Hola madre!
yeah it's pretty crazy how time flies! This is the last week
of the transfer already! It really blows my mind! Especially since I was just
on the computer like 4 days ago! haha :) This springtime goes really fast. Its
been really weird to think back and realize that literally, 1 year ago, I was
already on the mission. It's been a strange thing to think about, and sometimes
it really hasn't sunk in that I've been away from home that long. It kinda
scares me sometimes to think about how fast time goes. To think I've got less
than a year to do so much. To become who the Lord needs me to be. To be able to
help the people and the church here in Portugal the way He needs me
to.....there's no time to waste! :)
Man you got to be there when Sal went through the temple??
Was it incredible??? I bet. I would have loved to have been there. I miss her
so much! and Brandi and Hadlee were there too! so so cool! Super jealous! Give
all 3 of them a hug from me....or a handshake or high 5 or something. Hugs
aren't allowed yet :) Hadlee is going to New York right? I've already
forgotten where the Sal and Brandi are going....Sally is like Texas or
something right?
As far as the work goes, this week has been hard. we've seen
some amazing miracles and had some really cool experiences, but it's been hard.
Joaquim and Maria Julieta fell through on the baptism. IT was super sad. They came to church and loved it! and then as we started talking more about the word
of wisdom, Joaquim started to shy away from us and we weren't able to get a
hold of him for that whole weekend. and we still haven't! last week he called
us and said he wanted us to come by, but then we came by and he wasn't there.
It was weird. We're super bummed out. We pass by almost every day trying to
catch him at home and we call, but we can never get a hold of him. We're just
praying that we can get a hold of him. We've had a couple slow days, but we did
have one miracle that was just SO cool! We're teaching a 28 year old guy that
named Nel. He's such a cool kid! We found him when we were on a bus. He
accidentally bumped my shoe and said "Oh Sorry!!" in English. so we
started talking to him and told him it was fine and asked how he knew English and everything. (This was with Elder Rodrigues) He studies and is just this
really smart guy. His mind is so smart, but he has a hard time focusing on just
one thing. His mind goes from one thing to another so so so so fast. He's a
little bit disabled, but not really. It's hard to explain. But he is one of the
nicest most sincere people you will ever meet! He made a decision a couple
years ago that he was going to be perfect!! haha he said he would never do
anything wrong again and that he would treat everyone nicely. He's so cool! He's
come to church a couple times and has loved it. He loves the people, he
loves the spirit. He has a hard time staying focused during sacrament meeting,
but he's been doing so well! Our lessons are very slow, very simple, and super
fun :) We've been teaching him for a while, and we decided that we need to
invite him to be baptized. So we were actually with one of the other elders in
our district at that time so there were 3 of us in the lesson last Friday. And
we were trying to teach the 2nd half of the plan of salvation, cuz we didn't
finish it the last time and it just wasn't going very well. He was being
distracted and we just couldn't keep the lesson focused. We were all getting a
little bit frustrated and confused. Trying everything we could. Nel just
randomly got up, (in the church) and went to the bathroom and we were all just
about ready to give up for today and try another day. But while he was gone, we
just decided we were gonna be patient and go at his pace. and we prayed
in our hearts so sincerely. I don't know if I've ever prayed so sincerely in my
life that the spirit would guide us. then he came back....and as we started
talking........you could just see him start to make the click. He just changed.
We invited him to be baptized, and he told us no at first. he said he couldn't
because of his family and what would they say, and stuff like that. And
honestly, this is the miracle. I don't know what happened, but as we kept
talking, i don't know what we said, or what he said, but somehow the spirit
guided HIS thoughts, and he finally decided that it was something that HE
needed to do, and that it was something that he could do and wanted to do and
that he would do it!!! He will be baptized this Saturday!! it was SO amazing!
because honestly, it was such a smooth calm thing that only the spirit could
have done. The spirit calmed his fears, focused his thoughts, and testified
that he could do it. and we didn't do anything at all! that was the key! the
whole time we had tried so hard to do it ourselves, with our own abilities, but
when we relied on the spirit 100%, the spirit did what we couldn't. it was
incredible. I was so grateful for the spirit at that moment. It was really
really neat. But if you could keep praying mom for him, that everything goes OK that would be great. You'd really like him mom. He's a super cool guy. I love
him a lot!
We've had some other really cool miracles this week, that
have just made me so grateful to still b here in Gaia. I'm not gonna lie, 6
months sometimes seems like a long time in the same area :) But I love it so
much and I know that the Lord knows what I need, and why I'm here. And then
there are times when I look at these 6 months and wonder how time flies! I
don't know about you mom, but this time has just whipped by! haha :)
As far as me and my comp are concerned....we're doing alright.
Elder Lindsey is a good kid and has good desires. We're like the same person,
but then kind of completely different. I see a LOT of things in him, that were
exactly how I was at the beginning of my mission. A lot of the questions
that he has or doubts and some of the same things frustrate him that frustrated
me. And It's been really a different but cool experience to be on the other
side of the picture. It's humbled me a lot actually. I've been realizing where
I was. and where I am now, but where I still need to go. It's really weird.
haha :) And then there are some differences too......but that's not important
:) haha ANYWAYS.....TOAST! I was just thinking about Nacho Libre, and one
thing that is super funny, just to finish here, but this week, I have NO
MONEY!! haha we had to pay for our Lisbon trips and they haven't reimbursed us
yet.....and I HAVE NO MONEY!! haha they're gonna get money to us this week, but
these last 4 days, i have had cereal, and toast. literally.....that's it! So I
was just thinking, Elder Lindsey would you like to join me this night for some
toast? HAHAHA OK....enough apostate thinking :)
Love you mom.- So much. I hope you know that. Fique bem. te
amo!!
The Church is true and the Book is blue!!
Love,
Elder Brady
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