This week was one of the best weeks of my mission! It wasnt perfect, but somehow we got home Sunday night, looked at our numbers and we were very blessed. Now we just have to be diligent and keep up the good work!
To start, Elisangela and Joao were baptized! Another family is now a part of our ward!(Ward to be) After the family night with had with the branch president and his wife, something just clicked for her, we returned this Monday with the ward mission leader and his wife, talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ and baptism and just invited them to be baptized, and this time they accepted without reservation! Saturday night the water was pretty cold, and since Joao is so tall he had to be baptized 3 times before he was completely immersed, poor guy, but I know that they are immensely happy with their decision. Yesterday they were confirmed and their toddler Joao Vitor was blessed and presented! Its been a real pleasure to be working with them!
We got to teach a lot this week, and find lots of new investigators! Two of them, who came to church yesterday are Michael(20) and Everton(18). Two amazing young men. Everton is a friend of a member, and we found Michael through a street contact. Both read the chapters we leave in the Book of Mormon the same day we teach them, and bring amazing insight and questions to our next lessons. At church Michael was really curious about who everybody was, how the church operated, what was happening during Elisangela and Joaos confirmations, he picked up quickly on the hymns and sang with the congregation! Yesterday was fast and testimony meeting which I think is a great first experience at church.
Its so much fun to teach young intelligent people! I mean, clearly, we love all the people we teach, but these boys have real intent and an open heart and just drink in all the doctrine we teach them. Our second appointment with Everton he mentioned that he really understood the doctrine of baptism and that its the best way to happiness and its something he really wants to do and he loved the Book of Mormon. Michael mentioned a lot of interest in the idea of one true church-getting rid of all the confusion of hundreds of churches(and let me tell you, there are hundreds) and how the Book of Mormon is new scripture and proof of the restoration.
We are trying more every day to work with members, bringing investigators into their homes, and members into the home of investigators, it really makes all the difference in their journey to conversion.
A family I have gotten really close to Helena and Valdivino-our pit stop for water, bathroom breaks and a snack have been instrumental in integrating Everton since Valdivino is the President of the young men. And on Friday Helena made homemade doce de leite, which is basically caramel. It was amazing.
Sister Nagilla is a great companion we are trying to get the most of our time here because I am a ticking bomb in this area, who knows when I will be transferred.
Friday night there was a party called Junina, but since our stake is late and did it in August they called it "agostina", and its where all the kids dress up in traditional cultural dresses, the little boys paint on mustaches and the girls have pig tails, they make delicious soups and dance! Its a blast. It was kind of like a Brasilian cowboy hoedown.
Sunday, during relief society we were talking about commandments and how some commandments are harder for others, and an irma spoke up saying how she isnt yet a member because she has difficulty with coffee. This is a woman who has attended every Sunday in the six months that I have been here. My mouth gaped wide open-we have had an investigator at church this whole time!!! Ah, I couldnt believe it. We are going there tonight to help her overcome her addiction to coffee.
All in all it was an incredible week!
Sistah Holmes
To start, Elisangela and Joao were baptized! Another family is now a part of our ward!(Ward to be) After the family night with had with the branch president and his wife, something just clicked for her, we returned this Monday with the ward mission leader and his wife, talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ and baptism and just invited them to be baptized, and this time they accepted without reservation! Saturday night the water was pretty cold, and since Joao is so tall he had to be baptized 3 times before he was completely immersed, poor guy, but I know that they are immensely happy with their decision. Yesterday they were confirmed and their toddler Joao Vitor was blessed and presented! Its been a real pleasure to be working with them!
We got to teach a lot this week, and find lots of new investigators! Two of them, who came to church yesterday are Michael(20) and Everton(18). Two amazing young men. Everton is a friend of a member, and we found Michael through a street contact. Both read the chapters we leave in the Book of Mormon the same day we teach them, and bring amazing insight and questions to our next lessons. At church Michael was really curious about who everybody was, how the church operated, what was happening during Elisangela and Joaos confirmations, he picked up quickly on the hymns and sang with the congregation! Yesterday was fast and testimony meeting which I think is a great first experience at church.
Its so much fun to teach young intelligent people! I mean, clearly, we love all the people we teach, but these boys have real intent and an open heart and just drink in all the doctrine we teach them. Our second appointment with Everton he mentioned that he really understood the doctrine of baptism and that its the best way to happiness and its something he really wants to do and he loved the Book of Mormon. Michael mentioned a lot of interest in the idea of one true church-getting rid of all the confusion of hundreds of churches(and let me tell you, there are hundreds) and how the Book of Mormon is new scripture and proof of the restoration.
We are trying more every day to work with members, bringing investigators into their homes, and members into the home of investigators, it really makes all the difference in their journey to conversion.
A family I have gotten really close to Helena and Valdivino-our pit stop for water, bathroom breaks and a snack have been instrumental in integrating Everton since Valdivino is the President of the young men. And on Friday Helena made homemade doce de leite, which is basically caramel. It was amazing.
Sister Nagilla is a great companion we are trying to get the most of our time here because I am a ticking bomb in this area, who knows when I will be transferred.
Friday night there was a party called Junina, but since our stake is late and did it in August they called it "agostina", and its where all the kids dress up in traditional cultural dresses, the little boys paint on mustaches and the girls have pig tails, they make delicious soups and dance! Its a blast. It was kind of like a Brasilian cowboy hoedown.
Sunday, during relief society we were talking about commandments and how some commandments are harder for others, and an irma spoke up saying how she isnt yet a member because she has difficulty with coffee. This is a woman who has attended every Sunday in the six months that I have been here. My mouth gaped wide open-we have had an investigator at church this whole time!!! Ah, I couldnt believe it. We are going there tonight to help her overcome her addiction to coffee.
All in all it was an incredible week!
Sistah Holmes