Happy Days, and Happy Transfers! from Maranguape

Hey, everybody! We received the transfer call last night, and Elder Langfoss and I will be staying another transfer here in Maranguape! That means that Elder Langfoss will have spent the first four transfers of his mission in the same area, amounting to six months of his whole mission here! Congratulations, Elder Langfoss!

This week was a little bit slower with our lessons and with the people that we're working with, but it was still a great week. We had a bit of a disappointment when the mom of a young man we were teaching, the mother in fact being an inactive member of the Church, said that she wants him to wait to be baptized. That was a bit discouraging, but we kept moving forward, and we look ahead to helping him be even more firm in the Church and in the Gospel.

We talked to a couple of people this week that went miraculously well. Romário, who is the brother of a member, is still excited about the Gospel, even though we haven't talked to him for weeks about it. He still feels that the Church is true, and that he wants to marry his girlfriend and be baptized. We are excited for him. Also, we taught another young man named Fabrício, and he really wanted to know if the Church is true. He was really excited, and I felt the Spirit so strong when we were talking to him.

As we learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and how He speaks to us personally and through His servants, the prophets and apostles, we learn and feel and are amazed and thrilled by His enormous love and concern and care for each and every one of us as His children. He wants us to be happy, and because of that, He has given us the support system that we need. That is why I am so excited for this weekend, where we will hear His word through His servants in General Conference. After all, the Lord has said to us that "whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same" (D&C 1:37-38). So, as we listen to His servants, we will hear His words, for the Lord speaks even in our day as He did of old.

Let us never forget the marvelous and glorious blessings we all enjoy and share, as children of a loving Heavenly Father, who wishes the very best for us, and fights and commands and cheers on our success. For when we are happy, He is happy; when we are sad, He is sad. And through it all, even in our imperfect state, He loves us, and wants us back. Because of that love, He has prepared a way that it may be possible through His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by Him (see John 14:6(5-6)). If we are willing to follow Him, obey Him, and do what He asks us to do, we will live again, together with our families, with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and we will come to know them in a way that is now for us not just impossible to comprehend, but incapable of our imagination to even grasp (see John 17:3). That is why we are here on earth, to return to Their presence, and enjoy and truly know the joy that they experience. We are here to become more like Them, and to help others as well along the way:)

I love you all so very, very much! Have a wonderful day, wonderful week, and a wonderful General Conference! If you want to watch it, just go to http://www.lds.org/general-conference?lang=eng. It will be something that you won't want to miss:)

With all of the love in my heart,

Elder Reid Powell Empey

The Weekly Update - From Maranguape, Cearà, Brasil!

Olá, todos vocês! Como estão indo as coisas lá em casa? Tá tudo bem? Um pouco molhado, né? Mas, com certeza tudo vai dar certo:) (Google Translate is nice, isn't it?)

I hope that everyone's week went well, and that your lives are awesome!

This week, some cool things happened. A young man that we were teaching named Vitor was at home, and we decided to invite his whole family to listen to the message also. We discovered that his mom is an inactive member of the Church! His aunt and uncle were also really interested, so we will continue teaching them, and help them to know that these things are true.

Also, a few weeks ago we were talking to two boys on the street who were going home from school. They told us where they lived, and that we could pass by. We went to Diego's house, but he wasn't home, so we instead went to the other's house, whose name is Gabriel. His grandma was home, and she let us come in and talk to them. We taught them about the Restoration, and in the middle of the lesson, Gabriel's cousin, Pedrina, walked in. She, too, listened to the message, and it appeared that she was interesed and understood the concepts that we were teaching. She is only 12 years old. We marked with them for us to pass by again another day. When we went back, basically no one was at home, except the grandma, who is around 70, and while she understood surprisingly well about the message the first time, she didn't seem to show much interest. So, we weren't sure if they were going to progress or even go to church.

Then, while we were walking near that area one day this week, we saw Pedrina on the street corner, waiting for her mom to pick her up. We asked her if she had prayed about what we said, and she said yes. Excitedly, we asked if if we could pass by her house and talk to her and her family. She agreed, and we marked a day. 

