Friday, February 14, 2014

The Branch becomes a Ward, Doing the Training, and trying to get along with Amado

February 10, 2014

So this week will definitely be memorable..  It started off with Monday night.  I had like two hours to talk with Elder Christensen about how to give my training and what not.   He was the A.P for 5 transfers, and he also opened up the island Miao.  So he is a boss.  And he taught me a ton about how to give trainings.  Most of the material I used to talk about the book of mormon I got when I studied.  But he helped me put it all together, and just showed me how to give it.  Because honestly how you present something is more important that what is actually coming out of your mouth.  So we just talked about never standing still during trainings, and always looking as someone, and asking specific people questions. But I was still a little nervous, it's a training in front of 75 missionaries and president.   I learned a bunch, and I definitely
 need to thank him.  But the training itself went pretty well, or as well as it could have.   Obviously it wasn't perfect, I'm in my fourth transfer, and everyone there speaks better Portuguese than me.  But it went as well as it could have. We also did the scripture game in Zone conference.  My scripts were the forth article of faith, and a scripture for repentance, super easy ones.
  
This is a crazy part in the week though.  So we hadn't baptized yet this transfer, because Elder Gooch and I really didn't set up this next transfer well.. And we didn't have one for this week.  But the night after zone conference, we got a text from the zone leaders, and they said, "We learned a bunch today, put your faith to work, and find one more person for baptism this week."  So Elder Amado and I prayed like crazy to find someone.  And Wednesday we passed a less active house, and they weren't home.  So we had an hour. Our window to find.  So we said a prayer to find someone.  And seriously right after the prayer, a kid walked out of the house.  We talked to him a little, and he had been to church a couple times, but was never baptized.  He is 17 and his name is Leo.  So we went in, and had a pretty good lesson with him and his die hard Catholic mom.  And he was iffy about getting baptized on Saturday.  He didn't really have a strong belief in anything we said.  So we left, and finished the day.  And at the end of the day, we passed by his next door neighbors, members, to see if they could pass by him, and maybe convince him to get baptized.  Long story short, he doesn't go anywhere right now, and hes not ready to get baptized.  
But as we are leaving the members house we start talking to their other next door neighbor, an 18 girl named Dorize.  So we talked to her, and had a sweet conversation!  We call them conversations now, not lessons.  But she asked why there were so many churches, and was confused about that.  So we explained how all the churches were formed by man, and without power.  4 nefi 26.  And she said it all made sense.  So we marked a date for that Saturday. And we passed by her everyday, and she was ready for baptism, and was baptized on Saturday.  Such an answer to our prayers, and a true testament to the Lords power with faith.  She was a great baptism too.

Also, Friday was my six month mark.  It feels weird to be 25 % done with the mission.  I don't really feel like I can remember any other life than cape verde.  Its crazy. I had an Oreo today, and its crazy the things that make me home sick ha.  But to celebrate six months, we made cinnamon rolls, and burned ties, it was great!

Another funny thing that happened this week was at church.  We were sitting in Sunday school, and the teacher had asked someone to read.  It was a little quiet, and no one was reading.  Then Norberto said really loud, "Igor ler" Igor is his kid, and he just told him to read.  But he was so loud and demanding, it was hilarious.  It is like on Glory Road, when the mom goes to class and tells her son to answer every question the teacher asks.

Also, this week our branch was made into a ward.  It was super nice to see that finally happen. We have been a branch for a while, and we have been working really hard to get less active people coming back, and baptizing more.  And to see it actually become a ward was such a great feeling.  I got up and bore my testimony, and just thanked all the members for the help we have received.  We really received a ride home from achada traz everyday this week, mostly from Norberto, but  it was super nice.    I'm in the best mission in the world, and I love my area so much.  I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.  Its a little tough workin with Elder Amado, because quite frankly he just doesn't like me.  And he broke our toilet this week so we're going to have to call someone to fix it.  Like, he wasn't used to using an indoor toilet before his mission.

But I'm tryin my best, and we're so blessed out here.
  
Thanks so much for all the emails and letters.  Keep writing, I love all you guys.  
Love Elder Jarvis, Cape Verde Praia

No comments:

Post a Comment