Conference Week

March 30, 2015

         So, we had a miracle today!  M. stopped us and said that she wants to come to church ad be baptized now.  Okay, that’s cool.  It turns out that her dad is a member and her sister is planning on serving a mission.  I didn’t know that the entire time we have taught her!  She wrote out an explanation about chastity and it was really well done. At the top of the page she wrote “rumo ao batismo” which means “to the baptism” or “onward to baptism.”  On the downside, A.’s dad prohibited us from teaching her or allowing her to come to church. He said, “ While she is under my dominion, she will learn what I want her to learn.”   I told him that we would respect his choice, but that he would be responsible for what happens at the last day.  I don’t think that he really understood me. Her mom really liked us teaching her and we told her mom that anytime they needed help or wished to come, they were welcome at church.

March 29, 2015

         We had a ton of people who committed to come to church NOT come after all-not a big surprise.  But, F.E. And M. all came.  I guess that if you want to have people come to church you have just got to make a LOT of invitations.  People just do not keep their word here and it is no big deal when they don’t. Annoying.  And, our bishop talked and talked and talked about garments during the combined hour.  Brazilians like to talk about temples, baptism for the dead, garments, and exaltation A LOT!  (All of the most difficult topics to teach to our investigators.)

The mall where Elder S. had his eye appointment.  We normally are not allowed to go here.

March 30, 2015

         Today we spent 3-4 hours waiting for Elder Shelton to do his eye exam and this was in Aldeota where the commute alone is a huge time killer.  Then we played basketball which is always great for me!

         When we taught M. we found out that she is obsessed with me.  Well, I am not sure why because I am flabby and all of my clothes are stained and torn, but oh well.  She wrote on the front of her Book of Mormon “Garrison Colvin I love you.” OPA!  That is scary for an elder.  On the bright side, I think that she is studying the gospel with real interest.  She marks her Book of Mormon, attends seminary, and comes to church by herself an hour early.  I am making sure that Elder C. and Elder S. sit on each side of me as a “baracade” during our lessons.  You can never be too safe!

March 31, 2015

         Happy Birthday to Bailey!  I forgot to write something to her yesterday.  I have actually thought about her a lot on the misson.  I hope that she can have a good birthday. 

         We taught that couple who had the amazing miracle happen and they said that they would not come to church this week because they were tired.  Ugh, the wife has no semblance of a testimony.  But the husband said that they would go when he regains a little more of his strength. 

         We taught M. again and she wanted to be able to respond to the questions at the back of the pamphlets that we give to her but she doesn’t have a D&C so she asked us for one.  We don’t actually have them to give away.  But he got one from seminary to use.  She likes to write paragraph summaries to answer the questions so she bought a notebook to have enough room to write her thoughts. 

         We gave a dedicated Book of Mormon to a less active sister today and she was extremely grateful because she lost her copy a long time ago.

April 1, 2015

         We revisited that same sister we gave the Book of Mormon to and we were able to talk to her husband as well.  He drinks and smokes a lot, but I think that he will go to church if his wife pushes him a little bit.  Our district leader asked me to give the training today, and it turned out good. The zone leaders where there too.  I taught about the role of the spirit in conversion.  The main focus was on what we could do to help our investigators feel the spirit.  I used Acts 2 as an example of how Peter gave a very short discourse and then 3,000 people were baptized.  Why? Because he had the spirit with him with an intensity that was equal to the level of conversion he had for himself.  As we reach a higher level of conversion, we will be able to teach with a greater degree of the spirit and the people that we teach will feel that difference. 

April 2, 2015

         So we taught all of the youth after seminary today about prophets and why they are important.  Seminary here starts at 7 at night and goes til 8:30.  Our investigator wrote up an essay on the Word of Wisdom and it was, as usual, really well done.  However, she put a bunch of hearts right next to my name.  It is weirding me out on the inside, but keeping my cool on the outside. . it's actually kind of funny, because this past weekend she found out what a snake was (from some other member or missionary) and she immediately stopped with all of the flirty stuff. It was kind of cool, because she knows what's right, and so far, she's showing that she wants to do it!  She ALSO went to ALL of the sessions of general conference including the women’s conference.  We are planning for her baptism in a couple of weeks.

         We had a really good lesson with W and B.  They quit smoking for a couple of weeks, but started up again.  The parents are pretty relaxed about everything, but their little 9 year old daughter is very serious.  We read James 4:31 that teaches that he who knows how to do good and doesn’t do it, commits sin.  We asked the little girl what she thought that meant and she told us that it is like people who know what they should do to follow God but they are just scared to do it and that is wrong. She is a pretty bright little girl. 

Our nice stake center!

It was a super inspired conference this weekend - it is always that way but extra nice when you are a missionary.  I especially loved the Saturday morning one with all the talks about marriage. I also loved it when President Uchtdorf started speaking in German after the Spanish speaker. At first, I was thinking, whaaaaat? Do I not understand English anymore??? I think that he's itching to give a talk in his native tongue. 

I'm kind of in a bad mood because the repair that the shoe guy did only lasted a couple weeks. I'm going to have to glue the rest of them together now.... My Johnston and murphy shoes are still holding up, so I think that they'll last to the end.

This sign was on the ground and set out next to the trash.  I think that I will keep it!