9.30.2014

September 22, 2014 Caicó even smells like Arizona

It´s true. You know, that dirt smell with a hint of cow. And there are cactuses here. Or is it cacti? Psh... I don´t even know. But Caicó is alive and hopping!

My first week here has been pretty good. It´s hot, but I´m not dying like I thought I would be. I think it´s because it´s a dry heat. No humidity = less sweating. It´s true. But I´m using my sunscreen every day and proud of it! Just something that I´ve noticed - Brazillians are meticulous with their sunscreen use. Every Brazillian I know uses sunscreen on a daily basis, whereas Americans don´t. I think it´s because Americans want to be tanner. So that´s that. 

The past few days have just been running around taking care of baptisms left and right. We had two baptisms scheduled for this week, but Thursday they both moved to other houses in different wards. So we had to walk to those other areas to introduce our investigators to the sisters that would take care of them and their baptisms. A lot of hustling and bustling. Then one of those baptisms fell through. Sad day. BUT! Jorge, Sister Adriane´s investigator was baptized last night. SO AWESOME. I only talked to him a few times, but he´s the bee´s knees. Jorge was wheelchair-bound (I don´t know the story why), but the sisters hooked him up with a member that´s a physical therapist and he´s starting to stand and walk a little! There was an extra man in the baptismal font to help lower him into the water and raise him back up. Super spiritual baptism. But Jorge is also a funny, funny guy. I overheard the sisters from the other ward going over the commandment the Word of Wisdom with him. This is how that conversation went:

Sister Marcelino: ´Ok, so now we´re going to talk about the 5 things that we can´t put into our bodies because they´re harmful. There´s tobacco, coffee...´
Jorge: ´GASOLINE.`
everyone: ..... 
Jorge: ´Bahhahahaha. Just joking!`

Oh my lanta I just about died. He´s one funny dude. 

Ok, on another note. We had stake conference this weekend that was AWESOME. Do you want to know who was there? Well I´ll tell you. Stake president, President Soares (mission president), an area 70 that I forgot his name, and Presidente Costa. The area president for Brazil. Yeah buddy. You bet it was awesome! A few things that caught my attention: 

-President Soares talked about 50 years ago when he joined the church. His family lived in Recife, way way far from São Paulo. During that time, they were part of a branch of 12 people, and had to go to São Paulo to go to the temple. Now, 50 years later, there are thousands of members of the church in that same area, multiple missions, and even a temple. He left us thinking what kinds of changes we want to happen where we are in the next 50 years and what we are willing to do to make those aspirations a reality. Whoa. Let´s go Charlotte, NC Temple!

- President Costa talked about the awesomeness that is Preach My Gospel. How it is inspired, and how it gives all of us the abilities to preach the gospel like the missionaries in the time of the Book of Mormon. So, wanna be a modern day Ammon or Alma or even Paul? Getcha self a copy of PMG and get to work. Teaching by the Spirit is always the best way to go.

- He also talked about something simple, but oh-so-obvious. This is the gospel of happiness. Sooooo we should look happy! Boom. There ya go! Smile!! Tell a joke! We have access to the best message that anyone´s ever heard and we should show that we´re happy! Also, that pessimists will never have success in spreading the gospel because they´ve already decided in their brains that it´s not going to work out. Be happy people! It´s all gonna be ok. 

And that´s the way the cookie crumbled this week, folks. Sister Adriane and I are going to baptize all of Caicó this tranfer. Helping everyone come unto Christ, one at a time. 

Remember who you are and what you stand for!

I love you all!
Sister Baker

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