July 18, 2016-Elder Seth's Final Email!

Well without a doubt my last week on the mission was one of the most unforgettable. Looking back I can´t say what was the best week of my mission because every week built on this amazing experience. To start out we had 6 baptisms on Saturday. Jessica, Isabele, Nicolas, João, Vilane, and Thaiane. It was an extremely spiritual meeting and clearly made a difference in everyones´ life who was there. The members said that there has never been a baptismal serves with so many people in the last ten years! It was an honor and a privilege to serve in the area of Guará. I was able to give me last talk in Portuguese as a missionary and I got alittle emotional. I was thinking about how my next sacrament meeting would be in english after 104 Sundays in Brasil. After all this I felt that something was lacking, that I still had something more to do.

   On Sunday one of the most meaningful events happened to me. So 8 months ago I was in another area called Aguas Claras. And one day my comp and I were returning home and wanted to buy something to eat really quickly. As we were walking past a college a girl called out "hey Elders". We went and talked to her(Clarissa) and we discovered that she was a less active and her whole family was inactive(Marcia,Cássia, Clarissa, Carine, and Lehi) We got her number and address so that we could visit her family.

So we marked a visit and she cancelled, marked again, cancelled, and a third time, cancelled. Usually when someone does this I stop trying because our time is really precious. But the holy ghost was telling me that we had to keep trying. Finally on the 4th try we were able to visit them and leave a message. Then we were able to visit them again and we found out that her little brother was 8 years old and had never been baptized. After this visit I was transferred and I was super sad because I wasn´t able to bring the amazing family back to church. As a last attempt I wrote a letter from the heart to this family and gave to the Bishop.

 I was always thinking about this family for the last 8 months. I thought that they had completely forgotten about me and weren´t able to return to church. Then this week I got a call from the Bishop from Aguas Claras. He told me that this family was active and asked me if I could baptized there brother/son Lehi.

Without a doubt it was one of the most spiritual baptismal services I have ever had. The 2nd oldest of the family(Clarissa) bore her testimony and told the story about how she called my comp and I and that she had an empty feeling. She starting going back to church then stopped going. Then out of nowhere she felt that she needed to go to church. That Sunday Bishop gave her the letter that I had left for her family. She said she went outside to read the letter and started crying. With this strength she returned to church as a strong member and brought the rest of her family with her.

So grateful for the spirit and the role he has in our in my life. It whispered to her to call us that night when we were getting food. It gave me the motivation to keep trying to visit them.Help them return to church and Lehi was baptized. Lehi bore his testamony as if he was an adult and a member for along time. He made half the room cry. I can´t wait to see his progress and see him go on a mission in a few years. Moments like this brings tears of joy to my eyes and sadness to know that I won´t be a missionary of the Lord for much more time.

It was really a honor to wear the Saviors name on my heart. I am not going to lie, I´m nervous to be going home. But I trust in the Lord that he has a plan for me.


3rd John
13 I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:
14 But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

Amen
-Elder Seth

July 11, 2016-

This week was great. We are getting our investigators ready for baptism! We prepared and  prayed a lot for them so that they could get ready. We are planning a super baptism day with the secretaries on my last weekend of the mission! As of now it is looking great, we had 6 investigators at church and they did as well. Pray for Isabelle, Nicolas, and Iago!!! We hope everything goes right!

This week I did a trade with the Zone Leaders from our Brasilia Norte zone. I had the privilege to work with Elder Rodrigues from São Paulo. He is one of our best missionaries. It was great because we were able to talk about the zone and see the weakness. Also we were able to see varies miracles and people that were prepared by the Lord.  I felt the spirit really strongly near him and I know he will do great things.To put the cherry on top we ran into a member on the street who said I looked like an Elder Daniel who passed through this area. Hahaha I love passing through the same trails that Daniel had passed. So proud to know that after all this time people still remember him.

We have a member who lives in the middle of the forest and this week was had lunch there. It was so awesome because out of no where a bunch of little monkey were playing in the trees above us. It was funny because they snatch bread out of our hands and we were able to snap some pretty great pictures. Going to miss this land so much. Stunning wildlife, amazing fruits, and the unforgettable people.

There are so many great things to say but I´m short on time!

