Week 36 - Gravatá

Dear family,

Thank you for the emails and the pictures! I’m excited for Rae and homecoming. I want a lot of pictures next week por favor!!!

Before I forget I’ll write about that box that has given me a lot of stress. So I gave money to the sisters that I live with to give to an elder that works in the office and he said he would go get it for me. So he went there and he calls me and says that they won’t let him get it without my identification! I signed this paper and everything saying he could get it. But then he called again and said actually my box is in Sao Paulo and hasn’t arrived yet and then he called again and said ok seriously this time it went back to your house. So you guys should be getting the box here in a few weeks. I was actually a little relieved haha. That box gave me so much stress! Oh and then after all this his companion called me and asked me about that identification because I didn’t know what it was. Apparently I got this piece of paper that I’m supposed to have with me at all times or else I could go to jail! And I have no idea where it’s at and I don’t remember ever getting one. I think now I have to go to Recife and get another one!

This week we had such a miracle! We were knocking on doors and we went to this one house and a really, really old lady comes to the door and invites us in. At first I thought she wouldn’t understand much and just talk about her church to us. But she listened so intently to everything! We gave her a pamphlet and she got quiet and flipped through it not saying anything for it seemed like forever! We asked her questions and she just stayed silent. And then she started to cry and asked us if we are Mormons. We said yes! Do you know our church? She said that elders went to her house before but then they stopped and she didn’t know why and she missed them a lot. This was like 5 years ago when elders were in this area. Anyways she said one time she went to the church but then she got shy and didn’t go in but she has been waiting and praying for them to come back. isn’t that so cool?? She wanted to go to church with us yesterday, but it was Stake Conference in Caruaru so she couldn’t, but she said this Sunday she will! We are going to go by there with one of our members that have a car. She is really old and can’t walk very well. We went there again on Saturday and had a really good lesson with her. Her name is Ivete and we are so excited!!

I think I wrote about Carla and Rodrigues in my last letter. We taught them again this week! They are so great. They have so many good questions and their hearts are so open to learning. They just want to know the truth. We read 3 Nefi 11 with them. I love that chapter and they loved it too. He said he wanted to read it again later that night by himself! I especially like them because they always compliment my Portuguese :)

Remember the two women, Erica and Hiade, I wrote about a few weeks ago and we marked them to be baptized on the 28th? Well they still haven’t gone to church yet so their baptism has to be moved back. We are trying to think of things we can do to help them come. On Wednesday we are doing a church tour with them and we asked members to stop by their house next Sunday and invite them. Hopefully it will help!

Sister Fortes was transferred and Sister Dana went home this transfer! Her family came and got her and they came to visit Gravata for a day. It was a lot of fun! Her family is really nice. But anyways now its Sister Melo who is on her last transfer and she is training Sister H. Santos who is on her first transfer. And they are both Brazilians. I don’t ever speak English!! I actually feel a little awkward speaking English and I still feel a little awkward speaking Portuguese so I just can’t speak anything right!

Last p-day we watched 17 Miracles. Have you guys seen it? You need to if you haven’t!!! It’s soooooo good! I’ve never cried so much in a movie before. 

I don’t have any pictures this week, sorry! Thank you for the emails and pictures! Love you guys!!!

Love,

Sister Bedke