This has been an amazing week! I hope you all got my picture! There is so much to say and it always seems like there is not enough time.
I´ll start with last Friday. I have found that as I read and reread the Book of Mormon in Portuguese, if i do it during personal study in the morning, I can understand better that day. So I have really tried to work hard. I study stories I love and scriptures I know. Like Nephi, and Enos. I LOVE the story of Enos. And Alma and Captian Moroni. Great stuff. So last Friday I started reading. That day, we were having the Zone Leaders come to our area to interview Isabella for her baptism on Saturday. But we found out that we would have to go on divisions because they had 2 interviews at the same time at different places. So we met them in Boa Vista and I went with Elder Young to an interview in another area, while Elder Lima went with Elder Savage back to our area in timbu. Elder Young (No relation to Sam Young, I asked), was only speaking Portuguese with me. He told me that I was conjugating really well for how long I've been out and that I was understanding really well too. He told me he knew I would continue to pick up the language.
SO we were STARVING! That happens a lot to me now. And he led the way to this resort. We had a wonderful buffet at this resort. We talked about our families and life before the mission and what we had planned to do after the mission. It was great! Afterward, we rode the famous red buses of Curitiba (Google them! They're crazy!) They look like giant caterpillers. We rode for like an hour. Then got off and met up with other elders. We walked what seemed like forever and then I went with Elder Barbosa (A Brazilian missionary) while Elder Young went with Elder Brown to the other interview. While I was with Elder Barbosa, we taught a first lesson and talked A LOT of Portuguese. It gave me comfort that I can actually communicate with Brazilians better than I thought. Then Elder Barbosa and I rode the buses back to Boa Vista where I met up with Elder Savage.
We jumped on the buses to run back to Timbu because we had an activity with the ward and we were teaching a small lesson. We made it on time. Rule number one with Brazilians: If something starts at 7 it won´t really start until 8. It´s crazy. But we made it. We helped set up and I was feeling great! I was talking with investigators (there was at least 20 there) and with the ward members. After the lesson we taught, we served dinner to the ward and they danced and played music. We started talking with the ward members and investigators. They were so excited because this was the first time I was being really open with them becuase I could talk and understand. I felt the power of the Lord help me and bless me. We chatted until we had to go home.
Saturday was Isabella´s baptism. Elder Savage told me that she wanted ME to baptize her. So I spent the day with Elder Savage setting up the church, teaching a few lessons, and memorizing how the baptismal words go in Portuguese. But the time came, we were both in white, I helped her into the font. She looked nervous. I whispered, "Isabella, Are you nervous?" She nodded. I got a big grin on my face and said "Me too." Hahahaha. She smiled and giggled. I told her not to worry. I said it word perfect and the baptism as great!
I love baptisms. I love the song that talks about looking for rainbows after it rains. "And ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again. I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain. I want to be the best I can. and live with God again." How true that is! After the baptism, Elder Savage wasn´t feeling well so we went home and made some herbal tea and went to bed.
Sunday was a great day. We did some contacts and went to lunch and then church. We had one investigator there. His name is Jeslee (or spelled some other way) The thing is, he´s been taught all the lessons, but has trouble with the word of wisdom. He is a great guy though. Not to scare you, but he just got out of prison. He killed someone. But he LOVES us so much. And he is nothing to be scared of.
Monday, we found out that the elders who lived in our condo before us in November didn´t pay a power bill, so we had our power shut off all day Monday and half of Tuesday. Have you ever taken a freezing cold shower that brings you to tears... when it is freezing outside already. Heaters... something I took for granted. We are truly blessed in the good old USA.
Speaking of... Did you hear that USA tied with England in the first round of the world cup. We were leaving an area yesterday when Brazil won their first game again North Korea. I was a little scared. It was like a war zone! Everyone was driving arund honking and shouting and cheering. And they were lighting off fireworks. It was crazy.
We met this lady yesterday, about Nanie´s age. A lot of her family has died. And we taught her about the plan of salvation. She started crying. She has a baptismal date for |July 3rd. It´s been fun. We are teching a family of 4. They are friends of the Bispo (Bishop). So I think it will go great! There is nothing but goodness in the future of Timbu. I can tell. I am so blessed.
Today, we had to go to Downtown Curitiba, where the Mission office is, for police stuff with my visa. It´s all protocal. But I got to see people from my old district. It was funny because we were so joyfuyl in seeing each other again. I felt like Alma when we read about the sons of Mosiah in the mission. They were so happy. We were talking and I guess most of their companions don´t let them teach and talk. They say do you teach Elder Askins? My companion leans over and says, He taught a lesson alone last night and baptized someone on Saturday! He was so proud.
Last night we visited Isabella. And as we are sitting there, Elder Savage says, Isabella, I think Elder Askins has something that would really be good for you to hear, he will give the message tonight. He likes to keep me on my toes. I shared Nephi 3:7. I told her the story. Great story. And then I said in probably terrible, broken Portuguese, "Sometimes the Lord asks us to do hard things, but He will always provide a way to make it through. Isabella, as you know, I don´t know Portuguese, it´s very hard. But the Lord called me here to serve you and your family. He called me here to serve the people here. And I have a strong testimony that He will help me learn this language because he has commanded me to serve here, and I know He wouldn´t command me to do soemthing unless he was going to help me do it." As we left Elder Savage said, "Elder Askins, that was a great message. Maybe you should start giving the lunch message too." Uh oh. hahaha so who knows.
Well, my time is up, pday is just about over. But my love and my prayers go out to all of you. I love you all so much and I know that this church is true. The Book of Mormon is true. This work is true. God lives and Christ lives. He is our Savior! I love you all!
-Elder Nathan Askins!
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