Sister Motuga hits the ping pong ball towards the camera
Alyssa and Sister Motuga enjoy ice cream in a restaurant
Alyssa knocks on a door with an umbrella in hand
A fancy set table at a dinner appointment that Alyssa had

Bom dia Pessoal, como vai? I hope y’all had a fantabulous week and an even better Sunday. I know my emails have been sub-par lately so we’ll try to make this one just 10% better.

This week had some birthdays and anniversaries!!!

  • Our beloved Prophet hit 100 years of life the same day I hit 14 months of mission!
  • My companion hit 7 months of mission the same day my sister hit 27 years of life! 
  • I made it to the diamond league on DuoLingo!!
  • Christmas is exactly 100 days away!
  • The Macey’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is 73 days away!
  • And General Conference is in 19 days! 

Now that we’ve gotten through all the numbers, let’s focus on the message. This week we had the privilege of teaching NTM families (families where there is at least one member and one non-member). In the past, these lessons have proven to be pretty frustrating as the non-member generally has little interest or even a strong dislike of the church and the member in the family often has already given up the hope of an eternal family. Yesterday we taught 3 of these part-member families and they were all outside the normal NTM stereotype but I’d like to focus on just one.

Yesterday we taught a man who has been investigating the church for 19 years. He’s rarely missed a Sunday, ward activity, or chapel cleaning. His wife is a lifelong member and constant supporter of her husband’s conversion process. When we finally had our first lesson with them yesterday we tried just getting to know them and find the why behind this extensive investigating period. He simply explained that he hadn’t yet “convinced himself to believe.”

That word “convinced” led us to have one of the most powerful lessons on the Book of Mormon that I’ve ever had. On the title page of the Book of Mormon, we read that the record was written “to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD, manifesting himself unto all nations” We aren’t meant to convince ourselves of the gospel or look for proof strong enough that we feel comfortable accepting the Gospel. We are simply meant to try, learn, and live it and let the conversion take place in our hearts and not our heads. Our rational minds are not capable of convincing nor possess the power that the Book of Mormon has. 

I challenge you as we challenged our friend yesterday to read the Book of Mormon. Read to find answers not proof, read with your questions, not your doubts, let it build up your faith and not fear, let it show you the power of the Savior and instill in you the desire to have that power in your life. 

As was mentioned earlier, General Conference is in 3 weeks, what a great opportunity we have to bring our questions and struggles to the Lord and receive guidance and counsel directly from His chosen servants. Prepare yourselves for this spiritual experience by increasing your spiritual capacity to receive revelation through a consecrated study of the Book of Mormon. It doesn’t matter how far into the book you get before conference, it matters what you put into it.

Happy Reading!!

Gotta blast, 🫡

Tchau Tchauuu 

Com amor, 

Sister Alyssa Grace

Candeias – Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Brasil