First In-Person Church Here In Brazil!

Wow these last 2 weeks have just flown by! Sorry for not writing an email last week we've been busy! I hope y'all are doing well.

 

But here's what happened last week! We had just been working our hardest contracting people, teaching people, going to family home evenings, and having activities in the church with members and our friends we are teaching!

 

We had an AP, one of the mission leaders, come and work with us for a couple of days and he gave us a bunch of ideas of how we could strengthen the branch here in Itapipoca. So, we put it in action! We had a Noite Familiar (family night) in the church with whoever wanted to come, and we had a great turn out! About 25 people and some were nonmembers we are teaching! It was an amazing experience! We taught about sharing the gospel and the joy it brings with others!

 

We had a Baptism!! Her name is Vitoria! She's amazing, her family has been inactive for a little but with the AP's help we got them really hyped to start coming back to church and for Vitoria to be Baptized!! It was such a special day; one I'll never forget. She was soooooo happy and excited!!

 

We been working hard here in the branch, and it's been awesome to see the progress of everyone we been working with. Jose, one of the recent converts we baptized when we first got here, got the priesthood and will be blessing the sacrament this next Sunday! So awesome!!! 

 

Yesterday was the first time we had in-person church here in Brazil and it was such an amazing experience. It was testimony meeting and to see the members here share their small but really strong testimonies is so touching. I was able to share my testimony and well, wow the gift of tongues is real! Thanks to the spirit I didn't mess up and a ton of the members told me my Portuguese is getting a lot better!! Also, President of the mission came to our church and was able to talk with some of the members and meet the recent converts here! 

 

Also, crazy miracle that happened this last week! We get referrals of people who are interested in meeting with us( they can sign up through Facebook, YouTube and or comeuntoChrist.Org) but we have a big area and usually get like 8 to 15 a day! One of the days this week we got over 100 close to 150 crazy.....right? It been awesome to reach out to these people and help them change their lives. I know this Gospel changes lives I can see it, in me and in all the people I am teaching. I love it!!

 

But I love y'all I hope you have a great week!!!

Elder Denning