Welcome to the 47th week of the year!!
Its good to talk to you all again and tell you about the fabulous week that we have had!
Funny Stories:
- So on Thursday, Elder Pereira was in a different city on a split so I was with Elder Burk in our area and we were walking down a certain road (named Alvaro Baptista, Im sure you all wanted to know that) and we walk past a lady that had literally a mountain of clay/dirt in front of her house. So, we offered to help her put it all inside her front porch where she wanted it and she said yes. So we had a great unplanned service project and talked to her for a while. It was hilarious because every time a car would try to pass she would yell at the car because she would have to move her wheelbarrow. But it was amazing because we talked to her for so long that we were able to talk to her about what she believed and even able to mark a baptismal date.
Miracles:
- As we were in the house of a few recent converts, a few people started walking in that we didnt know, so as the missionary pattern goes, we start getting to know them. I got talking to this kid name Adriano and obviously we started talking about religion and related subjects. So, he started to talk about his story where a year ago some family members and friends tried to force him to be baptised in a different church and he just didnt feel right about it. So he was finishing up his story and finished saying, "I think that baptism is important and I feel ready now. I guess that I am just waiting for God to show me where or for someone to invite me." Well If that doesnt catch you by surprise I dont know what will. So my completely composed self started basically to stutter in unbelief. So, I just gave up on trying to build up to a great baptismal invite and just said, "So do you want us to help you prepare for baptism?" and he said, "Yeah." Ok well that sounds like a deal. God prepares people and we will never be able to know who or how it has happened, so we always have to be on the lookout to share our testimonies of our Savior.
- Another really amazing thing that happened this week was with a young man named Murilo. We had baptised him a few weeks ago, but unfortunately, his family decided that they would start traveling to his grandmas house every weekend from that day on, so he was never confirmed. So, on Sunday we saw him and we asked him if he was going to be able to come to church and he said, "Well, my whole family is going to the beach", and my heart sank because the one time that they didnt go to their grandmas house, they went to the beach. But then Elder Pereira asked if he would go too and he said, "No, I dont think so. Ill go with you guys." To me it was an honest miracle to see a young man choose to go to church to be confirmed instead of going to the beach with his family. So he was confirmed and it was amazingly spiritual and actually the first confirmation of the group!!! Murilo is amazing.
I know that none of us are here by accident, that we are all important and that God has a plan for each one of us even when the adversary tries to make us feel like we are useless. Dont let him win. God can and will and wants to help us through anything. Any trial, struggle, monotony, illness, sadness, or whatever we are going through (Alma 7:11). I love Him and am so grateful for the sacrifice of His Son.
Love,
Elder Allen
