This week was one of the hardest/best, but that's just life here in the mission. We have been feeling the spirit so much better this week, and seeing the results of following it's promptings!
Things started out awesome! We marked 7 baptismal dates with 3 families. One of them had already been taught many times by missionaries in the past, but we taught a lesson about our purpose here and why we have so many difficulties that really touched her heart and helped her see the importance of accepting the gospel NOW.
As the week went one things just got better, we took the single mom and her daughters to young woman's mutual, and they loved it. We taught the other Woman with sister Vani (from christmas remember?) and it turned out she had already passed the same problems that the investigator was passing. We were feeling so awesome!
Then came sunday morning.... haha. So the other day we had bought a bunch of ties from Adriana's mom, who works in a thrift store (Mom I know how you love thrift stores, you should see the ones in Brazil... it's like wading in a flood of garage sell substance.) Elder Lee found an awesome pair of shoes that he bought for $1.50!
Sunday morning the left shoe lasted about twenty minutes and then it started to come apart at the seams. 5 minutes later it literally fell off his foot. We had 13 people to bring to church and we were worried about being able to pass them all, but we just laughed it off, I made him a electric tape sandle (remembering Nate's graham cracker box socks)
Adriana and her daughter went to church (single mom with 3 kids.)
The other people with baptismal dates were working and sick, the last family had left to find a house (they have to move from the rented house today because the owner is going to start reforming things whether they've left or not)
Long story short all the baptismal dates fell through except for Adriana and her daughters.
We had marked to visit adriana in Vani's house because her dad was furious when he discovered she was meeting with us. The situation in her house is terrible.
So She called us and told us she couldn't meet with us any more. Which broke our hearts. I talked to her a little bit and she decided to let us have one more lesson.
I know she needs the blessings of the Gospel and she needs them NOW! God guides us these people that are needing it so badly, and it's super hard to watch them struggle. The ones with faith to overcome fear will always make it, while the others... I just pray they have another chance in the future.
Certainly living the Gospel is a priveledge!!! I've seen the difference it makes in the lives of our Recent converts! Being a new member is very hard! Especially if you are the only one in your family. We all feel what is right and wrong but fear to do what is right so often prevails. I'll visit them today before I leave for Rio Verde tomorrow.
I gave Wilson a tie and white shirt, and we recieved ties from Jhonny and Luciana, (they're so awesome!!! did I tell you they made a book of mormon cake? who does that? they just love the church!"
I'm off to Rio Verde tomorrow and I know there they baptize a lot. Every missionary that serves there comes back with all his shirts yellowed from the red dust.
I know the lord loves us, and that nothing can frustrate his designs. Thanks for all the love and support family!
Elder Wallace
A night shot of Uberlandia
Elder Lee's improvised sandal
A fruit called 'Ata' or 'pinha' you eat these slimy slug-like things inside.
Dusting the cobwebs off my suitcase.
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