One the marked day, we went to her grandma's house, thinking that she would be there. Sadly, she wasn't, and her grandma said that she didn't live there, and lived on another road a little ways away. So, we left there without much direction except east, and I felt like we should go up on the next road and just walk down it and look around. So, we did. We walked, and eventually came to the end of the road, asking someone if they knew any Pedrina, and they said no, no one by that name lived on that street that they knew of. So, we turned right onto the next road, and asked the people at a house close by. They said that they knew who she was, and that we should just go back on that road, and ask where Telma lives, which is the name of Pedrina's mother. So, we did, and an older gentleman pointed out the house to us. We clapped at the front gate, and to our surprise and delight, Pedrina walked out! She let us in, and we asked her who was at home. She said just her and her little baby brother. We decided to mark for the afternoon to talk to her and her mom together. She said that would be alright, and we left to eat lunch.

After lunch, we went back, and Telma, her mom, go to the house just before we did. As we clapped at the gate, she greeted us, looking a little bit curious or even a bit suspicious. Thankfully, Pedrina came out, and told her mom that she knew who we were, and that we had talked to her before. We came in and sat down, and we found out that Telma had been taught by sister misionaries more than ten years ago in that same area! Apparently, she had gone to church for three or four years, but was never baptized, and then she stopped going. So, we found her again, and we will work with her these next few weeks to see how things will go!

I love this work. What a blessing to be able to work with the children of our Heavenly Father, to preach the truths of the Gospel, and to seek to help build the families here in Brazil, assisting them in their preparation to return to the presence of our Father in Heaven. I am so grateful for this chance, and for this privilege to serve. I hope and pray that I can be worthy, obedient, and prepared, so that the Spirit can guide us, and magnify our efforts, so that we can accomplish His work in His way, and with His help.

I love you all so very much! When we know the truths of the gospel, we come to realize what things in our lives are really the most important! As was said by a young convert to the Church speaking to President Hinckley, "It's true, isn't it?" After President Hinckley responded yes, the young man tearfully responded, "Then what else matters?" What a wonderful example of sacrifice and the conversion and the love and devotion that we develop when we seek to follow the truths that we learn of His Gospel, and His plan for us.

Have a wonderful week! Don't forget that General Conference is coming up, and that we will get to hear the words of God's living prophets here upon the earth. Please, all who read these messages, take advantage of this sacred and heaven-sent privilege, of receiving His word for us and for our day. For those of you who aren't members of the Church, you, too, are invited to hear their words, and to learn from their messages. You can even watch it live online at the Church website, at http://www.lds.org/general-conference?lang=eng. If you would like, you can even listen to messages than were given at the last Conference to see a little bit of what it will be like. You can download, watch, listen to, or read their messages at that same web address. If you have any questions, just talk to a member of the Church that you know, and I'm sure that they will be willing to explain more about it.

Love you all tons and scoops and kilos and liters and kilometers and all of the strange metric units that exist in this country and the world,

Elder Reid Powell Empey

What a Great Week from Maranguape

Hey, all!

This week was incredible:) We had some awesome experiences with fasting and prayer.

So, we were teaching Luis Henrique, who wasn't totally interested in the messages and a little bit shy. We stopped focusing a lot on him because we had other progressing investigators. Then, out of no where, his mom and his sister showed up at church! His mom's name is Socorro, and she was really interested in learning more about the Church. So, we started talking to them and teaching her. She accepted the messages, and was really liking everything. However, she was still feeling nervous and uncertain about leaving the Catholic Church and going through all of these changes. A big part, I think, of what was holding her back was that if she was never really active in the Catholic Church, what's to say that she won't go inactive in the Church of Jesus Christ as well? So, she was hesitant, yet willing to learn and to act. She said that she wanted to be baptized and to follow all of these things in her life, but that she still had this doubt, and didn't know how to get rid of it.

