Monday, November 25, 2013

Nov. 25, 2013 Maringa City

Oiiiiiiiiiii!!!!   Hello wonderful family and friends! I hope that you all had a fabulous week! I did! We did! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!! Funny Story: For some reason.. I still do not know why... Sister Sedgwick and I thought this past Thursday was Thanksgiving. So... we told EVERYONE about it. That night when our District leader called we wished him a Happy Thanksgiving just to hear.. "Sisters, that is next week!" haha! Oops! WELL....now everyone in Maringá knows the story for Thanksgiving... Book of Mormon style:) We shared the story of Columbus and the Americas and the Bible from 1 Nephi chapter 13. We told them about how Americans celebrate "a prophesy of the Book of Mormon" without even knowing it! We also told them all about how in this Vision that Nephi had he saw the preparations for the Restoration by way of the prophet Joseph Smith. The Lord had it all planned. It is amazing to read and to see how Nephi litterly saw EVERYTTHING! From the beginning until Chirst, through the Great Apostasy and to The Restoration all the way til our day. We really are living in the LAST DAYS! Thats amazing to think about. I know that the Work is real and is The Lords work and that he is picking up the pace. Time to get going....lets all catch the wave!!! How exciting!

One thing we are trying to do here to work better with the members is to have more family home evening with them. We are planning to combine families and do mini trainings. We put up a bullitin board in the church and every noite familiar we take a picture and add it to the board. The members and visiters all see the board and are curious and want to participate. All FHE here have fun, fun games. Its always a good time with the missionarias right?? haha

This week I had cool experience. We were walking a long distance from our house to an appointment. As we walked we were talking with everyone we passed. As we were doing this we came across an middle aged man who appeared to have a disability with his legs because he was hobbling. He had just come out of an adult school and was waiting for the city bus. We went up to him and I started to introduce myself. He waved us away motioning that he was deaf. Smiling, I got out a pass along card and showed him he could search the church site and receive a book of  mormon. I wrote down our names and we were off. A little ways away I felt like we should go back and invite him to church. So we ran back to beat the bus and gave him the address. He seemed very suprised but pleased. A few days later my companion and I were deciding whether we wanted to walk home or catch a bus. We had time to walk but felt like we need to take a bus. One bus passed but still we felt like we should take another. So we waited and caught the next one. A few stops down... guess who got on the bus?? It was him! He sat in front of me. He didnt see me. It tapped him on the shoulder and waved Oi and he waved and turned around. I took out my planner and wrote "Você vai para Igreja comosco este Domingo?" or will you come to church with us this Sunday? He nodded and smiled then pointed to his watch. I wrote 9:00. He wrote "onde" (Where) luckly we were passing the street and I pointed to it and wrote the address again. I got out a Restoration pamphlet and gave it to him. He looked at it and smiled and it was so neat because I litterly couldnt say anything but I felt the spirit as he started to read. Sadyly he didnt show for church this sunday. But I have no doubt that we will run into him again. There are maaannnnny ways to share teh gospel. Being a missionary with a job and purpose to do so IS easy but thinking back to my life before my mission I can think of serveral opportunities I missed. I invited you all... especially this Holiday season to think of the true blessing the Gospel and not hesitate to share. I think people are more open than we think. Especially our friends and neighbors:) 

Lucas, our investigator, came to an activity we put on at the church. So did Leonardo. They are so great! It was a proud moment during the game/quiz at the end about the Restoration to hear them answer questions. Lucas has done his research! He was the only one who knew the name of the Brother of Jospeh Smith who died. I think he impressed everyone.. certianly me!!! He is learning a lot and we had some very special spiritual moments with him this week. Both of these young men have GREAT faith. They lack the support of their families. I admire all they do. We are planning Leonardos Baptism... It is really amazing to see peoples hearts slowly open. We made cookies last week and brought some to him but he wasnt home. His mom was and we were able to talk to her and even schedule a FHE!!!!!! This is a miracle and true tender mercy of the Lord. Sadly the only day she can do it is this Thursday.. the same day we are going to Londrina. But I have not lost hope! We will continue! (We will be in Londrina for a mission tour and to hear from our Area Presidency.)

Thank you Cari and Winnie or writing back to me about Prophets:) That meant a lot to me!

Thank you for all the Love a Support. Hope all is well with you and that you have a FELIZ DIA DE GRACAS! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Tchau!!     Love, Sister Edwards




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