17 Aug 2015 - 100 more days till I´m home

Hey mom!

This week was pretty fun! We worked hard and really showed our stripes for the Savior! After several weeks of hard work, God was merciful in bringing 8 investigators to church for us. I´ll admit that it´s been a while since I´ve been this happy. I know that even though there is only 100 more days till I´m home, I really want to keep going! I want to go out baptizing! I´m not afraid to say what is the truth and share it with others! My dear President has certainly been chosen by Christ Himself to be my President so that I could learn and deliver my heart to the Savior. There are moments which are difficult, but (as I´m sure I´ve already said before) these difficulties make me who the Savior wishes me to be. I can literally see the miracles happening in the lives of these people. I´ve come to understand more of the fifth commandment in the ten. "Honour thy"..parents. We´ll I´ve found new meaning in thinking of my Heavenly Parents. What would they want me to do? 

In other news, There´ll be a leader´s conference in one of the farthest places in the mission call Juazeiro do Norte. it´s almost in another state and I´ve been invited with my comp to be there. Elder Neil. L. Anderson will be there. We´ll be leaving on the 26 of augost by bus and we´ll arrive 14 hours later. the 27th we´ll have the conference! I´m sooo excited!

I hope you may stay close to the Savior. President Fusco said something interesting in a recent stake conference:  

-Cristo é lindo, é forte, precisamos levar Ele para as outras pessoas,

E OS NOSSOS MISSIONÁRIOS O CONHECEM!!!!

English:

Christ is Beautiful and strong. We need to present Him to others.

AND OUR MISSIONARIES KNOW HIM!!!!

I love you all!

Elder Padilla

"Yeah we made tacos...more or less...kaka"

"Almost a year after! Gildemar, Vânia, and Karol!"

"I got full at my RC house!"

10 Aug 2015 - miracles happen everyday

Dear mom, 

This week was great. We helped a lot of people get pumped for being baptized! It´s amazing to see the miracles happen everyday. I think one of the things I love most here is that After doing my best and being as obedient as I can be,I feel good inside. This feeling can´t be bought and it´s difficult to continue with it, but when I´m working hard and doing what I know I should be doing I just fill up with joy for this week. I´ve seen my priorities change a ton and then I see some of the newer missionaries in the spot that I was when I started. 

I´m super grateful for the difficulties that come. I´m not too happy when it´s hard, but when I´ve made it through I look back and see how much stronger I´ve become because of that experience. 

After about 6 months without hearing anything, my Recent-convert, Gildemar, Showed up to church in our ward to visit!! I was sooo excited!!! The bishop came tooo!!!! I was sooo glad to see them and see how much they´ve grown!

We also went to the grocery store called the "Atacadão" ...which is like Costco! Love it! but they don´t have bags and all the boxes were out...soooo...we put all our stuff- as much as we could fit- in our shoulder bags and the rest we kinda found boxes on the side of the road ...in the end it worked out...but I was way tired afterwards!!

Across the street we went to get our monies from the airport...I don´t know if I told you that or not, but yeah....it´s right there!

My district leader, Elder Chester, Is going home in 3 weeks and is already straightening his suitcases...kakakaka!

I love you all! 

Elder Padilla

"it doesn´t look like it, but really they´re just bursting with joy inside! hahaha"

"so close yet...getting closer...hahaha"

"It´s sooooo close!"

3 Aug 2015 - parrot fell from the sky

Dear mom,

Things are great here. It´s great to hear from the old missionaries from the ward, Although I haven´t met many of them! I´m super psyched that you saw E. Massey and E. Snell and E. Black! they´re some funny guys! say hello if you still have contact with them.

Yeah so this week we were looking for some inspiration and as we were searching a parrot fell from the sky. I picked it up and a lady said he lives in a nearby tree. Then whenever we pass by there he recognizes us and does a cat call several times...hahahaha! So we got that new friend here! 

This week though, I could understand a little better about the need we all have to repent and do that which we can on this earth. We need to be "spiritually minded" to inherit "life eternal"!

The many things which happen in one day are too many to count, but I really feel that I´m helping myself more than I thought that I would before the mission. 

I hope all is well there! Hugs and kisses for most....hahaha just kidding for all!

Love,

Elder Padilla

""Como inciar a hablar español""

"yeah so somebody painted a big Y in our apartment! i wonder what it stands for...hahaha"

"in the pj´s....sometimes it gets cold...like 80-ish degrees in farenheit...."