Lots of Photos! (Aug 23 2016)

Spencer sent us 14 new pictures! I have no captions or descriptions of any of them, but I'll take it! We love photos!

Photo of Elder V District Missionaries

Very cool picture! But who are all these missionaries? No caption, no names . . . Darn!

Quick Notes Between Elder V and Daddy V (Aug 23)

heyyo, daddio! That's so awesome that there are so many missionaries going out of our ward. Jordan comes home in 30 days?? Haha when I read that my heart was pounding really fast because I realized again how quick the mission passes by. A thing that has been on my mind lately has been about that - I think about how I am using my time, and if it will be enough at the end of my two years. I mean, I really don't want to get to the end of my mission and look back and think about all of the missed opportunities that I had to serve the Lord to the fullest. That's like my biggest fear. I'm not saying that I think that's how it's going to be, but I just worry sometimes that my time isn't enough to do everything I could here. Does that make sense?

Like I always say, I love hearing the spiritual stuff you have. It strengthens my testimony every time I read! I had a really spiritual interview with President Amorim last thursday. Haha it was only my second in my whole mission because he is super busy and works super hard and has had a lot of stuff to deal with lately. Anyway, he talked to me about kind of what I just said; how I felt about my mission so far, and he talked to me about being more tolerant. It was kind of interesting to think about. I have really worked on being humble and learning from every opportunity, and he showed me something I hadn't really thought of. I have a really strong testimony of the importance of obedience, but like 99% of the missionaries don't have that. So I will get frustrated when I feel we could be doing better and being more obedient and christlike and he told me basically that the most important thing is that I focus on my own "salvation" and not about the way others do things, that I should just be an example and work my best to be obedient with those that I serve with.

I'm running out of time but thanks for writing! I'll send a couple pictures in just a sec. Love you dad!

The Office - Episode 2 (Aug 23)

Dear Everyone,

Sorry I didn't write last week - I didn't have a p-day! We work on a different schedule than the rest of the mission which includes having p-day on Tuesday, and it sometimes doesn't work out because we will have a zone conference or something of the like on Tuesday, so our p-day doesn't happen for that week. But we are trying to fix that! We might convince President Amorim to move p-day to Monday with the rest of the mission, so I might write on Monday next week. Or I might not! We shall see.

It's just been a real big adventure here in the office! We have only 3 hours of proselyting time everyday, but we need to meet the same standards as the rest of the mission, so we have been working really hard here! Elder Yoder (my new companion with Elder Karthigeyan) doesn't really know this area and we didn't really have anyone as investigators when I got here, so we are working to build up an investigator pool right now. It's another huge area - the farthest out we can go is like 2 hours by bus. Haha we haven't gone there yet, but we will eventually. 

Scripture thought - I read 3 Nephi 12-14 which is the Nephite's Sermon on the Mount, and I did it while reading Matthew 5-7 doing a comparison. It was a really amazing study to help me see how much our Savior loves us and how the gospel is true! Christ came to fulfill the Law which was established by Him with Moses, and he did it, while giving us a formula for real happiness as we follow Him. He invites us to be "perfect, even as He or His Father which is in heaven is perfect," through his Atonement and teachings. And it's so real! We can be just like our Heavenly Father. That is the greatest gift He could give us. I know that He is our Father and that the Book of Mormon adds to the testimony of the Bible that Jesus is our Savior. 

That wasn't the best explanation but it was really a great study. You should do it! 

Besides that, missionary work is good. We are working hard and I know we will see success as we work to serve the Lord! Have a great week!

- Elder Valentine!

Mid-Way Through August Already

Hey mom and dad! So your pictures are all super awesome. You guys looked like you had so much fun! I have a couple things to tell you for the week. Office work is busy, and it's funny because everyone has been really stressed lately but I've been super chill working! I mean, we are really busy like always and stuff like today happens where I don't have p day but it's not like the worst thing in the world. My area here is kind of weak; the missionaries who have been here recently are like super... not the most hard working elders I have ever met and left us with not a lot, so I have some big work to do with proselyting! It has been REALLY hot here - so hot that fires are popping up spontaneously around here! There was a HUGE fire really close to porto and it has been super smoky everywhere! We don't have airconditioning here in portugal in houses and stuff, so we have our windows open a lot, and all of my stuff has ash all over it! It is so crazy! 

