Temple

This week was eventful.  Both Sister Freitas and I didn't feel too good, but we managed to still work a lot.  Yesterday we received many referrals with a lot of potential that we are excited to contact this week.  I have a really good feeling about this week ahead.  It is going to be a week of miracles!

I had the opportunity to do a temple session again this week and it was exactly what I needed.  I love the celestial room.  I entered the temple with a million things on my mind and left with a peaceful heart.  It is a huge blessing to have the temple here in Manaus.  Especially in my area.

One miracle this week was with a referral that we have been waiting to contact for a month because she was traveling.  Her name is Kátia and I haven't been able to get her out of my mind.  We finally visited her this week and she told us that her cousin is a member of the church and that she was in the hospital.  She told us that she already visited the church one time and that she was interested in our focus on the family.  She told us in the first contact, "I want to be sealed in that temple of yours". We are so excited to go back tomorrow and teach her more.  She is golden!

We've spent a lot of time this week with a less-active family.  They are such good people and we still don't know why they are less active.  The mom wants to return and so does the son because he wants to serve a mission, but the dad is a toughy.  He always says, "I will return when I want".  But he LOVES the missionaries and wants his son to serve a mission.  I don't get it.  Today, we ate lunch with them again and he was happen to see us there when he got home.  He always says, "Anyday you need, pass by and we will feed you".  It finally hit me.  He loves the feeling we leave in his home.  It is the same feeling that motivated him to do good and be baptized.  I know by that same feeling he will return to church.  Tonight we are going back to have a Family Home Evening a their house and I'm super excited about our message.  We will also be teaching their relative who lost her husband in an accident 4 months ago.  Heavenly Father is constantly blessing us with opportunities to teach.

Finally, this week I've been loving my reading in the Book of Mormon.  I always love reading the Book of Mormon, but especially this week.  I've been reading in the middle of Alma which is full of stories.  But Ammon, upon returning home from his successful mission says something very interesting, Alma 26:22

22 Yea, he that ^arepenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringethforth good ^bworks, and prayeth continually without ceasing—untosuch it is given to know the ^cmysteries of God; yea, unto such itshall be ^dgiven to ^ereveal things which never have been revealed;yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls torepentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these ourbrethren to repentance.

We receive many blessings when we repent.  But I think the best blessing of all is that we also will have the power to bring thousands more unto repentance.  I feel like Alma in Alma 29:1,9

 1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart,that I might go forth and speak with the ^atrump of God, with avoice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory init. I do ^anot ^bglory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lordhath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps Imay be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul torepentance; and this is my joy.

I'm so filled with joy when I see my investigators sincerely repenting.  I wonder how our Heavenly Father must feel also.  This gospel is a blessing.  It really doesn't matter how bad we have sinned because we can still repent.  Even some of the most worst sinners in the Book of Mormon repented and became even greater men.  It's like a broken bone that heals stronger.  I have a testimony of this.  My mission has taught me a lot about repentance and today I love to repent!  I know that I'm different because of the repentance I've done on the mission.

I love this gospel.  I love my Savior Jesus Christ.  I know that He is real and walks in His temples because I can feel His presence there.  It is hard for me to leave the temple because I just want to linger in his presence a little longer, ya know?  I love you all so much.  Repent and be worthy to enter in the temple.  Have a great week.

Sister Hayley Jensen