What a week we had. Oh man I can barely describe what we went through. First of all, I love you guys, everyone is supporting me out there. I want you to know that.
Elder Cusick and I worked our tails off preparing seven young men to be baptized this week. All friends. It was difficult, there were times when they got really distracted and rowdy, and their parents weren't completely supportive. But they have been progressing, going to church, reading scriptures, praying... they were ready to be baptized. They have great testimonies. Still, it was very difficult, logistics-wise, to get them to the finish line. Two of them, Joao Pedro and Joao Vitor, maybe the most intelligent and excited of all of them, unfortunately were not baptized. Their mother who for four weeks has been supportive told us Saturday evening that she wouldn't let them get baptized because her husband called and made a fuss, he wants them to go to a different church and it changed everything. I didn't get to see them before I left, didn't get to say goodbye. They were probably my best buddies in the group too. Another Joao Vitor (11), Esmaiel (12), Savio (12), Gabriel (11) were baptized though, all really great young men. Another rapaiz, Janderson (8)... he's been an investigator since I got here and on my last day he suddenly arrived in the chapel and said his mom would let him get baptized. So we let his older brother, Jamerson, a recent-convert, baptize him with the rest of the group. Wow awesome!
And, wouldn't you guess it, Raquel was baptized too, despite complications from last week.
Yes, that was a picture of Eduardo and Raquel before the wedding. (look at last week's post)
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| Eduardo and Raquel's wedding |
So, we had a huge baptismal meeting last night, with about fifty members from the two wards, Castelo and Fortaleza.
I didn't get to see too many people off. I had wanted to spend this week visiting people I have taught, baptized, befriended... but, in the end we just worked the whole week.
It paid off, I am happy that I worked to help other people instead of just gratifying myself by spending time with friends and saying goodbye to everybody. That's how it should be.
But... still, I spent 7 months here and have gotten to know the members so well and it is just so hard to leave everybody. It's hard to explain. You wouldn't know how it feels until you lived it... but I sweated and bled for these members, for the people we baptized and reactivated... and now I've got to leave them behind. I know that I did what I was supposed to do. I left both of the wards behind better, happier, healthier (even though, that's not because of me, it's because of the Lord and the efforts of others as well)... but still, missionary work never ends.
I have this reluctance to let other people be responsible for these two wards. That's selfish I know but... I love these people... it's like letting someone else take your place in a family. I guess that's why we don't pass our entire mission in one ward... because you would want to live there with those people.
I love the members of Ala Fortaleza and Ala Castelo, I love the work that I was given the privilege of doing there. I feel honored that the Lord trusted that with me. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities to help people that I was given. It's hard to express in words what I have felt and what I have learned here. For seven months, I did my best to play the role of the Savior's disciple here in this tiny neighborhood. Of course I didn't do my job perfectly, I messed up a lot. There is no way I could have done what the Savior could do, because I am not perfect. But I tried my hardest, and I think I know a little bit what it is like to have lived and labored amongst people in the way the Savior would have. He loves us so much. He must cry with us in our difficulties, He must want so badly to bring every person He can on His shoulders to the Celestial Kingdom... He must be so sad when people refuse to be helped. He just wants everyone to be happy... but happiness is a voluntary decision, we can only assist people in their pursuit of it... reaching out and grabbing it is a personal decision.
I have a new companion, Elder Andrade, from Porto Velho near the Amazon.
I am in a new area, Caucaia, outside of Fortaleza again! I've got the biggest area in the mission it is FULL of places that have never seen missionaries.
And it is super close to the beach. I can't go there but let's see what happens after I call President Batt every P-Day, maybe he'll let me eventually ;D.
Good stuff happening. I am ready to finish out my mission strong here!
Oh... who is the King of Foolishness? Why did I title the e-mail as such?
Last night, packing up all of my stuff (took me so long, I am so disorganized, I got to bed at 12:30 last night after packing for three hours), I found a little plastic box... which happened to contain...
wait, before I say what it had inside of it, let me ask my audience:
How long have I been unable to take pictures with my camera?
Three months, right?
Because my memory card got a virus, right?
Yeah, I found an extra blank memory card for my camera. It turns out I could have taken pictures at any point in the last three months if I had just known I had an extra one. That doesn't mean I could of sent them.
But, yeah, I am the King of Foolishness *shame*
Ah well, roll with the punches. =/
Ummm... I love you guys! I have had such a spiritual and emotional week this last week! Talk to you next week!
I am excited and strong, not too trunky, ready to do some good work in this area!
A mountain of hugs!
-Elder Brendon