Also, random facts - when car accidents happen, people have to wait for the cops - like, they can't move their car an INCH from the scene of the accident. So if an accident happens in the middle of the freeway and is in the way off lanes of traffic, it just stays there! And accidents are like super common, haha! They are like Utah drivers but since there are a lot less mormons, drunk people crash a lot more and drive even crazier. Also, something that portugal does really well is the garbage. They have these huge garbage can/pit things all over the place; they dig down about 20 feet and put a big garbage lid over the whole, and you just take your stuff and throw it in the whole that is just dug into the sidewalk. It's pretty cool! They also put the same types of holes for recycling bottles, paper, plastic, etc. right next to the garbage wholes, so recycling is a big thing here. Have I already said that I use the metro a lot to get around? It's basically the subway. And lots of public buses! Like I use them a few times a day and I have a monthly pass with my picture and my name "valentine, stephen" because they don't understand here what my name is. 

Also today for the mission council President Amorim used Apollo 13 clips to show examples of faith and hard work, so I totally watched parts of a movie today!

That's about all for this moment. I'll try and write as much more as I can to you guys. I feel really bad that I haven't been able to write more or send pictures, but it's just been really busy here. I love you lots though! don't stop sending letters or anything. I'll just read them later! Love you!

Love, Elder Valentine!

What An Office Secretary Does (Aug 9)

Hey dad! So. Um, I haven't learned everything yet, but I will say basically what that entails. We help president do transfers every 6 weeks - not that we decide, but he will tell us who goes where and we will update all of the information for phone numbers and addresses and the transfer boards and stuff on the computer etc. That takes like three days. Plus we make all of the travel plans for every missionary, which gets crazy for transfers, and half of the time missionaries do something wrong and don't show up at the right place with no phone, so we have to make calls and help people get to the right places. We also work through a government agency called SEF to get missionaries their residency in the country, so we have to make appointments and bring missionaries to their building and help them with the documents, and we update any schedules or projects or reports that go to the missionaries or to the mission president. We work from 11 to 5:30 every day and then go proselyte for the rest of the day. The office is really nice! I have a computer that I am using right now and there is an office for the mission president etc. I'll try and send a picture. Our house is SUPER SMALL and doesn't fit three missionaries haha! I have apparently been speaking a lot in my sleep lately, and most of the time in Portuguese! How sweet is that? 

Mom and Dad Email (Aug 9)

Hi mom and dad! 

Sorry I didn't write yesterday. These last few days have been really hectic! I haven't gotten the opportunity to do really anything, haha I haven't even sent your letter yet, which I feel really bad about but I literally have had 0 time for anything. We have been running all around town to get things done here in the office, so yup. 

I don't even really know what to say for this week! I guess I'll give a random fact for mom - It´s about the crossing signs, like those white and red ones when you cross the street at an intersection. I have totally forgotten that they are different since I am just used to it, but all of the white "walk" signs with the little person walking, are green! It was so strange the first time I saw it! Also there are lots and lots of motor scooters here, like the kind that jonathan perkins had, and ZERO trucks. It's so funny that I have forgotten these things but I thought about them the last couple days.

Also! Sorry I didn't say, but I bought two ties and a 4 euro pack of fun socks. It was 18 euros in total. I liked them and so I bought them. Sorry I didn't tell you! :( and actually I had a question - president amorim lets all of the missionaries use a backpack. There is a really good hiking backpack for like 35 euros which would just be like the best thing ever. Elder Kiki had it (you can look at some old pictures maybe and see it) and he said it was a super good backpack, and right now I am using a shoulder bag but it would be super nice to use a backpack. But I don't need it! It's just if it was like a possibility.

Anything else you guys want to hear today? I have way less time today because we took Elder Karthigeyan to the doctor but I still have a bit of time. Love you parents!

Love, Elder Valentine!

The Office: Season 1 episode 1 - pilot (Aug 9)

Dear Everyone,

This will be short. Also it's Tuesday! I got transfered to the mission office, and I am now one of the two executive secretaries. That basically means I get to make phone calls to lots of missionaries and make sure they are legal in the country. I also get to have a cool signature for sending emails, which I will put down below. Elder Karthigeyan is still with me! We got transferred together, which is like unheard of. We are in a triple companionship now with Elder Yoder, one of the financial secretaries in the office. This has been a crazy week of picking up new missionaries fresh from the MTC and taking missionaries to the airport at 4 in the morning. I'm tired! But happy!

