We are the life coaches here. Woohoo.
This week was insane. There's no other word for it. I felt all kinds of things, from pure frustration to joy like none other. I guess that's a part of this work though. So, let me tell you some things. :)
We had a ton of rain this week. This was good, seeing as the city hasn't had rain in like a month. So it rained, and we walked aroudn in the rain and got drenched and got filthy. And know how I love the rain at home? Here, it is horrible. There is not even the nice smell that I like, and there are rivers of dirt and waterfalls of filth running down the street. I always heard about the water that runs down the streets here during the rain, and I was reminded again of that this week. But you reach a point when it doesn't even matter, because you are wet and dirty, so all is good. :) The only unfortunate part of the rain is that no one opens the door to you, and no one is in the street with whom you can talk.
Anyway, so it rained. We also had zone conference, which of course was awesome and the power boost that we all needed. Our mission is changing, but I'm not sure what kinds of changes will come...President just said that everything is changing, per order of Salt Lake. Speaking of Salt Lake, they changed the dress code for the sisters, so now we don't have to wear skirts that are 900 miles long, and we don't have to wear nylons and we can wear any colors we want. WOOHOO! Haha.
Also, almost every single lesson we had this week fell through. I'm not kidding. We spent so much time walking to lessons where people didn't show up, or cancelled last minute. BUT...on Tuesday, we talked with Regina, and she told us she wanted to be baptized, so we basically jumped up and down in the street when we heard that! So we got that all set up, visited her on Wednesday evening, and she was 100% different...all smiles, happy to see us, attentive, and telling all her friends about her baptism. So she had her interview on Friday night, and passed and was so excited! Saturday night was her baptism, and let me tell you about that. We had some investigators there, which was awesome, because the Spirit was so stroing. There is something about baptisms that I can't describe. I get a feeling here...like a joy exploding out of my heart, a warmth like none other. This joy comes from watching someone I love take the next big step on the path of life, the only way to the Celestial Kingdom. I have been to a million baptisms before the mission, and only ever felt this at a couple...Dan's and my own. And at these baptisms here, I think because I was a small part of it, I feel this. And all I can do is smile. Smile big. And Regina's baptism was a lot like Dan's, completely run by the youth. So it was even more awesome. She was confirmed yestrday. Have I ever mentioned that every baptism is like a trophy after a fight with Satan? Because when someone is about to take this step, everything that can go wrong, does. Our days when we have baptisms are destroyed...Our Saturday this week was 100% destroyed. Every single appointment fell through, and we were stressed out of our minds trying to get everything in order for her baptism, and for Felipe's.
Let me tell you now about Felipe's baptism. In the end, it didn't end up happening. He was excited about it on Monday night, but then every other appointment we had set up with them during the week fell through. So we didn't see him again until Saturday night, right before his interview with Elder Jewett. And he didn't look happy and didn't want to be baptized. But after his interview, he was excited! And he stayed for Regina's baptism, which was good, and then hung out with the youth. He's 13, which is important to remember for the story of this weekend. Yesterday , he was to be baptized after church. But neither he nor Eliane showed up for the first hour of church (we have church backwards, so sacrament is last.). We called Eliane probably 25 times, but she never answered. SO we hitched a ride from a member of the bishopric to her house, and talked with her there. She told us that Felipe decided he didn't want to be baptized, and she didn't want to go to church alone. She told us that he was at the big church a block from their house. SO....yes, Sister Frame and I went there to get him. He was standing at the back, by the door, and saw us, and came running to talk to us. He looked so sad, on the verge of tears, not knowing what to do. He told us he'd felt pressured to be baptized, and didn't want to. In the end, we spent about 10-15 minutes talking with him on the steps of that church, with nuns staring us down and everything, and this poor kid confused out of his mind. IN that moment, I had a glimpse of what young Joseph Smith went through, with everyone telling him different things, and him just wanting to know the truth. He finally decided to come with us, and we taught him during sacrament meeting, through passing notes and pointing out scriptures. He decided he wanted to wait a week, to make sure this is really what he wants. It was certainly an interesting day, yesterday...missing church to go get someone from another church!
What else. We ate at a churrascaria on Tuesday...I LOVE those. Yes, I love fried bananas. Tons of miracles happen in this work, but only after the trial of our faith, as Moroni teaches in Ether 12:6. Our Reginaldo, Regina's father, is getting better, but he's still got a ways to go. He will be baptized some day...he already knows he needs to change, and wants to. It's wonderful to watch as people change their lives. And to be a tool in the Lord's hands is humbling.
So, just to end...Catholic roots run deep. This country is very Catholic, and I have a profound respect for the Catholic church. It is a good church, teaching people to be good people, and honestly preparing them to hear the restored gospel. I was thinking this on the steps of the church yesterday, as I heard the Mass going on in the background and we were trying to convince Felipe to come with us. I have deep catholic roots, even after 10 years of being in the Church of Jesus Christ. Interesting.
Well, I need to go now. I hope this week is better than the last, and we need two more baptisms next weekend to meet our goal of 4 this month. And we've got potentials. As always, thanks for your continued prayers and support. I love you. I know Brazil is where I need to be, but of course I haven't forgotten my family or friends at home.
