March 16, 2026 Mario & Luigi

 Background information 

I'm currently living with dawgs. You could call where we live the dawghouse, cause everyone here's homies. Among these canines we've got Elder Albuquerque, who I've known ever since my kindergarten days in Macapá. The guy is Brazilian, works até o pó, thinks outside the box, hilarious, and I got to do a division with him this week. Also the sisters always call him Mario for whatever reason, and so naturally me being Luigi it was a match made in heaven. March 11th baby, a day to never be forgotten. 

God was blessing us a ton the entire day. We were just blessed with opportunity after opportunity to talk with people who were really interested, and share the gospel with those who the Lord had prepared. 

WHO IS DRIBEIRO?

(From left to right to explain the drawing) we were on a hunt for this dude named "Dribeiro" which was so funny cause we were like "dude there's so way someone named their kid Dribeiro." We asked people who lived around the address he gave us if they knew him and everyone was like "there's no way someone named their kid Dribeiro" and we were like right? We ended up calling him up and turns out its his nickname. Never ended up finding the guy but it was so funny looking for him hahah

MARCIA'S STORE

We met this women named Marcia at her store! It was cool cause I'd passed by her store before w/ Elder Doman, but the first time we stopped by we just bought water and left. This time though, we bought water and I asked her if we could leave a message about Jesus Christ with her. Out of nowhere she lit up and we started talking, she explained that she was going through a hard time and could really use the light of Christ in her life. She also explained that she wanted us to leave a message with her the first time, but just didn't have the courage to open up and tell us. Good lesson in talking with everyone! 

LUCAS TO THE RESCUE

Tuesday night we NEEDED a member present at a lesson, it was crucial. We had tried to mark something, but it all fell through, then an angel dressed in oversized clothing and gothic jewelry came to our rescue. While we were walking in the pouring rain, we saw a recent convert named Lucas running in our direction. We shouted to him and asked where he was running to. He said he was heading to seminary but he was gonna stop at his friends' house to escape the rain. Elder Albequerque & I looked at each other then realized this was the perfect opportunity, then ran after Lucas to go and teach his friend. Ended up working out! 

PS - Lucas was freaking out because his red hair dye was getting all over his shirt, so I gave him the best hat I had on me (plastic bag) dude was styling. Flicks below. 

ELDER HILLSTEAD VS. MURDEROUS EVIL CLOWN

So there we were. Elder Albuquerque and I in the crib with nothing to eat. Then I saw it... a blue canister of energy powder labeled "INSANE CLOWN." Some other elder had left it behind however long ago, and it looked practically untouched. Him and I did a round of "if you take some then I will too" and down the hatch it went. It was supposed to be just a harmless energy drink, but the effects ended up being disasterous...

Not really. But dude 30 minutes past and like every part of my body started to tingle  I felt like there were straight up ants breakdancing underneath my skin. I started to think this whole idea of take a dose of insane clown was one of the worst Ive ever had. When I least expected it, my hair started to turn blue and my nose morphed into a red circular clown nose and I started to laugh maniacally and then-- woah. The insane clown nearly got the best of me there. 

Alright though enough crazy talk. The miracle of the week was with a friend we met that night! Very last person we met, and at the very end corner of our area. 

We were searching for a reference at the very end of the area, but the guy wasn't home. His mom however invited us in to talk to her other son who was also there at the time, whose name's Osmar. Dude was chilling in a bright pink hammock when he met him, and we started talking about his life. He said he feels like he's on a staircase, and throughout his life he moves up stair by stair as he moves closer to Jesus Christ, but he doesn't know where the destination is. 

We shared with him the idea the staircase leads to a door, that leads to a straight and narrow path, that leads to eternal life. Then we shared this scripture with him: 

2 Nephi 31: 17

Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

The spirit was strong as heck throughout the whole lesson, and we were impressed to challenge Osmar to be baptized! Dude didn't even say yes or no, he just said "I'll mark it on my calendar." 

I testify to you guys that God cares for his children! If you look for ways to serve, he'll bless you with them. Pray and search for ways to bless others, and he will provide you with the path. I have seen that time and time and time again on the mission, and I testify my knowledge of that truth in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

ELDER HILLSTEAD