Spiritual thought - the war chapters in the book of Mormon (Alma 40 -50 something) Have been a really cool learning experience for me lately! When I got to them I thought "why would Moroni put in all of these chapters about war? What did he want future people to learn?" and with that mindset I have been learning so much! Every time the Nephites (and sometimes the lamanites) put their faith and glory to God, and were humble and repentant, they were extremely blessed. Every time! I think Moroni wanted to prove that God keeps his word - that if you have a doubt if you will receive a blessing, or get help, or receive an answer, He will fulfill EVERY word that comes from His mouth/the mouth of His prophets. There is a scripture where God says "though the earth and _____ may pass away, yet not will my words pass away, and they will all be fulfilled" or something close to that. Blame my lack of knowledge on the fact that all of my scripture study is in Portuguese. 

Peace out people! Have a sweet week!

Élder Valentine

Secretário Executivo

Missão Portugal-Porto

M – 910 046 438

T – 220 941 645

Reply to "Dad of Year Award"

Hi dad! Haha oh my goodness the amount of sarcasm and punniness in your letter was almost too much for a son who has gotten used to regular people for so long! I am sending my letter to you guys today or tomorrow and I hope it has a good amount of humor to make you proud. There is even a Bryan Regan reference in there! Great minds think alike!

So yeah this week has been kind of slow. I don't want the fam to get the wrong idea - I really enjoy working with Elder Karthigeyan and helping him grow as a missionary. There have been some hard times this transfers but it's not like a bad thing or anything! I hope you guys haven't been thinking that I haven't like being with him or training again! It's a really good experience for me because it helps me refocus on being simple and on how to be helping others always, even within my own companionship.

Oh my GOODNESS I am so jealous of all of the fun stuff you guys are doing without me! What's gonna happen next summer? Nothing, eh? Fine. I'll just go to college or something. An elder here, Elder Garcia, gets home a transfer before me and lives in salt lake, and we are going to go to Cafe Rio together when I get back because he lost a bet back in coĩmbra! So who even needs Grand Canyons??

Yeah I know sister barrett! She is a super hard working missionary. She is like Presidents example to the mission for all kinds of missionary stuff, so her father should be proud! She really is one of the best sisters here!

Psh mission sweetheart my butt! Gross! There isn't a way in a hundred years that I could date a sister that I served with. It would be SO weird.

Dad, please don't run STARK RAVING MAD AND NAKED THROUGH THE BUILDING! Only on a Tuesday when it's the 2nd day of the month in August. Fortunately, that's tomorrow. 

I got kicked out of my computer place so I'll have to wrap up for a bit, but I love you dad! Thanks for the letter and telling me what's up with the fam! It's so fun to hear what you guys do!

Love ya!

Love, Elder Valentine!

On Mon, Aug 1, 2016 at 1:55 AM, Stephen Valentine <ValentineSJ@familysearch.org> wrote:

Hi, Spencer! Did you have a transfer? Are you still in Gaia? New companion? New apartment? New tie? New life? 

So I should be up for the “Dad of the Year Award.” Yesterday, in a fit of sheer madness, I took Anna and Ethan FISHING from like 9-1 and then to In and Out Burger. After spending the afternoon cleaning, and then cooking dinner, I took Ethan to Lagoon! Have you heard about the Cannibal ride? OH. My. Gosh. It made me scream like a girl and cry like a missionary who just got a Dear John letter. Terrifying and terrific at the same time!! Oh, by the way, both Ethan and I caught a fish, but Anna didn’t. Sad face! But she is learning how to cast, and how to swear like a fisherman, so that’s a start.

It’s a beauty. Fish is a beauty. It’s a . . . Beauty fish. 

