Seeing Brazil! Ouro Preto

We loved seeing Ouro Preto, a beautiful old town in Minas Gerais.

Baptism of Adriano

We were so blessed to be able to see Ben perform one last baptism 

while we were in Belo.  Adriano was baptized Saturday night, May 2.  

Dinner with the Fortunatos

After a fun day seeing the sights in Belo, we when to the 

Mission Home to have dinner with President and Sister Fortunato.

Saying Goodbye to President Fortunato.

Visiting Florenca

We were able to visit the town of Florenca, where Ben served.  We visited the home 

of Bishop Edmilson and is wife, Ludmilla and his darling little boy, Enrigue.

We were also able to visit Mercedes, a cute woman that Ben was able to baptize.

 Walking the streets of Florenca. 

Belo Horizonte

After visiting the Mission Office, we went to a yummy dinner at Baby Beef.  

We also took some pictures of how big Ben's pants were!  He had lost a lot of weight! 

Then we went to see Ben's apartment in Belo.

Picking Up Elder Jacob (Week 102)

We were so excited to fly to Belo Horizonte to pick up Ben.  

Our reunion at the airport was wonderful!  President and Sister Fortunato were so 

kind to pick us up at the airport.  We drove to the mission office and got to see where 

Ben had been working the last few months and meet his companion, Elder Sonnefeld, 

and the other office missionaries.  We were so happy to see Elder Jacob!

LAST LETTER (Week 101)

Hey all!

Well, this is weird.  The last email that I will send. I am full of mixed and wonderful emotions as I come to the close of my mission.

We have been greatly blessed this week.  Elder Sonnefeld and I went on a tour of the mission because President is interviewing all the zones.  During the interviews, we did practices with all the missionaries and talked about how the work was going.  It was a wonderful way to spend my last full week on the mission - it was great to see a ton of new areas, so many wonderful missionaries that we have on our mission, and I was grateful to try and pass on some of the experience that I have received on my mission.  

The greatest blessing is that today we will have the baptism of João and his mother, Maria.  Since I got here in the office, we have been working with João.  He was an atheist and on the first visit we like fought with him for lik 30 minutes to say a prayer.  This whole time that I have been here in the center We have passed by to invited him to repent, to go to Church, but he never seemed to be able to let go of his sins.  And then last week, he had a change of heart.  He told us that he stopped breaking the commandments and wanted to be baptized.  He wanted to be baptized on Easter but we told him that he had to wait a little longer to show the Lord that he really repented.  He said that that proved to him that the Church was true and that we weren´t interested in just a number or one more person but with him and his needs.  He was interviewed on Thursday and will be baptized today with his mother.

I am so grateful for the inumerous blessings the Lord has given me.  My whole mission, I was blessed beyond measure.  On my mission I have learned that I am truly loved by the Lord and that I have an important work to do here on the earth.  I know that missionary work is something that changes our lives - it is the most important thing that we can do - to share the love of God and Christ´s atonement to others.   I invite you all to continue on your path to God.  If you need to come back to Church - come back! There are friends and family and happiness wating for you.  If you are on the path but it is difficult to keep going - don´t give up! The blessings of the Lord are just around the corner.  Let us all come unto Christ and be perfected in Him because that is the only and true way to be Happy. 

I love you all!

Elder Jacob