Monday, August 31, 2015

Last Week of Transfer!

Olá Amigos!!

The last week wrapped up with some highs and lows and some humerous experiences.  hahaha 

Anyways, this week I learned how to use the area book a lot better, had a lot of meetings with some less active members, and met a lot more people that I haven´t met the last six weeks. For this, I am excited to use what i have learned this week and the past 6 to really help this branch grow and bring more unto this gospel. I am ready for this!

Tuesday we had a cool experience! I found this guys adress who was taught a while ago but we didn´t have a house number, just a street name. We went to the street and the rest of the events was just Heavenly Fathers hand in our work. We didn´t know what house to knock or who to ask for or where this guy lived. We just picked a house and started talking to the lady about the gospel. She didn´t know the guy we were looking for but she talked our ear off until another lady walked behind us and she called to her. After they talked for a little, she turned to us and asked who called her!? She was the mother of the guy we were looking for and they lived right  next door to this lady! We have an appointment with them tonight... but it isn´t in my area now so the new elders will take over that appointment. Just crazy how everything really lined up to find this house. Tuesday was also a very sad day for me. The week before, we had an awesome lesson with Isabel and her family and her mom. But when we knocked her door a day or two later, her dad answered and didn´t look too happy to see us. Long story short we tried to contact her tuesday for  our appointment we had with her and she didn´t answer. She then sent us several messages saying she doesn´t want to see us again and hopes we can respect her decision. I don´t know what happened. It was just so sad. They are such an incredible family and I could see our visits really changing Isabel’s life, as well as her family's. Who knows, maybe they will accept it all later. We will see. 

The rest of the week we had a lot of street contacts with people who then didn´t answer there door or we couldn´t even find their houses.... it was a bummer. The week was a tough one for sure! Isabel dropping us, Leonel not answering his phone (so not really sure he still wants to get baptzied) and a lot of appointments etc. falling through. We did a lot of walking with not a ton of success day to day. Definitely one of the hardest weeks of my life! The times we had an appointment and felt the spirit teaching people, that is what it’s all about. That is what makes those long, hot days, walking from one side of the city to the other worth it. To see the holy ghost really touching someone’s heart. We had a lesson with this lady Anna and her daughter Joanna (probably the cutest little girl I have ever seen) and they aboslutely loved it. Anna practically taught us the second lesson about the plan of salvation and said she would get baptized. We don´t really know if she has a testimony of Joseph smith or how much she really remembers about the first lesson, but she is such an awesome lady. I hope she continues to want our visits and follows through with baptism. I loved her and her daughter!!

As far as the funny and just unfortunate things.... our refrigerator broke on monday night. We had to take all our groceries to the church, and then when we got back at night... it was just magically working again. Don´t know why??  I also met a lady named Maria de Jesus.... These portuguese people are so clever! This guy attempted to speak english with us and finished off the conversation saying ``See you later aligator!`` haha  He couldn´t speak a lick of english but said that line straight fire! Another experience... Elder Sutton was a little farther up from Elder Hansen and I and tried to contact this lady who just looked at him and was like nooo.  No time! So 20 seconds later as she passed me, I said in portuguese ``I´m a lot nicer than him. Would you like to talk with me?`` haha  She responded and said ``No... but you are a lot funnier than him, too.`` Haha  Hey gotta mixed the street contacts up a little bit and put a smile on their face here and there. The most embarrassing part of the week was when we went back and saw that Rodrigo kid I played soccer with and his family! Met the dad of Rodrigo’s mom, Susanna, and the guy talked my ear off! Loved him. Hopefully one of these times they will let us actually teach them. Anyway, when Susanna came back, I asked her what ``Causas`` meant... she told me that it means “Woman’s underwear”! haha!  I said ‘every time your son scored a goal on me last week in soccer, he would scream this to you! She laughed and said  ‘ohhhh! You also use it when someone kicks a soccer ball through your legs!” ... I guess he did that plenty of times. She was all laughing about how I asked that, but it made sense to her at the end what I was meaning! haha 

And lastly, my new comp is Elder Sutton, who I have been in a trio with along with Elder Hansen, for the last 2 weeks. It was super random. Saturday night the elders called us and told us Elder Sutton and I were going to work together and Elder Hansen is going to the Azores. So all saturday and all sunday I was thinking I was with elder Sutton this next transfer...But then we got a call that I am comps with an elder Dorius. So he came in today, we bought groceries together, got to know each other, etc..... and then we get told I am actually comps with Sutton! Haha that is the long story short. Anyways, I am now serving with Elder Sutton which I am excited about. He works hard. Is fun, Friendly, gets my humor, and is ready to baptize! Elder Hansen is with us until Tuesday when he will go off to the Azores!

That is all folks. Love and miss you all!


Elder Holmes

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