Planning that Baptism!

Good morning! 

So the latest news on Sonia, Viviem and Dulce is that they all want to get baptized!  Two Weeks ago we finished a lesson with them and they agreed to talk with their Mom about being baptized before our next visit this past Monday.  Immediately after we had left, they called their Mom and she was super excited for them! Said she wanted to be there as well! We had a couple great lessons with them throughout the week, and had them planning on getting baptized this Saturday, but because of some activities with the ward here in Odivelas, we are going to do it this coming Sunday instead. The parents should get here on the 3rd. The girls have their interviews scheduled and seem very excited. Last night we taught them a little more about the Law of opposition, how we as missionaries talk a lot about the good and happy things, about turning our lives to Christ and being changed through Him by faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. But while we talk about these things, feel the spirit, and try to apply them, at times we forget that there truly is another side working against us. We talked about how they are all making such an incredible decision in their lives to be baptized, that they are following the example of Jesus Christ which makes are Heavenly Father Super Happy, but that it also makes Satan mad, and will literally make him do whatever he can so that they don´t keep with this decision and feelings they have felt. Maybe a doubt will come into their minds, they may get a job that makes them unavaliable to go to church on Sundays, or someone may make a comment to them that shakes their faith. When we said that last line, that someone will make a comment to them, Dulce and Viviem both looked at each other like “Wow - that Happened!" Apparently one of their friends was saying something about them getting baptized. Anyways, we shared 3 Nephi 18:18 and talked about how prayer is the way we can fight against him. We challenged them to continue praying to our Heavenly Father and to continue doing what´s right. Excited to see them get baptized this week!

The other highlight of the week was hearing the testimony of the sisters' recent convert here, Ihta. She is from Bangladesh and doesn’t speak Portuguese and just a little bit of english. That is how she was taught. Anyways, she shared her testimony this week while a member translated and it was so awesome. She was just so unbelievably happy. In her words more or less she shared, "I love mormon book. I read it all days. I just want everyone to be mormon. I´m so happy. Every day is just an adventure of happiness.  I feel like I´m not even on this world, this planet. I thank the bishop and the prophet of this church." She is seriously the sweetest lady, and is a true testimony to others that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can really change lives. She likes passing out mormon.org cards to the people outside her shop as they wait for the bus. It is awesome seeing converts like her!

This week we also went to the buffet again with Irma Luciane and had a little party for Elder Hobson's Birthday yesterday!

Short of time today. Hope you all have a great week!

Elder Holmes