9/10/18 - A Wedding, Baptisms and MIRACLES!
Esta semana foi bem corredio... just the way I like it! :)
Let's get real for a second folks. Missions are the best things
ever, but sometimes you have moments that just stink. Last week I hit my
5 month mark with no baptisms. I was pretty upset about it. I'm
obedient, I talk to everyone, I couldn't figure out what I was doing
wrong. To some that may sound like a pity party and maybe it was but I'M
IN BRAZIL! Dry spells like this are pretty rare. It was so hard to see
most areas around me baptizing almost weekly. I talked to President
Ribeiro about it and I got a belssing. In this blessing I was promised
to baptize at least 1 person this transfer. I thought, "All right, I
have one week left. Let's kick things into high gear and make this
happen." Through LOTS of prayer, fasting, and hard work, the Lord not
only fufilled that promise, but fufilled it 4XS OVER!
We finally got Fabio and Francisca to the Cartoreo on Thursday and
they tied the knot. Fabio kept saying, "I just want to get this wedding
thing over with and get baptized". I got talking with Aryadne. She said
she didn't feel ready for baptism, but we helped her realize she really
was ready. The family was baptized on Friday and it was incredible! The
spirit was so strong! Aryadene kept talking about how happy she was.
When I asked Fabio how he felt about it all he struggled for words and
then eventually settled on, "It was everything you said it would be."
They were all glowing. Their story is proof that the hand of the Lord is
really in every part of our lives. They moved to Soracaba the week
Sister A. Ribeiro and I arrived as well. We met them through a member
and now they're baptized and have plans to be sealed in the temple next
year. Guess where I'll be this time next year? HERE IN BRASIL! That
means I'll get to be there for their sealing!
Side note: The Portuguese word for baptismal jumpsuit is macacão
and the word for macaroni is macarão. So when I told Francisca we had
some really cool macaroni for her to wear you can imagine the concerned
look I got from her.
Odair was a miracle as well. We found his baptismal record in our
files and realized he was baptized over a year ago but never confirmed.
Pai Celestial helped us a lot and we were able to find him and invite
him to be baptized AND comfirmed. He came to church last week and was
all set but he had this crazy infection in his calf and he was scared if
he entered the water he would give this infection to the Elder. I felt
prompted to promise him if he accepted baptism and confirmation this
week, if he had enough faith his leg could be healed. He was baptized on
Saturday and showed up for confirmation on Sunday saying "It worked!"
Amazing what faith can do right?
All of these miracles are huge tender mercies for me because I'm
being transfered. My heart is so full of gratitude that the Lord let me
see my friends baptized before I left. Lots of prayer, lots of fasting,
and LOTS of faith can bring about miracles great and small. Remember
that. Isn't God's plan perfect?
I'm heading to the Capítal. Aldeia de Serra. It has a reputation
here for being 2 things: 1) The richest area in the mission and 2) One
of the hardest because it's almost all gated apartments. I'm leaving my
tranquilo surburban Soracaba and heading into the thick of it. VAMOS LÀ!
BRING IT ON!
Other Notables:
- Got catcalled by a parrot this week.
- After Bishop Neto baptized the family I locked the font because
some little crianças were trying to get in and take a swim. Turns out I
LOCKED BISPO IN THE FONT and he was banging on the door for someone to
let him out! Face palm there.
- Sister Jales has had so many people this week ask her if she's
American too. She is very much Brasillian, but they say she has an
American accent. I guess I'm rubbing off on her... oops
- Francisca's grandaughter asked me why I have "white" hair. I told
her it was because I was 300 years old and she started to cry because
she thought I was serious. Tudo bem.
God is good. The church is true. Missions are awesome.
Alma 36:25-27
Até mais
Sister Barlow
São Paulo Norte
2) Their wedding at the Cartoreo
3) Their wedding reception the ward put together
4) Odair's baptism
Comments
Post a Comment