Dear Everyone,

 

This week was full of really good work! Here´s what´s going on in the area:

 

Jorge: Oh, sweet, sweet Jorge! He has been telling his family and friends in Cape Verde about the Church. We were planning on teaching him about missionary work, but he ended up teaching us! How fun is that? Also, he received the Aaronic Priesthood AND payed his tithing yesterday. He even got a white shirt and tie so that he could do the Priesthood duties in the future. WHAT NOW?!!! He is our golden child.

 

Maria de Carmo: She has been getting stronger and stronger each day. She always says that she is learning step by step. She got confirmed the gift of the Holy Ghost yesterday and had a very positive experience. The ward has been super loving towards her, which has helped so much. We pray that things continue well.

 

In our Zone, we fasted to have the courage to mark investigators for baptism. Some of them rejected the Savior´s invitation, but a few people accepted to be baptized this month:

 

Cândida: Maria´s roommate. She´s 81 and she is also learning slowly, bit by bit. At first she didn´t want to make any commitments, but it turns out that she is already living most of the commandments without even realizing it! She is ready; we know it. We just need her to feel the same way. We are hoping that she does her part in showing her faith so that the Lord will be able to trust her.

 

Edgar: He is such a funny guy! When he feels the Holy Ghost touching his heart, he starts laughing! It´s wonderful. We asked him to pray in our first encounter. He just giggled and went right into it. On Saturday we presented a baptismal date and he straight up laughed out loud and said, `of course!´ He came to church yesterday and had a good experience, it seems like.

 

The area is finally rolling along! We are really, really excited. Anyway, this week I went to Alverca and Sister Gidney stayed in Odivelas for a division. It was a very good experience for both of us. She got to be with her old trainer, Sister Cutler (turns out she went to the same High School as me!), and I got to be with Sister Bacon from Florida. Sister Bacon is in her second transfer of training and is an amazing disciple of the Savior. Listen to this:

 

- She was introduced to the Gospel through a really great Mormon friend who invited her to a family home evening with the missionaries.

- She was baptized shortly therafter when she was in High School.

- Her family are of another religion and strongly opposed the fact that Sister Bacon decided to be a member of the Church.

-After a year of active membership she went inactive due to her family situation.

-She followed her own path, got some tattoos, and went to college.

-2 years ago a member friend of hers, Nathan, left for a mission in California. He wrote her every month, but she was too ashamed to write him back.

-Less than a year ago she decided to respond to his letters, rekindling her belief in the Restored Gospel.

-She decided to seriously make an attempt to gain a true witness that this is the True Church, and gained one shortly thereafter.

-She became fully active in the patterns of the Gospel and decided to never go astray again after feeling so much happier.

-She continued to write to Nathan... They fell in love through letters!

-She decided to go on a mission, but left one month after Nathan came home.

-They are basically engaged, and Nathan is so excited that she has the opportunity to serve the Lord!

-She wears sweaters to hide her tatoos and is one of the most Spirit-in-tune missionaries I have ever met.

 

What a story! I LOVE going on divisions because I get to meet, help and learn from so many wonderful people and collegues. I love it!

 

I hope that you guys have had a great week. Thank you for all that you do. Thank you for your prayers!

 

Sister Derrick