Elder Kasey Lightheart

  Indigenous souvenirs from Manaus This week was incredible, what else can I say! We had a special devotional during the week with Elder Ulisses Soares of the quorum of the 12 apostles, in which all 36 missions in Brazil tuned in!! He almost made it to our mission, but decided rather to speak in the São Paulo West mission, so we watched through transmission. However, it was a very powerful talk and testimony that Elder Soares offered, which left very many of us in tears, including myself. We also did a lot of walking and traveling this week, as we dedicated a few days to visiting and contacting members and investigators in Itaqua and Vila Virginia, two of the wards we take care of that are a little far from us. It was amazing to see during these couple of days how the Lord placed many people in our path as we went about doing good like Christ. We made quite a few new friends this week to begin teaching, and visited many less active members as well, inviting them to come to church a...

   Pizza time! "Just do it, make your dreams come true, just do it, nothing is impossible". I just wanted to take a moment and quote my guy Shia LaBeouf, specifically from a motivational video he made a long time ago, which became a bit of a meme. However, I love motivational speeches like this, because it reminds us of our incredible potential. I can testify to you all that that potential comes from our relationship with our Heavenly father, the God that created us, and loves us unceasingly. If you all have dreams and righteous desires, choose today to make a change, and give your all, because the grace of Jesus Christ is what lifts us beyond our normal capacity, "after all we can do". I wanted to share this counsel with you all because, if there is anything I've learned in these last 2 years as a full time missionary of the lord Jesus Christ, it's that repentance is possible, meaning that we don't have to stay how we are, but we can change and become m...

  Fernanda and Hellena's baptism!   Yet another week down, full of miracles, laughs, and baptisms!!  Earlier this week we had the chance to receive a training for all the new missionaries at the mission office, so we coordinated with the sisters in our districts, and made our way down there. The training was awesome, and I received some awesome news that a lady I had taught a few months ago will be baptized here pretty soon in the coming months! Unfortunately on our way home from the training we found that the ticket booth was closed, but after much struggle, we finally managed to find our way home. This Saturday, we also were blessed to be part of the baptism of our dear friends Fernanda and Hellena, the family of the recently departed missionary Elder Souza, or as we know him, Arthur. The baptism itself had a few hiccups, but it was a very spiritual experience, in which the parents of Fernanda stepped foot for the first time in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day S...

We may not have the greatest views in São Paulo, but that doesn't stop us from taking photos! Wow what an incredible week and conference weekend we have had here in Poá!!  Earlier in the week, we had an awesome district council online, in which a few powerful testimonies were borne. It reminded me that I only have a few more district councils as a full time missionary, and so I'm trying to make the best of them while I can!! After district council we had lunch at an English school. Yup, you heard that right! In our little town here, they have an English school called "Reward" and there just so happens to be a lot of members working there, including a couple who works at the cafeteria there. So, we fine dined in the cafeteria, and went our merry way with full bellies. Eating with the Elders, Poá edition! We are really coming to love the members in the ward for sooo many reasons, one of which being their willingness and excitement with the work of the Lord. We have rece...