Monday, October 24, 2011
Hello everyone!
I hope that you all had a great week. I know that I did. So, to start off, Saturday was the baptism and confirmation of Ponciano Papa da Arruda, the older man that dreamed of the temple. It was so awesome, and there was such a strong spirit there. He was super happy and excited. We started off the meeting, and when it was his time to do the ordinance of baptism, his son Luiz and I helped him slowly walk into the water from his wheel chair (he is not able to walk along, and even with help he is not able to move a lot), Brother Luiz took him by the shoulders and I was behind him helping to support him but also moving his legs for him with my hands. After he got into the water, Elder Aidukaites preformed the ordinance and I helped him lower Ponciano into the water and helped him lift him out of the water again. Ponciano was smiling from ear to ear but he could not get his footing again, so I lifted him up, one hand behind his back, and the other under his knees and carried him out of the font and into his wheel chair. Then I had the honor of confirming him a member of the church. What a great experience. He was so happy, and he truly understood everything that happened and more. Afterwards Brother Luiz told me that his dad, when they arrived home, made the comment that he knows why he was not able to walk. It was because he was so weighed down by his sins, but knows that he has been baptized and repented of all of his sins, he said that he felt like he could more than walk, but that he could fly. He is such a neat and special person. Also, it was a great experience for Brother Luiz, he was the only member in his family for all of his life, but he was able to see his dad be baptized for a remission of sins and then receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. What a neat experience for both of them and for us as missionaries. Really awesome. Also, this week we have taught a lot and have met more of the members. They are excited to give referrals now that we have been baptizing people. It should be good. So, everything is good and exciting, and to be honest, I cannot wait for p day to end so that we can get back to work. I am ready for another good week. Oh, yeah, and I will attach a photo of the baptism as well.
I hope that you all had a great week. I know that I did. So, to start off, Saturday was the baptism and confirmation of Ponciano Papa da Arruda, the older man that dreamed of the temple. It was so awesome, and there was such a strong spirit there. He was super happy and excited. We started off the meeting, and when it was his time to do the ordinance of baptism, his son Luiz and I helped him slowly walk into the water from his wheel chair (he is not able to walk along, and even with help he is not able to move a lot), Brother Luiz took him by the shoulders and I was behind him helping to support him but also moving his legs for him with my hands. After he got into the water, Elder Aidukaites preformed the ordinance and I helped him lower Ponciano into the water and helped him lift him out of the water again. Ponciano was smiling from ear to ear but he could not get his footing again, so I lifted him up, one hand behind his back, and the other under his knees and carried him out of the font and into his wheel chair. Then I had the honor of confirming him a member of the church. What a great experience. He was so happy, and he truly understood everything that happened and more. Afterwards Brother Luiz told me that his dad, when they arrived home, made the comment that he knows why he was not able to walk. It was because he was so weighed down by his sins, but knows that he has been baptized and repented of all of his sins, he said that he felt like he could more than walk, but that he could fly. He is such a neat and special person. Also, it was a great experience for Brother Luiz, he was the only member in his family for all of his life, but he was able to see his dad be baptized for a remission of sins and then receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. What a neat experience for both of them and for us as missionaries. Really awesome. Also, this week we have taught a lot and have met more of the members. They are excited to give referrals now that we have been baptizing people. It should be good. So, everything is good and exciting, and to be honest, I cannot wait for p day to end so that we can get back to work. I am ready for another good week. Oh, yeah, and I will attach a photo of the baptism as well.
So, that about sums up the week. A lot going on and a lot of things exciting are happening. Life is good and the work is great. So, I guess I will let you all go, but I do want you to know that I love every one of you and i pray for all of you many times a day and I can feel your prayers in me mission. Have a great week and an upcoming Halloween!! Love Elder Lee!
Dad,
I really love hearing from you dad. I also miss really hearing your voice, but the letters help a lot. To answer your questions about conference, there was a full chapel, and about half a gym, although in reality, it is not a gym, it is just another class room because the brazil government will not allow the church to put indoor gyms in the church building anymore, I have not idea way, but there was a good turnout. I do have to tell you though, I gained an appriciation for your conferences. In this conference Pres and Sister Oliveira spoke, and it was great, but afterwards the stake pres and councilor spoke and all of the missionaries were praying that there invistigators were taking things the right way and sometimes even not listening. The church is new in Cuiaba, and it is growing rapidly, and the church is always the same, but the people are also new, and the people are also different. It turned out okay, although we did have to explain a lot to our invistigators and even apologize for some of the things said. But the work is great and the fruits are many. President Oliveira has a vision of creating a new stake while he is here, or at least leaving everything ready for a new stake. We have to stakes in Matto Grosso (the state) and they are both in Cuiaba. We are really trying to push the work along. It is awesome to be part of his plan. My mission President to so awesome! Really great man and super spiritual and he loves the work. He was a bisop of an area that my MTC teacher served in during his mission in Recife. I am glad that Ryan like my letter. I sure miss all of them, but I cannot believe how fast they are growing up. Somebody the otherday did not believe that my siblings hardly never fight, and I did not know how to explain to them how close we really are. I simply said, my family is the most important thing to me and all of them have always been my best friends in the world. I am so blessed to have all of you. Thanks for the letter dad and have a great week. I love you. Elder Lee
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