April 16, 2012

So today is Elder Vieira's last pday on the mission. This Wednesday I will have a new companion, I'm still not sure who it is yet but I will for sure have somebody else this I do know haha. It has been an extremely fast and amazing 6 weeks. It stinks that I only was able to have him as a companion for 6 weeks and not any longer, but everything has its purpose. I have learned a ton from him and he really has helped me to teach a lot better and just be an overall better missionary in a lot of aspects. For the first while I was kind of just floating around and it wasn't a big deal that I was baptizing. But from talking with him and seeing the thoughts at the end of the mission I see just how important it really is to help people come unto baptism. It is the key to the door into heaven. And there only exists one key, not that that means every baptism is the same key, thats not how it works. The true and only baptism or key is on the earth today with the power of God, or the Priesthood that was restored to the Earth through Joseph Smith. We can't take a plane to Japan and get to France. Just like we can't just take whatever path, whatever doctrine and get to God's Kingdom. There exists one true path on Earth today that will get us into God's Kingdom. There exists one true path on Earth today that will get us into God's Kingdom. And it is through the power and authority of the Priesthood.

This week has been a tough one with lots of challenges in our paths, but I wouldn't have it any other way. We have learned how to face the challenges and do the best we can to confront them. I look forward to continuing to face challenges throughout the rest of my life. Life's not easy or fair and never will be. But we can learn from our experiences and become better people everyday. But we can learn from our experiences and become better people everyday. I think and hope that I'm becoming a better person and a better member of God's true church on the Earth. I'm working hard and doing my best to bring the gospel to the most people that I can, this is a "great and a marvelous work" (D&C 4) and it will never stop. We need to do the best we can to bring it to the most people we can. The mission is just a small 2 years of my life and will not be the end of helping others. It's weird to see and be with someone who is finishing their mission. I don't look forward to it, having to say "this is the last time..." it can't be a good feeling. I don't even want to imagine it, but its tough when its right with you. I see Elder Vieira packing his bags and having his last Sunday in church and its sad. Its too great being a missionary and serving the Lord. But everything has its purpose. God is over everything, nothing happens without His knowledge.

Eu Te Amo!

Elder Gleason

P.S. D&C 101:8 and 1 Nephi 15:11

First Baptism Pictures!

Elder Gleason, Fagner, Elder Vieira

Elder Gleason with Fagner's family and Elder Vieira

Elder Gleason and Fagner, who was baptized on Saturday

April 9, 2012

1st Baptism!!!!!!!!!!!

But I'll start off with the non spiritual stuff first haha. Today was Elder Vieira's second to last p-day and he had to go into the center of Sao Paulo to have some training stuff to know how to be a normal person again. But after that we went to the buffet, or here they call it churrascaria or something like that, its ridiculous. It makes any buffet in the US look like crap. All the beef you could ever imagine and then some. And they have fruits, and the pizza there are amazing. And then after all of that, the best desert pizzas I've ever eaten. Basically I gained a good 10 lbs just from lunch today. Not literally but it sure feels like it right now. I can't feel my stomach its just pain haha. But soooooooooo good.

Anywho now for the better more important stuff. This past weekend has been the most spiritual weekend of my life without a doubt. It started on Saturday with my FIRST BAPTISM!!!!! It took long enough, but with work comes blessings. And I am trully blessed to have had the oppurtunity to teach this young man the gospel. His name is Fagner and he's 18 years old. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I can't ever imagine forgetting it. The spirit was so strong throughout the entire baptism, just pulsing through me. Elder Vieira baptized him and after the baptism when they were changing out of wet clothes Elder Vieira said that Fagner couldn't explain how he was feeling but just felt free. I asked him after how it was and he said brilliant. Thats it, he didn't have words words to explain it. It was an amazing experience and I can't wait to have more like it. He's already even talking about serving a mission after the 1 year of being a member. So awesome!!! We have seen him change drastically and he is such an awesome example with an amzing vision on life and the gospel.

Then on Sunday, EASTER, we had a great sacrement mtg. Elder Vieira gave his last talk on the mission and it was fantastic on the resurection of Jesus Christ. We need to focus on the fact the Christ lives and not the fact that he died on the cross. Of course His sacrifice for us is inexplainable, but He also gave us the gift of eternal life when he was resurected after 3 days. We must remember that Christ lives, and praise a living Christ not just His death. But the whole day of church was just filled with the Spirit flowing through me. Theres no words to explain the feeling of the Holy Ghost in my life, words don't even describe these feelings. But I gained an even stronger testimony of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that He provided the way for me to live eternally with my family. I know that it is only through Christ that we can be saved, there is no other path. He left one path and we have the choice to follow or not. I love my Savior with all my heart and I couldn't be more happy than to be here serving Him and His church for these 2 years of my life. I can't and don't want to imagine what these 2 years would be like without the mission. I see myself changing and loving the gospel more and more each day. I look forward to preaching about my Savior and doing all I can to help others know His True Church more and more. I love the peopleof Brasil and I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

And of course I love you all. My love for my family increases everyday as I learn to love others my love for my family increases everyday as I learn to love others my love for my family increases even more. I don't know where I'd be without them and the gospel in my life.

Eu Te Amo!

Elder Gleason

Pictures!

Elder Gleason and Elder Williams for the last time as companions

One of the "smaller" hills in the area where he is serving

First time Elder Vieira ever ate a Take 5

JR says, "Cool picture with our sweet 3 fold mirror"

English General Conference

April 2, 2012

And the 7th month mark has passed. What the flip is happening?! I don't understand how the time is going by so quickly!

Anywho this past week was awesome! We met a man and taught him the same night, and then the next night we went again and he had read 128 pages of the Book of Mormon!! Like whattttt just happened. In less than 24 hours he read so much! And as we read some stuff with him on the second night he was like mark that mark that. It was so awesome! People trully have been prepared by the Lord to receive the true gospel! At the beginning of the first visit he said to us that he wasn't going to another church unless it was the true church. Well what do you know. We were there with the true church! Gosh its so awesome to be a true messenger from Heavenly Father. I'm not just a missionary, but I'm a representative of Jesus Christ and a TRUE messenger from God. That one small 4 letter word makes all the difference in the phrase.

Also, Genereal Conference was this past weekend and man was it great! President Thomas S. Monson most definately is a prophet called by God. There is no way to deny it, just not possible. So I watched 4 sessions in English with all the other American missionaries here in this area and then the Priesthood Session at 6 am in the morning in Portuguese. What a duo huh? First of its wayyyy early and then I have to work a little harder to understand everything that is being said. I did understand it all, but its harder to take notes on it at the same time.

One tak that I loved was from President Henry B. Eyring about faith. He said, "Acting on even a twig of faith allows God to help it grow." Such a great quote. We need to do this everyday of our lives. Act with faith and let God help us along the way with the rest. That is what I invite people to do everyday and invite you to do every Monday. Act on a twig of faith, read the Book of Mormon and pray about it and let God fill your hearts with the truth through the Holy Ghost. I know that this past weekend we had the oppurtunity to listen to a living Prophet, called of God. Our very own Moses in our day, and his Apostles. I have no doubt that God answers our prayers and that the Holy Ghost will manifest the same truth to each and every one of us. There is no second path. God is one God with one faith and one doctrine. Don't just believe in my words, but test it out and act on your twig of faith and let the Holy Ghost fill your lives with happiness. I know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is God's Kingdom here on Earth. That through the covenants of promises we make we can receive all the blessings that he has in store for us.

Eu Te Amo!!

Elder Gleason

P.S. Moroni 9:25-26 and Alma 32:28