What an interesting week it has been. We have come to the close of one more transfer here in Cariacica. We received news on Friday that all four of us are being transferred. Elder LeFoll, Elder Dance, Elder Rossi, and I. So, my time here has ended. Tomorrow at 3:00pm we are going to be in the transfer meeting in Vila Velha.
This is going to be my last transfer on the mission. My last six weeks. This makes me think a lot and feel kind of strange.
This week was hard again. However, over the weekend I had two experiences that were really amazing.
First, on Saturday night the ward had a Festa Junina, a tradition here. It is kind of like a square dance country themed dance and dinner that originally was a Catholic holiday focused in Saint John, but that now has nothing to do with that. The turnout was huge. There were people from the Estaca Vitória (Vitória Stake). Surprisingly, I ran into someone I know other than some members from Vitória and Serra. Her name is Malu, 22 years old. Over a year ago I was passing in front of her house and we stopped to talk to her and offer her our message. She was with her boyfriend, had a nose piercing, dyed hair, and it was raining. We ended up returning and teaching in her home four or five times. But, with time, we lost contact, her and her mom never went to church, and we never again found them at home. Then Elder Salvador and I were transferred from Serra.
Turns out, the Elders saw the record of her I left, went by her house, found her at home, and she was baptized. She is going to be serving a mission in December. Her papers are all ready and she is wating until she has one year as a member to send them. Fruits of the labor. It was neat. I recognized her, but she was completely different. I was grateful for the opportunity I had to talk to her, take a picture with her, and get her email address. I am still baffled. I can´t wait to see where she goes on her mission!
On Sunday, we had an investigator Edson that went to church again. He is not married, and he lives with a less-active member Erica that is returning to church. They both are about 24 years old. It was pretty normal. It has been a while since we have been to their house, because he wants to be baptized but only after they get married, which is going to take awhile. Plus, they were out of town for over a week and I didn´t even know they were back. He got up in fast and testimony meeting, in jeans a black t-shirt and gave the best testimony of the meeting. He told the story of how Elder Rossi and I went to their home, taught him about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon and challenged him to read and then pray and ask the Lord about it all. He said that the instant he finished praying, he felt an overwhelming sensation of happiness and relief, and that when he woke up the next morning, it continued. He continued reading, and the feeling continued to grow. Many other members that bore testimony afterwards said that his testimony remembered them of their conversion and rekindled those feelings. We too bore our testimonies. We are leaving the area, but we are leaving seeds planted.
I am tired, but happy.
Have a good week. Wait with eyes peeled for the transfer news.
Elder Bodily
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