A selfie for mom!

A selfie for mom!

Monday, January 26, 2015

Serving a mission is the best thing to ever happen to me

Wow! This week was really great (and really hard)! Despite the depression seeming to get worse, I´m getting better and better at controlling it. I got my violin! We had got to work with a traveling assistant (one of my good friends), and Isaura is still going to church! The best part of the week was our temple trip on Friday. It was a miracle. We got there and I realized that I had forgotten my temple recommend. The depression overcame me quickly and deeply. Both Elder Sharp and I really needed this session. We couldn´t get help from President Dalton because he was at a wedding and not answering his phone. I offered to sit in the waiting room while Elder Sharp does the session, but he did not want to leave me there. We were just about to go home devastated when Elder Sharp felt that we should stay. I wasn´t in condition to express any kind of opinion, so I just followed him. We ended up walking behind the temple and we ran into President Dalton! He should have left 10 minutes before, but he felt he needed to come back. He wasn´t even supposed to be there, there was a mistake and the wedding he would have attened was to be the next day. So President Dalton took us into the temple lobby, and talked with the temple president and got me a temporary recommend. In the end, I got to do the session. It wasn´t until a good 10 minutes into the session until my frightening, dark depression was suddenly lifted and I was able to enjoy one of the most spiritual experiences of my mission. Never have I learned so much from an endowment session since my very first one. And, to top it all off, as we were leaving the temple to return to our area after the session, we were chased down by a group of young men and women from Palmares, my last ward, including Adilson, who we taught the recent convert lessons and who we convinced to serve a mission, and Weverson, who we baptized. There was also Raquel, whose parents we also taught the recent convert lessons. I learned that Raquel´s parents would be sealed the next day (which was so satisfying to hear). Also, Weverson told me that he would be turning in his papers in the next month to serve a full-time mission. He was there about to do his SECOND round of baptisms for the dead. The joy I felt was so great! And, both Adilson and Weverson were wearing the ties I had given them! What a great day it was! I also found out that Paulo and Thassya, who Elder Almeida and I baptized, have finished their last Temple Prep class, and will mark their sealing. Sueli (who Elder Paiva and I reactivated) will be sealed to her husband (Vagner, who we baptized) this summer. Vagner is now a counsellor in the Elders Quorum Presidency. Their daughter, Pamela, is serving a mission in Argentina. Juvenal and Magda (who Elder J. Barker and I married and baptized) are active, happy, and serving in the church. Their daughter, Laura, has recently been baptized and their extended family is also accepting the gospel. They will be sealed in September or October of this year. I´m so glad to be a missionary. Serving a mission is the best thing to ever happen to me. What a privilege it is! I know that this gospel is true, and that Jesus Christ is the Lord God, and that He is our Savior and Redeemer. His power to heal is endless as He and our Father are Endless. I testify of them in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen. -- Élder Thomas Richins Ala Interlagos (antiga Cidade Dutra) Estaca Interlagos Missão Brasil São Paulo Interlagos

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