OIIII amigos :)
So this week was pretty hilarious for a variety of reasons:
1. It was CARNATAL which is exactly like Carnival (the crazy
week where there's no bounds and everyone is on the streets drinking, partying,
pick-pocketing, the whole shebang) which happens in February, but they love it so
much, that they have a whole OTHER weekend just a week before Christmas. The center
of all the commotion lies about 5 blocks from our apartment so it's been a
pretty crazy weekend to say the least hehe.... and just a little challenging
because every rock solid person we taught this week said thatttttt ... because
of CARNATAL they would be unable to make it to church on Sunday because they
had been out until the wee hours Saturday :3
#MUITOobrigadaCARNATAL (Thank you very much Carnatal)
2. We came home after a long and tiring day to find out that
WE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO POWER IN THE HOUSE. Turns out the sisters who had been
living here before us had forgotten to pay the bill for the month of SEPTEMBER
(although we had continued to pay the months after) and Cosern was a little
miffed and decided to cut all power - enter the exact day that I had run out of
fresh clothes... :3 So we are sitting there in the pitch black and just telling
stories and laughing at the fact we live in the most expensive apartamento in
the mission and here we are, eating crackers on the floor, washing clothes by
hand, and reading scriptures by the light of a tiny flashlight. Ahhhh it was
exactly like all those snow days at home when we lost power.
Except with excessive heat instead of snow.
And less food in the house #sothatswhywehavefoodstorage
Oh and instead of returning after 30 minutes, let's wait
about 3 days.
Ok so maybe just a little different but an adventure all the
same!
BUT THE BEST PART OF THIS WEEK ALL LIES WITH A YOUGIN NAMED
CHRISTIAN.
Christian is a youth that is literally one of the
greatest, most genuine people I have ever met. There is not a single person who
meets him who doesn't automatically love him - he has this simple and humble
nature that never calls attention to itself, but that draws people in because
of how genuinely kind he is. Now this 16 year old kid has been going alone
every Sunday, attending every activity and church camp, and learning about the
gospel for about a year AND A HALF. and has been so integrated into the ward
that literally everyone already thought he was baptized. The problem was his
dad, and that he wanted Christian to really feel like this was real, that he
would be willing to show that he really wanted the church and not because he
had any other outside influences. And after literally 18 MONTHS (we are talking
like my entire mission life agora) his dad finally signed his ficha for baptism
and gave the go-ahead.
Needless to say, Saturday morning in the smallest capela
in Natal was found filled to the brim with loving friends and ward members, a beaming
and inexplicably happy young lad finally able to continue on the path of life
to live with his Father in Heaven again,
annddddd
mom's good old chocolate chip cookies with every woman and
child in the ward scrambling to grab the recipe. But I really think they tasted
so good because of how happy every person in that room already was, and how
powerfully the spirit touched each one of us after Christian bore his
testimony.
I really can't describe how happy that moment was. But there's
something powerful about the moment when another one of God's children enters the gate to return home, both with people here on earth and with those celebrating
and rejoicing in heaven.
Can't believe I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to
help make just a small part of something so important and
eternal.
Sending my love and really feeling humbled by the power and
hand of the Lord in our lives - we are just really blessed to have Christ.
He literally is the cure for every deep ache, misunderstanding, and
mistake.
Who doesn't deserve the relief and happiness He brings?
#LOVECHRISTMAS
#LOVECHRISTIAN
#LOVECHRIST
Coincidence? I think NOT!!
<3 Sister Staheli
