Hey Dad and Mom and everyone!

Super pressed for time.  You will have to forgive me.  

Sounds like the family is doing great.  I will remember Uncle Bryan in my prayers and Uncle Terry and his new job aspirations.  

Cool beans that you guys got to do a service project.  You always leave feeling really satisfied.  One of the best feelings there is.  

This week we had Interviews with the President.  It was really good to talk to him and make goals to finish out the rest of the mission. This last week I have become abundantely aware of the infinite number of things that I can change and make better, and perfect.  I also have been made aware of how long I have come, and how much I have changed.  I am grateful for this.  

One of the things that the President told us alot about was how our decisions now effect our eternal future.  If we had the vision that our Heavenly Father has, I dont think that any one of us would sin or do anything wrong.  From what I can see, study of the scriptures and prayer, and fasting, and sincere repentance opens our minds and lengthens our vision so that we can see a little bit more as our Heavenly Father sees.  This change in vision inspires us to do more and do better.  

Yesterday, we went to get an investgator for church, and she wasnt there.  We were a little sad because we had everything combined with her to go to church to be baptized this Saturday.  We didnt know what happened.  We went to the bus stop to go to church, and a car passed and stopped.  Hey missionaries!  want a ride?    He introduced himself as a less active and his wife as a non member.  WOW!  a family to complete!!!  

The transfer here will end this next week and Monday will be transfers.  It is pretty likely that I wont write on Monday because we live so long from the center of Rio, but we will write maybe Tuesday.

Love you!!

Elder Stinnett

Hey Dad and Mom and the fam!

That is so cool to hear that the PHX temple will be didicated!  Even more nuts that Conner and Sammy will dance in the festival.  Will it be with President Monson??  We are looking at the possiblity of Elder Holland coming to Rio.  The Presidente is apparently trying to see if he will come visit the mission too, but atleast he will visit some stakes.  Maybe he will even open the ground for the Rio temple!  (that is my dream!)

Have you guys heared any news about some virus going wild in Africa?  let me know about that a little bit.  the people here are freaking out that it is the start of a zombie apocolypse.  

This week we had the mission counsel, so we had to grab a bus on tuesday night to get to a mission house over in Rio Cumprido to stay the night to wake up early and get to the counsel  on time the next day.  The counsel was one of the best that I have ever participated.  We had a lot of changes made in the way we will work, and Im praying that I can be moldable enough to put everything into practice.  When we gave the training to our zone, the same Spirit was felt as we felt in the counsel the day before.  The results, this week, was more working with the members, and more people going to church.  Excellent!

Yesterday I got to give a talk in sacrament meeting, about the effects of the fall of Adam and Eve.  I learned so much as I studied it out.  I chose to focus a lot in the Spiritual Death-and how we can reach a higher level of happiness here on earth as we work to become as close to our Savior as we possibly can.  I have kindof come to love giving talks....we´ll see if that stays the same when I come home and have a huge congregation to speak in front of instead of just 100 people.  

I also got to do a division with my LD which was really fun.  It is always a little bit of a weird feeling sleeping in the bed of another man, while you are conscious that he is also over at your house sleeping in yours........ God always seems to bless us a lot when we do divisions and we got to know eachother really well and make some plans to keep the work flowing well.  

Eu só queria prestar meu testemunho para vocês....faz tempo que eu faço.  Sou muito grato para poder estar aqui.  Não sei exatamente por que O Senhor me permitiu a nascer na igreja, e ter tantas bençãos na minha vida até este ponto, mas sou muito grato por isso.  Sei que arrependimento é real, é um processo, é maravilhoso.  Quero ser melhor cada vez mais, e sei que através A Expiação de Cristo, que isso é possível.  Ele me ama--sei disso.  Por isso, Ele reque muito de mim.  Eu amo vocês e espero que possamos continuar em nossa busca para seguir O Nosso Salvador.

 "I just wanted to add my testimony to you .... time is what I do. I am very grateful to be here. I do not know exactly why the Lord allowed me to be born in the church, and have so many blessings in my life up to this point, but I'm very grateful for that. I know that repentance is real, it is a process, it's wonderful. I want to be the best ever, and I know that through the Atonement of Christ, that is possible. He loves me - I know that. So he require a lot from me. I love you and hope we can continue in our quest to follow Our Savior."

Com amor,

Elder Stinnett

Dont worry, you´re not making me trunky--  that just happens on its own hahaha. But dont worry, we are working up a storm over here in Macaé.  We have a couple people we are teaching here, but for the most part we are working to construct a teaching group.  We are using everything we´ve got, both techniques and Spirit.  Up until now, we are not having as much results as we have hoped for.  Not anything to get sad about, just means we need to search for ways that we´ve never used before, and try again.  

One of the things that I am really happy about is the unity of the zone.  We´ve got just about half of the zone in the lan house right now, and we will head over to the chapel afterwards to make some food together.  There are a bunch of newbies here, and seeing them makes me want to be a dad again haha.  I love training!  I just feel like it is wrong to ask the President for a certain position on the mission (I dont want to interfere with revalation, you know)  So, for right now, Ill just have to be happy watching them grow as missionaries as a leader, and help their trainers out.  

This week, we had a chance to see the ward really come together.  There is a really young couple in the ward that was praying and fasting for almost a year so that they could have a baby.  Well, she got pregnant, and when we got here, she was almost due.  This last week, she had her baby, but she retained a lot of liquid, which went to her lung and she was induced into a coma.  She soon fell from an induced coma into a heavy coma. This last Sunday, we learned of her situation and the bishop called everyone together to fast for her.  Everyone was really worried that this new child would lose his mom.  I had a dream that night that the mom was awoke from her coma and left the intensive care room, and was placed in a normal hospital room.  I told my comp when we woke up and we decided to keep it quiet.  Two days later, we were talking to a member, and miraculously, it indeed happened.  The doctors had no idea why she woke up.  She still has to stay in the hospital to get better, but her chances of living have skyrocketed.  

This Saturday, we got a call from the bishop again, asking the ward to fast for the people that are sick in the ward.  When we got to church on Sunday, we heard bad news.  The child had suffered a heart attack and died.  We just had Sacrament meeting and then went to eat a quick lunch, to come back to the chapel for a viewing.  The dad got up front and started talking how he was grateful for so many people to be there supporting him, especially when he cant even tell his wife what happened, for the fear of her getting worse.  When the meeting ended, everyone went more towards the front to console the family members.  Up in the front was a tiny little white casket, with the little baby.  He looked like a little baby doll.  Everyone was crying.    I kindof stood there in the behind the bench with a few silent tears rolling down my face.Many bore there testimony of eternal families. He is a returned missionary, he knows families are eternal. I still dont think that stops a loss like that from hurting.  I guess that is why in Mosiah, the Lord commands us to cry with those who cry, and comfort those who stand in need of comfort.

Love you guys!  Have a great week!

Elder Stinnett