Lindsay, CJ

Good morning everybody, Well, I'm going to have to start off this email in the most cliché way possible; I cannot believe, at all, that I am writing my last ever mission e-mail. The time truly has gone by so quickly. But in the spirit of all of my previous emails that I have written, I guess I must start off with this week's highlights. Brace yourselves... there are a lot of them: First of all, like always, I have to talk about baptism. Suellyn was baptized yesterday and is the newest member of the Church and its Relief Society here in the city. Her brother and sister, Ítalo and Magdalena, were baptized last week, and the Spirit ended up showing her that what we had been sharing was true. She rarely stayed in the room while we taught, but she heard everything. We invited her to say a prayer. She did it, and she got an answer. As the Lord had done His part, she went ahead and did hers. We taught her during the week and she was baptized after our "Group Conference." Spe...

Hello all! The time is short here in Brasil and I intend on going 100% until the end (though I do understand now why the mission is two years; I'm not sure if physically I would be able to do more). We baptized Ítalo and his sister Magdalena yesterday and will hopefully be helping there sister Suellen also take this important step next week! No crazy trips this week, so we decided to take our entire P-Day to deep clean both our house and the Church downstairs in preparation for President and Sister Lindsey's visit next week.  We have an Arraial (a tradicional Brazillian party thrown in June or July) scheduled for next Tuesday and a "Group Conference this next Sunday. There will be some very important people there, so we are hoping, praying, and working to have over 100 people present. That would truly be something miraculous for my last Sunday in the mission. Pray for Suellen, please! Pray for the branch! Until next week, Élder Lindsay

Good afternoon! Quick update for all of you!  Carlos Henrique was baptized by Hirlanildo! He was all smiles and we had a really spiritual baptismal service at the river's side. It was so special to hear several of my recent converts bear their testimonies of the truthfulness of the Church and how their lives have changed since becoming part of it. I just want to find at least one more family before going home. This is now my last week to find people that I will see baptized. Please pray for that to happen! Please pray for the branch as well! Love ya! Élder Lindsay

Good afternoon everybody! I'll just send you a quick update! We baptized 3 folks that we have been working with for a while: Socorro, Alessandro, and Otoniel. There was so much opposition that tried to keep their baptisms from happening (so much so that it hadn't worked out like 2-3 times before yesterday), but yesterday finally was the day that it worked out! I had my last zone conference today and gave my departing testimony (even though I've still got about 3 weeks left), which was a very strange experience.  I'm doing well and the work is rolling! We had a visit from the Bishop and Stake President of the closest ward and stake to here. We ended up having 85 people at sacrament meeting, which was a huge miracle. We are expecting a visit from President and Sister Lindsey on the 9th of July, so we are very much looking forward to that!  Please keep praying for this branch proposal to be processed! As of yet, we are just waiting to hear back! Love you all and have yours...

Good afternoon y'all! Quick week!  We baptized Wesley, a friend of two recent converts of ours! We have two new Élders here in Itapecuru! Élder Oliver from Kaysville, Utah and Élder Padula from Campinas, Brazil. President Lindsey has made it clear that Élder Oliver will basically be my replacement as soon as I leave the area. He's excited and also nervous, but I'm sure he'll do a great job. I just still refuse to belive that I'll actually be home in a month. It's strange to think about. I am also incredibly excited because President will be coming the the area to participate in a sacrament meeting, actually my last sacrament meeting as a full-time missionary, on the 9th of July. We will try to make a big deal of it so that a lot of people show up and have a spiritually-strengthening experience. I will be hoping and praying that our branch proposal is approved before then so that he can take advantage of establishing it when he comes. I'd appreciate it if you...

Boa tarde pessoal, Not too much to report on from this week! We were excited to be able to help Thais, the daughter of Nonata (who we baptized two weeks ago), be baptized yesterday. She had been excited for weeks to be able to be baptized and came out of the baptismal waters with a huge smile on her face. It was another incredibly spiritual baptismal service. As we walked uphill to a nearby canoe to do her confirmation she said, "Guys, I feel lighter now; like a weight I didn't even know I had was taken away." A few minutes after the service had finished, she sent a message in the group chat expressing how happy she was to be a part of the Church. Élder Pollock and Élder Narváez will no longer be in Itapecuru, unfortunately. Élder Pollock will be opening up a new group of the Church in a smaller city named Barra do Corda and Élder Narváez will be going to Teresina. I will be staying in Itapecuru with Élder Felipe. We will also be welcoming an American named Élder Oliver a...