I'm Building the House of the Lord- April 25, 2011

Well this last week was really good. Monday we taught with this guy named Erik in our ward who will leave on his mission in a month. We taught with him on Tuesday as well. The temple was wonderful on Wednesday. Thursday we helped with integrating Rafael into the ward and strengthening our relationship with the Bishop and his family. Friday night was really sweet. We were teaching Erik's mom who will be baptized this Saturday. She raises two little grandchildren and they were feeling sick that night. We were teaching the lesson when the granddaughter (4 years old I think) came and climbed into her lap. She was very restless and obviously in a lot of pain. She rolled off of her lap and was just sitting on the ground when her face began to look a little familiar. I don't know how I knew but I was absolutely positive she was about to throw up. About 5 seconds later, I realized that she had eaten noodles for dinner! I was cleaning it up while the grandma was getting a rag to clean, and the granddaughter was just standing kind of in shock. I had cleaned it up and was waiting for the grandmother to return when the little girl just started bawling and ran to me and hid her face against my leg. I picked her up and she began to calm down. I got a little throw up on my pants, but I didn't care. I remember in Salto de Pirapora, we were doing a service activity and I remember thinking, "man I don't want to get my pants dirty". (It was when we were moving mushroom blocks for the (Bishop Tyler's wife, Silvia's, dad) I remember thinking about my pants, but then my mind switched to this old man and the help we were about to offer him. I thought of the trade off of having clean pants, and not being as effective, or working really hard, getting a little dirty, and washing my pants which either way I would inevitably do. I was happy when my mind went back to that experience with vomit on my pants, a little in my throat as it smelled pretty raunchy, but I didn't hesitate to help a human being, a sweet, innocent daughter of our Heavenly Father. I am very happy I didn't let vomit on my pants hold me back from calming a crying daughter. This may sound like a silly connection, but I think many times in our lives, we let "getting vomit on our pants" stop us from serving and helping others. Vomit can be in the form of laziness, selfishness, or a "lack of time". I can promise that I left so much happier with the smell of vomit in my nose, then I would have with clean pants. My pants may have been dirty, but my heart was clean and happy.

Yesterday was awesome. We didn't eat dinner because we never do, but lunch was awesome. We ate a lot of chocolate too and it was great. Yesterday in church was one of my favorite days of church of my life; my favorite on my mission for sure. My companion left with another Priesthood holder to pick up investigators from their house, and I was waiting in the church for other investigators too arrive. A man in our ward introduced me to Eduardo, who said he was visiting today. I began to talk to Eduardo and I got to know him a bit. He is 25 years old, an engineer, and works in Rio during the week. Every weekend he stays at his parent’s house here in Freguesia do Ó. He heard about the church from friends in Rio and began to read about the church online. He decided to come alone. I sat with him in all of the classes and answered his questions. During the Sacrament Meeting, he asked many questions and humbly asked if he could partake of the Sacrament. After the meeting, we gave him The Book of Mormon and he asked for some direction on what he should read during the week. For those who aren't very familiar with missionary work, this is such an awesome miracle. I bore my testimony to him, and after church sitting in the benches with the ward mingling together invited him to be baptized. He said he would. I then went on to say how much he loves the teachings about eternal families. He expressed how important family is to him. He thanked me personally for helping him during the meetings, and I graciously returned thanks to him. He said he was nervous to come alone but knew that sometimes you have to take a step into the darkness. He said he felt that he was so well received. We are going to teach him next Saturday when he returns from Rio for the weekend. That experience was a huge source of joy to me.

There is something about relationships and friendships that is so, so wonderful to me. In reading a talk that the Vafa's sent to me (thank you very much for your kind letter) I learned that strengthening healthy relationships invites the Spirit to be with us. I felt that Spirit, particularly the joy aspect of the companionship of the Spirit so strongly after meeting Eduardo. After church we went with a members to her sisters house. There are problems with drugs in this home and she asked us to give blessings to her sister and her niece. This type of work is an important part of missionary work. In talking to a very wise woman, she shared with me the analogy of a man building a church. When asked what this man is doing he could reply, "I am putting one brick on top of another." He also could reply "I'm earning money to provide food for my family." Or he could reply, "I'm building the House of the Lord." If we raise our gaze and expand our perspective, the checklist of today becomes the greatest and most important work. I am striving everyday to build a House of the Lord. To really love people.

Thank you all for being in tune with the Spirit, and helping me learn so much. I love you all.

