A Superhero in the Neighborhood
July 2, 2012
I am picking up the pieces of why I am here specifically and what I’m supposed to be learning. Most specifically, I am so humbled and lucky to participate in answering people’s prayers. We were running late last night to have a Family Night with Cat Lady, and I decided to stop and contact a lady who was standing at the "garage door." (That’s what I call the door to the yard of their house. The houses here are always surrounded by a wall, and between the wall and the house is usually dirt or cement.) She was very receptive and invited us in on the spot because she wanted us to pray with her son. We said we wanted to help her be happier, and the only way to do that is be baptized in Christ’s church. We really have to be frank with people around here because if we aren’t frank:
# 1. they won’t understand our purpose and the difference between us and other churches... their educational level is usually basic; and
# 2. we´ll be wasting our time.
She said she was Evangelical, but she really needs help with her son, who is using drugs. She then started to cry and proceeded to tell us her whole life story and showed us pictures of her son. We marked a day to return and still talked to her that she and her son can be an eternal family.
I have realized that commitment here is weak, and thus I have been repenting of my past life, hahaha. I am now working with people who were exactly like me when it came to coming through with good intentions. Que chato! We have a father and 2 kids marked for baptism, and we think they’re actually going to be baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yesterday, he said we came into his life at just the right time where he really needed something else. Now we need to teach him how to corral his kids so they can listen to the lesson. It’s not like they’re rowdy or anything, but he isn’t firm with them. COME! Sit down and listen. Who knew I’d learn how to discipline on the mission?
I am picking up the pieces of why I am here specifically and what I’m supposed to be learning. Most specifically, I am so humbled and lucky to participate in answering people’s prayers. We were running late last night to have a Family Night with Cat Lady, and I decided to stop and contact a lady who was standing at the "garage door." (That’s what I call the door to the yard of their house. The houses here are always surrounded by a wall, and between the wall and the house is usually dirt or cement.) She was very receptive and invited us in on the spot because she wanted us to pray with her son. We said we wanted to help her be happier, and the only way to do that is be baptized in Christ’s church. We really have to be frank with people around here because if we aren’t frank:
# 1. they won’t understand our purpose and the difference between us and other churches... their educational level is usually basic; and
# 2. we´ll be wasting our time.
She said she was Evangelical, but she really needs help with her son, who is using drugs. She then started to cry and proceeded to tell us her whole life story and showed us pictures of her son. We marked a day to return and still talked to her that she and her son can be an eternal family.
I have realized that commitment here is weak, and thus I have been repenting of my past life, hahaha. I am now working with people who were exactly like me when it came to coming through with good intentions. Que chato! We have a father and 2 kids marked for baptism, and we think they’re actually going to be baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yesterday, he said we came into his life at just the right time where he really needed something else. Now we need to teach him how to corral his kids so they can listen to the lesson. It’s not like they’re rowdy or anything, but he isn’t firm with them. COME! Sit down and listen. Who knew I’d learn how to discipline on the mission?
VISITING TEACHING |
Dear everyone, Visiting Teaching and Home Teaching IS missionary work! You have a companion designated to you, etc. The only difference is you have investigators assigned to you, and they need to accomplish other commitments than baptism. SWEET! |
HOME TEACHING |
[How is the apartment hunting going? I REALLY hope you can find something decent... and NOT in some sketchy neighborhood. Or is everywhere kind of sketchy in Santa Margarida? I'll bet you find some sweet place and get it all looking lovely, and then BAM... TRANSFERRED. Oh, WAIT! That's MY luck, not yours. Carry on.]
Transfer day is July 10th, but we doubt we´ll be transferred. President Lima doesn't like transferring people a lot. One sister stayed in her area for 11 months! And another for 9 months. He also said that if we complain about our area not being good to work with the members or whatnot, he will keep you there until it is functioning well. Hahaha! There is a lot to do here in Santa Margarida, so I should kiss the other two zones goodbye, haha.
Transfer day is July 10th, but we doubt we´ll be transferred. President Lima doesn't like transferring people a lot. One sister stayed in her area for 11 months! And another for 9 months. He also said that if we complain about our area not being good to work with the members or whatnot, he will keep you there until it is functioning well. Hahaha! There is a lot to do here in Santa Margarida, so I should kiss the other two zones goodbye, haha.
