Jandira: "Do one of you want to marry me?"

 Everyday more and more happens and I have less and less time to write about it in my journal so I will try to remember the best parts!

We started off the week with District Council! Always a blast, I love my district. Elder De Graw taught us about the importance about focusing on the necessities of the people we teach. I especially loved the definition he used of necessity which is "something the person has to change or do to recieve the atonment of Jesus Christ." It made me think, what necessities to I have? What do I need to change or do to recieve more fully the power of the atonement in my life. Something for us all to think about.

We got to do a division with the Sisters of Engenho Novo and I got to stay with Sister Gibbons! We had barely started when out of nowhere it began to rain like crazy. It was quite the adventure to make it to the house in the rain and then as soon as we got home the rain stopped. 😅  But after that we visited a media reference and had a great lessons with her! Sister Gibbons is an incredible missionary and made me want to study so much more the scriptures so that I can explain things the way she does!

Then Sister Franco and I got to work! Teaching lessons, walking the streets, and then out of nowhere we passed a man on the street who asked "Um de vocês querem casar comigo?" (Do one of you want to marry?).... no thank you 😅 

But after that we had a miracle of marking a baptism date with the mom of one of our recent converts!!! We are beyond excited for her. She has problems with smoking but she has already stopped so pray for her that she can stay strong and be baptized this Saturday!!

The next day was pretty sad. That media reference from earlier in the week who was progressing so much told us out of nowhere that she decided to stay with the Jehovas Witnesses. 😥 But we decided to not let get us down so we kept going and we were guided to find two new families to teach!!! And then as we were walking the street we found 20 reais 😇 and so we bought esfihas! Someone told us later that it is illegal to pick up money on the street, which I'm not sure if that is true or not, but we are going to believe that this was a gift from Heavenly Father to help us on our very sad day. 

We had interviews with President (always a highlight)! 

And then we got to go to the temple visitor center with Lucas, Socorro, and Yann and it was awesome! Yann was a hoot, and an absolute ball of energy the whole day. The Sisters asked the group if we liked the video and Yann responded, "Eu AMEI" (I loved it)! And they asked, And what part was your favorite? To which he responded "TODO" (everything). Sister Franco and I did everything in our power to not burst out laughing but it was so sweet!

We challenged Vitor (Marcio's son) to be baptized and he said he wants to wait a few more months... 🥲 But afterwards he asked "when I get baptized can I get a tattoo of my baptism date on my wrist?" ..... uhhhhh ..... keep in mind this kid is 10 years old, but it was very funny and we told him the could get a bracelet with the date and just use that.

Alright, sorry for the super long email! I just want to end it off with one more experience. One day this week I was feeling a little sad and I was questioning if I have changed at all on my mission or not. So I decided to sit down and read the Book of Mórmon! I opened to Mosiah 24:13-14

13 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage. 

14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

I love this scripture and after that I read a letter that I had written to myself during the training of the assistentes to the President and the first thing I had written was "never forget that you have changed." I can testify that Heavenly Father is talking care of the details of our lives. He knows each and everyone of us!