Happy Labor Day! I loved the picture dad sent me of Luke and Cail hunting in the mountains with Lizzie. What a happy, wonderful family we have. I love you! :)
This week was NUTS. Just like nermal. :)
I'm really enjoying visiting the other sisters in their areas! The Lord has really helped Sister Gonçalves know as to where we need to go, who needs our help, and how we can better help the sisters. I even got to see Sister Melonakos which is always a delight. :) A couple weeks ago we went on splits with a sister whose was baptized into the church only a year and a half ago, decided to serve a mission, and then two weeks ago, got an e-mail from her mom telling her that her father had passed away. President called us and asked if we could go there and stay with her for a day. It was a really spiritual expirence. Although it is sad, I was grateful to at least to some degree know what it is like to lose a loved one in the mission. The Lord knows us and knows how to perpare us. I was amazed by her faith and I admire her desire to serve the Lord.
I have a testimony that if we listen, the Spirit will guide us as to what we need to do and say. We were talking with a less-active member and from no where I told her that Heavenly Father knows her heart and knows the trials she is having with her family and her children. She hadn't even mentioned any trials with her family. We began bearing testimony of families and how the Gospel blesses families. She began to cry and accepted our invite to return to church.
There was another time this week that we were talking to Iracema. She's been having a lot of doubts about the church. She went of on this crazy tangent and started saying a bunch of false doctrine. But while she was talking, I could see it in her eyes and the Spirit told me that she wasn't believing one word she was saying. When she finished, we looked at her and said, "Iracema, you know the church is true and what really is holding you back is fear." She put her head down and said, "I know. I know it's true. I just need to have the faith to get baptized." It was a cool moment. We are working with her to help her overcome her fear. :) I love the Holy Ghost.
We've been working a lot with less-active members which in turn has also led us to investigators. Interesting how that works and how the Lord blesses us. :) We were paying a visit to two brothers, Cloudio and Cleber, who where baptized, and their mom, Zilda, who was interested in hearing about the gospel. It was awesome! :) We also were visiting a family of 5 boys and discovered that the parents weren't baptized because they aren't legally married. Now we are helping them see the blessings of marriage and the gospel! Love love love. :)
Do you remember me telling you about an investigator, Tiala, when I was in Senhor do Bonfim who was perfect but couldn't get up the courage to get baptized? I was talking to Sister Reis this week, who was working in Senhor do Bonfim before Mangabeira, and she told me that Tiala was baptized! I was so happy that I burst into tears. :) We worked so hard with her and I remember being so dishearted when she told us she wasn't ready to get baptized. But all in the time of the Lord! :) Some plant and others reap. There is nothing sweeter than doing the Lord's work and seeing the people we love accept the gospel!
I have kinda of a funny/sad story: One night this week we were walking down the road, I wasn't looking where I was going, and I happened to trip into a pot hole in the road. When I jumped back up and after Sister Gonçalves brushed the dirt off and made sure I was okay, I looked up at Sister Gonçalves and we just started to laugh uncontrollably. We looked over to see a family having a BBQ outside their home who were also laughing with us... well... actually at me. But whatever. :) Anyway, we walked over there and invited them to church and became their friends. Ha ha! :) But it was a pretty nasty fall. I came right down on the knee that had already been giving me problems and it's been hurting quite a bit. I'm a-okay, but if you could keep my knee in your prayers, I would sure appreciate it. :)
I love you lots, family of mine! More than I could express! Eu amo vocês! Muito mesmo! Beijos e boa semana para vocês! :)
All my love,
Sister Man
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