Visit from Elder Bednar!

The following e-mail was received today:

Future temple of Fortaleza, Brazil

Well the Fortaleza Temple is now under construction! Elder Bednar was here along with other General authorities to open the site. He also talked to us the day before. His method of teaching was very different from anything I've seen before. All in all, it wasn´t even him that taught us anything--it was the Holy Ghost that did. He would talk about something and then ask a question. Anyone that wanted to could respond. From that he would talk and explain things in a way that really made us think. It was the best talk I have been to in my life. He explained about teaching people. About caring for them. He said that a missionary's success is not on how many they baptize, but if they did their best to help the people. That really spoke to me. Sometimes we as missionaries get into the routine of just trying to baptize as many as we can. But that´s not it. There is no use in baptizing a bunch of people that will fall away from the church within a month. I had to stop and think. I also had to change a few things/ways that I teach and ways that I would find people to teach. Through that I can focus more on the needs of the people. Only the Holy Ghost can truly convert someone. When there is more room for the Holy Ghost to talk in a lesson than me, then I have done my part. So that´s what I learned. 

Come on, it's funny.

Other than that, it is still blazing hot here. Also after Bednar´s talk, my  comp and I went to a place called Maranguape. This place is beautiful! We stayed there over night with the other elders. It´s super calm, and the people are very nice. Reminded me of home a bit. A great week to all.

-Elder Castagno