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

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