Semana 72
Oi gente!!!
I spent this whole week soooo anxious to open my email and see pictures of my sweet missionary brother! I burst into tears as I got to see Adam literally glowing as he entered the MTC! And what a tender mercy to have run into Natalie and get a picture of him with his nametag on and everything. It´s official, Elder Brown! Sending LOTS of prayers your way.
I don´t know if this has been the experience of anyone else serving the same time as a sibling, but I felt such a strong spiritual connection between Adam and I this week, moments when I knew he was needing prayers! That was a cool feeling. I am so excited and anxious for you, bud!
This week was full of ups and downs. As for downs, we had a lot of rejection this week. We had several experiences teaching the Restoration and having people completely turn down the invitation to read the Book of Mormon or to simply pray and ask God if what we taught was true. There are few times on my mission when that has happened, generally people are very open here, but it feels like with each passing day the adversary works harder and harder - the battle is tough and sometimes we walk away having done ALL in our power to help someone, but they use their agency to reject our message. It´s in these moments that I remember Elder Holland´s talk on Missionary Work and the Atonement. "why aren´t people just flocking to the baptismal font, President? Why don´t they understand? Why won´t they just pray to God to know? Why don´t they listen to the Spirit testifying that this is all true? Why is it so hard sometimes?" Even though I know the answer to all those questions, sometimes as missionaries you can´t help but ask. It´s in these moments when my testimony of the Atonement is strengthened as I trust in the Lord and realize that I have done all that I can. In these moments, I can begin to imagine the sort of pain that Heavenly Father must feel when His children disobey and deny His divine help.
As for the ups, we contacted a man named José this week. He had already gone to church with the sisters before, but with past transfers didn´t receive any more visits. We challenged him to be baptized on sunday and he accepted! So we spent the week preparing him, and he progressed so well! He had a huge beard and long hair, and cut both to clean himself up for his baptism! It was so sweet.
We finally went to the registration office to get things official and marry Edineide and Ivanaldo! They´re going to church all by themselves and are super excited to get married so that Ivanaldo can be baptized. The only sad thing is that it takes more than a month here in Rio Grande do Norte for the paperwork to process, so we´re probably going to be transferred (home, ugh) before they get married. But the good thing is that they´ll receive the blessings from God either way for keeping His commandments! We met another couple (referrals - best thing ever!) and they are going to get married and baptized as well!!! Yay for weddings (.....not....trunky...at all)!!
Elizângela was confirmed yesterday and shared her testimony in Relief Society. I love the changes the gospel brings.
Well. That´s about all I´ve got for this week. The time keeps on flying by! Love you all, have a great week!!!
Com amor,
Sister Brown
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