September 22, 2014 Milagres no Rio

Araruama
September 22, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

Rio de Janeiro is starting to heat up a bit, and not just because summer is rolling in. Miracles in our mission are happening like crazy right now. This month we are having success here that I have never seen since I've been in this mission. We are really focused on going out and doing work. Finding, Inviting, and Baptizing. President Cabral said something like Michael Scott in the mission counsel, "There's no secret to baptize, it's all very simple." I remembered K.I.S.S. Keep it simple stupid.

With that said, we are having success here in my district as well. We have been baptizing every week here in the Cabo Frio ward, and what's cool is that the Elders in Cabo Frio are going to baptize a guy that I found and started teaching while I was there, and the other elders in Araruama are going to baptize another man that I found and passed to them. I seem to always find baptisms for other missionaries. But it's all good. We were sent a family yesterday to reactivate and complete. We were walking in the rain yesterday after lunch going to try to teach an investigator that we have been having trouble getting in contact with, and as we were going, a guy and his girlfriend stopped us on the sidewalk and he asked, "are you the missionaries from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?? There are elders in Araruama!?" He set a visit with us with his family who is all member except his stepdad, and who are less active for 3 years because they moved here from Manaus and there wasn't a group here yet. It's going to be awesome to meet the rest of the family, I'm excited to teach and help them come back to the church and teach the rest of the family and friends.

I finished reading the Book of Mormon all the way through in Portuguese again this Wednesday. I had been reading for the past 2 months or so during parts of my personal study and bus rides and things. What's funny is that it's a book that once you finish reading it, you just get the urge to start reading it all again and again. I know that it's true, and I know that if you read it, there is no chance that you will not know that it is true. It's so powerful and perfect. I encourage all to read it, and read it again and again. Everyday.

Congrats to Bradley and Carly on the marriage! Looks like everyone had a good time on the small vacation and I hope all went/goes well on the travels home.

Love,

Elder Evans

P.S.

I know I haven't been sending pictures. But it's because I haven't taken any pictures for a few weeks... Work.

Getting tanner though. Check out the difference in the skin tone of my arm and the little bit of leg you can see. Madi, I think that I'm going to win this 2 year "tan off".