[How is the language coming? Feeling some confidence? I certainly can imagine it!!! Because you are TIGHT LIKE UNTO A DISH!!!]
"Pombo" means either dove or pigeon. WHY ON EARTH would you put those two together in one word??
I’d much rather think the Holy Ghost descended in the form of a DOVE and NOT a pigeon. Lots of words
here sound like English words but mean something completely different. OR they intentionally sound like English words but are spelled Brazilian. I love how this is technically a different language, but it totally isn´t.
Thanks, Heavenly Father :)
“Quer” sounds like care but means “you want.”
“Come” looks like come but means “you eat.”
“Sob” looks like sob but means "under."
“Hem” is pronounced en and means “Eh?”
[WHOA! WHOA! STOP THE PRESSES! THIS JUST IN! Lexi got her mission call!!! You're NEVER gonna guess! Okay, GUESS, GUESS, GUESS! You're NEVER GONNA GUESS! Singapore!!! Singapore!!! And parts of Malaysia. She'll be speaking Malay. That's a far cry from French. WHOA! WHOA! (I knew you'd want to know.)]
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I have the coolest friends ever. We’re filling the earth!! Daniel 2:44-45
ALEEEEEXIIIIIIIIII, MY, OH, MYYIYIY!!!! You will be so wonderful singing for the poor in Singapore. CONGRATSSSS!!!!
[TRUE STATEMENT!!! It. Is. Awesome.]
[P.S. I baked and decorated a cookie gram for Melissa Stephens and family. (I ALWAYS wish you could be here with me when I do cookies. EVERY time.) The cookie gram said, "This is your great big THANK YOU!" with two flowers (for the girls) and three ice cream cones (for the boys). Sister Stephens told me today that she gained two pounds this past week and can't figure out why! Hahahaha! I like her. She's my friend.]
Sister Stephens, heehee! I like her too! Can you bake cookies in a frying pan with the lid on? Last p-day I tried to make SBOC, ["Sticky Balls of Crud" is what our family calls the no-bake cookies.] and... well... it looked more like ground beef. I loved it, despite the bit of burnt sugar. Why does sour milk smell kinda like butter, stink, and strawberries? [Randommmm.]
"Pombo" means either dove or pigeon. WHY ON EARTH would you put those two together in one word??
I’d much rather think the Holy Ghost descended in the form of a DOVE and NOT a pigeon. Lots of words
here sound like English words but mean something completely different. OR they intentionally sound like English words but are spelled Brazilian. I love how this is technically a different language, but it totally isn´t.
Thanks, Heavenly Father :)
“Quer” sounds like care but means “you want.”
“Come” looks like come but means “you eat.”
“Sob” looks like sob but means "under."
“Hem” is pronounced en and means “Eh?”
[WHOA! WHOA! STOP THE PRESSES! THIS JUST IN! Lexi got her mission call!!! You're NEVER gonna guess! Okay, GUESS, GUESS, GUESS! You're NEVER GONNA GUESS! Singapore!!! Singapore!!! And parts of Malaysia. She'll be speaking Malay. That's a far cry from French. WHOA! WHOA! (I knew you'd want to know.)]
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I have the coolest friends ever. We’re filling the earth!! Daniel 2:44-45
ALEEEEEXIIIIIIIIII, MY, OH, MYYIYIY!!!! You will be so wonderful singing for the poor in Singapore. CONGRATSSSS!!!!
[TRUE STATEMENT!!! It. Is. Awesome.]
[P.S. I baked and decorated a cookie gram for Melissa Stephens and family. (I ALWAYS wish you could be here with me when I do cookies. EVERY time.) The cookie gram said, "This is your great big THANK YOU!" with two flowers (for the girls) and three ice cream cones (for the boys). Sister Stephens told me today that she gained two pounds this past week and can't figure out why! Hahahaha! I like her. She's my friend.]
Sister Stephens, heehee! I like her too! Can you bake cookies in a frying pan with the lid on? Last p-day I tried to make SBOC, ["Sticky Balls of Crud" is what our family calls the no-bake cookies.] and... well... it looked more like ground beef. I loved it, despite the bit of burnt sugar. Why does sour milk smell kinda like butter, stink, and strawberries? [Randommmm.]