Oí todo mundo! I cannot believe it is May. Usually April showers bring May flowers. But here it is just showers and showers and showers.
This
week went super spiritual. I got to go
to a training session with President on Tuesday and then Thursday we had
interviews with President and Sister Bigelow. President Bigelow is seriously so
smart. He knows the scriptures so well
and it just makes me want to study them all day every day. My interview with him
always goes like this, "How are you?" I am good. "How is your
family?" They're good. "Is there anything that you need to tell me
about?" No. "Okay do you have questions?" YESS. and then I ask
him about everything. And he knows all the answers.
Also,
our Sacrament/testimony meeting went super spiritual yesterday. We asked a
bunch of members to bear their testimonies about missionary work. They did and
well I don’t know how to describe it, but it was awesome. Even an investigator
bore her testimony. Also a bunch of recent converts bore their testimonies and I
think it is one of the best things about being a missionary is hearing a recent
convert's testimony of the gospel. So powerful. Also, a member that Elder Villamar and Elder
Requena reactivated will be able to baptize his daughter Jessica this week,
which has been a blessing. He has been working so hard to come back to church. So cool seeing firsthand how the gospel
blesses and changes the lives of people. We told him last night that he was
authorized to baptize his daughter and his face just lit up like a kid in a
candy store!
I
finally got my Easter package this week! And my birthday package too. I figured
out which was which and so I went to only open the one from Easter, but it was
actually the birthday one, so whoops! I
ended up opening them both. Sorry mom. I was happy to see the Broncos super
bowl shirt come in the package. Sad it is not the Packers, but I am sure it
will make Elder Davis happy to see me repping Denver.
The photo below is of this food here called Palmonha which is almost a tamale but
it isn't filled with anything, and it is sweet not salty.
I finally got a new name tag and I am
representing the true church once again.
This week we had an experience a lot like one Elder Trammell had a few months ago. We were walking and a lady that was sitting stopped us. Her husband arrived and they invited us into their tiny shack of a home. We entered in and their home was made of old doors and stray wood that they had found. We sat down and they sat on their bed. I just looked around and my eyes started to tear up a bit. The wife told us about the suffering they have endured. We taught them about the Plan of Salvation and she was very excited to learn more. It was an experience that touched me a lot. I realize that I have come from a very good life. I suffered basically nothing compared to that family. I am grateful for my parents.
This week we had an experience a lot like one Elder Trammell had a few months ago. We were walking and a lady that was sitting stopped us. Her husband arrived and they invited us into their tiny shack of a home. We entered in and their home was made of old doors and stray wood that they had found. We sat down and they sat on their bed. I just looked around and my eyes started to tear up a bit. The wife told us about the suffering they have endured. We taught them about the Plan of Salvation and she was very excited to learn more. It was an experience that touched me a lot. I realize that I have come from a very good life. I suffered basically nothing compared to that family. I am grateful for my parents.
I
have been noticing recently how everyone here has a weird mark/scar on their
arm near their shoulder and I was like what the heck! So I asked someone and
everyone here in Brazil gets a vaccine when they are babies and then sometimes
the scar grows bigger and what not. I seriously thought everyone had government
tracking device chips planted on them. (Parent note - Those of us who are older remember lining up in school for the dreaded shots).
Have
a great week!
Elder
Waters
