May 19, 2014
So this week was interesting. We relaxed a ton. Let me tell you why...
The police in Recife went on strike. Do y'all remember the first Batman movie where in the end all police leave Gotham and the criminals just run wild in the streets wreaking havoc? That's pretty much how it was this whole week. Since we're Zone Leaders we were receiving tons of phone calls from the Assistants to pass security procedures to the other missionaries. It was pretty intense. It started on Wednesday and ended on Thursday night. On Wednesday it got ugly. There were people robbing everything. They went to all the electronics stores and just had a party. People putting washers and dryers on their shoulder and just walking out of the store. Marcia's (recent convert) brother went to the mall on Wednesday and as he was leaving the parking lot on his motorcycle there were 2 women with a baseball bat and a machete trying to assault him. Stuff just got real. We called the sisters when we received the notice during our lunch appointment that we would have to stay home the whole day and they said they were hearing gun shots on the other street. President wanted us to tell the members to put food in a Tupperware so that we could leave right away. It was intense. Good thing we were at the Bishop's house and he has a car. So Wednesday we stayed home the entire day and the rest of the week we had to go home when it got dark. I finished the Book Of Mormon in Portuguese. Nothing happened to us so don't worry. Our area is pretty chill. I think there were a few little house robberies but that's it. This is why we live in an apartment on the 4th floor.
As far as missionary work goes, we were just knocking doors the whole week. We talked to a ton of people and found a few good ones. A girl named Dayse went to church. She's 19 and has a daughter who's 1. She also has a husband who works at Burger King at the mall. She seems really genuine and has a desire to follow Christ. I feel like with the time we've been on the mission, we are numb when we knock doors. We just go and go and go like it's nothing. We can read people really well and we know when someone has potential in like 2 seconds. We like teaching the people in their doorway and we don't take no for an answer.
We will baptize this week. Edinete/Flavios two daughters, Monalisa(10) and Katiuce(14) have been at church enough to be baptized. We marked them last night and President said we could baptize them this week. Elder Flemming was doubting that he would let us but it went through. I think President trusts us a lot. It's good to be on his good side because when you're a missionary who's always on his bad side, your life as a missionary is rotten. But I think this is what Edinete and Flavio need to spark some more interest. They've put off the wedding until September, so we probably won't even be here. It's rough, but were hoping their daughter's baptisms speed up the process. They really have nothing to wait for. Let me tell you that I've never baptized a whole family. It's the grand prize as a missionary and it is worth all the work and effort.
Sunday I gave a talk. They called me up last minute and I talked about grace, and how Nephi used it when he broke the rope that his brothers tied him with. I talked about how we need to act to be able to receive God's grace as a support in our lives. The Atonement makes it possible for us to do things that we wouldn't be able to do without grace. I felt good about it and I think the congregation felt the spirit. Christ really is our Savior, in every sense of the word. In any circumstance, if our motives our righteous, Christ will give us strength, knowledge, or courage to do ANYTHING. He lives!
Love you all and hope y'all have a good week!
The police in Recife went on strike. Do y'all remember the first Batman movie where in the end all police leave Gotham and the criminals just run wild in the streets wreaking havoc? That's pretty much how it was this whole week. Since we're Zone Leaders we were receiving tons of phone calls from the Assistants to pass security procedures to the other missionaries. It was pretty intense. It started on Wednesday and ended on Thursday night. On Wednesday it got ugly. There were people robbing everything. They went to all the electronics stores and just had a party. People putting washers and dryers on their shoulder and just walking out of the store. Marcia's (recent convert) brother went to the mall on Wednesday and as he was leaving the parking lot on his motorcycle there were 2 women with a baseball bat and a machete trying to assault him. Stuff just got real. We called the sisters when we received the notice during our lunch appointment that we would have to stay home the whole day and they said they were hearing gun shots on the other street. President wanted us to tell the members to put food in a Tupperware so that we could leave right away. It was intense. Good thing we were at the Bishop's house and he has a car. So Wednesday we stayed home the entire day and the rest of the week we had to go home when it got dark. I finished the Book Of Mormon in Portuguese. Nothing happened to us so don't worry. Our area is pretty chill. I think there were a few little house robberies but that's it. This is why we live in an apartment on the 4th floor.
As far as missionary work goes, we were just knocking doors the whole week. We talked to a ton of people and found a few good ones. A girl named Dayse went to church. She's 19 and has a daughter who's 1. She also has a husband who works at Burger King at the mall. She seems really genuine and has a desire to follow Christ. I feel like with the time we've been on the mission, we are numb when we knock doors. We just go and go and go like it's nothing. We can read people really well and we know when someone has potential in like 2 seconds. We like teaching the people in their doorway and we don't take no for an answer.
We will baptize this week. Edinete/Flavios two daughters, Monalisa(10) and Katiuce(14) have been at church enough to be baptized. We marked them last night and President said we could baptize them this week. Elder Flemming was doubting that he would let us but it went through. I think President trusts us a lot. It's good to be on his good side because when you're a missionary who's always on his bad side, your life as a missionary is rotten. But I think this is what Edinete and Flavio need to spark some more interest. They've put off the wedding until September, so we probably won't even be here. It's rough, but were hoping their daughter's baptisms speed up the process. They really have nothing to wait for. Let me tell you that I've never baptized a whole family. It's the grand prize as a missionary and it is worth all the work and effort.
Sunday I gave a talk. They called me up last minute and I talked about grace, and how Nephi used it when he broke the rope that his brothers tied him with. I talked about how we need to act to be able to receive God's grace as a support in our lives. The Atonement makes it possible for us to do things that we wouldn't be able to do without grace. I felt good about it and I think the congregation felt the spirit. Christ really is our Savior, in every sense of the word. In any circumstance, if our motives our righteous, Christ will give us strength, knowledge, or courage to do ANYTHING. He lives!
Love you all and hope y'all have a good week!
Elder Dallin Stephen Carroll
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