On Thursday, Mom and I went up to Girl’s Camp. Hopefully Anna will tell you all about it. We went up for bishop’s night. We participated in their evening program and had dinner with them, then each of the bishops got to have their “bishop fireside” with the girls. It was good fun. I did an object about coconuts. Yep, coconuts. That’s all I’m going to say. See if you can come up with an object lesson using a coconut. Yes, I used an actual coconut in the lesson, but no animals were harmed in the filming of that fireside. Anna, also by the way, was one of the mean and selfish virgins. She did a great job of it. Too good. Seriously, it was a really spiritual evening. They talked about the choices we make every day that influence the kind of person we will become. The Spirit was strong (the force is strong in you . . . Powerful Jedi you will become. Hmm. Powerful Jedi) and the girls all did a great job.

Mom and I spent the night in Midway in a nice little condo I rented. Friday we did some shopping and then went to see the new Jason Bourne movie, which was pretty awesome. I guess I should make a list of all the movies we are going to see when you get home. Movie Marathon!

I’m currently at the church, sitting in my office. Ethan is here right now setting up for a Court of Honor. He is receiving something like 3,345,052 merit badges, give or take 3,345,046 of them. Seriously, your little brother is on fire (FIIRRRE FIIRREE FIIRRRE, Out of the frying pan and into the FIIRRE, FIRRE, FIRREE . . .and yes, Wock and Woll dream weally do come twue!) with scouting right now. Mom and Anna are coming here in a few minutes, then we’ll have a nice little Court of Honor that will go on like ten hours or until I go STARK RAVING MAD AND RUN NAKED THROUGH THE BUILDING or maybe something along those lines. 

By the time I write next (or the next time you get to read one of my abby-normal emails—you put an abnormal brain inside a seven foot tall, three hundred pound, monster!) me and Anna and Mom will have been to the Shakespeare festival! We are leaving on Thursday. We will see Much Ado About Nothing on Thursday, then run down to a little thing called the GRAND CANYON on Friday, then back from another play on Saturday. Yawn. Not much to do there. THEN on your next P DAY we will be on our way to Jackson Hole. So in other words we’re all sitting around without much to do.

Okay, I’ve been a bit silly here, but I figured (hoped? Feared?) you may be missing my bad humor. In all seriousness, the Gospel is awesome and true and we love you! Oh, there is a Sister Barrett that is coming home from Porto like next week. Her parents moved into a ward with a person I work with. Did you know her? She wasn’t, um, ahem, your, uh, mission sweetheart, was she???!!

Spencer, I miss you, man. I miss joking around and having fun and finishing each other’s sentences and eating each others sandwiches and singing the same dorky songs. But I’m SO grateful for where you are! So don’t get trunky! Enjoy every minute! Plus, it saves me on having to pay for your Alpine Slide at Jackson or the Bar J Wranglers BBQ dinner ticket, or the play tickets or . . .just kidding! You are the one out there doing awesome things in PORTUGAL!! I’m the one envious of YOU!!

Have a great week, my son. I can’t wait to hear about your week. I’m in a ton of meetings in the morning but I’ll try to at least reply with a quick note. If not, I’ll talk to you again next week.

Love ya!

Dad

"Who Needs Their ACL?" (Aug 1)

To all my homies,

So! Let me tell ya'll a story. Me and my companion have not been able to work as hard as we would like lately, because Elder Karthigeyan's knee has been giving him a lot of pain, so we have been trying to schedule lessons at our chapel and not move a lot. He thought it would get better as he started walking more since it's the beginning of the mission, but unfortunately it has been getting worse! We finally got an appointment at a hospital and the first thing the doctor does is check for a tear of the ACL (The big ligament behind your leg that lots of soccer players have problems with. I'm forgetting my doctor terms.) where they pull on the knee upwards to check for the strength of the ligament. If the knee popps out, it means it's snapped. Well, Elder Karthigeyan's knee popped out like bagels from a toaster. So he has no ACL! He's going to have to get surgery for it pretty soon! 

So that's a pretty good wrap up of the week! I feel really bad for my companion. I can't imagine what he must be going through! That's a really painful thing. It is in these kinds of moments when people might ask, "why me?" In a general sense, why do I have these struggles? Why did someone close to me pass away? Why doesn't God stop bad things from happening? Why is there war and natural disasters and people who make bad things happen? Does God even love His children?

I hear these questions on the daily. Fortunately, the Book of Mormon helps us know the answers! One scripture that I heard recently - 1 Nephi 11:17

 17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth hischildren; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of allthings.

