December 2, 2015

Hi My Dear Family,

Today has been a good day thus far.  When we are busy, we are so much happier.  Sitting around gets old real fast.  We so appreciated the last few emails from our family as they were inspired and really helped us a lot.  Grandma Benson said something about our sacrifice and then said, “But that is what it is all about.”  That really struck a chord in me and it made me think that it is ok to sacrifice, it is part of coming closer to Christ.  So reading the emails was a jump start to our day (Wed).  Then right after we got over here to work, I heard a familiar voice, very familiar.  It was Elder Mazzagardi standing by the elevator next to our office talking to Jr. and looking for us.  I jumped up and well, it was neat for mom and I to see him.  I guess that Jr. told him that we had been here for over two weeks and he hadn’t seen us, so he came this morning.  Mom showed him our family calendar and he enjoyed that. 

I met a young man who has been an exchange student in the USA and wants to return and study and play soccer.  We had a good visit.  His name is Matheus.  He isn’t a member yet, but I have contacted Southern Virginia University about him.  He is taking the SAT this Saturday, so he must be serious about it.  I then talked to a Stake Pres. about one of his bishops.  It was a sad but promising story.  He lost his job, decided to go back to school for some better training, and is currently working as a Motoboy, the guys on motorcycles who take things to different businesses, etc. all over the city.  A pretty humbling job for a man with a family, but he is doing his best and as the stake pres. said, “At least he is bringing in some income.”  He has been released as bishop as he just didn’t have the time.  I think that was the right thing to do as family must come first.  I have never been without a job like that.  It would be frightening to experience.  I am gaining a lot of empathy for the economic situation down here.  Many members and other Brazilians in the very south are finding jobs in Uruguay, that according to another stake president I visited with from the city of Uruguaiania uin RG do Sul.  

Yesterday, Sister Cox who gives counsel to the young missionaries was talking to me about missionaries who are so hyper because they don’t have any outlet.  I told her that I could write up a fitness program that could be done in their apartments with no special equipment that might help.  She is already using it and sending it to the missionaries.  I wrote a out a very detailed workout, two pages, and I felt great because I was doing something I enjoy and also that it might actually bless someone’s life. 

We also went to the 9:00 a.m. temple session.  Mom sat with Sister Hale.  It was wonderful to go back to the temple.  It felt like coming home with no cares in the world but to be in the House of the Lord.  I met a man who was wiping his eye in the hallway and I asked him if he hurt himself and he said, “No, just emotion.”  Some time ago he met a sister whose first husband had been abusive to her and they divorced.  This sister then met a wonderful man, but she was sealed to the other man.  The temple official just happened to sit by her and hear the story.  He directed her to visit the Temple President.  So, she just received from the First Presidency a cancellation of the first sealing so that now she can be married to a really good man.  That was a very emotional experience for the temple officiator.  On top of that, I found out that I served in Penha here in SP exactly when this man was a member of the ward and right when he first got married.  We all knew the same people from Penha but didn’t remember each other.  I told him to chalk it up to age and 42 years since Penha.  But it was neat to talk to him.

I love all of you very much.  I know the Lord lives and directs this work.  He helps us help others every single day and especially if we are in tune and listening to His promptings.  It happens every single day and is unmistakeable.

Love You All Eternally,

DAD