August 20, 2012
Dear Dad,
I really do enjoy your
letters, thanks a bunch for sending them.
I like the themes to them and how you get straight to the point. I shall attempt to do the same.
Outer
Darkness/Great Apostasy
Brasil, about 30 or 40 years
ago, was basically entirely Catholic, but in recent years, Evangelical and Pentecostal
churches have been taking over. I’m not
sure, but I think since I’ve arrived here, the demographic for Catholics have
sunk below 50% of the population. The
result is a huge number of different, unorganized churches. They are completely apostate, teaching the
philosophies of man, mingled with scriptures (principally scriptures referring
to tithing) 2 Nephi 26 – 30 are accurate
and descriptive of how things are here.
It’s a bit uncanny. I’m pretty sure when Nephi had this vision, he saw
Brazil. Especially accurate are 2 Nephi
26: 20 – 21; 28:1-15; 29: 3-10. Even
worse, next to our house three is an Evangelical church, and every other night
they have worship service, where everyone gets together and starts shouting and
screaming.
Telestral
Kingdom
Here in Brazil, I’m
picking up some good skills. I’m slowly,
but steadily, learning how to cook. I
now am a master of pancakes, brownies, omelets, and Ham and Cheese
sandwiches. Also, I’m getting pretty
good at Jimmy-riggin things. Thus far, I
have successfully (somewhat) repaired our washing machine and “water heater” (It’s not even close to being the same thing
in the US. It’s connected directly to
the shower heard). Along with these things, I’ve also gained a few skills
offering service to ward members, including using a weed whacker, changing a
doorknob and painting. Yes, I’m becoming
a more well-rounded person.
Terrestrial
Kingdom
Another thing that I’m
doing better at is the language. I’m
starting to like Portuguese better then English. A lot of things just make sense in
Portuguese. I’ve been working hard to
expand my vocabulary, and to eliminate my accent. As of now, the people think I’m Brazilian
until I open my mouth and start speaking.
I want them to think I’m Brazilian even while I’m speaking.
I’m starting to appreciate
more all of the things you and mom taught me, and the patience you had with
me. I meet a lot of people, and a lot of
families. There are LOT of families with
serious problems that I never had to deal with.
Firstly, this makes me extremely grateful for you. Thanks!!
Secondly, it gives me ideas of how I can one day be a good parent. It’s a fine thing….. (oops, I started writing
in Portuguese)
Celestial
Kingdom
I walk out of my house
here every day, and I already see lots of people on the street. They go to and from, trying to make their way
through life. Many of them are
suffering, are hungry, are lost. All of
them are my brothers and sisters. All of
them need the gospel, so that they can return to the presence of our Heavenly
Father. Who are the people that our
Heavenly Father has entrusted to bring them safely home? ME and Elder Woodruff. It’s a great responsibility -- one
of the greatest in the world. I’m so humbled to be a part of this work. We talk to people, we preach, teach, invite,
call to repentance, all in the name of Jesus Christ. The Lord gives us power and Authority through
the Spirit to do all these things.
One of the most exhilarating parts of missionary work is
to see how the Spirit works in myself and in others. I feel the promise of the Lord in D&C
100: 5-8, all the time.
D&C 100: 5 Therefore, verily I say unto you,
lift up your voices unto this people; aspeak
the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be bconfounded
before men;
6 For it
shall be agiven
you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say.
7 But a
commandment I give unto you, that ye shall declare whatsoever thing ye adeclare
in my name, in solemnity of heart, in the spirit of meekness, in all things.
8 And I
give unto you this promise, that inasmuch as ye do this the aHoly Ghost
shall be shed forth in bearing record unto all things whatsoever ye shall say.
A week ago Elder Woodruff and I visited a less
active member and her two sons, Mateus and Lucas, who aren’t members. It’s been a while since we’re been teaching
them. We’ve been working hard to get the
mom to quit smoking, but she hasn’t. We’ve
been working to get Mateus and Lucas to read and pray. We’ve been working hard to bring this broken
family together through the Gospel, but it hadn’t work. During this visit, the mom was still smoking,
and complaining to us about how her sons were delinquents, and her sons were
yelling and swearing at her. I didn’t
know what to do at all. I was about
ready to leave that place, and let future missionaries try to help them. There came a silence in the fighting and
swearing, and Elder Woodruff looked at me, waiting to see how I would proceed. I had nothing… until a few moments passed and
the thought came to me. The Book of
Mormon! I quickly took control of the
situation, and told everyone to get their Book of Mormons and open to 1 Nephi
1. And we read together. I helped Mateus and Lucas understand by
putting their names in the place of Nephi and Lehi. In the place of Jerusalem, I put
Guaraituba. We read the whole first
chapter and when we finished, I saw and beheld the powerful effect of the Book
of Mormon. The spirit was there. None of us had the desire to fight or swear,
but to learn about Christ. Elder Woodruff
and I bore testimony and invited them to read together as a family from the
Book of Mormon. Then we left.
The next time we passed by, they had all
calmed down a bit and had already read to 1 Nephi 4. Even better, yesterday Mateus and Lucas came
to church.
I know that this is the work of the Lord. I know through obedience and diligence, I will
have the holy Ghost with me. I know that
with the Holy Ghost, we can work miracles in the name of Christ, in the lives
of others. I know the Lord has sent me
here because he has a wise purpose in mind.
I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of
God, the most correct book on the planet, and that man will get closer to God
reading and following the precepts of the Book of Mormon than from those of any
other book.
The Church is the true and only Church of
Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is my master
and Redeemer.
Love Elder Twitchell
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