Foot update: pain is almost gone, thank goodness!! A combination of things have been helping and I am in a lot less pain than last week.
Rest of this week was pretty normal, a lot of our lessons got cancelled and a lot of people are out of town for Father's Day here(which was yesterday), so we did a lot of walking and talking to new people. Still amazed at how open and friendly everyone is here. Carlos and Alexandre have been out of town almost the whole week, but we did teach Alan again! He is so interested in everything we talk about and has a very sincere heart. He wants to come to church but his mom leaves early on Sunday mornings and can't get him ready in time(he is in a wheelchair, for those that didn't read the last email). We are working with some of the leaders here to see if there is some way he can come.
We also invited Junior to be baptized and he accepted! When I got here, he had already been talking with the missionaries for a month or so. He has been through a lot and when I arrived here, he was sad every time we visited. The more we have talked, and as he has made friends with members of the church here, we have seen him become a happier and happier person. In our lesson this week, I felt prompted to ask if he really believes that God knows him individually. We were amazed at his answer- he talked for probably 10 minutes about the life changes he has seen since he's been learning about the gospel and talked alot about how he feels like God is helping him through other people. I almost cried and the Spirit during that conversation was so strong. Moments like that are why I'm here.
Other highlights of the week: there is a GIANT farmers-market type things every week here and we went for the first time on Wednesday. We got a ton of fruit for so cheap and I've decided we are definitely making it a weekly trip. Also started playing the piano in church this week because me and my companion are the only ones who know how to play in our ward. Thank you to my mom, who started me in piano, and to my teachers that I have had!! It is really cool to see God work in the little details of our lives to prepare us for what is coming next. Just another thing that tells me I'm where I am supposed to be.
Thought of the week: a lot of times, I find myself getting so focused on a Portuguese word or two that I don't know, and it keeps me from understanding what I am reading or hearing. In reality, if I sit back and listen to the rest of the sentence, I almost always understand. It's made me think that I need to learn to look at the big picture and not get caught up on the little doubts, fears, or questions I have. The more time I spend here, the more I know, and the more I study and learn, the better I will understand those little words. Understanding, whether it be in the gospel, in life, in relationships, comes little by little and over time. If we look at and appreciate the bigger picture, those little things will come with time. Sorry that was kind of preachy, but it's a lesson I'm really glad I have learned here.
I told myself this was going to be a shorter email and it's just as long as the rest, I'm sorry! Thank you, thank you, thank you for your prayers and your love. Wishing you all a good week!!
Love,
Sister Lauren Mather
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