Stuck Inside

So this last week we weren't able to do a ton. My comp was sick most of the week and we had interviews and meetings...sooo it resulted in a lot of studying! 

But we had one cool experience this last week. We were contacting a less active and his friend was there. She claims to be athiest. So we sat down with her and began to ask her about her past life if she tried to come to know God, if he really did exist. She began to try and prove to us how he didnt exist but we began to ask follow up questions using just as Alma did in Alma 34 and we asked her, since she was willing in the past to try and know God if she was willing to give it one last try. She said yes and as we were leaving she immediatly began to read Alma 34. We testified to her that because she was reading the Book of Mormon and because it was perfect, only something that was perfect could prove there was a God. We pray she will find her answer! 

So I was reading a lot in this book I have, "The Life of the Savior." It's really cool, it has all the scriptural accounts of the savior and his life put in chronological order. It was so amazing as I was reading the christmas story. It opened my eyes to so much when I had all the stories put together in order. I have learned a great deal from the accounts. One thing is that Christ is our salvation. The people of the last dispensations I admire. Many knew that it wouldnt be there dispensation that would see the Savior, but they went forward to help others know of Christ. They hoped in a salvation to come. Christ came and fulfilled that hope with his birth. He then rose from the dead fulfilling all hope for a salvation and making it sure, and now we are able to help prepare all for that final day. As it says in John 20: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. So amazing to know that he is our salvation. Its through our faith and obedience that we see and recieve the blessings of salvation. So greatful for the Salvation we recieve from Jesus Christ. 

Forgive my english I'm so sorry its going down hill, and the keyboards are crazy here...

Love you all,

Elder Loveless

Slept outside...we have a closed off area, and it was cool that night so we all slept outside :) so awesome!"

Elder Loveless and Elder Schultz

 When Hernando took us to the biggest mall in south america...it was legit...its like 3 of city creek! 

They call these dreams...they are like donuts with an inch of caramel...they are to die for!

Great Week!

So this last week was super crazy...some problems in the zone resulting to a 6 day exchange from Elder Matos and I...super crazy, but it was really good!

I had a wonderful opportunity yesterday to share the restoration again with one of our new investigators. It was such a powerful experience and the spirit was so strong. As we were focusing on teaching about the authority and how important it was when Christ was on the earth, we were able to share one of the most important parts of the restoration and that was explaining about the atonement! It was truly amazing, we then lead into the restoration. Teaching about the experience of Joseph never gets old. Each time, that lesson is accompanied by the spirit and I love the feeling that fills the room. It's so hard to see people reject the invite to be baptized, but that is why we are so blessed to leave them with the Book of Mormon so they can find out for themselves that these things are true! Just as each one of us has done. 

As I was thinking about how important the words are of the restoration I always start to think more about how important the atonement is and how it gives us the ability to stand strong even when times are hard. I love how Jacob explains in 2 Nephi 9 about the atonement, the effects of sin, and the wisdom of our Father in the atonement and how the atonement rescues us of the effects of sin. But He gives a great explanation in verse 3 "Behold, my beloved brethren, I speak unto you these things that ye may rejoice, and lift up your heads forever, because of the blessings which the Lord God shall bestow upon your children." I love how he says I speak unto you these things that ye may rejoice, and lift up your heads forever...That is the blessing of the atonement. I love being able to know that even when people dont want to hear the message or reject baptism. I'm so greatful to have the blessing of the atonement so that I may never have to let my head hang down. I love the blessings of the atonement and the strength I receive from it in the Book of Mormon. 

Love you all,

Gary 

Healing power of the word!

Hernando and Elder Loveless. Hernando let Elder Loveless use his Skype on Mother's Day.

So not only was yesterday amazing, but our last week was too! It was so awesome to end off the week skyping with the family! Loved it so much! I'm so grateful to have such an amazing family that has blessed me throughout my mission!

