What a week.
Yesterday I almost exploded of happiness. It was one of the happiest days in my mission and perhaps in my life. But before we get to the really good stuff, let me talk about the week in chronological order. :) On Wednesday we had a service project here in the zone and it was a great opportunity to show to the community the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ which is charity and selfless service. We cleaned a park in Vila Sabrina and even sang a few hymns and gave out Liahonas to the public. It was a wonderful experience! :)
On Saturday we had the multi-zone conference with Elder Rais, an Area Seventy. At first, we all complained that they had marked the conference for Saturday, the most important day to teach everyone and prepare them to go to church. A few minutes into the fireside we quickly understood why we were there. We learned how to teach repentance and baptise converts in simple ways that perhaps we had forgotten. The spirit was very strong and everyone left spiritually (and physically) nourished.
As we returned to our area, we reflected on our investigators. We had no one firm to be baptised on Sunday and a few people who didn't really show much promise. Then we remembered: Cláudia! Her husband Mauricio and her oldest daughter Gabriela were baptised one year ago but she and her other daughter Rafaela didn't. She had gone with her husband almost every Sunday after his baptism but she had a lot of doubts and fears. Every missionary that passed through this area knew her and her family and here we were, on our way to try once again.
We began teaching her and Rafaela and about 20 minutes into the lesson the spirit began getting very strong and I truly felt like a representative of Jesus Christ as I called them to repentance and taught the atonement. We invited them to be baptised the next day but they were still unsure. Rafaela, after a lot of back and forth, accepted but Cláudia said the same as always: "Who knows tomorrow I'll get up and want to be baptised".
Sunday morning the family arrived to church but Cláudia still didn't show much promise. At the end of the meetings, we gave Rafaela her baptism clothes and took a few pictures. Then, we called Cláudia over. After a few very looong minutes of trying to convince her, her daughter pulled her to the side and with her mother's white clothes in her hands she begged: "Mum, come on. Just get baptised." They spoke for a few minutes, hugged and cried together. It was so tense!!
Finally, Cláudia stopped fighting the answer she had received long ago, grabbed the clothes and walked to the bathroom to get changed. Maybe it was "un-missionary-like" but I literally leaped of joy in the middle of the corridor.
The baptism was a spiritual feast and now the family is complete. One year from now they will be entering the doors of the temple to get sealed and there is no greater blessing than that. I am grateful to be witnessing first hand modern-day miracles and will look to find more.
I know this is the true church and that Jesus Christ is at the helm. He loves us to the point of giving His life for us- His servants, followers, brothers and friends.
Til next week!
Elder Torres