February 23, 2015

This week was the end of Carnaval.  There weren't a whole bunch of parties in our area.  Most of the Mossoróeans head to the beaches in Tibau or Arreia Branca, so it was pretty quiet without a lot of people on the street to talk to. :( The members of our ward had a four day long activity at a beach in Arreia Branca as well as a resort in Mossoró.  It sounded pretty cool, but seeing that it was all beaches and swimming pools and dances, that was a no-no for us missionaries.

Presidente said that we should listen to spiritual promptings this week, seeing that during Carnaval it can be pretty dangerous in some areas.  Sister Lopes and I weren't that worried, but on Wednesday night, we started feeling really weird in a bad way and felt that the Spirit was telling us that we should go home, so we headed home at 8pm instead of 9.  

We had Family Home Evening on Monday with a few investigators and recent converts, during which we had an activity during which everyone had to describe Jesus Christ.  Sister Lopes said that He was her "melhor amigo" ("best friend).  A 10 year-old recent convert then said, "É verdade.  Todo mundo disse que o melhor amigo é o cachorro, mas não é - é Jesus Cristo." ("It's true.  Everyone says that man's best friend is a dog, but it isn't.  It's Jesus Christ.")  I thought that was pretty cute.  (Still love dogs though)

The other day Sister Lopes and I were walking down the street when we met the son of a recent convert who has some drinking problems.  We went over to talk to him and a friend that was with him who had something covering one of his eyes.  When we got closer we saw that he only had one eye (He removed the bandage to show us that there was only skin covering the area where his eye should be).  We asked him and his friend if we could say a prayer with them, and for some reason they started arguing a little bit (they were a bit drunk).  Finally the son of the recent convert got fed up and just said, "Vamos orar!  Feche seus olhos!" ("Let's pray!  Close your eyes!")  I don't remember anything that Sister Lopes said during that prayer.  I just remember thinking the whole time, "where's the other eye?"

So it rained a bunch this week!  And I got really cold!  I was actually using a sweater inside the house during personal study.  Sister Lopes told me that I was crazy.  She was enjoying the cold, seeing that she is from Santa Katarina in Southern Brazil that has a colder climate.  Well, I don't know what the temperature is like in China right now, but I'm pretty sure that I'm going to freeze to death when I get home.  Seeing the pictures of the snow in CO didn't help a bunch either.

So, this week is going to be a week of baptisms.  Sister Lopes and I have four investigators with baptismal dates.  So make sure to pray for L., J., R., and S..  The other Sisters in our ward have five, and there will also be a wedding for two of the Sister's investigators on Saturday before all of the baptisms.  We are all really excited!  :)

P.S. I got sick on Tuesday and had to stay home the whole day due to stomach problems but I'm praying that it will be the last time that will happen during my mission.  (I refused to go to the hospital because I am absolutely sick of hospitals here.)  I got better quickly though. :)