08 de setembro de 2014

This past week has been interesting.  We met a man by the name of J*.  He is from Haiti and speaks very little Portuguese (only French/Creole).  He has been in Fortaleza for 20 days trying to find a new life.  He knows the church very well from Haiti and he was excited to see us.  It was interesting to have him tell us his story.  He spoke in mostly French (who would have thought that French and Portuguese are so similar--I can't speak it but I sure can understand it.)  It is so interesting to see people's reactions when they find the church in a new place.  You can be anywhere in the world and the church will be the same.  The same light of Christ attracts people all over the world.

We have been teaching C* this past week.  He is trying to change his life.  He is starting to give up alcohol.  However, it is really hard for him.  He has diminished his intake by a lot, which has been an awesome feat for him.  A week ago he was drinking four canisters of hard liquor.  Now, he has gotten down to just a beer or two a day.  It is amazing to see the small changes which can occur in peoples' lives.  I can only imagine how happy the Lord is when one of his children recognizes an error and begins to slowly change his life.  I truly believe in small changes.  Of course, C* isn't fully living the Word of Wisdom yet but he is trying.  The Lord has to be so happy to see someone changing his life.  This is really why we are here.  We are all imperfect.  We can, however, get a little bit better every day.  This idea of making small changes has become my theme on my mission.  I tell people that they can make very small changes.  And then, over the course of time, these small changes will accumulate into a grand transformation.

Excerpts from September 1, 2014 Email:

This past week has been a very good week!

“…today was the marriage of M*.  What a day: a marriage, an interview, and a baptism..."

(August 29, 2014)

"I had one of the most spiritual experiences today.  I did the baptismal interview of M*.  He met the missionaries in January and has been working non-stop to prepare for baptism.  We conversed for an hour and a half.  There was such a sweet stillness in the room.  I have never met a more sincere man -- someone who has true humility.  He talked about all the small changes which have happened in his life over the course of the last eight months.  I bore my testimony about how this life is a journey and that we need to simply make small changes everyday.  We can't understand everything in just one moment.”

"The concept of character is what is truly important to the Lord.  He is not going to look at specific events, He is going to look at our development of character.  We have already developed a unique character in the premortal existence.  The process of development will always continue.   We are on this long path to mold our intelligence and stretch our personal existence…"

(August 30, 2014)

Love you all so much!

Elder Mac

Remember, I love letters!

This week we had the opportunity to meet R*. He has been a member of the church for 29 years. However, 23 years ago (when he was about to go on a mission) he fell away. He just lost interest. Over the past few months, his life has fallen apart. A few weeks ago he decided that he needed to start praying again. He got the courage to talk to a member who lived in the area who gave him the bishop’s number. He said he knows if he wants to be happy and successful he needs to return to church. So this is what he is doing. We met with him last Saturday in his home. His wife is evangelical and of another faith. However, we had a fantastic message on the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sunday morning arrived and R* rode his bike the few miles to church, with his five year old daughter on the handlebars. I have never seen someone so happy when he walked through those doors of the chapel. It was fast and testimony meeting and R* bore his testimony. It was powerful and simple. He spoke of the love of Christ and the beauty of repentance.

R* comes from such a humble background...he lives in a very poor area which is notorious for drug abuse and crime. However, you would think that he had won the lottery with how happy the past week of his life has been—just because he returned to church. His story has been such a strong example to me that anyone can be happy if they simply live two basic principles—faith and repentance.

This past week I discovered a new pastime in Fortaleza—making juice. Fruit here is so cheap because it is a very hot climate and they grow oranges and coconuts like grass. So, I bought a hand-cranked juicer for R$5 and every morning I juice ice-cold oranges to make the best orange juice in the world. Elder S* and I have learned how to “milk” coconuts and we are making liters of the juice. It is so good.

We started teaching an English class here. I have been put in charge of the more advanced class (people who have already had a lot of background in English). Therefore, the class is super fun. I think I have learned more about English and Portuguese this past week than ever before in my life. I have learned so many rules in English that I never realized existed.

Love,

Dave

P.S. This morning as I went to go take a shower, the entire wall was moving. I have never seen more ants in my life. These ants are about the size of the end of the thumb to the knuckle. They are huge and they bite. Let’s just say that it was the fastest shower I have ever taken....

This past week I read a talk by Papa Dade which touched my heart.  

It talks about life and purpose.  It reads:

"Life, brethren and sisters, is an overflowing river on which one embarks at birth and sails, or is rowed, for fifty, seventy, eighty, or more years.  Every year that passes goes into an eternity, never to return; yet each carries with it into the past no personal weakness, no bodily ailment, no sorrow, no laughter, no thought, no noble aspirations, no hope, no ambition: all these with every trait of character, every inclination, and every tendency remain with each individual.  In other words, our lives are made up of daily thoughts and actions.  We may resolve to let all our sorrows and weaknesses go with the passing of time, but we know that every thought and every inclination has left its indelible impression upon our souls, and we shall have to deal with it today..."

