October 22, 2012

Hello!

This week sure was different. I tried some new foods. One is called cuzcuz, basically it is cornmeal with butter and milk I think mixed with some type of sliced up hot dog. It was pretty good. Bright yellow, but apparently that is normal. The bishop's wife made it for us. She is super nice and always gives us food or treats. I tried passionfruit Fanta, a flavor exclusive to Brazil and by far my favorite flavor. It is delicious. I made myself a mango banana smoothie, it was way good. Cutting mangos is really hard, but I am getting better at it. We also made guacamole (I am sending a picture). Because the avocados here are ginormous I thought it would be a good idea, but I really didn't know how to make guacamole and all we had to work with was a blender. It tasted good, but a little different than regular guacamole... more like avocado flavored baby food. If you wanted to mail me a simple recipe for guacamole that would be cool.

Now for the real reason this week was so different!! We got cornered by some evangelicals that wanted to Bible Bash. WOW! I am definitely serving here and not in the South for a reason. It was my worst nightmare. First of all they said a prayer and everyone was talking at the same time chanting things and it freaked me out, but you know whatever it is good that they have enough faith to pray. Then we are teaching about the restoration to this girl and actually it was our second lesson with her, we were just following up about the Book of Mormon if she read and prayed and what now. Then her boyfriend shows up and his friend who are much more closed hearted and they start throwing out questions and scriptures trying to challenge our beliefs. I was basically quiet the whole time because I don't like to argue and it was easier for Sis. F because she speaks Port. and has experienced this type of thing before. So I am just listening to everyone trying to talk at the same time and it starts to get pretty heated so Sis. F of course just kindly shows scriptures in the Bible that answer their questions and tells them we aren't here to argue, but that they can ask God if what we are teaching is true through prayer. I really don't even know how to fully explain the experience, but it was awful. They had no desire to actually learn from us and it was clear they had been pumped full of these arguments that they didn't actually really understand but their pastor or someone had told them. So then Sis. F asks if we can pray before we leave and she volunteers me for the prayer. OH BOY. I was freaking out, but it is fine because I am a missionary and I have power and authority and the gift of the Holy Ghost to help me. So I say a prayer and this 20 something year old evangelical has one last scripture he wants to read to us. 1 Tim. 6:3-5 AHHH!! He read that and I didn't understand all  of the words, but I got that he was trying to chasten us for not preaching the doctrine of Christ. So I whisper to Sis. F that I want to talk when he finishes. I just looked at him and told him that I was really hurt he thought we weren't preaching the doctrine of Christ because that is the only thing we are preaching and that I know my Savior and that I am here because I want to help people know him too. In the middle of what I was saying I burst into tears (incredibly unexpected), but I am sure it was just because the Spirit was helping me. It was seriously uncontrollable sobbing like harder than I have cried in a long time. So much that I had to stop talking to breathe and then I said some other things in Portuguese that honestly I don't remember, but afterwards and during everyone was dead silent. Sis. F afterwards told me that she was so grateful for my testimony because it shut the mouths of everyone. Then after a minute the mom of the girl we were teaching apologized to me and testified to everyone that we all believe different things, but that we are all talking about Jesus Christ. It was really beautiful so even though we left pretty riled up it was on a semi-good note. I am super grateful that the mom had her heart open enough to recognize the Spirit in that moment. And I hope I never have to experience a "conversation" (as they called it) like that again.

Saturday we had an activity called coração para coração (heart to heart) with the ward. Where some of the members went out and made contacts and found some people for us to teach. It was great. Sis. F and I split up and went with different irmãs in the ward. I was with Maria Jose. RM with a strong spirit. She was fantastic. I had so much fun teaching with her and talking to everyone. She just loves people from the first second she meets them so it was basically an hour of smiling and being well received. So good. THEN on Sunday 5 minutes before sacrament meeting starts the bishop asks us to talk about our experience doing the activity and share a little bit about the importance of members in missionary work. SURPRISE! Don't worry, the Spírit helped me again. I spoke for like 5-8 min. I think. It was great. Everyone in the congregation was smiling at me with faces full of pity and encouragement because they know I am new here and my Portuguese is rough. My comp. said she understood what I said though so at least one person knew what I was saying. I really am so grateful Sis. F understands me when I speak and is accustomed to my accent. Tender mercy right there.

Anyways. That's all for this week. Love you all. Have a semana maravilhosa (marvelous week)!

Tchau. Sister Udy