So, we did something that was suggested to us in the Zone Training earlier that week: we challenged her to fast with us. She accepted, with a little bit of hesitation, not knowing if she would be able to stand it for the full 24 hours. We don't usually think about this sort of difficulty where we live in the U.S., but here, in a tropical climate, it can be extremely hard on the body to go without food or drink for 24 hours in this heat and humidity, and for some it can even be dangerous. But, she accepted nonetheless, and we fasted with her. Actually, a few of the members fasted with us as well to show their support, their desire for her to accept the gospel, and their faith in the power of the Spirit.

We started the fast at lunch the next day, and went over to her house that night. She said that she wasn't even feeling hungry, nor the desire to eat or drink, and that the fast was going well. When I asked her about how she was feeling, she also said that her doubts and fears and uncertainties simply weren't there anymore! She felt calm, and confident, and was no longer feeling doubtful about acting. We invited her to be baptized that Sunday, and she accepted wholeheartedly. I was so happy:) We also invited her daughter, Ana Luiza, to be baptized with her mom, and she also accepted. She is eight years old:)

After their interviews, I was told that they had both asked that I baptize them:) So, I had the privilege of doing so yesterday after church.

During the talk that was given on baptism and being born again, Socorro began to cry. I knew that she was feeling comforted by the Spirit that she was making the right choice. After the baptismal service was over, I asked her how she was feeling, and she said, with a firmness and a confidence in her voice, "Good." Everyone says that when you ask how they're feeling, but the way she said it conveyed a certainty and a deepness of feeling. She then said, "I feel like I have truly made the right choice." I told her, "Yes, absolutely, without a doubt, you have."

Her friend Antonia is now one of her visiting teachers. Antonia had actually invited her to church many times, and we didn't have any idea about that while we were teaching her son, Luiz Henrique. So, now, we will try to teach him, too.

Socorro also stopped drinking coffee very quickly, and showed her faith by acting upon an invitation by representatives of Jesus Christ. She is an excellent example of why we, as missionaries, need to invite people to act. She wasn't sure what to do, but she was willing to act upon inspired invitations to live the commandments and to seek after the blessings of heaven for her and for her family. As someone extremely new in the church, she already has a testimony of the power of fasting in her life. When I think about that, I feel so happy and excited and pleased for her.

What a great work this is! If we rely on Him, and do what He asks us to do, we will be guided by His omnipotent hand, and we will begin to see literal miracles in our lives, "day by day" (Alma 37:40). We just have to do the "small and simple things" (Alma 37:6-7), and He will guide and bless us.

I love you all so very, very much! Never forget who you are, or the potential that you have, as you seek to be obedient to His word and His commandments. And try not to forget that we don't have to be perfect to receive those blessings! That's why we have repentance, as well as the Sacrament, to renew all of our covenants each week. Something interesting that I already had an idea about, but saw a direct quite about it, is that when we partake of the Sacrament, we don't just renew our baptismal covenants, but"all covenants entered into with the Lord" (Ensign, "Understanding Our Covenants with God", July 2012). This means that we renew batpismal covenants, priesthood covenants, covenants we make with our callings, missionary covenants, and all of our temple covenants. So, if we make any mistake, we can repent, and renew that covenant with the Lord. So, seek after His voice and His hand, and He will guide you for good.

I love you all so very much! Have a wonderful week!

With all the love in my heart,

Elder Reid Powell E

Quick Letter Home!

Hey, everybody!

This week was a bit of a slower week, but it was still insanely crazy because I passed one year on the mission on September 7th!!!!! Wow, this year has gone by so fast. I can't believe all the things that have happened, and that the time passes so quickly. I am excited for this next year, and for the things that we will be able to accomplish and learn. I pray that I can rely on the Spirit, and serve and obey as the Lord would have me do. He sure has blessed me, especially in these past few weeks:)

Things that have happened in this past year:

