So, I didn't really write in that little journal of mine this week because of time (and laziness). And because I was really tired at the end of each day. But I did take notes, so I'll just summarize.
Monday: I successfully reached half of my mission and celebrated this landmark by going to a bookstore and buying The Mazer Runner and a Calvin and Hobbes book in Portuguese. I also helped myself to fresh salmon sushi and snapped my toothbrush in half.
Tuesday: I got to play with some kittens at a member's house. And then, after another long day of pretty much no one answering to us, we visited that couple Paulo and Maria again, and we were welcomed in, fed, and bombarded by questions once again. We still haven't been able to teach them a lesson, but while we were there, Paulo asked me where in the Bible it talked about the Book of Mormon. I showed him, then had the privilege of downloading the Gospel Library app for him, something he liked very much.
Wednesday: we had Zone Conference this week! Unfortunately, we had to get up at 3:20 AM to be picked up at 4:30. Fortunately, this meant that I got to see Sister Alves again :D because she's part of one of the two zones that meet together.
Thursday: we visited the city of Dois Corrigos, but because it's been so long since a companionship has visited it that it felt like we were trying to open an area. No one answered or no one seemed to remember reaching out to us a while back.
Friday: we got to meet Marcos' step mom Rosi. As we talked to her, we discovered that she's part of the Congregação Cristão do Brasil (Christian Congregation of Brazil). She told us that she'd been trying to get Marcos baptized into that church since he was 4, but he never did because he never felt the desire to. For 24 years this went on. Then, when two 20 year old's called him up over the phone, introduced themselves as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and invited him to be baptized within the first 2 minutes of the phone call, he accepted. So this is my spiritual thought for the week: what a difference the Spirit makes in our interactions with people! The only reason he accepted is because he felt there was a difference between his parent's church and what we were offering. Not because our lessons were flowery and beautiful; not because the members of the church were the most stunning people he had ever met in his life, but because he felt something different. That difference was the presence of the Holy Spirit.
"And the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach." - Doctrine and Covenants 42:14
Saturday: Reginaldo is the second counselor of the branch presidency, and his wife is not a member, though she's met with lots of missionaries and been to church several times. We had the opportunity of meeting with the two of them Saturday, and we invited her to come to church again on Sunday (I've never seen her there, and it's been nearly 3 months).
That night, we had planned a visit with a woman named Sarah. She had reached out to us and told us that her niece is serving a mission and that it would be a huge privilege to met us with her daughter. Well, we went to her apartment, and as we talked, I asked her if she attended the branch in Baru or in Jaú and she said, "Oh, I'm not actually a member."
HmmmmmMMMMMmmmm interesting...
Sunday: Reginaldo's wife came to church! We're hoping this is the start of a mighty change of heart.
Marcos and Fernando both were ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood after church, something Fernando was extremely antsy about since last week. It's so cool to see them making progress, and I swear I will return and kill them if they abandon the church after we leave.
Just kidding. Jesus said love everyone; treat them kindly too.
But seriously.
Okay, that's my week in a nutshell. I find it quite funny that I, as a writer, have very little motivation to write in my journal or write emails.
But, then again, I never did finish a book at home, so maybe this isn't all that unusual.
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