Our Eleitinha

Had the coolest experience with a FAMILY we met! We were in another area Thursday and Friday and Saturday, we were running to try and visit all the people we needed to visit that day. As we were walking from one house to another, a 10 year old girl stopped us and asked if we were going to church and if she could come with us. We explained that it was on Sunday but that she was invited, and we met her mom, Joanne, and asked if they would like to come with us. She said yes, and when we got there Sunday morning, they were all dressed and ready to go!!!!! And as we were sitting in sacrament meeting, all of a sudden a girl arrived all sweaty with a huge backpack and sat right next to me- a friend of the girl that stopped us on the street Saturday! She remembered we said the name of the street of the church, and left her house early Sunday morning to ask people where the street was. She is only 11 but came all alone to church and loved it!! We nicknamed her "eleitinha"- little elect :) Literally a miracle and still can't believe that they all came to church after a 5 minute conversation on the street. It is usually so hard to get people to wake up and come to church on a Sunday morning and I am feeling so grateful for these miracles that keep happening here.

Paloma is still making huge progress and is almost certain she wants to be baptized this week. Every time we teach her something new, it is as if she already knew it before and I am still amazed at how perfectly she was prepared for everything that is happening right now.

Juliano and Edlene: still coming to church every week and still loving it. We read the Book of Mormon with Edlene every week and it is so rewarding to see the little changes that happen as people really come to know the truth. Sounds really preachy but it is true!!

Not too much more to write other than I am still loving it here and trying to take advantage of the fact that I have so many açai places so close to me :) I love my companion and we are 4 weeks into the transfer together without any problems at all. The members here make all the difference and yesterday we had a family night with all the young adults that was so fun. This morning, a girl who returned from her mission this year stopped by our apartment and gave us a huge plate of mini coxinhas, just because. So many tender mercies and I am so grateful for my time here.

Love,

Sister Lauren Mather

Photos:
shoutout to miranda for being the best friend ever and sending a byu shirt to this elder
first visit with val- she bought all this food just for us 3 and sent us home with most of it
burgers in Itabaiana
Joanne and family
family night
Lucy <3
14 months!!
classic missionary pic
coxinhas from Bruna