Last week during the Zone P-Day Elder Capello broke his wrist. Clay told me to edit all mention of that out of his email before posting because he wasn't sure if Elder Capello's parents had been notified yet. So that's why it seemed like there was a lot of confusion and missed boat rides! Really they were going to doctors and trying to determine if Elder Capello could remain in the mission field or if he was going to have to go home and have surgery. He did have to go to Belem for a few days but thankfully the doctors there decided he could stay. And I put Clay's actual words about the incident into last week's email. Now for this week's email!!
Elder Capello and Clay in Santarem at the Mission Tour Training
Hello!
Yeah so I got the new debit card and it is working in the atm. Idk about the dang exchange rate but every time I take out some money it always takes out an extra 40 I think. But I haven't really been using it all that much only for the boat and lancha fees.
So this week was good! I spent the first half of the week with Elder S Leite and on Thursday we went back to Santarem for the Mission tour. We had a General Authority come and do some training - Elder Massagardi. He is the first counselor in the Brazil area presidency. He trained from 8 am until noon. Then we had a big ole lunch and he did some interviews. I was chosen to be interviewed and it was really good. He did it in English so that was nice. It was a really quick interview and he didn't say anything particularly special, but I felt so good afterward. I truly knew he was a servant of God just by the spirit I felt when he talked. He has a reputation of being very strict and chastising missionaries so everyone was super stressed out, but he was calm and nice. So that was great!
Elder Capello went to Belém and saw 3 doctors and they all said he didn't need surgery so he returned back here and is with me in Óbidos! He gets real emotional talking about it because he was very close to going home, but he convinced the mission doctor to let him stay and finish his mission! So that is exciting! He said president asked him to suggest a missionary for my next companion and he is considering it very seriously! Haha!
We had 2 baptisms this week. Was going to be 3 but one girl needs to prepare a little more. But the 2 baptisms were great! I think they will stay firm in the gospel. Since Elder Capello only has one arm I am having to pick up a lot of slack - like ironing his shirts and washing all the dishes.. He is loving it.... But it also means that I get to baptize everyone so I'm not complaining!
This week the older gentleman I mentioned last week will get married and then we will baptize him on Saturday.
It seems like a lot more exciting stuff happened this week but I can't think of it so whatever.
I read a story this week about not letting your torch go out. There is a sport somewhere where each team gets a lit torch and they have to go around a track and pass it off to other teammates like a relay thing. But the winner isn't who finishes first, but who finishes with their torch still lit. A lot of times we start new goals and are really excited at first and do really good, but gradually we start to fall behind and lose interest in our goal. For example, I am less motivated to study Portuguese now because I'm finally starting to get it, but i have SO much more to learn. It is so important that we continue to improve throughout our whole lives and endure to the end. When Nephi and his family were on the ship coming to the Americas they knew where to steer it because of the Liahona. But once Laman and Lemuel tied up Nephi, it stopped working and a storm came and pushed the boat back for 3 days. The Liahona worked off of faith and diligence. We see a lot of times with people who have been members for a long time they think they know enough and can rest from studying the scriptures and what not. We can never stop. Because when we stop being diligent in our church duties and callings, we don't just stay still, but we do like the ship did and go back. We lose progress when we stop. Nothing in this world is more important than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Never stop! Enduring to the end isn't easy, but its not supposed to be. When we make a goal, we have to stay excited and determined about it. And the Lord will always help us!
Love yall!
Elder Green
This is a crazy shirtless guy we see every day so we decided to get a picture with him!
Elder Capello's arm hurts a little if we walk too much so we've been flagging down vehicles and catching rides!!
Clay looking through the stuff from his Christmas box - which he opened before Thanksgiving...
Baptismal service where lots of people came!
Fruit lifting is cooler than weight lifting
Beautiful testimony, we are praying for you that your testimony will continue to grow as you are faithful to your calling!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sister Clements!! I'll pass this on to Clay!
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