Família!! Amigos!!
Once again, it's been a crazy week in the office! I suppose it would be boring it wasn't crazy. Well, first of all let's start with the little miracle Elder Cardoso and I were able to experience.
There is a guy called Alex (in his 30's) who has been coming to church for the past 3 months or so. He is the boyfriend of a member and he is always paying a lot of attention in church. I thought he was a member until someone told me he wasn't! Anyway, he works as an escort for delivery of important things or something like that. We had been trying to mark a lesson with his but he only finds out his shift the night before at 10pm and he gets called to travel as far as other states within Brasil. We had called several times and tried to arrange something several times last week. We even went to his house twice and after having travelled some distance and got the bus all the way there, he wasn't home.
One night we were walking in our area when we got a text from Carla, his girlfriend, saying: "He's home now, you can come now." We would've ran there if there wasn't a bus that took us straight there. We sat down and began to talk and to teach. Everything we taught he just accepted and was determined to live. He asked good questions and made very insightful comments. It was more of a conversation rather than a lesson. After teaching the Restoration, we made the invite: "Would you be willing to follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptised on the 10th of April?" He said: "The 10th? This Sunday?" We held our breath. "Yes!" It was amazing to see how God works in the hearts of His children.
In Doctrine & Covenants 29:7 it says: "And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts". This scripture really shows that regardless of what we may say or the impact we may think we have made in an investigator's life, in the end it is the Lord's voice they follow. Any success we may have on our mission was brought upon by God's mercy and His plan for that person. We are simply instruments in His work. Please pray for Alex that he will be there tomorrow taking that most important step!
This week we were able to organise and practically run a multi-zone conference for some of the zones in the interior of São Paulo. We practically had no sleep getting things ready. In the end we had an awesome experience helping President and Sister Farnes. We were helping Sister Farnes make waffles and pancakes the whole morning for a surprise breakfast, the missionaries loved it! We did an activity in which we released a bunch of balloons up in the air. They had a little piece of paper tied to it saying what we would personally leave behind and change to become a better missionary. It was a great time for reflecting. :)
Let's see... What else happened? Oh yeah, the office was robbed again! This time they took two computer screens and some more cameras. Gladly I keep my camera with me at all times! They are gonna install cameras, an alarm and window grills so they stop coming in through the windows. :P
We also went to the temple which was wonderful. The session we went in was so full they had to get some chairs out! I love to see and be in the temple! :)
Thank you all for your prayers, they are helping the work move forward the work here in São Paulo! :)
LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Oh yeah, congrats Simón for your baptism little bro! The heavens are singing and God is rejoicing at your decision. :) Love you bro!
Look what came out finally!
