Greetings from Brazil 9/3/2014

Dear Family,
We are happy to report another productive week for us here in Belo Horizonte. We are now busy executing our plans to work with the three nearby wards. Each has its strengths and talents as well as challenges (including distances). It is clear that the wards can learn from each other.
We continue to have multiple home evenings each week. These meetings have proven to be great opportunities to integrate active members, those that are returning, and those that just learning about the gospel. Mom/Diane has introduced our Brazilian guests to a variety of American desserts. Brownies, apple pie, carrot cake, chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, and more are devoured as they are experienced for the first time. There is a parable to be learned which I will call the parable of the brownies. Some of our friends have tried what is describe here as a brownie. However, when they taste Mom’s brownies for the first time, they realize that they have been missing something special. Try to imagine the looks on people’s faces (adults and children) when they taste this delicious treat for the first time. And what happens? They want more. They don’t want to eat the local version again. They want the recipe to be able to make these brownies themselves. We see the same thing when people are introduced to the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the first time. They are excited to receive the full gospel and feel the inspiration of the Holy Ghost testifying of its truth. Great joy comes to them from the realization that the Savior has prepared something special for each of them. As they enter the path to return to our father by following the doctrine of Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end), they have no desire to return to their previous life styles.
We are grateful for the opportunities that we receive each day to share the gospel. We have experienced great miracles as our path intersects with those that are searching for the truths of the Gospel in their lives.

See the following link from on Elder Holland's recent visit to Brazil and Belo Horizonte.
https://www.lds.org/church/news/elder-holland-reports-brazil-is-a-nation-on-the-move?cid=HPFR082914380&lang=eng

Love to all,


Dad/Cliff