Crazy Work, Good Memories

          This week was absolutely crazy! We have so many investigators now in so many areas that we are running around all day trying to visit them all, teach what they need, and keep them all on track. Haha, it is quite the change from when I first came here to Alfenas and we spent nearly all of our time clapping outside gates and hoping people would let us in. This week I should have my first baptism! I am super duper excited, and a bit nervous. It will be for a young man named Tales. He is 17 years old and absolutely amazing. Yes we are teaching him, but it is blatantly obvious to me that it is the Lord doing all the work here! He has been working with Tales for a long time, now He is just working through us. Now the part that I am nervous about is that this baptism was supposed to be for Tales and his best friend Diego. Think Noah and Jonathan here. The live just across the street from each other. Both were progressing really well. Last week we met with their parents, taught the first discussion again and got permission for them to be baptized. All of that went really well and Sister Malt and I were on cloud nine. It was actually pretty funny. Before we went into the lesson with Diego and his mom we said a prayer and then I said that if she agreed to let Diego be baptized we would need to celebrate afterwards. So then we go in, teach the lesson, she agrees and signs the baptismal form and then she offers us some chocolate cake. Haha, I guess Heavenly Father heard that part about celebrating even if it was after the 'amen" of the prayer! It was pretty funny. We just looked at each other, responded affirmatively, and then tried to hold in the laughter. The next time we went to meet Diego though he told us that he didn't want to be baptized anymore. He said he and hi mom talked and he decided he wasn't ready. Wait... what (I can't find the question mark on this keyboard and I don't want to waste anymore time...) So then we had one of the most spiritually intense lesson of my mission up to this point. As we talked about his concerns and testified I could feel the spirit so strongly there. It was really cool to have all of the scriptures and ideas come to mind- perfect for Diego. In spite of all that though, he chose to not come to church on Sunday. My heart is just aching for him! I know that he knows this is true. I am nervous that his choices will affect Tales and he will back out too. I am praying so hard that it will be the other way around. That Tales will stay strong and be an example for Diego. 

One of our other investigators, Laudo, is super amazing. His wife and kids don't come to church at all, but he comes every week and is always willing to meet with us. We taught him about the temple this week and showed him a picture of the temple in Campinas. He then told us that without a doubt he was going to go to our "chapel in Campinas". It is awesome to see him so excited. Then on Sunday he was asking us how long he had to come to church before he could go to the temple and what he had to do to go inside and not just stay in the garden. He also told me that first he is thankful for God in his life. Second, he is grateful for me and Sister Malta for bringing him the gospel! He said he has learned more with us in this short time than he learned in the past 16 years in his other church. It is comments like that that make all the work worth it! I love being a missionary!

I recently started taking advantage of Family Home Evenings with members to teach my investigators. Holy moly it is one of the best things ever. It is the best way I have found so far to integrate pesquisadores with the member and teach them in a fun, less intimidating environment. It is perfect! Plus I can come up with and use fun object lessons and activities to teach for family home evenings that I can't use in normal lessons! I think you guys should try it out. Invite over some other families for family home evening! Whether you invite the missionaries too or not, it is a great opportunity to share the gospel in a completely non confrontational way. 

This weekend Carnival starts up here. Luckily it isn't too big here in Alfenas. Missionaries in Juiz de Fora have to be in their apartment by 6 every night. Here we just have to avoid the main square and surrounding streets in the evenings. That is a bit of a pain when we need to get from one side of town to our house on the other side of town, but we walk so much already it isn't much of a big deal to walk a bit more! All of the wards here have a huge campout for the youth during carnival. Like a regional youth conference over this weekend. They have their own sacrament meeting and everything. All of the youth love it and they stay far away from carnival and all of that craziness. Cool idea, isn't it!

I love you so much! Have a wonderful week!


PS (Note from Allegra, Emma's sister): I don't know how the photos relate but she sends them so I share them!

Everything corn...

Sisters of the district!