Nephi did not know ALL the answers to his questions. But he DID know that God loves His children. When God talks to Enoch in the book of Moses, Enoch sees God weep. He asks, how is it that the God of everything can weep? Well, God doesn't like to see his children unhappy. He doesn't cause bad things to happen. But he does allow them. And to take away that pain, he gave us his Son, Jesus Christ, who, as explained in Alma 7:11-13, did not JUST atone for our sins. He atoned so that he would know exactly how to comfort each one of us in our time of need. I am so grateful for the understanding I have of the love of our Heavenly Father. That knowledge helps me in every moment that I feel like the work is too hard, or when I'm tired, or hungry, or scared, or whatever. I, as Nephi, know that God loves us, and that His work and Glory is our Eternal Life, which includes Eternal Happiness. So be happier this week! God loves you! He understands, and weeps to see you suffer, and gave His Son for you.

Have a great week, my fellow children of God!

- Elder Valentine

Hot and Humid Heatwaves Hit the Hardworking Helders Here Uh Huh! (July 25)

Dear people with a fondness for a certain Elder Valentine,

Fortunately, Helder is actually a name in Portuguese, and everyone thinks we are named Helder just spelled wrong, so that title works!

It is SO HOT here in Portugal! I am sure there are plenty of people and missionaries in hotter places, but sometimes it's hard to believe - it's nuts! The humidity is crazy high and it makes the air nice a and thick feeling, and by the end of the day you feel nice and sticky from working all day. Missionary life is the BEST! It makes me feel like I'm really sacrificing! 

This was a pretty slow week, but we have been working a lot with the recent converts we have made here in Gaia and it's awesome to see the progress of people in the gospel! I love seeing them change and understand more about how God plays a part in their lives. 

Sometimes, I feel like we forget that God really cares about everything we do. For example - most of us say prayers to bless the food, but is it sometimes forgotten that God actually wants to bless that food for you? Or when you have a sports game or a concert to do, that God wants you to be safe and to do your best? Or when two missionaries in the summer heat are having a hard time going forward in a less successful week of work, and need some extra celestial strength? I sure do! I read Alma 34 this week, which is an amazing testimony of Amulek about the Savior, but he also gives this counsel - 

 17 Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;

 18 Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.

 19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.

 20 Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.

 21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.

 22 Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.

 23 Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.

 24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.

 25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.

 26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.

 27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.

God really really loves all of us, and wants us to pray to him and recieve blessings! Prayer has the power to perform miracles. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father worries about us and wants us to grow and succeed. I know that He does! Have a fantastic week, and say lots of meaningful prayers for God to answer!

- Elder Valentine!

Reply to July 25 Dad Letter

Hi dad! Thanks for your letter this week! All of the stuff you did this week sounds like a lot of work, but also a lot of really cool experiences! I am SO jealous that you guys saw both Styx and the Kings Singers. We sang a bunch of songs of theirs in Excalibur and I really love their music! 

Things are going better this week with Elder Karthigeyan - companionship inventories are definitely inspired for the benefit of the missionaries! We still aren't able to work how I would like to, but we are doing what we can to work hard anyway. Next week is transfers - I have no idea if I will stay or go, since I have already spent 3 transfers here, each one with a different companion, and with this one for training! We'll see next week. Actually since it happens on Tuesday I will tell you in two weeks! 

I just read that scripture a few days ago! Thank you for sharing it. I hadn't thought about it too much, but I can imagine that the missionaries who found that "one" were so happy that he chose to change his ways and follow Christ! I am in Alma 41 in my Portuguese scripture studies right now, where Alma counsels Corianton and his other sons. I have been thinking a lot in my studies about the reasons that every part was put in the Book of Mormon by Mormon/Moroni. What was their motivation? What did they want the people who would read those words to understand? It has been really inspiring to look at it that way, because it helps me see the important lessons and examples that can happen in my life! Especially when Moroni will make a comment starting with "and thus we see -" at least, I think it's like that. In portuguese it's "e assim vemos" which means basically that. But it has been super super awesome. I love the scriptures!

We had a zone conference with the mission president this week, and every time I hear him give a training I am more grateful for the inspiration and dedication he has for the mission! He really works hard and helps his missionaries work their best. 

