Going Back To Brazil?!?....... Maybe?

Hey how is everyone!? Sorry I didn't write an email last week not a lot happened other than my Birthday (thanks you all for the Bday wishes!!!) and we got COVID!!!! It wasn't too bad, we got through it, but we were locked inside which was tough and had to bump back Joycelyn's baptism because she wanted us there!!

 

But This week was wonderful!!! It was filled with lots and lots of amazing spirit lead lessons and let me tell you the spirit is the best. If you don't know what the spirit is, go read Galatians 5: 22&23 it talks about the fruits of the spirit and what feeling it can bring!! And after you read that you'll know why I've had the best week!!  

 

Out of all those amazing lessons and experiences I had this week I want to share a couple with you!! 

 

The first was Joycelyn's Baptism!! We were supposed to have it on the 9th of January we actually had it this last Saturday! Joycelyn is one of those people that the Light of Christ just shines through her. She has some back problems that she deals with and we are praying that her back wouldn't give her problems on Saturday, it did give her some problems, but she was able to get past the pain but she made it to a baptism!! She was so happy to be there!!  During the meeting we listened to some songs and had two talks about being baptized and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and like I said, the spirit was definitely present throughout the whole meeting and it helped me understand the importance of being baptized and why making that Covenant with our Heavenly Father is so so crucial to returning and being able to live with him again. The spirit I felt there is something I'll never forget.

 

The other super spiritual experience I had this week was a study we did with Joycelyn and a family here in the Ward we are serving in.  We studied 1st Nephi chapter 8 and this chapter just talks about Lehi's dream he had about the rod of iron and the Tree of life.  If you haven't read this chapter in The Book of Mormon recently go read it!!! But one verse that stuck out to me in chapter 8 is verse 15 it says "And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them and I also did say into them with a loud voice that they should come into me and should partake of the fruit which was desirable above all other fruit. " and the reason this verse stood out to me is because after Lehi feels the joy the fruit brings him, he wants others to partake of it. I was reflecting on why I'm on a mission and why I'm doing this. I came to the same conclusion as Lehi did, I'm here because I have found so much joy in the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ it has blessed my life so greatly that I would be selfish to not share it with others. I'm out here trying to beckon to people with a loud voice to come and partake of the joy that I have found in my life and help them have that joy as well. I know that as we live the gospel and live by the principles that are taught in the gospel that we will find joy.  The first principle we teach to people is that God is our loving Heavenly Father just knowing that brings us hope and joy that is found in the gospel.

 

I love yall and I'm so happy to be serving my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. 

 

 

Love yall!! 

 

Oh, and about the title my president called me, and I found out that missionaries are going back to Brazil he told me that if I have a BMI over 30, they aren't allowing us to travel so I have to be 233 lbs to go to Brazil so if you have any tips on how I can lose some weight send them my way!

 

Stay safe 

 

 

Elder Denning!!