Never Give Up!

Olá familia!

This week not toooo much happened in Beja besides Tuesday night!! Edson Melo, who has been investigating the church forever, and has all his kids and friends in the church (kids in brazil, friends here in portugal) got baptized!!! It was such an awesome experience and I was just so happy for him. He isn´t in our area, but I´ve had the chance to teach him while on splits and while the other elders have been sick or what not, and have just created a relationship with him at church every sunday and even around Beja! He is such a great guy and Tuesday was a special night for him. We, the four elders, had the opportunity to sing ´´Nearer my God to Thee`` at his baptism, and we had a decent turnout of members that got to come for it. 

On Sunday, the other Elder´s were in Lisboa (because Elder Simpson has gotten sick), so we got to assist in giving Edson the Holy Ghost. What an amazing experience and so awesome to hear president Rubervale afterwards welcome our newest member to the Branch of Beja! President Melo was there as well, the 1st counselour of the district of Algarve, and I absolutly love talking to him. He lives in Largos, where elder Collette serves, so I got to talk to him a little bit about Elder Collete, and our work here in Beja. From the words of President Melo, when talking about missionary work here, he just said to never, ever give up. It will come. And to keep the faith. If I had a penny for every time a door was slammed in my face or someone told me they don´t have time or don´t want to hear it, I´d be a pretty wealthy man! (But I am kidding myself — portugal doesn´t use pennies — so it wouldn´t mean anything here in Portugal... but I´d have a pretty sick penny collection CBEAR! haha) 

It is true though. We don´t stop. We keep looking until we find that family. Something I read this week was about a swimmer. How an incredible swimmer says "I kick when I don´t want to kick, I Stroke when I don´t want to stroke!´´ That is what we do as missionaries. We keep going. Sorry this email is so short, but I sure love and miss you all!

Elder Holmes