We cannot afford to not be our best

Excerpts of João's email to his father on Aug 24, 2009

Thank you for your email. Your insights on your last interview were inspiring. You had such faith and courage to serve a mission, and to serve like you did! Thank you for your example. I feel I will always look up to you work on becoming a better person. Sister Nelson in one of our last conversations expressed that we cannot afford to not be doing our best. We are here for a reason, we were given such a call in these days. She asked "can you imagine the type of people we were in the pre-mortal existence, to receive such a calling?...we cannot afford to not be our best." I'm learning so much as a missionary, and I still have another year to go, what a blessing!

Excerpts of João's email to his mother on Aug 24, 2009

I'm always so astonished at the courage of the missionaries of old. I have heard the saying "all missionaries are entitled to a Wilford Woodruff experience." I feel like I have had some amazing times on the mission, but there are better to come. We can always look brighter at the future ahead.