• I learned a different language: Portuguese! I'm still trying to improve every day, and it's nice to see that work paying off
• I learned how to survive in a foreign country (albeit supported by daily lunches in the houses of members and other things, but still, it's not that easy....)
• I have seen cockroaches, rats (HUGE rats), a tarantula, a weird small type of monkey that they have here in Ceará, among many other animals (did you know that the bees and wasps here don't have stingers? I freak out and wave them away while everyone just looks at me like, "What are you doing, you weirdo?" Good thing they don't really have that many wasps and bees here...)
• I have eaten many types of foods, including rampadura (I finally tried it yesterday, it's a Cearense candy), pop that is made from the fruit above cashew nuts (lots of people don't know that there's a fruit there, but there is, and they make pop out of it! It's amazing:) ), mangos, coconut water (I remember telling my dad when I was little that I wanted to drink coconut milk, and he said that is isn't that good. Well, Dad, you were right: it's not that great), among many other fruits and vegetables that don't exist at home in the U.S.
• Made 15 liters of root beer only to find out that basically everyone thinks that it tastes like tooth-paste and having the grand privilege of drinking at least 8 liters all by myself (oh, it was great. I had all the root beer I wanted, and no one was going to hog it from me!)
• Oh, two other types of drink I tried: chimarrão and tereré, which are both made from the same "weed-like" herb, yet chimarrão is common in Rio Grande do Sul, and is made with hot, hot, hot water, while tereré is more common in Manaus and Pará in northern Brazil and is made with cold, cold, cold juice, usually a type of lemon juice. So good:)

It's been quite the adventure, but the adventure isn't over yet! It keeps on going, and I can't wait for the awesome times to come. I am so grateful for the people that I have known, and for those who have decided to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ, being baptized, and becoming members of His Church here on the Earth. I am not anywhere near perfect, and I have so many things that I want to improve upon, and I know that as I rely on the Lord, and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost, I will be guided by Him, and be blessed and privileged to see others be baptized as well, those who are searching for the truth, yet "know not where to find it" (D&C 123:12).

I love you all so very much! Have a wonderful day, a wonderful week, and a wonderful time as the days keep on rolling along!

With all of my heart,

Elder Reid Powell Empey

Another Great Week from Maranguape

Hello, everybody! I hope that you all had a wonderful week.

This week was good. We had Zone Conference, which means great food and great trainings. I got to lead the music. We had four zones together, so about 80 misisonaries or more were there, along with President Souza, Sister Souza, the secretaries, and the assistants. One of the past assistants was called as a trainer, and the new assistant, is Elder Araujo, who I lived with for 3 months in Beira Mar! I love him tons, and I know that he is going to do a great job.

Andreline was baptized this week! Things went really well for her this week, and the baptism went smoothly. Her dad even came, although he was a little bit tipsy from drinking......we plan on helping him out and hopefully the whole rest of the family.

Also, there was an incredible lesson this week. A member named Vitória has a brother named Romário, and they live way far away in Columinjuba, which reminds me of home because it's in the middle of no where. Anyway, we were going to have to head out there for a 40 minute to and hour bus ride to teach him. Before this, we had an appointment marked with Andreline, but she wasn't at home. So, we headed back to the chapel, and who did we run into? Romário! He was on his motorcycle, just like the last time we saw him. We asked him if he was going to be home for us to head over there, and he said no, because he had some things that he had to do still in Maranguape. But, he said that he had some time right then to talk. So, we asked him if we could meet him over at the church and talk there, and he said sure.

We opened up the church, and he drove his motorcycle into the parking lot. We when in, and opened up the bishop's office. We started talking to him, and asked if he had prayed to know if the Church is true. He said that he had prayed, and received an answer that it is true! I then invited him to be baptized.

Usually when we invite people to be baptized, we ask them, "When you receive and answer and know that these things are true, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by someone holding the authority of God?" They usually say, "Well, if I receive an answer, yeah."

But, this time, he already knew that the Church was true. So, as I invited him to be baptized, I felt a strong spirit testify of the truth, and of what he needed to do. I said, "Because you know that these things are true, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized?" He responded, "Yes, I will." I felt the Spirit so strongly, and said, "We are preparing a baptismal service on _____. Will you be baptized on this day?" And he replied, "Yes, I will." I felt so happy, so excited, and my eyes teared up as I testified that I know that he had made the right choice, and that this Church truly is the true church here upon the earth.

