August 30th

It is 4:28 in Salta de Pirapora and it was started to get really hot! This past week was really great. We had our first baptism on Friday and had a lot of adventures with it. We went to go fill up the font in the morning and do our morning stuff at the church, but it ended up being a little adventure. All the water coming into the church was having problems so it only filled up about 8 inches and then stopped. Then the water we had started to drain, because the plug wasn't in quite right.

We stared filling it with buckets because the water to the other pipes in the building worked for a while and then those stopped working too. We said many prayers and eventually it all worked out. The girl who got baptized is 11 years old and her 8 year old sister had an interview too, but changes her mind about baptism everyday. She agreed to being baptized and Elder Shoen and I were so pumped and she was already to go in her white suit, and then after 10 minutes she changed her mind. It was nuts! The older sister who is so strong has to wait to be baptized for an unknown amount of time while she waits for a police report to be completed. It was so sad delivering the news after she had quit smoking and totally changed her life but she is staying strong! It is so wonderful. We baptized Jussara and it was great.

That same day we taught Samira (a girl we've been teaching since I arrived) and her mother. We challenged her mother to baptism after the first lesson and she accepted and went to church the next day! It was awesome. Samira is such a cool girl and hates going anywhere alone so she brings a friend to every activity. Saturday was wonderful too, we taught a man named Agnauldo who is great. He lives with his mother who is very old and sick, and also has 2 young girls stay in his house at times as well because their mother is not very stable for them. We taught the first lesson, and he accepted baptism. He is very soft and gentle, and although he doesn't know the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, I can tell he knows the Savior. He made reference to an experience that he couldn't share with us that he had had and also made a reference to something sounding or being familiar about us and our message. I didn't understand exactly, but it was another miracle that I saw.

Yesterday we had an appointment about 2 miles from where we were teaching, and then we had to return back to that area after. On our way walking, we saw a woman dragging a couch with her little boy walking beside her. We grabbed it for her and took it in to her house, and we will return and teach her this week. When we got to the appointment, they weren't there. As we began our little 2 mile walk back to where we were before, Elder Schoen said "Isn't it awesome the way the Lord works, and put these people in our path?" This happened again as we walked past a family playing at the park and we set up a time to talk to them. It is amazing how the Lord works.

I want you all to know how merciful the Lord is. I know that He answers prayers. I can testify that happiness is dependent on you and your relationship with the Lord. I am grateful for my Savior. I love being here and being a missionary. I feel so much purpose. It is such a challenge!! It really is hard and there is so much I want to learn and master. I feel a HUGE sense of ambition coursing through my veins that is unlike anything I've felt in myself. I feel it now as I write, which is evidence of many prayers in my behalf, and most importantly the mercy of the Lord.

Prepare everyday. Improve everyday. Cry out to the Lord everyday. A fulness of joy comes through our Savior Jesus Christ. My challenge to all who read this is to align your will with the Father. Read Alma 32, and make sure you pick a good seed together, with your Heavenly Father. I know Christ lives. I know He is my Savior. I know the plan is perfect. I once heard great guidance for reading the scriptures. Someone was asked how long they studied the scriptures, and they answered "Until I feel the Spirit". Take questions to the Lord. In searching do we really find. I believe that we are thrown pearls in nearly every verse we read of the scriptures. But we decide by our ability to ask questions, and search, if we will be a collector of fine gems, or swine. The same scriptures that inspire men to do the work of the Lord, are the same words that we read everyday. I love the scriptures. I love the Lord. I love you all. Love, Elder Calvert