BRAZIL—Since taking the Good Soil training course in discipleship and evangelism at our church (New Life Baptist Community in Bauru, Brazil) in October, I had been praying that God would give me a chance to use what I had learned with people I meet.

When I came back to the Lord in 2008, after ten years of wandering, I believed the words of Acts 16:31 -- “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.” I started praying that all of my “household” would be saved. I believe that God is answering that prayer. My wife, my daughter, my mother, my mother-in-law, two of my sisters and a nephew have been saved since then.

On Sunday afternoon during the Good Soil training time, I was reviewing the The Story of Hope book and my nephew Daniel, looking over my shoulder, started asking questions. So I went through The Story of Hope with him and he accepted Jesus as his Savior.

This past Christmas, I believed that it would be a special Christmas, especially thinking about the coming of our Lord Jesus. My sister Paula had invited our whole family to her house for a dinner to celebrate the holiday. Paula had recently visited our church and accepted Jesus as her Savior, but had not been coming out regularly to church.

I knew that being at Paula’s house on Christmas would give me an opportunity to share with my whole family. So we went to the family Christmas celebration, praying that the Lord would give me a chance to speak. And he did! I shared about the coming of our Savior and asked those who were there if they would like to know more about Him and the Bible. The answer was yes! Paula even offered her house for the study. Some of Paula’s husband’s family was also there on Christmas. They want to do the study also, even inflexible Filipe who said to make sure he was included when we started.

My prayer partner Flávio from my church started praying with me about this and offered to help me with the study. He has also received the Good Soil training. We are now starting The Story of Hope studies with my family. This is amazing! I am happy that God given me this open door. I am not sure what will happen, but I know that God’s Word does not return empty (Isaiah 55:11), so I am trusting Him for good results. Please be sure to pray with me.

A few months later

I am using the means of email to give you the good news about the Good Soil course with the book Hope, which we finished today (Dec 5, 2010). It was incredible for everyone—we were so blessed throughout the course. I can say that it was much more than a simple course; it was moments in which God blessed us with the Holy Spirit who brought us seed, which is His word in our hearts. Bill, it is so good to serve God; I am very happy and contente.

Tonight Jesus harvested one more flower for His garden; my nephew, Matthew, repented from his sins and confessed before God that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior of his life!

And just as I was asking God, the group will continue at my sister’s house. We will continue to meet now to grow in faith in Jesus. Amen!!

--Benito “Neto” Sanches