This has been one of the best weeks I´ve had on my mission so far. On Monday we had churrasco with Pamela. She´s one of the only female cozinheras (cook/chef) in Carazinho. She´s really good too, she made some of the best steak I´ve had. The next day my companion and I put into action the best idea we´d had this transfer. The previous Sunday we had talked with members in Church about our investigator Daniela and how her boyfriend had left her with 3 kids (ages 9, 6, and 1), no work, no money, and no food. So with the members´ help we gathered food, clothes, and toys for the kids. We were astounded at the result:
Even visitors from a neighboring city, Passo Fundo, donated things for them. Then on Tuesday, together with the youth and leaders from the church, we stopped by her house, dropped everything off and carolled to them. That made the best gift all of us had ever given someone for Chrisatmas. Later this week we stopped by her house and were pleased to see her previously bare shelves stocked full of food. The whole family was the happiest we´d ever seen them. Her son Fayneos is 9 but after teaching him and watching the change in his maturity he seems like he´s 14.
On Friday we visited Pamela again. As always she had many questions. I always love answering them because she is so curious and hungry for more knowledge. During some of the responses I gave I could feel the Spirit´s help in assisting me answer in a way she understood. I never said anything I didn´t understand myself, but I saw the Spirit´s help in bringing to my memory the words I needed. I love being an instrument in the Lord´s hands. We set a date for her to be baptized on the 11th of January.
On Christmas day we headed over to a member´s house and Skyped our families! It was so great to see them. I´ve been blessed to have them as my family. They showed me the skimpy snow Moab had received and I showed them how I was sweating as we talked! I was also able to see by brother Chris and new sister-in-law through a double Skype call that my parents set up. At the end of the call I was asked to bear my testimony in Portuguese. 2 days later was the 4 month mark for me as a missionary in Brazil. Happy New Year!
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Elder Joseph Andrew
Porto Alegre North Mission
Caixa Postal 13008
CEP 91010-971
Porto Alegre-RS
Brazil
Read my blog at elderandrewinbrazil.blogspot.com
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