Miracles

Boa tarde para todos!! Como estão?

We had a pretty great week, filled with miracles. I honestly wake up every morning wondering which miracle I'll see every day.

Our investigator Valderês is progressing very well. She's getting ready to be baptized this week. She has come such a long way, she even told us she hates it when we leave, because she feels the spirit so strong when we have our discussions. I'm so excited for her. She's overcome a lot to be where she's at, she's yet another example that the Gospel really does change lives. 

The work really is flying in my area. We honestly don't gave enough time to cover everyone we work with. We have another referral from one of the members in the ward who we are expecting to help be baptized on Saturday. Please keep him in your prayers, that it will all work out with him. He really is a stud, and I'm totally confident that it will all work out. 

Last night my companion told me that I was sleep talking, but it was in Portuguese! It surprised him as much as it did me hahaha. I absolutely love the language and being with a native (who speaks absolutely ZERO english) is a major blessing. I'm super stoked about the language and the progress I'm seeing!!

Boa semana para todos!! Amo todos vocês!!

Elder Larkin

Another Week

Boa tarde meus amigos!!

This letter is going to be kinda short. Sorry about that!!

But! This last week was incredible. The work is really flying, we don't have enough time to keep up with all of the people we're teaching!! We were able to put one of our investigators on baptismal date, she is the spouse of a less active member who is preparing as well to baptize her. It's their dream to be married in the temple and seal their 3 kids together as well. Working with them has been a dream come true. When I get to work with these people it makes me want to stay in Brazil forever!! Please pray for them all, but specifically Raiane. Pray that she will continue to progress towards her baptismal date. 

We had Zone Conference!! It was a great experience of course. We talked about repentance, Christ's love, and just about everything else that pertains to missionary work. I loved it!!

We also had a devotional with all of the Portuguese speakers around the world with Elder Soares and Elder Godoy. It was a pretty incredible thing to participate in. Elder Soares shared something that stood out to me in particular. He said, "God uses the improbable to do the impossible." It is very true. The next time you're feeling small or "improbable", remember that God will certainly use your effort and magnify your talents. 

I love you all! Have a great week!!

Elder Larkin

José And A 10 Mile Hike That Was Worth It

Bom diaaaaa! Tudo bem??

We had a great week this week!! Lots of great work was done and we met lots of new, awesome people. 

To kick off our week, we had an exchange with President Crane!! We had our interviews and he decided he wanted to work with us for the rest of the day. It was such a fun experience working in our area with him. We taught some lessons and they all went super well. He does an amazing job of showing charity and love to everyone he talks to. I look up to him a lot and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to learn from him. I wish we could work every day with him Haha. 

Yesterday we had a very special experience. One of our recent converts, José, lives clear out in the forest. He works on a piece of land and he grows all kinds of fruits, many of which I had never ever heard of lol, and sugar cane! He and his family come from very humble circumstances and normally can't make it to church. So, our Bishop asked us to teach him, and the rest of his family (who aren't members), about the sacrament and to bless it for them. We took an uber clear out there, and in the middle of the tropical rainforest, we read from Matthew 26 about the sacrament, talked about covenants, then blessed and passed the sacrament. It was very special, and his mom told us that she wants to learn more about the church. 

That's not the rest of the story though. We took an uber out there, but while we were there our phones died or didn't have service. So we had to hike back to civilization Haha. The hike from his house back to our apartment was about 10 miles through the trees and swamp hahaha Let's just say I was tired, but it was totally and completely worth it. Plus, we got to watch the sunset on the top of a beautiful mountain! All in all, it was an experience I'm never going to forget. 

I'm always super grateful to see all of the wonderful tender mercies that surround us every day. Every day I wake up and I wonder which miracle we're going to see. I've had countless experiences that have shown me that this really is the Lord's work and that he really does love all of his children regardless of differences. Whether they come from West Virginia, or whether they come from the hills of Brazil, His love never changes. He is always waiting with open arms for every single one of His children.

I love you all!! I hope you have a great week!!

Seu missionário brasileiro favorito,

Elder Larkin

Spanish Forts

Olá todos! Tudo bem??

We had a great week this week! It's pretty incredible to see our Heavenly Father's hand in His work. I'm always super grateful to be a part of it.

A few days ago, all of our appointments fell through. No one was picking up the phone, others canceled on us, unfortunately, it happens. So we decided to visit someone the missionaries had been teaching before. Well, on our way to her home, she actually called us. She was in tears and really, really needed someone to talk to. 

So we showed up, and she opened up and told us about her difficulties and how she is struggling pretty hard. So, we talked to her about it, then we taught her the Plan of Salvation. We read 2 Nephi 2, and after we finished reading, she looked like a different person. She totally understood it and asked if she could have that feeling forever. We told her she could. Then we asked if we would prepare for baptism, she said she would! Her date is April 6th. Please pray for Valderês, she could use your prayers.

I'm super grateful for the opportunity I have to be in Brazil! I've seen so many miracles, it's hard to keep track of all of them. At times, it's pretty hard adjusting to a new language, culture and climate, but I can tell that the Lord has certainly been there with me. The gift of tongues is real, especially when I need it the most Haha. I love the work and I love being a missionary! We certainly are always surrounded by miracles, we just have to have the eyes to see them.

I love you all! I always love hearing from you!

Elder Larkin

Pics: For our P day we got permission to visit a fort, built by some Spanish pirates, in the 1500s! We also stopped by a church built in 1572, the second oldest church in Brazil. Pretty cool!