Londrina August 15, 2011

August 15, 2011
Hiyah Mommy!
This week has been really great! I hope everything is going just swell on the cruise! I will be needing many pictures of the happenings there! So, to answer your questions: Yes, the move is a permanent situation. Elder Thiago and I are still together as Assistants, we just moved houses. I feel lots better in the new house and I like the area better and everything as well! Today are transfers and I will stay on as assistant for at least six more weeks.
So, this week we had 2 baptisms in our ward. It is a great area and I am really excited. The two who were baptized are children of less-active members who became super excited and are coming back to church now. Gustavo (9) and Vitória (12)! They were miracles and everyone in the ward was super happy to see the baptisms and reactivations happen! WE had another miracle as well. Last Sunday a woman named Rafaela went to church with us and LOVED it. The following day we had a family night with her and some members. The spirit was super super strong and when we got back home we said, “Rafaela will ask us to be baptized the next time that we teach her.” It was truly a prophecy because the next lesson we taught her she asked to be baptized! She had read the Book of Mormon until 2 Nephi and had a dream/vision that she was being baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ! It was sooo awesome! The only problem is that when her step-parents found out she wanted to be baptized they practically kicked her out of their house. She is living in a small city outside of Londrina that doesn´t have a church yet, but she says she will keep coming back on the weekends to go to church and she will be baptized soon! She will need our prayers!
After that we were sent to Maringá because they were having lots of trouble to baptize there. We worked there 3 days and found an amazing family that will be baptized next week along with 2 more people and also helped the Elders there to have 3 baptisms this past weekend! It was nothing but miracles and super strong spirit! (And sleeping a lot on tile floor :) ) The church and ward in Maringá is super awesome. I would like to work there sometime. The ZL’s were a little bummed that their baptism fell through, but that night we had another revelation. Elder Thiago and I said, “it’s too bad that the baptism didn´t work out, but tomorrow in church, someone will randomly come who has already been to church twice and is super interested in the church.” And that is exactly what happened! A woman named Raquel went to church with us and we taught her and she loved it and accepted all of the commitments! Super awesome! I guess my testimony this week is that the spirit of revelation is real and that the promise in Alma 17 is true that he that seeketh diligently will be reveal great things! The church is super true and the spirit will always guide us is we are worthy!
Today and tomorrow will be crazy because we have to help with transfers. Yeah! The final great news from this week is that we broke our record again for baptisms in a single week! This week we ended with 47 baptisms! 47 children of God received their first ordinance of the gospel! What joy!!! Last night we had a special meeting in the stake center called ´white night´ where we put together in one meeting all of the baptisms in Londrina. In that meeting there were 17 people baptized including several potential priesthood holders. Hurrah for Israel! Let’s split the stake! This was a super good week and this next week has to be even greater! Thank you for all of the prayers and support. I love you a whole ton and I am praying for you. I know that church is true and that Christ lives. I testify that the priesthood can perform miracles. I know this is the true church.
Till later days!
-Elder Markham