October 28th 2013

Well...it is the start of my LAST WEEK in the mission field! This will be a week of 'lasts' for me....my last week in Brazil, the last time I will watch a sacrament meeting in Brazil for a while, the last time I will see many friends, the last time I will be able to eat pineapple every day....I am very, very anxious! But I am super excited to get home and see you all again! I started singing one of my favorite Primary hymns in a new way today: "I love to see the temples / I'm going there NEXT WEEK"! I am so excited to go back to the temple again! I am needing it so much!

So, I thought, for me to finish this last email, I would like to bear my testimony to you all one last time:

I know, without a doubt, that this Church is true. My testimony has grown so much in the past two years. I have no idea where I would be or what I would be doing if it weren't for the blessings of this mission that I have fulfilled.

I know that the Priesthood truly is the power of God here on Earth. I have seen it being used here daily and I am grateful that the Lord has not left us alone during our earthly journey. I am grateful that I hold the Priesthood and that I have so many people who help remind me of the importance of it and help me to honor it.

I know that our Families can be forever. How grateful I am for my wonderful family and how happy I am to be able to see them again! I know that the temple is the house of the Lord and because of the sacred covenants we make there, we can be together forever.

I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that Joseph Smith truly was a prophet. How blessed we are that a young, 14 year old boy wanted to know what was right. Because of his faith, we are all here. May we ever strive to have the same faith and the same desire to do what is right.

I know that Jesus Christ lives and that He loves us. He never leaves us alone. He directs us through a true and living prophet on earth today. I will close with a favorite quote from Pres. Monson: "Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved."

Love is all you need! I love you all so much and am grateful for the love, the support, and the prayers during my mission. It has been a pleasure to send emails to you every week for these two years. See you next week!

Love,

Elder Spencer D. Eastwood