Week 8!

Hey family!! And everyone!!!

 

Time seriously flies. I cant believe it is may!!! WHAT?!?

 

This week was super good, it honestly feels like last p-day was to days ago though.... hahaha. I guess that is a good thing.

 

Sister Pederson and I have been keeping busy, working hard. Because of our training and meetings monday and tuesday last week, we lost a lot of our work time. So we had to work hard to make up for it at the end of last week!!

 

About Felipe.... He did get baptized!!! How it all worked out was so crazy though! Such a miracle.

When I wrote last (last wednesday), all was good, and we were planning his baptism for Saturday. BUT when we went to teach him at his aunt and uncle´s house Wednesday night, we found out that his mom had changed her mind and wouldn´t let him get baptized, wouldn´t sign the form..... Felipe was so sad. It was terrible. We didn´t even know what to say. His aunt and uncle were trying to make him feel better--- saying that four years till he turns 18 would go by so fast, but he was just so depressed about it.

We were all pretty bummed after that.... and we didnt know what to do to help him.

Friday, we decided we would go by his house and try to introduce ourselves to his mom and just see if we could help in anyway. When we got there, his mom was already gone for work. AH! BUT, Felipe came out to talk with us. AND, in his hand he had the form and his mom had signed it!!! He told us that the night before he had prayed that his mom would change her mind and sign the form. Then that morning, he asked her again, and she signed it! Miracle. He was so excited. And we asked him, "so do you still want to be baptized tomorrow?" And he was like "YES". Ah. He couldnt stop smiling about it. And everytime I see him, he is just sooooo so happy!

 

As for funny stories from this week.....

Me trying to speak/understand portuguese is ALWAYS funny.....

Sunday, we were working with two young women from the ward. We were knocking doors and Sister Pederson and one of the girls were knocking the doors on one side of the street, while the other girl and I were working the other side. I was SOOO nervous to not have Sister Pederson there to save me anytime I wouldn´t understand!! YIKES. BUT, it actually went really well.... up until the last house. We were talking to an older man and his wife through their window, and he started talking about his religion (I´m pretty sure he is/was Catholic...). He started talking about the mother mary, saints and just kept going and going and going and basically NEVER stopped for breath. He had a big mustache too, and I couldn´t understand him AT ALL...... Somewhere in there he started telling a story about a young girl who cut off someone´s head.... I´m not really sure. And I have no idea what the point was behind that story, but yeah...... He literally talked non-stop for about ten minutes with me only catching about 1 word in 20...... Man. hahah. I really wanted to tell him that I couldn´t understand him very well because I´ve only had 8 weeks in Brazil, but he didn´t even stop long enough for me to say that! hahaha. It was ridiculous. And the girl I was with had no idea what to do or say to him... hahaha. Great missionary experience for her I´m sure.

 

Another funny story....

We were having a family night with a family that was baptized recently. I went to sit down on the couch with Sister Pederson and their 12 yr old daughter Aline. (She´s gone out and helped us teach before). When I sat down, it was kind of crowded with all three of us so she asked me if I wanted her to leave the couch. BUT I had NO idea that that was what she said..... I think I thought she was asking me if I wanted to leave.... SO I asked her "leave Araras??" THEN everyone started busting up laughing, and she was like "you want me to leave Araras??!" Woops. Hahaha. Oh Portuguese.

 

ALSO, earlier this week, we had a lizard in our kitchen sink!!!! Sister Pederson went in the kitchen to do something and screamed.... so I went in there and there was a little lizard that had been chilling in our kitchen towel..... he fell out when she picked it up and was hiding under the dishes in our sink. So I helped her take out the dishes so we could find the lizard and figure out how to get him out.... We tried to prod him with spoons and get him into a plastic container, but MAN he was FAST!!!! We both screamed and jumped again... hahaha. Finally, he was in the little drain catcher, so I used spoons to pry out the drain catcher and put it inside of a plastic container and then we slammed on the lid. Then we took him outside. hahaha.. It was quite the process, but we succeeded and no one died. So its all good. =] Sister Pederson was a little worried we would find more lizards in our house though......

 

OH. I think I forgot to tell you all a funny experience from the first week here!!

So, when we were knocking doors with Aline, we started talking with a man who is of a certain religion that they have here in Brazil. Apparently they like to pray in different languages. He was talking to us for a while, just normal at first... but then he would start to get excited about something and get louder and LOUDER..... So, when we were about to leave, Sister Pederson asked if he wanted to say a prayer with us (we always end with a prayer, but usually we say it---but she knew what was coming and wanted me to experience it... hahah). So he did. And he started out fairly quiet, but got louder and louder and faster and faster as he was talking until he was yelling and waving his arms around. I couldnt understand basically anything, and afterwards, Aline told us that he was using words and saying things that are definitly NOT portuguese. hahaha. It was interesting.

 

Well.

My week was super good. I love Araras!! The people here are fantastic and the members are superb! I love them.

I THINK that I´m getting better at portuguese..... slowly. hahah. And I´m trying to practice my normal conversation skills more....  hahaha.

I love being a missionary!! And it is so great to talk with so many people here, they are so open and ready to talk---even if they arent interested in our message. But I love seeing the happiness that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings to so many people--like Felipe.

I also love how people can have such positive outlooks on life, even when things are hard and they might not have much.... So many people choose to be happy anyways and just make the most of it. I love it.

 

I love you all!!!

Best of luck with everything this week!!!

 

Sister Ward