This week was absolutely awesome! It was so much better than the first crazy week! I am starting to get used to all of the different things here and am starting to love Brasil. I just can´t wait until I´m fluent. Although I wish I could understand everything now, I am also very appreciative of all of the blessings Heavenly Father has given me and all of His help with the language.
This week, we had several awesome experiences. We set one baptism and taught some awesome Spirit-filled lessons. Here are the highlights:
5. All you can eat Brazilian pizza is awesome, but not meant for my stomach. I spent some quality time in the bathroom the next day.
4. Caldo de cana (sugar cane juice), Guraná, and Pernil sandwiches are awesome.
3. Juliano set a date for baptism. This is awesome because Elder Wilcken has been trying to get a date set for two transfers. We met with him in the church with Presidente Pedro (our branch president), and taught him using Alma 36, the story of Alma’s conversion. It went really well. At the end, we talked about the stuff he needed to too to be baptized and invited him to be baptized. He didn’t want to set a date, but Elder Wilcken told him that he would call him that week to see if he had picked a date yet. A few days later, Elder Wilcken called him and was shocked to find out he had picked a date!
2. We had an awesome experience of Heavenly Father answering our faith-filled prayer. We didn´t have anything set for one night this week, so we prayed for someone to teach during our daily planning. As we were tracting in the rich section of town (because that is where Presidente Pedro wants us to tract) we knocked on Cesar´s door. He was busy that morning, but he told us to come back that night - exactly what we had prayed for. We taught him the lesson of the Restoration, and he had some very thoughtful responses and answers. It was awesome.
1. We had an awesome lesson with Adriano and Flaviani. Adriano is Juliano´s brother. He absolutely loves the scriptures. Elder Wilcken has been teaching him for a while. Adriano loves the lessons, pamphlets, and the Book of Mormon. He totally marks up everything we give him and totally understands. However, his wife, Flaviani, had never listened to a lesson. Last week, she came in to ask us a question at the end of our lesson. We ended up talking for 30 minutes with her. During our next lesson, she came in and we taught the Restoration. She loves the Book of Mormon! We had a 2 and 1/2 hour lesson because of all her questions. It was awesome, and the Spirit really helped. She told us that next time we come back, she´ll make us a really awesome Brasilian desert (I forgot the name). I really hope that they and their kids continue to progress. At the end of the lesson I gave them my new Portuguese Bible from the CTM. They are very poor, and their other Bibles are really beat up. I think they really liked it!
Scripture of the week: Alma 5: 49 "And now I say unto you that this is the order after which I am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved brethren, yea, and every one that dwelleth in the land; yea, to preach unto all, both old and young, both bond and free; yea, I say unto you the aged, and also the middle aged, and the rising generation; yea, to cry unto them that they must repent and be born again."
I love being on a mission, being a representative of Jesus Christ. I love Brasil. I love my comp. I love Cruzeiro. I love the scriptures, the Gospel, and my Savior - Jesus Christ.
Love,
Elder Warren Matthew Dudley
Pictures:
#1-2 The view from the apartment window
#3-4 The Missão São Paulo Leste Coin
#5-6 The Tracks
#7 Elder Wilcken’s best Mario impression
#8 Our Area (Cruzeiro 3)
#9 Elder Wilcken and I in the Itagaçaba neighborhood
#10 The Chapel
