The Last Transfer

foto Diogo

I'm officially going to spend my last 6 weeks in Santa Marta! I'll get a new comp tomorrow, Elder Lundrigan from California, so I'm excited!

1. A great week to be in Santa Marta
What a great week we had here! I was happy to hear that Daniel (a man that I originally made contact with 6 months back when we helped him with a moving project) and his family of 4 all got baptized in Salgado Filho this week! I was super proud of our zone for having 10 baptisms this week and 16 on the month! At our zone conference President Louza threw up our mission's numbers, then compared it with "a zone that´s doing big things" to show our true potential. I´m proud of the hard working missionaries we have!

2. Life in the vila
This week we were teaching a kid who's come to church 3 times in the "vila" where life conditions aren't great. As we were teaching, his mom´s ex-husband showed up and they started yelling and fighting, and he pulled out a knife and threatened to kill her, all right in front of us. We tried to calm down the situation but we felt that it was best for our safety just to leave. Life in the vila is always interesting! I have some fun mission stories to tell at least!

3. FHE and the Book of Mormon
This week we had 3 family home evenings with members to help them get to know our recent converts and investigators, and it´s a guaranteed way to bring a great spirit into the room. Always remember to have FHE folks! I see the blessings it brings into people's lives. I finished the Book of Mormon this morning too and I can say without doubt that it is the most correct book on earth, and it's the best way to come closer to our Savior Jesus Christ and feel lasting peace in our lives.

The Church is true, the Book is blue!

Love you all!
Elder Rawson

my customized license plate

the Bishop and his family

our powerful DLs,

Young Men group visits

Elder Luz and Elder Vieira- they´re heading home

zone conference

FHE with a bunch of kids!

The Borba Family

group

Moisés & his family

Hey Elder, Can we Give a Blessing to our Cat?

1. A week to remember
What a week it´s been. The mission is absolutely amazing! The church was packed this week and we had 10 investigators present, so I`m as happy as can be. We have a solid teaching group, God´s elect that He put in our path. The blessings are raining down in Santa Marta!

The funniest thing  that happened this week was a call we got from our recent converts, Roger and family, asking if they could give a blessing to their sick cat. LOL.  At least he was trying to use his priesthood, right?!

Also the water in Santa Maria got contaminated and we´re not supposed to drink it cause lot´s of people are getting sick. I chug water cause it´s hot here, but we've been blessed and everyone's okay!

2. The Spirit guides us
We really are so protected as missionaries! Last week our FHE with Luiz ended after dark, but we felt that it would be good to walk him home instead of going straight home. Well we found out that that very night a crazy man was on the street with a machete exactly on the route we would of taken home, but since we took Luiz home we didn't even pass close by!

Also on Friday a member told us that there was a job opening at a restaurant, and if we knew anybody who needed a job that he had an opening! Not 2 hours after our investigator told us he needs a job! I could clearly see the hand of the Lord helping us. Cool stuff.

Well I`m super happy with how my mission is going. I've seen lots of changes in myself and in our mission since I got here. I´m eternally grateful for this opportunity to serve my Master!

#50Days

Elder Rawson
Ether 4:18-19

Our District

Where the Magic Happens

My Study  Desk

A cool sunset

Tomorrow the Lord will do Wonders Among You

1. A great week on the job
I'm super happy with how everything is working out here in Santa Marta! This week we were happy to see Luiz and Ferreira get baptized! It was my first baptism of an elderly(70), but teaching him was a fun experience! Luiz is Alessandro´s friend who´s been coming to church for a while, and he´s excited to receive the priesthood and go to the temple with the YM next month. We have a good group of people to teach so I'm a happy missionary!

 Ferreira on his Baptism Day

Luiz on his baptism day

The Baptism

2. Surprise house checks
On Wednesday morning we were doing our daily planning when we got a knock on the door- President & Sister Louza! They did a surprise house check and interviews, and everything was in order so we were happy! I´m always inspired by President Louza and his pure desire to follow Christ and help our mission. It´s a privilege to have them as my parents for these 2 years!

