September 30 pictures

Luciane got baptized!  We gave her to the other missionaries in our district.  Para Bems to them

 I got wet, and this week it wasn't the rain!  

 The future missionary Eduardo!  

September 30, 2013

Hey everybody! It was great to hear from Izzy and Ella! I am happy that you like your school Ella and Izzy sim eu entendê todas as coisas voce escrivou mas eu não conhece espanol. ha the only reason I understood is because I had 2 years of spanish! ha suggestions for reading... always pray before you read. I am in the Isaiah chapters in portuguese as well. just plow through and know that there are answers that you need! I have loved reading them because I have to take phrase by phrase in portuguese and I understand a lot! Heather Spencer is 6? what? that is crazy! I still remember when he would come out of the bathroom with his pants down. And yes it is soo great to be a tool! An instrument in the Hand of the Lord! Dad eduardo is great! he is devouring the gospel like a buffet and wants to go and teach with us! He received the the gift of the Holy Ghost and the priesthood this Sunday! Mom thank you for your prayers and for continual encouragment! I am sure the Lord has another calling for you! I know it was difficult for me to leave New York, but I will do what the Lord would have me do! Monica and Ryan I am praying for you and Love you! Let me know how it is going!

This Week was a week of miracles! wow I really don't know where to begin. um Maria, and Eduardo were baptized this week! Also  Lucianne who we started teaching was baptized! the trio in our district in the other ward taught her and she was in a white jumpsuit this Sunday! Whoo HOO! Finally! The portuguese is coming along. ha but it is not all quite there! We had 2 exchanges this week and I was with the trainee of our district leader who can't speak any portuguese and so ha that was a little scary and very difficult, so I am still working on it! ha but wow MIracles! full of miracles! From the big to the little! from not having to wait for a bus, to Maria being baptized! I know this is the Lord Work! All that is Good in our lives has come from him! I Know that the Joy and Happiness of missionary work is real and with the spirit all pains in a solatary moment can be endured! With the spirit and the Atonement of the Savior, all the pains from remaining firm in the faith turn into Joy and Trust in the Savior. I know that the Joy of this Gospel is real, and that the Lord lives. May He continue to bless lives THROUGH you! I know that the Joy is real. May we obtain it and Share it!  11 Therefore, the ^aredeemed of the Lord shall ^breturn, and come with ^csinging unto Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow and ^dmourning shall flee away.

oh some people to pray for this week is Luciano and Nicole that they can resolve their problems by reading the book of mormon together, mecedes that the desire to be baptized will fill her heart, and that heloir will go to Chuch this week! I love you all and know that your Prayers are blessing Lives! 

Elder Bell

September 23, 2013

It was so great to hear from you all! thank jon for the picture of
your NEW leg! It looks very high tech! ha and the nikes are a good
addition to it! thank you mom and dad keeping me updated! I will pray
for Ryan and Monica! I love you ryan keep the faith! Monica you are a
rock! I know this! I have seen this! even with the goofy canadian
characteristics you have, You are a rock! stay Firm in the arms of the
Savior! ALSO This Family Home Evening I WANT YOU BOTH TO WATCH
"MOUNTAINS TO CLIMB" the mormon message! I know this message will
bless you both and give you strength!! as well thank you heather for
updating me on what is going on there in the land of corn and
tractors! ha that is so great that you are working with the
missionaries with that family! I promise you that they will be forever
greatful for the missionaries that baptized them and the family that
helped them grow and become converted to this gospel! and of course
kellie! thank you sooooooooo Much for those addresses!!! I will write
them today! and I am happy to hear that the next "major project" only
took three weeks!

so this week was SOOO Great! Once again I worked and worked and worked
and exerted all my energy. What happened? Miracles! I have seen many
miracles this week!! for example we found this young man that is 20
years old! his family is less active and He has a powerful desire to
change! We have a baptismal date set with him this Saturday! Pray that
he will continue to receive strength as holds to the Barro de ferro!
(the iron rod) his name is Eduardo! I can't write all the miracles but
I thought that I might write that one! I know that The Spirit is real!
He is the barer of truth and the comforter in times of trial! the Gift
of having him as our companion can allow us to overcome any adversity!
I know that Jesus is the Christ. Through his atonement we experience
they Joy of our existence. We receive forgiveness and peace when we
apply. I have applied it. I know that it works! I feel a lot like alma
the younger when he said
 24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without
ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring
them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they
might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.  25
Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly
great joy in the fruit of my labors;26 For because of the word which
he has imparted unto me, behold, many have been born of God, and have
tasted as I have tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen;
therefore they do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do
know; and the knowledge which I have is of God.27 And I have been
supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all
manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from
bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will
still deliver me.

