Todo Mundo Teve Uma Boa Semana? :)

This week we worked hard to find a family that would progress and we found one. :) Etevaldo, Soccoro, Vitoria, Neto, Pamelia, and Precila. What an amazing family! They were already thinking about baptism before we even met. They are neighbors with Noeme who was baptised last week. Noeme has been an amazing help, inviting all her friends to come to church and watch church videos to share the gospel.

She really loves to read the scriptures and finds counsel in 3rd Nephi. As I do. :) 

This great family was invited on Friday and went to church on Sunday, they loved it! :) The members were great as well. 

I am so grateful for the members here in Crato. 

Tomorrow we will have a meeting/conference with Elder D Todd Christopherson. We will be taking a buss at 8 tonight to get there tomorrow morning at 7 in Fortaleza. I have been asking for inspiration and pray to be guided during this conference. :) I am super excited :D 

I was reading 3rd Nephi this week and I couldn't explain any better than Jesus did when He talked about His Gospel in 3rd Nephi 27. What an amazing scripture. :) I find great love and peace reading these scriptures but i also feel the heat as He talks so boldly about those prideful sinners who shall be burned at the last day. There is so much to do and so little time. I am so grateful for being part of this great and last dispensation and for my opportunity to serve God. I am grateful for His eternal Love. I pray that all of you members and non-members of The Church of Jesus Christ of The Latter-Day Saints can look to Christ and see His eternal example and grow spiritually closer to Him. Abandon the small sins that so easily take over your thoughts and be free as Christ puts it. 

I love our Savior and i pray that each of us may be worthy one day to enter into His Eternal presence so that we may glory Him together as one body, as the Children, Sons and Daughters of Christ. I pray that we may realize the true reason as to our short existence here on the Earth and pray that we may find our places that God has created for us in His great Plan of Happiness. 

This is my Prayer and My Testimony, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. :)

Elder Riches

Wow. 2015. 

I can't believe we have already made it to 2015!

i spent this entire week traveling. I was in Fortaleza in The Southern Fortaleza Stake serving with Elder Saraiva. While i was working there i had the chance to cook, learn, grow, and even cry.. Last monday we had the chance to watch Charley (An LDS Film). I didn't think i would cry but it wasn't the mood of the movie that made my feelings turn it was the perfect example of The Plan of Salvation that was shown. I had never seen a better example and i cried simply at how God's plan works so perfectly in our lives. I was very grateful for that expereience. :) 

We worked hard during the week and Wednesday i was able to meet my new companion Elder Háfele. He is from Rio Grande Do Sul, Brasil. :) I had the opurtunity to pass through the New-Missionary Training that was held for all Greenies arriving on the mission during Tues-Thursday. I learned that i hadn't forgetten English after all! :D I was asked to translate for 5-7 hours straight durning the Training. I translated for all 7 hours on both Wed and Thursday. I am sure they learned the message that our leaders wanted to pass but some of the times the New Americans looked back at me as if to say (Yea that doesn't make any sense in Enlgish) and i had to re phrase or do some Critical Thinking. I need to read The Book of Mormon in English more often :P

Another cool fact: I fooled my companion and another Brazillian into thinking that i was a Brazillian. I lost my Accent already so it is easy for me to "hide my americaness". The other missionary ended up believing it until i took out my documents and showed him. :P 

I also had a laugh wit hthe New Sisters. They come from Peru , Mexico, and Columbia. I started speaking Spanish with my best accent and they all asked me in Portuguese/Spanish were i was from and i wasn't sure which language to respond. In the end we had some good conversations and they felt more confortable learning portuguese knowing that an american can speak Portuguese in a Spanish accent. 

 Sunday morning after 10 hours of traveling we arrived finally in Pirajá, Juazeiro Do Norte - Ceará. This will be my new area for the next little while. 

We were sent here to help these wards here to turn into a Stake before June ends. I have been planning and praying with my comp to be guided as to khow we will do this;. We didn't even have time to do anything today besides email our families. We have been working super hard and we are opening this are with hardly any informaions and so with the help of 2 sisters and  another 2 Elders we (with the Lord's help) will change this City forever. :)

My new comp Elder Háfele is a great missionary and is excited to leave his old life to start a new one. He has only 2 years of membership in he Church. :) Wha a great opurunity i have.

Love Always,

Elder Riches