Love, Elder Calvert

Baptisms in April

Elder Calvert, Rafael, his mother(?) and Elder Henrique

Rafael's baptism April 16, 2011

Below- Fabiula and Lucas's baptism

April 9, 2011

April 20, 2011- Happy Easter

Dear Family,

Tuesday, I had a long talk with my LZ Elder Lew. I love him so much. I'm so grateful he has enough understanding about missionary work, that what he did for me was maybe the most important thing done the whole day. He looked after me. He is such a wonderful example of Christ like love to me. That night we made cookies and talked about what we want in life and what is our personal purpose. The next morning we made a t-shirt trade and I gave him this surfing shirt I bought here and traded for an Under armour shirt that says "protect his house". I broke it in with 300 pushups. It's a good shirt, and in it, I will "protect this house." I also bought a pull up bar. I love it. I love exercise. It is so, so good for my mind. It makes me feel so good. I also have been eating particularly healthy and I'm thinking about telling the Irmas here that I can’t eat desserts because I just feel so much better.

This weekend was the baptism of Rafael! It was awesome. After I baptized him, he said "now I'll get your wet!" and he gave me a huge hug. I closed my eyes, so grateful for that little blessing of joy I felt. It was wonderful. (I forgot, last Tuesday on the division with Elder Lew an old investigator called in our area and said, I want to be baptized! Sweet! It was awesome and she will be baptized the 30th. Also I did another baptismal interview Wednesday. It's been awesome. She was nervous but we just talked about things, and it included the questions.) Sunday was our ward conference and there were 2 old investigators that were there. Their names are Samuel and Glaucia. We marked to see them Monday and they accepted baptism for the 30th as well. We're going to see them at a ward activity tomorrow for lunch.

Tuesday I gave another training and I had been studying a lot about the light of Christ. I didn't feel like that was what I should train about so I prayed for guidance in my scripture study Monday. I read about families and thought of a little Easter Egg/Candy hunt to relate the satisfaction of finding single individuals to a small candy, and the greater joy of finding families to cookies. I hit candies in the gym in obvious places, but hit cookies in places much more difficult to find. I worried it would be too childish, but I found that as I was enthusiastic about it, it fueled them as well. I was so grateful for the Lord, because much of the training was given to me in the very moment, and I saw it in the eyes of the district as they said things like I'd never thought of it like that before. The truth is neither had I. I promised them that there are families waiting to receive the restored gospel.

We did a training where we talked openly about the love for our families, how much we miss them, but the comfort we find in this gospel. The solutions to difficulties and the hope for the future is something we hold so dear to our hearts, that we left those we love the most to come to teach you. These are my words. The thing I emphasized was talking from your heart. Helping fathers realize that these principles will strengthen and bless their family the instant they are put in practice. This is motivation enough, but along with this comes the Eternal Blessings.

My favorite part of the ENTIRE week was a little event that happened Monday. We were walking down the street and we saw a little boy and his mom. The mom looked flustered and the little boy was crying and hoping on one foot. I asked if I could help and at first the mom said no. Then I asked the little boy if I could carry him. He nodded his head yes, and the mom looked at me, obviously very grateful and communicated that she would love it if I would help. I picked him up into my arms. He had hurt his foot earlier in the day but was hurting a lot during school. In tears he told me he was 8 years old. When we got to the car, the mother explained again that she was very grateful. I was thinking, "Should I talk about the church, should I do a contact?" I said you are very welcome, said goodbye and we continued walking. I thought about this event as I walked to the next appointment. I didn't want that woman and her son to think that I had helped them just so I could talk about the church. I helped that woman because I feel a love for people. I love people. I feel purpose when I am helping them.

I lack so much understanding, because I know this gospel is the greatest help I can give, but very often my most satisfying moments are from a hug inside the baptismal font, carrying a crying boy in my arms, asking elderly woman about their backs, remembering peoples names, and smiles. To me, this brings me joy. Every time I get into a missionary robot mode I feel like I am so much less effective. I have absolutely no doubt that that woman will talk to missionaries some day.

I have a wonderful example of a person who I look up to so much in my ward. His name is José Alves. My old companion gave him a watch and he said he could fix it for him. The shop he thought he could fix it in couldn't fix it, so he is going to drive more than an hour and pay 60 reis to get it fixed. He said, "I have a commitment." This same man was once talking to a friend who recently discovered he had aids. The friend came crying to his house and said how so many people are abandoning him because of his sickness. José picked up the cup his friend with aids was drinking out of and took a big drink. The friend just broke into to tears. This story just meant so much to me. He drives an old van that is purple and he is always such a joy to me, when he drives by and honks. He is a successful in his career, but most importantly to me a wonderful friend. He also loves weightlifting so we connect very deeply.

Anyways, that's about it. Oh, and the temple today was awesome. We made two friends on the train that helped us when we got lost in the city. A woman asked if we were missionaries and gave us cookies. And another man stopped us and said he also wanted to know what we do. Another did that yesterday as well. I love friends. I love relationships. I love all of you.

