Mady's Missionary Moments: MIRACLES!!!

Oi família e amigos!!

Tudo Bem?!

Well, this week was crazy.

We started off with an integration night with the ward on Thursday---pie in the face. There was a trivia question about the scriptures, history, etc, or a complete the music that we had made up. Two people went head to head to answer. Whoever answered right got to throw a beaten egg white and sugar "pie" in the other´s face. It was pretty hilarious. And really messy. But super fun.

Friday during district meeting I received a letter from Sister Ogle and almost cried for joy. A member in the Elder´s ward had been visiting the Fazenda and Sister Ogle sent a little letter with him. That seriously was a little miracle for me :)

Friday, we had a lesson with Maristela. It was super good. We taught about Baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Spirit was so strong! We invited her to be baptized on August 27. SHE ACCEPTED!!!! We were so happy and she was super excited!!! Well, Saturday night rolled around and we passed by her house to tell her information about who would be picking her up for church. SHE READ THE BOOK OF MORMON!!! She hadn´t ever read any part of it on her own until this point!!! And she was still SUPER excited about church. Well I prayed all night long and all Sunday morning that she would make it to church, because something always happens so that she can't go. Well, we were leaving to catch the bus and hadn´t heard anything from her yet, which meant that things were still good. And at 8:15 (15 minutes before they had arranged to meet to carpool to church) we got a text from Maristela. That she wasn´t going to be able to come to church because her son had been sick and hadn´t slept, that she had given up on being baptized because every time she tried something bad happened, and that she didn´t want us to visit her any more. My heart broke. I was almost in tears. I wanted to run to her house and tell her that she could do it, that it was going to be hard, but she could do it, but we got on the bus and went to church. Well, we had marked to visit with her at 7 o'clock sunday. And so we went, and we took Irmã Marcia and Ana with us. And they helped us help Maristela understand that there will always be opposition against that which is good, and that she couldn´t give up! She´s back on track for baptism and we are stoked!!!

I know that Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I prayed like crazy for Maristela. And not everything I prayed for happened how I hoped it would, but Heavenly Father answered my prayers in His own time. I know that He is our loving Father and that He is always taking care of us!

I love you all and hope you are well!

Have a wonderful week!

Sister Wilkins