I know that this work is the work of God.

So, I can´t really hide the fact that I got sick this week. Really sick. I missed so much work this week! I had to buy gatorade (to keep hydrated) and some meds (I called the mission doctor first). So, sorry for spending so much! I can´t say that I´m all better, but it´s not as bad as it was. It started last weekend, and continued all through the week. But now, it´s better. Whatever happens, it won´t stop me from working this week! Wow, you have no idea the kind of opposition we had last week! Someone threatened to kill an investigator of the other elders, and someone tried to burn down the stake center! Everyone is getting sick! It´s crazy! Luckily, it looks as though things are calming down. It´s funny. I finished reading the Acts of the Apostles. From what I can see, our hardships are absolutely nothing compared to that of the early Apostles in their missions. They were not just mocked, persecuted, and cast out, but they were beaten, stoned, condemned, exiled, crucified, beheaded, burned, etc.! Yikes! I´m feeling pretty good! Between that and what Christ went through during His Atonement, I don´t think I can complain! So there´s some updates on the work: Fred went to church with his family the Sunday before last. It was great! They missed last Sunday, but I did see Fred doing Home Teaching visits! We´ll visit them this week! Juvenal and Magda are so ready to be baptized! Their wedding is this Saturday, 11h30 and the baptism will be 17h, followed by a barbecue! I´m super excited! We haven´t talked to Leonardo since last Monday, but we will keep fighting! We will get them married and he will be baptized! I´m not giving up on them! We took Lucineide and Romeo to the city hall, but she needs to get a more legible copy of her birth certificate. The city hall in her hometown burned down, so... it´s complicated. But we aren´t giving up! They love the church and they love the gospel! Remember Junior? His uncle works in the city hall in Santo Amaro (close to the mission office) and is willing to help! We are also helpingthe family of Antonia, the Relief Society President, to join the church. She´s the only member in her family. We are starting with her sister, Cristiane. She investigated the church in the past, and went to church this week. It´s just hard because it´s almost impossible to find her and her husband during the week. But nothing is impossible for God, nor His children! I´m so happy to be a missionary! It´s such a great calling! General Conference is coming up! Woo! I´m so stoked! It´s going to be even better than last time! And I´m so glad that Boyd K Packer made it to another one! I just hope I don´t almost get a concussion this time! I´m in chapter 35 of the New Testament Student Manual (I´m reading the NT in chronological order, so i´m in 1 Corinthians.) I´m loving it! Not much more to report from this front! I´m still here, and still fighting! I won´t give up until these people with whom I am working are well on their way to being with me and my family in the Celestial Kingdom. I´ll keep doing this work here and I plan on continuing in this cause even after I return to Missouri. I know that this work is the work of God. I know that I am a chosen servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. I testify that He is our Savior, our Capitan and our King. There is nobody on this Earth more powerful than He! I testify of Him in His name, even Jesus Christ, Amen. -- Élder Thomas Richins Ala Palmares Estaca Casa Grande Missão Brasil São Paulo Interlagos