“WHO TOLD?!”
March 1, 2013 letter [received through missionties.com on March 7, 2013]
Friday night [February 1], as we were waiting patiently in the normally wind-blistered São Pedro plain, the cell phone begins to ring. “Ugh, DL, what do you want now?” To my pleasant yet apprehensive surprise, it’s AP [Assistant to the President] Elder Salviano! (Nicknamed “ânimo” and also known as Chinese character because he acts and talks like a Chinese cartoon—teeny tiny mouth when closed, SUPER HUGE when talking and laughing.) “Oiiii, Eldeeeer!” He promptly asks me about the 2 new mattresses and the zone’s new pillows we were to receive. I said we hadn’t gotten them yet. THEN, he asks how many desks we have. I said six. “Seis!” [Six!] “Sim, Elder.” [Yes, Elder.] Desks? “O que está acontecendo, Elder??” [What’s happening, Elder?] He laughs and says that I just need to wait and keep calm. HMF. We already started making up stories, assuming left and right, and concluded that we MUST be receiving more sisters. After all, the last President’s Interview began with BOTH Sister Carvalho and I discussing where the best location would be for another sister companionship to serve IF we were to receive more sisters. In the deepest, darkest pit of my heart, I wanted to train again AND have my oh-so-well-prepared daughter train with me. Word to the wise—be careful what you wish for. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Saturday afternoon [February 2], after a “creative” lunch in the house, we were bumbling along on the bus when, yet again, the cell phone rang. I detest being senior and having charge of the cell. I tried to persuade Sister Carvalho to trade the key responsibility with the cell responsibility. I even added chocolate in the deal; but, seeing as Sister Carvy received a Christmas box of JUST chocolate AND she hated the cell more than I, it was a no-go. |
“BOA TARDE, ELDEEEEEER!” [GOOD AFTERNOON, ELDEEEEEER!]
Elder Salviano: *Laughing*
“O que é, Elder?” [What is it, Elder?]
*Laughing* “Oi, Sister Nelson!” [Hi, Sister Nelson!] *Laughing*
What the heck is going on?
He finally paused and got serious. “Sisters, we’re going to tell you confidential information, but you CANNOT tell anyone until Monday. No one can know. It’s about the transfers.”
“Fala LOGO, Elder!” My heart started racing. We’re gonna get more sisters? Gosh, this ward isn’t ready yet! I’ll be transferred?
“Sisteres, Cabo Frio will receive 2 new sisters…”
WOOO!
“…and you BOTH will train!”
I started laughing and laughing... guffawing and honking right there on the bus. NOW I understood why Elder Salviano was laughing. Sister Carvalho started laughing, too, which quickly turned into tears. I hugged her and kept laughing; and in between gasps of breath, I said a few words of encouragement. Yet, as I was laughing, I was thinking that God is so ironic; and I heard Grammy’s sweet voice, “The Lord knows the intent of your hearrrrrrrrrrrt.” Grammy has been closer than ever.
But the story wasn’t over.
“Also, Sister Nelson, your family will grow. You’ll have a sister! Sister DeOliveira will train, too!”
Elder Salviano: *Laughing*
“O que é, Elder?” [What is it, Elder?]
*Laughing* “Oi, Sister Nelson!” [Hi, Sister Nelson!] *Laughing*
What the heck is going on?
He finally paused and got serious. “Sisters, we’re going to tell you confidential information, but you CANNOT tell anyone until Monday. No one can know. It’s about the transfers.”
“Fala LOGO, Elder!” My heart started racing. We’re gonna get more sisters? Gosh, this ward isn’t ready yet! I’ll be transferred?
“Sisteres, Cabo Frio will receive 2 new sisters…”
WOOO!
“…and you BOTH will train!”
I started laughing and laughing... guffawing and honking right there on the bus. NOW I understood why Elder Salviano was laughing. Sister Carvalho started laughing, too, which quickly turned into tears. I hugged her and kept laughing; and in between gasps of breath, I said a few words of encouragement. Yet, as I was laughing, I was thinking that God is so ironic; and I heard Grammy’s sweet voice, “The Lord knows the intent of your hearrrrrrrrrrrt.” Grammy has been closer than ever.
But the story wasn’t over.
“Also, Sister Nelson, your family will grow. You’ll have a sister! Sister DeOliveira will train, too!”
WHAT?! How CRAZY is THAT!? I had been recently wondering why Sister DeOliveira hadn’t trained again. I wasn’t sure for whom I was more worried, Sister DeOliveira or her greenie? Elder Salviano gave a pep talk to my beloved daughter, saying that she was well-trained and ready for the work.
Walking down the street, we joked about why this phenomenon happened to us. Carvy: “Man, I knew I shouldn’t have slept through those training videos. Now God’s making me watch them again… FOR 3 MORE MONTHS!” Me: “Well, I surely didn’t learn how to train right, so I’m gonna have to do it again AND be there to help you train someone else.” * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Sunday morning, peppy Elder LZ [Zone Leader] Hechter called saying, “Good MOOORNING, Sister!” “Good morning, Elder. How are you?” I already knew he was going to tell the “forbidden news,” and I was in a pickle. Do I feign excitement? Wait for Carvy to get out of the shower? Meh, Sunday morning time is precious time. “Sister, you and Sister Carvalho will train 2 new sisters!” “We already know, Elder.” --Pause-- I could just see his countenance deflating. My poor LZ. I couldn’t better translate his response without a movie quote: “WHO TOLD?!” --While You Were Sleeping. He asked if the President told us because only the President can… Do I lie? “Yeah, the President and the APs told us”… not really a lie because the interview told it all, now, didn’t it? “Uh, huh…” Haha, poor LZ. Sunday night, we played Treasure Hunt in the coat closet storage room that we found out was actually a FOURTH BATHROOM. We were oh so grateful that the Elders so neatly stacked and stored pots, pans, candy wrappers, screws, and posts for the bunk beds. It was super easy to find things. I was thankful that one elder left a now-corroded shampoo bottle because, at least, everything smelled good. Sister Carvy’s response to the mess: “I will teach my sons to be intelligent.” By 11:30, we had a sturdy wooden bunk bed all set up with the old mattresses and almost everything else put back and organized. I AM WOMAN. HEAR ME ROAR. We were too tired to worry or plan or cry or cheer for what was to occur tomorrow. Only God could have anticipated what was to come. Being a mom of 3 newbies is tough work. |