Love you all forever! May the Lord Bless You,
Elder Bell

September 16, 2013

It was great to hear from you mom and dad! as far as living arrangements go, ha I like it! We have an apartment! ha It is not as super awesome as the apartments in new york but I don't complain! It is good! And food, haha It is soooo good down here. I actually like the rice and beans but the members always make so much more than just rice and beans. ha if didn't have to walk up the "mountain of sacrifice" every night to get to our apartment, I would be so fat! the only thing i miss is dinner food wise. Brazilians only have a huge lunch. ha but I love the Food! 

about this week and your prayers! they were answered! Mylena did walk by faith even with much opposition in her path! she was baptized yesterday! whoo! luciane will progress much faster as well because the bishop is helping her feel prepared! Mercedes has a baptismal date for this next week! and sonia sadly will be a long term effort! this week we grinded ourselves into the dust! guess what working works! we found 9 new investigators and It was so great! I will continue to sacrifice every once of time and energy into inviting others unto my savior! I know this gospel was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith! I know that the Book of Mormon is a testament of my Savior. I love this work! I felt your prayers this week! I am so grateful for the sustaining power of your prayers! I Love you all! AND I would love to hear from all of you! 

May the Lord bless you! 

Elder Bell

September 9, 2013

hello from here down south! I was happy to hear from izzy kellie and Dad! ha no sadly dad I have not been to the temple yet! It is in our area and is about a thirty minute bus ride away! I really want to go! we shall see. there is a couple who is getting sealed in our ward and they help us in the work! they want to go with them so we shall see! It is good to hear that my invitations are not falling on deaf ears! that is awesome that you went out with the missionaries dad! does anyone else have any cool experiences?   Spencer and kellie the basement flooded?? Is the love sac okay? ha just thought I might ask! And Izzy I am happy that you got your letter finally! 

well this week has been a little difficult. I have been very frustrated with the leadership down here. numbers numbers numbers. It has caused a tad bit of discouragement, but by they end of the week I have received peace and comfort and I simply just need to do the work! Work Work work. Complaining does nothing! I simply need to continue to love the people that we are visiting, have the spirit teach, and be bold in extending commitments!  I will just work. work with the charity and diligence that the Lord has Established through his example! I know this is his work! I know that  all may know him through the "spirit that bears witness with our spirit that we are child of God." this week I would ask you all to pray for lucianne to feel ready for baptism! pray that sonia may continue to apply the atonement in her life. bless mercedes to continue to progress toward baptism, and bless mylena that she will act by faith! I know that through praying by faith can work miracles! I love you all! I hope you all can have your own daily dose of the spirit! May the Lord Bless you! 

Elder Bell

September 2, 2013

Thank you MOM, Heather and Monica! I am always happy to hear the little details of what is going on! A flash flood in Idaho? weird. Heather I will watch out for a sister cropper! And mother thank you for your example on how I should love other people! we had a family home even and the lesson was on mothers and I was grateful that I "cannot because my mothers know it!" Love you! I want to give all of you a challenge! you can do one of the three things. 

one: this week pray and GO and Look for someone in your neighborhood that you don't know very well and invite them to a dinner and family home evening!

two: ask the missionaries if they have an appointment and Go with them!

three: give ONE person a copy of the Book of Mormon and invite them to meet with the missionaries! 

I promise that you will feel the spirit and be happy! I promise also that if you do these things by the spirit you will change the course of someones life and point them towards the Savior. Let me know how it goes!    

Guess what? elder Olmos and I get to stay together in penhais for another transfer! whooo hooo! haha and as well we had a mission conference and ha the mission president interviewed me for one hour! ha it was crazy! I told him about some things that were being done by the leaders that I don't agree with and offered some suggestions and some other ideas that I had Ha I didn't understand everthing he wanted me to learn partly because he doesn't speak any english but i prayed a lot and simply the Lord just wants me to be a little bolder. We also have 2 baptismal dates set for this next sunday! pray that Sonia, mylena, and lucianne will feel at peace and ready for baptism! they are ready! Sonia stopped smoking in one week!! I know the Lord lives. I know he loves us and that he died and lives for us! I hope that I can always follow in his example! 

Amor,

Elder Bell