October 20, 2014

Sister Pereira came back from Urick Graff this week and I told her the sad news about how M. didn't want to be baptized.  I don't know how, but Sister Pereira still had faith that M. could be baptized this week.  We went over to her house and began to speak with her about the temple and how she could be sealed together with her family for eternity.  We showed her the pictures in the book of temples and she was really intrigued by the picture of Christ on the first page.  As we talked with her, the Spirit entered the room and by the end, M. had agreed to be baptized Sunday. 

I was really surprised and so happy.  It was the first time my “daughter” (Sister Pereira) had marked a baptism and she was overwhelmed with joy afterwards (just like the first time I marked a baptism with David in TN).  We told M. that the adversary would try very hard this week to do things to stop her from being baptized.  She told us that to avoid this, she wouldn't tell anyone about her baptism. But, she wanted her husband to be baptized as well.  We told her that her husband could be baptized next week and that she could be an example for him. 

The next day we returned to M.’s house filled with faith and hope and happiness.  She then told us that she no longer wanted to be baptized.  Shocked, we asked her why.  She told us that she had spoken with her son, who called her crazy, as well as her neighbors, who pretty much said the exact same thing and that she would not do anything against her son's wishes.  We tried to reason with her and help her remember the Spirit she had felt the day before, but she wouldn't budge.  Finally, disappointed and discouraged we left the house. 

When we went back another day this week to see if she wanted to be interviewed by the Elders, her husband opened the door but wouldn't let us in.  He said that his wife couldn't come to the door because she was washing clothes and then basically shut the door in our faces – sad day.  It is really sad to see people whose families are against them making covenants with God and who deny the opportunity to do this because it is against their families wishes.  Mom, you are such a strong example to me of not letting anything impede you from following the Savior.

Yesterday we went to visit our other investigator, L.  Sister Lawrence and I began to speak with him about the priesthood authority and he asked us how people in other churches cast out devils in people and other things like this.  He said he would be baptized into the church where he could have the authority to cast out devils in the middle of the road.  It was kind of weird. 

I was speaking with the other Sisters afterwards and they told me that they had been talking with one of the young men in our ward who was baptized this year.  He told them that he had attended another church before (I won't say which one) and that the leader of the church had asked him if he could cast a devil out of him.  The young man responded by saying that he didn't have any devils in him.  The church leader replied, "How much do you want to feign (is that a word? like " to pretend") there is a devil being cast out of you?"  After this, the young man left the church immediately.  He later met the Sisters and was baptized.  It is so sad to hear and see that so many churches using people's innocent faith to get money.  In this specific church, the members are expected to give literally everything they have to the church (refrigerators, fans, microwaves, etc.) and are promised that God will repay them.  Que Apostasia!

3 Nephi 14:15-27:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them: I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore, whoso heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon arock— And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand— And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

Don't forget that next week is transfers week, so P-Day won't be until Thursday.  I'm pretty sure I will be transferred.  I have been in this area for three transfers already and we haven't had any baptisms this month.  :(  The assistant called me yesterday, after seeing our numbers, and asked me how I was doing;  i told him that this week hadn't been that great for us and that I was a bit discouraged.  He told me not to get discouraged and gave me a bunch of tips that we can use in our area this week.  Our AP is great!

Love y’all,

Sister Dyer

Batismo de Janayna

Sister Dyer with Francisca and Uerle's children and neighbors

Janayna's baptism

mangas com farinha anyone?  It's a specialty that Sister Pereira demonstrates eating here!  I eat it for breakfast almost everyday.

Sister Pereira's baptismal birthday cake.  This is the cake that we threw salt, pepper, soy sauce, chile, and a whole bunch of other stuff on and then "baptized" by removing plastic wrap so that it could be made clean again;