March 1, 2016

wow, That story about brian and dad was so powerful.....literally its funny how the lord works in such mystirious ways. I have had those moments a few times in my mission that have been just absolutly insane and unexplainable. Everything just falls into place when we are true to the lord. "if in our quest we do our best, the lord is there to do the rest". He truly protects us and guides us in every moment if we turn to him:) so for me, This week was....wow...sooo exhausting but yet so satisfying. I Love how i could feel the support of the savior in the moments where i truly didnt think my strength could handle it. For example, since this week has been a lot of getting up at 530am and working until 1130-12 has been taking its toll when we have been teaching and contacting in the public transportation. I have had the thoughts of "just be normal and sit there without talking" and right as i started feeling that i would feel an impression to talk to someone specifically and it doesnt surprise me that litterally every single person that i had felt the impression to talk to has accepted the message and learned a lot. Then after the contact i just have a whole new energy for the rest of the day until night and its like an automatic shut down as i lay my head down. I have gained such a strong testimony and a strong trust in the lord and his support. Everysingle day is such a miracle:)

This sunday Jorge passed his baptismal inverview! He will be getting baptized this saturday:))) idk if ive sent his story to you but he is a true miracle. He is from Teresopolis Brazil, he lived there until he was 30ish and then moved to Germany to find work. (while he was in brazil he almost got baptized but it never went through because he was scared...) and while in germany he got married and had a kid but never saw the missionaries again and lived there for 8 years until he got devorced from his wife and decided to move to chile (a month ago), in his second week here (living in the street with absolutly nothing) i and a missionary i was on exchanges with were walking through the really wealthy part of the sector to try to find some people to start teaching there and i saw him and felt the strongest impression to contact him and as we started teaching him he was golden, from the very begining he was sooooo receptive, he even acteped a baptismal date in the contact. We then have been teachign him the last 4 weeks and he has come to church each sunday and all the activities that we do (Family home evenings, ward parties, devocionals, etc) I love to see how the members have truly brought him in to their fold and taken care of him so well, even to the point to give him work, a place to live, and litterally everything he is going to need. I know that the lord has truly prepared souls and the only way to find them is by opening our mouths. There is a great reason that in the scriptures they talk a lot about opening up your mouth and preaching they gospel even if it be a little testimonyj, it does one of 2 things, Plants a seed or nurtures one. That is our responsbility as church members is to do the work of salvation by the small and simple things. I love the lord, i know he lives.

I am so humbled everyday to see the mercy the lord has had on me by putting those of you in my life to lead me and guide me, i now have a whole new perspective of "I am a child of god" when it says "lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way, teach me all that i must do, to live with him someday" its not that we are saying that to god, but we are talking about our family and friends to help us to keep us in the right way, so we can "live with HIM someday". I give you so much thanks mom and everyone who will read this email, you have in one way or another changed my life for the better. I love you. keep on doing all you can to keep blessing even more people, the lord will take care of the rest:)

Love

Elder Collins