Hellloooo My Family!

This week was actually a bit tough for us. Monday night we had to fight to help out the two young couples. At first we noticed they weren’t having the best communication so we suggested it would be a better idea to live separately and learn to really date before living together. But later they decided that they’ll just get married, so we have their wedding planned for May. With Geraldo and Jorgilane we did another lesson helping them to forgive each other, we asked Geraldo to promise that he’ll stop drinking.... but he didn’t, so we all kinda gave up. I felt really bad that night. Not just for them, but also for all the other children that I see who are growing up in that environment where someday they will also have the dangers of addictions and other worldly things. It made my companion reflect as well. 

This week we gave a Training about working with the members. It was sad because we didn’t have as much time as I would have liked to prepare the training. (Since for much of the time I had been thinking about this subject, but had not organized my thoughts) It went well, and that day we had an exchange, with Elder Ordinola. It then dawned on me that our area is quite the example. That day we taught 5 couples, and every single one had something involved with a Member. My whole entire mission I have been taught to teach Men and Families and Couples... I have worked hard for that but it wasn’t always a reality.... now it is!! So I am very blessed for that, and it was great to show that to a new missionary so they can lift up their sights and work to have many families as well.

This weekend, with our Ward Mission Leader, Erivan, we decided to continue to work better with the members and to have a better relationship with them and really work to conquer their trust. This weekend we had Presidente Souza come and talk to the Palmares Ward (our neighbors, same chapel). We invited our members too... some of them went. But it’s getting better. Many members have told us how we are making a mark in the ward. That makes me feel good about our work.

So yeah, it’s going good! I am still loving the mission... it’s just weird having my end right around the corner... but I know I have served well, and that the Lord is happy with my 2 years... so I can go home if it is really His will. (But I’m sure deep down inside I’m really excited, I am just very good at keeping it under control, ha!)
Thanks for your emails and your prayers! 
until next week!

-Élder Cetraro

Olá!
Well, for the first time ever I am teaching a lot of couples. We have 3 couples that are actually kinda locked in to do the baptism. There is Fabricio & Antônia. They want to be baptized and believe in everything but are kinda lazy to repent.  We are being very patient with them, and they are slowly improving.

There are the parents of a recent convert, Joana & Gabriel. Basically they are super old and not married. One is disabled, a bit mentally and he doesn’t walk. But they like going to church.

The best is Leonardo and Cristiana, this one is a family.  They have a young 22 year old daughter with a baby that lives next door, a young man, Eric, who is 14 years old, and Yasmin, who is 10. They already know about the church a little. The first time we taught them they asked us to help them get married, and then on the second visit they asked us to be baptized as well! WOW! That’s rare! Ha, we’ve got to be patient with them as well  because usually it takes a month to do a marriage but I feel really honored when it comes to teaching a family, it just feels right you know?

Ha,and about prayer. I actually had this thought this last week. One thing I have learned a lot about prayer is like what you said, It’s not just words but meditating, and connecting spiritually. Something we always say when we teach prayer, when we say ”In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen”, it is "Nada vai ao Pai sem pelo Filho" Or nothing goes to the Father without going through the Son. We say that a lot but I never really stopped to think what it is saying. We know that through the atonement of Jesus Christ that spiritual death was overcome. Spiritual death is being separated from the presence of God. In prayer we have the privilege to speak with God, to break that separation, and to connect with him. But if it wasn’t for the atonement of Christ, this connection would not be possible, and we would be completely separated from God.

This thought really made me grateful for Christ’s atonement, but I know that one of my biggest spiritual pleasures that I have is the blessing of being able to talk with my Heavenly Father at any moment, in any place, at anytime. I am so grateful that I don’t have this gap between me and my Heavenly Father and I truly feel Him as a big part of my life. So I thank my Savior Jesus Christ now in my prayers that I can go to the Father through the Son.

I love you,  By the way today I am 16 months on the mission. That is TWO-THIRDS of the mission!!!
Wow... I am definitely over the hump now.
Cool huh?
Até mais!
Tchau!
-Elder Zachary Adam Cetraro