Love, Elder Calvert

April 11, 2011

Lucas and Fabiula were baptized Saturday! It was quite a crazy week. We set up interviews with Lucas and Fabiula Thursday but just Lucas was home so only he was interviewed. Then Friday the Elders returned to do Fabiula's interview but she wasn't home again. So we marked for Saturday morning. Saturday morning we called and they were at another church and said they wouldn't be baptized! I was bummed but Elder Henrique and I made mango juice, talked about what we would do, and did it. We walked over to their house, and waited for them to come home from the other church. We talked to Fabiula first and she said she would be baptized after all! Then when Lucas arrived he said he wouldn't be baptized. We talked to him and he changed his mind too! Both of them were baptized Saturday night along with another man from the other Ward that attends the same chapel. It was a cool lesson about persistence. It would have been easy to just say "nuts it won't work out" but with a little more effort, everything went well and they were baptized Saturday night.

Rafael is doing well and will be baptized this next Saturday. Our ward is doing this awesome activity this Saturday. Our Bishop is inviting an executive of a telephone company here in Brazil to give a free workshop about family finances. It is intended to just bring our community into the chapel and the next day is our ward conference. The goal is to have 150 at the conference the next morning, which would be a big jump from our usual attendence of 80. I am so pumped to listen to what this man has to say as well. I'm looking forward to it a ton.

Next week I will go to the Temple on Wednesday and that will be my p-day so don't be worried when I don't email on Monday. I will email Wed April 20. Also Elder Andersen is coming to our mission on the 30th of April. I'm so excited for that as well!

I love you. Love, Elder Calvert

April 4, 2011

Watching General Conference

What a wonderful weekend! I love General Conference. I was able to watch every single session in english sitting in a little room of missionaries. That was one of the most powerful conferences I have ever heard. I loved Elder Holland's talk about the private prophetic epistles. I received many. My heart and mind are full of the Spirit of God. I had a wonderful weekend. I cannot wait to read and study all of the conference talks. We are led by inspired men and women, who are in tune with the Spirit. So many talks touched my heart.

As I knelt in prayer this morning, it was like I was praying for the first time as my mind had been opened to more understanding during this week. During the talk that a member of the seventy spoke about medical surgeries and the process of healing, and idea was impressed upon my mind that I wish to share with all who will read this letter. Everything in life has a price. Nothing is free. We choose things in our lives which require us to pay a price. To study, to work, to improve a hobby, each has the price of time and effort. There are many things in our lives that we pay a price because of choice, but there are many others that are built into this existence. They are a part of what we are to come. My mind went to a scripture in Alma 36:21 that talks about the pain of sin. I liken the pain of sin to the pain and struggle of any trial. Alma, speaking to his son Helaman says something along the lines of "nothing could have been as intense as my pain, but on the other hand, nothing could have been as sweet and beautiful as my joy." Time and time again in my life, I have seen this scripture made manifest in my life. In the struggle it is so painful. We are in the fire of the first part of verse 21. But then, as we endure it well, the second part of the scripture is made manifest. We have paid the price to attain that sweet and beautiful joy.

There are so many things that our Father wants us to learn. Sometimes we lose loved ones, early in their lives. Sometimes tragedy strikes and families are separated. But all of these things are prices being paid. Investments that a being made as part of a Celestial Curriculum. A curriculum that will make us worthy to inherit the Kingdom of God: and the sweet and beautiful joy of others entering with us. There are so many that need our help, our thoughts and prayers. I love this gospel.

This week was wonderful. Rafael is playing soccer at the church and singing in the choir. He is going to baptized in a week and 5 days! We are teaching his brother as well and he is an amazing very religious man. Because of Rafael, we have been introduced to 6 new people that we are teaching the gospel as well. All because HE stopped us in the street and asked what we do. In Preach My Gospel it says that you and the Elect of God will be brought to better in an inspiring way. I testify this is true. We are also going to baptize two children of this couple we are teaching this Saturday. We are teaching this other family of the part member family and they are awesome. I love being in their home. The father is a Mason and a very motivational man. I want to be a better person when I am in their home.

I am happier than I have ever been in my entire life. I love the Lord. The Spirit is in my heart as I have typed this entire email. Please read The Book of Mormon. Please have family scripture study. Please pray together as a family. Please attend church. Please magnifying your callings. Do all pertaining to it. Strive for excellence in your careers and schooling. I love the Lord. I am so grateful I am His son. I am so grateful for my family. I love you all. I love my friends. I hold all of you dear to my heart. Thank you for being a part of my life.

Love, Elder Spencer Calvert

A purple scarf he bought for Emma to wear on Spirit Days at LW!