Love,
Karen
This week was insane. There's no other word for it. I felt all kinds of things, from pure frustration to joy like none other. I guess that's a part of this work though. So, let me tell you some things. :)
We had a ton of rain this week. This was good, seeing as the city hasn't had rain in like a month. So it rained, and we walked aroudn in the rain and got drenched and got filthy. And know how I love the rain at home? Here, it is horrible. There is not even the nice smell that I like, and there are rivers of dirt and waterfalls of filth running down the street. I always heard about the water that runs down the streets here during the rain, and I was reminded again of that this week. But you reach a point when it doesn't even matter, because you are wet and dirty, so all is good. :) The only unfortunate part of the rain is that no one opens the door to you, and no one is in the street with whom you can talk.
Anyway, so it rained. We also had zone conference, which of course was awesome and the power boost that we all needed. Our mission is changing, but I'm not sure what kinds of changes will come...President just said that everything is changing, per order of Salt Lake. Speaking of Salt Lake, they changed the dress code for the sisters, so now we don't have to wear skirts that are 900 miles long, and we don't have to wear nylons and we can wear any colors we want. WOOHOO! Haha.
Also, almost every single lesson we had this week fell through. I'm not kidding. We spent so much time walking to lessons where people didn't show up, or cancelled last minute. BUT...on Tuesday, we talked with Regina, and she told us she wanted to be baptized, so we basically jumped up and down in the street when we heard that! So we got that all set up, visited her on Wednesday evening, and she was 100% different...all smiles, happy to see us, attentive, and telling all her friends about her baptism. So she had her interview on Friday night, and passed and was so excited! Saturday night was her baptism, and let me tell you about that. We had some investigators there, which was awesome, because the Spirit was so stroing. There is something about baptisms that I can't describe. I get a feeling here...like a joy exploding out of my heart, a warmth like none other. This joy comes from watching someone I love take the next big step on the path of life, the only way to the Celestial Kingdom. I have been to a million baptisms before the mission, and only ever felt this at a couple...Dan's and my own. And at these baptisms here, I think because I was a small part of it, I feel this. And all I can do is smile. Smile big. And Regina's baptism was a lot like Dan's, completely run by the youth. So it was even more awesome. She was confirmed yestrday. Have I ever mentioned that every baptism is like a trophy after a fight with Satan? Because when someone is about to take this step, everything that can go wrong, does. Our days when we have baptisms are destroyed...Our Saturday this week was 100% destroyed. Every single appointment fell through, and we were stressed out of our minds trying to get everything in order for her baptism, and for Felipe's.
Let me tell you now about Felipe's baptism. In the end, it didn't end up happening. He was excited about it on Monday night, but then every other appointment we had set up with them during the week fell through. So we didn't see him again until Saturday night, right before his interview with Elder Jewett. And he didn't look happy and didn't want to be baptized. But after his interview, he was excited! And he stayed for Regina's baptism, which was good, and then hung out with the youth. He's 13, which is important to remember for the story of this weekend. Yesterday , he was to be baptized after church. But neither he nor Eliane showed up for the first hour of church (we have church backwards, so sacrament is last.). We called Eliane probably 25 times, but she never answered. SO we hitched a ride from a member of the bishopric to her house, and talked with her there. She told us that Felipe decided he didn't want to be baptized, and she didn't want to go to church alone. She told us that he was at the big church a block from their house. SO....yes, Sister Frame and I went there to get him. He was standing at the back, by the door, and saw us, and came running to talk to us. He looked so sad, on the verge of tears, not knowing what to do. He told us he'd felt pressured to be baptized, and didn't want to. In the end, we spent about 10-15 minutes talking with him on the steps of that church, with nuns staring us down and everything, and this poor kid confused out of his mind. IN that moment, I had a glimpse of what young Joseph Smith went through, with everyone telling him different things, and him just wanting to know the truth. He finally decided to come with us, and we taught him during sacrament meeting, through passing notes and pointing out scriptures. He decided he wanted to wait a week, to make sure this is really what he wants. It was certainly an interesting day, yesterday...missing church to go get someone from another church!
What else. We ate at a churrascaria on Tuesday...I LOVE those. Yes, I love fried bananas. Tons of miracles happen in this work, but only after the trial of our faith, as Moroni teaches in Ether 12:6. Our Reginaldo, Regina's father, is getting better, but he's still got a ways to go. He will be baptized some day...he already knows he needs to change, and wants to. It's wonderful to watch as people change their lives. And to be a tool in the Lord's hands is humbling.
So, just to end...Catholic roots run deep. This country is very Catholic, and I have a profound respect for the Catholic church. It is a good church, teaching people to be good people, and honestly preparing them to hear the restored gospel. I was thinking this on the steps of the church yesterday, as I heard the Mass going on in the background and we were trying to convince Felipe to come with us. I have deep catholic roots, even after 10 years of being in the Church of Jesus Christ. Interesting.
Well, I need to go now. I hope this week is better than the last, and we need two more baptisms next weekend to meet our goal of 4 this month. And we've got potentials. As always, thanks for your continued prayers and support. I love you. I know Brazil is where I need to be, but of course I haven't forgotten my family or friends at home.
Love,
Karen
Comments
Post a Comment