This week was another difficult week, though we had a miraculous date marking experience. We marked a date in the first lesson with the girlfriend of a former investiagator. She was the driving force that kept him from being baptized (she wanted him to be baptized in the Assembleia). She came to church with us yesterday. She has cousins that are members of the church. She will turn 18 next month. Remarkably, a member gave her mom as a reference the week before, so we had visited her house twice and talked with her parents before even meeting her. For now, the parents are determinedly NOT interested, but they like us and know us because of our visits. We both want to involve them though, to the point that they grow a desire to be baptized as well.
One of our pillars of strength in the Serra-Sede (one of our really awesome members) is suffering financially and took up a job that keeps her from going to church except for one Sunday per month. This is sad.
Remarkable how a mission makes you want to raise your hands to the air and yell in anguish, but at the same time fills you with sublime satisfaction and heavenly joy.
Elder Wilson saw wild monkeys for the first time in one year and four months in Brasil! It was my third time in nine months. They are tiny and almost squirrels except for their faces and their long tails. It was funny, because it was in one of the fanciest neighborhoods in our area.
Yesterday at church, the sister who taught Principles of the Gospel (the course for new members of the church and visitors) came sweeping into the class room with a bunch of balloons and a cake. The lesson was on baptism. The reason? She said: <<Baptism is like a big party! When there is a baptism on Earth, there is a party in heaven!>> I´m not sure on the accuracy of her statements, but it was all in good sentiments. Sigh...ay ay.
Things are really nice here weather wise. I don´t sleep with the fan anymore. We just open our window. I´m not sweating as much. Blessing!
Next time you just feel blah, try going out into the street, talking with thirty different people about your deeply personal religious views and listen to all of the criticisms and comments they make to you. Let me tell you, if I didn´t know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was true, I don´t know what I would do.
A mission is work, but its wages are better than any other work.
Good week to all,
Elder Joshua Bodily
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