This week was the bomb.
Pday was a bust, as we had to buy a new fan because Elder Varela likes to use one to sleep, where as Ferreira didn't because it left him with a sore throat. We have to adapt with the changes in companions. It's interesting how much I got used to being with Elder Ferreira, I could almost predict everything he did. But Varela is different of course, and either way we get along great. He's more of a precise worker where as Ferreira was more go with the flow, follow the spirit type deal. I think I'm in between those two, so either way, it's easy for me to adapt. I like the way we teach together because we don't just split up every topic like a robot.... we stop talking when we feel like it and let the other one start up. It's more relaxing and has a good flow because the other way around it just gets tiring. Y'all know that I don't really like talking that much.
This week we had a meeting with our new President. It was really cool because he was there with his wife, his two daughters, and his son. His son is 11 and his daughters are 19 and 15 I think.... But they were all given time to tell us a little bit about themselves. It was touching when they all said that they were angry and sad when their dad received the call to be mission president, but when they entered the airport and saw us singing the mission anthem, they all felt the spirit and felt that everything was going to turn out alright. It was good to hear that we could relieve them of some stress and worrying, just by being there to greet them. I can imagine their feelings about the whole thing. Out of nowhere they find out that their dad will be a mission president for 3 years in Brazil and they will have to stay there to. President Bigalow said that he received a call from Elder Bednar and went to his office to talk to him with his wife. He served as a young man in Chicago speaking Spanish, so for the past few months, he's been studying Portuguese and trying to filter out the Spanish words (looks really hard by the way he was speaking Portuguese with us). But he's a good guy with a light, friendly personality. His wife doesn't speak much Portuguese but gave a whole talk in Portuguese (she read the whole thing)... It made us see that she is serious about being here and is willing to work and study to help the mission out. We're really excited for this new president because he said he's going to go on splits with us to see what the work is like.
This whole week we were basically working with a few people to get them baptized fast. I feel like this area is just baptize, find, and baptize, find and baptize. It's ideal for sure. Yonara's friends, Marcos and Jaqueson were both baptized yesterday. Also, we baptized a girl named Rayna, who is Flavio/Edinete's neighbor/friend of Katiuces. The two guys are 21 and Rayna is 13. When me and Ferreira opened this area up, we baptized a few youth and they ended up dragging about 15 other kids with them.... it's a baptism factory!!! It looks like it's never going to end.
Rayna's mom was there too and she really liked church. She said it was different and didn't feel like she was being pressured to accept Jesus. Half the churches here say that if you don't "accept Jesus/raise your hand at the right time" that you'll go to hell and there's no hope for you. So that's already one point that we have on the others. She liked the way that everyone just goes at their own pace and how nobody is forced to do anything. It's great too because she's friends with Flavio/Edinete and is just a good, relaxed person who is fun to be around. We'll get her in the water fast. She was asking us a lot about the "what can you do?" and the "what can't you do?" so we told her about the word of wisdom and the law of chastity. Mom's like that kind of stuff.... if they're a good mom......
Jaqueson is just a mystery who doesn't like to talk. He wanted to be baptized so we baptized him!
So this week we're really going focus on getting Osiane baptized. She's an 18 year old girl who just thinks way to much... or maybe not enough. She is always studying/sleeping so it's hard to mark visits with her. She's different. She is sarcastic when she answers our questions like she constantly wants to say, "duhhhh, of course I know that"..... but the word/expression, "duhhh" doesn't exist here. She went to church with her mom which was great. They really liked it and we went to talk to Osiane at her house afterwards. I asked her if she wanted to be baptized. She explained that she was looking for a church to stay at and she didn't know if this was the one. WE explained that if she read the Book Of Mormon and prayed and really thought about it, she would know. She has the type of personality where she has to study things out and analyze to make a decision. There's no going wrong with the Book Of Mormon.... IT'S DA TROOF!
I've decided that I want to read the Book Of Mormon and the New Testament before I get home. It's a goal. I figured out that the less I read the Book Of Mormon, the weaker my testimony gets.... not that it's weak or anything,,,, but you know. It really is the glue to my testimony. It makes it so the restored gospel makes sense and has a base. The Bible is great, but I'm not going to lie, it doesn't have the strength that the Book Of Mormon provides for me. That's just my feel.
Well folks.... I guess that's it.
Oh... just a quick joke for y'all real quick...
"you know you're in Recife when half the testimonies born at fast and testimony meeting are about miracles that Jesus performed so that the members could escape shootings and assaults in the streets.´´
Don't get scared mom, I've never seen a gun on my mission so I'm safe.
Oh and dad, the world cup cannot be escaped here.
Everyone watches every game so we're always updated on who goes home and and who plays who and who the best teams are. If Brasil doesn't get through, I'm rooting for Holland. They're bosses and will destroy Argentina. People literally cried when Neymar broke his back. My comp and I were sad too...
Well family, I love you all and hope y'all have a good week. Pray so that Osiane can receive a confirmation about the Book Of Mormon. She's super close.
Love,
Elder Dallin Stephen Carroll
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