This has forced me to think about eternity...Many think of eternity as some time-span far beyond comprehension.  And yet, if we read the scriptures, and understand them, we know we have already existed for eternities.  Every day we pass in this mortally-tried life is another day which will slip into the history of the eternities.  Everything, therefore, is dependent upon action and thought.  The only thing we may take with us throughout an eternal progression is character.  Every impulse, then, should be dedicated to character.  This has greatly transformed my outlook on life as I have pondered it this talk.

This week, we have concentrated on reactivation.  We analyzed and reconstructed the entire ward list, which includes over 400 inactive members.  We have visited over thirty individuals in the past few days.  We had a wonderful experience with one of those visits.  E* and S* are a couple who were baptized 15 years ago and soon became very active and the moving force of the ward.  They alone brought four or five families into the church.  And then, eight years ago, they were offended by thoughtless members and fell away.  We left a powerful message with them and I shared some of my personal experiences in which I have struggled with the same subject.  I bore my testimony that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is perfect but, because the Savior has to rely on mortal leadership, the church is not.  They told me they had never thought of it like that before.  We left them with the invitation to go to church but they said that right now isn't the time to go back.

Well, Sunday came around and I was talking with members right before sacrament meeting.  I got tapped on the shoulder and turned around.  There was S*.  She told me, with a smile on her face, "I'm here!"  She immediately went and hugged all of her long-lost friends with whom she hadn’t talked for many years.  She was so happy.  She was showing pictures of her family and recounting everything that had happened over the last decade.  Then, at the end of all the church meetings, she said to me, "Elder, thank you for being willing to deal with our stubborness.  You can be assured that I will be here next week.  I haven't felt so much peace in so long."

Everyday we have the opportunity to choose between Christ or Satan; selflessness or selfishness; love or offence.  My new goal is simply always try to choose love.

All decked-out for the World Cup.

Celebrating the One Year Mark!

My new friend, Lindinha.

Olha quem encontramos hoje!!! Ahhh matamos um pouco da saudade desses nossos amigos!! Dessa nossa família!!! Amamos vcs!!! Hoje o dia foi perfeito pq iniciou com essa felicidade!!! (Geiziane Duarte)

July 7, 2014

Araturi, Caucaia

The past few weeks, I have been the sickest that I have ever been on my mission.  It has been horrible.  Last Monday, I finally went to the hospital and spent a good number of hours in the emergency room.  I spent a second day there on Thursday.  It turns out that I have both bacterial and viral infections.  They gave me very strong antibiotics and confined me to the house for three days.  Let’s just say that I went insane!!!  It’s so hard not working.  I read almost the entire book of Alma (in Portuguese.)  

But, finally, as of today, I am feeling a lot better.

This past week there was a scripture that really stood out to me:

"And as sure as the Lord liveth, so sure as many as believed, or as many as were brought to the knowledge of the truth, through the preaching of Ammon and his brethren, according to the spirit of revelation and of prophecy, and the power of God working miracles in them—yea, I say unto you, as the Lord liveth, as many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were converted unto the Lord, never did fall away."

The Lord truly lives.  This is His work.  Conversion, not just baptism, is what is necessary.  Those who are truly converted cannot fall away.  This past week we had a meeting with the new mission president.  He is a very, very humble person and the nicest man.  What he talked about in the mission conference was perfect!  It is what I have been waiting for!  He told all the missionaries that they need to change their complete style of missionary work.  He told them that in his mission, the idea of baptizing for numbers will not be tolerated.  He said that he will be happier if every missionary just baptizes one person during his whole mission, making sure that the person is ready and will remain converted, than if every missionary baptizes one hundred people that are not ready.  I already love this mission president!  President Bonini is so humble and truly knows how missionary work should be done!  I really like him and I am excited to work with him.

Thank you for all your love and support!

Elder Larkin

June 30, 2014

Araturi, Caucaia

This week I was yelled at by a Seventh Day Adventist.  He just started Bible bashing...it was a horrible experience.  He accused me of everything from belonging to a cult to worshipping the devil.  I took his abuse for about 20 minutes because he wouldn't let us talk. I finally said, "Excuse me sir, are you done?"  I then went on to bear a very simple testimony.  I hate arguing.  The only thing I like to do is testify.  I didn't know what to say and just began to speak.  It is amazing how much power a simple testimony has--especially when guided by the Spirit.

Because of this experience I have been reflecting a lot about the concept of absolute truth, which President Kimball taught so beautifully.  Absolute truth is something that cannot be destroyed.  It is pure knowledge.  It is what the Spirit uses to touch (and chastize) the hearts of men.  It is what calls people to repentance.  I can truly say that I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation.

Hope all is well!

P.S.  Attached is a picture with Elder Z*.