Walking in the Sorocaba Sun (Week 60)

Hey beautiful people! :)

What an awesome week it has been. My new companion is Elder King, from Medina Ohio. We were best friends already since we met in the MTC so we both jumped of happiness when we knew we'd be companions. :)

I'm serving in the Jardim Califórnia ward in Sorocaba, São Paulo. It is really awesome here, the sun seems to be closer to the ground than in the capital and the rain seems to be heavier too but we're loving it. We were sent to the area together so we're both still finding our way without a map (it was destroyed in the rainstorm the day we arrived).

The last elders who were here had taken an awesome family to church. The parents are Luiz and Giani and they have 3 kids. Giani is the daughter of a long-time member and they went to church the first time last week. Luiz and Giani accepted our challenge to get married this month in order to be baptised and their children will get baptised in the meantime. :) We had a wonderful lesson with them about the Plan of Salvation and it is such a privilege to have the knowledge that families CAN be forever, depending on our obedience to the commandments and our diligence in living the gospel. :)

So this week we saw several miracles as we knocked doors and walked in the sun and in the rain, getting mud up to our ankles. On Thursday it rained A LOT and we walked around with no coat in the cold and got rejected time after time after time. I didn't understand why we weren't finding anyone and how people could be so blind to the truth. However we battled on with the attitude of "one more door". As the rain calmed down we walked past a house and I felt strongly we should go back and knock it. The woman came up to the gate with the keys in her hand and let us in. My first thought was: "We found a member, thank goodness!" To my surprise, she wasn't a member or no one else in her family for that matter. They had been taught by the missionaries about 5 months ago and had gone to church several times. This Sunday they all went to church again and the children accepted a baptismal date for next Sunday. The mother, Vanessa, said: "I'm going to get married so I can be baptised!" It was a miracle to find this family so prepared to accept the gospel! :)

A door sign which said: "Politics and Religion... Don't knock at my door!" Oops. ;)

Well, this week was quite short because of transfers and so on but we are so excited for this week coming. The mission did better this week and in the meeting with President we discussed some great ideas to help inspire and teach the missionaries. We are all learning in the process too of course! :)

Elder Cunegatto, Elder Fly, Elder King and Elder Torres getting fat at KFC!! :D

I love you all and will send more news this week!!

Elder Torres