March 10, 2014

So It was great to hear from mom and dad today! I am greatful to hear that Mike Briggs will be going to get help! I will continue praying for him! As well because of your help and your prayers, Jessica was baptized yesterday! It was so great to see! Eduardo, the young man that Elder Olmos and I baptized, brought her to church for the first time, was in all the lessons, and Baptized her yesterday! WHOOO it was great! deborah has had a few challenges, but continue to pray for her that she can leave her past behind! As well pray for adriana and edson that they can receive the blessings the Lord has for them! So you want to know more about my companions? I have 2 you know! haha So there is Elder pereira My first born in brazil that you already met at christmas and Elder Flores my new son! Elder Flores was born in texas, grew up in mexico, and now his family has been living in texas for 5 years! I am still district leader and we only have 2 sets of sisters in our district! Mom you would probably cry if you saw the number of sisters we have. in our Zone we have more Sisters than Elders. It is kind of crazy!

This week was a little difficult, but great! I will always be thankful for the hard weeks! It helps remember that I am not alone and that the Lord is only preparing a way for me to improve! If there is one thing that I know I need to work on is charity! Sometimes we get so focused on accomplishing something for the Lord and we forget about the more powerful way to fulfill what the Lord has sent us to do!   41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by longsuffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; 42 By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile— 43 Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; 44 That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death. 45 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.
 46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion...

I know that we must develop these attributes in order to succeed in all that we are commanded to do! As we do so with all diligence and humility we can accomplish all that he would have us do! The promise is the Spirit will be a constant companion! Moses opened the red sea by that same Spirit, think what the Lord can do with you? I know that the Lord lives and through the Holy Ghost he is on our right and our left! May we seek to be filled with the spirit to continue on the path that the Savior has made for us! Love you all!

Elder Bell PS I would Love to hear from the Rest of you!

March 5, 2014

So Sorry I didn't write until now! This last few days have been carnaval, the big party that brazil is famous for, and so president decided that we should work until it is over. We didn't have Pday until today! So don't worry everyone I am still alive! I was happy to hear from Mom and Dad! Ha enjoy the time that you two will have with aunt nan! Jack Banks is that old?? what is this? that is crazy! haha well I have been out a year now and so time does go by fast! Tell them, Krista and Jack, that they should study Preach my gospel (chapter 3, study the lessons Kolob is not that important, and chapter 10), go teach with the missionaries, and read the book of Mormon everyday! with those things they will be much more prepared to serve the lord! I will pray for mike and that you can give him a blessing! Pray that Deborah and Jessica can receive a confirmation clear that this is the lords church, and they can be baptized this Saturday! As well in my district, Pray that Sister Hammon and Sister Almeida can guided more by the spirit to those that are ready to receive the gospel!

This week I was reminded why this work is the work of the Father! As I have had so much time in the same area, It has been a great blessing to see recent converts as they grow! As you teach and bring others to the Savior through baptism you have an overwhelming joy that has only been planted! As they go forward in the gospel, for example taking the sacrament for the first time or bearing their testimony in sacrament meeting for the first time, this Joy blossoms! this helps me only begin to understand how our Father in Heaven feels! His Joy is eternal because as we continue to grow and progress to return to his presence, his Joy grows! I love being apart of his work and that the Joy that he has can be felt as we bring others unto the Savior! I Love you all and may you seek for His Joy! 

Love

Elder Bell  

February 24, 2014

It was great to hear from mom and dad this week! I am happy to hear that Mike has decided leave his old self behind, or that he has put that as his first priority! I hope and pray that as he tries to change that he realizes that really he is not alone and with the help of the atonement everything is SOO much easier! Mom I am happy to hear that you are teaching again! There is nothing better than knowing that you are being used as an instrument in the hands of God! I would love to hear from the rest of you as well! 

This week was an incredible week! the family that we baptized this last week is super firm! Maria, the mother, had not been able to stop smoking for 24 years and stopped within a week for baptism and hasn't smoked since and they received the Holy Ghost this last Sunday! Whoo! this week 2 brothers of a less active were baptized and the sister of one of the most faithful members of the ward! our Zone had 40 baptisms this month! All I really have to say is that the Lord is working!!!! I am only full of gratitude for his help each and everyday to bring more souls unto him! Our Mission President has really been emphasizing the importance of gratitude! I humbly have recognized that as we see the hand of the lord guiding us in our lives and we are continually grateful, Miracles truly happen.  19 And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more. D&C 78: 19  I know that we have been soo very blessed in our lives! I really hope and Pray to simply be more humble and filled with more gratitude so that many people can  be blessed and come to know the savior and the strength and the joy that he gives to all that are willing to follow him!

February 17, 2014

Hello family! It was nice to see the Fotos of the NEW BABY in the tummy this week! I think it is a he and he will be born in august which I think is the best month to be born! :) he will be very blessed. Also It was great to hear from dad and I hope your dentist appointment went well. Lead, inspire and help those you are working with ACT! This next week I would love to here more from the rest of you!

