Hey Guys!
This week has been crazy! Super long, and super fast at the same time, I wish I could explain it. The week seemed like a day, but the days seemed like weeks!
I will start by explaining the three baptisms we have marked for this week, as per request by my mother :) [I asked for more details about the investigators.] Gabriel (12) is a great kid, he was at lunch on wednesday and has been going to church for a few weeks. He never talked to the missionaries, but he was going with his friends. So on Wednesday, we taught him, and invited him to be baptized! The crazy kid accepted ;) haha I was happy.
Anna Maria, 58, stopped us when we were walking by her house one day. Her son is a member (less-active, but not on the list of the bishop because they moved here recentlyish) and was excited when we offered to share a message with them that day. We have gone back a few times and she is ready! She even (conviently kinda) lost her job in which she was working on Sunday! Crazy. She will be baptized the 1st.
Samantha (13). We were knocking a door one day when Samatha and her parents (Sandro and Adriana) walked by and told us no one was home in that house. We talked to them a bit, and found out they too were members, just inactive for a long time. Ten years or so (also not on the records of the bishop). They let us come back to their house and Samatha accepted the invite to be baptized, and the parents to go back to church! They all went and LOVED IT! They also went to the broadcast thing that the MoTab did, and they loved that too! She said, "I could stay here forever". I loved that response, but was very relieved to get up after sitting for another hour and a half!
So those are the baptizms for now. I think its pretty obvious that the Lord answered our prayers. We worked hard, but he put these wonderful people in our paths. I cannot even explain how grateful I was for that week! This week when we passed the numbers, the ZLs were absolutely shocked. The Lord answered our prayers, and then some! I was super amazed at what the Lord did in this area in the past week. We still have a lot of work ahead of us, but I guess that is what we signed up for, haha
So on Saturday night we ran into a couple that was visiting from another state. They wanted to know where the chapel was for church the next day. Their son is serving in Sao Paulo North, I guess. Great couple. Anyways, they asked us if we could go with them to the fireside broadcast. I told them we couldn't, so the first thing they did was asked Sandro, Adriana and Samatha if they could go with 'em, and they did! We decided to meet them there (now that we had an investigator there). Then this couple, invited us out to lunch on p'day (today)! Holy. This family is awesome! I was super humbled at their love and willingness to serve. They took us out to a really nice restaurant today, paid for it all.
This couple really made me think. It reminded me of a talk Diane gave about angels of the Lord. I have seen a few people pass through my life, just for an instant, here on the mission, and leave a huge impact. These "hit and run" angels who took us out to lunch and all, had such an awesome spirit, so happy, so grateful, and just so awesome. Really great examples of the Savior. Taught me a valuable lesson. I'm gonna write em a letter! Also I think they wrote you guys a letter, I hope! Please thank them a lot!
She shared a storie with us about her conversion. She said she walked into a room and met a man for some business reason, I believe, and when her husband said it was time to leave, she didn't want to. She said she asked the man who he was, because she felt the spirit so strong. He said he was a bishop for the church of Jesus Christ, and at that moment, she decided to get baptized. I dont think she ever saw him again. Pretty sweet story.
But that couple had the same effect on me. Even though he wasn't a bishop, and I was already baptized, I wanted to be a better person.
Thanks Mom for that lil bit about King Solomon. I really liked it! I love hearing about what you learn from the scriptures or life, I find it super interesting. Also really liked the Oceans 11 analogy. Great movie. Its weird how often I apply that movie to my life. All about team work, and how everyone has their role, but the reward is the same for everyone, (unless you're Benedict). I think thats pretty true for us, no matter what are role in life, if we "play it well" we will receive the same great reward! It may even be better than 13.8 million dollars
Thanks for the fotos from the family reunion! People are growing up! Mathias looks especially manly of late. Nice work with the steroids, kid.
Do you think you could send me Dad's talk? Sounds amazing! I think it would be a wonderful talk to have on hand during a mission!
I really liked the story of the blessings for Grandma and Grandpa; I love giving blessings, one the most wonderful things to be able to do. I was able to give a blessing on Sunday, and it made me very happy. I was able to do it with Adamastor, one of the great men I have gotten to know here on the mission. And we gave it to Paulino, who is another great example to me of what I want to be like when I grow up. These two men remind me a ton of the great examples I have at home, and I felt at home with them.
I am in this area almost 4 months now and I am really starting to get to know the people well. I am starting to get to know their stories, their families, and everything. Great people. I love this ward! I don't really have to use a map anymore, I know when and with who to do family nights and which members would get along with which investigators. It is a blessing to serve here for so long. Its gonna be extremely hard to leave this area, that's for sure. I hope I get to stay a few more!
Hmmm, the district. The district is great! President and I talked about that in our interview. Really fantastic missionaries. I love working with 'em. Basically my job is to get the numbers each week, and help make goals and what-not to improve the work in their areas. I also do divisions to train every once and awhile, and I organize and plan the district meetings. Also I do interviews for baptism, which is a great blessing. I love that part, though its hard.
I talked to pres-man about that. I talked about the worry I had, because some people answer all the questions right, but not with conviction. When do i decide they should wait a lil longer? President really helped me with that. He explained the importance of follow-up post baptism. That people can meet the minimum standards, but we have to follow up a lot to strengthen them, even after the baptism. Also gave me some stuff to study and to pray about. And He said A TON more, but thats all you guys get for now :)
The other day we taught a man who honestly believed that He was the cause of the first and second world wars, and that he was worried he would be the cause of the third as well. He let us know as well that he was born in 1953. :)
Well, I tried to be a lil better this week wit the details, but I ran out of time, so I hope it works! No time for personal ads, sorry! I still love yous. I love you people, thanks for your prayers! I pray for you too!
Love, Jake
