Little Julia (Week 39)

Hello everyone!! :)

Today my memory is worse than usual, so this might be a shorter blog. Sorry!

We had another great baptism on Sunday, this time it was Julia! She is the cousin of Bruno, Vitoria and Yasmin. Her mother Carina, was working that Sunday at the refuge for children in underprivileged homes and families which happens to be on the same road as the chapel. At the end of church, me and Elder Pereira went there and called her to go to the baptism. She stopped serving food, took off her hairnet and came with us to the baptism. That morning the energy had gone out in the whole neighbourhood. The chapel was slightly dark and there was no piano to accompany the hymns but it made everyone pay more attention and feel the spirit, the baptism was extra special too. :)

Here are some pics of the baptism!

Julia's mother is a very special and elect woman. Although it can be hard to teach her because of her work and school, we feel strongly that she will be baptised soon, hopefully before I leave the area! She lost her husband 5 months ago and has been raising and providing for her family by herself. What a warrior! :)

We go to Julia's house, or the Severino Family, almost everyday as we have investigators and recent-converts there. Sadly, Luis Gabriel and his sister didn't go to church on Sunday. Isabela fell and broke her tooth (oh dear) and he just didn't feel like it. We were super sad but were determined to find the problem and help them overcome it. We asked Luis Gabriel what would give him the desire to go to church. He answered: "Football." Well, that was easy! We organised a football match for today but I'll tell you more about that later. Of course we also promised more blessings and told him that the church would be the only place he would find the happiness he was so desperately seeking. I told him that there are only two teams: the Lord's and the team of the one-down-below, as Brasilians prefer to say. I asked him: "Who's stronger? You or Satan." He answered "me". I asked a few times until he was sure and then explained that Satan did not want him, in any shape or form to go to church. For Isabela and Ingridy, who is Yasmin's sister (it's a complex family tree, just go with it) we promised many similar blessings but made them feel special with the following analogy. God is our loving father. He is also the King of the Universe. If they, being daughters of a king, what does that make them? Princesses of the universe! They loved it! It made them feel God's love for them and to value themselves more. We need all your prayers so that Gabriel, Isabela and Ingridy go to church. They need it so much but I don't think they understand the extent of that need.

Our companion Elder Cardoso made it to one year on the mission. Woohoo!! Needless to say, we had to get bacon pizza with chocolate border to celebrate (it's a delish dish).

That same night, we got a call saying two elders had been kidnapped and contact with them had been lost. We were all super worried but the next morning we woke up to the good news that they had been released and had slept at the bishop's house. Craaazy! Brazil is great. ;)

This morning was very long as we had our football activity at the chapel with the young man. We thought that we would have a turn out of at most 5 people but we were super surprised to see a group of our recent-converts and also investigators walk to church by themselves this morning. We went to get Luis Gabriel as planned and surprise surprise, he was asleep. I have never spent so long trying to get someone out of bed. :P We called him, shook him, got his sister to try, even the dog had a go. In the end we asked him: "Who's stronger?" He quickly answered "me" and got up and ready for football. Pheeew!!

We bought some breakfast for the kids and despite the unexpected large turnout we had the exact number of bread rolls and yogurt. Little Gustavo helped me get the food ready. :)

Here are some more pics of the football activity. There were 2 members and 9 recent-converts and investigators! Luis Gabriel had a great time and returned home smiling! :) Oh yeah, it rained cats and dogs. That didn't stop them!

(The boy in the green shirt is Luis Gabriel)

I think that is all I can remember...

Oh yeah, last Sunday Henrique and Gustavo's sister Rafaela went to church last Sunday and she really enjoyed it. We have been teaching her this whole week and if all goes well she will be baptised tomorrow!! Please pray she will be interviewed today and baptised tomorrow. That family needs the gospel in their lives so much!

Love you all!!

Elder Torres