I'm Learning Portuguese

Transfer Day

"Hey mom, I washed my winter hat!"

Training my new companion Elder Marques!

This week I welcomed into the world a brand new missionary. However, unlike most of his newborn comrades, he speaks Portuguese, Italian, English and now Spanish. Raised in Italy and Brazil, his accolades as a member of the professional Brazilian Volleyball team and others surpass anything I've ever accomplished and learning English in less than a year and Spanish in 6 weeks, he has won the hearts on basically everyone we have come in contact with in the past 4 days. Needless to say, I am now learning a bit of them all and my English is getting worse and worse everyday.

     As a welcoming gift we were invited by a kind Hispanic man to his church. We haven't spoken with him much but we accepted the offer and he said he would try to attend our services as well. Saturday came and we headed to the church. The large building was a school at one point but now the auditorium is being used as a church every Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday. Cars filled the parking lot and the building was alive with music. We walked toward it and knew it was not the same kind of church we attended.

     Now, I will try to explain this, but I don't mean any offense with my explanation. All are permitted to worship in the way they please in this country and I don't mean to judge the use of their agency. The way we worship is just as different to them as it was for my Brazilian companion and myself. The corridor before the auditorium was lined with tables of food and behind two doors on either side of the hall was the service. We glanced through the blurry window of the doors and saw the room packed with men, women and children on their feet clapping and singing. We watched them enjoy the music, and the doors were opened by our friend who let us in and guided us to our seats. A woman in front of us couldn't stand was being supported by her two neighbors and they were all singing. During the songs she suddenly fainted. A woman to our right shouted hallelujah with the band, and the preacher at the front sang away. They all sang and many came and welcomed us with hugs and handshakes and English welcomes regardless of they multilingual capabilities. It was like a Christian concert in Spanish and I was pretty lost. It was quite the experience. 

     When the worship band came to a close, the preacher welcomed all the new people in attendance. They all stood and the audience clapped. Then as my mind veered thinking about the food outside, a hand landed on my shoulder. I notice everyone was looking at us and the preacher had welcomed us. We stood and everyone welcomed us with applause. After the welcoming was over, a man came to the front and told his conversion story. It was much different than a testimony meeting I have seen. A lot more clapping and shouts of praise. And after he concluded his energetic testimony we decided it was best we left and went to our next appointment. We told the preacher and our friend thank you and the band began to play as we left.

     We walked away and discussed how the feeling there was familiar but not familiar in our church meetings. We left to go teach Evelyn.

     Evelyn has been taught for a while but this week she fasted. We fasted with her to help her know if this was all right. That night after the church we discussed her fasting experience. After introducing my new companion and a prayer she told us her answer. She said she got it and it is the same she received before. It is true and she needs to be baptized. The Spirit we felt there was the Spirit we had felt before in Primary and Sacrament Meetings and learned to follow. She is going to be baptized on December 5th.

Saying good-bye to my companion....

     The next night, after two hours of not finding anyone available to teach we stopped by Cecilia and she informed us that she had read all of 1 Nephi and had questions about Nephi being counseled by an angel to not write the things John the Beloved would write. Although she had doubts, we were happy. In the words of the member who came with us, 'Doubts can be overcome. Passiveness, [which many Hispanics have while reading] is much more difficult.' Her motivation and faithfulness left us with the same Spirit.

     I love being able to have the Spirit with me as a missionary and loving being able to see it work in the lives of others.

Thank you for the prayers and support, I love you all!

Adios

Elder Thomas