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| DIVINIA!!!! Batismal! |
As always, this week was crazy. And yes... a shooting did happen in Londrina 20 feet in front of me and it was super scary. I will explain it all when I am home though. (I can't tell Michelle anything anymore it looks like...) haha. This week wasn't like that at all though. No worries! So first... those questions...
1. The area I am in is in a branch. Our branch is so weak right now. Barely 40 people there everyweek. It is pretty small but I am gonna go through all the inactives and less actives this week and we are gonna get some peeps reactive!!! haha
2.Farming is a living here but no... its not the biggest thing. Apucarana is the capital of HATS! So, lots of people here make hats. Weird huh? But literally there are like sweatshop type things on every corner here. It's crazy. But we have a new investigator who does hats and she said she is gonna get me one :)
3.The food is a lot more simple here. People don't have as much money here in Apucarana. We don't even get lunch half the time. But it's all good. No complaints here. I just try and use my money wisely. But people in Londrina were super rich. People there had Ferraris and Audi a8 there. Here they have cars like... Pintos... haha.
We had a baptism this week that was a HUGE MIRACLE! She has been ready for 5 years and we have been teaching her for 2 weeks (but other missionaries taught her before). She came to church with us this week and said how not ready she was for baptism but she has 3 kids that are members and only one active. So we invited her to the baptism last night that other missionaries had and she said yes. Literally in the middle of the baptismal service, she got up and talked to me and my comp and said, I am ready. It was CRAZY! I was super stoked though because she will be a really strong member for the time she has left. She is pretty old and is suffering from different things. She is such a sweet lady and always feeds us when we are there. (that is always a plus haha). The baptism was awesome and probably the most spiritual one up til now.
Stories....
1. Went on a division with Elder Carrell this week. It was SUPER FUNNY. He works out in the projects. None of the people have teeth and people are hicks out there. It's super funny. Anyways, we were in the middle of a lesson about the Holy Ghost when this guy just randomly walked by and gave us 20 bananas. It was super random. So we had the idea, this girl is 15, so lets teach it so she will understand better. We said, this is you (holding one banana). Then we basically got to the point where we explained a little more about the Holy Ghost and the other 20 bananas were the blessings she would receive. Elder Carrell asked, you want one banana or TONS of bananas in your life? haha. It was really funny to hear the answer... I am allergic to bananas.... hahaha.
2.I ate a chicken foot this week. It was gross. It literally was a chicken foot that was taken right off the chicken and cooked. I wish I could have taken a picture to show you but you will all just have to imagine. Sound good? I didn't wanna be rude and just pull out my camera and be like... your food is weird lady!
3.I ate bamboo also this week. It was super SUPER GOOD. You can't eat it but you chew on it. It was really good. It tasted like candy no joke. So I took a bunch home with me to eat later.
4. I got a nametag this week spelled.... M I I L L E T.... Made me laugh.
5. One of the investigators asked if I would pray in English. It was really hard to do and I ended up speaking most of it in Portuguese on accident. When I get back home its gonna be so hard to pray and bear testimony in English. I just can't do it anymore! haha.
6. This is a super awesome miracle that happened this week I would like to share with everyone. It strengthened my testimony so much and made me yet again know, God is there and he works in a lot of ways. So, we had an appointment set up (well sort of). This lady is really flaky it sounded like and she scheduled with us for 1 week 5 days after that day. It was for Saturday morning at 10. So we went, thinking we would probably just be wasting time. But we went. We got there and she was actually pretty excited to see us and we went in and taught the first lesson. After the part about Joseph Smith, she said, Nossa!... That word is basically like she was in shock. She started crying and we had no idea why. We just assumed it was the spirit and continued on. We started to explain about baptism then she was REALLY in shock after that. She started to explain this story to us....She said, "I had a dream last night and it was really scary. I was standing in water somewhere and had 3 demons standing outside of the water. They asked me to come with them and I said no. I wouldn't do it. I then was submerged in the water and came back up, only then to see everything white, and my son standing next to me. I felt so wonderful and I didn't know why, until you 2 missionaries got here. I now understand what the Lord wants me to do".
The spirit was so strong in that lesson and that dream was crazy. The fact that it happened the night before we got there is no coincidence. It was yet again proof that the Lord is there. We may not think it at times when we are going through the worst of worst, but I know that he is there watching over us. I have had some amazing things happen to me already while I have been out here. I have also had some of the CRAPPIEST things happen to me since I have been here. I am learning a lot and have a strong testimony that this church is true. I could never deny it. I love teaching people about the gospel. I realize that I have an amazing family and its through the teachings and principles of the gospel that I am blessed with such a wonderful family. I don't know what I would be without it. I look at a lot of families here and realize that I have so much and was honestly really ungrateful for a lot of things that I had. But I realize now that it's only through the gospel that I have everything that I have. I love sharing this gospel to help others grow. I want to help families grow in the gospel. I realize I am only 21, and I am a representative of Jesus Christ. It's a huge honor and burden at the same time. I know for a fact I am not good enough to serve the Lord, but I am here learning how. He really does call insignificant people to do these significant things. I just want you to know, I know this church is true. I know the Book of Mormon is a true testament of Jesus Christ and I will NEVER deny it.
I love you all so much and am so grateful for everyones support through letters and even packages!
Take care!
Até mais!
Elder Millett
