Last Week's letter (Sorry, Everybody!)

Olá!Well this week has been incredible! This week we had a baptism. It was a little bit out of the norm, because I can honestly say I hadn´t taught this woman a single lesson. I don´t think my companion ever taught her a LESSOn, though she´s shared some scriptures with her..Because this woman, Gloria, has been going to church here in Pará de Minas for FOUR years!! But she couldnt get baptized because of family problems. She told me her story yesterday- it was incredible!! She was living in another state, when her mom died. She was so sad. She was walking through town one day, and some sisters stopped her to make a quick contact. They didn´t have much time, but they gave her a book of mormon right then and there and told her they´d go to her house another day to explain it. They mentioned that she could help her mom, who had passed away, have salvation too! This line stuck out to her, and she remembered it throughout the years! But she moved, so those sisters werent able to teach her. I´m sure they have no idea what a difference that 5 minute contact made in the life of this woman. Afterward she was studying with the jehovah´s witness, and they told her she would never see Jesus. She cried and cried and cried!!! And decided that she didnt agree with that religion. She searched others, but never felt right about any of them. One day at work a friend of her´s asked her what religion she was, and she said “estou sem religion agora.” I´m without religion right now. So this friend said “come visit mine!” Explained when and where it was. She asked “it it those mormons?” and he got a little worried (because everything people associate with the title “mormon” is 90% of the time COMPLETELY wrong..) so he was like.. “Uh.. well it´s a nick name yeah, but the name of the church is (etc)” and she said “Then I will be there FOR SURE this Sunday!” But although she didn´t have any problems accepting the message, she had one problem. She had to get married legally. So the misionaries that were teaching her set everything up, and she was about to be married, when her husband (because of a comment someone made about his religion) went all ANTI on her, and so he kicked the missionaries out, he refused to marry her JUST so that she couldnt get baptized. Wow, this story is taking forever.. I don´t have time to explain everything, but suffice it to say that she remained firm in the church, shes dont geneology already, she´s been paying tithing for the past 4 years, and has an INCREDIBLE testimony. She had to seriously fight SO much to stand up for her beliefs! In the end, her and her husband ended their whatnot, but she had no other place to live, so she just moved into a separate room, and started working to be able to feed herself and the missionaries every week. So she got special permission to get baptized this past week, because she´s keeping all of the commandments, and is worthy. She cried SO much. She kept saying “see! The Lord never forgets us.”She cried all through the talks and hymns before the baptism, up until she came out of the water. It was a very cool experience to watch.
Anyway, I was extremely impressed by this woman. It wasn´t ever easy for her. It made me think about all the things that are so easy to take for granted. So often we hear stories like this, or stories of people who sold their houses and possesions to get to the temple, and we say “wow. What an incredible story. Good for them.” But we TOO should be working JUST as hard to give all we can to “work out [our] own salvation”There is a scripture that comes to mind, the one that says we shouldn´t be slothful because of the easiness of the way. (al. 37:46) Its easy to go to church every week- but where is our heart? What about our personal preparation to really GET something out of every week? What about our fasts? Or how are we helping the missionaries in our stake? Or working with inactive or less active members? What are we doing to actually WORK? Don´t take it for granted! Dont let these opportunities for spiritual growth pass you by! Our time here is precious, we need to utilize every second. Anyway, all in all, this week has been incredible. Ive seriously learned SO much. I feel like Ive grown a lot as a person. I´ve got to run, but I wanted to give a quick shout out to the birthdays of today: Grandma!!! And (formerly known as: ) Sis. Sorenson!!! Happy birthday! I love you! alrighty then- até mais com amor- sb Ps- Next week I´m totally posting that quiz robbie sent me..