WHIRLWIND!

July 7, 2014

I have not had time to THINK literally all week! Just running and doing and teaching and praying and time to sit and ponder just hasn’t happened so sorry if this email isn’t particularly inspiring. Here are the highlights.

 

CINTIA AND JEORGE GOT MARRIED!
(Also, I never want a civil wedding. just temple. I’m not trunky, but the wedding was so different than what I’ve always imagined for myself. temple wedding = priority. always)

CINTIA GOT BAPTIZED!
And almost the whole ward counsel was there!!!! Members that go to convert baptisms are my favorite people ever. The Pres of the RS even introduced Cintia´s visiting teacher for her. Literally perfect!

VAGNER WAS BAPTIZED!
A YM that received all the lessons with other sisters, but his parents never let him get baptized showed up at church and said, I want to be baptized today and my mom said I could. UM, MIRACLE?!?!?! He passed the baptismal interview with flying colors and we had a lovely baptismal service with lots of support from the members....the YM Pres is his neighbor :)

BRASIL WON AGAIN
Right now I’m working on memorizing the national anthem during language study. Its reeaaallly hard, those of you with YouTube should go listen to it.

So, this month is my month of faith. I like to think that I have a lot of faith in Jesus Christ, but there are plenty of his teachings that I don’t quite have a testimony yet. I decided that I really wanted to gain a testimony of a LIVING PROPHET. And the best way to do that is....do what he teaches us! Put it in practice! And he has been teaching us for the past 2 YEARS PEOPLE that Now is the moment for members and missionaries to work together to bring souls to Christ. Work together :)

You know, sometimes it’s challenging to be a missionary. We love the members and we get sad and frustrated when it’s not only the people on the street that constantly reject us, but the very members of Christ´s church that reject our invitations as well. Invitations to act - to teach, to invite, to open their mouths. To pray. To help. So...after a while we stop asking. It appears easier to work alone. But this month, I’m not going to do that! I’m going to try my very, very best to follow what a prophet of God has taught us. I’m going to love the members, I’m going to serve them, and I am going to help them understand the same joy that I feel every day! The joy of feeling the Spirit touch other people through our righteous choices :)

You know how the prophets always ask for the members to pray specifically every day for missionary moments? Well, I’ve flipped the invitation this past week. I´ve been praying every day to have ´member moments´. Opportunities every single day to work with the members and help them get involved in our work and help them help their friends and family as well. And would you believe it? Every. Single. Day. I have taught a friend or family member of some brother or sister in the ward, with the member sitting at my side and testifying. I have seen the light of the missionary fire in their eyes and helped them remember how good it is to serve other people. And I LOVE to work with these wonderful brothers and sisters!

Please, if you have ever raised your hand to the square to sustain our prophet, please listen to what the Lord is asking us to do. Help the missionaries. Better yet, help your friends who don’t know the glorious news! And then after, invite the missionaries!

I love you all very much :)

-Sister Carroll