Email - 2/2/10

Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 5:56 AM
Subject: Re: Last week of January

I am physically beat. I´m super super tired. I haven´t taken a break for a good while. Last week was our big long work week ending with me in Goiania, right? Well also this week was the last week of the month, and we had yet to baptize. 5 companionships in the whole mission needed to do it to make their goal. And we decided that, well, we wouldn´t let the Lord down, not in our branch.

So Wednesday night, wandering about, desperate, we ran into Nephi, (Néfi) one of the deacons in our branch (as of sunday, we´ll have 3) and he was walking with his friend, Jonathan. "Hey Elders!" He called, running up to us. "What is it?" "This is my friend, Jonathan! Remember that I told you about him?" We started, therefore, to talk a minute or two with Jonathan before Nephi interrupted us again, "Elder! He wants to be baptized!"

And, as per usual, the magic phrase filled the air with ice. We waited a minute, then asked. "How many times have you been to church?"

"More than ten."

"You wanna get baptized this Saturday?"
"Yes."

(Pause for the Elders not cry.)

"Is your mom home?"

"Uh-huh."

"Let´s go talk to her."

And away we went. Wednesday night we came home with one Baptism marked for Saturday with the papers signed and the whole world happy. By Friday the story had caught fire in the whole mission, and Sunday, after the confirmation, Pres. called us and asked that we send the story, written, to the whole mission. Jonathan was baptized Saturday night during an activity of the primary (He´s 12 years old, though) and Sunday he was confirmed. The best part, though, was relating the story, not to Pres, nor Sister, nor the APs, but to Nephi´s mom.

Nephi´s mom has been passing some difficulties, as she´s the single mom of 4 children, working and studying and trying to make ends meet. Her husband died this last year in an accident in Goiania, and life has been far from easy. As we thanked her profusely for having taught her son the importance of missionary work (and how much help he really is for us) tears filled her eyes and we had to take a step our two back, because it was obvious she needed to hug someone.

I am, to say the least, emotionally spent. So many highs this week were accompanied by a few big, bad, falls. One of the Elders in our district lost his father this week, and we were with him when he called. We´re trying our best to help him along, but really, there´s little we can do to help him out. Just pray and support.

Today is Elder Barbosa´s 21st birthday. We´ll celebrate later today with a bit of barbecue, and then I´ma sleep. I´ll try and send a few letters home, even though it looks like no one up north loves me, because I don´t get letters from family or friends any more (oh, how quickly we forget the many christmas packages, haha.)

I´ve got to answer your questions quick, then I´ll send my report to Pres, then I have to go home, cuz the APs´re gonna call soon.

We have a computer here, yes. I almost never use the thing, but yes, our branch has a computer. Actually they took two pairs of my pants. One dress pants and one pajama. I will kill them for taking my PJs.

Grayson is the name of the child? Do we already know the gender of Katie´s baby then?

Love lots, gotta split,

Bryan