Wow, what an adventure this week has been. It was full of deathly illnesses, almost broken bones, and trying to break into apartments. Oh, and not to forget, pajama parties and robbery too. Oh, let´s just say, it was a pretty exciting week here in Brazil...
It all started off with the thing that all missionaries LOVE. Our investigator, Evandro, was sick. Sicker than a dog, sick. And we were trying to visit him for DAYS. Starting on Monday, we went to his house trying to see how he was doing, we tried to visit him, invite him to Family Home Evening, etc, and we heard nothing. It´s the worst when your golden investigator disappears for days, especially on the week that you planned a baptism. It was a rough one. Sister Sallum and I felt like maybe he was avoiding us... Which was super sad, because he´s such a cool guy. So anyway, Sister Sallum and I just continued on. Trying and trying to visit, but by the time that Wednesday came around we just about gave up on the idea of a baptism.
On Thursday we had a miracle division. 2 young women from the other ward said they wanted to help us out. It was an intervention from God. Sister Sallum made contacts on the street with a million different people, and I had a chance to go and visit Evandro. Wow, let´s just say, the adversary really didn't want us to get to his house, especially because I sprained my ankle really bad when we were turning the corner to get to his street. But it´s a good thing that we didn't give up, because when we got there, Evandro was feeling a lot better. And even more miraculously, he had prayed while he was cooped up inside his house... he told us that when he was praying about if he should be baptized, he felt a really great feeling deep down to his core, and that he knew it was an answer from God... It was so amazing to be there at that moment. I just asked him if that means that he would be baptized, and he said yes. He was telling us more about his sickness, and how it was to be stuck at home, and I just marveled at how Heavenly Father works. Because of his sickness, he was stuck inside his house alone, and he finally prayed. Because of his sickness, he couldn't smoke for days. I had been so worried because we hadn't talked to him since Saturday, but Heavenly Father was taking care of him for us! Heavenly intervention is so interesting at times, isn´t it? Evandro is amazing! We visited him every day for the rest of the week and on Sunday night at 6:30 he was baptized. He cried, he was so happy. I couldn´t stop smiling. I knew that I returned to Fernandes for a reason. And if I´m transferred from here next week, I know that this was it. To help Evandro prepare for baptism. He was my investigator the last time I was here.
Everything was going perfectly, right? Our baptism ended, we were heading out the church doors and down the street, when all of a sudden we realized that we didn't have our keys with us... Oh no! We ended up calling the Bishop, returning to the church, removing everything from our bags, and nothing. We didn't have a single key! There was no way for us to return home. But there was a little girl that we've been teaching for a long time that was at the baptism. She´s about 10 years old, and she had been playing in our things. I knew she had taken them, because she has a really bad habit of lying and stealing... So we ran to her house, and she told us she had given them to one of the brothers of the church. So we ran to that brother´s house, just to find out she was lying. Then we ran to someone elses house and they didn´t have the keys either. Then we ran back to the girls house and she said that one of the other brothers from the church had them. Then we called, and they didn't have them... So all in all, she was lying! And we were stuck without keys... This is where the pajama party comes into play. Sister Sallum and I ended up sleeping at a members house! Woohoo! It was actually kind of fun and exciting really. We were on such a high from our amazingly amazing baptism that it almost didn't bother us that we would probably have to spend hundreds of dollars (or actually reais) to replace all 10 of our stolen keys.
Let´s just say, this p-day was full of a lot of fun and interesting key searching parties, and activities and wild goose chases! But all in all, the mom of this little girl picked her up from school, and we brought her to the church to "find" the stolen keys. But even though she stole and lied about the keys, we were just relieved to finally have them back. And now, I´m super tired, and I hope that my email makes sense!
But anyway, I feel so blessed that my amazing friend Evandro was finally baptized! It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. I know that the Lord really does watch over us and bless us. Everything always works out for our good if we just put our trust in the Lord. Even when things are going crazy! Just have faith.
I love you all! Have an amazing week!
Love,
Sister Stevens
Ps - Best. Baptism. Ever. I´m still smiling!
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