Alright, so this was one of those weeks where when I look
back on it, we had so many experiences that Tuesday and Wednesday seem like
months ago. We had some interesting experiences this week. On our way to
district meeting this poor man on the street started talking to us about how he had no
friends in the world and didn't feel loved by anyone. We just kept talking and
talking about his life, accidents that almost killed him, his drinking problem,
etc. and I was feeling quite sorry for this man. He didn't live in our
boundaries, so I explained a bit about what we share and offered to pass his
address to the missionaries there. He wouldn't accept, but really liked us as
friends and wanted to go get a Guarana with us. We told him that we were
pressed for time to attend this meeting and he said "I'll go with
you!". We explained how it was a meeting just for the missionaries, and we
told him we would buy some guarana for him and then we would go on our way. He
refused and said just to give him the money and he'd buy it himself. We debated
for a long time about how missionaries can't give out money to people (its a
rule). Eventually we made our way to a small shop, I bought him one more
guarana than he had asked for and he tried to get us to pay his bus ticket
home. I don't think my story telling is up to par, but it was just a strange
moment in my life. This man appeared so lonely and needing of the gospel but we
came to find out all he wanted was our money so he could buy more
alcohol.
Its also amazing how investigators can change in a matter of
days. We taught an investigator on Tuesday, we read 2 Nephi 31
with her and she really seemed to like it. In a matter of 4 days she informed us that she didn't want to receive the
lessons anymore.
But let's focus on the good things that happened this week
because there were a ton! We had a New Missionary Training meeting on Thursday
and we received some excellent training from President. The icing on the cake
was getting to see Elder H for the first time since our time in
Gilbert! [Cooper and Elder H were companions when they were both VISA waiting in Gilbert AZ back in October. Elder H's VISA finally came though this month and they were happy to be reunited.]
The highlight of the week was with an investigator named
M. We found in her in our first week here. My comp was feeling a bit sad
about the lack of investigators and wanted to pray that we would find someone
to teach and bring to church. We immediately found M in our path. We weren't
able to teach her until this week and the lesson was incredible. She had the
Book of Mormon at one time and she liked reading it, but her ex-husband tore it
up during a fight. When we returned and presented the first lesson I used one
of my common lines in explaining how to know the Book of Mormon is true: "Você não deve acreditar nossas palavras que esse livro
é verdeiro, mas deve perguntar Dues, que sabe todo" (You shouldn't believe our words that this is a true book,
but you should ask God, who knows all.) Afterwards she said that she already believed that the Book
of Mormon is true. My comp is hilarious, and was literally speechless.
LITERALLY speechless. I had to explain to her that he was a new missionary and
she was the first investigator to really come to the truth. So funny! We
brought her to church this Sunday and she loved it. She has two daughters, one 13 and other 2.
Other than that things are going well here in Madureira. We
have some other investigators who are progressing we just have to get them to
visit the church!
In other news, McDonalds is having a promotion here where you buy a meal and a mcflurry and
you get a free World Cup cup (glass)! So our whole district went there
today!
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| [Madureira District Elders and their McDonald's "World Cups", which doesn't explain the hats.] |
Love you all!
Elder Siebers
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