How grateful I am for this Gospel, and the impact it makes in our lives. I love you all so very much, and hope that you have wonderful weeks, and wonderful experienes! Quoting President Uchtdorf, "Don't let a day go by without doing something to act on the promptings of the Holy Ghost." He will guide you in your daily lives as you seek His will with the real intent to follow it. You will be instruments in His hands for good, and you will bless the lives of many of His children.

I love you all so very, very much! Make it a great day! YOU ROCK!!

Love always,

Elder Reid Powell Empey

Weekly Greetings from a New Area! Maranguape!

Hey, all!

I got transferred! After spending just one transfer in Sitio São João, I have been transferred to the area Maranguape, which is a city in the "interior" of Fortaleza. Our area is huge, including two other cities as well. My new companion is Elder Langfoss, from Chicago, Illinois. He's my first American companion since I was being trained by Elder Call! Anyway, he has about 5 months, maybe a little bit less, on the mission. He told me that he doesn't want to speak any English with me, because he really, really wants to improve and master speaking Portuguese, so I'm going to do my best to help him achieve that goal! I am really excited for this transfer.

The family that went to church in my other area was not able to make it to church this past Sunday. Ayrton got a phone call saying that he would have to travel over the weekend for his work, and he was disappointed. In fact, he asked us, "Is it this hard for all people who try and follow the Church? Does everyone face this much opposition?" I hope and pray that they will be able to find ways to overcome the obstacles and the challenges, that they will be able to receive the blessings of the Gospel in their lives. The awesome thing about them is that they are actually interested, and willing to try to change, and to act upon the things that we're teaching them! I hope that everything works out.

I love you all so very, very much! I hope that you all have a great week, and that you can find joy in the journey.

With love,

Elder Reid Powell Empey

Elder Empey's Email

This week is the Powell Family Reunion, which is my mother's side of the family. This message is specifically geared towards them, but I hope that all will enjoy it, read it, and ponder its meaning for them personally.

As far as family reunion goes, I am trying not to be jealous, nor to think about the fact that you're all there together without me. I am so glad that you guys have this chance to have fun and enjoy one another's company. I cannot tell you all how much you have all influenced me for good, and the blessings that I have received because of your love and support and funness and craziness! Our family traditions have become a part of who I am, and who I want to be for my children, and I cannot tell you how much you all mean to me.

One of the things that has deeply affected my spirituality and my love and fond memories is our family songs, and all of the times that we have sat around a campfire (or in this family reunion, "camp stove", as my mom has informed me) singing our family songs. I remember looking to all of my aunts and older cousins who knew all of the words, and saw how much these special songs mean to us, and to our children. Singing has always been, and continues to be, a Powell heritage (and also to all those who marry into it:) ). As I have looked through the Powell Family Songbook that my mom sent me, I have felt and realized that these songs have become sacred to us, especially as we sing them in remembrance of our Grandad and Grandma Powell. They have become links that, I believe, literally cross the veil, that we can reach out to our beloved parents and grandparents and great-grandparents, just to hold on to their hand for a little bit, and say, "I love you. I miss you. I want so much to be with you. I will do anything to be with you again, and I do not want anything to get in the way of me living with you forever as an eternal family."

As we remember the love and the joy of our eternal family ties, we remember that when we sing praises to God through the sacred hymns of the Church, we feel and express these same sentiments in connection to our Heavenly Parents, and in gratitude and devotion to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We feel the desire to shout, "Oh, I will do anything to have these feelings forever, to return to Thy presence, to live in a fulness of joy and beauty and magesty for all eternity!" In the words of Lamoni's father, "I will give all my sins to know thee." We feel the desire to leave everything behind that could possibly keep us ack from returning to Him. These are the feelings that we experience as music, together with the Spirit, touches our hearts.