So this last week we got a call from a man in another city here in São Paulo. He said he has a friend that was sick and she needed a blessing! Well she isn't a member. So while on an exchange with an American elder here, we went and contacted her. She told us she lived in Texas for 10 years and she is fluent in English...well...we taught her in English. As we were talking with her she said, "When I heard your voices, my throat and the problems with it immediately started to feel better." We began the explain the blessings of the priesthood, how the power and authority was restored and as we were explaining it all before we gave her the priesthood blessing she said, "I haven't been able to to talk this much in a long time. It's only been since you two have been here and have been sharing the gospel." We gave her a blessing and she agreed to take the lessons! What she said had struck me about how just hearing us helped here throat feel better. Well I came across this scripture during my study today and it all makes sense now! In Jacob 2:8 And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul.... As I read that it hit me so strong. The gospel, the word of Jesus Christ, His authority, His atonement not only heals our wounded spirits, but our whole souls both body and spirit. I was blessed to be a witness of this in the MTC with Elder Eller. When he got hurt and didn't know if he had to go home or not he received a blessing that said, "the spirit can heal your body and knows how to do it." It was so amazing to be with him and see his faith shine to watch him now serve. I'm so grateful for not only the Healing Power of the Atonement, but the Healing Power of the Word. 

Elder Loveless, Elder Schulze with Ofelha (from the above paragraph)

I also read something that helped me a lot with questions I had that were answered in the Book of Mormon. In Mormon Chapter 9:8 Behold I say unto you, he that denieth these things knoweth not the gospel of Christ; yea, he has not read the scriptures; if so, he does not understand them. 9 For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing? 10 And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles.

It's been one of the hardest things on the mission seeing people leave the church. Especially people whom I love and know back at home. The world is changing all around us but as we learn from the Book of Mormon, GOD DOES NOT!  We get blinded by other things of the world and we forget to turn to the scriptures and especially to a God that WONT CHANGE! I'm so grateful for the power and the blessings of the Book of Mormon to help me to stay strong on a firm foundation. So grateful for my wonderful family and friends that have encouraged me to read the Book of Mormon and gain a testimony of it! I love this gospel with all my heart. I know its true and that Christ lives,

Love you all so much!

 

Gary

Campinas!

Elder Matos and Elder Loveless

 I just got transferred up to Campinas! I love it here! It's so amazing! I just got made zone leader with Elder Matos from Minis! Just north of São Paulo! He is so hilarious! Funniest elder! Love him! We are working so well together and we have the same desires and thoughts of the work! It's so nice to have a comp that is willing to be at your side and work with you!

So our zone focus is for each companionship to find one family to teach to help them recieve the ordinances of the temple. Sometimes as missionaries we get so caught up in thinking only baptism, but our first priority is to get them to baptism and walk with them to eternal life. I've been caught up in Alma 31:
31 O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people.
 32 O Lord, wilt thou comfort my soul, and give unto me success, and also my fellow laborers who are with me—yea, Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and also Amulek and Zeezrom, and also my two sons—yea, even all these wilt thou comfort, O Lord. Yea, wilt thou comfort their souls in Christ.

 33 Wilt thou grant unto them that they may have strength, that they may abear their afflictions which shall come upon them because of the iniquities of this people.

 34 O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ.

35 Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.

We are striving now to work with less actives and also those we find in the streets. We met a less active family who the parents are members but the kids are not. The parents went less active when they were teenagers. Found each other at another church, got married and years later found out they were both Mormon. Well we just contacted them and they told us all this and they have kids from 10 up to 19 and they want to be sealed in the temple. Man I pray we will be able to continue to work with them. That's been both Elder Matos and I, our desire during the mission is to help a family reach the temple and it hasn't happened yet with either of us.

But I love doing this work. I just feel so happy, and especially being able to help others and help them come unto Christ. The fruits of being a missionary always results in happiness! I don't know why I wasn't doing this when I was back at home. I truly denied myself of true happiness. So grateful for the mission to help me find that happiness!

Well I hope you all have a wonderful week and an awesome mothers day! Love you so much mom!

Elder Loveless

Elder Loveless pointing to Londrina where his brother-in-law Ryan served.