Monday, January 16, 2012

Happy MLK Jr. Day!

Querida família,

Time flies. You blink and it's gone. Just like this week. I can hardly remember anything about this week. 

We've been working quite a bit with Cilene. Cilene is a woman who has already been to church. She is very poor. She lost her house last year because a giant rock fell on it. Bad luck. I feel like she is progressing well, but something is stopping her from being baptized. I am impressed by her humility and her faith. She wants to give her two year old daughter a better life. Unfortunately she hasn't gone to church yet because there was a party in front of her house all night long. I'm not sure, but I'm willing to bet that Brazil has more parties and holidays than Spain. Every weekend is an excuse to have a barbecue and drink.

We had many other people that we thought were going to progress, but those who progressed this week were the most surprising. Claudilene, Gerlane's sister, surprised us by going to church this week. We had pretty much given up on her because she promises every week and doesn't pull through. Three weeks later when we hardly even talk with her, she decides to go. Her brother Lenilson also went. We've taught him for a few weeks, but he always had to work on Sunday. This sunday he went and really enjoyed it. They were our miracles this week. When we were calling people to go to church we were getting discouraged because everyone gave up Sunday morning, but the Lord always surprises us. 

My other miracle of the week was João. We taught him on Christmas eve. We left a very simple message, but he couldn't go to church due to work. We stopping passing by his house. This week his family stopped us in the street and said to come to their house. We went there to find João sick. He said, very humbly, that we had pretty much changed his life. I was standing there thinking, "It was just one little visit..." He said that every year he and his wife fight on Christmas and New Year. This year thay didn't have one fight. He said he always drinks. This year he didn't drink. It's incredible. He says we are angels. We know that we didn't do anything. This must be one of those moments like Ammon and King Lamoni. He will do all he can to be in the church in the next few weeks, but first he has to talk to his boss and get his Sunday's off.

I know that the gospel is true and restored. I know that Jesus Christ is our "redeemer", and I learned what that means in the conference Ensign today.

Com amor,
Elder Walker

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