Opah!
Man it's always so good to hear from home. I feel like so much happens in just one week with everyone. It's good to know how great everyone is doing. Whenever something bad or disappointing happens here, twenty good things happen at home. It's also Tessa's birthday today. I hope she has a great one, and that she remembers that Uncle Nate loves her and is praying for her.
This week was one of those weeks where you get home Sunday night thinking back, saying dang this last week was good! Not even really because of success or numbers, just because it was full and we worked hard and effectively with the spirit.
First off, we've got 2 great families that are super prepared to be baptized but the parents of both don't want to get married. A lot of the time here, the first thing that people think of when they hear marriage is divorce. Luckily the Church of Jesus Christ specializes in families fighting through things when the going gets tough. You know you're a teacher in the Church of Jesus Christ when you can talk for 2 hours strait about families and what the gospel has to offer them. This week we also found a bunch of new people to teach that seem to have a lot of potential. Two of them can't read or write but have already accepted baptism because of the feelings they have felt when they hear our message. Even without reading the book of Mormon people receive answers just by hearing about it. That's power! English class is going great. We had around 30 people this last Thursday which was way cool and we are having a fun time with it also. It's good to do missionary in ways other than going door to door once in a while. We found a great investigator named Maylla, who is 17 and really has potential. She is pretty set in the church that she goes to now but we are working hard with her. We've taught a ton about the Book of Mormon to her and that's helped. It's crazy to think that everything we do and say weighs on the Book of Mormon. Also we are still teaching Isabel and her mom Josefa (girl joseph). They have really stopped progressing. We finally found out that it is because they both are studying because of church scholarships that they have and if leave their church they don't have school. So it's between school or baptisms....the right choice is clear...but they really need a lot of faith to make the right decision.
This last weekend was awesome. We went to Palmares (where our stake center is) and helped the other missionaries that are there do an open house. This is where all the doors of the church are opened and the missionaries stand outside and invite people in to give them a tour of the building and teach them what we do in Christ's church. It works really well there because the church is on a super busy street and people are always passing by. We also had interviews with the president of the mission which was great. He's always asking us what words mean in English and we never know. Does anyone know what the word potvaliency- means? (ha ha) He is funny but also his spirit is crazy strong. You can feel it when you talk with him. Saturday night was great. We got to watch a baptism at Palmares around 7:00 then taught a couple of lessons afterward. We also ordered pizza at there house which didn't arrive till around twelve. They all sang happy birthday to me while we ate. I had almost forgot it was my birthday.
Sunday was way good also because we had district conference (that's why we stayed in Palmares). Before church the girl that was going to get baptized was super sick so the four of us went to her house and gave her a blessing. I don't know if I have ever felt the power of the priesthood stronger than when the four of us laid our hands on her head. After the prayer, she got up, changed and was perfectly fine and was then baptized. After the district conference meeting we drove home with our branch in a big van and everyone sang happy birthday to me on the way home. Man these people are so great. We also ate lunch at an investigators home with a couple of members (Juliana and Alexandro) (investigators- Inazete, Beu, and Wesley). I feel like I'm with my family when I'm with them. It's going to feel like the airport (when I left my family on my mission) again when I have to leave this area. After lunch we did the normal thing we do and taught. It probably was one of the best birthdays I've had yet. I'm not saying that just to be positive, its crazy how much happiness service brings.
I even received presents for my birthday. Two boxes Saturday!!!! One came from the family and one from Grandma and Papa. Whooo!!! What timing and what joy! Unfortunately my camera was left in the van and I'm pretty sure its stolen and gone now. We are praying and the branch president is looking for the van right now….but at least it wasn't one of my nieces or nephews that got stolen…. right? (ha)
Well I love you all and hope you all have a great week!
Com amore,
Elder LeSueur
PS- 20 years old! ….Everyone here thinks I'm 26 or 27 (ha)
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