10/8/18 - Lorivaldo was baptized, I cut my hair and conference was awesome!

Ok gente here's the deal: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true and missions are the best things ever.

Many many many miracles this week.

1) Angélica is the 16 year old girlfriend of a member and we've been teaching her for a while. She has a lot of deep questions that have been the reason we keep having to postpone her baptism. Anyway, we were answering some questions about baptisms for the dead and her 13 year old sister Leticia was listening in. She asked us what it means to do baptisms for the dead so we explained it and she said, "Ok cool! Like love and serve your neighbor right?" Ok yes! This is what it means to believe without doubting. ELEITA! We returned the next day and answerd all of Leticia's questions which led to us teaching ALL 4 LESSONS in 2 hours! She accepted the invitation to be baptized on the same day as Angélica. Whoot!

2) Lucas and Lucia are the cutest people ever but we could not get a hold of them to mark an appointment. We prayed that somehow we'd get in touch with them and not long after we left our apartment we found Lucia waiting at the bus stop. She made sure we would bring O Livro de Mórmon for her and Lucas because she's super curious about its contents. She says the members of our chuch have a special light she wants to have in her life too. Hmmmmmm :)

3) We cut Fabio, (meaning we stopped visiting him) because he wasn't progressing. He randomly called us out of the blue and said he wants to be baptized!

4) And then there's Lorivaldo.

Lorivaldo has been coming to church for 11 months now and has even paid tithing. He would not accept a baptismal date during all this time. Voltareli and I were prompeted by the spirit 2 weeks ago to put him into a baptismal interview with the Elders and see what happens. We followed the counsel of the branch and mission leaders and Lorivaldo was interviewed. The font was full and the jumpsuit ready. We were sure he'd feel the spirit super strong and realize he really was ready for baptism. The interview took over an hour and when he left the room he said he wouldn't be baptized until he learns to read. The branch here in Aldeia is amazing and immediatley the Irmãs put together a reading and writing class for him. It's been so humbling to watch him start at the basic alphabet and slowly progress upward. He has such a desire to learn it's amazing. Anyway, he told us he'd call us this week when he was ready to be baptized. Something I really like about Lorivaldo is he is 100% true to his word no matter what. He called us friday night saying he was ready to be baptized. SO many sisters have been apart of his teaching proccess during these 11 months. Some of them have already gone home and married. I feel so blessed to be one of the ones here for his baptism. I played ukulele and sang a English/Português arrangement of I Know That My Redemer Lives with the beehives of the branch. This was the branch's first baptism in over a year! Lorivaldo's smile after his baptism was priceless! I love being a missionary.

Conference was amazing as always! We wached it with some members in our cute branch building. In between sessions I discovered Branch President Tarso can play piano as well as my high school theater director Clin Eaton and he found out I have vocal training. We found some church arrangements in the library and had a jam session. It was so fun to be belting again!

We had some tech problems where the translation didn't always work so I had a few opportunities to jump in as an impromptu translator from Inglês to Português. I loved all the changes, challenges and counsel that was given, but one talk that stood out to me was from Elder Soares. I love that Brasillian Apostle. He talked about helping less actives and recent converts because WE NEED THEM just as much as they need us. As missionaries we are always worried about how  our wards and branches will help our dear recent converts after we leave. They bring so much to the table and their skills and talents are super valuable, most times they just don't know how to appy them in their new church family. My challenge to you this week is to reach out to a less active or recent convert in your ward. A simple text, chat in the line at the grocery store, what ever it is please help these people feel like they truly are apart of the family. If you do this I know it will help them realize all the blessing the missionaries promised would come after baptism are real.

 

Oh, and I cut my hair. Suprise mom!

This is my first time with hair shorter than waist length. My motives? 1) We're starting into summer here and it's super hot. 2) Everyone here thinks I'm 14 years old becaue I look young. 3) They also think I'm a member of the Congregação Crista chruch which is a church where the women only wear skirts and can't cut their hair. haha! I donated it. I actually feel lighter? Also, an Irmã in our branch owns a massage studio so today she invited us in for free massages. Who knew mission life could be so luxurious. :)

Study conference again and again friends. Sisters, take President Nelson's challenge and do the 4 things he asked. I know that as we continually listen and apply the teachings of our leaders we will come closer to Christ as individuals and families.

Amo vocês!

Sister Barlow

MSPN

1) Lorivaldo's baptism

2) Reading lessons with Lorivaldo

3) Chopped it!

4) :)