Fiesta Julina...

Família! 

We finally were able to baptize someone this transfer but it was not expected. Neither Vera or Valdineia were baptized, but there was a lady returning to church for a couple Sundays now, and I thought that her son was already baptized. But it turns out he was never baptized, so we got him in the water. He is actually a super smart kid, one of the smartest kids I've ever met. His name is Christian and we started teaching him the Plan of Salvation for our second lesson, and before we even explained the Pre-mortal life, he explained everything for us! Then he asked permission if he could read something to us that he liked a lot. We said, "uh, sure" and he went to his room, got the "Proclamation to the Family" and starting reading little bits of it and sharing with us how he really wanted his family to be together forever. And this was all coming from a kid that only went to church a few times and is only 10 years old! He already knows more than what the majority of the people know. He is really cool. He also read and memorized all the pamphlets about the commandments and said he will do everything he can to return to Heavenly Father in the Celestial Kingdom. He used to be a big trouble maker. His parents are now divorced and that is why he went to church. In the past his dad wouldn't let him be involved in any kind of religion, he was a bully in school, cussed at his parents, stole stuff from them, and was just mean to everybody. The first Sunday that he went to church, his mom and Grandma said that they saw a huge difference in him. Then after we started teaching him, his mom and Grandma said that he completely changed, and he said that in school he is nicer to everyone and has even shared what he has learned with some of his friends at school.

Vera still wants to be baptized and is firm in joining the church. The only problem that she has is that she said she wants to learn more before being baptized. She said she hasn't learned anything yet and I almost just exploded. The ‘natural man’ in me felt like screaming, "Are you kidding me! We've been passing by here every day and you have the gall to say you haven't learned anything!?!" But I didn't, I just stayed calm. I'm learning patience. She is pretty old and she forgets things easily, but she loves the church and said she will be baptized soon. She just wants to take it easy.

This week there was a huge party at the chapel. In Brazil there are two months of red neck partying. During June and July they have parties with plaid shirts, cowboy hats, over-alls, cotton candy, popcorn, bull riding. and so on. Our ward held a party this last Friday and it was really cool. I went on the mechanical bull once.... Shhh.

As for transfers….I wont know if I’m going or staying until tuesday night....

Elder Smidt X