As we feel the love of God and the love of our family ties, we find the strength and the support that we need to endure to the end. We find the strength to overcome our fears and doubts with love and faith, and with the desire to live together forever. We feel that nothing is more important to us than those eternal relationships, "that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy" (D&C130:2). So, of all that I can say to my family on such a wonderful, fun, and happy occassion, I would encourage you to have as much fun as you can, sing as much as you can, laugh as much as you can, and only cry as much as is necessary and as is tolerable for your emotional stability:) Also, remember that as we keep the commandments, keep our covenants, and serve one another, we qualify to live together forever in glory.

Please, please, please do not let anything get in the way of that blessing. Nothing is more important, nothing is more significant, nothing has more of an eternal impact than the chance we have to live together, with our Father in Heaven, and be as He is. Nothing. I know that I want to live my life so that I can be with all of you forever, and I do not want that anyone is not there with us. Someone once said that heaven will not be heaven if the people we love are not there with us. As another once said also, "Salvation is an individual matter, but exaltation is a family matter." We need to remember that "we're all in this together" (I know, cheesy, random High School Musical quote...), and that we need to help one another to make it. We cannot do this alone, and we were never meant to. We need the support of our Savior Jesus Christ, and we need the support of one another. We have a responsability to help one another in times of trial, in times of need, and in times where we may be wandering from the path. And why do we have this responsability, and why do we act on this responsability? It's not because we have to, it's not because we are obligated to, it's not because our parents or our leaders will get mad if we don't do it, it's not for any of those reasons. We have this responsability because we love each other. We care for each other. And we remember the promises and the blessings in store for us if we are faithful. That knowledge, and that testimony, help us to act in the rescue of our loved ones. Sometimes, we all need rescuing, and it's okay if that's the case. The Lord Jesus Christ is our ultimate Rescuer, and each and every one of us needs His rescuing grace and power.

I love you all so very, very much. It is because of that love that I don't want anyone missing when we get there! I want us all to be there! Imagine what it will be like, to have everyone there! And, only for a millisecond and no longer, imagine what it would be like if we're not all there. Then, forget that last idea as quick as you can, and remember the first!

There is a quote from the last General Conference, by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, that I feel is appropriate: "So if you have made covenants, keep them. If you haven’t made them, make them. If you have made them and broken them, repent and repair them. It is never too late so long as the Master of the vineyard says there is time. Please listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit telling you right now, this very moment, that you should accept the atoning gift of the Lord Jesus Christ and enjoy the fellowship of His labor. Don’t delay. It’s getting late."

I don't want to preach a sermon, but I want you all to know that God lives. He is our Father. And through His Son, Jesus Christ, we receive forgiveness from our sins, relief from our burdens, and the power to overcome the world. Yet, most important, through His Atonement, we can be filled with His love for one another, and through His priesthood power and authority, we can be sealed together forever in a family unit. Never forget how important that sealing is. Never lose sight of the temple as a goal and as a often-frequented haven. Wouldn't it be a wonderful goal to have everyone there at the temple, maybe even during these few days that you are all there together? Maybe that isn't totally realistic for this exact week, but maybe in future family reunions! All it takes is preparation! And not just the planning that we need to do with getting scheduled at the temple and the carpooling, but the preparation that it takes to be worthy to hold a temple recommend. I challenge all of you to ponder about these things, and listen to the promptings of the Spirit, and the desires of your heart. Remember the way you feel as you sing the family songs, and remember Grandad and Grandma, and think about if you would like to feel those feelings forever, and be with them forever.

I love you all so very, very much. This Gospel is the True Gospel of Jesus Christ. No matter where we are, or who we are, whether those of you who are reading this are not at the family reunion this week, or you aren't even a member of our family, please know that these blessings are available and intended for all, without exceptions, without anything held back. Our Heavenly Father lives, and He wants each and every one of us to return to Him. I encourage all of you to ponder upon this, and then to act upon the feelings and promptings that you receive.

Have a wonderful week! Sing lots of songs, have lots of fun, and remember that these feelings aren't meant to end, not even after this life!

With all the love in my heart and soul,

Elder Reid Powell Empey