This Week

Last Friday I interviewed a 15 year old kid to be baptized for the
elders in my district. The interview went very well. His name is
Everton and he was well prepared for baptism. Then after the
interview we went with the other elders to a member's house for about
an hour. This member's name is Robson and he was practicing with his
band. It just so happens that Elder Evangelista plays guitar really
well. So we sat there watching them play along with Elder
Evangelista. The 4 of us elders grabbed an instrument and we took a
picture. I didn't have my camera with me at the moment but I'll try
and get it from the elder in my district. It was cool.

This last Sunday Elder Amato came to Cambe randomly. I don't know
exactly what his calling is. I think he's a seventy. It was about
the 10th time that I've seen him on my mission. He's very good at
giving talks. He talks with his hands and speaks really well in
front of people. Word is that he came here to take a look and get to
know the men of the ward to call a new bishop. The bishop here is
coming up on 6 years of service. I doubt I'll be here to work with a
new bishop.

We got our first member reference this Sunday and it wasn't even
from our ward! A member from Londrina took a friend of his to church
in Londrina. But she lives in Cambe. Her name is Ani (you say that
like "Annie"). She's 19 and she seems to be a member already. We
were teaching her the 1st lesson on Monday. The member from Londrina
had already given her a Book of Mormon. When I started teaching
about Joseph Smith I talked about how he was in doubt about religion
and he asked God for an answer. Then I asked her if she had ever
prayed and God responded to her prayer. She said that she had an
experience and asked to share it with us. She said something like
this.....

"Rafael (member from Londrina) told me to say a prayer and ask God if
the Book of Mormon was true...then read it. Then pray and ask again.
So I said a prayer and asked God. Then I randomly opened the Book
and I read this verse." The scripture was Alma 5:40-46 that says
..."For I say unto you that whatsoever is good cometh from God, and
whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil." Alma then goes on to say
that the Spirit of the Lord testified these things unto him.

Ani continued....
"So i realized that the Book of Mormon was good and good things
come from God. So I want to follow this 'good' thing."

I was very excited, impressed, and happy. I continued with the
Joseph Smith story. Then I invited her to be baptized on April 19th
and she accepted. It was crazy. We didn't do anything - she
basically gained a testimony of the Book of Mormon before we even
knew her. It was crazy. This Sunday she's gonna go to church with
us here in Cambe. The next Sunday will be general conference and
then she'll go to church with us one more time in cCambe before her
baptism. Sweet, huh? The Lord totally prepared her.

That's about it. Have a good week.
Elder Carter