Ola!!!
What a week! This was such a crazy end to the transfer! We had some pretty crazy stuff happen because Elder Wilcken went home because he finished his mission. He left yesterday. I haven´t met my new comp yet, but I know that his name is Elder Hatch, and he is from the States. Here are the crazy things that happened this week, in order of least crazy to absolutely bonkers.
6. We dropped Elder Wilcken off at the bus station. Before we left the apartment, he said one last prayer. It was a really tender experience to hear him express his gratitude to the Lord through tears. It helped me understand how much a serving the Lord changes you. It was pretty depressing afterwards when we dropped him off because we could really tell he didn´t want to go.
5. Branch Conference
4. I tried a fruit named jaboticaba? I have no idea how to spell it, and neither did Elder Wilcken. It was really good though.
3. I gave my first blessing in Portuguese. It was a really neat, testimony-building experience to be able to feel that the Lord can work through us no matter the language. Our district was at a member´s house, and the dad had never given a blessing. One of the daughters asked for a blessing, so Elder Stuart anointed, and I sealed. After that, the other daughters asked for blessings, so we taught the dad, Ivan, how to anoint. He did so, and Elder Zundel sealed. For the next blessing, Ivan sealed. It was super cool, and the Spirit was present in their house.
2. I slept on the floor in São Jose for two nights. Elder Wilcken had to go to the mission home in São Paulo for self-sufficiency, so he and I left on Tuesday for Sao Jose. We met another companionship there and slept at their apartment (on the floor). The next morning, Elder Wilcken and Elder Owen (who is also going home) left for the Capitol. I stayed with Elder Johansen and Elder Holdsworth (who is also in training right now). It was really cool to see what a normal São Paulo Leste Area is like. Cruzeiro is really an exception. In São Jose, and every other area, the missionaries get lunch every day from members, and often dinner as well. They have really good member support systems and teach a lot more. I understand a little better now why the more experienced Elders in my district in Cruzeiro always complain - I ate so much in São Jose! The good thing, however, is that I really love Cruzeiro - even if it is tough, we don´t have a lot of people to teach, and we don´t have a lot of members to help us with missionary efforts and lunch. I am really glad I am here because it is helping me grow.
1. Elder Wilcken and I got back to Cruzeiro on Thursday, and on Saturday, the craziest thing that has happened yet on my mission happened. We went to teach Fernando, who is one of our best two investigators. We were walking there, and at the base of the huge hill he lives on, he passed us on the back of a motorcycle. They stopped, and he hopped off. He was super animated, and wasn´t making much sense at all. He told us to hurry to his house and that he would explain on the way there. It turns out that the previous night, he thought that he had a vision of Jesus Christ. He said he was writing, and he felt an energy come over him. He said that Christ told him to preach the gospel to all the churches in Cruzeiro and in the world. When he woke up, he was wet, so he also thinks that he was baptized. It was actually just a water leak through his light fixture, but we couldn´t explain that to him. Elder Wilcken and I just calmed him down once we got to his house and talked to him about the proper manner for baptism and how God typically works. We also talked about commandments, including the Word of Wisdom - which it turns out he has problems with. However, although he was using some substances last night, he thought he still had a vision. Once we ended the lesson, Elder Wilcken looked at me and said that it is my problem now because he was leaving.
Scripture of the week: 2 Nephi 25: 23 and 26
23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.
26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.
I love representing the Savior in Brasil, I love my companion, I love the Gospel and Atonement of Christ, I love my family, and I love my Redeemer. I am ready and excited to work harder, learn more, and love better this week!
Love,
Elder Warren Matthew Dudley
Pictures:
#1- Elder Wilcken’s last District meeting (his funeral)
#2 - Jaboticaba
#3 - Elder Wilcken’s last Sunday
#4 - The last picture of the Cruzeiro District
