So I have been transfered to the SAO PAULO zone! Which means I am serving in the area of the temple!! Once a week we actually stand by the temple and make contacts, give pass along cards and occasionally invite people to take a tour of the gardens and the waiting room of the temple. In fact, they call it the temple square of Brazil. We meet sooo many people passing by, all with different stories and lives. Such a neat opportunity! It also means that parts of my area are very beautiful!! complete with trees and even cobblestones! I feel like I am in Heaven!
But this area is definitely very different than Campo Limpo! Much more chique. Our ward felt just like a regular Utah ward with lots of members and lots of talent. In Campo Limpo we had a few really strong families but lots of people in jeans, shorts and flip flops. While at first it was a little strange, I grew to love the humility and desire to worship that those wonderful people demonstrated. It is a little sad because our investigators definitely stick out like sore thumbs at church. But they come and we are happy about that!
We are teaching quite a lot of families right now! All of which need to be legally married for us to continue, but I love teaching a complete family with a dad, mom and children together. The members are all very willing to help us in our efforts so next week we are starting a Family Home Evening filled May! Every day a different family will host and we will bring investigators and recent converts along for more integration! Such a neat idea.
Actually, my companion is full of great ideas! She is so creative and loving and always always serves the people around her. She makes breakfast for us every morning, plans fun things for us to study, and always is singing and laughing. And she works so so hard. She is just a tad bit bossy but I am starting to think that this might be a typical Brazilian character trait, or maybe just sister missionary trait. Not entirely sure. But I already love her and am very grateful for her!
Also!!! I have another Enlglish opportunity!!! This 21 year old kid named MD moved here from London to work for some internship and by a serious of weird encounters he found the missionaries! He is so confused about life and needs more direction, but the missionaries in his area can´t speak English. So I gladly accepted the challenge! Our first lesson about the restoration was really great and his humble prayer was one I wont easily forget. We all knealed in a circle and he said ´´God, I dont exactly know what I am doing or even if you are listening, but I am trying to figure out these strange happenings in my life and I need your help. Please let me know if these things are true and help me know what I need to do in my own life. In the name of Jesus, Amen´´
Simple and heart felt and I am so excited to teach the plan of salvation tomorrow and enlighten him on the questions of the soul. I am learning that when we realize that we have divine potencial and are part of a divine plan we begin to change our lives naturally. I was preparing for our lesson this morning and found a quote about quality of life from Elder Ballard that I love...
´´A quality life has more to do with substance than style. A quality life is one that positively influences others and makes the world around it a better place in which to live. A quality life is one that is constantly growing, expanding its horizons and enlarging its borders. A quality life is one that is filled with live and loyalty, patience and perseverance, kindness and compassion. A quality life is one that is based on eternal potential and not confined to this life only. A quality life is a life well lived.´´
I observed two people this week that I think demonstrate a quality life very well.. The first was a woman I say walking down the street on her way to church. It was freezing cold and pouring rain and she was securely holding her Bible in her arms. I have no clue which church she was walking to, but I was touched at her devotion to God and to her faith, rain or shine.
The second we found while making street contacts. Well, we actually found his sister but she invited us to her house and introduced us to her sick mother and to her brother. Turns out, her mom has been on bed rest for the last 20 YEARS. And so, out of pure compassion and charity, this frail womans son gave up everything in his life when he promised to stay next to her bedside and help her with anything and everything she needed. So this man, full of complete charity for his mother cleans the house, washes and irons clothes, and cooks for his mother every day of his life. Wow! What a sacrifice!
People like this and their resolve to to the things they know to be right are so inspiring to me!
So in short, this week has been so great! I am learning lots. And as a side note, I am finally using the more fancy clothes that I was about to box up and send home. With these people a good first impression is vital!
Love you all and miss you dearly! Sorry for the huge letter this week.
Sister Lauren
p.s. my companion is great! I am serving in the area of the temple right now actually! Yeah the lost credit card card story is strange and luckily I put a little bit of money in my suitcase but I definitely feel veryy poor right now.
p.s.s. But I got my package for mothers day! wow I think you are the only mom that sends her daughter something for this holiday. I think it is a little backwards but I am excited to open it!
No comments:
Post a Comment