April 7, 2014

Baptism!

Watching conference and eating cake!

Happy, Irma Moore!

 

 

Querida família!!

I´m trying my hardest to send pictures so hopefully it happens but just know I´m trying every week and it never works.  I´m staying another transfer here with Sister Sciammarella!!  I am so thrilled, after this week we have every reason to be excited to stay.  There still haven´t been any more baptisms even though we always have people to be baptized each week.  Things just keep happening and it´s totally out of our control.  I know we´re doing the same work as the people who baptize every week, but I really liked what President Eyering said about patience.  He said something along these lines, if the consequences of obedience or disobedience were immediate, it wouldn´t build faith.  Conference was so great!!!  I got to see all of them including the young womens!  I definitely cried in both videos.  Those missionaries singing ´´sou um filho de deus´´ are us!!  After looking at my notes, these are the things I feel were the General Authority´s counsels for me:

-ease the burden of your leaders

-be thoughtful and Christlike to everyone

-kneel in prayer daily with a real desire to change

-patiently await blessings

-draw faith from your family

-don´t pick and choose commandments

- have an attitude of gratitude!

- help your teammates

- study the atonement during trials

- have love in your heart instead of regret

We have a really great grupo de ensino once again.  Four of our investigators came to the Saturday afternoon (night) session which was just a miracle.  One of them was a reference from Irmã Cleide, who has become one of my favorite members of all time.  It was exactly how missionary work should be. Her name is Sandra and she LOVED conference. We marked a time to come teach her with Cleide and it was a super great first lesson.  Really the spirit has just been in our lessons so strongly this week and people have been listening a lot better, especially to the first vision.  We are also teaching Cristiane and her three sons.  She recently survived a car accident and is so elect and willing to do all the things we tell her.  Right from the beginning she knew she wanted to be baptized. 

Our other awesome investigator is a reference from Valdemir.  His references are getting really good and I know the Lord is blessing him for his desire to help the missionaries.  This guy´s name is Fernando and he´s legally married and has like 7 kids.  He randomly bought a movie about Joseph Smith one time and is super excited to read the Book of Mormon.  Valdemir is my hero.

I am just feeling so good about the work here right now.  I was feeling really stressed earlier but after conference and after a blessing from my Zone Leader, Elder Walker, I feel that the Lord is happy with what we are doing.  Sister Sciammarella is my best friend in the world and we always laugh. 

Janaina is finally going to get baptized on Thursday.  It´s been a journey and she´s got quite the past, but we think she´s finally understanding repentence.  Pray for her, and for Ana Paula, who didn´t come to church, and Elinildo who would be baptized if he would leave his sketchy rooster fighting job...  and also João.  He came to church so let´s baptize that man :) haha so I think it´s six possible baptisms this week...

I love you all so much!  This transfer has some pretty great things to look forward to.. Easter, the 9-month mark and MOTHER´S DAY!  It´s gonna be so awesome.  The church is true and the Lord always knows what we need.  This transfer I want to stop focusing so much on how to be a good missionary and start to learn how to be a representative of Christ. 

Um abração,

Sister Moore