Dengue is frustrating!!!

           I had debated writing to you about Dengue or not because I didn't want you to worry too much. I finally decided to write about it because I was feeling better and I honestly didn't have anything else during the week that I could write about! I am still feeling good. Yes, I was a bit more tired than usual this week and still have a little bit of pain, but nothing worth worrying about. Not enough to slow me down in the work! Actually, we had more lessons and contacts this week than ever before. I guess I had a lot of catching up to do after my week down. I am happy, healthy and hard at work. So as much as I would love to see you all, don't be expecting a phone call about me coming home! I still have a lot to do here in Brazil before I am ready to come home. 

          Dengue has actually become a bit of a problem here in Alfenas these past couple of weeks. A lot of our investigators came down with Dengue. That has been really frustrating. They aren't exactly in good condition to hear and understand our lessons when they are sick! The good news is that I can empathize with them and understand what they are going through. So even if we aren't exactly able to teach the lessons from Preach My Gospel, I can share scriptures and experiences to help comfort and strengthen them. It has been a good week for building confidence, trust and friendship. The sad part is that because of Dengue my investigators with baptismal dates for this week did not make it to church. So we had to push back their dates for next week. We have so many investigators so close to baptism right now! I am so anxious to help them make it to the point of baptism and that wonderful covenant! Yet Satan is also very anxious. Goodness, he works so hard to stop us and our pesquisadores(investigators) from progressing. It is crazy how many things he throws in the way. From weddings to mudslides to dengue... I've seen it all. Seeing all the opposition to the work builds my testimony though. He wouldn't work so hard against us if the church wasn't true! So I just have to work harder than him and keep my investigators on track- challenge accepted!

          So this week we met a woman on the street who was very interested in our message. We went to visit and teach her later during the week. As we got to know her she kept repeatedly expressing how she was a "Christian". Over and over again. That was a little odd in and of itself (seeing as just about everyone here in Brasil believes in Christ). As we started to teach though, things just got weirder. Before long she was telling me that she really felt a connection to me. She decided that in a life before this one she was my mother. And I was black. Haha, okay... that escalated quickly. So in spite of her proclaimed "Christianity" she had a strong belief in reincarnation, and didn't trust much of anything in the bible. I can honestly say that I haven't been adequately grateful for the general knowledge and belief in Christ here before this experience. It is so much harder to teach someone without this foundation! Haha, who would have thought I would need to explain the difference between reincarnation and resurrection here in Brazil! Overall though, I think our lesson went really well. We will be going back to visit her again. She has a lot of potential and I am excited to teach her more. And don't worry Mom, I explained that the role of my mother is already taken ;)

 

          I get comments?! I didn't think my letters were comment-worthy, but that is cool. If someone says something important I guess you can pass it along. Haha, i don't know. It's up to you. Is it people I know or strangers?
          Thanks for another wonderful letter of updates and advice! I love reading your letters so much! I can almost hear your voice when I read them. Thank you for the prayers and all that you do for us. I am praying for you and the fam too. Haha, my companion teases me because I pray so long every night. I just tell her that I have a lot of people I need to pray for. Haha, she only has one sister. 

I love you all! Have a wonderful week filled with much joy and happiness! Make someone else laugh this week for me, okay?

Love ya!

Emma

Making suco de maracuja.... a drink of some sort