Elder Jonathan Engle 02/09/2015 It´s a Tie!

It´s a Tie!

Dear People of Earth,

As you are all seeing by these lovely photos, ties here are pretty cheap. These ties are from a company called Eternal (translated of course) which makes a pattern of tie that only exists here. These ties make me very happy. I also bought a light military cord net which will be great to use for camping after the mission. It feels like I´m floating when I use it.

Attached are also photos of the baptism that we had this week. In relation to this baptism, I want to emphasize the importance of members in missionary work. Members are more important in missionary work than the missionaries in my opinion, or at least in many aspects, that is the case. This family was prepared by here boyfriend for two years before we met her. I met her two weeks ago. She quickly confirmed her testimony of The Book of Mormon. Our ward is integrating her perfectly, and without a doubt she will make a difference here.

When the members do their missionary work, that´s when this work makes sense. That´s when it becomes natural. Two young men in the street challenging someone to be baptized isn´t the most natural way to preach the gospel. A member family inviting their friends for a well-planned family home evening with the missionaries present is much more natural.

Elder Jonathan Engle 02/02/2015 Let´s Meat Together

Note from Parents:

Growing up, Jonathan always enjoyed and did well in English classes. However, he is now using only Portuguese on his mission. Months ago he mentioned that he was having trouble communicating in English and asked us to overlook and forgive any mistakes he may be making. This we are doing. Nevertheless, we couldn’t help but chuckle when we read the subject line of his February 2^nd letter: “Let’s Meat Together” instead of “Let’s Meet Together.” We know his English will improve when he returns from his mission.

********************************************************************

Let´s Meat Together

Dear People of Earth,

I love the Lord. I want to make that very clear. I love God.

Now that that´s out of the way, let´s talk about why. Story time: This entire last week we spent giving and receiving trainings in the Mission. We finished with three hours to work Saturday night. We did everything we could to help our best investigators assist a baptismal service that happened. One of them came, but the baptism was canceled. We had a lesson in the Sacramental Hall instead. It was very well focused. It happened like this: "Hey, we have bad news: The baptism was canceled." Boyfriend of the investigator, "That´s okay. We have news. Hey love, tell them the good news." Investigator: "This next weekend will be me and my son´s baptisms!" Talk about straight to the point!

It was incredible because we did nothing in our area. In spite of that, the Lord blessed us with many miracles, for which I am very grateful. Also, there were various experiences very spiritual.

Love,

Elder Engle

P.S. Attached are photos of where we had lunch this last Saturday. It was a paradise. We got off the bus in the middle of nowhere. It´s quiet there, which is something absolutely beautiful. Sweet, sweet silence.

Elder Jonathan Engle 01/28/2015The Corinthians Live!

The Corinthians Live!

Dear People of Earth,

Good morning Brothers and Sisters. Due to a very busy week with various meetings, I´m emailing today. As an important announcement of this email, I´m attaching a photo declaring my soccer allegiances. Yes, they are oficial, concrete and immovable. Similar to a book in the Bible, I´m a fan of the Coríntios. With the most loyal fan base in the world, there´s no way I couldn´t have been a fan of them. It was necessary to leave very clear to all unbelievers; Coríntios is the path. Thank you.

One of these days this week I spoke with a man who was shoveling sludge from his gutter. He invited us to enter in his home and speak with him. We spoke for a good while about his work and our time was running short. We talked about how the Gospel blesses families and asked him to call in his whole family. In came a wonderful wife to whom he´s married along with five sons. I spoke with the Mom about how when an entire family baptizes in the right place, everybody together, that family is so much stronger. She agreed and marked to baptize the entire family. It was incredible how a casual conversation in the street led to meeting an elect family that will make part of the Kingdom of God here on the Earth soon.

It´s a blessing to obey the commandments of God. For my scriptures of the week, I´d like to leave a classic combination of two scriptures that establish the foundation for the doctrine of obedience and blessings. May we remember that all blessings come from God in accord with our obedience to His Eternal laws. May we remember the importance of obedience in having a happy life is my humble invite to you all this week, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Doctrine and Covenantes 130:20-21

 20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

 21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.

Doctrine and Covenantes 82:10

10 I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.

P.S. The second photo is a photo of the leadership of the zone Teresina Horto.

Elder Jonathan Engle 01/19/2015 The other day.

The other day.

Dear People of Earth,

The other day, Elder Gomes and I spoke with a very kind woman. While conversing, I had to answer our cell phone. When I finished, their conversation was already over. I was so happy to talk with such a good person that I became very gullable. Elder Gomes said that she´s Bill Gate´s cousin. I was skeptical. I didn´t fully accept or reject the idea. I was very skeptical. How could Bill Gate´s have a cousin so kind and yet so poor here in the Northeast of Bazil!? Then I reasoned, I had heard stories that Bill Gates doesn´t even pay allowance to his children, so maybe he abandoned his cousin here. Then I realized how gullable I was... Elder Gomes is persuasive...

Anyway... This week I felt many trials falling upon me. In the midst of these specific challenges, the lyrics from the second verse of How Firm a Foundation really hit it home for me.

"In ev'ry condition--in sickness, in health,

In poverty's vale or abounding in wealth,

At home or abroad, on the land or the sea--

As thy days may demand, as thy days may demand,

As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be."

I know that it is Jesus Christ who succors us. In the midst of my personal challenges, it is He, the living Savior and Redeemer of all whom succors me individually, so much for me as for each and every one of you. He lives. This is our message. He lives and His Church lives as well. Come and see.

With Love,

Elder Engle

P.S. This is just a picture of me on our street. I´m still losing weight, so I´m really skinny.