Working For a 401 Miracle December 24, 2012

Working For a 401 Miracle

December 24, 2012

We already had our Zone Conference on December 11. Then, transfers were last Monday; so President Lima wanted us to have p-day on Tuesday. So annoying… change, that is. Ya know, when you have to plan your day a week ahead of schedule, change is quite frustrating. We actually asked President Lima to have Monday as our p-day because the other p-day we had marked with an irma in the ward to have lunch with her and ended up having to cancel because the elders and the stake president wanted us to spend it in the church. This past Monday we marked with another irma for lunch, but it doesn’t work out—unless it’s on a p-day—because they live SO STINKIN’ FAR AWAY; and I didn’t want to cancel with yet ANOTHER irma.

(Ya know,
lots of
irmas want
to have lunch
with us.

Sometimes it stinks to be
loved so much.

JK!!
We LOVE the LOVE!)

I then decided it’d be better to have p-day on Tuesday, so we could do service projects on Monday. It was quite a mess!

Daddy! I’m so proud of you and your indexing! We have a lady who recently moved from Niterói, where she was the family history and indexing QUEEN. God sent her here to prep this baby ward to be a stake… and a stake in ZIOOOOOON! Count it.

Marcia's Christmas tree.

This Sunday que vem [next], we will have a miracle reunião [meeting]. We were commanded to stay for the Ward Council meeting that talked all about how we will get 401 people to Sacrament Meeting in order to boost our average count to 180, so we can open a ward in Araruama. We coordinated to have a division in Araruama this Wednesday and will travel to Búzios on Saturday. The bishop talked down every detail even to the boxes of bread we will need to pass the sacrament. Presidente Lima himself will come, and we will have a BAPTISM right after church. Her name is Kamilly, the daughter of Carla Fabiana, who was a baptism of Sisters Diller and Taylor. She is passing the holiday with her mom and will get baptized this SUNDAY! She’s super esperta [smart] and a fireball. Kamilly will come in after the closing prayer

of church, all dressed in white. They’ll have a talk, and everyone will go to the baptismal font. Afterward, we will have a lunch; and, at night, President Lima will have a training session with the members. BOOM!

We also got word of a rumor that there is cheaper, better land here for a temple......hmmmmmmmmmm HERE? In Macaé!!!????

I love our bishop. It’s not like his personality is ridiculously funny; but he’s so calm, humble, and loving. His wife is a nifty knitter and an artsy lady and ALSO has stories of dumpster diving ON BASE baahahahahh! I love Diva Daniella and Bispo William.

The Funnies
You wouldn’t believe the mixed tape of music we hear from our old lady neighbors. BUT, the CD I heard that had me laughing ALL DAY was a holiday CD that our family has but doesn’t like: Holiday Panpipes. No. Lie.

It kinda stinks to work on Main Street because it’s closer to the beach; and, now-a-days, people only walk around in swimsuits... or at times, they garden in their swimsuits, similar to a man we saw the other day.....

The Rock is a MORMON!?!??! JK JK
The last fast and testimony meeting, our investigator family came to church!!!! It was so cuuute. The 10-year-old boy came over to his mom from the seat next to his new friend, with the bread in hand, acting like he sinned. “Can I eat this? What do I do? He offered it to me.” At the church they attend, no one eats of the bread if they aren’t baptized. I explained to the mom and her son and let them decide. He waited for a long time, and I said I’d keep it and throw it away for him. Then his mom said, “He’s praying to repent of all his sins.” I was so humbled by the acts of this child of God. “…And a child shall lead them.”

During the testimony meeting, a man got up to bear his testimony. It started out interesting, the usual testimony. And, then, he started talking about his boxing match and how his friend came to church with him. He talked about how he prayed to win and—bending down to pick something up—he showed his Champion’s belt. Sister Carvalho put her hand gently on her forehead. He talked about how he had faith to win this, though not for himself, but to honor God. He said he not only prayed to win, but also—reaching down again—demonstrated the SECOND Champions’ Belt that his team won. I prayed more than ever that Deise would see this as a demonstration of faith and how people apply the gospel in their lives rather than something strange.....

End of the World Aftershock
There was a CRAZY monster storm a few days before the December 21st “end of the world.” I made a contact during the storm saying, “Are you prepared for the Second Coming? We can help you with that.” ;)

Alma 13:25 This is what I think about the whole thing. It was interesting because, as the date kept creeping up, I felt more and more at peace, thinking, “Well, there’s no ‘cram session’ for this test. If it ends, I have said my peace, I have done all I know that I need to do.” It was the first time that a due date didn’t leave me stressed out; and, as it passed, it didn’t leave me feeling like I didn’t do my 100%. Spiritual successs is superiorily satisfying.

P.S. How do you take care of children during lessons, especially when discipline isn’t in the family’s vocabulary?