Turkey Week

So, it´s the week of Thanksgiving! Happy Turkey week everyone!

You know what´s funny? In English there is a country called Turkey right? And we think and laugh at how a country can be named after a bird we eat annually. But in Portugués there is also a country whose name means the same animal as turkey. Do you know which country it is? Well, if you haven´t looked into it, the country is Peru! Peru means turkey. Well that´s fun.

As with the rest of the world, there are people here in São Luís that prematurely put up Christmas decorations. It started a week or too ago. On the streets I´ve started to hear Brazilianized tune of jingle bells with a reggae twist. I´ve seen one reindeer made of lights and a few other Christmas decorations. Maybe it´s not premature in Brazil to put up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving, because as far as I know, they don´t have a Thanksgiving. Fortunately for us missionaries here in São Luís, we have zone conference on Thanksgiving.

I don´t remember what I talked about last week. But there was a marriage at the church this past Saturday. It was nice. I sang with one of the sister missionaries, Sister Hallman from Nauvoo, while the bride walked to the front. The ceremony was nice. I´m actually not to used to witnessing a wedding. I think it was the third time in my life. But that´s because all of the other weddings I´ve been to have been at the temple and I´ve had to wait outside and sometimes watch or take care of the little ones. So, their marriage is a legal marriage. The following morning, the husband was baptized. So, in about a year, they will be able to go to the temple and be sealed for time and all eternity. It´s truly an amazing thing. Eternal marriage. It can only be done at the temple by someone who has the authority of God (the priesthood).

The priesthood is an amazing thing. Long ago, Christ gave the priesthood to his apostles. He told Peter that whatever he sealed on earth will be sealed in heaven. This sealing power was lost for a long time, but thanks to the Mercy of God, He restored the priesthood and the His gospel and His church through His servant, the Prophet Joseph Smith. It was Peter, James, and John that appeared to Joseph Smith to restore this sealing power. Today, we still have this sealing power of the priesthood of God. I know that through the temple and through the priesthood, families can be together forever. I know that any other marriage that is performed here on this earth ends at death, it´s like putting and expiration date on your marriage. But through the blessings of the temple marriages and families can be forever. I know the Lord Jesus Christ lives. I know that His church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. I know that families can be together forever, and that God wants us all to have this amazing blessing. I love you. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

-Elder Samuel H. Chiba

P.S. Here are some other pictures from P-Day last week. It´s pretty cool. There were a whole bunch of old buildings and there was practically no one there because it was a national holiday. So, a lot of things were closed, but we got to explore and have fun and take pictures.