Semana dos Milagres

Família......com Hermana Ostler esta vez:)

That is just mind blowing to think that Saydi is actually HOME!  So minds blowing. Don´t worry I´m doing fine.  And what you said mom didn´t make me homesick or anything.  It is good to know that you guys love me..... but if I would have read that during my first two transfers..........oh baby there would have been some water works at the lan house that day:)kakaka

So....saydi... acabou.   terminou, acabó.   Did you ever think this day would come?!  I know that for me it feels like that day will never come but I´m alright with that because like you said mom.. I still have work to do.

I´ll just get on with my week... I want to entitle this week "Semana dos Milagres" Everything just happened in our favor this week..  This week we had 3 baptism dates marked.   For Vi*, N1, and N2.  When we talked with N1 about being baptized he told us that his mom wouldn´t let him be baptized because she never let him be baptized in the other churches.  He lives with his sister and his brother in law. He is one of the boys that we play futebol with. MILAGRE#1  we called his mom and she said that he could be baptized!!  Just like that…. boom!  

On Saturday morning we went around to our 3 dates to let them know that they would be interviewed that afternoon.  When we went to Vi*´s house her cousin was there.  She had been filling Vi*´s head with a bunch of false stuff about the church, like that we worship Joseph Smith and stuff like.  Her cousin said that she was going to take Vi* with her to stay with her for the week.  We told her that Vi*'s mom (she is the one that we gave a blessing to her baby last week) had authorized her to baptize.  The cousin said that she changed her mind.   We tried to persuade her to let her get baptized but it didn´t work..... baptism fell.

After that we did a little division to do interviews, our DL came with me into our area to do our interviews.   Another thing, somehow ALL but one of out baptismal white jumpsuits disappeared.  Some Irmã must have levou them para casa para lavar e nunca desenvolveu.  So we were with out macacões...  MILAGRE#2 While we were waking down the road to do interviews we saw Vi* out in front of her house waving us over.  We went.  She asked me this "ainda posso me batizar?"  Can I still get baptized?   OF COURSE!!!  She said that her mom didn´t let her go with her cousin and that when we and her cousin left she started crying because she wanted to be baptized.  She ran all over the bairro looking for us... even ran up to the church!!!  My DL interviewed her and já era!  Her mom, said that her cousin couldn´t say whether or not she could be baptized because it was the choice of Vi*.....

My DL did the interview of N1 and tudo deu certo.  While he was interviewing I called the bishop of one of the wards in our stake and asked to borrow 2 macacões (white jumpsuits to baptize in) MILAGRE#3  he said we could use two of his but that we had to go and get them from his house!  But that didn´t matter because at least we had macacões!!!  It was such a relief!  That had been stressing me out a ton during the day. We were asking all of the members if they knew who had them. What a relief. Right when I hung up the phone I bowed my head and thanked my Heavenly Father for being to good to me.  

When we went to look for N2 he was nowhere to be found! disappeared. He had told us that morning that tal vez he would go to an interior that afternoon.   Well he went. We told him to stay but he evidently didn´t.  That was a bummer.  We ended the division and me and Elder Sidrão started to buscar the people.  MILAGRE#4 our pres of the RS made us a cake for the baptism!!!  We got everybody up to the church and when we passed by N2 house... MILAGRE#5 HE WAS THERE! We got everybody up to the church and we had another DL that is closer interview him.

But then we still had to walk 20 mins to get the macacões from the bishops house....ahhhh.  MILAGRE#6 Irmã Auribel was at the church!  She is our neighbor that we live above!  We asked her for a ride and she said yes!!  She saved us 40 mins!!!!  We got back to the church and did the 3 baptisms  MILAGRE#7

The baptism... N1 is the one in the jumpsuit.  N2 is the one with his hand on N1's head.
We only had 2 jumpsuits so after N1 was baptized he switched and gave it to N2.
I lost my white pants so I wore a massive jump suit.
The two in front are JR and J who have dates for this Saturday:) 

MILAGRE#8 At the baptism we marked two more dates!!!!! for JR the friend of N1 and J* the friend of N2!  The spirit was really strong at the baptism because Elder Sidrão gave messages about the power of the Expiação.  It was really good!  After the baptisms we helped clean the church....... that was pretty fun.  I took pictures:)  

MILAGRE#9 so as you know my toenail that I got taken out is doing fine but now on the same toe but the other side it is ingrowing ... grrr! I asked an irmã at church that I knew did nails if she could help me.  She said come to my house after lunch and I´ll take it out....  I went and she did!!!  It was awesome, she said that it won´t ingrow again.  I got pictures too and boy are they funny.

Me getting my ingrown toenail taken out

At the end she opened up an antibiotic pill and poured the powder from the inside on the infected part
(only in brazil).   Then she had to put my sock on because if I would have done it the powder
would have spilled off..... I was laughing soooooo hard!  This picture kind of captures the moment...

That was the week.... well kinda:)  On Wednesday we did a division with the District leaders of the other district.   They are both Gaúchos which means they are from Rio grande do Sul which is like the brasilian version of Texas. These two did not want to do the division…. but in the end we did the division.  We also went to the temple on Wednesday which was awesome!

This Wednesday there are two members of the 70 coming to Manaus to talk to the missionaries.  One is  Elder Mazzagardi who is the 1st counselor in the area of Brazil presidency and .... ELDER MAYNES!!!!  Kristina Hansen´s dad!! The one I hometaught and I met him!!   I´ll try to get a photo with him and send it to ya to show to her... :)

Also last Tuesday we had mission counsel with all the ZL.  President Castro said that the second lesson that we would teach will now be the Atonement.  We can still teach and should teach the Salvation plan but with a MASSIVE emphasis on the atonement. I loved it!  I know that it will help a ton in the conversion of these people!

One thing I love about Elder Sidrão is that he takes the initiative. I´ve been the senior comp so I´ve been the one that has to do the stuff and take the initiative and be in the lead.  But Elder Sirdão is an animal and just works and does stuff!  I love it!

Like I said at the beginning I´m really glad that I still have 1 year because I´m not done yet.  I have so much to improve.

Well that was the week.  I hope you guys have a great time this week with SAYDI who is now fluent in spanish... kakakak  almost as good as being fluent in Portuguese kakakak

Com amor Elder Ostler