That's about all for this week. I am going to send a HUGE letter to you guys hopefully by next week, so you should get it in a couple weeks. 

Thanks dad! I love you!

Love, Elder Valentine!

Letter to "Fear Dather"

Here's a nice message from Elder Valentine to his "Fear Dather"

Fear Dather,

 I heard about the week you guys had, and it sounds super busy! Which is good and stressful at the same time. Haha I think I have learned how to like being busy here on the mission! I hope that it is something I keep as a habit afterwards! Being busy is sometimes hard, but I think that those times are my favorites! You famous dad you! You'll have to tell me about what you talked about on the Indexing broadcast! Do you know a lot about family history work in europe, or even portugal specifically? I feel like it is so different here for the members and I want to share what I know, but I am not used to how it is here so I don't feel like I can do very much!

I just can't believe that missionaries would do things like that. I mean, I can see staying at home and being lazy for a day because they don't want to work, but that is just so... off the deep end! I can't imagine how it would be like to be sent home for ANY reason that was my fault. It must be a very trying experience. I am so happy to be facing the "right side," and I will always be happy that way!

It's crazy that Lansons mission is coming up so quick! The ward will have 5 or 6 missionaries out all at the same time for a bit! Right? I can't really remember but I think that should be right!

It feels like it was just a couple months ago that we had a priests activity to go to bear lake and wake board with Jordan Jaramillo, then get raspberry shakes and talk in Brother Crocketts big truck on the way home! I can't believe how fast time flies either! I mean, HUMP DAY! It's so crazy! I am so glad that I have a whole other year to have good experiences on the mission!

Hey so you're cool! I looked through some letters from the beginning of the mission and found your Fathers Blessing that you gave me the night before I left. I bawled like a baby! I took it out from it's hiding place and now it's with my patriarchal blessing so that I will remember to read it more often. It is very powerful and gave me a lot of faith and motivation last night! Thanks dad! I love you!

Love, Elder Valentine!

Baptism!

Here's a picture of the baptism of Ricardo! Spencer's caption reads:

Ricardo is the big guy on the left, then Fatima, his mom, and José Neves, his step dad. See that attractive elder standing next to the guy with the darkish beard and the blue tie in a short sleeved white shirt, next to the mom? Yeah, totally Elder Karthigeyan. :)

Baptism!

Here's a picture of the baptism of Ricardo! Spencer's caption reads:

Ricardo is the big guy on the left, then Fatima, his mom, and José Neves, his step dad. See that attractive elder standing next to the guy with the darkish beard and the blue tie in a short sleeved white shirt, next to the mom? Yeah, totally Elder Karthigeyan. :)

Hump Day (July 18 2016)

Dear peeps,

I am hitting my year mark this week! HUMP DAY! I never really thought that it would actually come, and at the same time, I have no idea how it came so fast! I still feel like a new missionary sometimes, but then I remember that I've spent literally half of my mission so far training other missionaries, and that now I am on the downhill istead of up. I love the mission! I am so happy that I can look back at this year, and think that I have another year ahead to have great experiences!

Also, this week we baptized Ricardo! This was a really fast and crazy stressful baptism, but we got him in the water! Thankfully, his parents were a huge help as new, excited members, and it really helped lessons and preparations move along smoothly. I cannot emphasize enough just how important members are in missionary work! They basically make everything happen - finding investagtors, making investigators like church, keep commitments, have strong ties in the church, everything! Ricardo is a really big tough guy who had his heart touched by his step dads love for his mom and the progress they have made together in just a few months together, and wanted to have the same happiness that he saw in them. It's so cool! I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK! :) 

Today I read Alma 32 about faith, and I just love how Alma teaches it! Totally inspired by God. Right before this chapter, Corihor (Korihor? I read it in portuguese and it's Corior, so I don't know...) fights Alma about the existence of God, saying that you can't know if He exists. I have had more than one conversation like that on the mission! And then Alma teaches how faith is NOT a perfect knowledge, but a hope of things to come, and that if we nourish our faith, like a seed, we will see the fruits of that faith, but only AFTER we care for it and make it grow! Computers don't do justice to just how amazing that concept is. Sorry. Go read Alma 32 and have a good spiritual moment, will ya?

I love being a missionary! See you in A YEAR!!

- Elder Valentine!