It is 30 graus, not degrees. That means it´s like 90ish degrees. We are basking in the sun everyday. How is the weather there?
Bil, Stepper WOO HOO! Moved! I loved picturing Wyatt running around the empty house being confused but happy nonetheless.
Ok this email will be scattered, that is a guarantee.
first and foremost... Leo was baptized yesterday!!!!!!!!!! WOOO HOOO! Let me just say that it was a miracle. I first met Leo with Irma Brinkerhoff. We met him on the street my very first day in Portugal. Irma Brinkerhoff stopped him on the street and started talking to him, when all of a sudden our cell phone rang and she had to answer it. She stepped away and there I was on my first day here, left to talk to this stranger in Portuguese (And remember he has no idea it is my very first day in the country). So I did what any missionary would do, I pretended like I was in the halls of the MTC and asked ``Do you believe in God?`` he answered ``Yes of course!`` and then I said ``Do you believe in Jesus Christ?`` and he responded ``of course!`` and I said ``Our message is about Jesus Christ and how we can be happy...`` (something very simple like that). What seemed like 45 minutes later (really like 1 minute) Irma B returned to the conversation and finished up the conversation. We taught Leo, and knew he had a testimony of everything. Being guided by the Spirit we invited Leo to be baptized, he said yes, he would be baptized. But he ran. We invited him and after we invited him he did return our phone calls. Worst feeling ever. So we wrote him name down to try later in a few weeks...Well 2 Saturdays ago, I thought, who can we invite to church? We went through all of our contacts and invited everyone. I thought lets look at our old investigators... Boom. Leo. Ok lets call Leo and invite him. Long story short. We had a week of reteaching and friday night we invited him to be baptized again. This time his friends in the church were by his side. He said he didn´t know if he was ready, worthy to be baptized... and we assured him with all of the power that comes as a missionary that through baptism we are made clean and we are able to start anew, we get the chance to have the slate wiped clean and start from there trying everyday to stand as a witness of God and Jesus Christ by following the commandments and in return we are blessed beyond what he could imagine. finally we asked, Leo will you ask God right here and now if this is His will for you to be baptized on Sunday? he responded yes. So we knelt right there and he said the most tender prayer with a sincere heart and real intent, wanting to know the will of the Lord. When he finished he stood up. And responded with all confidence that he would be baptized on Sunday, that he felt a peace like he had never felt before in his life, and he knew it was his answer. The first person I talked to in Portugal, has received the Gospel and is well on his way to joy like he doesn't even know. What a blessing to see that. what is more amazing is that our recent convert of 2 weeks received the priesthood and was the one to perform the baptism.
Irma De Almeida and I say it all the time, we are nothing in this work. It is all Heavenly Father. He works miracles. He prepares people. We are merely instruments, weak little instruments.
OK in unrelated things....
Alex and Jordan are back from their missions, weird. I already miss having them out here by my side in europe.
Also where is Lyndsi Vela? Peru or Provo?
as far as extras in a package...maybe a recipe for chocolate chip cookies(with measurement conversions?), my Portuguese companion wants cookie dough. Maybe teriyaki chicken from Yummy teriyaki in Redmond, Wa... hahah but seriously... I can´t think of anything that I need.
love you gotta go!!!
sister liz
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