Brown Paper Packages Tied up with String . . . (Week 50)

Hey family!

Another great PDay and another opportunity to read your wonderful email. I am really so happy to be here serving the Lord. It is a wonderful thing.

We worked hard this week and have one man named Donizette progressing for baptism on Sunday. We taught him the Word of Wisdom yesterday and I was impressed by what he said when we invited him to stop drinking coffee. He said, "Coffee? I didn´t know that was bad to drink." "Well Donizette, will you stop drinking it?" "Of course! I didn´t know that it was bad. I´ll stop today!" It was a really cool thing to see someone with enough humility to accept something so willingly. We are excited to work this week and help him and others progress.

I got mail this week! As a missionary, there is such a special feeling when you get mail. Sometimes you forget that there is another world out there and it really is joyous to hear how other people are doing. I would like to thank all my friends and family who sent mail because really it means the world - I wish I had time to respond to everyone! Please know that I am keeping every letter that I receive and if I don´t respond soon, I will eventually! Thank you!

I read the final part of Elder Ballard´s book, Our Search for Happiness, today and I was really struck by what a blessing it is to be a member of the Lord´s Church. You could list all the blessings but what I was struck by today was the overriding spirit that comes from being a member of the Lord´s Church. You have a peace that exceeds understanding (Philipians 4:7) knowning that through the Atonement and your faithfulness to the gospel you can be one with God again. I have felt that Spirit very strongly here on my mission and I constantly feel the great responsibility that I have to share this message with others. It sure is overwhelming at times to think about how many people there are in Tres Corações that don't know about the gospel but I trust that with the Lord´s help, we will be guided and His work will progress according to His will. Man, we are so blessed. I am so grateful and happy.

I love you all! Keep close to the Lord!

 

Elder Jacob