January 22, 2009

Let's see, update of the week: just got back from the hospital where they’ve been helping me with this whole nail in the toe deal, the doctor there did a little surgery a couple days back and I’m currently just going into get the bandage switched up cleaned etc. It appears to be healing well, and quite quickly to boot. I’ll be heading back to work finally tonight after p day.

Pray for Creuza,we baptized her son a little while back and she’s really struggling to stop smoking. One of her sons was murdered a while back and this vice of smoking has-been tied maliciously into her depression/sadness I think. Also pray for Marcia: her husband and her family of three kids, Vanessa Valmar, and Venisius. Her three kids were just baptized this past Sunday and they’ve been really pretty excited about the church, but as I am ever learning and seeing more, Satan is always working to desanimar and drive away. Marcia and her husband are working towards getting legally married at the moment which is a bit strenuous here, but they´re willing to make the effort. Jailton and his wife could also use your prayers. He went to church last Sunday and has been reading the Book of Mormon, but again, Satan is always working, it’s kinda nuts how quickly he moves in.

Just got back from Zone conference where Pres. Silva gave a talk on faith and the way it works and grows in our lives. How it’s really a trade with the Lord for greater testimony, works of faith for testimonies of the spirit, and just how and what it means to trust and have faith that the Lord knows all and has all power to do His will here on earth. Kinda puts a diff. perspective on everyday work here in the field, to trust and know through faith, the Lord has and is preparing his elect out there, and that we are here to gather them in. We just have to put forth the effort to find them, and to be guided by the spirit.

I know this is the Lord's work, that this is His church in the latter days, because He called Joseph Smith to be a prophet, and that through him God has restored the Authority to act and perform ordinances here on the Earth in His name, that we have a living prophet today guided by God to help warn and guide us away from the perils and temptations of the world we live in. I know that Christ lives, that he Suffered for every single one for us out of a love I can’t comprehend. I am grateful for Him, for a loving Heavenly Father who sent Him, and for the knowledge I have been given of this. In the name of Jesus Christ, amém.

Jacob