Alrighty folks,
This was the week of the almighty exchanges. Went on an exchange with dear sweet Sister Pires from Campa Boa, Rio Grande do Sul and then another with Sister Lopes. Sister Lopes already lives in the same apartment with me, so that was fun. But she´s from Florianopolis, Santa Catarina. SO MANY BRAZILLIANS!
All these exchanges means that Sister Adriane was gone almost the whole week too. So THAT means that it´s left to yours truly to take the reins and take care of our area.
Big news número um!
EDIGAR GOT BAPTIZED!! Whooohhoooo! Oh Edigar. He´s so great. And the ward loves him because quite frankly he´s hilarious. He just talks and talks and talks. And whatever comes out of his mouth is always super random. But he´s already an awesome missionary. One night we were walking by a street close to his house and we heard his voice. (That´s not too hard considering he talks super loud.) But we heard him inviting everyone and anyone to come to his baptism. We heard him telling his neighbors how much he liked the church, how excited he was to "tomar banho" (take a bath), and be born again. Awh. So precious. I love me some recent converts. They´re generally the best member missionaries. But Edigar´s baptism was awesome! And he´s excited to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost this next Sunday.
We´ve also started teaching Edigar´s man friends. They´re also way up there on the age totum pole, but they´re super great. We only taught Manuel one time and he walked all the way to church with us. It´s a pretty long walk but he didn´t complain or anything. He was just super excited to go to church and talked our ears off the whole way there. We even had to cross a busy street. Oh. My. Lanta. I´ve never seen a man that old run. But I can say to all of you now that I know that the elderly still have got quite the spring in their step.
In some sad news, Edigar´s other friend Antôntio didn´t make it to church this week. He went to the house of a recent-convert and waited there for a ride to church (he doesn´t have the same amount of springy step that Manuel does). But they waited there for a half hour, then Antôntio went home because he got sad waiting. Bah. I just about cried. NOOO. My homeboy Antônio! Next week my friend, next week.
But yesterday at church was just a really good day. We´ve been teaching a woman named Maria for two weeks and last week she couldn´t go because she had to accompany her mom to the hospital. But yesterday she went! She has a little baby boy and the members just envelopped their little family with love. When little Mateus started to cry, a member would take him out into the hall to calm him down so Maria could pay attention during the classes and sacrament meeting. High five for involved members!! Love it!
That just makes me think of that general conference talk from a while back called, "First Observe, then Serve". Take a look around, find what needs to be done, then do it. Irmã Lindalva (the sister that helped out with baby Mateus) didn´t ask Maria if she wanted help taking care of her crying baby. She just saw what needed to be done, and helped out Maria. And the effect was that Maria really really really liked church yesterday. She was able to feel the Spirit and take the sacrament. Aaaaaaand that´s what it´s all about!
Well folks, here in Caicó we´re just keep on keeping on. It´s great. Life is good. Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. We need the saving ordinance of baptism to return to Heavenly Father. The priesthood has been restored!
Remember who you are and what you stand for!
Sister Baker
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