Elder Clay Green's Brazil Belem Mission Blog: Week 41 - Baptizing, Teaching and Learning in Cabanagem!

The baptism of Luan's mom!

Farmer's tan is an understatement! It looks like he's wearing
a white collared shirt under his jumpsuit!

Either pensive or tired of having his picture taken...

The traditional after-baptism pizza celebration!

Hello!!

So this was a good week for us. I finally got better and was able to work normally.

On Monday I was feeling pretty sick, but we HAD to teach 1 person that was going to be baptized on Saturday. So I said a little prayer and I made it through. My companion had to do most of the talking but it was a good lesson. We got back to our apartment Monday night and I was feeling real bad. I went to bed and fell asleep without taking my medicine. But I woke up Tuesday morning feeling normal. They told me to take that medicine for 7 days but I felt better once I stopped taking the medicine so I was afraid to take it again. And I've been feeling fine.

Tuesday afternoon we took a little trip to the Mission Presidents house with the rest of our zone and ate some of the best lasagna I have ever eaten. We will have to start reaching our goal every month! While we were at the presidents house he told us that the mission will only be receiving 1 missionary this next transfer... Poor kid. He will be arriving here all alone! And 7 missionaries are leaving. The next transfer we are receiving 7 new missionaries and 14 are leaving.. So our mission is going to get small!

We did another exchange on Wednesday. I went to Castanheira with Elder Gann again. It was good! We did a lot of walking that day. They just recently moved into a new house that is super nice. They are living there with 2 other missionaries. And one of the other missionaries is Elder Bartoski - a Brazilian elder I roomed with for a couple of weeks in the CTM! It was nice to see him and actually be able to talk to him.

So do yall remember Luan? He was baptized 3 weeks ago and already received the Priesthood. He is super good! He is always at the church activities and is wanting to serve a mission! This Saturday was super special because we have been teaching his mom and she was baptized on Saturday. When we did the exchange on Wednesday so that she could be interviewed, my district leader called and said she chose me to baptize her. I asked if she knew that Luan could baptize her and he said he didn't know... Obviously it would be way more special if her son got to baptize his mom so I wasn't planning on baptizing her (which is why I'm wearing a jumpsuit in the pictures instead of my own white clothes). We didn't get to talk to her before Saturday but we just expected that Luan would come to his moms baptism and if he didn't know already we would tell him that he could do it. But a member in the ward who has made good friends with Luan took him to Institute... I know he was just trying to help and didn't realize Luan would miss his moms baptism. But anyway Luans mom showed up to the church all by herself on Saturday. We tried to call Luan to get him to leave Institute and come to the church but no one answered. So he didn't get to baptize his mom but it still was a really special meeting and a great experience to see this little family accept the gospel.

I am learning so much here. I absolutely LOVE the people here in Belém. They live a simple life but they are always happy. It is an honor to be able to serve these people and the Lord. I wake up every day determined to try my hardest to make someone's day better, to strengthen someone's testimony. But after 9 months I have realized that these people are helping me way more than I am helping them. My mission is passing so fast it is ridiculous. It feels like yesterday I arrived, and today I am here, and tomorrow I will be returning home. But I have lots of work to do here and lots to learn!

Love yall!!

Elder Green

Dinner at the Mission Home