It was another wonderful week!! (Well aside from the World Cup. 7-1? Seriously Brazil? Yeah needless to say people here were not very happy.)
But I am seriously so happy. Wanna know why? Remember the incredible family that called us last week and asked us to come back and teach them again after watching the Other Side of Heaven? Well the miracles continued practically every day this week!!
Last Sunday the two daughters, Eduarda and Marcela went to church. Wendy did not go because she was sick, and probably her husband was not to thrilled with the whole church idea. He is a wealthy, closed off Japonese man that believes he does not need religion. But Eduarda and Marcela visited and absolutely loved it! And everybody loved them too!! They have bright, sweet countenances and all the members recognized that they are super special. One day gave a lesson about repentance and forgiveness and Wendy began to cry. She told us her emotional story. I guess she was abandoned by her birth mother when she was a baby. She was raised by another woman but by the age of 14 she was totally on her own. After years of struggles and two daughters, she miraculously found a man who was willing to take her and her two daughters in. He is a little controlling and closed off to religion, but they have a beautiful family and I can feel that his heart is softening a little already. She emotionally told us how she has carried a grudge against her birth mother for her entire life and she just wants to be free. We made her a promise that if she and her daughters would read the Book of Mormon every day as a family and pray together for guidance, she could feel the miracle of forgiveness begin to work in her own life and heart.
Sooo, we returned the next day and she was all sorts of excited to tell us that they had read the first three chapters of Nephi and even talked about the things they were reading!! THENN she told us that she has decided to stop drinking alcohol and she is working to cut back/stop drinking coffee. But the interesting thing is, we have not even taught the Word of Wisdon yet! But she heard that Mormons have a different code of conduct regarding our health so she did some research, liked what she found, and decided to put it into practice. She is beginning to change her life simply because she feels like it is the right thing to do! THENNNN this week guess who showed up at church?! Yep WENDY and her daughters. I guess yesterday she was trying to decide whether to go or not and her cynical husband asked ``hey, weren´t you planning to go to church today?´´ She explained that she did not know because she did not want to be late and she did not have anything to wear and she was a little nervous. And he said, ``you should go! I´ll watch Aya (3 yr. daughter). You need this!´´ He did not visit, (yet) but Wendy was so excited because he approved of her going andddd he almost made a visit himself!
Oh I am so happy! I truly feel like Wendy and her family have been prepared for this message for quite some time. Turns out they all have lots of member friends. For quite some time they have been meeting members of the church and have noticed a difference. They have craved to have what we have, and I just feel so lucky that we are the missionaries that can help them put all the puzzle pieces together.
On a little bit more of a sad note, I had a moment this week that I am almost sure I will never forget. Remember Silvo, the man who took care of his mom for 20 years and finally made a visit at church the other week and absolutely loved it? The one who came to our first lesson with a list of 20 questions: all of which corresponding perfectly with one of our lessons. The one who basically read the entire Book of Mormon and our pamplets about 10 times each? Well, things got so much worse in his house. He has family members who heard lots of lies and absolutely hate the church. They are ruthless and terrible. And Silvio has lived 20 years without friends or really a life at all, and does not have a backbone or the confidence to continue to fight against his brothers. So this week we had a lesson and he burst into tears as he told us that right now the church simply is not an option in his life. We told him that we could continue to visit from time to time to make sure he was okay.
He told us that while he would like that very much, when we visit the pain is almost excruciating. Because he wants, more than anything in the whole world, the message we have at our finger tips. He said that it is as if he is starving in the dessert and we are presenting a huge, beautiful feast with everything and anything he could ever ask for. But as much as he tries, what we have to offer is just a little bit out of reach. I never knew how much influence this message. I never knew that people would give everything. Literally everything to have the knowledge, direction and peace that we take for granted everyday. But I am learning, and I hope I will never forget that we are seriously so so blessed.
So family and friends, just never forget. Do something today to revive your faith and help another along this path. Because the results are seriously wonderful. One of the most interesting paradoxes in life is that we can never help another without helping ourselves in the process.
Love you all!
Boa Semana!
Sister Lauren
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