April 2005 Ensign - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

After some time I got better
acquainted with Brother Joel, a
recently baptized member of our
ward. His faith was amazing. Once
when we were doing a service project,
Brother Joel said to me, “José
Luis, we can build your house.” I was
on the verge of tears, but I contained
myself until I told my wife. It was the
answer to our prayers.
A few days later the friend who had
purchased the land for his family and
ours told me I could have the entire
plot and pay
for it later.
As my family
got to know
the ward
members who
helped us build
our house, their
antagonism
ceased.
Still I did not have the kind of job that
would allow me to buy building materials,
but I knew the Lord would provide
a way. Several weeks later I was
invited to work for a large company.
Thus, our goal to begin building a
house soon became a reality.
What a labor of love was Brother
Joel’s. He did more than build a
house for my family. He was ready
to help us in any way. We worked
only on Saturdays. It took 10
months, and it did not interfere
with our Church work. Other
Church members also helped us. My
father came to help several times,
which allowed him to get to know
members of the Church
better. He especially
got to know Brother
Joel, who had become
our home teacher.
One Saturday my father praised
Brother Joel for the way he worked.
I said, “Dad, do you know how
much I have paid for his services?”
He said, “No.”
“I haven’t paid him a cent,” I said.
“He has done this service because he
loves my family. He is a good man.”
I realized my father was choked
up, and he didn’t say anything. I felt
he was probably remembering how
he had treated the bishop and the
missionaries and was embarrassed.
He saw that the members of the
Church had always treated us well.
On the day we finished the house,
16 men, most of them members of
the Church, were there. My relatives
and friends who were not members
certainly learned a lot that day.
While the house was being built,
my brother and sister-in-law took the
discussions and decided to get married
so they could be baptized. On
the day of their wedding, I witnessed
what seemed like another miracle:
four missionaries and many Church
members were in my father’s house.
We know this gospel is true. When
we exercise faith, the Lord moves
mountains to help us. Today I see the
walls of our house as a testimony that
the Lord loves His children and
knows their needs. Of course, we
have many other mountains before
us, but if we are faithful, we shall
overcome. We must always remember
what the Lord has done for us. ■
José Luis da Silva is a member of the
Jardim Presidente Dutra Ward, São Paulo
Brazil Guarulhos Stake.
ENSIGN APRIL 2005 71