August 26, 2013

This week was a Long short worthwhile tough something or other week! Ha i have no Idea how to explain this week! ha We had very few lessons and walked a lot, but We set a date with a couple to get married and WE HAD ANOTHER BAPTISM! His Name is Vercy. his sons and wife are members and it had been 8 years since the missionaries started teaching him. His son baptized him and it was a wonderful sight to see! I know people can and do change! I Love this gospel and try my very best to teasure it up in my heart! 

I love this scripture! especially "because of the power of HIS word which is in us." I know that when I try my very best to obtain his word and go and apply what I learn then the miracles come! 

  13 Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from the pains of ^ahell; and they are brought to ^bsing redeeming love, and this because of the power of his word which is in us, therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?

May the Lord continually bless you! I love you all! Elder Bell

 

 

August 19, 2013

Okay first I have got to answer all of the questions that have been asked. the last address that i sent works!

 av iguaçu 1460

bairro água verde

cep:80250-190

Curitiba-pr

 I recieved a letter from the frei family this last week and yes I did recieve the package with everything that you said would be in it! thank you thank you thank you thank you! It is so great to have especially my slippers due to the fact that while in the apartment my feet had become used to being in a hypothermic state! so thank you! the zone leaders said that the package holds the record for being the fastest package sent! 10 days!! My debit card does work and I am very thankful that you put money in there! thank you so much! 

things in brazil are great! I am slowly but surely getting better at speaking and understanding the language!! whooo whoo! the we picked 12 new investigators this last week and all the investigators we are working with are very receptive! I can't tell you about ALL of them but I will tell you about some of them!! 

verci is a man that has had a troubled past and wants to have a change in his life. his whole family but him are members! his son ever served a mission and is awesome! he is what we call an "eternal investigator" missionaries have taught him on and off for 8 years! we have now a baptismal date with him for this next week! 

we have seen very many amazing and prepared people this last week! there is a girl named jessica! she has turned her life around through finding the lord in her life by reading in the bible! we were teaching someone else and she is a friend of this family. she started asking questions and then became our main focus. we had a powerful lesson and I know that the spirit was in attendence! but come to find out she lives in another area and so we can't baptize her, but here is the real miracle! this last sunday we went with a member to go pick that family and they said that Jessica had just moved into our area these last two days!! 

I know EVERYWHERE there are people ready to receive the gospel! I know it! I have been able to serve in 2 missions and i know they are there. my family I promise you that if you pray think outside of the box and invite, miracles will happen! for example instead of trying the same neighbors that are not ready or not progressing go try a family that you don't know in the neighborhood and invite them to dinner! if you see a new face in sacrament meeting, go say hi talk with them. see who they are and just be a friend with everyone!  also "ask the missionaries they can help you!" next sunday ask the missionaries if they have an appointment that you can go to with them! they WILL BE excited!! Members, except for the mission leader, never do that!  there is work to be done! It is simple efforts of members that will change missionary work forever!! 

my companion's name is elder olmos! he is from chile and is a great missionary! He has less time than I do on on the mission but is Awesome! ha he is really funny and humble! his family joined the church when he was very very young and he went inactive for a few years but he returned with a firm convction that the book of Mormon is true! He also is very very knowlegable of the scriptures! but most importantly he loves the lord and those he serves and teaches with the spirit! there are some in our mission from what I have just want to shove the gospel down people's throats. I am sad to see that they miss the point. If you do not have love for those you serve you have nothing. charity is the best charactisic we can obtain for it is the pure love of christ! through his love he atoned for all. I want to never forget the love he has shown for me and though I can't always express myself here through my words, I hope that people can see my love for the savior in all that I do! 

I love you all and would love to hear from all of you! Let me know the reactions of the missionaries when you ask them if you can go out with them!

love Elder Bel

August 12, 2013

dear family,

 

ole minha familia! tudo bem? I am so happy to hear from all of you from jonathan´s job to blake hacking for a living, mom telling me there is a New Film in the temple, and ryan trying to correct my portuguese. I am so gratful to hear that everyone is doing well and that the lord is with you!! and my favorite dish.... all of it. I have only had one thing that i didn´t like, and ha i can´t even remember what it was. 

 

thank you for all your prayers!! I can testify that they are helping a lot! It is actually very beautiful sometimes when I have no idea what people are saying but Through the spirit of what they say or testify of I understand in my heart and the spirit tells me what to say!! I may be frustrated at times but the work of a missionary is simple. testify, love, and invite. I am not the teacher. the spirit is! the best way to invite the spirit in their lives is to invite them to act. Act in faith on the truths of the gospel. so in order for others as well as ourselves to receive that witness of the spirit, we all need to act. that is why inviting others is so important. and I can´t explain all that i want to and say all that i might want to say or express, but I can bare my testimony and invite. eu sei ele vive. eu sei o livro de mórmon é a palvara de Deus. eu sei que por meio do principios do livro de mórmon, nos podemos voltar com nosso pai. I know that these things are true!

Now as far as the work goes! the lord has blessed us with 21 investigators. I am so gratful for the opportunity to help these people come closer to Christ! there is a man that has had a rough past and has been taught many many times! He has had 2 different baptismal dates that fell through. I really feel that the Lord has prepared him for this time! Pray that he can continue on the straight and narrow and that the spirit of forgiveness may be in his home! I love you all! continue to keep me in your prayers!   

 

com amor,

 

Elder Bell

Birthday and Baptism

August 5, 2013

hello my dear family! it is good to hear from all of you! I hope all those I didn´t hear from are doing well! I thank you much for your prayers on my behalf. they are helping! keep it up!!! ha and yes dad they actually had a pioneer celebration with a dance festival type deal. haha i felt like i was back in Idaho.

life is good hear in the city of pinhais! ha the members here are great! they feed us pretty much every meal and if we are not fed then the ward mission leader feeds us at his restaurant for free!! there is one family in particular that is awesome! the wife when were done with lunch and she said, do you have this? this? this? this? and then she said, "while you live here, you will not go without. you will be like one of my children" haha i am para phrasing from what i understood. haha but we call her mae or our mother.

there is also a young couple who are awesome and are always to go out and teach with us. last night during a family home evening, where they invited investigators, they surprised me with a birthday cake.

   we had our first baptism this last Saturday! his name is hebert! he is a wonderful 15 year old young man that had many friends in the church and was invited to mutual! It was great! with every lesson we had at least 2 members there. It was beautiful to see him be baptized receive the gift of the holy ghost and to receive the priesthood all in the space of 2 days! I love this work! I love the LORD and I know that every step of the way he is helping me. this language is difficult but it seems with every difficulty if we smile, maintain a positive attitude, and trust in the Lord, we persevere through all things! so smile! it will get a long ways! that's all I can do most of the time and it helps! I know the Lord lives and that he remains with those who trust in him and walk in faith! 

com amor

Elder Bell