Hi family!!
I have come to the conclusion that the mission is just full of rollar coaster weeks. I guess, it is part of the missionary process.. to experience oposition at its finest. And up until very recently I was planning on classifying it as possibly the hardest week of my mission. Towards the middle of the week I was wondering if I was doing something wrong because everything seemed to be crumbling. BUTT Heavenly Father did what he always does best and sent us our very on little miracle. But... here is the story...
So, winter (if you can call it that) is officially over and it is hot, hot, hot here. And while we had lots of plans, all of them fell through. We spent lots of time climbing hills and knocking doors, checking off our plano A, B, C and D´s with little success. But, we had one, salving grace: Edmilson. He was still struggling with smoking, and we tried the whole cut it down proccess for a while but he got stuck at 5 cigarrettes. So I gave a little tough love and told him he just needed to stop completely. I told him to imagine that he had an infection in his arm and had to amputate it. However, he could choose the method. With a butter knife or a machete. We decided that the machete would be less painful in the long run and he agreed to stop cold turkey. And guess what?! IT WORKED!! He stopped and we were just thrilled. Passed his baptism interview and all systems were a go.
But then... the unthinkable happened. He disappeared. We tried visiting him 2 1/2 long and terrible days without success. We called him basically every hour with not so much as an answer. We dropped off the baptism invites and I wrote a letter and we just tried our best to be patient. So I thought, for sure he messed up and was feeling a little embarrassed. Then, we stopped by one night and this terrible woman named Venusa (doesn´t it just sound like the name of a vilian?) told his that he was not home. He was at the bar.... drinking... Yeah I was desvestated. So, what did we do? Tried to remember all the bars in the area and passed in front of every one. haha In retrospect I dont know what we would have done if he was actually in one of them, but we did not really think through that at the time. So we thought the baptism was called off and just tried to move on.
UNTILLL (cue the miracle drum roll) he called us Saturday afternoon and told us that he was home and we should stop by!! Guess what? He was totally fine and excited for his big day! Turns out he had to run some important errands on the other side of town but told Venusa to advise us. But Venusa is not really a fan of us because I think she kinda wants to date him and is not to fond of the new, improved, church-going Edmilson. So she completely lied!!! But long story short, EDMILSON WAS BAPTIZED!!!!
And it was an incredible program. He asked us to speak because he said that we changed his life. And I ended up playing the piano and we sang together. And we made brigadeiros. We threw it all together Saturday night but it turned out to be an incredible program. So special! And his testimony was priceless.
So here is the moral of the story family.... The storm will always pass. There is light at the end of the tunnel. The longest night will always end un a beautiful sunrise. We just gotta keep our stamina long enough to make it there. As the young Joshua discovered in the old testament, when we are strong and of good courage, trying to keep the commandments of the Lord, he will always be at our side. Joshua felt lots of pressure and all sorts of inadequacy to fill the footsteps of the popular Moses as Prophet, but with the help of the Lord, he did it, and we can too! As Winston Churchill so eloquently said ``Never, never, never give up!´´
Love you! Boa Semana!
Sister Lauren
Sister Farfal (with her new cloths)
Look what I found!!!!
a horse in my area!! just hanging out, no fence
The Zoo-P-Day
The Zoo!!
GRAFFITI! My new land marks
miguel´s baptism!
No can opener in Brazil- Lauren opening the can with the knife
Another letter from a Lady in Lauren's last area!
Translation;
I loved your card. The words you wrote were like a smooth salve. To be called a mother by a young person so
valiant is an honor. Thank you for considering me your Brazilian mother and for the honor of allowing me to help you during your mission, with simple things, but with love. I hope you will find other Brazilian mothers that can help you during your mission, but I hope I will always be your favorite. Hahaha. When you want to call meI will bring soup to you. And, yes, Luigi found a good mother on his mission, Sister Angela, who has done a lot
for him. She made his favorite meal and I am sending photos of the dinner. Heavenly Father is always looking after his missionaries and their parents and I am proof of this.
Thank you for your love and caring and know I am alway here when necessary. Call me collect at 9.011.96572.0280 and I will come running.
I love you,
Your Brazilian mother Raquel Frederico
Look at the photo of Filipe, Priscila Bonina's baby he is getting big.
From Lauren; You will love this woman!! I am so excited for you to meet her next year. And she is so excited too!
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Raquel Frederico
From: Raquel Frederico
Adorei seu cartão!! As palavras foram como um bálsamo. Ser chamada de mãe por uma jovem tão valorosa como você é uma honra
Obrigada por me considerar uma boa mãe e pela honra de ajudá-las na missão, com coisas simples mas com muito amor.
Espero que encontre boas mães ainda pela missão mas eu vou ser sempre a sua preferida!!! Hehehehe
Quando quiser me chame que vou levar sopa para vocês!!!!!
E saiba que sim, Luigi encontrou uma boa mãe na missão, Ir Angela tem feito muito por ele.
Ela fez a comida preferida dele, te mando as fotos. O Senhor sempre está olhando por seus missionários e seus pais e eu sou prova disso.
Obrigada por seu carinho e amor e saiba que estou aqui quando precisar.
Ligue a cobrar. 9.011.96572.0280 e vou correndo
Amo você
Mamãe Raquel Frederico
Raquel M Pacheco Frederico
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