Week 74 Happy New Year in Castanhal!

 Clay with Bishop Carvalho and his wife Cleo who were visiting in Castanhal

Clay with Thomas Carvalho 

Hello!! Happy New year!!!

This week was very busy. Started off on Sunday when a kid who got home from his mission last month told us his nephew wants to be baptized. So we started teaching him this week and he is super good! It has been a while since he went to church but he knows lots of things about the gospel and he will be baptized this Saturday. 

So we were on the road this week and wanted to pass by the house of one of our investigators but we passed his road. So we were kind of lost but decided to take a road that we have never walked to try and go back and find his house. As we were walking on this road, a man who was working on the sidewalk in front of a house stopped us and said he is a member that hasn't gone to church in a long time. A couple of weeks ago he was working construction in front of some lady's house and she was talking about religion. SO this man started talking to her about the church and prophets and the Book of Mormon and she got excited! She said she had been praying to know which church she should attend with her family. She said she knew that less active member was an answer from God and she wanted to know more. So we have taught her twice now and she is very receptive and has a lot of potential. Just think, if we hadn't gotten lost and walked down that weird road, we never would have found the less active member and never would have taught this lady! 

Funny story. We taught this guy and after the lesson my companion went to the bathroom. The bathroom doesn't have light so you have to keep the door open a little bit, but my companion closed the door. After about 5 minutes we heard him beating on the bathroom door! The door has some kind of problem and if you close it it doesn't open! So he was stuck in the guys bathroom! After about 20 minutes of trying to get him out, we had to take off the hinges and finally got him out of there! My companion is now known as the guy that locked himself in the bathroom!!

We were walking down the street a different day and another less active member passed. He passed a person for us to teach about a month ago but we were never able to get back in touch with her or him.  He told us that her house was really close to where we were at! He explained to us where she lives and we went. When she answered the door she looked like a kid on Christmas morning, she was so happy to see us and she had read the Book of Mormon and has lots of really good question. Another miracle who has lots of potential.

So you know that I have a retainer behind my front teeth. The bottom one broke off years ago but I never got it put back on. So at lunch the other day the top one came loose just of one side so I had this piece of metal hanging inside my mouth! Our health card doesn't cover that so I was scared that the dentist place we went to would charge me a lot, but she did it for free!! She glued it back on in like 5 minutes and let me go! Another miracle!!

We got to stay at a members house until midnight in Saturday to celebrate New Year. He made tons of food and we had a good time! I am not use to staying awake past 10:30 so I was literally sleeping while standing, but it was still fun!

I have learned a lot about prayer. Prayer is one of the most difficult things to do effectively. We pray so much sometimes we aren't as sincere as we should be. Prayer is the cornerstone of pure and perfect worship. The opportunity we have to speak with our Creator. The opportunity to have our voices ascend to the throne of God and heard throughout the courts of Heaven. The most sacred time of our day is when we pray. We should always be sincere, never repetitious. Prayer is powerful. Prayer heals the sick, raises the dead, helps us receive forgiveness for our sins, and saves souls. Without prayer I wouldn't have a testimony of the church or the Book of Mormon. I wouldn't understand Gods will and I wouldn't be happy. I am so thankful for prayer and the things I learn when I converse with my Father in Heaven.

Love yall!!

Elder Green