Thursday, November 20, 2014

Getting fluent in Portugese..............November 10, 2014

And by fluent, I really mean that I now know how to say "I don`t speak Portugese very well" and "I know that God and Jesus Christ live" (Eu se que Deus e Jesuscristo vivem.") I am pretty sure how I mentioned before that up here in the north with the border with Brasìl, there`s a buttload of Portugese speakers. One of them is Leo, a 13 year old kid who lives in front of Familia Valentti. It was actually his mom (who isn`t even a member) told Daniel that she wants Leo to listen to the missionaries because he`s starting to get into a rebellious stage and his grades have been slipping. He hasn`t gone to church yet, but we haven`t really gotten to that either, and he`s super receptive. He`s a good kid. 

As for Mirna...well, bad news and good news. We went back this week, and she said that she`s been thinking about it, and she feels like she shouldn`t be jumping from church to church. We`re pretty sure her priest (is that what it`s called? in spanish it`s pastor) from the Evangelical church went and told her that, because the pastors tend to do that here with the people from their congregation. We`ll have a really good one or even more lessons with someone, and then when we go back they tell us that their pastor went and told them they`re "not allowed" to receive us anymore. 

Anyway, we had already planned to explain the priesthood authority, so we did, but she still doesn`t feel like she`s ready. It was the first time with an investigator that I felt prompted to share Grandma Dolan`s conversion story, because it`s kind of similar, and we both felt like it helped soften her heart. So, shout out to mah Gram! She still said she doesn`t feel ready, but by the end of the lesson she agreed to keep listening, saying "if God tells me that this is the path he wants me to take, i`ll take it. But He has to tell me." Don`t fret girlfriend, He`ll tell you. We went back again on Saturday with Valentina, and she still had the same doubts, but this time she had been reading the Book of Mormon. She also shared a few more questions and doubts she had, which we were able to answer. Val all on her own shared a SUPER capa testimony. We didn`t even ask her to share it, she just felt prompted. She`s our 3rd Nephite. She`s amazing. So by the end of THAT lesson, Mirna agreed to go to church on Sunday. So, pray for Mirna! 

The primary program was on Sunday. Oh my freaking cute. It made me miss my primary class back in my home ward, but it was my first primary program here in Uruguay and I loved it. Uruguayan kids are just so special. 

Funny story for the week:

Gael Valentti is 3 years old, and ever since he got in a buttload of trouble a little over a month ago for kicking me in the chest, every time he sees me he goes "I`m not your friend, and I won`t be until I go to the temple in January!" Haha, so I have to wait until January apparently. But then the other day his mom was telling me he`s been behaving badly in school, so I said "Hey Gael, you`ll never get married if you keep behaving like that." And he goes "Yes I am, I`m going to marry Hermana Barrios." Hahaha soooo my companion is engaged. 

We are officially halfway through the change! And I seriously cannot believe it. Time is going so fast. We have another mission wide conference this week! We don`t know what general authority, just that it`s somebody important enough for the whole mission to get together with the other mission for the second time in less than six months. 

So lately we`ve had a few people who have spoken pretty rotten to us. Some have been inactives, some actual members, and some just contacts in the street. It`s the first time it`s really happened to me in my mission has been in this area, and last week I was feeling pretty frustrated about it. That`s when the image of the Savior came into my mind, a crown of thorns placed on His head, as they scorned and spit upon Him, calling Him Kind of the Jews. And so just like most hard things in my mission, even though it`s hard, it makes me grateful to be able to get to know my Redeemer that much better by walking just somewhat of the path He walked. 

Eu se que Jesuscristo e Deus vivem. Yo se que Dios y Jesucristo viven. However you want to say it, They live. 

I love you, I love you, I love you! 

Hermana Dolan 



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