This week was amazing- super hard, but super rewarding. We were having a few difficulties with the ward, trying to involve the members more with our investigators and recent converts and encouraging them to participate more in the missionary work. There were some confusions and complaints from the leadership about some of the people we were teaching, which kinda made us feel like crap for a few days. But Sister Coon and I prayed a lot to figure out how to resolve the problem and gain the trust of the leaders, and we ended up writing a letter to the Bishop, which sounds like something kinda pathetic and not very helpful, but we felt like it was what we should do. As soon as we left the letter at his house, miracles happened. Several members started apologizing for not working with us more and suggested ways that they could help us. The Relief Society President (Carla, one of the best human beings I've ever met) stopped by our apartment to give us cookies and tell us we're loved, and the Bishop called us to say he was sorry for any misunderstanding and that he was very grateful for our work. Then, on Sunday, he gave a talk in sacrament meeting about missionary work, encouraging the members to participate more. I felt so grateful and humble for these leaders and members and the opportunity I have to work with them. They remind me that this really is the church of Christ, and that the more we try to be like Him, the more miracles we'll witness. It was also a very spiritual experience for me, seeing how God is really in the details, inspiring us to write just a simple letter. This work is so wonderful.
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| Kauã, Junior, and Victoria´s baptism |
Also! I finally got to go to the temple this week...for the first time in more than a year! All my other areas were too far away from the temple, so I was never able to go, but now that I'm finally in Porto Alegre, we get to go once per transfer. It was great, the temple always brings we so much peace. I was surprised to discover that the POA temple is basically identical to the NC Raleigh temple, inside and out. So that was kinda cool, and weird, because it felt like just another youth temple trip.
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| Porto Alegre Brazil Temple |
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| Pure Joy! |
There's this little village/neighborhood in our area with only people of Native American descent that I went to for the first time this week. It was super cool to see, one of the people we were teaching makes and sells baskets and dream catchers for a living. As we were teaching her and her family, her husband walks in and they start arguing in a language that was definitely not Portuguese. (I don't know what tribe they're descended from, so I have no idea what language it was). After the lesson, I said to Sister Coon, "That was so cool! I wish I spoke two languages!" She just kinda looked at me for a minute....
Well, that was my week. Hope y'alls was good too (I'm already practicing my Southern for when I get back.)
Love,
Sister Coleman
Cristal - Minha linda e maravilhosa área
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