"God Is Present"

So what do the 10,000 Young Men and Young Women of our Church in Brazil do during the week of Carnaval? They gather in groups all over the country to go to EFY or FSY as they call it in Brazil.  David and I were asked to speak at the one being held about two hours from Salvador.  We walked into the huge pavilion belonging to a Christian Camp facility to where 500 of our young people were singing their hearts out "Do What Is Right" in Portuguese.

As soon as we walked into the pavilion where all the youth were meeting together it was immediately apparent that the only thing more powerful than the stifling heat in that place was the faith of these young people! As we were sitting on the stage I spotted in the sea of faces one of the young men from the small branch in the far reaches of our mission that I have blogged about before who has touched me so deeply. When we made eye contact he ran up to the stage and hugged David and me so hard.  He refused to go back to his seat and just stayed at our side.  His name is Jovão.  His parents are not members of our Church and he is so strong. I had him act as my Jedi Warrior in the presentation I was doing.

Me and Jovão and David

We also recognized on the front row the young man, Ramon from a stake about two hours from us who I told you about months ago who jumped up in the Saturday night session of Stake Conference at the invitation of the member of the Area Presidency to go proselyting on the spot with David. Below is the original picture I posted of him several months ago when we met him.


Here he is with David at the EFY meeting.  This young man is the only member in his family.  After he joined the Church he went to work cleaning houses and chicken coops to earn money to go on the temple trip to the Recife Temple to do Baptisms and to pay for his way to the EFY Camp.  I don't know that I've ever met anyone with more spirit and joy than this young man has.

Our Assistant, Elder Pollard from Oakley, Utah also spoke.  He was a rock star.  When he got up to the mike there was quite a bit of distraction going on so he started beat boxing and break dancing.  The kids went crazy over it.  He shared a wonderful story about how before his mission he was at Utah State.  He was assigned to live with a group of all non-member or inactive roommates.  He called his mom and told her he should probably move.  His mother said, "Aren't you preparing to go on a mission?"  And he said, "Yes."  "Then start acting like a missionary!" was his mother's response.  And so he did.  He shared what a precious experience he had helping the inactive young man come back to the Church and baptizing one of the non-members who is now on a mission.

I did a presentation talking about the battle our youth are fighting. (Glad I had my Star Wars Light saber shipped from back home. They loved it. ( I mean, let's face it, is there anyone that doesn't really want to be a Jedi!

And David taught a great lesson about how important it is to come to know who we were before we came to this earth in order to understand who we are here and now.


The Spirit was felt and the love of God was in the hearts of all present. These young people could barely contain it.  They had to hug one another and us too.  Many tears were shed.

I couldn't help but think that while in other areas of Brazil many young people were seeking after the fleeting thrills of the holiday and trying to find happiness in the celebrations of Carnaval, these young men and women were partaking of the sweet fruit of the tree of life.  Think about it - would you rather be part of this-

Or this-

(Click to hear YM and YW singing I Am A Child of God/Called To Serve. Notice Ramon on the front row slapping his thighs - he can hardly contain his excitement!)

After the meeting, we found out that there was a young man there who had been taking the lessons from the elders in that area who said that he wanted to be baptized right away. David was able to interview him and his parents were contacted for permission.

So we then traveled to the closest place to pick up some baptismal clothing from one of the Bishops  in the area while the rest of the conference continued.

We ran into a little cloudburst on the way.

After navigating our way through what suddenly seemed like the canals of Venice Brazilian style, we made it back to the Youth Camp.  We said goodbye to most of the group and then a very special group remained to witness the baptism of this young man in the pool there. I was baptized at around his same age in a swimming pool too.

The rain had cleared and there was a beautiful golden sky bursting through the clouds.  I could have sworn that I heard a chorus of Brazilian birds singing As I Have Loved You along with us. The baptism took place and the Spirit was strong.  I thought about the people in Mosiah 18 who had been taught by Alma so powerfully that they clapped their hands expressing the desire of their hearts to be baptized right then by the waters of Mormon.

I glanced over at the building next to where the baptism took place and I saw these words painted on the wall of the camp building.

"God Is Present."  Yes He is, I thought.  He most certainly is.

Until next time.  Ate Logo

Some of the EFY leaders, the elders, Elder Pollard and David and me with the young man who got baptized.