Ask and You Shall Recieve!

Dear family, friends, fellow Canadians, Americans and Brazilians,

How are all of you doing?  This week was an interesting one. One week which I hope, not to repeat, but it did lead me more to Heavenly Father than other weeks.  It is sort of like when Lehi said to Jacob, that all these afflictions are for your benefit.  These week we meet some very interesting people... and those people are the cause of my woos.  

One woman that we meet is kind of... strange... I lack a better word.  She believe Spritism, which is a common religion down here in Brazil.  I am not sure if you all know who Allen Kardec is, but he is the founder of that religion, who believes that in stead of resurrection there is reincarnation. It is kind of a strange thing, but anyway she begins to talk about that and then she stops me in mid sentence to say... " I have the book of the Aliens, and I believe it to be true." Which begs the question, What does it  say?  It says that Mary had "relations" with an Alien, who is God, and that Jesus is the son of an Alien, and that the star that guided the three wise men, was not a star but a UFO which was God's spaceship.  That was a difficult day.  The next day we went to a guy, who we had been teaching for a while now.  He became crazy.  He also was talking a lot like Satan when he tried to tempted Jesus Christ in the desert or Moses when he was at Mount Sinai.  He invited my companion and I to be his disciples and to follow him, and that we needed to prepare ourselves for a life of trials and pain for his cause.  Oh, and he was also inventing words which my companion wrote down, but in the process of all this he stops and asked me a question which I did really understand because he really does not ask questions. When I said that I did not understand him, he said that I had already sown the seeds of my own damnation.  Then stopped in mid sentence and began to put his hands in the air and pray to himself  quietly.  This is when my companion and I decide to leave.  We leave, and he noticed, so he follows us talking nonsense and says that if we follow him, anything that we want will come true.  He said, if you want to health of you parents to improve follow me.  If you have enemies, they will be gone.  If you want money, or women just say it, it´s yours.  Then he said that I was more prepared to follow him because my companion has too much Karma, and that I had less because I am white, and white people are closer to God than darker people.   Yeah... that was the down side of my week, but the good side too all this was we now know that we ought not return to that mans house.

Also the good thing about this week was we had good numbers including one baptism.  It was great.  The kid is Gabriel.   He is 13 years old, and a good kid.  He has friends and family that are members of the Church, and they brought him to Church a couple of weeks ago.  He liked what he felt and saw there, and we brought those same feelings into his home.  It was quite an excellent feeling.  I think that maybe after a short time we might be able to teach his parents and they to can know the truth.  


Also another thing that happened was an answer to a prayer.  I had been praying for some time now, for a family to go to Church.  They are Miguel, Gladez and Gabrielle and Grazielle.  They are good people.  I love them to death, but the only thing that was lacking was church visits.  They have already gone three times before, but it had been more than a month since they had gone.  My companion had the great idea about making breakfast for them so that we could help them go to Church.  It worked. We made pancakes. Which they do not have here in Brazil.  They really like it.  It was something excited and new for them.  I loved it because it has been almost a year and three months since I had pancakes in the MTC.  It was a good thing. They went to Church, and I had a prayer answered.  I almost cried during sacrament meeting because of the stresses I was having, and that they had been taken away from me and I was left with just comfort and peace. As it says,"Ask, and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you."  I have gained a testimony of the Law of the Harvest as my mission president calls it.  If we want something me must asked for it, and try to make it happen, and if we are obedient to the commandments that Heavenly Father gave us it will come to pass.  I am a proof of that.

Love,

Elder Caleb S. Carriere

Lau!!!

Well,  this week was not as good as last week.  We actually had a bad week because of leadership counsel and also because simply we had a bad week.  On the bright side of things, we confirmed Maria the Nun a member of the Church, and we have two more baptisms coming up this next week.  I am looking really forward to that.  This week will be a 13 year old boy named Gabriel.  He is a good kid.  He has been to church a couple of times now, and feels like he wants to get baptized and I am more than happy to help him with that.   Than on the 19th we will baptize a man named Eder who is going through some tough times right now and when he went to church for the first time he really enjoyed it. He really felt that the Church is true.  I am glad  for that. We also have one more family who is going to be baptized on the 23.  I am really looking forward to this month. We are beginning to reap the fruits of last transfer this transfer.   I am really happy we are going that.  

I have been thinking a lot lately about the family.  It is a common thing around here, because there are three couples in the ward who are getting married tomorrow. So marriage is the word. I really have to thank Mom and Dad for being really good influences in my life.  I have recalled a lot of things that they have taught me and what they simply showed me through simple conversations.  I remember the plaque that sits above our window what says "Choose ya this day whom you will serve, but for me and my house we will serve the Lord."  I have looked at that scripture a lot these days, and have notice that it is true now, or at least I am aware to it now, than it has ever been.  I want to thank you two for showing me the way in which I should lead my own family once that day comes.  Which in all honesty I hope will be soon after the mission.  

I am doing really well. I still am having problems with sleeping, but I have talked to the Sister Ribeiro and she has given me some sleeping meds, so I hope that will resolve the problem.  I am great otherwise. I wanted to send pictures, but these stupid computers are not wanting to work with me.  

I love you all and I will talk to you all on Christmas,

One more thing.  President is allowing that we talk for more than one hour.   Lau!!!.  Sorry I have picked up a lot of expressions from Brazil.

Sleepless in Santa Maria

Dear family and friends,

How are you all doing? As for me I am a little tired. I had one more sleepless night and that is taking a tole on my body and my sense of mind, but all is well other than that. I have some great news. The first of which is that I am staying in the area, and the second of which is we baptized the nun.  Also Erynn gave some even greater news that she is also pregnant.  Way to go Erynn and Doug.  

I apologize this email is going to be short. I am extremely tired and all I really would like to do right now is just lay down in my bed and take a 3 to 5 hour long nap.  I really am kind of at a lose of will power at the moment, but I am sure that after the nap I will be right as rain.  

It has been hot. Darn hot I's tells ya. Up and a round 100 degrees.  I am drinking a lot of water however and all is well.  And you all need not worry all that business with Rio de Janeiro is really far away from me, and I am perfectly safe, and if you do not know what I am talking about please feel free to ignore what I just wrote.  

I have a but load of pictures that I want to send you but these computers are not the most efficient ones I have come a cross so I will try to send you just a few. 

I love you guys and I hope that all is well with you.

Love,

Elder Caleb S. Carriere