Ten

Hello! How was your week? Was it wonderful? I hope so. Ours has been really wonderful.

1. My comp is a kook. We are very opposite in a lot of things. Like a lot. But she’s really wonderful and has so much desire to work and to just stay excited even with all the stress of our situation.

2 we are in an amazing place. Santarem is really cool and like off toward the middle of the country so it’s really beautiful. Part of our area is actually this place called Cartaxo which is famous for its wine. Ha-ha yeah! So although slightly apostate, it’s really beautiful because there are vineyards all over the place.

Also, our branch is so incredible and doesn’t even seem like a branch because of how many people are here and how organized and well functioning they are. And the members are sooooo excited to have sisters. I guess it’s been like 5 years since they’ve had sisters so everyone is really excited for us to be here.

3. Our investigators are really cool! We got here and they were three women progressing who want so badly to be baptized. We just have to work on a couple doubts and addictions, but they are so dedicated to the gospel already and already act like and are received like members by the branch.

4. Ok. I wanted to tell you guys about a man named Orlando. I don’t know if I’ve told you about him. When I was in Lisbon with Irma Walton last transfer, we went to a potential investigators house and had a lesson and his uncle, Orlando was there and participated as well. Orlando really liked talking to us and committed to coming to church. Not only did he show up, but he turned down a ride from the bishop hat morning and said he preferred to walk. Yeah he walked TWO HOURS to get to church and was still there 20 minutes early anxiously waiting for church to start. So we keep meeting with him and we mark I’m for baptism may 12th and he said yes and is really excited. And then he calls and tells us he found work, in Cartaxo, which is part of Santarem. We had no idea what that was but he said, "Is there a church there that I can go to or should I just take the train down to Lisbon on Sundays?" So we passed him as a reference to the office and didn’t really hear anything of it.

We were really peeved because we wanted to know if he had gotten baptized! So on the 12th, when I got the transfer call, I was told I would go t são Domingos which is part of Santarem. I was like wait a second, I’m going to be in the ward where Orlando is! I then talked to an Elder who was leaving this area and he was telling me about the baptism they’d had and how he would need to get the Holy Ghost next week and I was like yeah! I know him! He was our reference!

So last Sunday he received the Holy Ghost and is preparing to receive the Aaronic priesthood! It was so cool to be able to have this experience and see how the Lord uses us as instruments in his hands and really puts us where we need to be to help specific people!

God is good! And the gospel just makes you so apply I can’t even stand it. I love you guys ad hope you have a wonderful week! Irma dean