I will stay in Pinhais! whoo 7 months and now it will probably be 9 haha! So this week Had some amazing ups and the greatest opposition I have ever seen on my mission. this past Sunday Maria's family and Jue were baptized! Satan was not very happy about it. The day of their baptism, at 630 in the morning someone showed up at Maria's house and gave some anti Mormon literature to her! Maria started to read and became incredibly nervous! She started to doubt that she would be baptized. also Jue had some other problems that I can't really say, but sitting there in sacrament after talking to them and doing everything possible to help them feel the comfort of the spirit, I prayed during the sacrament for forgiveness of my sins and for the help these people needed to come unto him! The Bishop, during sacrament meeting, talked to Maria, and she showed her faith and was baptized with her family! Jue also decided to be baptized as well! I humbly know even with all our weaknesses and hardships to endure to the end, the Grace of Christ really is enough after all we can do. I know He will help us in every aspect of our lives if we simply Listen to the Comforter that he has sent, and change. Through this we can stand spotless at the last day. I Love Him and I pray that we will never abandon the gift of his atonement. I know he is there on our right and on our left, and will carry us when needed! I love you all.

Elder Bell    

February 10, 2014

It has been great hearing from Mom, Dad, Spencer and Kellie this week! I am happy to hear of the missionary work that Mom and Dad are doing! That is really great to hear that mike really has a strong enough desire to change that he is going to meetings! I knew that Angela would serve! haha Also I was happy to hear about the miracle that Spencer's ward experienced with their fast for snow! I felt like I was watching the windows of heaven story with Lorenzo Snow but Idaho Style! haha not to mention it was fasting and not tithing! So update on investigators. Disara was cut, Jeniffer was not able to go to church but continue to pray that she can be confirmed! Jue still is not back from são paulo and vanderlia and her family didn't go. haha But This week: Erika and miguel can go to church this Sunday, Maria, vincius, and Camilla can be baptized, Adaiane and beatrice can continue to progress, that Carla's family and Vanderlia's can go this sunday!

This week was a week full of miracles! we were blessed with 22 new investigators, and we had 9 at church! It really truly was just a week full of miracles! My testimony was strengthened about change. Sometimes as we look at ourselves we see one very imperfect and uncap \able person, but as God looks upon us he sees the small and simple things that we can improve and how he can help daily! I Humbly know that   the Lord God doth work by  means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls. Alma 37:7   It is by the simple choices that we choose to make that determines the amount of help from God that we can receive! I know that miracles happen! As we show our faith through obedience to the Master in small things,  Miracles will always come to pass! I Love that I have the Opportunity to serve Him! May we continue to the steady course to return our Father and to bring everyone else along with us! :)
Love
Elder Bell  

February 3, 2014

Whooo It was great to hear from alot of you this week! It was very refreshing! thank you izzy and Ella for giving a update on how things are going! Ella you are in young women's now?? that is crazy! you're 12 right? haha Monica para bens! Você é gravida! whoo haha No I really didn't know, and I am with Ryan! I hope it is a boy! We need a few more bellboys in the family. ha I was also happy to hear of the hard work that is happening with the Iowa Bells! I am grateful that you all are enjoying your time together! Really treasure the moments that you have together! People to pray for this week: Jeniffer, that she can be confirmed this Sunday, Disara (Gisara) that we can identify what is stopping her from being baptized, Vanderlia, Her HUGE family will understand the blessing of going to church And Jue that she can be baptized this Sunday as well!

This week was very difficult! We really worked until the last minute and nobody came to church. But there is always something really great when you have difficulties! Improvement! I know that the Lord never abandons us in our times of trail. He truly is on our right hand and on our left! We can trust in him and THROUGH him we can Improve! He will always show the way and make a path for us to tread! I know this because He has already tread my path. through his atonement he Knows Perfectly how to succor our infirmities and pains. Through using his Atonement daily I know that He does live! I hope we can simply follow him!

Love Elder Bell  

January 27, 2014

Hello everybody! I hope that everyone's week was good this past week! I was happy to hear from Dad and Kellie this week! Dad thank you for your thoughts on the fall and the Atonement! He suffered all so that we can return and all have a choice! Be careful this Tuesday on your travels! The Brazilians here are just talking how the united states is being pounded by snow freezing temps. I don't know if that is true but be careful! I am sorry to hear that Kellie is the healthiest sick person in Idaho! Ha you might have this problem every winter with your germ carrying 5th graders. haha Kellie the talk is called Hasten the Lord's game plan! by elder neilsen! (exclamation point) It really gives a game plan for members to help with missionary work! It is great! I am always reading the liahona on the bus so I have already read alot of the conference talks already.  

This week was a crazy week! We witnessed a miracle in our zone! Our zone had 20 baptisms in one week! I humbly know that the Lord is hasten HIS WORK. When I was still in New York, we had the worldwide leadership conference for new mission presidents. The spirit whispered to me "Elder Bell, this will go really fast. You just need to hold on!" I know that this promise is being fulfilled! It can be realized as we do two things! First, we must have our eyes focused on eternal life! in john 17:3 it says, "and this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." the way we will begin to obtain eternal life is to "know" our Savior and our Father here on earth. It starts now and through our simple and constant acts of righteousness we will know them! Second, Always preach the gospel in everything we do and say! The opportunities will always come as we search to share the gospel! I know my Savior lives and he is calling for us to share what we hold dear and bring others unto him! I love him and hope that I can continue to serve him with all that I have! 

May the Lord Bless you all,

Elder Bell