for the division. I'm excited to see Elder Aidukatis from the Area Presidency, who will come to choose the new stake president! He gave an awesome talk this past general Conference, and I love his talk "the Process of Faith to see Miracles". That talk was one of the first things President Kuceki asked us to study when he came to the mission, and has been an inspiration to me my whole mission!

We had a baptism marked for this saturday, but unfortunately she wasn't able to come to church so the baptism will be marked for next week. Transfers will happen in 2 weeks, and since we work in the office I already know who will be my new companion! unless something changes from now until then.

So we've been marking lessons with the members Saturday and Sunday, and it makes a huge diference. I think that's what's been missing for us to have more success here. Unfortunately this last week the visits fell through, but the members here are great, they help us out a lot.

Love you all!

Have a fantastic week!

Elder Wallace

The Adventures of Elder Wallace

So,

It's great to be a missionary!

This week we finally were able to take some members to visit our investigators. It makes ALL the difference! wow. There's a great family here that loves helping us out. They also gave me peanut butter and Banana Orange jelly. mmmm. Tasty PB and J.

We have got three families that are so so so close to getting baptized, we just need heavenly father to help tip the scale! I know it's hard to change, especially when they have a lot of negative influence and are afraid of what will happen if they try to live the Gospel. that's why our member lessons were so important! they were able to show that being baptized was the best thing that ever happened to them! 

So this week I've just been really happy. Things are always a bit tough, but I love being a missionary and serving the lord!

Two missionaries moved to a part of our ward that's a bit far, we're trying to open a branch there! So the good news our house now has 4 missionaries instead of 6. Six was really fun, but with four we have a bit more order haha.

This week I was reading about knowledge and faith. 

There was a possessed man and the demon said to Christ "i know that thou art the son of God"

and when Christ asked Peter who he was Peter responded with the same words, "Thou art the Christ, the son of the Living God"

They both knew the same thing, but the demon's knowledge only leads to his condemnation, 

Peter's testimonly lead to faith. works. He left everything that was near and dear to him, he followed Christ until his death on the cross. and Afterwards he went building up the kingdom, establishing the church of God and strengthening the saints. He endured prison, hardships, rejection, and eventually death with his faith unshaken. 

And that's what James means when he says, "faith without works is dead" True faith leads to action, righteous living strengthens our faith and conversion.

Love you all, 

Elder Wallace