Teaching Josefa (Week 83)

Olá a todos!

I am really loving Franco da Rocha and my new companion Elder Miller! He's from Bakersfield, California, he's 18 years old and has just finished his training. Franco da Rocha has a lot of "morros" or hills. This is my first area that has so many hills and I'm already feeling the strain! But I think I will be here til the end of the mission, so bring it on! ;D There are two sets of elders here in the ward. One of them got to the mission this transfer and is also Elder Torres. Way to confuse everyone President. ;) Here's a picture of him struggling up one of the many steep and long stairways in Franco da Rocha. Welcome to the mission!

This week on the way to our focus area, an old lady waved at us from her door. Elder Miller told me they had already tried teaching her but she speaks too much and gives too many excuses. I thought: "What am I gonna lose?" Her name is Josefa and when we sat down with her I understood what they meant. She is 81 and speaks a LOT. I have to admit I was losing my patience in the beginning because she went off topic so quickly but I then realized that all she needed was someone to listen. She has been a widow for a few years and was just needing two very patient young men to listen and give her comfort. Then we started teaching. She paid close attention and although I had to cut her off a couple of times, she was happy and eager to learn. On Saturday we taught her the Ten Commandments using hand gestures and she learned them as quickly as a 15 year old. We love Josefa. :) She went to General Conference on Saturday and Sunday and will be baptized this week. Please pray for her!

Before I arrived to the area I had already heard lots of missionaries saying how amazing the leaders, the youth and the ward was here. I now add my testimony to them! The ward here is awesome and super receptive to investigators, recent-coverts and missionaries. On Wednesday, there was football at the chapel and well over 30 non-member youth turned up. Football started at 8pm and they all turned up early so, we kinda herded all of these excited sheep into the seminary class. It was a humorous situation but I've never seen such a full seminary class! :D

Football was pretty fun and a few "moleques" we invited turned up and even brought friends. I just wish they were that eager to come to church on Sunday... Haha, it is the country of football so what am I expecting? Going to the house of one of the boys who went to football, we ended up finding another family. Gustavo (16) was sitting on the side of the road looking at his phone and although he looked a bit suspicious, I decided to speak to him. I quickly realised he was just a very nice 16 year old guy looking at his phone while sitting by the road, nothing more! We went to his house and met his two other siblings who accepted to come to church and also be baptised if they received an answer. Frustratingly but not surprisingly, their parents aren't married and didn't show much interest but did support their children in whatever decision they made. Gustavo's two sibling, Lucas (13) and Thawanny (10) came to the Sunday morning session and made annotations and everything. Despite Lucas' 6 pages of annotations not making much sense, I was very impressed that he really tried to listen to the prophet and apostles. Gustavo came to the Sunday afternoon session and his siblings decided to come again. They loved it! Please pray for these three siblings so they receive the answer to their prayers. :)

This week we met a 17 year old guy called Daniel. The missionaries have gone to his house before but he's never been to church. We were teaching him the restoration but when I asked a basic question about His faith in Jesus Christ he remained silent. It was obvious to me that he was lacking that very same thing I asked him about. He explained that opposed to most of Brasil, he had not been raised in a religious home. It was strange teaching someone who doesn't know of God's existence but I know that we will be able to help him teaching by the spirit.

LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU ALL!!

Elder Torres