Transfers

Guess what!

I GOT TRANSFERRED TO MADEIRA!

Just kidding. He he he. But, my companion did. Sad day.

So yeah, we had transfers! I stayed here in Lapa and I'm serving with Sister Walton, from California. She's really sweet and I’ve always wanted to get to know her better so I’m excited.

Irma Olson went to Madeira (island) today and it was actually really hard. Not just emotionally, but like difficult to get her there. She has a lot of stuff, and you’re only allowed to take one 50lb suitcase with you to the islands and a carry-on. It was a hot mess trying to figure out what she was going to leave behind in the office and then her bag was still overweight and she didn’t even own a carry on. So then we found her one at the office and LITERALLY had to sew it shut with twine because the zipper wouldn’t go. ha ha ha It was an adventure. I was lucky though, because I got to stay with her and see her off at the airport which isn’t normal. But then the people coming in from the islands had their flight delayed so the other sisters didn’t arrive and I was alone with three elders in the car for a long time. It was different...

But other than that; this past week has been really great.

There were some hiccups like a trip to the hospital because I thought I had strep and my flu was coming back (I’m fine, it wasn’t and they gave me medicine and I feel great now).

Our stake is doing a trip to the Madrid temple this week and people left today for the full week trip. Students and youth and what not will leave Friday night to spend Saturday there. And guess what!!! We have three recent converts going! Yuri and Fernando, who were baptized the week before I arrived, are going and also Erica who was baptized a month ago!! We had a family home evening with Erica and a member and talked about the temple and she is so excited to go! That girl is so amazing. Irma Olson and I talked about how she is one of those people who the Lord had prepared way before we even met them and literally all we needed to do was teach them and they would want to be baptized and progress on their own and continue firm. Erica is doing so well and the young women’s president has asked the bishop to give her a calling as the secretary!

Also, one of the miracles we saw this week happened at church on Sunday. There is a Filipino woman here who doesn’t really speak Portuguese but she is attending church and has a calling in Relief Society. She is living with a Catholic woman and tries really hard to be an example to her but the roommate never really wants to hear anything about the church. Well, Joy (the member), was asked to give a talk in church this week so we went over on Saturday to help her write it and we found out she was really struggling. She said it’s been really hard to have her roommate smoking and drinking and everything because it’s a huge temptation for her to stop attending church. While we were at the house we talked to her and tried to cheer her up. We told her roommate Emmy that she should come support Joy with her talk the next day. Emmy was saying how she didn’t want to, and it was too early, and she’s Catholic, but maybe. We literally did not expect her to come because we figured we needed to keep encouraging her but when we got to Church she was there! She stayed for all three hours and was so glad when it ended ha ha ha but she was there and she said she really liked it, just that it was really long!

But really, the Lord is good and we saw a lot of miracles this past week. I have no idea what it’s going to be like now with the new companion but I’m excited. I love you guys and pray for you always!