Com Muito amor,

July 4, 2016

Happy 4th! my last 4th of july on the on the mission! We had an amazing lunch at Presidents house for the highest baptizing pairs! It was a feast and made me feel right at home. I´m so grateful for my country and the people who sacrificed everything. I´m proud to be an American.        

    I had a very spiritual experience this week with Elder Batista. We were having a meeting with President when a woman from the church called and  asked if we could give a blessing to someone. I grabbed Elder Batista and we went to give the blessing. The woman led us to a lady who was sitting with her eyes closed. She was having a migraine and body pains. She isn´t a member so we quickly explained how a blessing works and we gave her one. Then we quickly returned to our meeting. In the meeting the woman called us again into the the room where the sick person was. As we entered she asked what did you guys do? How did you guys do that? I´m trying to find the pains in my body but I´m feeling absolutely nothing. The second you took your hands off my head the pains I was feeling left.

   At that moment I felt the spirit so strongly. We explained to her that today in the world exists the power of the priesthood and it has the power to cure people. I have already been blessed to be apart of a few experiences where the priesthood cured someone but I have never had seen it happen so quickly. We were able to get her address and give it to the missionaries where she lives. Every time I see a miracle like this my testimony continues to grow. I´m so grateful for the restored priesthood power and the faith we can put in Jesus Christ. This was a very special event for me.

       Saturday night came around and our last visit had just barely cancelled on us. Being in a very traditional neighborhood we didn´t dare knock on doors because of recent failures. After calling a few people and nothing going right, I felt a little discouraged. Saturday is the most important day of the week to confirm people to go to church, but it seem like the day was already over. I´m not going to lie, the thought of just closing the day up and going home passed through my head. But with the spirit of fasting and prayer we received help from our Father in Heaven. We visited a person that we had lost contact with because he was never at home. But on this occasion we found him at home with his cousin! We left a powerful message and invited them to church. Then the next day they walked in alone and loved every second of church! Imagine if we had given up and just gone home? Imagine if we weren´t worthy or hadn´t listened to the still small voice? These small things are what make the difference. The Lord is waiting to bless us when we are putting in everything we have. 

       Last bit of news of the week is that I bore my last testimony in sacrament meeting. I was feeling a weird numb sensation because it would be my last time. I remembered back to the first time I bore my testimony in Jardim Inga(my first area) I was super nervous and unaware of what journey I had ahead of me. I talked about how the mission really helped me put in order my priorities and goals. So grateful for this experience.

Com Amor,

Elder Seth

June 26, 2016

Well Ladies and gentlemen, I´m here again writing my weekly email as if it were yesterday. Trying to think back on the last few day it was all a blur. Time is really the most precious thing we have, it should be used is a constructional manner. So grateful for the people in my life that have help me try to live up every second. At time we think why didn´t I do that?

     Anyways, this week we went to Palmas and boy did I forget how hot it was. When we got there I felt like I was in sauna. It was so hot I felt like a hair dryer was blowing hot air in my face the entire time. I completely forgot how hot it was since it had been 1 year and 6 months since I left. I can´t believe that I made it up there for 6 months! Other than the weather it was amazing to return and visit the people I love so much. I was able see a few of the people I baptized and members that helped me with my mission. I was filled with joy see everyone strong and progressing in the gospel. The down side is that we stayed there for only 2 days and had to go by GOLon one of there old airplanes, I´m convinced tall people have the hardest time on airplanes haha.

     Since this week was the preparation for transfers and we were in another state; sadly we only had 2 days to work in our area. But the 2 day we worked we were able see varies miracles and meet alot of great people. Then on Sunday morning we had 8 investigators that went to church. It was awesome. Running around explaining the sacrament, teaching them how to use the hymn book, and introducing everyone to members. It was chaos at its finest. Love to when people are at church learning a feeling the spirit. Now we just need to help them get baptized!

   The last news of the week is that about 3 months ago we picked up the new missionaries at the airport. I talked to one elder for a good amount of time getting to know him. He is a 26 year old from the south, he is lawyer who was working at a big firm, and was a recent convert. He let everything go to serve a mission. Yesterday he was called to be the new executive secretary of the mission and will be will be living with us. Last night we were talking and we discovered he is dating Hannahs missions Presidents daughter!!! What a small world. He is amazing and will help the mission alot. Maybe in a few years i´ll be at their wedding.

 Well that is basically the highlight! thank you everyone for the emails and support!

Com amor,
Elder Seth