Sao Domingos: Saying Goodbye to Two Wards

 Okay so I do not know for sure, but it is very likely that I am going to be leaving this area next week and as a result, leaving the São Domingos Ward. I have been in this area 4 transfers, which has felt like a long time. But because of that I have gotten to know the members and the area here really well and it has been a little hard to go to lunches or to meet with members knowing that really soon I am going to have to say goodbye. But I am still here for one more week and I am going to make the most of it.

This week we had divisions with the SLTs! I got to go to Franco da Rocha where we got hit with lots of rain. But in the end it was a great time of learning and laughing. In the meantime, my companion was working hard in our area and when we got home she told me about their experiences with one of the families we have been teaching and that she thought they were ready to be invited to be baptized. And so we fasted and prayed and yesterday we invited them to be baptized and they accepted.

We were super nervous to invite the Mom because we did not know what she would say, or if she would allow her two sons to be baptized. But we started with inviting one of the sons and then the other. They both accepted. And then without even being asked the Mom says, "I have the desire to be Baptized in this church." And so if everything works out we should have their baptism this Saturday. It is amazing to see the hand of the Lord in the life of this family and the ways that they have grown this past month as we have worked to prepare them for this! I am so grateful for the chance that I had to know them and be a part of their learning.

We did an activity on missionary work with our ward and the other ward in the building and it went super well! It has been a long time that we have been trying to do an activity, almost 6 months, and so it is really awesome that it finally happened! We only had 6 people from our ward though... but that honestly was more than we expected.

Yesterday we were talking to a couple that we have been teaching and as we were sitting there I remembered a BYU Devotional that I listened to this past summer about faith. I felt the spirit so strong as I shared a part of the story with them and it is so good that I just had to go home and find the speech again.

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/tiffany-turley-bowcut/faith-in-the-lord-faith-in-ourselves/

Tiffany Turley Bowcut shared the story about the day her child died and reflecting on this experience she said:

"Over the course of the next few days, I recognized that this was an experience where the rubber met the road with my faith. Did I really believe that what I had been teaching my children was true, that families are forever? Did I believe that the Lord could sustain us through what felt like an insurmountable trial and somehow make it be “for [our] good”? Did I believe that I could trust the Lord to comfort me in my pain and to wipe away this brokenhearted mother’s tears?

I did—and I do. In some ways I know it, and in all ways I believe it."

What a powerful statement. "In some ways I know it, and in all ways I believe it." This phrase came to mind yesterday as I was sitting in the fast and testimony meeting of our ward. Thinking about the things that I know are true. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is God's church here on the earth today. Jesus Christ is our Savior. We are children of God and we have the potential to return to his presence. In some ways I know it, and in all ways I believe it. And I am coming to know these things more and more everyday. 

In our lives, we have these moments when the rubber meets the roads when it comes to our faith. I pray that in each and every one of these moments we can remember to turn to the Lord. We can keep our trust in Him, and I know that in the end He will take us where we need to be.

Going back to the title of this email, I'm saying goodbye to two wards because my home ward is no longer. My family and I have been part of the Franconia Ward since it was created, and after almost 20 years it is going to be hard to say goodbye. It was something that I never expected to happen but I know the Lord has a plan for us in all things. Wherever we are or whoever we are with, these are the circumstances that will best help to change us and shape us into the best versions of ourselves. 

I do not have much else to share but I love you all and next week I will for sure be writing this weekly email with lots of tears. Tears because maybe I will stay here for yet ANOTHER transfer, or tears because I will be leaving these people that I have come to love, but mainly I hope it is tears of joy because of the baptism of our friends. We shall see. 

Until next time.

Sister Pinkney

Rest In Peace Franconia Ward