All smiles with Pres. & Sister Louza after we passed our surprise apartment check!

3. Family home evening
We've been doing a lot of family nights with our members to help befriend our converts and investigators. We put up a FHE calender in the church so that´s been useful. Monday the family Borba invited Roger & Marcieles family over and Thursday Daniel & Lidiane invited Luiz over. A short message, a fun activity, and food wins the hearts of everyone!

FHE with the Borbas

FHE with Daniel

I´m incredibly grateful for the atonement of my Savior Jesus Christ. Through him we can overcome spiritual and physical death. I know that if we dedicate ourselves to study the Book of Mormon daily that the heavens will open to us!

Elder Rawson

Everybody go read 3rd Nephi 18:32 #MinisterLikeChrist

The Santa Maria Games

1.Let the games begin!
This week our zone started a competition to see who can have the most lessons, baptism invites, new investigators, people at church, etc. Everyone is fired up, cause I promised pizza for whoever wins at the end of the transfer! It´s pretty fun and is motivating everyone  to work a little harder to be a little better! On Friday we won "lessons with a member present" cause our ward provided a member to be with us for all of our 9 lessons that day! I love serving my zone and doing my best to help them reach their potentials.

2. The Work is hastening
I´m absolutely so happy with everything that´s happening right now! I've been on a spiritual high and I`m loving it. We are teaching a young man, Luiz, who's been coming to church for a while and his parents are going to let him be baptized! Also a member's dad, Ferreira, has been coming to church for a few months, but because of his old age he does not understand a lot, but his baptism was also authorized and he's pumped! Our couples are getting ready for their weddings and baptisms next month as well. The more time I spend on my mission, the more I feel that the worth of souls truly is great in the eyes of God!

I´m grateful for every minute that I have to be a missionary. Time is winding down and I´m not too excited about it... You feel things as a missionary that only God understands, and I´m going to take advantage of every moment I have! I know that this is Christ´s restored church, that we are led by a living prophet, and that anyone who doubts that can read the Book of Mormon and know for themselves.

Love,
Elder Rawson

1st Nephi 3:15

Lyfe in da hood

churrasco!!

lunch with my little friends

A water tower

Irmã Terizinha who has read the Book of Mormon 70+ times!

Conference - A Spiritual Treat for All

1. Revelation is real
What a general conference! I think all who watched could feel the great spirit that radiated from these inspired men! The changes that happened just confirmed to me that we have a church that has a living prophet that receives continual revelation. As he was speaking on Easter morning my heart was profoundly touched, and I know without doubt that he is God´s mouthpiece in these last days. All those who humbly listen to the teachings of these men will feel the same.
When I was at home I always laughed a bit at the talks from the leaders from other countries who have accents. It´s easy to think 'isn´t there an American who could speak instead?' but now that I`m here in Brazil I see the difference. You guys don´t know the joy these people have when they see a church leader from their country give a talk! When Elder Soares (Brazilian) was called apostle everyone was thrilled! This is a world wide church and I`m grateful to have inspired leaders!

2. The temple- a blessing for all
So we´re teaching a super cool family, Alisson and Leticia, who´ve been coming to church for a while and are getting ready for their wedding & baptism. We felt inspired to teach them about temples and ordenances for the dead, and what a great lesson it was! Leticia told us she had prayed 2 days earlier that her family and ancestors could have the same happiness as she has had learning about the Restored Gospel, and that we were an answer to her prayer.
I know the temple is chainlink between us and God, and that we need to make it our personal goal to actively participate in this glorious work!

With love,
Elder Rawson

3 Nephi 18:32 "minister like Christ" must read!

General Conference on a rainy day

an Easter selfie for y´all!:)

The best Members Ever!

Diane and Crew

My tie collection hit 36 this week

Pizza - a missionary favorite!

Seila and the crew- Great family!

Pictures I gave our recent converts. After each baptism,
I print the picture, put it in a frame, and give it to the new members.